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Updated: Dec 18, 2025
![Cercosporin-Photocatalyzed [4+1]- and [4+2]-Annulations of Azoalkenes Under Mild Conditions](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F60786.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
Cercosporin-Photocatalyzed [4+1]- and [4+2]-Annulations of Azoalkenes Under Mild Conditions
Published on: July 17, 2020
Photochemical Cyclopropanation of Cyclooctatetraene and (Poly-)unsaturated Carbocycles
Yujing Guo1, Claire Empel1, Chao Pei1
1Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
Abstract:
We report on the use of visible light to conduct carbene-transfer reactions of donor/acceptor diazoalkanes with cyclooctatetraene and polyunsaturated carbocycles to give the corresponding cyclopropanes in excellent yields with excellent stereoselectivities. This photochemical protocol proved to be superior to conventional metal-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions and now provides platform chemicals containing a cyclic conjugated all-cis triene. The cyclopropane is an important structural feature to prevent 6π electrocyclization. Instead, the triene moiety can now be selectively functionalized in cycloaddition reactions.
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