Nitriles cycloaddition reactions with acrylates

The 4-phospha-1,3-butadiene 77/80 serves as an effective synthon for the unknown H-substituted nitrile ylide 79 in [3+ 2]-cycloaddition reactions with a range of electron-poor dipolarophUes (e.g., reaction with DMAD gave 78 in 80% yield). Similar yields were also obtained using methyl propiolate, azodicaboxylic esters, ethyl acrylate, and acrylonitrile (39). The reactant was generated under very mild conditions from 75 as shown below. 

D Auria and Racioppi have reported that the arylacrylonitriles (11) undergo facile (2+2)-cycloaddition when subjected to benzophenone-sensitized irradiation in acetonitrile solution. The products obtained from this treatment and the yields obtained are shown under the appropriate structures in Scheme 3. Again a mixture of addition types is encountered in line with results obtained from the cycloaddition reactions with the cinnamic acids. Dimerization of the nitrile (12) was also studied and yielded the two adducts (13) and (14). Irradiation of 3-(estran-16-yl)acrylates and 2-(estran-16-yl)vinyl ketones brings about the formation of dimers and also isomerization of the unsaturated side chains. ... 

This regioselectivity is practically not influenced by the nature of subsituent R. 3,5-Disubstituted isoxazolines are the sole or main products in [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of nitrile oxides with various monosubstituted ethylenes such as allylbenzene (99), methyl acrylate (105), acrylonitrile (105, 168), vinyl acetate (168) and diethyl vinylphosphonate (169). This is also the case for phenyl vinyl selenide (170), though subsequent oxidation—elimination leads to 3-substituted isoxazoles in a one-pot, two-step transformation. 1,1-Disubstituted ethylenes such as 2-methylene-1 -phenyl-1,3-butanedione, 2-methylene-1,3-diphenyl- 1,3-propa-nedione, 2-methylene-3-oxo-3-phenylpropanoates (171), 2-methylene-1,3-dichlo-ropropane, 2-methylenepropane-l,3-diol (172) and l,l-bis(diethoxyphosphoryl) ethylene (173) give the corresponding 3-R-5,5-disubstituted 4,5-dihydrooxazoles. 

However, most asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitrile oxides with alkenes are carried out without Lewis acids as catalysts using either chiral alkenes or chiral auxiliary compounds (with achiral alkenes). Diverse chiral alkenes are in use, such as camphor-derived chiral N-acryloylhydrazide (195), C2-symmetric l,3-diacryloyl-2,2-dimethyl-4,5-diphenylimidazolidine, chiral 3-acryloyl-2,2-dimethyl-4-phenyloxazolidine (196, 197), sugar-based ethenyl ethers (198), acrylic esters (199, 200), C-bonded vinyl-substituted sugar (201), chirally modified vinylboronic ester derived from D-( + )-mannitol (202), (l/ )-menthyl vinyl ether (203), chiral derivatives of vinylacetic acid (204), ( )-l-ethoxy-3-fluoroalkyl-3-hydroxy-4-(4-methylphenylsulfinyl)but-1 -enes (205), enantiopure Y-oxygenated-a,P-unsaturated phenyl sulfones (206), chiral (a-oxyallyl)silanes (207), and (S )-but-3-ene-1,2-diol derivatives (208). As a chiral auxiliary, diisopropyl (i ,i )-tartrate (209, 210) has been very popular. 

Confirmation was provided by the observation that the species produced by the photolysis of two different carbene sources (88 and 89) in acetonitrile and by photolysis of the azirine 92 all had the same strong absorption band at 390 nm and all reacted with acrylonitrile at the same rate (fc=4.6 x 10 Af s" ). Rate constants were also measured for its reaction with a range of substituted alkenes, methanol and ferf-butanol. Laser flash photolysis work on the photolysis of 9-diazothioxan-threne in acetonitrile also produced a new band attributed the nitrile ylide 87 (47). The first alkyl-substituted example, acetonitrilio methylide (95), was produced in a similar way by the photolysis of diazomethane or diazirine in acetonitrile (20,21). This species showed a strong absorption at 280 nm and was trapped with a variety of electron-deficient olefinic and acetylenic dipolarophiles to give the expected cycloadducts (e.g., 96 and 97) in high yields. When diazomethane was used as the precursor, the reaction was carried out at —40 °C to minimize the rate of its cycloaddition to the dipolarophile. In the reactions with unsymmetrical dipolarophiles such as acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, or methyl propiolate, the ratio of regioisomers was found to be 1 1. 

