On the Behavior of 5,8-Bis(trimethylsilyl)cycloocta-1,3,6-triene in Cycloaddition Reactions and Subsequent Chemistry

Abstract

Phosphaalkynes 2 and electron-deficient alkynes 11 readily react in a [4 + 2] cycloaddition process with 5,8-bis(trimethylsilyl)cycloocta-1,3,6-triene (8) in its bicyclic form 10 to furnish regioselectively the tricyclodecadienes 12 and 13, respectively. The phosphorus-containing compounds 12 exhibit structural features which make them suitable for homo-Diels–Alder reactions with electron-deficient acetylenes. A single crystal structure analysis of the homo-Diels–Alder adduct 14b confirmed the structure and relative configuration of the phophatricyclodecadienes 12. In solution the tricyclodecadienes 13 are prone to facile cycloreversion yielding the phthalic esters 15 and the cyclobutene 16. The latter is rapidly converted into the corresponding 1,3-butadiene 18, which can be trapped in a Diels–Alder/phospha-ene/Diels–Alder tandem reaction sequence by phosphaalkyne 2a. The phosphatricyclodecadiene 12 is thermally more stable; loss of cyclobutene 16 only occurs under FVP conditions to afford the λ3-phosphinine 22.