Methylene formation, function

Figure IX-E-15. Quantum yield of singlet methylene formation as a function of wavelength in the photodecomposition of ketene at low pressures.

If R2 contains an a-hydrogen the method cannot be applied as enaminc formation occurs. Bisamides (or -carbamates) are often used in amidoalkylations of aryl and reactive methylene compounds, but the rather harsh reaction conditions severely limit application in the synthesis of more complicated molecules with other functional groups. 

Beside thioamides, dithioesters are the most stable and accessible thiocarbonyl compounds. Their specific reactivity, in particular towards nucleophiUc reagents and their apphcations to the formation of carbon-carbon bonds, have already been reviewed [8]. However, as shown below, the presence of a phosphonate function alpha or beta to the thiocarbonyl group in phosphonodithioformates and phosphonodithioacetates makes these difunctional compounds very versatile building blocks. Moreover, for the phosphonodithioacetates, the substitution of the methylenic hydrogen atoms by fluorine increases again their potential as intermediates for the synthesis of modified natural and bioactive phosphorylated structures. 

Lead tetraacetate can effect oxidation of carbonyl groups, leading to formation of a-acetoxy ketones,215 but the yields are seldom high. Boron trifluoride can be used to catalyze these oxidations. It is presumed to function by catalyzing the formation of the enol, which is thought to be the reactive species.216 With unsymmetrical ketones, products from oxidation at both a-methylene groups are found.217... 

In 3, the amino functional group is two methylene units removed from the ferrocene nucleus. It appears from the instantaneous and quantitative formation of h from 3 that this feature minimizes steric effects and also enables 3 to undergo the Schotten-Baumann reaction readily without the classical a-metallocenylcarbenium ion effects providing any constraints. The IR spectrum of showed the characteristic N-H stretch at 3320 cm" (s), the amide 1 (carbonyl) stretch at 1625 an - -(s), the amide II (N—H) stretch at 1540 cm (s), and the amide III band at 1310 cm 1(m). In addition, characteristic absorptions of the ferrocenyl group were evident at 1100 and 1000 cm l (indicating an unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl ring) and at 800 cm"l. 

Di-hydroxyl end-capped PPG (18) is an intermediate in the formation of a common polyurethane prepolymer (20). End group functionality of this intermediate is important, as this hydroxyl functionality is modified to form the prepolymer. Any different end group structures could lead to the presence of prepolymer that will not form polyurethane of the desired structure. The desired reaction of the intermediate (18) to form the prepolymer (20) is described in Figure 21. Reaction of one unit of the intermediate (18) and two units of methylene diphenyl 4,4 -diisocyanate (MDI) results in the formation (nominally) of the prepolymer (20). 

A solvent-free synthesis of substituted spiroindolinonaphth[2,l-fo][l,4]oxazines through condensation of 2-methylene-l,3,3-trimethylindoline derivatives with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol under microwave irradiation has been described by Fedorova and colleagues (Scheme 6.263) [453], In a typical reaction, an equimolar mixture of the two starting materials was irradiated at 65-110 °C for 15 min to produce the desired spiroindolinonaphth[2,l-fo][l,4]oxazines, which are useful as photochromic compounds. In a related procedure, addition of morpholine to the reaction mixture led to the formation of the corresponding 6 -amino-functionalized spiroindolino-naphth[2,l-fo][l,4]oxazines, which exhibit a strong hypsochromic color shift (not shown) [453]. 

Several classes of silyl ethers have been shown to be excellent substrates for the C-H insertion chemistry of donor/ acceptor-substituted carbenoids.81 Effective C-H insertions predominantly occur at methylene sites. Primary sites are not sufficiently activated electronically while tertiary sites are sterically too crowded. Rl -DOSP -catalyzed functionalization of the allyl silyl ether 3 resulted in a highly diastereoselective transformation, leading to the formation of the /3-hydroxyester 4 in 94% yield and 82% ee (Equation (17)).81 This example illustrates the regioselectivity of this chemistry, because 3 contains two allylic sites but only the methylene site adjacent to the siloxy group was functionalized. Even better substrates are the commercially available tetraalkoxysilanes such as 5, because with these substrates, the high diastereoselectivity was retained while the enantioselectivity was increased (Equation (18)).81... 

A variety of functionalities, tether lengths, and alkene substitution patterns were tolerated (Equation (35)).52,53 Of particular significance is the synthesis of a-methylene-y-butyrolactone 55, as only Zhang had reported successfully using Alder-ene chemistry to gain access to this novel system (see Section 10.12.4.3). The reaction was sensitive to the length of the tether, since there was a marked decrease in yield for the formation of the six- and seven-membered carbocycles (53 and 54, respectively) compared to the five-membered case 52. 

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