This report details the synthesis of several benzonorbornadienes by Diels--Alder cycloaddition of cyclopentadiene derivatives with substituted benzyne intermediates, which were generated by low-temperature metal--halogen exchange of halobenzenes. General conditions were developed, allowing synthesis of most benzonorbornadienes described herein at the multigram scale with isolated yields approac...

The effect on catalyst performance of altering substituents at the 2-position of the Macmillan imidazolidinone has been examined. Condensation of L-phenylalanine N-methyl amide with acetophenone derivatives results in a series of imidazolidinones whose salts can be used to accelerate the Diels-Alder cycloaddition. Electron withdrawing groups significantly increase the overall rate of cycloaddit...

The [4+2] cycloaddition of 3-alkoxyfurans with Nsubstituted maleimides provides the first general route for preparing endo-cantharimides. Unlike the corresponding reaction with 3H furans, the reaction can tolerate a broad range of 2-substitued furans including alkyl, aromatic, and heteroaromatic groups. The cycloaddition products were converted into a range of cantharimide products with promisi...

New insights concerning the reaction mechanism in the cycloaddition reaction of benzimidazolium ylides to activated alkynes are presented. The proposed pathway leading both to 2-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)anilines and to pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalin-4(5H)-ones involves an opening of the imidazole ring from the cycloaddition product, followed by a nucleophilic attack of the aminic nitrogen to a proximal carbon...

The synthesis of polysubstituted hexahydroindoles through trienamine-organocatalyzed cycloadditions of pyrrolidinyl dienals, prepared by palladium-catalyzed cycloisomerization, is reported. The cycloadditions of this novel class of dienals proceed with excellent levels of enantio- and diastereoselectivity, with the regioselectivity of cycloaddition with respect to the tethering ring readily tun...

The aryne [3 + 2] cycloaddition process with pyridinium imides breaks the aromaticity of the pyridine ring. By equipping the imide nitrogen with a sulfonyl group, the intermediate readily eliminates a sulfinate anion to restore the aromaticity, leading to the formation of pyrido[1,2-b]indazoles. The scope and limitation of this reaction are discussed. As an extension of this chemistry, N-tosyli...

An iron-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of diynes and cyanamides at room temperature is reported. Highly substituted 2-aminopyridines were obtained in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivity. Insights toward the reaction process were investigated through in situ IR spectra and control experiments. In this iron-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction, the active iron species wa...

the catalytic highly regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective synthesis of a small library of spiropyrrolizidineoxindolesvia a four-component 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactionof azomethineylides, derived from isatin, with electron-deficient dipolarophilewas described. the process occurs at room temperature in aqueous ethanol as a green solvent and in the presence of a bidendatebis(imine)–cu(ii...

Electron-deficient alkenes undergo organocatalysed formal [3+2]-cycloaddition with isatin-derived imines, generating complex spirocyclic products high yield and stereoselectivity.