Radicals from Oxygen Heterocycles

Radical cyclization to triple bonds is used as the key step for the synthesis of oxygen heterocycles. This methodology can benefit from a Lewis acid, such as aluminum fns(2,6-diphenyl phenoxide) (ATPH), which forms a complex with the... 

The synthesis of oxygen heterocycles in which cyclization onto a pendant alkyne is a key step has also been achieved. Reaction (7.36) shows an example of iodoacetal 29 cyclization at low temperature that afforded the expected furanic derivative in moderate Z selectivity [47]. A nice example of Lewis acid complexation which assists the radical cyclization is given by aluminium tris(2,6-diphenyl phenoxide) (ATPH) [48]. The (3-iodoether 30 can be com-plexed by 2 equiv of ATPH, which has a very important template effect, facilitating the subsequent radical intramolecular addition and orienting the (TMS)3SiH approach from one face. The result is the formation of cyclization products with Z selectivity and in quantitative yield (Reaction 7.37). 

The (n,n excited state of a ketone has electrophilic character, similar to that associated with alkoxy radicals, and it is not surprising that these excited states readily attack carbon-carbon multiple bonds. The overall reaction that normally ensues is a cycloaddition, giving a four-membered oxygen heterocycle—an oxetane from an alkene addend (4.62), or an oxete from an alkyne addend (4.63). Some oxetanes are of interest in their own right, but many are useful intermediates in the synthesis of other compounds. 

Radicals from heterocyclic compounds containing oxygen (tetrahydropyran, carbohydrates, morpholine, dioxane, etc.) ... 

The majority of sequential radical reactions deal with cyclizations as the key steps. The constructions of carbocycles, oxygen, and nitrogen heterocycles using (TMSlsSiH as a mediator are many and represents the expansion and importance of these synthetic approaches. For example, Nicolaou and coworkers found that (TMSlsSiH serves as a superior reagent in the radical-based approach toward the synthesis of azadirachtin, an antifeedant agent currently used as an insecticide, and in other related systems. ° ° Here below we collected a number of reactions mostly from the recent work in the area of intramolecular reactions. 

A new process for the homolytic acylation of protonated heteroaromatic bases has been developed by Minisci et al. An A-oxyl radical generated from iV-hydroxyphthalimide by oxygen and Co(ll) abstracts a hydrogen atom from an aldehyde. The resulting nucleophilic acyl radical adds to the heterocycle which is then rearomatized via a chain process. Under these conditions, quinoline and benzaldehyde afford three products (Equation 108) <2003JHC325>. A similar reaction with 4-cyanopyridine gives 2-benzoyl-4-cyanopyridine in 96% yield. 

Arylcyclopropanes and their heterocyclic analogues are liable to electron transfer induced fragmentation of a carbon-carbon bond that in some cases leads to synthetically useful products. Thus, 1,2-diarylcyclopropanes [240-243] as well as 2,3-diaryloxirans [244-246] and -aziridines (in the last case, also 2-monophenyl derivatives) [247,248] are cleaved upon photoinduced electron transfer sensitization. The final result, after back electron transfer, is trans-cis isomerization of the ring. In the presence of a suitable trap, however, a cycloaddition reaction takes place, involving either the radical cation or the ylide. Thus, dioxoles, ozonides or azodioxoles, respectively, are formed in the presence of oxygen and oxazolidines have been obtained from cyclopropanes in the presence of nitrogen oxide (Sch. 23). 

Alkyl radicals generated from the reduction of halides or sulfones with Sml2 have been successfully exploited in intramolecular additions to alkenes that result in the generation of a variety of functionalised small carbocyclic and heterocyclic ring systems. Substrates containing an oxygen atom within the... 

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