Vinylcarbene cyclopropanation

Scheme 6.32. Synthetic applications of vinylcarbene cyclopropanations coupled with a Cope rearrangement. (a,b) [116] (c) [118].

Non-heteroatom-stabilised Fischer carbene complexes also react with alkenes to give mixtures of olefin metathesis products and cyclopropane derivatives which are frequently the minor reaction products [19]. Furthermore, non-heteroatom-stabilised vinylcarbene complexes, generated in situ by reaction of an alkoxy- or aminocarbene complex with an alkyne, are able to react with different types of alkenes in an intramolecular or intermolecular process to produce bicyclic compounds containing a cyclopropane ring [20]. 

From the mechanistic point of view, the observed competitive reactions can be explained by considering two different pathways (Scheme 114). The intermediacy of ruthenacyclopentadiene 453 or biscarbenoid 452, formed from the reaction of a diyne and a ruthenium(ll) complex, is postulated in the proposed mechanism. Cyclopropanation of the alkene starts with the formation of ruthenacyclobutane 456, which leads to the generation of the vinylcarbene 457. Then, the second cyclopropanation occurs to afford the biscyclopropyl product 458. Insertion of the alkene 459 into the ruthenacyclopentadiene 453 affords the ruthenacycloheptadiene 454. The subsequent reductive elimination gives the cyclotrimerization product 455. The selectivity toward the bis-cyclopropyl product 458 is improved with an increasing order of haptotropic flexibility of the cyclopentadienyl-type ligand. 

If 1,3-butadienes are cyclopropanated by use of vinylcarbene complexes, the divinylcyclopropanes which result can rearrange to cycloheptadienes [71,241,384 -387] (Figure 2.37). 

Non-heteroatom-substituted vinylcarbene complexes are readily available from alkynes and Fischer-type carbene complexes. These intermediates can undergo the inter- or intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions of non-activated alkenes. Cyclopropanation of 1,3-butadienes with these intermediates also leads to the formation of cycloheptadienes (Entry 4, Table 2.24). 

As mentioned in Sections 3.1.6 and 4.1.3, cyclopropenes can also be suitable starting materials for the generation of carbene complexes. Cyclopropenone di-methylacetal [678] and 3-alkyl- or 3-aryl-disubstituted cyclopropenes [679] have been shown to react, upon catalysis by Ni(COD)2, with acceptor-substituted olefins to yield the products of formal, non-concerted vinylcarbene [2-1-1] cycloaddition (Table 3.6). It has been proposed that nucleophilic nickel carbene complexes are formed as intermediates. Similarly, bicyclo[1.1.0]butane also reacts with Ni(COD)2 to yield a nucleophilic homoallylcarbene nickel complex [680]. This intermediate is capable of cyclopropanating electron-poor alkenes (Table 3.6). 

The intermolecular reaction of alkynes with acylcarbene complexes normally yields cyclopropenes [587,1022,1060-1062]. Because of the high reactivity of cyclopropenes, however, in some of these reactions unexpected products can result. In particular intramolecular cyclopropanations of alkynes, which would lead to highly strained bicyclic cyclopropenes, often yield rearrangement products of the latter. In many instances these products result from a transient vinylcarbene complex, which can be formed by two different mechanisms (Figure 4.3). 

As discussed in Section 3.1.6, cyclopropenes can react with rhodium complexes [38,585,587-589,1061,1063] or other transition metal derivatives to yield vinylcarbene complexes (see Section 3.1.6). This reaction will proceed particularly smoothly with strained cyclopropenes, because these can already isomerize thermally to vinylcarbenes [1064]. Hence the formation of vinylcarbene complexes from alkynes can proceed by initial cyclopropanation, followed by reaction of the resulting cyclopropene with the complex L,M. 

In the example shown in Figure 4.4 either of these mechanisms leads to insertion of the alkyne into the C-Rh double bond of the initially formed acylcarbene rhodium complex. The resulting vinylcarbene complex undergoes intramolecular cyclopropanation of the 1-cyclohexenyl group to yield a highly reactive cyclopropene, which is trapped by diphenylisobenzofuran. 

The intramolecular addition of acylcarbene complexes to alkynes is a general method for the generation of electrophilic vinylcarbene complexes. These reactive intermediates can undergo inter- or intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions [1066 -1068], C-H bond insertions [1061,1068-1070], sulfonium and oxonium ylide formation [1071], carbonyl ylide formation [1067,1069,1071], carbene dimerization [1066], and other reactions characteristic of electrophilic carbene complexes. 

For this reason unstable cyclopropanes or only rearrangement products are obtained when donor-substituted alkenes react with acceptor-substituted carbene complexes [1409-1416]. In reactions of acyl- and vinylcarbene complexes with enol ethers the most common types of rearrangement observed are those shown in Figure 4.23. 

In principle, the vinylcarbene-to-cyclopropene isomerization is reversible. While this has not been reported for 167 (where ring-opening could produce not only alkenyl(sulfonyl)carbene 166, but also the isomeric l-alkenyl(silyl)carbene), it was found that 1-trimethylsilylcyclopropenone acetal 168 (equation 49) by thermal ring-opening yields the (trimethylsilyl)vinylcarbene 169 besides traces of the isomeric vinylcarbene 170. Both carbenes are obviously nucleophilic since they are able to cyclopropanate the... 

