Computational and Experimental Investigations of the Formal Dyotropic Rearrangements of Himbert Arene/Allene Cycloadducts

The fascinating intramolecular arene/allene cycloaddition discovered by Himbert affords dearomatized, polycyclic intermediates with sufficient strain energy to drive rearrangement processes of the newly formed ring system. We disclose a detailed examination of a thermally induced stepwise dyotropic skeletal rearrangement of these cycloadducts, a reaction also first described by Himbert. We offer computational evidence for a two-stage mechanism for this formal dyotropic rearrangement and provide rationalizations for the significant substitution-dependent rate differences observed in experiments. These investigations led to the development of a Lewis-acid-catalyzed rearrangement of precursors that were unreactive under simple thermal instigation. The isolation of the product of an interrupted rearrangement under Lewis acidic conditions provides further support for the proposed stepwise mechanism. Computational results also matched experiments in terms of regiochemical preferences in unsymmetrical rearrangement precursors and explained why lactam O-, S-, and C-heterologues do not easily undergo this rearrangement.