Photochemical reactions alkene photocycloaddition

Intermolecular photocycloadditions of alkenes can be carried out by photosensitization with mercury or directly with short-wavelength light.179 Relatively little preparative use has been made of this reaction for simple alkenes. Dienes can be photosensitized using benzophenone, butane-2,3-dione, and acetophenone.180 The photodimerization of derivatives of cinnamic acid was among the earliest photochemical reactions to be studied.181 Good yields of dimers are obtained when irradiation is carried out in the crystalline state. In solution, cis-trans isomerization is the dominant reaction. 

Cyclobutane formation via light-induced [2 + 2] cycloaddition is probably one of the best studied photochemical reactions and has been reviewed thoroughly up to 1972 (Houben-Weyl, Vols. 4/5 a and 4/5 b). The most important types of C —C double-bond chromophores undergoing such reactions arc alkenes, 1,3-dienes, styrenes, stilbenes, arenes, hetarenes, cycloalk-2-enones, cyclohexa-2,4(and 2,5)-dienones, 1,4-benzoquinones, and heteroanalogs of these cyclic unsaturated carbonyl compounds. For p notocyciodimerizations see Houben-Weyl, Vol. 4/5 a, p 278 and for mixed [2 + 2] photocycloadditions of these same chromophores to alkenes see Section 1.3.2.3. 

Orfanopoulos et al. studied the photochemical reaction of alkenes, aryalkenes, dienes dienones, and acyclic enones with [60]fullerene to obtain various substituted cyclobutylfullerenes [240,241,243,247], For example, the photocycloaddition of cis- and Irans-1 -(p-mcthoxyphenyl)-1 -propenc 68 to C6o gives only the trans [2 + 2] adducts (Scheme 27), thus the reaction is stereospecific for the most thermodynamically stable cycloadduct. A possible mechanism includes the formation of a common dipolar or biradical intermediate between 3C o and the arylalkene. Subsequent fast rotation of the aryl moiety around the former double bond leads exclusively to the trans-69 [2 + 2] adduct. Irradiation of this product, yielded 90% trans-68,10% cis-68 and cycloreversion products. Thus, a concerted mechanism can be excluded because the photocycloreversion is expected to give the trans-68 as the only product. These results can be explained by the formation of a common dipolar or diradical intermediate. Similarly, cycloreversion products from C6o and tetraalkoxyethylene... 

A variety of four-membered ring compounds can be obtained with photochemical reactions of aromatic compounds, mainly with the [2 + 2] (ortho) photocycloaddition of alkenes. In the case of aromatic compounds of the benzene type, this reaction is often in competition with the [3 + 2] (meta) cycloaddition, and less frequently with the [4 + 2] (para) cycloaddition (Scheme 5.7) [38-40]. When the aromatic reaction partner is electronically excited, both reactions can occur at the 7t7t singlet state, but only the [2 + 2] addition can also proceed at the %% triplet state. Such competition was also discussed in the context of redox potentials of the reaction partners [17]. Most frequently, it is the electron-active substituents on the aromatic partner and the alkene which direct the reactivity. The [2 + 2] photocycloaddition is strongly favored when electron-withdrawing substituents are present in the substrates. In such a reaction, crotononitrile 34 was added to anisole 33 (Scheme 5.8, reaction 15) [41 ], and only one regioisomer (35) was obtained in good yield. In this transformation, the... 

Photochemical reactions provide a classical access to four-membered ring compounds that generate major interest in organic synthesis, notably as intermediates in multistep syntheses. The [2 + 2] photocycloaddition of a,(3-unsaturated carbonyl and carboxyl compounds with alkenes and [2 + 2] photocydoaddition of ketones with alkenes (the Paterno-Buchi reaction) are discussed in Chapters 6 and 7, respectively. Yet, aside from these transformations, a variety of further reactions provides a systematic access to four-membered rings that possess a wide structural variation. Four-membered ring compounds may also be created via less-systematic photochemical transformations, many of which can be carried out without additional chemical activation. As a consequence, such transformations are rendered not only very convenient but also extremely interesting within the context of green chemistry. ... 

