The Synthesis of Unusual Organic Molecules from Azoalkanes. New analytical methods (33)

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Abstract
The thermal or photochemical denitrogenation of azoalkanes constitutes an effective and convenient method for the preparation of unusual organic molecules, including highly ringstrained, sterically crowded, fluxional, antiaromatic and other interesting structures. The importance of this synthetic approach is that the azo linkage serves as a means of introducing the critical (usually last) bond in the complex target molecule. This article presents a cross‐section of such elegant synthetic utilization of azoalkanes for fused‐, bridged‐ and spiro‐cyclization. Our coverage of the large body of literature has been directed by the complexity and novelty of the products. Azoalkanes are usually prepared via cycloaddition of azo dienophiles to appropriate substrates.