Vinylcyclopropane- cyclopentene rearrangement anion-accelerated

A similar acceleration has most recently been observed in the rearrangement of vinylcyclopropanes of type (39 Scheme 8). This fluoride-mediated vinylcyclopropane-cyclopentene isomerization proceeds at -78 C to give (40) in 85% yield this is to date the mildest condition available. Two possible intermediates, the enolate anion (39a) or the diradical anion (39b), may be responsible for such acceleration in analogy to the enolate anion accelerated divinylcyclobutane rearrangement recently reported." The mechanism of this transformation is unclear but may involve anion acceleration similar to that observed in the rearrangement of sulfonyl anions derived from (42 Scheme 8). By comparison the thermolysis of (39) produced exclusively the endo isomer of (41) at 580... 

Further studies on the scope and stereochemical course of the oxyanion-accelerated vinylcyclopropane reairangement were reported in 1981. This paper introduced a general [4+1] annulation strategy for the synthesis of cyclopentene derivatives in which the anion-accelerated VCP rearrangement functions as the key step. In this report, the accelerated version of the vinylcyclopropane rearrangement was also shown to proceed with remarkably high stereoselectivity, in further contrast to the thermal process. 

The nucleophile can be internally located on the vinylcyclopropane moiety as exemplified in the case of the anion-accelerated rearrangements of sulfonylvinylcyclopropanes of type 10. The resulting cyclopentenes can be further functionalized, through the agency of the sulfonyl group, in an overall four-step sequence from the starting diene. 

An interesting rearrangement, which appears to be anion-accelerated, takes place in the enol thioether, anion-terminated vinylcyclopropanes of type 14. ° The rearrangement proceeds at — 78 C and is reasonably stereoselective with regard to the final cyclopentene products (syn selectivity 16 1). Regioisomers are encountered in the formation of the dihydrothiopyran cycloaddition adducts 13 in several instances. The mechanism of this rearrangement appears to involve the enol thioether anion in accord with the well-documented donor acceptor principles " and may be related to similar rearrangements observed with trimethylsilyl enol ether terminated vinylcyclopropanes under fluoride ion or Lewis acid catalysis." " ... 

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