An Organocatalytic Oxy-Cope/Michael Cascade Reaction

Ethyl diazepane carboxylate catalyzes the oxy-Cope rearrangement of 4-hydroxy- and 4-alkoxy-1,5-hexadiene-2-carboxaldehydes via iminium ion activation. The resulting intermediate undergoes an intramolecular Michael reaction to furnish cyclopentane-containing products. The reaction proceeds with a range of substrates, including both cyclic and acyclic substrates, and tolerates substitution on the vinyl substituent. Substrates fused on a cycloalkane framework undergo net ring expansion/cyclopentannulation with a high degree of stereocontrol via chairlike transition states. The reaction extends iminium organocatalysis to the oxy-Cope rearrangement, embedded within a complexity-generating cascade transformation.