The most characteristic photochemical reaction of aromatic compounds is their cydoaddition with alkenes. The intramolecular reaction is suitable for the synthesis of complex structures, such as those depicted in Scheme 9.49, where [3+2]-photocycloaddition leads to structures which resemble natural products (aphidico-line and stemoclinone). An interaction of the arene singlet excited state with the alkene ground state gives rise to the meta adduct [83, 84]. 

Cubane-type compounds have been synthesized by a variety of routes. Most take advantage of the tethered 2+2 photocycloaddition. The first synthesis was reported by Eaton [33], although his synthetic route employed an enone+alkene photocycloaddition. An alkene+alkene cycloaddition was used to synthesize the propellacubane shown in Sch. 21 [34]. A more recent report decribed the synthesis of permethylated cubane using the alkene+ alkene photochemical approach [35]. That photocycloaddition is shown in Sch. 22. Although this particular reaction is inefficient, the product was made in sufficient quantity to allow for its complete characterization. 

The scope of this approach was widened by the observation of excellent enantioselectivities in intermolecular [2+ 2]-photocycloaddition reactions with various alkenes [62,71]. In the presence of an excess amount of alkene, 4-me thoxy-2-quinolone (57) was converted with high chemo- and regioselectivity to the exo and endo cyclobutanes 59 and 60. With 4-penten-1-ol (58a), allyl acetate (58b), methyl acrylate (58c), and vinyl acetate (58d), the exo diastereomers 59a-d were formed with high simple diastereoselectivity and in high yields (80-89%), Under optimized irradiation conditions (2.4 eq. of host 44 or ent-44, — 60°C), high enantiomeric excesses were achieved in all instances, as depicted in Scheme 22. These enantiomeric excesses are unprecedented for an intermolecular photochemical reaction. 

Arene-alkene photocycloaddition reactions have been reviewed in detail. This review includes a tabular survey, synthetic applications and exhaustive bibliography. Many of the reactions considered in this review were however performed to determine answers to mechanistic questions, therefore they are not necessarily optimized and chemical yields are not indicated. Tables 2 and 3 bring together, from the references cited in the review , those intermolecular photochemical meta cycloadditions which are principally synthetic methods. More concise general treatments of this reaction have since been published, as have other papers mainly concerned with its mechanistic aspects. """ ... 

Another synthetically important photochemical reaction is the Paterno-Buchi reaction, i.e., the photocycloaddition of ketones and aldehydes to olefins. This is a milestone in organic photochemistry and involves attack of the n,ji triplet of the carbonyl compounds to an alkene in the ground state, mostly in the triplet multiplicity, although reactions via the singlet are well known. With nucleophilic olefins, the reaction occurs through the initial formation of a CO bond, in the opposite case, formation of a C-C bond occurs first. The use... 

The photocycloaddition of acrylonitrile to various methyl substituted naphthalenes has been reported. The reactions proceed in poor yield and the products generally result from 1,2-addition to the naphthalene ring. For example, 2-methylnaphthalene gives adduct (72) in 8% yield. This is in contrast to the photochemical reaction of acylnaphthalenes with a-substituted acrylonitriles, which mainly yield products of 1,4-addition of the alkene to the naphthalene... 

Several review articles have dealt with various aspects of cycloaddition reactions. A short review has presented examples to illustrate the use to which tethered alkenes can be put in the synthesis of cyclobutenes. The photochemical (2 + 2)-cycloaddition of enones to ethene has been studied from a theoretical standpoint. A review has highlighted the use of linear templates to control photochemical reactions such as (2 + 2)-photocycloadditions. The stereochemical control of photochemical reactions in clay-intercalated compounds has been discussed. A review has highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of photochemistry. ... 

Enantioselective 2- -2 Photocycloadditions. When 2-l-2 photocycloadditions of prochiral enones and alkenes are carried out in chiral fluid solutions, asymmetric induction could be expected on the new asymmetric centers. Unfortunately, successful examples of such enantioselective syntheses of chiral cyclobutanes have not yet been reported. However, a formal enantioselective 2 -f 2 photocycloaddition can be represented by a three-step sequence, as shown in Scheme 25, where a functional group such as a carboxylic acid can be modified easily and reversibly by simple reaction with a chiral auxiliary. The photochemical reaction can then be carried out with chiral enones or alkenes. 