The auxihary acrylates 161 and 162 have been used in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with nitrile oxides. The camphor-derived acrylate 161 underwent a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with benzonitrile oxide with up to 56% de (Scheme 12.51) (263). The auxiliary in acrylate 162 is derived from naturally occurring L-quebrachitol, and provided an effective shielding of the re-face of the alkene in the reaction with benzonitrile oxide, as 90% de was obtained (273). Compound 163 was used in a reaction with the nitrone 1-pyrrole-1-oxide, and the reaction proceeded to give a complex mixture of products (274). 

The presence of the propionamide fragment in the stmcture of the anti-inflammatory agent broperamole (125-1) is reminiscent of the heterocycle-based NSAID propionic acids. The activity of this agent may trace back to the acid that would result on hydrolysis of the amide. Tetrazoles are virtually always prepared by reaction of a nitrile with hydrazoic acid or, more commonly, sodium azide in the presence of acid in a reaction very analogous to a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. A more recent (and safer) version of the reaction noted later (see losartan, 77-4) uses tributyltin azide. In the case at hand, reaction of the anion of mefa-bromobenzonitrile (125-1) with sodium azide and an acid affords the tetrazole (125-2). Condensation of the anion from that intermediate with ethyl acrylate leads to the product from Michael addition saponiflcation gives the corresponding carboxylic acid (125-3). This is then converted to the acid chloride reaction with piperidine affords broperamole (125-4) [136]. 

Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) were applied to the synthesis of substituted isoxazolines. For example, 64 was obtained by addition of nitro-alkene 60 and acrylate 61 to a solution of isonitrile 59 generated in situ by reaction of trimethylsilyl cyanide and isobutene oxide in the presence of Pd(CN)2 <05OL3179>. This cascade MCR is believed to occur through [1+4] cycloaddition of 59 with 60, subsequent fragmentation of 62 and 1,3-DC of nitrile oxide 63 with 61. Under microwave irradiation, reaction times could be reduced from several hours to 15 min, with comparable yields. 

Dipolar cycloadditions of nitrile imines with alkenes lead to 2-pyrazolines. Moderate select vities are observed in reactions with the acrylate of (/ )-pantolactone. 

MBH adducts and their derivatives derived from methyl acrylate and aldehydes undergo stereoselective cycloadditions with diazomethane and benzonitrile oxide to give the corresponding cycloadducts in good yields (Scheme 3.214). The stereochemical outcome can be explained by the so-called inside alkoxy elfect theory.However, in the case of diazomethane cycloadditions, electrostatic factors play a reduced role compared to the corresponding nitrile oxide reactions, while steric elfects are of major importance in governing the stereoselectivity. This dilferent behavior of the two 1,3-dipoles has been rationalized by analysis of the atomic charges, as calculated at the RHF/3-21G level of theory, for the transition structure of these reactions. 

Photo-triggered ring opening of 2//-azirines is a well-known reaction to produce pyrrolines [8, 71]. Padwa and co-workers showed that photoirradiation of azirines with a mercury arc lamp (450 W) equipped with Vycor filter generated the reactive nitrile ylide intermediate (72), which can be stabilized by the phenyl substituents. The nitrile ylide (72) then reacts with the electron-deficient olefins (73) such as acrylate and acrylonitrile in a cycloaddition reaction to form A -pyrrolines (74) (Scheme 10) [8]. Steenken and co-workers studied reaction kinetics of azirines with dipolarophiles as well as nucleophiles such as alcohols [72]. They showed that the reaction rate depends on the azirine substituents, the nucleophilicity of the reactant and the acidity of the alcohol. 

The regiospecificity of the olefin cycloaddition reaction depends on the substituent groups present on the double bond. Thus, acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate react with various nitrile ylides to give only the 4-substituted regio-isomers (i.e., 16). Photocycloaddition of arylazirines to a-methylacrylo-nitrile and methyl methacrylate, on the other hand, give adducts of type 33 and 34 in a 3 2 ratio. ... 

