Diastereoselectivity control in the zirconocene-mediated ring contraction of 4-vinylfuranosides to enantiopure multiply functionalized cyclobutanes

[reaction: see text] The ring contraction induced by treatment of 4-vinylfuranosides with zirconocene in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate can be rendered highly diastereoselective by proper adjustment of substituent stereochemistry. The two competing transition states that are seemingly involved appear to be usefully sensitive to nonbonded steric interactions.     

Exploring skeletal diversity via ring contraction of glycal-derived scaffolds

Aryl ether C-glycoside scaffolds have been prepared from tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal by C-glycosylation followed by allylic substitution with phenols mediated by Pd(0). The aryl ethers were subjected to either [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement to produce 3-pyranyl-phenols or Au(III)-mediated ring contraction to create highly substituted tetrahydrofurans. [structure: see text]     

Synthesis of new 14-membered macrolide antibiotics via a novel ring contraction metathesis

[reaction: see text] A novel ring opening ring closing metathesis (ROM-RCM) was demonstrated for cyclic conjugated dienes, effecting the excision of a C(2)H(2) unit and a net ring contraction. Applying the ring contraction metathesis, new 14-membered ring macrolide antibiotics were synthesized in a single step from existing 16-membered ring macrolides. This new class of macrolide antibiotics will provide access to new therapeutics for the treatment of macrolide-resistant bacterial infections.     

4H-1,4-benzothiazine derivatives via a novel lead tetraacetate induced ring contraction.

8-Chloro-3,4-dihydro-5-(2-thienyl)-2H-1,6-benzothiazocine underwent a facile lead tetraacetate induced ring contraction forming several 3-(2-thienyl)-4H-1,4-benzothiazine derivatives.     

Octalkoxy-substituted phosphorus(V) triazatetrabenzcorroles via ring contraction of phthalocyanine precursors

As part of efforts toward developing the synthesis of novel corrole analogues, the new triazatetrabenzcorrole (TBC) phosphorus(V) compounds (BuO)8(TBC)P(OCH3)2 (3), [(BuO)8(TBC)P(OH)]+OH- (4) ((BuO)8TBC=3,6,10,13,17,20,24,27-octabutoxytriazatetrabenzcorrolate), and [(BuO)8Cl8(TBC)P(OH)]+OH- (7) ((BuO)8Cl8TBC=3,6,10,13,17,20,24,27-octabutoxy-4,5,11,12,18,19,25,26-octachlorotriazatetrabenzcorrolate) were prepared. These TBCs were synthesized via a ring-contraction reaction mediated by PBr3 in pyridine in which a meso-nitrogen atom is extruded from an appropriate phthalocyanine precursor. Two of the compounds prepared, 3 and 4, are contracted analogues of the parent phthalocyanine (BuO8)PcH2 (1) 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxy-29H,31H-phthalocyanine, which has been shown for the first time to be susceptible to ring-contraction despite the potential steric crowding imposed by the butoxy substituents. Likewise, the octachloro-substituted (BuO8)Cl8PcH2 (6), 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxy-2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octachlorophthalocyanine, has also been shown to smoothly afford 7 via the same ring-contraction method. In addition, a rare example of a bona fide phosphorus(V) phthalocyanine, [(BuO)8(Pc)P(OCH3)2]+OH- (2), has been prepared for spectroscopic comparisons with the TBC compounds. These molecules are all extremely soluble in common organic solvents because of the octabutoxy substituents and have been characterized in detail by 1H NMR, 31P NMR, UV-vis, MALDI-MS, elemental analysis, and electrochemical studies. A clear trend in the phosphorus chemical shifts for 5 versus 6 coordination has been delineated: 31P NMR for 2, -179.8; 3, -186.1; 4, -105.1; and 7, -105.1. These data are compared to the 31P chemical shifts for related porphyrinoid(P(V)) molecules. The MALDI-MS data reveal the tendency of the TBC macrocycles to ionize as the radical cations (M(+*)) and has been useful in determining the axial ligands at phosphorus. A consequence of ring-contraction is reflected in the dramatic red-shifts (approximately 200 nm) observed for the Soret bands of the TBC compounds relative to the parent phthalocyanines. The magnitude of the red-shift is much greater than that reported for other TBCs. In addition, insertion of phosphorus causes a large red-shift in the Q-band of 2 found at 889 nm compared to 760 nm for 1. Cyclic voltammetry of the compounds in this study reveals multiple oxidation and reduction waves for each compound, and some interesting trends in redox potentials have been observed. The CV data for the octachloro-substituted compounds 6 and 7 show that the Cl substituents have an expected strong electron-withdrawing effect on the macrocycles. In general, the TBC compounds are significantly easier to oxidize and harder to reduce than the Pc counterparts, supporting the notion that corrole-type macrocycles favor higher oxidation states.     

