Nitroalkene 1 + 2 cycloaddition

The majority of asymmetric dipolar cycloadditions have been investigated in the context of the tandem [4 + 2]/[3 + 2]-nitroalkene cycloaddition. The chiral nitronate is prepared by using either a chiral nitroalkene, vinyl ether, or Lewis acid in the hrst cycloaddition. The acetal center at C(6) of the nitronate provides important steric and electronic effects that control the subsequent dipolar cycloaddition. Subsequently, in the cycloadditions of the chiral nitroalkenes 281 and 284, the dipolarophile approaches from the side distal to that of the substituent at C(4) and the acetal center at C(6) (Eq. 2.27 and Table 2.53) (90,215). 

The dipolar cycloaddition of nitronates has been applied to the synthesis of several natural products in the context of the tandem [4+2] / [3 + 2] nitroalkene cycloaddition process. All of these syntheses have focused on the construction of pyrrolidine, pyrrolizidine, and indolizidine alkaloids. For example, the synthesis of ( )-hastanecine (316), a necine alkaloid, involves the elaboration of a p-benzoy-loxynitroalkene 311 via [4 + 2] cycloaddition with a chiral vinyl ether (312) in the presence of a titanium based Lewis acid, to provide the nitronate 313 with high diastereo- and facial selectivity (Scheme 2.30) (69). The dipolar cycloaddition of... 

The photochemical reaction of tetranitromethane with aromatic compounds leads in low yields to 1,3,2-dioxazoles, as products of the nitroalkene cycloaddition of the trinitromethyl intermediate <1995ACS482, 1996ACS29, 1996ACS735>. The cycloaddition products 22a and 22b (0.2-1.8%) were isolated from 1,3-dimethylnaphthalene <1995ACS482>, compound 23a (20%) from 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene <1996ACS29>, and compound 23b (3%) from 1,2,3,4-tetramethylbenzene <1996ACS735>. The structure of all these compounds has been proved by single crystal X-ray analysis (see Section 6.02.3.1). 

If nitroalkenes are employed as heterodienes in hetero Diels-Alder reactions instead of nitrosoalkenes, cyclic nitrones are formed. These cycloadducts undergo numerous subsequent reactions, and especially the combination of this hetero Diels-Alder reaction with a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition is an extremely powerful tool for the synthesis of polycyclic alkaloids. This domino [4+ 2]/[3+ 2] cycloaddition chemistry has been comprehensively reviewed by Denmark and Thorarensen very recently, and this review also covers many hetero Diels-Alder reactions of nitroalkenes being not part of this sequential transformation [5]. Therefore the present article will focus on some selected examples which might highlight the advanced state of the art concerning stereocontrol of these reactions. On the other hand, an insight shall be given into the multitude of polycyclic structures accessible by means of nitroalkene cycloaddition chemistry. 

Novel stereoselectivity in tandem inter[4+2]/intra[3+2] nitroalkene cycloaddition... 

The size of the Lewis acid also influences the stereoselectivity of the [4-1-2] nitroalkene cycloaddition. Thus, trimethylaluminum is one of the smaller Lewis acids that promote the cycloaddition (R" = Me, Figure 16.1) and subsequently the reaction may proceed via the en /o-transition structure. The preference for the endb-transition structure can be rationalized by the stabilizing effect of secondary orbital interactions [67]. Alternatively, the bulkier derivatives of aluminum, such as ATPh (R is a bulky phenol) can be used to direct the [4 + 2] step toward the less crowded exotransition structure [67]. 

Although electron-rich dienophUes are the most reactive, unactivated alkenes also can participate in the [4 + 2] cycloaddition of nitroalkenes. An example of one of the slowest reported nitroalkene cycloadditions is provided in Scheme 16.10b [81]. The dienophile 42 contains a terminal double bond and the reaction takes 3 days at 15 °C to provide nitronate 43, albeit still in very good yield. 

The strongly nucleophilic enamines are among the first reported dienophiles for nitroalkene cycloadditions [85]. Thus, nitroalkene 51 undergoes thermal [4 + 2] cycloaddition with enamine 52 to provide nitronate 53 (Scheme 16.11) [86]. 

