Carbolithiation has been studied with alkyllithium reagents in a series of six- through nine-membered 3-methylene-1,4-cycloalkadienes, efficiently producing the corresponding cyclic pentadienyl carbanions. These pentadienyl anions display unique reactivity, depending on ring size. Cyclooctadienyl anions readily undergo disrotatory electrocyclization to cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]octenyl systems, which a...

Fall leaves of the common wych elm tree (Ulmus glabra) were studied with respect to chlorophyll catabolites. Over a dozen colorless, non-fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (NCCs) and several yellow chlorophyll catabolites (YCCs) were identified tentatively. Three NCC fractions were isolated and their structures were characterized by spectroscopic means. Two of these, Ug-NCC-27 and Ug-NCC-43, c...

A 4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)phenyl electron donor and 10-cyanoanthracen-9-yl electron acceptor are attached via alkyne linkages to the bridgehead carbon atoms of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane and all three benzo-annulated bicyclo[2.2.2]octanes. The sigma-system of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane provides a scaffold having nearly constant bridge geometry on which to append multiple, weakly interacting benzo pi-bridges, so...

A general protocol for the synthesis of bicyclo[n.3.1]frameworks with bridgehead double bond (anti-Bredt alkenes), from a common, readily available norbornyl precursor, involving sequential ring closure metathesis (RCM) and Wharton fragmentation is outlined.

Inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction of functionalized 5,5'-bi-1,2,4- triazines with bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene in boiling p-cymene leads to a range of 6,6'- disubstituted-2,2'-bipyridines in good yield.

Computed singlet ground-state and low-lying singlet and triplet excited-state potential energy surfaces of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) and 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (DBH) are combined with experimental facts and reasonable models for how excess energy is partitioned among internal and solvent modes to propose mechanisms for the title reactions. In particular, we put forth a m...

Intramolecular formal [4+2] cycloaddition between 3-ethoxycyclobutanones and a carbon-carbon double bond to the corresponding bicyclo[4.n.0]alkan-2-one derivatives proceeded effectively by using ethylaluminium dichloride.

An enantioselective ring-expanding cycloisomerization of 1,5-enynes bearing a cyclopropylidene moiety has been developed. This methodology provides a new approach to bicyclo[4.2.0]octanes, a structural motif present in many biologically active natural products.