[reaction: see text] Indolones are prepared in excellent yield at 80 degrees C in water by radical reaction (aryl radical formation, hydrogen atom abstraction, cyclization, and rearomatization) mediated by the reagent diethylphosphine oxide (DEPO). The reaction features V-501 as a water-soluble initiator; no other additives are needed. The process proceeds at a much lower temperature than is required for efficient reaction with toxic tributyltin hydride in benzene and permits significantly higher isolated yields than the corresponding reaction mediated by ethylpiperidine hypophosphite (EPHP).

[reaction: see text]. Radicals derived from the phosphorus reagents, ethylpiperidine hypophosphite (EPHP) and diethylphosphine oxide (DEPO), are used in two related approaches to synthesis of the alkaloid horsfiline (1). In particular, DEPO proves beneficial for effecting cyclizations at 80 degrees C that are difficult or impossible with Bu(3)SnH.

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions of ester-linked 1,3,8-nonatrienes carrying a diphenylcyclopropyl substituent attached to C1 proceed with high levels of stereoselectivity. The stereochemical outcomes of these reactions are explained by reference to B3LYP/6-31G(d) transition structures. Experimentally, the diphenylcyclopropane rings remain intact through these IMDA reactions, notwithstanding their predicted extremely high degree of asynchronicity (the B3LYP-computed lengths in the IMDA transition structures differ by as much as 1.1 angstroms), providing support to the notion that these reactions are concerted processes.

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