Benzoazepine-Fused Isoindolines via Intramolecular (3 + 2)-Cycloadditions of Azomethine Ylides with Dinitroarenes.

Aminobenzaldehydes bearing a pendant 3,5-dinitrophenyl group react thermally with N-substituted α-amino acids to form unprecedented benzoazepine-fused isoindolines. The reaction proceeds via a dearomatization/rearomatization sequence involving an intramolecular (3 + 2)-cycloaddition between the in situ formed azomethine ylide and the dinitroarene. Various glycine derivatives are tolerated as well as branched substrates based on cyclic, α-mono-, and α,α-disubstituted amino acids, giving single diastereomers in many cases. The method is scalable and gives products with a nitro group ready for further manipulation.

Pd-Catalyzed Dearomative [3 + 2] Cycloaddition of 3-Nitroindoles with 2-Vinylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates.

A trans-diastereoselective Pd-catalyzed dearomative [3 + 2] cycloaddition between vinylcyclopropane dicarboxylates and 3-nitroindoles has been developed. The reaction provides densely functionalized cyclopenta[b]indolines with versatile vinyl and nitro-groups. The addition of a halide additive was found to be critical for the diastereoselectivity of the reaction, which is proposed to be a result of a rapid π-σ-π interconversion between the intermediates allowing for Curtin-Hammett control. A switch in diastereoselectivity to afford products with the vinyl and nitro groups cis to each other is observed with a 4-substituted 3-nitroindole.