Ketene-acetylene cycloadditions

The area of ketene—acetylene [4 + 2] cycloadditions is extensive and wide ranged. Thus, several related examples under various conditions... 

Simple olefins do not usually add well to ketenes except to ketoketenes and halogenated ketenes. Mild Lewis acids as well as bases often increase the rate of the cyclo addition. The cycloaddition of ketenes to acetylenes yields cyclobutenones. The cycloaddition of ketenes to aldehydes and ketones yields oxetanones. The reaction can also be base-cataly2ed if the reactant contains electron-poor carbonyl bonds. Optically active bases lead to chiral lactones (41—43). The dimerization of the ketene itself is the main competing reaction. This process precludes the parent compound ketene from many [2 + 2] cyclo additions. Intramolecular cycloaddition reactions of ketenes are known and have been reviewed (7). 

Thermal [2h-2] cycloaddition reactions of carbonyl compounds were catalyzed by a Lewis acid. The catalyst forms complexes with the carbonyl compounds and enhances the electron-accepting power. The reaction shifts from the delocalization band to the pseudoexcitation band. Catalyzed [2h-2] cycloaddition reactions were observed with acetylenic compounds [28] and ketenes [29-31]. 

An example of 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium-3-olate (65 R = R = R = Ph, R = H) reacting as a 1,3-dipole was first provided by Suld and Price who obtained a maleic anhydride adduct (C25HigO5). Subsequently, an extensive study of the cycloadditions of this species has been published by Potts, Elliott, and Sorm. With acetylenic dipolarophiles, compound 65 (R = R = R = Ph, R = H) gives 1 1 adducts that have the general structure 74 and that isomerize to 6-benzoyl-2,4-cyclohexadienones (76) upon thermolysis. This thermal rearrangement (74 -> 76) has been interpreted in terms of an intermediate ketene 75. The 2,3-double bond of adduct 74 (R = Ph) is reduced by catalytic hydrogenation. Potential synthetic value of these cycloadducts (74) is demonstrated by the conversion of compound 74 (R = Ph) to l,2,3,4,6-pentaphenylcyclohepta-I,3,5-triene (79 R= Ph) via the alcohol 78 (Scheme 1). ... 

Triazines are generally more reactive in [2 + 4] cycloaddition in comparison with 1,2,3-tria-zines. The wide variety of dienophiles can be employed enamines, enaminones, vinyl silyl ethers, vinyl thioethers, cyclic ketene jV,O-acetals, /V-phenylmaleimide, 6-dimethylaminopentafulvene, 2-alkylidene-imidazolidines (cychc ketene aminals), cyclic vinyl ethers, arynes, benzocyclopropene, acetylenes, and alkenes like ethylene, (Z)-but-2-ene, cyclopentene, cyclooctene and bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene, hexa-1,5-diene, cycloocta-1,5-diene, diallyl ether, cyclododeca-l,5,9-triene,... 

Vinilydene to acetylene rearrangement 213 Cycloaddition of cyclopentadiene and ketenes 214... 

From the qualitative point of view, the structure of the ethylene/ketene complex is similar to the geometry of the TS of the same system in cycloaddition reaction58. In 22, R (= 3.46 A) is the distance between the centre of mass of the ethylene and the carbon of the carbonyl group of ketene this carbon is the most electrophilic centre of the ketene. In the case of the complex between acetylene and ketene, the same distance between the centre of mass of acetylene and the carbon of ketene was evaluated (by the same method) at 3.60 A. 

Electron-poor multiple bonds in acetylene dicarboxylates42 137 149), ketenes 150 152> isocyanates, isothiocyanates, carbodiimides 138-153) and arynes42) add metallated ynamines to give adducts that still carry the ynamine moiety. This behaviour contrast with that of other ynamines which mostly undergo various cycloadditions but it must be stressed that even here cycloadducts may be formed as by-products. 

The most general methods for preparing seven- or eight-membered rings from enamines are by ring expansion of the cyclobutene, cyclobutanone or chlorocyclopro-pane adducts formed by cycloaddition of acetylene carboxylates, ketenes or chlor-ocarbenes, respectively, to enamines of cyclopentanone or cyclohexanone. These are two-carbon or one-carbon ring expansions. Three-carbon ring expansions can also be carried out by cycloaddition of activated cyclopropenes or cyclopropenones. 

Since the report by Carboni and Lindsey in 1959 on the cycloaddition reaction of tetrazines to multiple bonded molecules as a route to pyridazines, such reactions have been extensively studied. In addition to acetylenes and ethylenes, enol ethers, ketene acetals, enol esters and enamines, and even aldehydes and ketones have been used as starting materials for pyridazines. A detailed investigation of various 1,2,4, 5-tetrazines in these syntheses revealed the following facts. In [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of 3,6-bis(methylthio)-l,2,4,5-tetrazine with dienophiles, which lead to pyridazines, the following order of reactivity was observed (in parenthesis the reaction temperature is given) ynamines (25°C) > enamines (25-60°C) > ketene acetals (45-100°C) > enamides (80-100°C) > trimethylsilyl or alkyl enol ethers (100-140°C) > enol... 

