IChO 2021 · Theory problem 7

Playing with Non-benzenoid Aromaticity

Prof. Nozoe (1902–1996) opened the research field of non-benzenoid aromatic compounds, which are now ubiquitous in organic chemistry.

Figure 1

Photo courtesy: Tohoku Univ.

PART A

Lineariifolianone is a natural product with a unique structure, which was isolated from Inula linariifolia. From valencene (1), a one-step conversion yields 2, before a three-step conversion via 3 yields ketone 4. Eremophilene (5) is converted into 6 by performing the same four-step conversion.

Figure 2

Inula linariifolia

Figure 3

7.1 Draw the structures of 2 and 6 and clearly identify the stereochemistry where necessary.

Then, ketone 4 is converted into ester 15. Compound 8 (molecular weight: 188) retains all the stereocenters in 7. Compounds 9 and 10 have five stereocenters and no carbon-carbon double bonds. Assume that \(\ce{H2^{18}O}\) is used instead of \(\ce{H2^{16}O}\) for the synthesis of \(\ce{^{18}O}\)-labelled-lineariifolianones 13 and 14 from 11 and 12, respectively. Compounds 13 and 14 are \(\ce{^{18}O}\)-labelled isotopomers. Ignoring isotopic labelling, both 13 and 14 provide the same product 15 with identical stereochemistry.

Figure 4

7.2 Choose the appropriate structure for A.

Figure 5

7.3 Draw the structures of 8–14 and clearly identify the stereochemistry where necessary. Also, indicate the introduced \(\ce{^{18}O}\) atoms for 13 and 14 as shown in the example below.

Figure 6

PART B

Compound 19 is synthesized as shown below. In relation to non-benzenoid aromaticity, 19 can be used as an activator for alcohols, and 20 was converted to 22 via ion-pair intermediate 21. Although the formation of 21 was observed by NMR, 21 gradually decomposes to give 18 and 22.

Figure 7

7.4 Draw the structures of 17–19 and 21. Identifying the stereochemistry is not necessary.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

For the Part A names and descriptions, number the bicyclo[4.4.0]decane skeleton as follows: C1 is the upper ring junction, and C1–C2–C3–C4–C5–C6 runs around the left ring to the lower junction. C6–C7–C8–C9–C10–C1 completes the right ring. The methyl groups are at C5 and C6, and the side chain is at C8. “Front” means a solid wedge; “back” means a hashed wedge, in the orientation of the supplied drawings.

  • 7.1

2 — 1-[(5R,6S,8R)-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-en-8-yl]ethan-1-one.

SMILES: CC(=O)[C@@H]1CCC2=CCC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

Replace the isopropenyl group of 1 by an acetyl group. Both methyl groups and the explicitly shown C8 hydrogen remain behind the paper.

6 — 1-[(5S,6R,8R)-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-en-8-yl]ethan-1-one.

SMILES: CC(=O)[C@@H]1CCC2=CCC[C@H](C)[C@@]2(C)C1

Both methyl groups point toward the viewer, and the C8 hydrogen points behind the paper. 6 is the enantiomer of 4.

  • 7.2

A is III, N-phenylbis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amine, commonly called N-phenyltriflimide, \(\ce{PhNTf2}\).

SMILES: O=S(=O)(C(F)(F)F)N(c1ccccc1)S(=O)(=O)C(F)(F)F

  • 7.3

The following consistently assigns 9 to the front-face epoxide. Interchanging 9/10, 11/12, and 13/14 together is equivalent.

8 — (5R,6S,8S)-8-ethynyl-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-ene.

SMILES: C#C[C@H]1CCC2=CCC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

9 — (1S,2R,5R,6S,8S)-1,2-epoxy-8-ethynyl-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]decane.

SMILES: C#C[C@H]1CC[C@@]23O[C@@H]2CC[C@@H](C)[C@]3(C)C1

The epoxide oxygen is in front of the original C1–C2 bond.

10 — (1R,2S,5R,6S,8S)-1,2-epoxy-8-ethynyl-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]decane.

SMILES: C#C[C@H]1CC[C@]23O[C@H]2CC[C@@H](C)[C@]3(C)C1

The epoxide oxygen is behind the original C1–C2 bond.

11 — (1S,2R,5R,6S,8S)-8-(3,3-difluorocycloprop-1-en-1-yl)-1,2-epoxy-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]decane.

