Ruthenium complexes oxygenative cyclization

Cyclizations of dihydroxystilbene 256 using 4 mol % of chiral ruthenium complexes under photolytic conditions were investigated by Katsuki et al. (Scheme 65) [167]. Coordination of alcohols/phenols to Ru(IV) species generates a cation radical with concomitant reduction of metal to Ru(III). Cycli-zation of this oxygen radical followed by another cyclization provides the product 257. Catalyst 259 provided 81% ee of the product in chlorobenzene solvent. Optimization of the solvent polarity led to a mixture of toluene and f-butanol in 2 3 ratio as the ideal solvent. Substituents on the phenyl rings led to a decrease in selectivity. Low yields were due to the by-product 258. 

Transfer oxygenative cyclization of diynes with DMSO is catalysed by cationic ruthenium complexes. For diynes with terminal aryl groups, [CpRu(AN)3]PF ... 

Thiolate-bridged dirutheniutn complexes catalyze the [3-f3] cycloaddition reaction between propargylic alcohols and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to afford 4,6,7,8-tetrahydrochromen-5-ones or 4//-cyclopenta[b]pyran-5-ones [193] and with 2-naphthols or phenols to afford l//-naphtho[2,l-b]pyrans and 4//-l-benzo-pyrans, respectively [194]. This cycloaddition is considered to proceed by stepwise propargylation and intramolecular cyclization (carbon and oxygen nucleophile additions) reactions, where ruthenium allenylidene and vinylidene complexes are the key intermediates (Scheme 57). Enantioselective mthenium-catalyzed [3-f3] cycloaddition of propargylic alcohols with 2-naphthols has also been described [195]. 

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