Synthesis and ring-opening reaction of novel 1,3-dehydroadamantanes possessing phenyl and alkoxyl substituents

A series of novel 1,3-dehydroadamantanes (DHAs) possessing phenyl or alkoxyl substituents, such as 5-phenyl-1,3-dehydroadamantane, 5-butyl-7-phenyl-1,3-dehydroadamantane, 5-methoxy-1,3-dehydroadamantane, 5-butoxy-1,3-dehydroadamantane, 5-butyl-7-methoxy-1,3-dehydroadamantane, and 5-butoxy-7-butyl-1,3-dehydroadamantane were synthesized and subjected to react with acidic compounds. 1,3-Dibromoadamantanes carrying phenyl or alkoxyl substituents were converted into the corresponding DHAs via the intramolecular Wurtz-type coupling reactions with lithium metal in THF in 23-62% yields. Ring-opening reactions of DHAs readily occurred with acetic acid or methanol under acidic conditions to form various 1-acetoxyadamantanes or 1-methoxyadamantanes containing phenyl or alkoxyl groups. The resulting 1-butyl-3-methoxy-5-phenyladamantane, 1-acetoxy-3-butyl-5-phenyladamantane, 1-acetoxy-3-butyl-5-methoxyadamantane, 1-acetoxy-3-butoxy-5-butyladamantane, and 1-butoxy-3-butyl-5-methoxyadamantane possessed stereogenic center. The high reactivity of the inverted 1,3-carbon-carbon σ-bond in DHAs toward the acidic compounds indicated the high electron density, which was supported by the sp2 character of cyclopropane rings in DHAs estimated by JC-H coupling constants in the 13C NMR analyzes.