Rhodium-Catalyzed Carbocyclization

Evans and co-workers were also successful in extending this methodology to the diastereoselective rhodium-catalyzed [4-1-2-i-2] reaction, which probed the influence of a C2-substituted tethered enyne (Eq. 15). Treatment of the substituted enyne 90, under optimized conditions, furnished the 5,8-bicycHc product 91 in a highly efficient and diastereoselective manner. The observed stereoselectivity is in strong agreement with the selective formation of a single metallacycle intermediate as originally outlined. 

Recent advances in the rhodium-catalyzed [4-1-2] reactions have led to the development of the first highly regioselective intermolecular cyclization, providing access to new classes of carbocycles with both activated and unactivated substrates. The chemo- and stereoselective carbocyclizations of tethered diene-allene derivatives afford new classes of 5,6- and 6,6-bicyclic systems. Additionally, examination of a wide range of factors that influence both diastereo- and enantioselectivity has provided a significant advance in the understanding of catalyst requirements across these systems. 

For a detailed discussion of the various modes of complexation, as well as additional methods developed for the Diels-Alder reactions see ref. 1(a) and pertinent references therein. 

8 For a complete list of examples see Murakami, M. Ubukata, M. Itami, K.  

10 The first and only intramolecular transition metal-catalyzed reaction developed prior to this discovery was Ni(0)-catalyzed  

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Transition metal-catalyzed carbocycUzation reactions of tethered diene, enyne, diyne, and vinylallene derivatives represent an important class of transformations in synthetic organic chemistry. This may be attributed to the abihty to significantly increase molecular complexity through the highly selective combination of acyclic components, thereby facilitating the synthesis of complex polycychc products. Recently, rhodium-catalyzed carbocyclization reactions have attracted significant attention due to their immense synthetic versatility and the unique selectivities observed over a range of different transformations. This chapter provides an account of recent developments in rhodium-catalyzed [4-1-2] and [4-i-2-t2] carbocyclization reactions. 

In a similar way as described for the hydroformylation, the rhodium-catalyzed silaformylation can also be used in a domino process. The elementary step is the formation of an alkenyl-rhodium species by insertion of an alkyne into a Rh-Si bond (silylrhodation), which provides the trigger for a carbocyclization, followed by an insertion of CO. Thus, when Matsuda and coworkers [216] treated a solution of the 1,6-enyne 6/2-87 in benzene with the dimethylphenylsilane under CO pressure (36 kg cm"2) in the presence of catalytic amounts of Rh4(CO)12, the cyclopentane derivative 6/2-88 was obtained in 85 % yield. The procedure is not restricted to the formation of carbocycles rather, heterocycles can also be synthesized using 1,6-enynes as 6/2-89 and 6/2-90 with a heteroatom in the tether (Scheme 6/2.19). Interestingly, 6/2-91 did not lead to the domino product neither could 1,7-enynes be used as substrates, while the Thorpe-Ingold effect (geminal substitution) seems important in achieving good yields. 

Morken and co-workers have reported the highly enantioselective version of this reaction, albeit with low efficacy in the aldol-type coupling [8d, e]. Unfortunately, we obtain low enantioselectivity ee 2-4%) using chiral rhodium complexes under our reaction conditions. An intramolecular adaptation has led to new opportunities in cobalt-catalyzed carbocyclizations, wherein the use of PhSiHs was essential for smooth ring formation (Eq. 4) [9]. The identical products were also formed by a combination of [Rh(COD)2]OTf/(p-CE3Ph)3P and molecular hydrogen [10]. 

Evans and Kennedy later combined the regioselective rhodium-catalyzed allylic alkylation, using a-substituted malonates, with ring-closing metathesis for the construction of five-, six-, and seven-membered carbocycles (Scheme 10.2) [13]. The combination of these methodologies allowed for the rapid and flexible assembly of carbocycles possessing vicinal ternary-quaternary or quaternary-quaternary stereogenic centers. 

Scheme 11.7 Intramolecular rhodium-catalyzed [4-r2]-diene allene carbocyclization.

Gilbertson and co-workers were also able to facilitate the rhodium-catalyzed [4-i-2-1-2] carbocyclization reaction with a substrate having an all-carbon tether (Eq. 13). This methodology has been extended to the asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed [4-t 2-1-2] reaction (Eq. 14). Although the exact origin of asymmetric induction was not discussed, the ability to accomplish the asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed [4-i-2-1-2] reaction provides a novel approach to eight-membered ring systems. 

Evans and co-workers simultaneously developed of the rhodium-catalyzed [4-+2 + 2] car-bocychzation reaction through the identification of a novel mode of reactivity for the five-membered metallacycle intermediate [14, 37]. Evans proposed that 1,3 dienes should be amenable to addition to this intermediate, which would provide a new reaction pathway. The tethered enyne 80 (Scheme 12.9), was expected to afford the metallacycle I, which, upon sequential incorporation of a butadiene and reductive ehmination, would afford the desired 5,8-fused product 81. Additionally it was rationahzed that this transformation should be highly diastereoselective, as outlined in Scheme 12.10. Treatment of the heteroatom-tethered enyne I under standard carbocyclization (Pauson-... 

