Fulvenes retro Diels-Alder reaction

When the cyclic acetylene 260 is generated from a suitable precursor, it undergoes an isomerization reaction spontaneously generating naphthalene (263) and benzo-fulvene (264) as the finally isolable products. Very likely the process begins with a retro-Diels-Alder reaction to the [3]cumulene 261, which in a cascade reaction via the semicydic allene 262 rearranges to 263 and 264 [111]. 

Joining olefin metathesis on the very short list of exchange reactions involving carbon-carbon bonds, the Diels-Alder reaction was studied in 2005 by Lehn and colleagues [52]. As the authors note, most Diels-Alder reactions proceed only in the forward direction at room temperature, with retro Diels-Alder reactions typically requiring elevated temperatures. Careful tuning of the diene and dienophile, however, can alter this significantly. In particular, reactions of substituted fulvenes (32) with diethylcyanofumarate (33) were... 

Thiophene 1,1-dioxide did not undergo cycloaddition with electron-deficient dienophiles. In most of the cases the dihydrobenzothiophene derivative 109 was obtained as the major product. This shows that self-dimerization is faster than cycloaddition with a different molecule. In the case of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) and 4-phenyl-3//-l,2,4-triazole-3,5(4//)-dione (PTAD), the Diels-Alder adducts 111 and 112 of 109 were obtained <1997JA9077>. However, cyclopentadiene gave the Diels-Alder adduct 113 with thiophene 1,1-dioxide. The DMAD adduct 111 on thermolysis undergoes a retro-Diels-Alder reaction to give dimethyl phthalate and thiophene 1,1-dioxide. Azulene was isolated in the thermolysis of 108 in the presence of 6-(dimethylamino)-fulvene this was the result of a [4-1-6] cycloaddition of the thiophene 1,1-dioxide formed in the reaction followed by elimination of SO2 and dimethylamine (Scheme 28) <1999BCJ1919>. 

Further general route to 2-alkyl-2-butenolactones via the retro Diels-Alder reaction was developed, Fig. 5. [23], Hydrolysis of a known lactone (15), subsequent esterification with diazomethane, and treatment with dihydropyran afforded a stereoisomeric mixture of pyranyl ether. Alkylation of the pyranyl ether with various alkyl halide yielded alkylated products (16). The retro Diels-Alder reaction of 16 was performed by heating at 200-280 °C in a sealed tube to give 2-alkyl-2-butenolactones (17). The utility of the butenolactones was demonstrated by the synthesis of hinokinin (18) and dehydrolappaol A dimethyl ether (19). Similarly rather mild, simple synthesis of a-methylene-y-alkylbutyrolactones was deviced using dimethyl-fulvene as a protective group for the double bond, Fig. 6. [24]. The... 

The reversibility of the Diels-Alder reaction has been put to good use in the protection of olefins. Ardis [69] used the butadiene adduct to protect the olefin in his synthesis of vinylidene cyanide. Alder [70] was able to monoepoxidise various benzoquinones as their cyclopentadiene adducts, and Chapman [71] used the same method to obtain half-reduction of benzoquinone. Regeneration of the olefin is achieved thermally and Alder [70] noted that this was easier with the fulvene adduct than with the cyclopentadiene adduct. Sauer [72] observed that the retro-Diels-Alder reaction was easier with adducts involving furan, fulvene, and anthracene as the diene component, and he made the anhydride (8) using this method. 

Diels-Alder reactions continue to be of value for the interception of highly reactive dienes or dienophiles. Thus, irradiation of 2-cyclo-octen-l-one or of 2-cyclohepten-l-one in the presence of excess cyclopentadiene affords the norbornene derivatives (173 n = 5 or 4 respectively), which undergo retro-[4 -I- 2] addition on distillation. Presumably the trans-2-cycloalken-l-ones are reactive intermediates in these processes. Elimination of acetic acid from bis(trifluoromethyl)cyclopentadienylcarbinyl acetate yields the reactive 6,6-bis(trifluoromethyl)fulvene, which rapidly dimerizes by [4 + 2] cycloaddition the fulvene intermediate can be intercepted by similar addition to cyclopentadiene. The adduct (174) is formed on reaction of cyclopentadiene with the imine produced by iodine-catalysed rearrangement of NN-... 

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