Thermal rearrangement of functionalized 1,2-divinylcyclopropane systems. A convenient synthesis of substituted 4-cyclohepten-1-ones

Reaction of the acyl chlorides 14–21 with lithium (phenylthio)(cis-2-vinylcyclopropyl)cuprate (2) provided the ketones 22–29. Compounds 22–25, upon treatment with i-Pr2NLi-Me3SiCl, were converted cleanly into the enol silyl ethers 30–33, which gave the 1,4-cycloheptadienes 34–37 upon thermolysis (100–110 °C). Acid hydrolysis of the latter materials produced the corresponding 4-cyclohepten-1-ones 38–41. However, subjection of the cis-2-vinylcyclopropyl ketones 26–29 to i-Pr2NLi-t-BuMe2SiCl afforded, in each case, a mixture of isomeric enol ethers (26 → 42 + 44 (1:1); 27 → 43 + 45 (1:9); 28 → 56 + 58 (1:1); 29 → 57 + 59 (4:1)). Thermolysis (150–175 °C) of these mixtures, followed by acid hydrolysis of the resultant products, gave the 4-cyclohepten-1-ones 54, 55, 64, and 65, admixed with the corresponding 3-methylenecyclopentenes 52, 53, 62, and 63. On the other hand, treatment of the trans-2-vinylcyclopropyl ketones 70–74 with i-Pr2NLi–t-BuMe2SiCl provided exclusively or predominantly the enol ethers 75–79. Thermolysis (230 °C) of the latter materials and subsequent acid hydrolysis of the resultant products 80, 50, 51, 60, and 61 afforded the 4-cyclopenten-1-ones 38, 54, 55, 64, and 65.