Les cyclopropanes sont rencontrés dans de nombreux produits naturels ou synthétiques bioactifs. Les travaux exposés dans ce manuscrit portent sur le développement de réarrangements sigmatropiques [3,3] impliquant des dérivés de cyclopropénylcarbinols pour accéder à des alkylidènecyclopropanes fonctionnalisés, précurseurs de cyclopropanes diversement substitués. Le réarrangement des cyanates de cyclopropénylcarbinyle a permis d'obtenir des dérivés N-acylés d'alkylidène(aminocyclopropanes). Une méthode efficace et stéréosélective, impliquant le réarrangement d'Ireland-Claisen des glycolates et glycinates de cyclopropénylcarbinyle, a également été mise au point pour synthétiser des alkylidènecyclopropanes possédant un motif α-hydroxy ou α-amino acide. Le champ d'application de ce réarrangement a été étendu avec succès à des gem-difluorocyclopropènes. L'hydrogénation diastéréosélective des alkylidènecyclopropanes diversement substitués issus de ces rérrangements sigmatropiques a ensuite permis d'obtenir des cyclopropanes fonctionnalisés. / The cyclopropane ring is ubiquitous in natural and biologically active compounds. [3,3]-Sigmatropic rearrangements of cyclopropenylcarbinol derivatives have been developed to access functionalized alkylidenecyclopropanes, which are useful precursors of diversely substituted cyclopropanes. We have shown that the rearrangement of cyclopropenylcarbinyl cyanates could be accomplished under mild conditions to obtain N-acyl alkylidene(aminocyclopropanes). The Ireland–Claisen rearrangement of glycolates or glycinates derived from secondary cyclopropenylcarbinols has been developed as an efficient and stereoselective method for the synthesis of alkylidenecyclopropanes possessing an α-hydroxy or α-amino acid moiety. The scope of this transformation was successfully extended to gem-difluorocyclopropenes. The alkylidenecyclopropanes resulting from these latter sigmatropic rearrangements are valuable precursors of substituted cyclopropanes by diastereoselective hydrogenation of the exocyclic olefin.

In this work, the [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement of different substituted propargyl thiocyanates and double [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement of enynyl isothiocyanates either by flash vacuum pyrolysis or by thermolysis in solution are studied. Additionally, the intramolecular reactions of the resulting allenyl isothiocyanates are studied, and the reaction mechanisms for the generation of the final products, such as [1,5] sigmatropic migrations or electrocyclic ring closures, are explained. These highly reactive allenyl isothiocyanates are used as appropriate electrophilic precursors for the preparation of novel examples of thiazoles substituted at C-2 position using different types of nucleophiles. For the formation of these substituted thiazoles, the necessary nucleophilicity as well as the regioselectivity, the stereoselectivity, and the reaction mechanisms are investigated. / In der vorliegenden Arbeit sind die [3,3]-sigmatrope Umlagerung von verschiedenen Propargylthiocyanaten und die doppelte [3,3]-sigmatrope Umlagerung von Eninylisothiocyanaten entweder durch Blitzvakuumthermolyse oder Thermolyse in Lösung untersucht worden. Zusätzlich wurden die intramolekularen Reaktionen der resultierten Allenylisothiocyanate studiert. Außerdem sind die Reaktionsmechanismen zur Bildung der Thermolyseprodukte wie z.B. die [1,5]-sigmatropen Umlagerungen und die elektrocyclischen Ringschlüsse erklärt. Die hochreaktiven Allenylisothiocyanate sind als geeignet elektrophile Vorläufer zur Synthese von neuen Thiazolen verwendbar, die an der C-2 Position substituiert sind. Dabei kommen verschiedene Nucleophile zum Ansatz. Für die Bildung dieser substituierten Thiazole sind die Regioselektivität, Stereoselektivität, Reaktionsmechanismen und der Bereich der einsetzbaren Nucleophile untersucht worden.

