Diels–Alder adducts of ortho-benzoquinones: rearrangements and further transformations

Abstract

ortho-Benzoquinones substituted with an electron-withdrawing group (EWG = CO2Me, COSMe, COCH3, CHO) at C-3 or C-4 react as dienophiles at the C3—C4 double bond in Diels–Alder reactions with several dienes, with predictable regiochemistry. The adducts undergo migration of the "angular" EWG substituent with concomitant aromatization to produce substituted catechols. The bicyclic products can be oxidized in situ and annelated by a further Diels–Alder reaction to yield 9,10-phenanthraquinone systems. When (2E)-2,4-pentadienol is employed as the diene in the second cycloaddition, reaction of the alcoholic hydroxyl group with one of the quinone carbonyl groups results in the production of tetracyclic lactols 22a, 22b, and 23. Keywords: benzoquinone, Diels–Alder, rearrangement, phenanthraquinone, phenanthrofuran.