The regioselectivity and reactivity of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitril-imines with acrylonitrile and methyl acrylate have been investigated. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitrilimines with isatin imines yielded spiro[indolin-3,3 -1,2,4-triazol] derivatives under classical and microwave conditions/ An extensive study of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitrilimines with a,/ -unsaturated lactones, thiolactones, and lactams has been presented. In all cases, regioisomeric mixtures were obtained with the 5-substituted pyrazole as the major cycloadduct. me5 o-Tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (51) reacts with iminonitriles (52) yielding pyrazolin-fused chlorines (53) via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction (Scheme 17). ... 

Baker s yeast catalyzed the regioselective cycloaddition of stable aromatic nitrile oxides ArCNO [Ar = 2,6-C12C6H3, 2,4,6-Me3C6H2, 2,4,6-(MeO)3C6H2] to ethyl cinnamate, ethyl 3-(p-tolyl)acrylate, and tert-butyl cinnamates (218). Reactions of dichloro- and trimethoxybenzonitrile oxides with all three esters proceeded regio- and stereoselectively to form exclusively alkyl tran.v -3,5-diary 1 -... 

Dipolar addition is closely related to the Diels-Alder reaction, but allows the formation of five-membered adducts, including cyclopentane derivatives. Like Diels-Alder reactions, 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition involves [4+2] concerted reaction of a 1,3-dipolar species (the An component and a dipolar In component). Very often, condensation of chiral acrylates with nitrile oxides or nitrones gives only modest diastereoselectivity.82 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition between nitrones and alkenes is most useful and convenient for the preparation of iso-xazolidine derivatives, which can then be readily converted to 1,3-amino alcohol equivalents under mild conditions.83 The low selectivity of the 1,3-dipolar reaction can be overcome to some extent by introducing a chiral auxiliary to the substrate. As shown in Scheme 5-51, the reaction of 169 with acryloyl chloride connects the chiral sultam to the acrylic acid substrate, and subsequent cycloaddition yields product 170 with a diastereoselectivity of 90 10.84... 

Inductive effects exerted by substituents on the nitrile ylide also have an important effect on the regio-selectivity of the cycloaddition. Benzonitriliohexafluoro-2-propanide (73) and methyl acrylate yield products with inverse regioselectivity, as compared with the reactions of the related benzonitrilio-2-pro-panide (76 Scheme 18).83 The difference in regioselectivity has been attributed to the larger coefficient... 

In addition to being an efficient chiral controller in a number of stereoselective transformations of chiral acrylates, (i.e. the Diels-Alder reaction, the conjugate reduction, the asymmetric dihydroxylation, and the nitrile oxide cycloaddition ) the bomanesultam (11) has been shown to be an exceptionally efficient chiral auxiliary for stereoselective aldol condensations (eqs eq 3 and eq 4). Depending upon the reaction conditions, A -propionylsultam can produce either the syn or anti aldol product with an excellent diastereoselectivity, Furthermore, good diastereoselectiv-ities are also observed for the corresponding acetate aldol reaction (eq 5), ... 

Irradiation of phenyl-2//-azirines in the presence of carbon dioxide leads to the formation of the 3-oxazoline-5-one system121-123 and, in some cases, to the isomeric 2-oxazolin-5-one122 [Eq. (24)1. The azirines serve as incipient nitrile ylides, whose 1,3-dipolar structure permits cycloaddition to the dipolarophile C02123 [Eq. (25)1. The reverse reaction, photolytic extrusion of C02 from pseudoxazolones, is synthetically useful, since the dipolar nitrile ylide thus formed can be trapped with a variety of dipolarophiles. Thus, 2,2,4-triphenyl-3-oxazolin-5-one (48) is readily converted into the stabilized ylide (49)124 [Eq. (26)1, and the use of methyl acrylate,122 acrylonitrile,122 and dimethylacetylene dicarboxy-... 

By using a multicomponent cascade reaction. Parsons et al. [88] achieved one-pot sequential [1+4] and [3+2] cycloadditions to synthesize highly substituted iso-xazolines via nitrile oxides (Scheme 11.28). These five-component reactions proceed by initial formation of isonitriles 109 that react with nitroalkenes 110 to form unstable N-(isoxazolylidene)alkylamines, which in turn fragment to generate the nitrile oxides 111. Cycloaddition then occurs with methyl acrylate, chosen for its expected reactivity with nitrile oxide dipoles, to generate the isoxazolines 112. Reactions using standard thermal conditions and microwave irradiation were com-... 

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