摘要:
Ellacene 4, a tetracyclic 1,10-centrosubstituted triquinacene, has been synthesized via the Weiss reaction. The condensation of cyclododecane-1,2-dione (5) with di-tert-butyl 3-ketoglutarate (6) under aqueous alkaline conditions provided 13,15,16,18-tetrakis(tert-butoxycarbonyl)tricyclo[10.3.3.0(1,12)]octadecane-14,17-dione in the bisenol form 7 in 85 % yield. The bisenol ether 8 was regioselectively monoalkylated to furnish in 96 % yield the monoallyl ester 9 which was hydrolyzed to provide 13-allyltricyclo[10.3.3.0(1,12)]octadecane-14,17-dione (10). Intramolecular aldol reaction of the related diketo aldehyde 11 to furnish 17-hydroxytetracyclo[11.5.2.0(2,13).0(2,16)]eicosane-15,19-dione (12) was carried out under aqueous acidic conditions. The Lewis acid mediated (BH3/THF) reduction of the diketo alcohol provided the corresponding triol 13 in excellent yield. Conversion of the triol into the trisxanthate 21 followed by syn elimination (HMPA, 220-degrees-C) provided the desired triene 4 in 91 % yield. Attempted dimerization of 4 (ellacene) to a substituted dodecahedrane 3 under photochemical conditions and/or high pressure (130 kbar) has failed to generate 3 to date under conditions that did effect [2 + 2] dimerization of the parent, triquinacene.