Photochemical [3 + 2] photocycloaddition of alkenes to benzene ring is a useful tool for construction of 5-membered ring compounds in a one-step. Penkett reported the synthesis of the [5.5.5.5] fenestrane structures (47), (48), (50) by arenyl-diene (either 46 or 49) double [3 + 2] photocycloaddition reactions. Penifulvins (53), natural products, were prepared by use of an intramolecular [3 + 2] photocycloaddition of (51) as a key step." ... 

Among the photochemical reactions of aromatic compounds, the photocycloadditions are most frequently applied to the synthesis of complex polycyclic compounds [6, 9]. The [2+3] or meta photocycloaddition of aromatic compounds and alkenes is the most prominent example [10]. This transformation also demonstrates complementarities between photochemical and ground state reactions since such reactions are almost impossible using conventional activation. A [2+2] ot ortho photocycloaddition between carbocyclic aromatic compounds and alkenes is observed as well. It is often competitive with other cycloaddition modes, in particular the [2+3] mode [11]. Many of these reactions are reversible, and photostationary equilibria are involved. This reaction was much less applied to organic synthesis. Recently, it was found that an acidic reaction medium may have an influence on the outeome of the reaction. The intramolecular photocycloaddition of resorcinol derivatives such as 1 is difficult due to its reversibility (Scheme 29.1). However, in an acidic reaction medium, the cycloadducts 2a,b are protonated at the oxygen atom of the tetrahydrofuran moiety... 

Wender PA, Siggel L, Nuss JM (1989) Arene-alkene photocycloaddition reactions. Org Photochem 10 357-473... 

It is now well established that Cu(l)-catalyzed [2 + 2]-photocycloaddition of alkenes requires formation of a complex in which one copper is coordinatively linked with two alkene units. Among the various copper salts (CuCl, CuBr, CuOTf) used, the triflate anion in CuOTf has exceptional weak coordinating ability compared to halide ions, which compete with alkene for coordination with copper. Thus, CuOTf exhibits a strong tendency to form 1 2 Cu-alkene complexes compared to CuCl or CuBr. This is reflected in improved yields of adducts obtained with CuOTf rather than CuCl or CuBr (vide infra). In addition, CuOTf is soluble in most organic solvents and is stable under the photochemical reaction conditions. Hence, CuOTf is the catalyst of choice for [2 + 2]-photocycloaddition between two nonconjugated alkenes. 

The photochemical cycloadditions of alkenes and alkynes with aromatic compounds have received by far the most attention. Yields of [2+2] cydoadducts can be good, but reaction times are often long and secondary rearrangement products are common [139, 140, 141,142, 143,144, 145,146] (equations 63-65). The pioneering mechanistic and synthetic work on aromatic photocycloadditions has been reviewed [147],... 

Photocycloaddition of Alkenes and Dienes. Photochemical cycloadditions provide a method that is often complementary to thermal cycloadditions with regard to the types of compounds that can be prepared. The theoretical basis for this complementary relationship between thermal and photochemical modes of reaction lies in orbital symmetry relationships, as discussed in Chapter 10 of Part A. The reaction types permitted by photochemical excitation that are particularly useful for synthesis are [2 + 2] additions between two carbon-carbon double bonds and [2+2] additions of alkenes and carbonyl groups to form oxetanes. Photochemical cycloadditions are often not concerted processes because in many cases the reactive excited state is a triplet. The initial adduct is a triplet 1,4-diradical that must undergo spin inversion before product formation is complete. Stereospecificity is lost if the intermediate 1,4-diradical undergoes bond rotation faster than ring closure. 

The synthetic applications 440) and mechanistic aspects 4411 of intermolecular photocycloaddition reactions of arenes to olefins have been reviewed recently. Intramolecular cycloadditions442a,b) have been studied in the context of the photochemical behaviour of bichromophoric molecules, as to investigate interchromophoric interactions in polyfunctional molecules. Three types of addition products can be formed in the photocycloaddition of benzene to an alkene (4.37)441. ... 

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