Iron porphryin complexes are active catalysts for the cyclopropanation of alkenes by ethyl diazoacetate. Fe(TIP) (TIP = meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrin), an isolated iron(II) porphyrin complex, can be used as the catalyst, or the iron(III) complexes of several porphyrins can be reduced in situ. The reactions produce synthetically useful excesses of the trans cyclopropyl ester products. This stereoselectivity exhibits a modest solvent dependence, with donor solvents giving higher ratios of the trans cyclopropane products. The diastereoselectivity exhibits only a modest dependence on the steric bulk of the porphyrin. The reactions are selective for 1-alkenes and 1, 1-disubstituted alkenes. Conjugated substrates and enol ethers react more rapidly than simple aliphatic alkenes. A mechanistic model for the iron-mediated reactions is proposed which is consistent with the data presented herein. Disciplines Chemistry CommentsReprinted (adapted) Am. Chern. Soc. 1995, 117, 9194-9199 Shape Abstract: Iron porphryin complexes are active catalysts for the cyclopropanation of alkenes by ethyl diazoacetate. Fe(TIP) (TIP = meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrin), an isolated iron(II) porphyrin complex, can be used as the catalyst, or the iron(III) complexes of several porphyrins can be reduced in situ. The reactions produce synthetically useful excesses of the trans cyclopropyl ester products. This stereoselectivity exhibits a modest solvent dependence, with donor solvents giving higher ratios of the trans cyclopropane products. The diastereoselectivity exhibits only a modest dependence on the steric bulk of the porphyrin. The reactions are selective for 1-alkenes and 1, 1-disubstituted alkenes. Conjugated substrates and enol ethers react more rapidly than simple aliphatic alkenes. A mechanistic model for the iron-mediated reactions is proposed which is consistent with the data presented herein.The metal-catalyzed cyclopropanation of substituted olefins by diazo esters is a reaction commonly employed in organic synthesis. 1 Chiral copper 2 -4 and rhodium 5 • 6 catalysts have recently been reported to effect cyclopropanation with high enantioselectivity. However, the diastereoselectivities obtained in these reactions are generally poor. Mixtures of the trans and cis cyclopropyl esters are produced, with the trans isomer obtained in only a slight excess. A notable exception is a recently reported ruthenium catalyst/ which provided high enantioselectivities and trans/cis ratios of 10:1 using ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) as the carbene source.We are interested in the development of metalloporphyrin cyclopropanation catalysts, since such reactions often exhibit unique stereoselectivities and exceedingly high catalyst turnover numbers. For example, rhodium(III) porphyrin-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions using EDA as the carbene source produced the cis cyclopropyl ester as the major product when bulky ligands such as the tetramesitylporphyrin (TMP) (see Figure 1) were employed. 8 -11 To the best of our knowledge, this is the only exampl...

Females of many species obtain benefits by mating polyandrously, and often prefer novel males over previous mates. However, how do females recognise previous mates, particularly in the face of cognitive constraints? Female crickets appear to have evolved a simple but effective solution: females imbue males with their own cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) at mating and utilise chemosensory self-referencing to recognise recent mates. Female CHC profiles exhibited significant additive genetic variation, demonstrating that genetically unique chemical cues are available to support chemosensory self-referencing. CHC profiles of males became more similar to those of females after mating, indicating physical transfer of CHCs between individuals during copulation. Experimental perfuming of males with female CHCs resulted in a female aversion to males bearing chemical cues similar to their own. Chemosensory self-referencing, therefore, could be a widespread mechanism by which females increase the diversity of their mating partners.

Iron(II) complexes of meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrin (TTP), tetramethyldibenzotetraaza[14]annulene (tmtaa), and trans-1,2-bis(salicylidene)cyclohexanediamine (saldach) catalyzed the cyclopropanation of styrene with aryldiazomethanes. When p-tolyldiazomethane was used as the carbene source, trans-cyclopropanes were the major products. Trans/cis ratios of up to 17:1 were obtained. However, using mesityldiazomethane resulted in a reversal of stereoselectivity, giving cis-cyclopropanes as the major product (cis/trans ratios of up to 2.9:1). The stereoselectivity of iron(II) porphyrin-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions was enhanced by performing the reactions at low temperature or by using bulky porphyrin ligands. Using trimethylsilyldiazomethane as the carbene source, trimethylsilylcyclopropanes were produced in excellent yields with (TTP)Fe. On treatment of (TTP)Fe with diazoreagents, carbene complexes were observed spectroscopically. These complexes transferred their carbene ligand to styrene to produce cyclopropanes stoichiometrically.

Unique reactivity of anti- and syn-acetoxypyranones was observed in oxidopyrylium-alkene [5 + 2] cycloadditions. The subtle interplay between the corresponding acetoxypyranone conformation and steric bulk of tertiary amine bases causes syn-acetoxypyranones to undergo [5 + 2] cycloaddition appreciably faster than anti-acetoxypyranones. Additionally, the efficiency of a cascade process that afforded a novel tetracyclic lactol was determined to be dependent on the relative stereochemistry of each diastereomer, the amine base utilized, and the addition of water.

Reaction of K(10)[alpha(2)-P(2)W(17)O(61)] or K(10)[alpha(1)-P(2)W(17)O(61)] or [Bu(4)N][OsCl(4)N] in a water/methanol mixture, and subsequent precipitation with (Bu(4)N)Br provided [alpha(2)-P(2)W(17)O(61){Os(VI)N}](7-) and [alpha(1)-P(2)W(17)O(61){Os(VI)N}](7-) Dawson structures as tetrabutylammonium salts. Reactions of [(Bu(4)N)(4)][alpha-H(3)PW(11)O(39)] with either [ReCl(3)(N(2)Ph(2))(PPh(3))(2)] or [Bu(4)N][ReCl(4)N] are alternatives to the synthesis of [(Bu(4)N)(4)][alpha-PW(11)O(39){Re(VI)N}]. (183)W and (15)N NMR, EPR, IR, and UV-visible spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry have been used to characterize these compounds and the corresponding [(Bu(4)N)(4)][alpha-PW(11)O(39){Os(VI)N}] Keggin derivative.

Novel oxidopyrylium-alkene [5+2] cycloaddition conjugate addition cascade (C(3)) sequences are described. Various acetoxypyranone-alkenes with pendant nucleophiles undergo [5+2] cycloaddition followed by conjugate addition from the concave face of the intermediate pyranone toward bridged, tetracyclic ethers. In several cases, 3 new rings, 4 new bonds, and 6 new contiguous stereocenters are constructed with excellent diastereoselectivity. Finally, an asynchronous concerted reaction pathway is proposed to explain the high diastereoselectivity of the oxidopyrylium-alkene [5+2] C(3).

Catalytic systems derived from [Os(TTP)]2 or Fe(TTP) (TTP = 5,10,15,20-tetra-p-tolylporphyrinato) are extremely efficient at converting styrenes and diazo reagents to cyclopropanes in high yields and high stereoselectivity. A number of mechanistic studies have been undertaken to elucidate the catalytic pathway. A mono(carbene) complex, (TTP)OsCHCO2Et, has been isolated but is not the catalytically active species. An electron-withdrawing ligand trans to the carbene in (TTP)OsCHCO2Et activates the carbon fragment toward transfer to an olefin. Labeling studies with (TTP)OsCHX and N2CHY and substrate reactivity profiles are consistent with a trans-osmium(II) bis(carbene) species as the active catalyst.

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