Organic Letters cover on synthesis of polycyclic hereocycles

A novel methodology to transform bisallenes into a variety of polycyclic derivatives employing rhodium(I) catalysis has been developed. This transformation encompasses an intramolecular Rh-catalyzed cycloisomerization of bisallenes 1 to deliver a reactive cycloheptadiene, which concomitantly undergoes a regioselective [4 + 2] cycloaddition with alkenes. A complete mechanistic study of this transformation has been undertaken including DFT calculations. Overall, the methodology presented here constitutes a new and straightforward entry to polycyclic dihydroazepine and dihydrooxepine derivatives employing catalytic methods.

The paper was published recently in Organic Letters by Agustí Lledñ, Miquel Sol , Anna Pla and Anna Roglans

A. Artigas, J. Vila, A. Lledñ, M. Sol , A. Pla-Quintana, and A. Roglans
“A Rh-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization/Diels-Alder Cascade Reaction of 1,5-Bisallenes for the Synthesis of Polycyclic Heterocycles”
Org. Lett.2019, 21, 6608-6613
DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.9b02032
www.dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.orglett.9b02032

and includes the Cover!

Cover picture at Organic Letters