Convenient syntheses of ring-B-nor analogues of Ambrox® and amberketal via a novel ring contraction reaction

Manool is converted into ring-B-nor analogues of commercially important perfumery compounds via a novel ring-B-nor intermediate methylene ketone 9. Compound 9 is synthesised via the formation of an exocyclic bromonium ion and the concomitant ring contraction of the B-ring of a diterpene skeleton derived from manool. Oxidation and base treatment of the ring-contracted product result in dehydrohalogenation and decarboxylation to afford methylene ketone compound 9, which is then converted to ring-B-nor analogues of Ambrox® and amberketal.     

Development of a stereoselective co-mediated dihydropyran ring contraction

A highly stereoselective approach for the synthesis of trans-1,2-disubstituted cyclobutanes through an Al-promoted cobalt-mediated O-->C ring contraction of dihydropyrans is described. [reaction: see text].     

In pursuit of nanocarbons

With the advent of the Krätschmer‐Huffman historical breakthrough on the macroscopic synthesis of C₆₀ in the late summer of 1990, I decided to stop all my research so far in the area of spectroscopy of gas‐phase molecular microclusters. Since then, my odyssey in and quest for the so‐called nanocarbons started. Thanks to the brand‐new and enchanting world of fullerenes, metallofullerenes, carbon nanotubes and nano‐peapods, I have been able to entertain (and still am entertaining!) “the pleasure of finding things out”, as Richard Feynman once put it in an interview by a BBC television program in 1981. I believe that as long as one has big dreams and lays the groundwork for the dreams, one will achieve them. My quest for nanocarbons is still on its way. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201100037     

A novel free-radical ring contraction of a cyclic carbamate

During a study on iodocyclocarbamation reactions of 2-styryl-4-piperidones, a novel ring contraction was observed. Iodocyclocarbamation of 2-styryl-4-piperidone 3 gave the bicyclic carbamate 4. Reduction of 4 under free-radical conditions effected a stereoselective ring contraction to provide oxazolidinone 6. A three-electron-three-center mechanism is proposed.     

Hypervalent iodine-mediated ring contraction reactions

Hypervalent iodine reagents constitute a powerful tool in modern synthetic organic chemistry, promoting several important reactions. One such reaction is the ring contraction of cycloalkenes and cycloalkanones promoted by iodine(III) compounds, such as iodobenzene diacetate, iodosylbenzene, iodotoluene difluoride, and [hydroxy(tosyloxy)- iodo]benzene (Koser' s reagent). This review covers all the literature related to the ring contraction of cyclic ketones and olefins promoted by iodine(III) species.     

Triphenylphosphine-induced ring contraction of 1,2-dioxines

Triphenylphosphine inserts into the peroxide bond of 1,2-dioxines, initiating ring contraction with loss of triphenylphosphine oxide. This process yields dihydrofuran oxides in 54-97% yield from oxirenyl[2,3-c][1,2]dioxines and dihydrofurans from 3,6-dihydro-1,2-dioxines with inversion of stereochemistry at either the 2 or 5 position in the furan product.     

3H-Indol-3-ols by a novel ring contraction

Treatment of α-hydroxy-α-phenyl-o-toluidide with phosphorus tribromide afforded a series of 4H-3,1-benzoxazines. These last, when reacted with potassium amide in liquid ammonia, ring contracted to 2,3-disubstituted 3H-indol-3-ols. The scope of this rearrangement was examined. The indolols on treatment with hot base were found to rearrange to indoxyls. Several of these as well as their N-alkylation products are described.     

