Selective synthesis of multiply substituted 7-norbornenone derivatives or Diels–Alder cycloadducts from 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted 1,3-butadienes and maleic anhydride with or without Lewis acids

Reactions of 1,2,3,4-tetrasubstituted 1,3-butadienes with maleic anhydride and other dienophiles were investigated with or without addition of Lewis acid. When the silylated 1,3-butadienes, such as 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadienes or 1-trimethylsilyl-1,3-butadienes, were treated with maleic anhydride in the presence of 2 equiv of AlCl3, multi-substituted 7-norbornenones of well-defined exo,exo-disubstituted patterns were produced by an unprecedented and synthetically useful tandem process. Although some tetrasubstituted 1,3-butadienes could react directly with maleic anhydride under relative harsh conditions to afford Diels–Alder cycloadducts, the reactions, in the presence of 1 equiv of AlCl3, afforded the corresponding cycloadducts in higher yields under mild conditions. These results showed that the size and substitution pattern of substituents on the butadienyl skeleton played a very important role in the reactivity of butadienes as a partner for the Diels–Alder reaction and Lewis acid could promote and/or realize the process of a Diels–Alder reaction.