Reactions of Nitroalkenes

Reactions of nitroalkenes with electron-rich alkenes lead to cyclic nitrones stereoselectively. Besides thermal reactions Lewis acid-catalyzed additions employing SnCL, TiCl2( Pr)2 or bulky aluminum Lewis acids have been described. 

The cycloadducts have been transformed into pyrrolidines by reductive ring contraction. However, cycloadducts bearing a suitable alkene functionality in the side chain usually undergo [3+2] cycloaddition upon warming to room temperature. Inter- and intramolecular combinations of hetero Diels-AIder reactions with 1,3-dipoIar cycloadditions of the resulting nitrone have been intensively studied, developed and have been recently reviewed by Denmark et al.  

Reactions of Achiral l-Aza-l,3 dienes with Chiral Dienophiles 

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The Barton-Zard reaction refers to the base-induced reaction of nitroalkenes 1 with alkyl a-isocyanoacetates 2 to afford pyrroles 3. Solvents used are THF or alcohols (or mixtures) and the reaction often proceeds at room temperature. 

In 1985, in the course of their interest in nitroalkane chemistry, Barton and Zard reported the base-catalyzed reaction of nitroalkenes with a-isocyanoacetates leading to pyrrole esters having an ideal substitution pattern for the synthesis of porphyrins and bile... 

The final class of reactions to be considered will be the [4 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction of nitroalkenes with alkenes which in principle can be considered as an inverse electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction. Domingo et al. have studied the influence of reactant polarity on the reaction course of this type of reactions using DFT calculation in order to understand the regio- and stereoselectivity for the reaction, and the role of Lewis acid catalysis [29]. The reaction of e.g. ni-troethene 15 with an electron-rich alkene 16 can take place in four different ways and the four different transition-state structures are depicted in Fig. 8.16. 

Node and co-workers have found that the Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes v/ith 1-methoxy-3-trimethylsilyloxy-l,3-butadiene (Danishefsky s dienesi exhibit abnormal exo-se-lecdvity Electrostadc repulsion between the nitro and the silyloxy group of the diene induces this abnormal exc-selecdvity (Tq 8 10 This selecdve reacdon has been used for the asymmetric synthesis of various naniral products as shovm in Scheme 8 6... 

The Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes with Danishefsky s dienes is applied to synthesis of truncated carbocyclic analogues of a potent neuraminidase inhibitor 4-guanidino-NemAc en fsee Scheme 8.5. Carbocyclic analogs are found to retain interesting levels of antiviral activity comparable to those shovm by their oxygen-containing compounds in Scheme 8.5. 

DBU IS most widely employed as the base m the Barton-Zard reaction Stronger nonionic bases such as PrMeNCH-,CH-j,N and the phosphazene base Csiipplied by Flukai are more effective to induce pyrrole formadon in the reaction of nitroalkenes v/ith isocyano esters than DBU Sterically hindered nitroalkenes are converted into the corresponding pyrroles using these bases, as shovm in Eq 10 35, but DBU is not effective in this transformation... 

The base-catalyzed joint reaction of nitroalkenes with thiophenol in the presence of aldehydes gives y-phenylthio-P-nitro alcohols in one pot (Eq. 4.5).8 The joint reaction of nitroalkenes with thiols and a,p-unsaturated nitriles (or esters) has also been achieved. (Eq. 4.6).9 P-Nitro sulfides thus prepared show unique reactivity toward nucleophiles or tin radicals. The nitro... 

The reaction of nitroalkenes or nitroalkanes with TiCl4 and Me3SiN3 gives a-azido functionalized hydroxamoyl chlorides, which act as precursors of nitrile oxides (Eq. 6.34).59... 

Diels-Alder reactions are one of the most fundamental and useful reactions in synthetic organic chemistry. Various dienes and dienophiles have been employed for this useful reaction.1 Nitroalkenes take part in a host of Diels-Alder reactions in various ways, as outlined in Scheme 8.1. Various substituted nitroalkenes and dienes have been employed for this reaction without any substantial improvement in the original discovery of Alder and coworkers.2 Nitrodienes can also serve as 4ti-components for reverse electron demand in Diels-Alder reactions. Because the nitro group is converted into various functional groups, as discussed in Chapters 6 and 7, the Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes has been frequently used in synthesis of complex natural products. Recently, Denmark and coworkers have developed [4+2] cycloaddition using nitroalkenes as heterodienes it provides an excellent method for the preparation of heterocyclic compounds, including pyrrolizidine alkaloids. This is discussed in Section 8.3. 

The Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes followed by the Nef reaction is frequently used in natural product synthesis.7 For example, Scheme 8.3 shows an elegant synthesis of rf/-mesem-brane starting from the Diels-Alder reaction of 1-arylnitroethene with l,3-butadiene.7a... 

Another example of the preparing of aromatic compounds via the Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes is presented in Eq. 8.16.26 Cycloaddition of methyl propiolate affords a high yield of the isomeric product. 

Although Lewis acid-catalyzed-Diels-Alder reactions of enones are common, there are few reports on the catalysis of Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes. The reaction of nitroalkenes with alkenes in the presence of Lewis acids undergoes a different course of reaction to give cyclic nitronates (see Section 8.3). Knochel reported an enhanced reactivity and selectivity of the intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction using silica gel as Lewis acid in hexane (Eq. 8.19).31... 

A typical regioselectivity and endo/exo selectivity has been reported in the Diels-Alder reaction of 2-(/V-acylamino)- 1,3-diene with nitroalkenes (Eq. 8.27).43 Thus, exo products are predominantly formed, which is general for the Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkenes with sterically hindered dienes. 

Asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions have been performed by using either chiral dienophiles or chiral dienes in the presence or the absence of catalysts.47 The progress in this field is remarkable catalytic asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions are generally carried out either by the use of chiral dienophiles or by the use of chiral dienes. Here, the reactions of chiral nitroalkenes with dienes or the reactions of nitroalkenes with chiral dienes are discussed. Many different chiral auxiliaries are now available, and some of them have been used in asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions of nitroalkenes. 

Alkyl and silyl nitronates are, in principle, /V-alkoxy and /V-silyloxynitrones, and they can react with alkenes in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions to form /V-alkoxy- or /V-silyloxyisoxaz.olidine (see Scheme 8.25). The alkoxy and silyloxy groups can be eliminated from the adduct on heating or by acid treatment to form 2-isoxazolines. It should be noticed that isoxazolines are also obtained by the reaction of nitrile oxides with alkenes thus, nitronates can be considered as synthetic equivalents of nitrile oxides. Since the pioneering work by Torssell et al. on the development of silyl nitronates, this type of reaction has become a useful synthetic tool. Recent development for generation of cyclic nitronates by hetero Diels-Alder reactions of nitroalkenes is discussed in Section 8.3. 

The Michael addition to nitroalkenes followed by cyclization provides a general method for the synthesis of various pyrroles. The reaction of nitroalkenes with acetoacetate followed by reduction with Zn in acetic acid provides another route to 2-methyl-3-pyrrolecarboxylates (Eq. 10.8).10... 

The most important advantage of this procedure is that a-free pyrroles are obtained directly. Reaction of nitroalkenes with TosMIC gives 3-nitropyrroles in 55-85% yield (Eq. 10.13).16 The... 

Barton and Zard found that the base-catalyzed reaction of nitroalkenes or P-nitroacetates with alkyl isocyanoacetate or TosMIC gives pyrrole-2-carboxylates or 2-sulfonylpyrroles, respectively (see Eqs. 10.18 and 10.19).22 This reaction is very convenient for the synthesis of... 

A novel synthetic approach toward the AB -ring system of 9-azasteroids using the Diels-Alder reaction of nitroalkene and subsequent reductive cyclization has been shown (Scheme 10.24).132... 

Individual aspects of nitrile oxide cycloaddition reactions were the subjects of some reviews (161 — 164). These aspects are as follows preparation of 5-hetero-substituted 4-methylene-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles by nitrile oxide cycloadditions to properly chosen dipolarophiles and reactivity of these isoxazolines (161), 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of isothiazol-3(2//)-one 1,1-dioxides, 3-alkoxy- and 3-(dialkylamino)isothiazole 1,1-dioxides with nitrile oxides (162), preparation of 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles via cycloaddition reactions of nitrile oxides with alkenes and subsequent conversion to a, 3-unsaturated ketones (163), and [2 + 3] cycloaddition reactions of nitroalkenes with aromatic nitrile oxides (164). 

Reactions of nitroalkenes with enamines (43a) were studied in-depth (112-125). These reactions can produce Michael adducts (when nitroalkenes... 

The reactions of nitroalkenes (42) with various enols (43b) (vinyl ethers, silyl, and acyl enolates, ketene acetals) have been studied in most detail (110, 111, 125—154). As a mle, these reactions proceed smoothly to give the corresponding nitronates (35f) in yields from high to moderate. As in the reactions with enamines, the formation of compounds (44b) is attributed to the ambident character of the anionic centers in zwitterionic intermediates analogous to those shown in Scheme 3.43. 

