Nitrile ylides, alkenyl

Intramolecular azomethine ylide cycloaddition to the C—O double bond of an aldehyde was reported in 197369 and cycloaddition to the C—C double bond was first reported in 1975.70 Competition between 1,1- and 1,3-cycloaddition is observed in intramolecular reactions, although intermolecular reactions give only 1,3-cycloaddition. Photolysis of 2//-azirines is one generation method of nitrile ylides applicable to intramolecular cycloaddition.70 Another method involves the base-catalyzed 1,3-elimination of hydrogen halide from alkenyl imidoyl halides. Still other procedures involve thermolytic and photolytic cycloreversions of oxazolinones and dihydrooxazaphospholes. 

Nitrile ylides can have the alkenyl group attached at either end, at the disubstituted or monosubstituted carbon. 

For intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, the application of nitrones and nitrile oxides is by far most common. However, in increasing frequency, cases intramolecular reactions of azomethine ylides (76,77,242-246) and azides (247-259) are being reported. The previously described intermolecular approach developed by Harwood and co-workers (76,77) has been extended to also include intramolecular reactions. The reaction of the chiral template 147 with the alkenyl aldehyde 148 led to the formation of the azomethine ylide 149, which underwent an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to furnish 150 (Scheme 12.49). The reaction was found to proceed with high diastereoselectivity, as only one diaster-eomer of 150 was formed. By a reduction of 150, the proline derivative 151 was obtained. 

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