A summary of research conducted since September 2007 at the University of Toronto in the laboratory of Professor Robert A. Batey is presented in this thesis, which is divided into four chapters. The first chapter contains a two-part introduction, where aryl- and aliphatic-Claisen rearrangements are discussed in part 1, and the nucleophilic addition of organoboron reagents to unsaturated C–N functionalities is described in part 2. Chapter 2 contains research involving synthetic and theoretical studies of aryl-Claisen rearrangements and other sigmatropic reactions. The work towards developing the lanthanide-catalyzed domino aryl-Claisen rearrangement for the synthesis of contiguous aryl–C(sp³) moieties is presented first. This is followed by computational studies involving E/Z-selectivity differences for the aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was an issue noted for the domino aryl-Claisen reaction of a linear substrate. The mechanistic origins of E/Z-selectivity differences for the mono aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was experimentally ambiguous for over 40 years, is resolved through computational methods. A theoretical analysis of selectivity differences for the allylic azide rearrangement is also described. The third section contains a discussion of Eu(fod)3-catalyzed aryl-Claisen rearrangements on vinyl bromide systems and preliminary studies involving application of the substrates in cross-coupling reactions, and other attempted mono- and domino sigmatropic rearrangements are presented in the fourth section. In chapter 3, the search for computational methods that can accurately predict experimental free energy of activation barriers for the aliphatic-Claisen rearrangement through benchmarking studies with a priori kinetic barrier and kinetic isotope effect data is described. Methods were found to predict new valid transition states and predict ΔG‡ values with a mean unsigned error of 0.3 kcal/mol relative to experimental values. In chapter 4, the development of new allylboration reaction is outlined, involving the double allylboration of nitriles and anhydrides, and initial studies towards the first aminoallylboration reactions of N-aluminoaldimines to form 1,2-diamines.

La thapsigargine, lactone sesquiterpénique de type guaïanolide d’origine naturelle, est un puissant inhibiteur des enzymes ubiquitaires SERCAs (Sarco-Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-ATPases) et est actuellement en phase clinique pour le traitement du cancer de la prostate non-hormono dépendant. Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons développé une nouvelle approche pour la synthèse de cette molécule, suffisamment flexible pour permettre de préparer des analogues ayant un bon degré de diversité structurale. Cette voie met en jeu une métathèse cyclisante d’ényne pour former le squelette bicyclique [5-7] de cette molécule. La préparation du précurseur de métathèse a nécessité le développement de deux voies différentes. La première utilise le ditertbutylacétylène dicarboxylate comme matière de départ et met en jeu un procédé original Michael-Wittig en un pot. Malgré une étude approfondie de cette étape ayant permis d’optimiser les conditions opérationnelles avec un rendement de 65%, cette voie s’est finalement avérée non applicable pour la synthèse envisagée ceci en raison d’un manque de chimiosélectivité au niveau d’une étape décisive. Une deuxième voie a donc été développée. Elle utilise la 2-méthylcyclopentane-1,3-dione comme produit de départ et offre le précurseur de métathèse en série racémique en 10 étapes et un rendement de 8%. Les quatre centres stéréogènes C1, C3, C10 et C6 sont mis en place grâce à des réactions diastéréosélectives (d.r ≥ 80%). La dernière étape de cette voie est une réaction d’alkynylation d’un aldéhyde conjugué avec piégeage in-situ de l’alcool secondaire obtenu. La configuration relative du centre C-6 de ce précurseur de métathèse s’est avéré par la suite épimère de celui de la thapsigargine (nOe mesurés après RCEYM). Des essais de métathèse cyclisante ont ensuite été réalisés sur l’ényne obtenue dans différentes conditions incluant l’utilisation de catalyseurs originaux fournis par le Pr. Marc Mauduit (université de Rennes). Ces réactions se sont montrées concluantes, fournissant le squelette bicyclique [5,7] de la thapsigargine avec de bons rendements (de 61 à 89%).A la suite de cette étape, un ensemble de réactions a été réalisé afin de mettre en place les groupements fonctionnels nécessaires à la transformation de la plateforme