Methylenecyclopropane

Methylenecyclopropane

Methylenecyclopropane

Organic compound, (CH₂)₂C=CH₂

Methylenecyclopropane is an organic compound with the formula (CH2)2C=CH2. It is a hydrocarbon which, as the name suggests, is derived from the addition of a methylene (=CH2) substituent to a cyclopropane ring. It is a colourless, easily condensed gas that is used as a reagent in organic synthesis.

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Synthesis

Methylenecyclopropane can be synthesized via an intramolecular cyclisation reaction from methallyl chloride by treatment with a strong base such sodium amide—sodium tert-butoxide (yield 43%)[1] or sodium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide with further treatment by sodium tert-butoxide (yield 72%).[2] Sodium tert-butoxide is used to isomerize byproduct 1-methylcyclopropene into methylenecyclopropane.

Reactions

Being a strained and unsaturated molecule methylenecyclopropane undergoes many reactions, especially in the presence of metal catalysts.[3] For example, methylenecyclopropanes can be converted to cyclobutenes in the presence of a Platinum catalyst.[4] This can be considered similar to the ring expansion seen in vinylcyclopropane rearrangements

Substituted methylenecyclopropanes can also be involved in trimethylenemethane cycloaddition reactions.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Salaun, J. R.; Champion, J.; Conia, J. M. (1977). "Cyclobutanone from Methylenecyclopropane via Oxaspiropentane". Organic Syntheses. 57: 36. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.057.0036.
  2. [2]
    Binger, Paul; Brinkmann, Axel; Wedemann, Petra (2002). "Highly Efficient Synthesis of Methylenecyclopropane". Synthesis (10): 1344–1346. doi:10.1055/s-2002-33122. ISSN 0039-7881.
  3. [3]
    Nakamura, I.; Yamamoto, Y. (2002). "Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions of Methylenecyclopropanes". Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis. 344 (2): 111–129. doi:10.1002/1615-4169(200202)344:2<111::AID-ADSC111>3.0.CO;2-0.
  4. [4]
    PtCl2-Catalyzed Rearrangement of Methylenecyclopropanes Alois Fürstner and Christophe Aïssa J. Am. Chem. Soc.; 2006; 128(19) pp 6306 -6307; Abstract
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