Radical precursor, intermediate

Acids are usually the end products of ketone oxidations (41,42,44) but vicinal diketones and hydroperoxyketones are apparent intermediates (45). Acids are readily produced from vicinal diketones, perhaps through anhydrides (via, eg, a Bayer-ViUiger reaction) (46,47). The hydroperoxyketones reportedly decompose to diketones as well as to aldehydes and acids (45). Similar products are expected from radical— radical reactions of the corresponding peroxy radical precursors. 

The same mixture of H and I was obtained starting with either of the geometrically isomeric radical precursors E or F. A possible explanation is based on the assumption of a common radical conformer G, stabilized in the geometry shown by electron delocalization involving the radicaloid p-orbital, the p-peroxy oxygen and Jt of the diene unit. The structure of the compounds H and I were determined by H NMR spectra and the conversion of H to diol J, a known intermediate for the synthesis of prostaglandins. 

Another report by Rychnovsky et al. explored the potential of chirality transfer in the transannular cyclization of cyclodecene 45 [42], They proposed a radical deoxygenation of 45, which produces an intermediate cyclodecenyl radical that can cyclize in a 5-exo fashion to yield 5,7-fused bicycle 48 (Scheme 13). The potential for the optically enriched radical precursor 45 to undergo enantioselective cyclization is dependent on the rate of transannular cyclization. That is, if the radical generated from optically pure... 

A recent application of enantioselective conjugate radical additions was seen in the synthesis of (+)-ricciocarpins A and B [95]. The key step in the synthesis was an asymmetric addition of a functionalized radical precursor 141 to afford intermediate 142 (Scheme 37). A chiral catalyst screening revealed that Mgt and bisoxazoline ligand 19 was optimal for achieving... 

The 5-dig-mode of cyclization has been applied in the synthesis of N-heterocycles. For example, treatment of the /i-allenyl dithiosemicarbazide 37 with Bu3SnH and AIBN in hot benzene furnishes the substituted 3H-pyrrole 38 in 41% yield and the isomeric heterocycle 39 in 30% yield (Scheme 11.13) [68], Iminyl radical 40 is formed via Bu3Sn addition to the thiocarbonyl group of the radical precursor 37 and fragmentation of the adduct (not shown). Nitrogen-centered radical 40 adds 5-dig-selectively to provide substituted allyl radical 41. The latter intermediate is trapped by Bu3SnH to furnish preferentially product 38 with an endocydic double bond. 

Our approach was to use the unsaturated bromodeoxylactones in an intramolecular radical reaction, since these compounds possess both the radical precursor and the radical trap within the same molecule. Thus, reacting the unsaturated bromodeoxyheptonolactone 20 (Scheme 14) with tributyltin hydride and a radical initiator, the bicyclic lactone 65 a was obtained in a quantitative yield within 1 h. The stereocontrol in the reaction was determined by the structure of the product, since the compound obtained has two fused cyclopentane rings which can only be cis anellated. The radical A, which is the intermediate, was trapped by the tin hydride. The stereochemistry of the newly formed chiral center is determined by the configuration at C-4 in the educt 20 [45]. 

All of these free-radical precursors are characterized by relatively weak, nonpolar bonds which, upon heating, break to give free-radical intermediates. Free radicals are very reactive and proceed to products by a variety of one-electron, or homolytic, reactions. 

Substitutions by the SRn 1 mechanism (substitution, radical-nucleophilic, unimolecular) are a well-studied group of reactions which involve SET steps and radical anion intermediates (see Scheme 10.4). They have been elucidated for a range of precursors which include aryl, vinyl and bridgehead halides (i.e. halides which cannot undergo SN1 or SN2 mechanisms), and substituted nitro compounds. Studies of aryl halide reactions are discussed in Chapter 2. The methods used to determine the mechanisms of these reactions include inhibition and trapping studies, ESR spectroscopy, variation of the functional group and nucleophile reactivity coupled with product analysis, and the effect of solvent. We exemplify SRN1 mechanistic studies with the reactions of o -substituted nitroalkanes (Scheme 10.29) [23,24]. 

These facts show that there exists an intermediate product in the reaction mixture, which can easily give the free radical product on mild reduction This intermediate is tentatively termed the radical precursor. 

A study of the cyclisation of aryl radical intermediates to quinolines uncovered some striking differences in the reactivity profile of quinolines and pyridines towards radical intermediates <01TL2907, 02T3387>. Most notably, cyclisations involving quinolines were generally more efficient when the heterocycle and radical precursor were conjoined using a saturated tether. Moreover, in each case products derived from orf/io-cyclisation were observed irrespective of the nature of the tethering chain or its point of attachment to the quinoline (Schemes 53 - 55). 

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