Author Description

Cyclopropanes are highly strained molecules that exhibit significantly different behavior from larger ring cycloalkanes. The known synthetic utility of cyclopropanes is limited to transformations involving donor-acceptor cyclopropane systems. "Electroneutral" cyclopropanes have not been investigated. We have found that the electroneutral cyclopropane rings can be catalytically activated using palladium chloride. In the presence of 10 mol% palladium chloride, phenylcyclopropane was activated and oxidized to two ketones: propiophenone (1) and 1-phenylpropan-2-one (2). Based on this primary result, a series of 2-cyclopropyl substituted phenols, acids and amides were subjected to the palladium-catalyzed activation conditions. The activation of cyclopropane ring and cyclization by intramolecular neucleophilic attack took place. The corresponding ethers, lactones and lactams were formed in good yields. The mechanism appears to be dependent of nearby heteroatom and isomerization followed by Wacker oxidation has been ruled out as the preferred reaction pathway.