Reactions of enaminones with 1-nitroolefins. Scope and limitations of a polyquinane synthesis

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)80490-7

The reaction of several 2-aminocyclohex-2-en-1-ones with cyclic nitroolefins has been explored as a possible synthetic approach to polyquinanes. 2-Pyrrolidino, 2-piperidino and 2-morpholinocyclohex-2-en-1-one react with 1-nitrocyclopentene to provide substituted triquinanes. Reactions involving 5,5-dimethyl-2-morpholinocyclohex-2-en-1-one were unseccessful as were those using 4,4-dimethyl-1-nitrocyclopentene. 5-Methyl-2-morpholinocyclohex-2-en-1-one and 1-nitrocyclopentene provide the corresponding triquinane, plus a by-product in which the amino substituent has been lost. The reactions of other selected nitroolefins have been carried out, and the products are described. The results of these reactions are rationalized in terms of an inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction to afford an intermediate oxazine N-oxide, which then undergoes further transformations to afford the observed products.