Radical carbonylation of ω-alkynylamines leading to α-methylene lactams. Synthetic scope and the mechanistic insights

Tin hydride mediated radical carbonylation and cyclization reaction was investigated using a variety of ω-alkynyl amines as substrates. In this reaction α-methylene and α-stannylmethylene lactams having five to eight membered rings were obtained as principal products. In cases where the nitrogen has a substituent capable of giving stable radicals, such as an α-phenethyl group, the lactam ring formation again took place with extrusion of an α-phenethyl radical. Coupled with the subsequent protodestannylation procedure (TMSCl plus MeOH), these reactions provide a useful entry to α-methylene lactams with incorporation of CO as a lactam carbonyl group. In cases where the amines do not have a substituent acting as a radical leaving group, a reaction course involving a 1,4-H shift is chosen so as to liberate tin radicals ultimately. Thus the proposed mechanism involves (i) nucleophilic attack of amine nitrogen onto a carbonyl group of α,β-unsaturated acyl radicals/α-ketenyl radicals via lone pair–π* interaction, which leads to zwitterionic radical species, (ii) the subsequent proton shift from N to O to give hydroxyallyl radicals, (iii) 1,4-hydrogen shift from O to C, and (iv) β-scission to give lactams with liberation of tin radicals. DFT calculations reveal that the 1,4-hydrogen shifts, the key step of the reaction mechanism, can proceed under usual reaction conditions. On the other hand, an S_Hi type reaction to give lactams may be the result of the β-scission of the similar zwitterionic radical intermediates. DFT calculations also predict that an S_Hi type reaction would result when the intermediate has a good (radical) leaving group such as a phenethyl group.