Radical cyclizations of cyclic ene sulfonamides provide stable bicyclic and tricyclic aldimines and ketimines in good yields. Depending on the structure of the precursor, the cyclizations occur to provide fused and spirocyclic imines with five-, six-, and seven-membered rings. The initial radical cyclization produces an α-sulfonamidoyl radical that undergoes elimination to form the imine and a phenylsulfonyl radical. In a related method, 3,4-dihydroquinolines can also be produced by radical translocation reactions of N-(2-iodophenylsulfonyl)tetrahydroisoquinolines. In either case, very stable sulfonamides are cleaved to form imines (rather than amines) under mild reductive conditions.

A radical [3+2]-divinylcyclopropane annulation cascade has been extended to encompass five D-ring variants of the meloscine/epimeloscine core structure. Representative ABCD tetracyclic intermediates were further elaborated with novel substituted E-rings through subsequent transformations of advanced intermediates that provided opportunities for late-stage variation of the B- ring (lactam) N-substituents which were also developed.

The rotational preferences of N-(2-bromo-4,6-dimethylphenyl)-N-methyl 2-phenyl-propanamide were studied as a model of precursors for Hartwig asymmetric oxindole cyclizations. The atropisomers of this compound were separated by flash chromatography, then the enantiomers were resolved and the interconversions of the stereocenter and the N–Ar axis were studied. Under thermal conditions, the axis is very stable. Under the basic conditions of the Hartwig cyclization, both the stere-ocenter and the chiral axis equilibrate via enolate formation. The N–Ar rotation barrier of a 2-phenylacetamide analog was reduced from 31 kcal mol−1 in the precursor to 17 kcal mol−1 in the enolate. Reasons for this dramatic barrier reduction and implications of both N–Ar and amide C–N rotations for Hartwig cyclizations are discussed.

SummaryTwo new fates of imine intermediates formed on radical cyclizations of ene-sulfonamides have been identified, reduction and hydration/fragmentation. Tin hydride-mediated cyclizations of 2-halo-N-(3-methyl-N-sulfonylindole)anilines provide spiro[indoline-3,3'-indolones] or spiro-3,3'-biindolines (derived from imine reduction), depending on the indole C2 substituent. Cyclizations of 2-haloanilide derivatives of 3-carboxy-N-sulfonyl-2,3-dihydropyrroles also presumably form spiro-imines as primary products. However, the lactam carbonyl group facilitates the ring-opening of these cyclic imines by a new pathway of hydration and retro-Claisen-type reaction, providing rearranged 2-(2'-formamidoethyl)oxindoles.

No abstract