SMILES: FC1(F)C=C1[C@H]1CC[C@@]23O[C@@H]2CC[C@@H](C)[C@]3(C)C1

12 — (1R,2S,5R,6S,8S)-8-(3,3-difluorocycloprop-1-en-1-yl)-1,2-epoxy-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]decane.

SMILES: FC1(F)C=C1[C@H]1CC[C@]23O[C@H]2CC[C@@H](C)[C@]3(C)C1

13 — Lineariifolianone labelled with \(\ce{^{18}O}\) at the cyclopropenone carbonyl and the C2 hydroxyl oxygen.

SMILES: [18O]=C1C=C1[C@H]1CC[C@@]2([16OH])[C@@H]([18OH])CC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

14 — Lineariifolianone labelled with \(\ce{^{18}O}\) at the cyclopropenone carbonyl and the C1 hydroxyl oxygen.

SMILES: [18O]=C1C=C1[C@H]1CC[C@@]2([18OH])[C@@H]([16OH])CC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

In both 13 and 14, C1–OH points forward, C2–OH points backward, both methyl groups point backward, and C8–H points forward. Both have \(n=2\), with formula \(\ce{C15H22{}^{18}O2{}^{16}O}\).

  • 7.4
Compound Name SMILES
17 1,3-Dibromo-1,3-diphenylpropan-2-one O=C(C(Br)c1ccccc1)C(Br)c1ccccc1
18 2,3-Diphenylcycloprop-2-en-1-one, or diphenylcyclopropenone O=C1C(c2ccccc2)=C1c1ccccc1
19 3,3-Dichloro-1,2-diphenylcycloprop-1-ene ClC1(Cl)C(c2ccccc2)=C1c1ccccc1
21 1-(2-Phenylethoxy)-2,3-diphenylcyclopropenium chloride [Cl-].[C+]1(OCCc2ccccc2)C(c2ccccc2)=C1c1ccccc1

In 21, the positive charge is delocalized around the planar three-membered ring and into the alkoxy substituent. The SMILES shows one resonance contributor.

Solution

7.1 — Oxidative cleavage and stereoselective reprotonation

The starting compounds are valencene 1, C=C(C)[C@@H]1CCC2=CCC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1, and eremophilene 5, C=C(C)[C@@H]1CCC2=CCC[C@H](C)[C@@]2(C)C1.

The \(\ce{OsO4/NaIO4}\) reaction cleaves the terminal isopropenyl double bond. Its substituted carbon becomes the ketone carbonyl; the terminal methylene carbon gives formaldehyde, C=O. The ring double bond remains intact.

The balanced overall oxidation, applicable to either starting hydrocarbon, is

\[ \ce{C15H24 + 2NaIO4 -> C14H22O + CH2O + 2NaIO3}. \]

Consequently, 2 is the acetyl derivative of 1, with all three original stereocentres retained. This also accounts for the decrease from fifteen to fourteen carbons.

The subsequent operations erase and then restore the configuration at C8:

  1. Hexamethyldisilazane/trimethylsilyl iodide gives the more substituted trimethylsilyl enol ether, placing the new double bond between C8 and the side-chain carbonyl carbon.
  2. Methyllithium cleaves the silicon–oxygen bond, giving lithium enolate 3.
  3. Salicylic acid protonates that enolate stereoselectively.

The silyl enol ether is the (Z)-trimethylsilyl enol ether of 2:

C[Si](C)(C)O/C(C)=C1/CCC2=CCC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

Intermediate 3, the corresponding lithium (Z)-enolate, is:

[Li+].[O-]/C(C)=C1/CCC2=CCC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

Formal net balances for these operations are

\[ \ce{2C14H22O + C6H19NSi2 -> 2C17H30OSi + NH3}, \]

\[ \ce{C17H30OSi + CH3Li -> C14H21LiO + Si(CH3)4}, \]

and

\[ \ce{C14H21LiO + C7H6O3 -> C14H22O + C7H5LiO3}. \]

The last equation represents proton transfer from salicylic acid, O=C(O)c1ccccc1O, with formation of lithium salicylate.

Enolate formation makes C8 planar. Protonation occurs from the less hindered face, opposite the two methyl groups:

  • For the valencene-derived enolate, the methyl groups point backward, so the incoming C8 hydrogen points forward. This gives the supplied ketone 4, CC(=O)[C@H]1CCC2=CCC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1.
  • For the eremophilene-derived enolate, the methyl groups point forward, so the incoming C8 hydrogen points backward. This gives 6.

