Introduction
<P>Metal-mediated oxidative radical cyclisations have become a very important method
in synthetic chemistry over the last 40 years.
[
1]
Of particular importance is the use of Mn(OAc)
3 which acts as a one-electron oxidant. In 1968, it was shown to oxidise acetic acid
leading to γ-lactones in the presence of alkenes.
[
2]
[
3]
The mechanism of these reactions is not fully understood but is thought to proceed
as shown in Scheme 1. Since then, a variety of alternative substrates to acetic acid,
especially enolisable 1,3-dicarbonyls, have been successfully employed in related
reactions, particularly cyclisations, to form 5- and 6-membered rings.
[
4]
The solvent of choice is acetic acid; other solvents (EtOH, CH
3CN, DMSO) tend to give lower yields.
[
4]
</P><P>As Mn(OAc)
3 is troublesome to prepare and highly deliquescent, the dihydrate form of the complex
[Mn(OAc)
3·2H
2O] is generally used and this is commercially available.
[
5]
[
6]
</P>
Scheme 1
Abstracts
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
Mn(OAc)3 is generally used to form radicals at the α-position of carbonyls and particularly
1,3-dicarbonyls (e.g. 1,3-diketones, β-keto-esters and β-keto-amides), which can react
with electron-rich alkenes. Acidic compounds such as quinolinediols, undergo fast
enolisation leading to rapid oxidation forming angular and linear tricycles in good
yields.
[7]
</TD><TD VALIGN="TOP">
</TD>
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
Stereoselective transformations are possible and the use of oxazolidinone chiral auxiliaries
can lead to dihydrotetrahydrofurans with excellent ee.
[8]
</TD><TD VALIGN="TOP">
</TD>
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
The formation of 4- as well 5- and 6-membered rings is possible as exemplified by
the formation of trans-β-lactams in yields ranging from 27% to 68%
[9]
using a radical cyclisation-fragmentation strategy.
</TD><TD VALIGN="TOP">
</TD>
<TD VALIGN="TOP">
Tetracyclisations can also be carried out; the copper(II) acetate facilitates the
oxidation of the primary radical, leading to the steroid analogue as a single isomer
(there is a possibility of 64).
[10]
</TD><TD VALIGN="TOP">
</TD>
<P>Although manganese(III) acetate is inexpensive its use on an industrial scale is
problematic because 2 equivalents of the reagent is usually required to bring about
the desired transformation and this generates considerable amounts of metal wastes.
Chemical
[
11]
and electrochemical
[
12]
methods have been investigated to regenerate the manganese(III) in situ.</P><P>Related
compounds including Mn(pic)
3 in DMF [manganese(III)picolinate]
[
13]
and Mn(acac)
3 [manganese(III) acetoacetonate]
[
14]
are capable of initiating similar reactions.</P>