Disclosed herein is a visible light mediated cyclization of methyl (α‐naphthyl) acrylates and heteroaromatic analogues yielding substituted acenaphthenes and azaacenaphthenes. This highly functional‐group‐tolerant transformation was put to the test in an enantioselective formal synthesis of delavatine A. Mechanistic details were elucidated by DFT‐calculations revealing an unusual intramolecular H‐transfer mediated by a primary amine. The generality of this transformation enables a novel synthetic strategy of five membered ring annulation at an advanced stage, allowing reliance upon naphthalene chemistry up to the point of acenaphthene construction.
Methyl (α-naphthyl) acrylates bearing an ortho-substituent with a hydrogen atom produce naphthocyclobutenes upon Ir(Fppy) 3 -mediated photosensitization. This reaction can be described as a carbon analogue of the Norrish−Yang reaction: upon triplet excitation of the acrylate a 1,5-HAT results in a 1,4-diradical which forms the cyclobutene. Diastereoselectivities up to >20:1 were observed for the ring-closure reaction.
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