Phenols cyclodimerization

This novel catalytic reaction formally corresponds to an initial regioselective [2+2] head-to-head cyclodimerization of the propargyl alcohol with addition of carboxylic acid and elimination of water. Catalytic alkenylidenecyclobutene formation is general for a variety of propargyl alcohols and carboxylic acids and can also be applied to phenol derivatives. 

Many natural products display structural motifs biosynthetically derived from ortho-quinol precursors, and some even feature ortho-quinol moieties in their final structural arrangement [1, 6]. Asatone (7) and related neolignans can be put forward as classic examples of complex natural products derived from cyclodimerization of oxidatively activated simple phenol precursors (Figure 5) biomimetic syntheses of 7 have accordingly been accomplished by anodic oxidation (Section 15.2.1) and by Pelter oxidation (Section 15.2.2) of the naturally occurring phenol 9 [34, 36]. 

The oxidative dearomatization of ort/io-substituted phenols 225 leads to 6,6-disubstituted cyclohexa-2,4-dienones 226 (Scheme 3.92), which can be conveniently utilized in situ as dienes in the Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction. When the oxidation of phenols is performed in the absence of an external dienophile, a dimerization via [4-f2] cycloaddition often occurs spontaneously at ambient temperature to afford the corresponding dimers with an extraordinary level of regio-, site- and stereoselectivity [348-350]. A detailed experimental and theoretical investigation of such hypervalent iodine induced Diels-Alder cyclodimerizations... 

By far the largest outlet for benzene (approx. 60%) is styrene (phenyl-ethene), produced by the reaction of benzene with ethylene a variety of liquid and gas phase processes, with mineral or Lewis acid catalysts, are used. The ethylbenzene is then dehydrogenated to styrene at 600-650°C over iron or other metal oxide catalysts in over 90% selectivity. Co-production with propylene oxide (section 12.8.2) also requires ethylbenzene, but a route involving the cyclodimerization of 1,3-butadiene to 4-vinyl-(ethenyl-) cyclohexene, for (oxidative) dehydrogenation to styrene, is being developed by both DSM (in Holland) and Dow. 60-70% of all styrene is used for homopolymers, the remainder for co-polymer resins. Other major uses of benzene are cumene (20%, see phenol), cyclohexane (13%) and nitrobenzene (5%). Major outlets for toluene (over 2 5 Mt per annum) are for solvent use and conversion to dinitrotoluene. 

Fig. 23 Birman s and Quideau s as5Tnmetric hydroxylative phenol dearomatization/Diels-Alder cyclodimerization cascade reaction...

Sodium periodate OxidatiTe cyclodimerization of o-(co-hydroxyalkyl)phenols... 

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