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Investigations into an anionic oxy-cope/transannular conjugate addition approach to 7,20-diisocyanoadociane
Philipp C Roosen1, Christopher D Vanderwal
1Department of Chemistry, 1102 Natural Sciences II, University of California , Irvine, California 92697-2025, United States.
Abstract:
An anionic oxy-Cope/transannular conjugate addition approach to the potent antimalarial 7,20-diisocyanoadociane is presented. The unexpected formation of undesired diastereomers in the key reaction led to the structural reassignment of previous products of this type of cascade and a reevaluation of the reversibility of the transannular ring closure. During efforts to coax the reaction toward the desired product, a transannular ene reaction provided tricyclic compounds relevant to the kempane diterpenoids.
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Conjugate Addition (1,4-Addition) vs Direct Addition (1,2-Addition)
Conjugate addition results in a thermodynamically stable product. The reaction retains the stronger C=O bond at the expense of the weaker C=C π bond. The process is slow as the β carbon is less electrophilic than the carbonyl carbon.
Direct addition products are...

