Cycloaddition of trifluoromethyl azafulvenium methides: synthesis of new trifluoromethylpyrrole-annulated derivatives

The chemistry of trifluoromethyl azafulvenium methides was explored leading to a new route to trifluoromethylpyrrole-annulated systems. The first evidence of azafulvenium methides acting as 1,3-dipoles is reported. These azafulvenium methides showed site selectivity in the reaction with strong electron-deficient dipolarophiles leading exclusively to 1,3-cycloadducts. In the cycloaddition with less-activated dipolarophiles 1,7-cycloadducts resulting from [8π+2π] cycloaddition are also formed. FMO analysis of the cycloaddition reactions allowed the rationalization of the observed selectivity.