Polar cycloadditions with cationic aromatic

Although it is possible to have a polar cycloaddition with a cation containing only carbon and hydrogen, the majority of those which have been found to undergo 1,4-cycloaddition are aromatic quaternary salts. The acridizinium cation (1) used in the first polar cycloaddition reaction of a quaternary salt has been used in the largest number of polar cycloaddition studies to date. The acridizinium ion (1) is particularly suitable for such a study since it is easily prepared, is stable (permitting sealed... 

A variation of the reaction involved the use of the alkene itself as nucleophile. In this case, a radical cation dimer was formed by attack of the alkene radical cation by the neutral alkene, forming a distonic radical cation (Scheme 14.9, left part). With a-methylstyrene (17) as the alkene, a cychzation took place and the neutral radical resulting from the ensuing deprotonation coupled with the radical anion of the acceptor (in this case TCB), leading to the NOCAS adduct 18 as a diastereo-isomeric mixture in overall 90% yield [55]. The irradiation of aromatic nitriles in the presence of aUcenes may lead to different products, particularly when carried out in an apolar medium. As an example, 1,4-dicyanobenzene gave isoquinohnes by a [4-1-2]-cycloaddition with a cyano group through irradiation in the presence of diphenylethylenes in benzene via a polar exciplex [56]. 

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