Cu-Mediated Rearrangements of Allenylcyclopropanols to Cyclopentenones: Two Divergent Pathways.

Two CuCN-mediated rearrangement reactions of allenylcyclopropanols to cyclopentenones have been achieved by means of Et2Zn/CuCN·2LiCl or CuCN·2LiCl to afford 5-alkyl or 4-alkyl cyclopentenone regioisomers: the former conditions afford 5-alkyl substituted cyclopentenones via ß-carbon elimination, whereas the latter result in the 4-alkyl substituted regioisomers with concomitant oxidation at the γ-position, via a free radical mechanism.

Mechanism of Ru(II)-Catalyzed Rearrangements of Allenyl- and Alkynylcyclopropanols to Cyclopentenones.

A comparison study of the Ru(II)-catalyzed rearrangements of allenyl- and alkynylcyclopropanols to the corresponding cyclopentenones has been undertaken with the aid of an alkyl substituent on the three-membered ring. These ring expansion reactions proceed with exceptional regioselectivity irrespective of the cis/trans stereochemistry of the substituents on the three-membered ring. ß-Carbon elimination is the common feature in the absence of a chelating group at the 4'-position in the alkyne chain.

Synthesis of stachybotrin C and all of its stereoisomers: structure revision.

We disclose the first total synthesis of stachybotrin C, a potent neuroprotective natural compound. All of the four stereoisomers have been prepared and fully characterized with the aim to attribute the absolute configuration of the two adjacent stereocenters of the stachybotrin C.