On irradiation with light of wavelength 290-350 nm, 2,2-dimethyl-3-phenyl-2 H-azirine (lb) reacts with 1,4-naphthoquinone to give the 1H-benzo Iflisoindol-4,9-dione (11) (Scheme 3) via cycloaddition of the benzonitrilio-2-propanide (2 b) onto the quinone C, C-double bond. With 2-methyl-and 2,3-dimethyI-l, 4-naphthoquinone, the nitrile ylide 2 b undergoes cycloaddition preferentially onto the C, 0-double bond of the quinone, leading to spiro-oxazolines 12 and 14 (Scheme 4 ) . Steric as well as electronic effects can be discussed to explain the observed site selectivity of the cycloaddition.With the 1,4-benzoquinones 15a, 15b, 15d and 15f, nitrile ylide 2b undergoes the 1,3-dipoIar cycloaddition exclusively onto the C, 0-double bond. The corresponding spiro-oxazolines have been isolated in 17-32% yield. This contrasts with the previously reported results with benzonitrilio-phenylmethanide (2 a), which undergoes cycloaddition to the C, C-double bond of 1,4-benzoquinones (cf. [ 11). This difference in the site selectivity of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition can be explained with Houk's concept of LUMO-polarization, that is, the stronger nucleophilic dipol2 b polarizes the LUMO of a a,P-unsaturated carbonyl compound more efficient than the less nucleophilic 2 a.This leads to a preference of the cycloaddition to the C,O-double bond in the case of 2b.With 2,3-dimethyI-(15c) and 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-l, 4-benzoquinone (15e), nitrile ylide 2 b undergoes C, 0as well as C, C-cycloaddition (Schemes 7 and 8 ) .1. Einleitung. -Vor einiger Zeit haben wir uber photochemisch induzierte Cycloadditionen von 2,3-Diphenyl-2H-azirin (la) mit 1,4-Chinonen berichtet [ 11. Bei dieser Reaktion werden durch 1,3-dipolare Cycloadditionen des bei der Photolyse von l a ') *)
Vorgetragen von H. H. an der Euchem-