Thus 2 and 4 are C8 epimers, whereas 6 and 4 are enantiomers.

7.2 — Identification of the triflation reagent

Compound 7 is the terminal enol triflate of ketone 4:

C=C(OS(=O)(=O)C(F)(F)F)[C@H]1CCC2=CCC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

KHMDS removes a proton from the less hindered methyl side of the ketone at \(-78\,^\circ\mathrm C\). The resulting enolate must then receive a triflyl group at oxygen.

III, \(\ce{PhNTf2}\), is the suitable electrophilic triflyl-transfer reagent. Here \(\ce{Tf}\) denotes \(\ce{SO2CF3}\). Its reaction can be balanced generically as

\[ \ce{ RCOCH3 + KN(SiMe3)2 + PhN(Tf)2 -> R-C(OTf)=CH2 + HN(SiMe3)2 + K[PhN(Tf)] }. \]

The bicyclic residue represented by \(\ce{R}\) retains its configuration.

The other choices contain acidic O–H or N–H bonds and would primarily consume the strong base; they are not the appropriate triflyl-transfer reagent for this transformation.

7.3 — Alkyne formation, epoxidation, cyclopropenation and isotope tracing

Formation of 8. LDA causes elimination of triflate and a terminal vinylic hydrogen from 7, giving the terminal alkyne 8. The balanced generic reaction is

\[ \ce{ R-C(OTf)=CH2 + LiN(iPr)2 -> R-C#CH + LiOTf + HN(iPr)2 }. \]

The product formula is \(\ce{C14H20}\), whose nominal molar mass is

\[ M \approx 14(12)+20(1) =188\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}, \]

matching the supplied molecular weight.

Its degree of unsaturation is

\[ \mathrm{DBE} =\frac{2(14)+2-20}{2} =5. \]

These five units are accounted for by two rings, one alkene and one alkyne. All three pre-existing stereocentres remain intact. An allene formed by removing the C8 hydrogen would destroy the C8 stereocentre and is excluded by the stated retention requirement.

Formation of 9 and 10. mCPBA epoxidizes the remaining ring alkene from either face. The terminal alkyne survives.

For either epoxide, the balanced oxygen-transfer reaction is

\[ \ce{C14H20 + C7H5ClO3 -> C14H20O + C7H5ClO2}. \]

The two alkene carbons, C1 and C2, become new stereocentres. Therefore, each product has

\[ 3+2=5 \]

stereocentres, as required. Neither contains a carbon–carbon double bond: the remaining unsaturation outside the rings is the alkyne.

We assign 9 to epoxidation from the front and 10 to epoxidation from the back. Their C5, C6 and C8 configurations remain those of 8.

Formation of 11 and 12. The bromodifluoromethylsilane/iodide system generates difluorocarbene, \(\ce{:CF2}\), represented by F[C]F. It adds across the alkyne to produce a 3,3-difluorocyclopropene:

\[ \ce{C14H20O + CF2 -> C15H20F2O}. \]

Including the silicon reagent, an overall atom balance is

\[ \ce{ C14H20O + (CH3)3SiCF2Br -> C15H20F2O + (CH3)3SiBr }. \]

The original alkyne carbons become the two alkene carbons of the cyclopropene; the added carbene carbon bears both fluorine atoms. No existing stereocentre changes, so 11 retains the epoxide configuration of 9, and 12 that of 10.

Formation and labelling of 13 and 14. Acidic water performs two hydrolyses:

  • The geminal difluoride becomes the cyclopropenone carbonyl. Its oxygen comes from water.
  • The epoxide opens to a trans diol. One hydroxyl oxygen is the original epoxide oxygen; the other comes from water.

The balanced combined hydrolysis is

\[ \ce{C15H20F2O + 2H2O -> C15H22O3 + 2HF}. \]

With \(\ce{H2^{18}O}\), both newly incorporated oxygen atoms are \(\ce{^{18}O}\), so \(n=2\).

The stereochemistry of 15 fixes the diol geometry: C1–OH is forward and C2–OH is backward. The oxygen mapping therefore follows directly:

Product C1 hydroxyl, forward C2 hydroxyl, backward Cyclopropenone carbonyl
13, from front epoxide 11 Original \(\ce{^{16}O}\) Incoming \(\ce{^{18}O}\) Incoming \(\ce{^{18}O}\)
14, from back epoxide 12 Incoming \(\ce{^{18}O}\) Original \(\ce{^{16}O}\) Incoming \(\ce{^{18}O}\)

For 11, water attacks C2 from behind, breaking the C2–epoxide-oxygen bond. The original oxygen remains attached to C1.

