Development of new cycloaddition reactions based on the unique reactivity of unsaturated hydrocarbons

Abstract

We discovered that the reactivity of some conjugated and electron-deficient hydrocarbons was quite different in the presence of transition metal catalysts. In this review we report our development and applications of the highly selective palladium and nickel-catalyzed cycloaddition reactions of unsaturated hydrocarbons such as conjugated enynes, electron-deficient allenes, and electron-deficient methylenecyclopropanes. Some homocoupling reactions as well as co-cyclization reactions were described. The efficient synthesis of 4 - 7 membered carbocycles was achieved. © 2005 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.