bicyclique obtenue en thapsigargine. De nombreuses difficultés ont été rencontrées : les tentatives d’épimérisation du centre C-6, d'époxydation de l'adduit de cyclisation ou encore de formation de -lactone se sont révélées infructueuses ou ont conduit à des résultats inattendus. L’idée d’exploiter la présence du centre stéréogène C-6 de configuration non naturelle pour installer le centre C-8 crucial pour l’activité biologique de la thapsigargine, via un réarrangement sigmatropique [1,3] de type suprafacial catalysé à l’or (catalyseur de Nolan), a été également testée. De manière inattendue, le produit de réarrangement est obtenu avec inversion faciale, indiquant le passage probable par un cation allylique.Ainsi, au cours de ce travail, deux composés bicycliques [5,7] oxygénées en C8, précurseurs raisonnables de la thapsigargine et analogues, ont été synthétisés par deux voies qui diffèrent au niveau du réarrangement final des produits de cyclisation hydroxylés en C6obtenu après métathèse cyclisante. A partir de de la 2-méthylcyclopentan-1,3-dione commerciale l’un est obtenu en 13 étapes avec 3% de rendement et l’autre en 12 étapes avec 5% de rendement. L’ensemble des essais de réactions effectuées sur les adduits de métathèse permettent de mieux cerner leur réactivité. / Thapsigargin, a guaianolide sesquiterpene lactone of natural origin is a potent inhibitor of ubiquitous SERCA enzymes (Sarco-Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-ATPase) and is currently in clinical trial phase 1 for the treatment of non-hormono dependent prostate cancer. In this work a new approach for the synthesis of thapsigargin has been developed, flexible enough to allow the elaboration of analogues with a high degree of structural diversity. The strategy developed involves an enyne metathesis cyclization reaction (RCEYM) to form the bicyclic [5,7] scaffold of these molecules. For the synthesis of the required precursor of RCEYM, two successive routes have been explored. The first one uses tert-butylacetylene dicarboxylate as starting material and involves a one-pot Michael-intramolecular Wittig reaction. Conditions have been found to allow an efficient synthesis of trisubstituted cyclopentenones. Unfortunately this route has proved difficult to use for the programmed synthesis because of the lack of chemoselectivity at a decisive strategic level. A second approach was developed starting from commercial 2-methyl-cyclopentane-1,3-dione, providing the required racemic precursor of the metathesis reaction in 10 steps and 8% yield. The four C1, C3, C6 and C10 stereogenic centers are set up through diastereoselective reactions (dr ≥ 80%). The final step of the synthesis of this precursor involves an alkynylation reaction of an aldehyde combined with in-situ trapping of the secondary alcohol obtained. The relative configuration of center C6 was shown to be the inverse of that of thapsigargin. Metathesis cyclization assays were then carried out on this intermediate enyne under different conditions, including the use of original catalysts provided by Prof. Marc Mauduit (University of Rennes). These reactions provided the expected [5,7] bicyclic core of thapsigargin with good yields (61 to 89%). In the third part of the thesis, a set of reactions have been attempted to put in place the necessary functional groups for the achievement of the synthesis of thapsigargin. Many difficulties were encountered: attempted epimerization of the C6 center, epoxidation of the RCEYM cyclization adduct or attempts to form a  -lactone either were unsuccessful or led to unexpected results. The idea of using the presence of the stereogenic center of unnatural configuration at C6 to install the hydroxyl group at C8, crucial for the biological activity of thapsigargin, via a gold-catalyzed (Nolan catalyst) suprafacial sigmatropic [1,3] rearrangement was experimented. Unexpectedly, the rearranged acetate adduct was obtained with facial inversion, indicating a probable allyl cation intermediate. Thus, in this work, two [5,7] bicyclic oxygenated compounds at C8 have been synthesized from commercial 2-methylcyclopentane-1,3-dione through two pathways that differ in the conditions leading to the final rearrangement of the cyclic C6-hydroxylated RCEYM adducts. One of them is obtained in 13 steps with 3% yield and the second in 12 steps with 5% yield. Both compounds appear to be suitable intermediates for the syntesis of thapsigargin and its analogues. All tests performed on the adducts, obtained after RCEYM, helps us to identify their reactivity.

