Synthesis of alkenylene-bridged macrocyclic silsesquioxanes by ruthenium or rhodium-catalyzed ring-closing reactions of bis(allyldimethylsilyl) groups.

Novel alkenylene-bridged oligosilsesquioxanes composed of half-caged structures with 16- or 17-membered rings as well as a titanium-containing molecule with a twisted 21-membered macrocycle have been synthesized by ruthenium or rhodium-catalyzed ring-closing reactions of silsesquioxanes with bis(allyldimethylsilyl) groups.

A new route to cyclopentenones via ruthenium-catalyzed carbonylative cyclization of allylic carbonates with alkenes

[RuCl2(CO)3]2/Et3N and (eta 3-C3H5)RuBr(CO)3/Et3N are highly effective catalyst systems for carbonylative cyclization of allylic carbonates with alkenes to give the corresponding cyclopentenones in high yields. For example, treatment of allyl methyl carbonate (1a) with 2-norbornene (2a) in the presence of a catalytic amount of [RuCl2(CO)3]2 (2.5 mol %) and Et3N (10 mol %) at 120 degrees C for 5 h under 3 atm of carbon monoxide gave the corresponding cyclopentenone, exo-4-methyltricyclo[5.2.1.0(2,6)]dec-4-en-3-one (3a), in 80% yield with high stereoselectivity (exo 100%).