Oxetanes: formation, reactivity and total syntheses of natural products

• Peter Gabko,
• Martin Kalník and
• Maroš Bella

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1324–1373, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.101

• butyraldehyde in a mercury vapour illuminator and since then, the reaction has become known as the Paternò–Büchi reaction. Throughout the years after the report, investigations in this field were focused on identifying new reactive alkene and carbonyl components, developing photosensitisers that would allow

• , γ-H transfer and Paternò–Büchi reaction. In 2020, two highly similar methodologies based on a visible-light-mediated Paternò–Büchi reaction between simple alkenes 77 and α-ketoesters 78 were reported independently and shortly after one another (Scheme 21) [61][62]. They both use blue light for

• potentially reactive functional groups such as alkenes, alkynes, halides or azides. In 2023, Coote et al. developed a synthetic approach to functionalised spirocyclic oxetanes 83 by combining a Paternò–Büchi reaction with succinic anhydride opening and esterification (Scheme 22) [63]. The key intermediates 82

Recent synthesis of thietanes

• Jiaxi Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1357–1410, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.116

• accompanied by elimination reactions. 3. Synthesis via cycloadditions Cycloadditions, especially the photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition (thia-Paternò–Büchi reaction) of thiones and thioamides with olefins [15][16][17][18], and formal cycloadditions are alternative routes for the construction of thietane

• thietanes. Later, this transformation was considered as thia-Paternò–Büchi reaction. The reactions of thiobenzophenone (184a) with both, electron-rich olefins 185, 186a, and 187a under irradiation with UV light at 366 nm, and electron-deficient olefins 187b,c, 188, and 189 under irradiation with either 366

The arene–alkene photocycloaddition

• Ursula Streit and
• Christian G. Bochet

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 525–542, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.61

• known representatives are undoubtedly the [2 + 2] photocycloaddition, forming either cyclobutanes or four-membered heterocycles (as in the Paternò–Büchi reaction), whilst excited-state [4 + 4] cycloadditions can also occur to afford cyclooctadiene compounds. On the other hand, the well-known thermal [4

Formation of macrocyclic lactones in the Paternò–Büchi dimerization reaction

• Junya Arimura,
• Tsutomu Mizuta,
• Yoshikazu Hiraga and
• Manabu Abe

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 265–269, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.35

• : furans; macrocyclic lactone; oxetane; Paternò–Büchi reaction; photochemical reaction; Findings Photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of alkenes with carbonyls, so-called Paternò–Büchi reaction [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], is one of the most efficient methods for preparing

• synthetically useful four-membered heterocyclic compounds, i.e., oxetanes. The Paternò–Büchi reaction of furan with a triplet carbonyl, such as n,π* triplet benzophenone, produces regioselectively 2-alkoxyoxetanes 2OX (Scheme 1). The regioselective formation is rationalized by the relative stability of the

• Paternò–Büchi reaction product, i.e., C in Scheme 2, was also not observed in the photolysate. This result suggests that the intramolecular Paternò–Büchi reaction of C is faster than the first intermolecular Paternò–Büchi reaction of 1a. The photoreaction of 1b (R = Me) gave 2b and 3 in 25% and 18

Photocycloaddition of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to isoxazoles: Cycloaddition reactivity and stability studies

• Axel G. Griesbeck,
• Marco Franke,
• Jörg Neudörfl and
• Hidehiro Kotaka

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 127–134, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.18

• showed the highest thermal stabilities. All oxetanes formed from isoxazoles were highly acid-sensitive and also thermally unstable. Cleavage to the original substrates is dominant and the isoxazole derived oxetanes show type T photochromism. Keywords: isoxazoles; oxetanes; Paternò–Büchi reaction

• to alkenes (Paternò–Büchi reaction). This reaction is a superior route to oxetanes, which can be subsequently transformed into polyfunctionalized products [1]. With regards to the regio- and diastereoselectivity of the Paternò–Büchi reaction, recent experimental and computational studies have brought

• of this reaction [6]. Previous publications have clearly demonstrated the versatility of the Paternò–Büchi reaction in various synthetic applications which gives rise to a multiplicity of different products. The photocycloaddition of furans to carbonyl compounds affords the corresponding β-hydroxy

Heavy atom effects in the Paternò–Büchi reaction of pyrimidine derivatives with 4,4’-disubstituted benzophenones

• Feng-Feng Kong,
• Jian-Bo Wang and
• Qin-Hua Song

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 113–118, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.16

• Feng-Feng Kong Jian-Bo Wang Qin-Hua Song Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, P. R. China 10.3762/bjoc.7.16 Abstract The regioselectivity and the photochemical efficiency were investigated in the Paternò–Büchi reaction of 1,3-dimethylthymine

• 1c) is enthalpy–entropy controlled. A heavy atom effect is suggested to be responsible for these unusual phenomena based on the triplet-diradical mechanism of the Paternò–Büchi reaction. Keywords: benzophenone; heavy atom effect; Paternò–Büchi reaction; regioselectivity; triplet diradical

• ; Introduction The regio- and stereoselectivity in the Paternò–Büchi reaction, which is a photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition of a carbonyl compound with an olefin, has been extensively studied [1][2][3][4]. The ene–carbonyl photocycloaddition generally proceeds through attack of the excited carbonyl state