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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Efficient Construction of Drug-like Bispirocyclic Scaffolds Via Organocatalytic Cycloadditions of α-Imino γ-Lactones and Alkylidene Pyrazolones
Published on: February 7, 2019
Substrate-controlled and site-selective [3+2] cycloadditions of N-heterocyclic carbene derived ambident dipoles
Ying Cheng1, Mei-Fang Liu, De-Cai Fang
1Chemistry Department, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. ycheng2@bnu.edu.cn
Abstract:
2-aryl thiocarbamoyl benzimidazolium and imidazolinium inner salts derived from benzimidazole and imidazoline carbenes are unique ambident C-C-S and C-C-N 1,3-dipolar systems, which undergo highly efficient and site-selective cycloaddition reactions with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate or dibenzoylacetylene to furnish spiro(imidazole-2,3'-thiophene) derivatives in excellent yields. When treated with ethyl propiolate, methyl acrylate or acrylonitrile, spiro(imidazole-2,3'-pyrrole) derivatives were formed in good yields. Theoretical studies revealed an asynchronous concerted mechanism for both the C-C-S and C-C-N 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. The site selectivity in the [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of ambident 1,3-dipoles was predictably regulated by both the electronic and steric effects of dipolarophiles.
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If the substrate is an achiral molecule at the α-carbon, the inversion of configuration is not observed.
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