Tab. 12.9 Scope of the intermolecular rhodium-catalyzed [4-I-2-I-2] carbocyclization reaction.

Based on previous success in the Pauson-Khand reaction [43], Evans demonstrated a sequential approach to the synthesis of eight-membered rings, which involved a rhodium-catalyzed aUyhc amination reaction followed by carbocyclization, to effect a three-component couphng (Scheme 12.11). To date, this transformation is only the second example of a sequential rhodium-catalyzed reaction in which only temperature is used to modulate catalytic activity. 

Yu and co-workers have expanded upon Ojima s work through development of an effective Rh-catalyzed protocol for the cyclization/hydrosilylation of allenyl carbonyl compounds to form silylated vinylcycloalkanols and heterocyclic alcohols.For example, reaction of tosylamide 44 (X = NTs, R = H, n= ) and triethylsilane catalyzed by Rh(acac)(GO)2 (1 mol%) under GO (10 atm) at 70 °G for 8h gave the silylated vinyl pyrrolidinol 45 (X = NTs, R = H, n= ) in 74% yield with exclusive formation of the m-diastereomer (Equation (29)). The rhodium-catalyzed reaction was also effective for the cyclization of alleneones and for the formation of carbocycles, oxygen heterocycles, and six-membered cyclic alcohols (Equation (29)). However, Rh-catalyzed cyclization/hydrosilylation of allenyl carbonyl compounds that possessed substitution on an allenyl carbon atom was not established (Equation (29)). The efficiency of the Rh-catalyzed reaction of allenyl carbonyl compounds depended strongly on GO pressure. Reactions run under 10 atm GO were more efficient than were... 

Rhodium-catalyzed, silane-initiated cascade cyclization of 1,6,11-triynes 83 was proposed to occur via a silane-initiated cascade carbocyclization to form the silylated bicyclic triene (Z,Z)-In. / -Migratory insertion of the silylated G=G bond into the Rh-G bond of (Z,Z)-In followed by / -hydride elimination from frans-lln could then form 84a. Alternatively, cisitrans isomerization of (Z,Z)-In followed by / -migratory insertion of the silylated G=G bond into the Rh-G bond of resulting isomer ( ,Z)-In could form cis-Wn. Subsequent / -silyl elimination from m-IIn would form unsilylated tricycle 84b (Scheme 21). 

Transition metal catalyzed intermolecular carbocyclization has been used in the construction of six-membered ring systems (10, 352) and provides a powerful approach to the construction of complex polycyclic systems. The rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular [2 - - 2 - - 2] carbocychzation of heteroatom-tethered 1,6-enynes with symmetrical and unsymmetrical alkynes affords the corresponding bicyclohexadienes in a highly efficient and regioselective... 

Scheme4.22 Diastereoselective formation of indanes via rhodium-catalyzed tandem carbocyclization.

Scheme 32 Enantioselective rhodium-catalyzed [3+2+l]-carbocyclization of alkylidencyclopropanes...

Mazumder S, Shang D, Negru DE, Baik M-H, Evans PA (2012) Stereoselective rhodium-catalyzed [3-I-2-I-1] carbocyclization of alkenylidenecyclopropanes with carbon monoxide theoretical evidence for a trimethylenemethane metallacycle intermediate. J Am Chem Soc 134(51) 20569-20572. doi 10.1021/ja305467x... 

The hydrosilylation of unsaturated carbon-rhodium-catalyzed silylcarbocyclizations. In the presence of Rli4(CO)i2 and triethoxysilane, a rigid triyne backbone can undergo a silylcarbotricyclization cascade reaction to yield [5,6,5]-tricycles (eq 16). Similar to the results observed by Sieburth for the hydrosilylation of enamines, the alkoxysilane functionality provides significant rate enhancement in comparison to silylcarbocyclizations using alkyl- and arylsilane reagents. The incorporation of carbonyl functionality as terminal electrophiles into these cyclizations has also been successful. Rhodium-catalyzed carbonylative silylcarbocyclizations proceed in the presence of carbon monoxide (10 atm) to incorporate a carbonyl unit, usually as the aldehyde. Both of these tandem ad-dition/cyclization strategies produce functionalized carbocycles with simultaneous incorporation of sUyl functionality as aryl- and vinylsilanes. These alkenylsilanes can then be exploited for further synthetic manipulations as discussed above. "" ... 

Evans, P. A., Lai, K. W., Sawyer, J. R. (2005). Regio- and enantioselective infermolecular rhodium-catalyzed [2+2+2] carbocyclization reactions of 1,6-enynes with methyl aryl-propiolates. Journal of American Chemical Society, 127, 12466—12467. 

The intermolecular carbocyclization with a strained olefin, such as norbornene 35, has been frequently used for proof-of-prindple in challenging metal-catalyzed transformations. The use of rhodium catalysts fadhtates the intermolecular reaction, albeit in modest yield and with poor regioselectivity (Scheme 11.10). Ethylene 39 can also be utilized to this end, but generally affords the carbocydization products in low yield, as... 

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