Cyclization of aromatic propargyl alcohol with a thiophene group yielding naphthothiophene aldehyde induced by a ruthenium complex.

The reactions of [Cp(PPh(3))(2) RuCl] (Cp=cyclopentadienyl) with phenyl propargylic alcohol 1a, with a 3-thiophene group, are explored. The carbene complex 2a, obtained exclusively from this reaction at low temperature, contains the naphthothiophene group, which is formed through a new cyclization process between the thiophene group and the inner carbon of the triple bond. Details of this process have been revealed by conducting the reaction at room temperature, affording the allenylidene complex 3a as a side product. Complex 3a is not converted into 2a, indicating that the cyclization takes place while the triple bond is π coordinated to the metal center. Complex 2a reacts with oxygen in the presence of NEt(3) at room temperature to afford, in high yield, naphthothiophene aldehyde 4a, ONEt(3), OPPh(3), and [Cp(PPh(3))(2)RuCl]. Molecular O(2) is likely activated by coordination to the metal center when one of the phosphane ligands dissociates. Then, NEt(3) promotes the oxygenation process by reacting with the coordinated O(2) to afford ONEt(3) and possibly an unobserved oxo-carbene complex. Coupling of the oxo and carbene ligands then yields 4a and [Cp(PPh(3))(2) RuCl] in CHCl(3). In a solvent system containing MeOH, the oxygenation reaction affords a mixture of 4a and naphthothiophene ester 5a-1. The reactions of [Cp(dppf)RuCl] (dppf=1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene) with 1a, also afford the carbene complex 2a', 4a, and 5a, which have been characterized by X-ray diffraction analyses. For the phenyl propargylic alcohol 1b, with a 2-thiophene substituent, different naphthothiophene aldehyde and ester compounds are also obtained in high yields through a similar cyclization process followed by oxygenation under mild conditions.