The Vinylketene‐Acylallene Rearrangement: Theory and Experiment

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Abstract
Alkoxyvinylketenes4are generated by flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT) or photolysis of 3-alkoxycyclobutenones3. The thermal interconversion of4and allene carboxylic acid esters5under FVT conditions is demonstrated by Ar matrix FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, ethoxy-vinylketene4bundergoes thermal elimination of ethene with formation ofs-cis-ands-trans-acetylketene(8). An analogous aminovinylketene-to-allenecarbox-amide conversion is observed on FVT of 3-dimethylaminocyclobutenone3c. A facile 1, 3-chlorine migration in 2, 3-buta-dienoyl chloride(5d)is also reported. Consistent with the experimental observations, 1, 3-methoxy, 1, 3-chloro, and 1, 3-dimethylamino migrations in vinylketene are calculated (G2(MP2, SVP) level) to have moderate barriers of 169, 157, and 129 kJ mol−1, respectively, significantly less than the corresponding 1, 3-H shift barrier (273 kJ mol−1). The stabilization of the four-center transition structures is rationalized in terms of the donor-acceptor interaction between the lone pair electrons of the migrating donor substituent and the vacant central carbon p orbital of the ketene LUMO. The predicted migratory aptitude in the series of substituted vinylketenes, R-C(CH2)-CHCO, is in the order N(CH3)2>SCH3>SH>Cl>NH2>OCH3>OH>F>H>CH3, and correlates well with the electron-donating ability of the R group.