The [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement is a pericyclic reaction of great synthetic utility to organic chemists. Within the scope of this reaction exist some cases in which the product corresponding to a [1,2] rearrangement is formed, despite the fact this is a forbidden process. Generally this is explained by a radical dissociation-recombination pathway; however, studies into the failure of transition state theory and the necessity to incorporate dynamic effects into mechanistic theory lead us to believe such products may arise from these phenomena. In particular, the possibility that many of these products result from an “unsymmetrical bifurcating surface” in the potential energy landscape is intriguing. To investigate this possibility, the Sommelet-Hauser rearrangement of N-allyl-N,N-dimethylglycine methyl ester was explored. The combined use of experimental and theoretically predicted kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) has been previously shown to deliver great mechanistic insight into reactions. The combination of these techniques, however, has found little employ in studying [2,3] rearrangements. This combination was used to study this reaction, using the Singleton method for determining small heavy-atom isotope effects. Resulting experimental KIEs suggest the reaction proceeds by an asynchronous, concerted, early transition state, and is relatively exothermic. This agrees with previous studies and Hammond’s postulate. Predicted theoretical KIEs are in good agreement with experimental KIEs, and the associated transition structure confirms the results suggested by experiment. Interestingly, as calculations proceed from gas phase to solvent models, the activation barrier of the reaction increases, while its exothermicity decreases. The energy difference determined between the lowest and second lowest energy transition structures decreases to 0.81 kcal/mol in the PCM model, so we cannot exclude the contribution of this transition structure to the reaction. However, qualitative results from the associated KIEs and energetics are consistent with the lowest energy transition structure. This reaction does not seem to afford the [1,2] product, and most likely dynamic effects are insignificant in determining product distribution. However, the study has validated, with respect to this body of reactions, both the use of the Singleton method for KIE determination and the combination of these experimental and theoretical techniques.

A summary of research conducted since September 2007 at the University of Toronto in the laboratory of Professor Robert A. Batey is presented in this thesis, which is divided into four chapters. The first chapter contains a two-part introduction, where aryl- and aliphatic-Claisen rearrangements are discussed in part 1, and the nucleophilic addition of organoboron reagents to unsaturated C–N functionalities is described in part 2. Chapter 2 contains research involving synthetic and theoretical studies of aryl-Claisen rearrangements and other sigmatropic reactions. The work towards developing the lanthanide-catalyzed domino aryl-Claisen rearrangement for the synthesis of contiguous aryl–C(sp³) moieties is presented first. This is followed by computational studies involving E/Z-selectivity differences for the aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was an issue noted for the domino aryl-Claisen reaction of a linear substrate. The mechanistic origins of E/Z-selectivity differences for the mono aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was experimentally ambiguous for over 40 years, is resolved through computational methods. A theoretical analysis of selectivity differences for the allylic azide rearrangement is also described. The third section contains a discussion of Eu(fod)3-catalyzed aryl-Claisen rearrangements on vinyl bromide systems and preliminary studies involving application of the substrates in cross-coupling reactions, and other attempted mono- and domino sigmatropic rearrangements are presented in the fourth section. In chapter 3, the search for computational methods that can accurately predict experimental free energy of activation barriers for the aliphatic-Claisen rearrangement through benchmarking studies with a priori kinetic barrier and kinetic isotope effect data is described. Methods were found to predict new valid transition states and predict ΔG‡ values with a mean unsigned error of 0.3 kcal/mol relative to experimental values. In chapter 4, the development of new allylboration reaction is outlined, involving the double allylboration of nitriles and anhydrides, and initial studies towards the first aminoallylboration reactions of N-aluminoaldimines to form 1,2-diamines.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