From common carbohydrates to enantiopure cyclooctane polyols and glycomimetics via deoxygenative zirconocene ring contraction

D-Arabinose and D-glucose are transformed into the identical vinyl furanoside, whose role is to serve as the precursor to enantiopure cyclooctadienone 6. The key steps of this relay involve a zirconocene-promoted ring contraction and [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement of an enynol. Subsequently defined are convenient synthetic routes to several cyclooctane-1,2,3-triols, 1,2,3,4,5-pentaols, and structurally related glycomimetics.     

Synthesis of functionalized tetrahydro-1,3-diazepin-2-ones and 1-carbamoyl-1H-pyrroles via ring expansion and ring expansion/ring contraction of tetrahydropyrimidines

A general approach to 6-phenylthio-substituted 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,3-diazepin-2-ones based on the ring expansion reaction of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones under the action of nucleophiles has been developed. The first step of the synthesis was preparation of N-[(2-benzoyloxy-1-tosyl)ethyl]urea by three-component condensation of 2-benzoyloxyethanal, urea and p-toluenesulfinic acid. Nucleophilic substitution of the tosyl group in the obtained sulfone with sodium enolates of α-phenylthioketones followed by cyclization-dehydration, and debenzoylation gave 4-hydroxymethyl-5-phenylthio-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ones which were transformed into the 4-mesyloxymethyl-derivatives. Treatment of the latter with nucleophilic reagents, such as NaCN, sodium diethyl malonate, PhSNa, MeONa, NaBH(4), sodium succinimide, or potassium phthalimide, afforded the target multi-functionalized diazepinones. The obtained 6-phenylthio-diazepinones and their 6-tosyl-substituted analogues were converted into 3-substituted 1-carbamoyl-1H-pyrroles under acidic conditions as a result of ring contraction. Effective one-pot synthesis of the latter from 4-mesyloxymethyl-pyrimidines was realized using a ring expansion/ring contraction sequence.     

Cyclic tetrapeptides via the ring contraction strategy: chemical techniques useful for their identification

Cyclic tetrapeptides are a class of natural products that have been shown to have broad ranging biological activities and good pharmacokinetic properties. In order to synthesise these highly strained compounds a ring contraction strategy had previously been reported. This strategy was further optimised and a suite of techniques, including the Edman degradation and mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry, were developed to enable characterisation of cyclic tetrapeptide isomers. An NMR solution structure of a cyclic tetrapeptide was also generated. To illustrate the success of this strategy a library of cyclic tetrapeptides was synthesised.     

Medium ring ethers by ring expansion-ring contraction: synthesis of lauthisan

[reaction: see text] A new general method for the construction of medium ring ethers has been developed. This involves the ring expansion of halo-O,S-acetals followed by a Ramburg-B?cklund ring contraction reaction with concomitant extrusion of the sulfur atom. This methodology has been utilized for the synthesis of cis- and trans-lauthisan.     

Synthesis and ring contraction reactions of polyazamacrolides

The synthesis of three analogues of the single most abundant component of a ladybird beetle (Epilachna borealis) defensive secretion, the trimeric 42-membered polyazamacrolide PAML 681, is described. Construction of the nonnatural macrocyclic trimers began with the preparation of the corresponding monomeric segments, followed by their oligomerization and a final macrolactonization step of the activated linear trimeric hydroxy acid. The relative rates of the O-to-N acyl migrations that are characteristic of PAML 681 itself, as well as of the synthetic analogues, were investigated. These studies showed that changes in the substitution pattern adjacent to the nucleophilic nitrogen atom, along with changes in the size of the oxaazacyclic intermediates, have substantial effects on the polyazamacrolide rearrangement rates.     

An interesting ring contraction of a class of bromohydrins and trans-dibromides

An efficient ring contraction of stereoisomeric 1,2-benzo-4-bromo-3-hydroxycyclohept-1-ene and their derivatives (1a-e) to (2a-c) is reported, and a probable mechanism for this ring contraction has been suggested.     

Porphyrin ring contraction: a one-pot reaction leading to divalent corroles

Reaction of nickel meso-tetraarylporphyrins with benzoic anhydride and tin tetrachloride, followed by air oxidation under basic conditions, results in ring contraction, yielding divalent corroles.