Intramolecular Diels–Alder Reactions of Oxazoles, Imidazoles, and Thiazoles

The development of the intramolecular Diels–Alder cycloaddition­ of azole heterocycles, i.e. oxazoles (IMDAO), imidazoles (IMDAI), and thiazoles (IMDAT), has had a significant impact on the efficient preparation of heterocyclic intermediates and natural products. In particular, highly efficient and versatile IMDAO reactions have been utilized as a key step in several synthetic schemes to provide alkaloids and terpenoid target molecules. More limited studies have been performed on IMDAI and IMDAT cycloadditions. Some drawbacks, such as the occasionally­ challenging preparation of IMDA precursors, are also highlighted in this review. Perspectives are provided on how IMDAI and IMDAT­ transformations can be further expanded for target-directed syntheses.1 Introduction2 Oxazoles2.1 IMDAO Approaches to Furanosesquiterpenes and Furanosteroids2.1.1 Syntheses of Highly Oxygenated Sesquiterpenes2.1.2 Syntheses of (±)-Gnididione and (±)-Isognididione2.1.3 Synthesis of (±)-Stemoamide2.1.4 Synthesis of (±)-Paniculide A2.1.5 Syntheses of (+)- and (–)-Norsecurinine2.1.6 Synthesis of Evodone2.1.7 Syntheses of (±)-Ligularone and (±)-Petasalbine2.1.8 Syntheses of Imerubrine, Isoimerubrine, and Grandirubrine2.1.9 Syntheses of Furanosteroids2.1.10 Syntheses of Substituted Indolines and Tetrahydroquinolines2.2 IMDAO Approaches to Pyridines: the Kondrat’eva Reaction2.2.1 Syntheses of Suaveoline and Norsuaveoline2.2.2 Synthesis of Eupolauramine2.2.3 Syntheses of (–)-Plectrodorine and (+)-Oxerine2.2.4 Synthesis of Amphimedine2.2.5 Synthetic Approach to the Western Segment of Haplophytine2.2.6 Synthesis of Marinoquinoline A2.2.6.1 IMDAO Approach to Marinoquinoline A2.2.6.2 Scope of Allenyl IMDAO Cycloaddition2.3 Lewis Acid Catalysis in IMDAO Reactions2.3.1 Effects of Europium Catalysts on IMDAO Reactions2.3.2 Effects of Copper Catalysts on IMDAO Reactions3 Imidazoles 4 Thiazoles4.1 Syntheses of Menthane and Eremophilane4.2 Further Comments on the Intramolecular Cycloadditions of Thiocarbonyl Ylides5 Conclusions and Outlook

One-Pot Synthesis of γ-Azidobutyronitriles and Their Intramolecular Cycloadditions

Efficient gram-scale, one-pot approaches to azidocyanobutyrates and their amidated or decarboxylated derivatives have been developed, starting from commercially available aldehydes and cyanoacetates. These techniques combine (1) Knoevenagel condensation, (2) Corey–Chaykovsky cyclopropanation and (3) nucleophilic ring opening of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with the azide ion, as well as (4) Krapcho decarboxylation or (4′) amidation. The synthetic utility of the resulting γ-azidonitriles was demonstrated by their transformation into tetrazoles via intramolecular (3+2)-cycloaddition. A condition-dependent activation effect of the α-substituent was revealed in that case. Thermally activated azide–nitrile interaction did not differentiate the presence of an α-electron-withdrawing substituent in γ-azidonitriles, whereas the Lewis acid mediated (SnCl4 or TiCl4) reaction proceeded much easier for azidocyanobutyrates. This allowed us to develop an efficient procedure for converting azidocyanobutyrates into the corresponding tetrazoles.

Synthetic applications of type II intramolecular cycloadditions

Type II intramolecular cycloadditions ([4+2], [4+3], [4+4] and [5+2]) have emerged recently as an efficient and powerful strategy for the construction of bridged ring systems.

Catalytic reductive [4 + 1]-cycloadditions of vinylidenes and dienes

Cycloaddition reactions provide direct and convergent routes to cycloalkanes, making them valuable targets for the development of synthetic methods. Whereas six-membered rings are readily accessible from Diels-Alder reactions, cycloadditions that generate five-membered rings are comparatively limited in scope. Here, we report that dinickel complexes catalyze [4 + 1]-cycloaddition reactions of 1,3-dienes. The C1partner is a vinylidene equivalent generated from the reductive activation of a 1,1-dichloroalkene in the presence of stoichiometric zinc. Intermolecular and intramolecular variants of the reaction are described, and high levels of asymmetric induction are achieved in the intramolecular cycloadditions using aC2-symmetric chiral ligand that stabilizes a metal-metal bond.