The
bicyclopropyl system activated by incorporation of donor and
acceptor groups in the presence of Lewis acids was used as a synthetic
equivalent of 1,6-zwitterions. Opening of both cyclopropane rings
in 2′-aryl-1,1′-bicyclopropyl-2,2-dicarboxylates (D–A
bicyclopropyl, ABCDs) in the presence of GaI3 + Bu4N+GaI4
– results in
5-iodo-5-arylpent-2-enylmalonates as products of HI formal 1,6-addition
to the bicyclopropyl system. The use of GaCl3 or GaBr3 as a Lewis acid and terminal aryl or alkyl acetylenes as
1,6-zwitterion interceptors allows the alkyl substituent to be grown
to give the corresponding acyclic 7-chloro(bromo)-hepta-2,6-dienylmalonates.
The reaction of ABCDs with 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD)
catalyzed by Yb(OTf)3 also results in the opening of both
cyclopropane rings. The reaction products are tetrahydropyridazine
derivatives (7,9-dioxo-1,6,8-triazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-3-en-2-ylmethyl)malonates
containing one more PTAD moiety in the malonyl group.