DBU-Promoted Cyclizations of Cyclopentyl-Substituted Oxazapolyenes to Cyclopentapyridones and Hydroxypyrroles: Experimental and DFT Study.

1,1-Di(alkoxycarbonyl)-4-cyclopentyl-2-azabuta-1,3-dienes react with DBU to form two types of heterocyclic products: 1-cyclopenta[]pyrid-1-ones and 3-hydroxy-1-pyrroles. These previously unobserved transformations proceed through the formation of 1-azapentadienyl anion which undergoes 1,6-shift of the alkoxycarbonyl group to the cyclopentyl moiety followed by 1,6-cyclization to form the cyclopentapyridone (path ) and 1,5-cyclization accompanied by 1,3-shift of the methoxy group followed by dialkyl carbonate elimination to afford the hydroxypyrrole (path ). The mechanisms of the reactions were studied using DFT calculations.

Triethylamine-Promoted Oxidative Cyclodimerization of 2-Azirine-2-carboxylates to Pyrimidine-4,6-dicarboxylates: Experimental and DFT Study.

An unprecedented oxidative cyclodimerization reaction of 2-azirine-2-carboxylates to pyrimidine-4,6-dicarboxylates under heating with triethylamine in air is described. In this reaction, one azirine molecule undergoes formal cleavage across the C-C bond and another across the C=N bond. According to the experimental study and DFT calculations, the key steps of the reaction mechanism include nucleophilic addition of ,-diethylhydroxylamine to an azirine to form an (aminooxy)aziridine, generation of an azomethine ylide, and its 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to the second azirine molecule.