The thesis describes the realization of an asymmetric [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of achiral allylic amines. It is divided into two parts; the first part deals with the development of a Lewis acid-mediated [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement and the second the asymmetric version thereof. Quaternization of an -amino amide with various Lewis acids established BBr3 and BF3 to be the most appropriate ones. Various allylic amines were subsequently rearranged into the corresponding homoallylic amines in good to excellent syn-diastereoselectivities, revealing the endo-transition state to be the preferred pathway. The structures of the intermediate Lewis acid-amine complexes were confirmed by NMR spectroscopy studies and DFT calculations. Based on this investigation a chiral diazaborolidine was chosen as Lewis acid and was shown to efficiently promote the asymmetric [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement furnishing homoallylic amines in good yields and excellent enantiomeric excesses. In contrast to the achiral rearrangement mediated by BBr3 and BF3, the asymmetric version gave the opposite major diastereomer, revealing a preference for the exo-transition state in the asymmetric rearrangement. To account for the observed selectivities, a kinetic and thermodynamic pathway was presented. On the basis of a deuterium exchange experiment on a rearranged Lewis acid-amine complex and an NMR spectroscopic investigation, the kinetic pathway was shown to be favored. / QC 20100927

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

De nos jours, parmi toutes les transformations chimiques dont disposent les chimistes organiciens, le réarrangement sigmatropique [3,3] constitue un outil puissant afin de créer une liaison C-C ou encore C-hétéroatome. Le réarrangement d’allyl cyanate en allyl isocyanate, jusqu’ici peu utilisé, est en train d’émerger, comme une nouvelle méthode efficace de préparation d’allylamines substituées. C’est dans ce contexte que s’inscrit mon travail de thèse qui a pour objectif d’étudier et d’utiliser le réarrangement sigmatropique [3,3] d’allyl cyanates diversement substitués pour la synthèse de molécules d’intérêt biologique. Dans une première partie, l’emploi d’allyl cyanates borylés nous a permis de synthétiser, de façon stéréocontrôlée, des ènecarbamates et des ènehydroxyurées cycliques à 7 chainons ainsi que des γ-butyrolactones. Cette méthodologie a été appliquée à la première synthèse totale de la (-)-Galbacin. Les ènecarbamates cycliques ont fait l’objet, en seconde partie, d’une étude structure-activité en tant qu’inhibiteur du protéasome humain. Dans une troisième partie, nous avons étudié le réarrangement d’allyl cyanates silylés ce qui nous a permis d’accéder à des α-amino allylsilanes énantioenrichis. En dernière partie, nous avons mis en évidence un oxo-réarrangement à partir d’allyl carbamates substitués par un groupement aryle. / Nowadays, among all chemical transformations in the organic chemist’s toolbox, [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangements represent a powerful method to create carbon-carbon or even carbon-heteroatom bonds. The allyl cyanate to allyl isocyanate rearrangement, underused so far, is becoming an attractive method to prepare substituted allylamines. In this context, I studied and applied in my thesis this [3,3] rearrangement on diversely substituted allyl cyanates for the synthesis of molecules of biological interest. First, we used borylated allyl cyanates to prepare, stereoselectively, cyclic seven membered enecarbamates and enehydroxyureas as well as γ-butyrolactones. This methodology was applied to the first total synthesis of (-)-Galbacin. Then, a library of cyclic enecarbamates was performed to study the structure-activity relationship on the human proteasome. Next, the study of silylated allyl cyanates allowed us to prepare some new enantioenriched α-amino allylsilanes. Finally, we brought to light an unexpected oxo-rearrangement from aryl substituted allyl carbamates.