Catalytic Cyclooligomerization of Enones with Three Methylene Equivalents

Cyclic structures are highly represented in organic molecules, motivating a wealth of catalytic methods targeting their synthesis. Among the various ring-forming processes, cyclooligomerization reactions possess several attractive features but require addressing a unique challenge associated with controlling ring-size selectivity. Here we describe the catalytic reductive cocyclooligomerization of an enone and three carbene equivalents to generate a cyclopentane, a process that constitutes a formal [2 + 1 + 1 + 1]-cycloaddition. The reaction is promoted by a (quinox)Ni catalyst and uses CH2Cl2/Zn as the C1 component. Mechanistic studies are consistent with a metallacycle-based pathway, featuring sequential migratory insertions of multiple carbene equivalents to yield cycloalkanes larger than cyclopropanes.