For 12, water attacks C1 from the front, breaking the C1–epoxide-oxygen bond. The original oxygen remains attached to C2.

Thus the products have identical constitution and stereochemistry after the isotope labels are removed, but the hydroxyl oxygen labels occupy different positions.

Consistency with ester 15. The catalyst is 4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridine, c1cc(N2CCCC2)ccn1. Methanol, CO, opens the cyclopropenone ring to give the methyl α-methylene ester 15:

COC(=O)C(=C)[C@H]1CC[C@@]2(O)[C@@H](O)CC[C@@H](C)[C@]2(C)C1

Its name is methyl 2-[(1S,2S,5R,6S,8S)-1,2-dihydroxy-5,6-dimethylbicyclo[4.4.0]decan-8-yl]prop-2-enoate.

The balanced methanolysis is

\[ \ce{C15H22O3 + CH3OH -> C16H26O4}. \]

The bond broken is between the cyclopropenone carbonyl carbon and the carbon derived from the terminal alkyne carbon. That latter carbon becomes the terminal methylene group. The carbonyl carbon becomes the ester carbonyl, and all five bicyclic stereocentres remain unchanged.

7.4 — Diphenylcyclopropenone and alcohol activation

Formation of 17. Starting compound 16 is 1,3-diphenylpropan-2-one, or dibenzyl ketone:

O=C(Cc1ccccc1)Cc1ccccc1

Bromination under acidic conditions replaces one α-hydrogen on each side of the carbonyl:

\[ \ce{ PhCH2COCH2Ph + 2Br2 -> PhCHBrCOCHBrPh + 2HBr }. \]

This gives 17, \(\ce{C15H12Br2O}\). Stereochemistry need not be specified.

Formation of 18. Base removes an α-hydrogen. Intramolecular displacement of bromide then creates a bond between the two α-carbons, forming a three-membered ring. Subsequent elimination of a second equivalent of hydrogen bromide gives diphenylcyclopropenone 18.

The balanced equation is

\[ \ce{ C15H12Br2O + 2Et3N -> C15H10O + 2Et3NH+ + 2Br- }. \]

Cyclopropenone has an important charge-separated resonance contributor containing an aromatic cyclopropenium ring and negatively charged oxygen. For 18, that contributor can be represented as

[O-][C+]1C(c2ccccc2)=C1c1ccccc1

The three-membered ring has two delocalized π electrons, satisfying Hückel’s \(4n+2\) rule with \(n=0\).

Formation of 19. Thionyl chloride replaces the carbonyl oxygen by two chlorine atoms, giving the gem-dichloride 19:

\[ \ce{C15H10O + SOCl2 -> C15H10Cl2 + SO2}. \]

Loss of chloride from this reagent produces an aromatic cyclopropenium species, which explains its ability to activate an alcohol.

Formation and decomposition of 21. Alcohol 20 is 2-phenylethan-1-ol, OCCc1ccccc1. Reaction with 19, accompanied by loss of hydrogen chloride, gives alkoxycyclopropenium chloride 21:

\[ \ce{ C15H10Cl2 + C8H10O -> [C23H19O]+ + Cl- + HCl }. \]

The NMR observations support this structure:

  • Its three phenyl rings account for the 15 aromatic hydrogens.
  • The original hydroxyl proton is absent.
  • The oxygen-bound methylene shifts from \(\delta 3.7\) to \(\delta 5.5\ \mathrm{ppm}\), consistent with attachment to the strongly electron-withdrawing cationic activating group.
  • The benzylic methylene shifts from \(\delta 2.8\) to \(\delta 3.4\ \mathrm{ppm}\).

Chloride then attacks the primary carbon bonded to oxygen by an \(S_\mathrm{N}2\) displacement. Cleavage of that carbon–oxygen bond releases 2-phenylethyl chloride 22, ClCCc1ccccc1, and regenerates diphenylcyclopropenone 18:

\[ \ce{[C23H19O]+ + Cl- -> C8H9Cl + C15H10O}. \]

The overall alcohol-to-chloride conversion is therefore

\[ \ce{ C8H10O + C15H10Cl2 -> C8H9Cl + C15H10O + HCl }. \]

The answers were checked against the official answers published by the organisers.