Intramolecular [3+ 2]-cycloaddition of six-membered cyclic nitronates was extensively studied by Prof. Denmark and coworkers for the tandem [4 + 2] [3 + 2] -cycloaddition reactions of nitroalkenes. Detailed considerations of this problem were summarized in two reviews (394a, b). Most data were comprehensively discussed in Reference 394b. It is unnecessary to repeat this information however, it is worthwhile to briefly review the available data. 

Base-induced reaction of nitroalkenes with alkyl a-isocyanoacetates to afford pyrroles. 

The DABCO-mediated reaction of nitroalkenes 495 with 2-(2-hydroxyaryl)-l-nitroethene derivatives 496 affords 3-nitro-4-nitromethylchromans with high levels of stereoselectivity (Equation 202) <2003TL3813>. Similarly, DABCO is also the base of choice when forming 3-nitrochroman l-ols from salicylaldehyde and (S-disubstituted nitrostyrenes <2001TL2717>. 

Reaction of nitroalkenes with Grignard reagents gives 7-salts, which, depending on the hydrolysis conditions and substrate structure, can be transformed into nitroalkanes, hydroxymoyl halides, or carboxylic acids.241 Reaction of... 

If nitroalkenes are employed as heterodienes in hetero Diels-Alder reactions instead of nitrosoalkenes, cyclic nitrones are formed. These cycloadducts undergo numerous subsequent reactions, and especially the combination of this hetero Diels-Alder reaction with a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition is an extremely powerful tool for the synthesis of polycyclic alkaloids. This domino [4+ 2]/[3+ 2] cycloaddition chemistry has been comprehensively reviewed by Denmark and Thorarensen very recently, and this review also covers many hetero Diels-Alder reactions of nitroalkenes being not part of this sequential transformation [5]. Therefore the present article will focus on some selected examples which might highlight the advanced state of the art concerning stereocontrol of these reactions. On the other hand, an insight shall be given into the multitude of polycyclic structures accessible by means of nitroalkene cycloaddition chemistry. 

The hitherto discussed transformations clearly demonstrate the great value of using chiral dienophiles for hetero Diels-Alder reactions of nitroalkenes. Recent studies deal with the application of various chiral alcohols in order to get... 

The described sequential transformations involving hetero Diels-Alder reactions of nitroalkenes represent a very mature synthetical tool. Its application to the total synthesis of several alkaloids will be briefly discussed in the Sect. 7 of this article. 

Reactions of nitroalkenes and enamines take place not only in good chemical yields but also in excellent diastereomeric yields (>90%)118. A topological rule has been formulated for carbon-carbon bond-forming processes between prochiral centres in enamines and nitroalkenes as well as other systems119. 

Several triflates and metal salt hydrates were tested as Lewis acid catalysts (each 10 mol%) and the best results were obtained using Yb(OTf or Ni(C104)2-6H20. The stereoselective formation of bicyclic y-lactones (7) could be obtained from bicyclic nitronate (9) via the hydrolytic process by the action of a strong acid generated from Lewis acid with a small amount of water in both nitroalkene (5) and the Lewis acid. This new methodology of one-pot reaction also involves a new type of intramolecular HAD reaction of nitroalkenes as heterodienes, which provides stereochemically defined bicyclic nitronates. 

Sequential inter- and intramolecular Michael additions are proposed to account for the formation of 3-nitro-4-nitromethylchromans from the reaction of nitroalkenes with 2-(2-hydroxyaryl)-l-nitroethene derivatives 16 that proceeds with high stereoselectivity. Treatment of the products with base yields chromenes <03TL3813>. 

Reactions of nitroalkenes and enamines take place not only in good chemical yields but also in excellent diastereomeric yields (>W%) . A topological rule has been formulated for carbon-carbon bond-forming processes between prochiral centres in enamines and nitroalkenes as well as other systems The reaction of enamines and imines with acrylamide results in aza-annulation ° . Other electrophilic alkenes which have been us to alkylate enamines and the products used in hetero- or carbocyclic synthesis include ethyl /5-nitroacrylate, where reaction occurs beta to the nitro not the ester group, 2- phenylseleno)prop-2-enenitrile [CH2 = C(SePh)CN] , phenyl a-phenylselenovinyl sulphone [CH2 = C(SePh)-S02Ph] and phenyl a-bromovinyl sulphone. An electrophilic allene, phenylsulpho-nylpropadiene, has also been used to alkylate enamines (Scheme 44). 

For a review of the Henry reaction, i.e. the reaction of nitroalkenes with carbonyl compounds, see H. H. Baer and L. Urbas, in The Chemistry of the Nitro and Nitroso Groups , ed. H. Feuer, Interscience, New York,... 

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