Angewandte
Chemie
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201210313
Rearrangement
Gold-Catalyzed Oxidative Cyclizations on 1,4-Enynes: Evidence for
a g-Substituent Effect on Wagner–Meerwein Rearrangements**
Satish Ghorpade, Ming-Der Su,* and Rai-Shung Liu*
The Wagner–Meerwein rearrangement refers to a 1,2-shift of
an alkyl, aryl, and alkenyl group to an adjacent carbocationic
center; formation of this carbon–carbon bond has found
widespread applications in many Lewis acid or Brønsted acid
mediated reactions [Eq. (1)].[1,2] For this well-known reaction,
the 1,2-shift of R1 versus R2 is determined primarily by the
relative stability of carbocation B (or B’), as well as the
intrinsic properties of the migrating group (Scheme 1).[1,2] No
instance of a g-substituent to stereospecifically direct a 1,2-
shift of the R group in b-position was reported to date; those
carbocations bearing a g-silyl group are no examples either.[3a]
Although the g-effect on this arrangement was claimed in an
early report,[3b] the 1,2-shift actually occurred within a ben-
zene skeleton comprising the Cb and Cg carbon atoms.
According to carbocation chemistry,[3–5] we envisage that
a metal substituent in the g-position might facilitate an anti
activation through hyperconjugation to induce a 1,2-R1-shift
(C!D) in an antiperiplanar conformation (C) [Eq. (2)].[3–5]
Alternatively, this metal might exert steric interaction to
induce a syn activation to enable a 1,2-R2-shift (C’!D’) in
a synperiplanar conformation C’ [Eq. (3)].[3,5] The realization
of such an unprecedented effect of a metal in g-position relies
on the availability of suitable carbocations applicable for
a study. Herein, we report our experimental and theoretical
work to support an anti-activation route [Eq. (2)] for M =
Au[6] (path C!D) even in a synperiplanar conformation. This
work represents an atypical Wagner–Meerwein rearrange-
ment, because the intrinsic properties of the migrating group
(R1, R2) are no longer decisive.
conrotation route. We employ these special 1,4-enynes,
because their bridged cyclopropanes can stabilize carbocation
F or F’ with a “bisected” conformation,[11] in which the ketone
group hinders the expansion of the cyclopropane ring.[12]
A
cyclopropyl group greatly enhances the electrophilicity of an
alkyne in the presence of a gold catalyst.[12] Our experimental
results disclose that only the cis-substituent R1 at the alkene is
transferable to give the observed cyclopentanone F selec-
tively. Notably, this stereospecificity of the migration is
unaffected when varying the R1 and R2 groups to methyl,
alkyl, and aryl groups, thereby truly reflecting this significant
g-effect. The object of this work is to clarify if an anti or syn
activation occurs in carbocations with a gold substituent in the
g-position, as in carbocations F or F’.
Shown in Scheme 1 is our strategy to illustrate the g-
substituent effect; the key reaction involves a gold-catalyzed
oxidative cyclization of 1,4-enyne 3.[7,8] The initially formed a-
oxo gold carbene E[9] is expected to have its olefin p electrons
+
=
parallel to the positive Au C p orbital to achieve a through-
space interaction. We envisage that this spatial arrangement
will undergo a facile alkene/carbene coupling[10] to give 2-oxo-
cyclopent-1-yl cation F or F’, through either a disrotation or
[*] S. Ghorpade, Prof. Dr. R.-S. Liu
Department of Chemistry, National Tsing-Hua University
Hsinchu, 30043 (Taiwan, ROC)
E-mail: rsliu@mx.nthu.edu.tw
Prof. Dr. M.-D. Su
Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiayi University
Chiayi, 60004 (Taiwan, ROC)
E-mail: midesu@mail.ncyu.edu.tw
[**] We thank National Science Council, Taiwan, for financial support of
this work.
Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW
Scheme 1. Strategy to study the g-substituent effect.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 1 – 7
ꢀ 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
1
These are not the final page numbers!