Hydroformylation reaction of alkylidenecyclopropane derivatives: a new pathway for the formation of acyclic aldehydes containing quaternary stereogenic carbons.

The rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation reaction of methylene- and alkylidenecyclopropane derivatives proceeds under mild conditions to lead to the exclusive formation of linear aldehydes and the stereointegrity of the quaternary carbon center remains unaffected in the process.

Cyclopropenylcarbinol derivatives as new versatile intermediates in organic synthesis: application to the formation of enantiomerically pure alkylidenecyclopropane derivatives.

The copper-catalyzed carbomagnesiation (or hydrometalation) reaction of chiral cyclopropenylcarbinol derivatives, obtained by means of a kinetic resolution of secondary allylic alcohols, leads to an easy and straightforward preparation of enantiomerically pure alkylidenecyclopropane derivatives. The reaction mechanism is composed of a syn-carbometalation followed by a syn-elimination reaction. To gain further insight into the reaction mechanism of the carbometalation, the diastereoselective formation of cyclopropylcarbinol was also achieved and was found to be very sensitive to the nature of the organometallic species used for the addition reaction. Cyclopropylcarbinol could also be prepared through a diastereoselective reduction of cyclopropenylcarbinol derivatives. Finally, functionalization of enantiomerically enriched cyclopropenylcarbinols into the corresponding acetate or phosphinite derivatives leads, under mild conditions, to various enantiomerically pure heterosubstituted alkylidenecyclopropanes.

Copper-catalyzed hydride transfer from LiAlH(4) for the formation of alkylidenecyclopropane derivatives.

The copper-catalyzed addition of LiAlH(4) to cyclopropenylcarbinol leads to an easy and straightforward preparation of alkylidenecyclopropane derivative.

Enantiomerically enriched cyclopropene derivatives: versatile building blocks in asymmetric synthesis.

Enantiomerically enriched cyclopropene derivatives, the smallest possible unsaturated carbocycles, are of great synthetic interest since they serve as versatile reactive building blocks. Their reactivity results from the relief of the ring strain in the small molecule. They can be transformed into a wide variety of complex chiral structures and a special emphasis will be directed towards the preparation of enantiomerically enriched methylene- and alkylidenecyclopropane derivatives. The ready availability of a wide range of these chiral entities now provides an excellent opportunity to discover new and unique transformations that can further enrich mainstream synthetic methodology.

Stereodivergent carbometalation reactions of cyclopropenylcarbinol derivatives.

The diastereoselective formation of cyclopropylcarbinol from cyclopropenylcarbinol is very sensitive to the nature of the organometallic used for the carbometalation reaction. Both diastereoisomers can be obtained, at will, from the same precursor.

Preferential axial protonation in a zwitterionic calix[4]arene.

[structure: see text] Calixarene 3, substituted at two methylene bridges by dimethylamino groups, exists in the crystal and in polar solvents as a zwitterion, with the axial dimethylamino group protonated.

A "classical" tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene adopting the 1,2-alternate conformation.

The first example of a "classical" tetrahydroxycalixarene, which adopts the 1,2-alternate conformation both in solution and in the crystal, is described. Calixarene derivatives with two distal methylene groups substituted in a trans fashion by phenyl (5a) or mesityl (5b) groups were synthesized via addition of PhMgBr/CuCN or MesMgBr/CuCN to the bis(spirodiene) derivative 3. Whereas the phenyl-substituted calixarene derivative 5a adopts the usual "cone" conformation, solution NMR data and X-ray crystallography indicate that the more crowded mesityl derivative 5b adopts a 1,2-alternate conformation with the two mesityl groups located at isoclinal positions of the macrocycle.

Conformational analysis of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene derivatives with trans-alkyl substituents on opposite methylene bridges: destabilization of the cone form by axial alkyl substituents.

The stereochemistry of calix[4]arenes substituted by a pair of identical alkyl substituents in a trans fashion at two distal bridges is analyzed. MM3 calculations suggest that increasing the bulk of the alkyl group at the bridges destabilizes those conformations possessing an axial disposition of the substituent. In contrast to the 1,3-dimethyl ether of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene, which adopts a cone conformation, solution NMR data indicate that the 1,2-alternate conformation is preferred in the dimethyl ether derivatives 5b (alkyl = i-Pr) and 5c (alkyl = t-Bu). In the derivative substituted by the less bulky methyl substituent (5a), both the cone and 1,2-alternate forms coexist in CDCl3. Increasing the polarity of the solvent increases the relative population of the cone form of 5a and 5b. The steric destabilization ensuing from the presence of the axial substituent is so large in the cone conformation of 5c that the 1,2-alternate conformer is the major form even in polar solvents. The cone --> 1,2-alternate interconversion barrier of 5a is 18.2 kcal mol(-1), indicating that the presence of an axial methyl group both destabilizes the cone conformation and decreases its rigidity.

A conformationally flexible tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene adopting the unusual 1,3-alternate conformation.

The use of a chiral solvating agent enabled the determination of the NMR-silent ring-inversion process of the ketocalixarene 3. Spectroscopic and crystal data indicate that 3 adopts the unusual 1,3-alternate conformation.

Synthesis of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene derivatives with trans-alkyl substituents on opposite methylene bridges.

Reaction of the bis(spirodiene) calixarene derivative 9 possessing exocyclic double bonds with tetraethylammonium fluoride or chloride afforded bis(spirodienone) calixarene derivatives substituted by the corresponding halogen atoms (11 and 12). Reaction of 9 with alkyl cuprates yielded in one step p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene derivatives with opposite methylene groups substituted in a trans fashion by identical alkyl substituents (methyl, ethyl, or isopropyl). The isopropyl derivative 16 displayed the largest cone-to-cone inversion barrier of the series.

Tris(arylmethyl) derivatives of 1,3,5-trimethoxy- and 1,3,5-triethylbenzene.

The hexasubstituted benzenes 7 and 9b were synthesized starting from 3 and 8b, respectively. In the crystal, 9b adopts the fully alternated conformation with all arylmethyl groups oriented syn.

Crystal structure and rotational barrier of octakis(bromomethyl)naphthalene.

Octakis(bromomethyl)naphthalene (4) adopts in the crystal a chiral conformation with a helical central naphthalene core and the bromomethyl groups disposed in an alternate up-down "in" arrangement. According to MM3 calculations, this conformation is less stable than the corresponding all alternated "out" form, while B3LYP/LANL2DZ calculations suggest the opposite stability order. The topomerization barrier (16.0 kcal mol(-1)) is ascribed to an enantiomerization process requiring 180 degrees rotation of all the bromomethyl groups and reversal of the helical sense of the naphthalene core.

Functionalization of the methylene groups of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene: S-C, N-C, and C-C bond formation.

Reaction of the calixarene derivative 7 with two exocyclic double bonds with carbon-, nitrogen-, oxygen-, or sulfur-containing nucleophiles afforded bis(spirodienone) derivatives substituted at two opposite methylene groups in a trans fashion. LiAlH(4) reduction of the bis(spirodienone) derivatives with two methylenes functionalized by thiomethoxy, diethyl malonate, or anilino substituents yielded trans methylene-substituted calix[4]arenes. Upon standing in solution, the calixarene derivative incorporating SMe groups on the bridges underwent trans right harpoon over left harpoon cis isomerization. An equilibration study performed on this calixarene derivative (tetrachloroethane-d(2), 430 K) indicated that the cis isomer is the form of lower free energy.