Unlike the regioselectivity of the [4 + 2] nitroalkene cycloaddition, the exo-Zendo-selectivity is less consistent. Thus, cyclohexadiene (45) reacts with a disubstimted... 

Transformations on the Periphery of Nitroso Acetals Without Cleavage of N—O Bonds The tandem nitroalkene cycloaddition is more synthetically useful because... 

An intermolecular [4 + 2] nitroalkene cycloaddition can be followed by an intramolecular [3 + 2] cycloaddition of the formed nitronate intermediate. As illustrated in Figure 16.7, two variants of such a process are possible, depending on whether the dipolarophile is attached to the nitroalkene or the dienophile. The former has been studied more extensively and is described in the following section. 

The tandem cycloaddition of nitroalkene 394 (Scheme 16.77) produces a tetracyclic nitroso acetal 397 with up to six new stereogenic centers in just two steps. Hydrogenolysis reveals a bicyclic amino diol 398, which may react further, for example, forming tetracyclic lactam 399. AU of the six newly formed stereogenic centers may potentially remain in the hydrogenolysis products, such as 398. It is this dramatic increase in complexity that makes the tandem, double-intramolecular nitroalkene cycloaddition so attractive. 

The final class of reactions to be considered will be the [4 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction of nitroalkenes with alkenes which in principle can be considered as an inverse electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction. Domingo et al. have studied the influence of reactant polarity on the reaction course of this type of reactions using DFT calculation in order to understand the regio- and stereoselectivity for the reaction, and the role of Lewis acid catalysis [29]. The reaction of e.g. ni-troethene 15 with an electron-rich alkene 16 can take place in four different ways and the four different transition-state structures are depicted in Fig. 8.16. 

High-pressnre promoted cycloadditions of nitroalkenes and enol ethers eliminate the nse of Lewis acids fEq 8 106 "Thus, even sterically hmdered nitroalkenes react with 2,3-thhydro-furan to give the exo cyclic nitronates stereoselecdvely without using Lewis acids... 

A great acceleration was also observed in the cycloadditions of alkylidene derivatives of 5-iminopyrazoles with nitroalkenes, as electron-poor dienophiles, under MW-irradiation in solvent-free conditions [40c]. Some results are illustrated in Scheme 4.10. All the reactions took place with loss of HNO2 and/or NHMei after the cycloaddition, inducing aromatization of the final product. 

Dipolar [3 + 2] cycloadditions are one of the most important reactions for the formation of five-membered rings [68]. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction is frequently utihzed to obtain highly substituted pyrroHdines starting from imines and alkenes. Imines 98, obtained from a-amino esters and nitroalkenes 99, are mixed together in an open vessel microwave reactor to undergo 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to produce highly substituted nitroprolines esters 101 (Scheme 35) [69]. Imines derived from a-aminoesters are thermally isomerized by microwave irradiation to azomethine yhdes 100,... 

Another combination of hetero-Diels-Alder reactions and a [3+2] cycloaddition of a nitroalkene was described by Avalos and coworkers [46]. Using the chiral substrate 4-134 derived from a sugar, the domino process can be performed as a three-component transformation using an electron-rich dienophile and an electron-poor... 

The Michael addition of allyl alcohols to nitroalkenes followed by intramolecular silyl nitronate olefin cycloaddition (Section 8.2) leads to functionalized tetrahydrofurans (Eq. 4.15).20... 

Nitro compounds have been converted into various cyclic compounds via cycloaddition reactions. In particular, nitroalkenes have proved to be useful in Diels-Alder reactions. Under thermal conditions, they behave as electron-deficient alkenes and react with dienes to yield 3-nitrocy-clohexenes. Nitroalkenes can also act as heterodienes and react with olefins in the presence of Lewis acids to yield cyclic alkyl nitronates, which undergo [3+2] cycloaddition. Nitro compounds are precursors for nitrile oxides, alkyl nitronates, and trialkylsilyl nitronates, which undergo [3+2]cycloaddition reactions. Thus, nitro compounds play important roles in the chemistry of cycloaddition reactions. In this chapter, recent developments of cycloaddition chemistry of nitro compounds and their derivatives are summarized. 