The ketene (2) also undergoes cycloaddition to acetylenes to give 2-cyclobutcnc-1 -one derivatives in 40-80% yield. Thus t-butylcyanoketene reacts with phenylacctylene in benzene at room temperature to give the cyclobutenone (10). Only one of the two possible products of cycloaddition is formed thus the reaction is rcgiospecific. The structure... 

The methods for generating acyl ketenes (Scheme 7-V) and their subsequent in situ participation in [4 + 2] cycloadditions with a wide range of hetero- or olefinic and acetylenic dienophiles (Scheme 7-VI), including acyl ketenes,185 186,197 carbonyl compounds, 86-188 nitriles,1874,189,191 isocyanates and isothiocyanates,1864,190,191 ketenes,191 imines,1864,1874,191,192 carbo-diimides,l87c 190,191,193 ynamines,194 ketene acetals,1864,195 enol ethers,1864,191,196 and V-sulfinylamines197 have been extensively reviewed.5,9,12 Two reports have detailed the 4-n- participation of allenic ketones in [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions [Eq. (51)].198,199... 

The thermal and photochemical [4 + 2] cycloadditions of o-quinones with olefinic and acetylenic dienophiles have been extensively reviewed4,5,200 and include their 4tt heterodiene Diels-Alder reactions with olefins,201-204 vinyl ethers,205 enamines,206 selected dienes,207-209 dipheny-lketenimines,210 ketenes,209,210 fulvenes,211 and selected heterocycles including furan,207-209,212 benzofuran,209,212,215 indoles,213 azepines,214 and 1,2-diazepines.214 The tetrahalo-substituted o-quinones, tetrachloro- and tetrabromo-o-quinone, generally participate in heterodiene [4 + 2] cycloadditions at an increased rate over the unsubstituted systems and generally provide higher overall yields of the Diels-Alder products.4,5 With simple olefins, the dienophile geometry is maintained in the course of the thermal [4 4- 2] cycloadditions [Eq. (52)],203,204... 

Aromatic and aliphatic acyl isocyanates participate in a similar range of [4 + 2] cycloadditions although [2 + 2] and simple addition reactions often are observed. The acyl isocyanate substituents may determine or alter the observed course of the reaction, and the substituent effects have been detailed in extensive reviews.7,71 Observed [4 + 2] cycloadditions of acyl isocyanates with selected olefins, p-quinones, allenes, the carbon-carbon double bond of ketenes, electron-rich acetylenes, imines, dianils, ethy-lenediimines, enamines, enol ethers, ketene acetals, carbodiimides, azirines, and vinyl sulfides have been described.7 0 The reaction of aromatic acyl isocyanates with carbodiimides is not a simple, direct [4 + 2] cycloaddition but proceeds by a kinetic [2 + 2] cycloaddition followed by a subsequent rearrangement to provide the observed [4 + 2] cycloadduct [Eq. (40)].97... 

Early extensive accounts of the 4v participation of a,/)-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in [4 + 2] cycloadditions detailed their reactions with electron-deficient dienophiles including a,/3-unsaturated nitriles, aldehydes, and ketones simple unactivated olefins including allylic alcohols and electron-rich dienophiles including enol ethers, enamines, vinyl carbamates, and vinyl ureas.23-25 31-33 Subsequent efforts have recognized the preferential participation of simple a,/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (a,/3-unsaturated aldehydes > ketones > esters) in inverse electron demand [4 + 2] cycloadditions and have further explored their [4 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions with enol ethers,34-48 acetylenic ethers,48 49 ke-tene acetals,36-50 enamines,4151-60-66 ynamines,61-63 ketene aminals,66 and selected simple olefins64-65 (Scheme 7-1). Additional examples may be found in Table 7-1. 

AAAcylimines, e.g., 4, are the most widely recognized and the most extensively investigated hetero-2-azadiene system capable of participation in Diels-Alder reactions, and comprehensive reviews have been published.7,71 In general, substituents X and Y are strongly electron-withdrawing groups and consequently the AAacylimines participate as electron-deficient partners in cycloaddition reactions with electron-rich dienophiles. Diels-Alder reactions of electron-deficient /V-acylimines with vinyl ethers, enamines, olefins, sulfenes, acetylenes, and the carbon-carbon or carbon-oxygen double bond of ketenes have been detailed.57 71 This 47t participation of electron-deficient AAacylimines does complement the ability of many simple AAacylimines to behave as 2ir dienophile components in Diels-Alder reactions with typical electron-rich dienes.6... 

The impact of (2 + 2)-cycloaddition and (2 + 2)-cycloreversion reactions of heterocyclic compounds on organic chemistry over the last 10 years is clearly illustrated by several examples. Various members of the important /Hactam antibiotics, penicillin and cephalosporin C, as well as structurally related heterobicyclic compounds have been obtained by (2+ 2)-cycloaddition of heterocycles with ketenes (Section II,D,l).n Intramolecular photochemical (2 + 2)-cycloadditions of 2-pyrones yield 2-oxabicyclo 2.2.01hex-5-en-3-ones, which upon further irradiation afford cyclobutadienes (Section III,D,2).12 Intermolecular (2 + 2)-cyclo-additions of vinylene carbonates with olefins and with acetylenes offer a simple route to cyclobutanes and cyclobutenes, respectively (Sections III,B,3 and 5).13 (2 + 2)-Cycloaddition and (2 + 2)-cycloreversion reactions have contributed substantially to the development of the chemistry... 

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