Intermolecular Pauson-Khand reactions of cyclopropene: a general synthesis of cyclopentanones.

[reaction: see text] The Pauson-Khand reaction of cyclopropene with a variety of terminal alkynes has been studied. The best reaction conditions involve NMO activation in CH(2)Cl(2) at -35 degrees C. In this way, 3-substituted-bicyclo[3.1.0]hex-3-en-2-ones have been obtained in good to excellent yields. As a synthetic application, several types of substituted cyclopentenones have been prepared from these cycloadducts by protocols involving conjugate addition and reductive ring opening.

Photochemistry of 3-substituted bicyclo[3.1.0]hex-3-en-2-ones. Regioselective synthesis of ortho-substituted phenols by Pauson-Khand reaction.

[reaction: see text] 3-Substituted bicyclo[3.1.0]hex-3-en-2-ones 3, easily obtained by Pauson-Khand reaction between terminal alkynes and cyclopropene, have been quantitatively converted into ortho-substituted phenols 4 by irradiation with UV light (350 nm). The kinetics and mechanism of this photochemical process have been studied by means of FT-IR and semiempirical (AM1 3x3 CI) calculations.

Asymmetric Pauson-Khand reactions using camphor-derived chelating thiols as chiral controllers.

A convenient procedure for the preparation of enantiopure 10-(R-thio)-2-exo-bornanethiols from (1S)-camphor-10-thiol has been developed. The ethynyl derivatives of these thiols gave excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 98:2) in Pauson-Khand reactions with norbornene and norbornadiene through the intermediacy of a chelated dicobalt pentacarbonyl complex. Thermal reaction conditions starting from the preformed chelated complex gave better results than N-oxide-promoted runs with in situ generation of the chelated intermediate. The corresponding adducts have been elaborated through a protocol consisting of conjugate addition, samarium iodide-promoted cleavage of the chiral auxiliary, and retro-Diels-Alder reaction to afford 4-substituted 2-cyclopentenones in high enantiomeric purity.