Diels-Alder reactions are one of the most fundamental and useful reactions in synthetic organic chemistry. Various dienes and dienophiles have been employed for this useful reaction.1 Nitroalkenes take part in a host of Diels-Alder reactions in various ways, as outlined in Scheme 8.1. Various substituted nitroalkenes and dienes have been employed for this reaction without any substantial improvement in the original discovery of Alder and coworkers.2 Nitrodienes can also serve as 4ti-components for reverse electron demand in Diels-Alder reactions. Because the nitro group is converted into various functional groups, as discussed in Chapters 6 and 7, the Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes has been frequently used in synthesis of complex natural products. Recently, Denmark and coworkers have developed [4+2] cycloaddition using nitroalkenes as heterodienes it provides an excellent method for the preparation of heterocyclic compounds, including pyrrolizidine alkaloids. This is discussed in Section 8.3. 

Another example of the preparing of aromatic compounds via the Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes is presented in Eq. 8.16.26 Cycloaddition of methyl propiolate affords a high yield of the isomeric product. 

Alkyl and silyl nitronates are, in principle, /V-alkoxy and /V-silyloxynitrones, and they can react with alkenes in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions to form /V-alkoxy- or /V-silyloxyisoxaz.olidine (see Scheme 8.25). The alkoxy and silyloxy groups can be eliminated from the adduct on heating or by acid treatment to form 2-isoxazolines. It should be noticed that isoxazolines are also obtained by the reaction of nitrile oxides with alkenes thus, nitronates can be considered as synthetic equivalents of nitrile oxides. Since the pioneering work by Torssell et al. on the development of silyl nitronates, this type of reaction has become a useful synthetic tool. Recent development for generation of cyclic nitronates by hetero Diels-Alder reactions of nitroalkenes is discussed in Section 8.3. 

Hassner and coworkers have developed a one-pot tandem consecutive 1,4-addition intramolecular cycloaddition strategy for the construction of five- and six-membered heterocycles and carbocycles. Because nitroalkenes are good Michael acceptors for carbon, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen nucleophiles (see Section 4.1 on the Michael reaction), subsequent intramolecular silyl nitronate cycloaddition (ISOC) or intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition (INOC) provides one-pot synthesis of fused isoxazolines (Scheme 8.26). The ISOC route is generally better than INOC route regarding stereoselectivity and generality. 

Dipolar addition to nitroalkenes provides a useful strategy for synthesis of various heterocycles. The [3+2] reaction of azomethine ylides and alkenes is one of the most useful methods for the preparation of pyrolines. Stereocontrolled synthesis of highly substituted proline esters via [3+2] cycloaddition between IV-methylated azomethine ylides and nitroalkenes has been reported.147 The stereochemistry of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides derived from aromatic aldehydes and L-proline alkyl esters with various nitroalkenes has been reported. Cyclic and acyclic nitroalkenes add to the anti form of the ylide in a highly regioselective manner to give pyrrolizidine derivatives.148... 

Recently, Denmark and coworkers have developed a new strategy for the construction of complex molecules using tandem [4+2]/[3+2]cycloaddition of nitroalkenes.149 In the review by Denmark, the definition of tandem reaction is described and tandem cascade cycloadditions, tandem consecutive cycloadditions, and tandem sequential cycloadditions are also defined. The use of nitroalkenes as heterodienes leads to the development of a general, high-yielding, and stereoselective method for the synthesis of cyclic nitronates (see Section 5.2). These dipoles undergo 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions. However, synthetic applications of this process are rare in contrast to the functionally equivalent cycloadditions of nitrile oxides. This is due to the lack of general methods for the preparation of nitronates and their instability. Thus, as illustrated in Scheme 8.29, the potential for a tandem process is formulated in the combination of [4+2] cycloaddition of a donor dienophile with [3+2]cycload-... 

---