A novel push-pull Diels-Alder diene: reactions of 4-alkoxy- or 4-phenylsulfenyl-5-chalcogene-substituted 1-phenylpenta-2,4-dien-1-one with electron-deficient dienophiles.

5-(phenylselenenyl)- and 5-(phenylsulfenyl)-4-ethoxy-1-phenyl-2,4-pentadien-1-ones (2) and (3) underwent [4+2] cycloaddition with N-methyl and N-phenylmaleimides and successive isomerization to give the 7-benzoyl-3a,4,5,7a-tetrahydro-1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-diones 5, 8 and 9 in good yields. The 4-ethoxy group on the 2,4-pentadien-1-one was found to be effective to facilitate the cycloaddition with dienophiles. We also performed other [4+2] cycloadditions of 2,4-pentadien-1-ones with DMAD or naphthoquinone.

A new 3-(phenylseleno)allylic cation: its regioselective C-C bond formation reaction with nucleophiles.

Highly useful C-C bond formation using 2-ethoxy-3-(phenylseleno)prop-2-enal acetal 2 was examined with various Lewis acids. The reaction of 2 with the silyl enol ether in the presence of BF(3)*Et2O, ZnBr2, or SnBr4 regioselectively provided (Z)-3,4-diethoxy-5-(phenylseleno)pent-4-enophenone 5a in high yields. On the other hand, the reaction with other Lewis acids such as EtAlCl2 or SnCl4 gave 5-(phenylseleno)- 6 or non-selenopentane-1,4-dione 7, respectively. Novel prop-2-enal acetals 2-4 and 13-15 reacted with various nucleophiles to give pent-4-enophenones 5a,b, 10a, 12, and 16-18, S-ethyl pent-4-enoate 5b, alkylated vinylic sulfide 10b, 3-pentenenitrile 5d, and 10c. A versatile pent-4-enophenone 5a could be converted to tetrahydrofuran 20 and penta-2,4-dienophenone 19, the Diels-Alder reactions of which with dienophiles gave the adducts 24 and 25.