Vinyldiazolactone (65), a stable vinylcarbene precursor, has been involved in C-H insertion with cyclohexadiene yielding the bicycle (66) with moderate yield and good ee, especially when azetidinone-rhodium complexes (67) were used.52 Competition between C-H insertion and cyclopropanation is always observed. The cyclopropana-tion reaction on classical alkenes is more efficient in terms of yields, de, and ee. 

No [4+2] cycloaddition of the vinylcarbene complex 249 with the optically active diene 248 takes place. Instead, the cyclopropane 250 is obtained, and the Cope... 

The carbene complex 253 reacts with alkyne to give vinylcarbene complex 255 via the metallacyclobutene 254. The triple bond in allylpropargylamine 256 reacts at first to form vinylcarbene 257, and cyclopropanation of the double bond gives 258 [82],... 

The elimination is successful with a range of substituents at C-2 or C-3 of the cyclopropane, although in some cases the derived cyclopropenes ring-open even at room temprature to give vinylcarbenes, which may be trapped in inter- or intramolecular processes. It is successful when X or Y = Br even if R = H, but when X = Y = Cl and R = H, an alternative 1,2-elimination of HC1 occurs. By careful control of the quantity of reagent, it is possible to carry out the elimination in the presence of functional groups which are relatively reactive to such reagents (final two examples below)112-118,120,80. 

Recently, cyclopropane derivatives were produced by a ruthenium-catalyzed cyclopropanation of alkenes using propargylic carboxylates as precursors of vinylcarbenoids [51] (Eq. 38). The key intermediate of this reaction is a vinylcarbene complex generated by nucleophilic attack of the carboxylate to an internal carbon of alkyne activated by the ruthenium complex. Then, a [2+1] cycloaddition between alkenes and carbenoid species affords vinylcyclo-propanes. 

Diazo-3,6-dihydropyran-2-one 21 is a stable vinylcarbene precursor. Its reaction with 1,4-cyclohexadiene is highly dependent on the chiral Rh catalyst used but results in both C-H insertion and cyclopropanation. Asymmetric cyclopropanation also occurs with various alkenes and reduction of the products provides a route to cycloheptadienes <06JA16038>. 

Definitive evidence for vinylcarbene intervention during cyclopropene thermolyses stems from the identification of cyclopropane 202 as a primary product from cyclopropene 200 (equation 69). Product 202 can only come from an intramolecular C-H... 

Interaction of furans with vinylcarbenes, derived from diazo acetates 732, presumably proceeds via cyclopropanation of the furan double bond... 

Among the methods at hand to synthesize cyclopropane derivatives, carbene addition to alkenes plays a prominent role 63). As a source of vinylcarbenes, cyclopropenes might be useful in this kind of approach. In 1963, Stechl was the first to observe a transition metal catalyzed cyclopropene-vinylcarbene rearrangement64). When treating 1,3,3-trimethylcyclopropene with copper salts, dimerization occurred to give 2,3,6,7-tetramethyl-octa-2,4,6-triene (9), the product from a formal recombination of the corresponding vinylcarbene (Eq. 8). 

Coupling of a Fischer carbene complex with an alkene can generate a vinylcarbene intermediate 12 via an insertion-rearrangement reaction, which can then further react with a double bond. For intramolecular reactions of tethered enynes 10, the products formed are bicyclic cyclopropanes 14 intermolecular reactions lead to cycloalkenylcyclopropanes. 

However, yields in the intermolecular cycloaddition reactions of vinylcarbene complexes, formed by intramolecular insertion of an alkynyl tethered metal carbene complex, are higher when molybdenum rather than chromium or tungsten carbene complexes are employed. Mild thermolysis (THF, 65 °C, 1 h) in the presence of ten equivalents of an electronically undemanding alkene directly leads to the 2-alkyl-2-(2-methoxycyclopentenyl)cyclopropanes 31. ... 

In the two separate, initial reports on the reactivity of Fischer carbenes with enynes, one study found cyclobutanone and furan products [59], while the other found products due to olefin metathesis [60]. These products have turned out to be the exceptions rather than the rule, as enynes have since been found to react with Fischer carbenes to produce bicyclic cyclopropanes quite generally. The proposed mechanistic pathway is included as part of Bq. (28), in which vinylcarbene 10, produced by insertion of the alkyne into the metal carbene, may then cyclize with the pendant olefin to metallacyclobutane 11, leading to product. The first reported version of this reaction suffered from extreme sensitivity to olefin substitution [Eq. (28) compare R=H, Me] often producing side-products due to metathesis (through 11 to yield dienes) and CO insertion (into 10 to yield cyclobutanones and furans) [61]. Since then, several important modifications have been developed which improve yield, provide greater tolerance for alkene substitution, and increase chemoselectivity for the bicyclic cyclopropane... 

Cyclopropanation. These carbenes are particularly useful for cyclopropanation of electron-poor olefins. The reaction occurs under milder conditions and at a faster rate with molybdenum carbenes than with chromium- or tungsten-derived complexes. This cyclopropanation has been used to trap a molybdenum vinylcarbene generated by intra-... 

---