Deciphering the mechanistic dichotomy in the cyclization of 1-(2-ethynylphenyl)-3,3-dialkyltriazenes: competition between pericyclic and pseudocoarctate pathways.
The mechanistic aspects of the cyclization of (2-ethynylphenyl)triazenes under both thermal and copper-mediated conditions are reported. For cyclization to an isoindazole, a carbene mechanistic pathway is proposed. The carbene intermediate can react with oxygen, dimerize to give an alkene, or be trapped either intermolecularly (using 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene to generate a cyclopropane) or intramolecularly (using a biphenyl moiety at the terminus of the acetylene to form a fluorene). Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations support a pseudocoarctate pathway for this type of cyclization. Thermal cyclization to give a cinnoline from (2-ethynylphenyl)triazenes is proposed to occur through a pericyclic pathway. DFT calculations predict a zwitterionic dehydrocinnolinium intermediate that is supported by deuterium trapping studies as well as cyclizations performed using a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine moiety at the 3-position of the triazene.
Kimball
David B
DB
Department of Chemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene 97403-1253, USA.
Weakley
Timothy J R
TJ
Herges
Rainer
R
Haley
Michael M
MM