Cycloaddition of keteniminium with terminal alkynes toward cyclobuteniminium and their use in Diels–Alder reactions

An efficient access to cyclobutanone derivatives has been developed via a ‘one-pot’ [2+2]/[4+2] sequence involving keteniminium and cyclobuteniminium salts as key intermediates. A broad range of novel cyclobuteniminium salts have been prepared via [2+2] cycloaddition of keteniminium salts and alkynes. The resulting [2+2] adducts were then further transformed by Diels–Alder reaction with various dienes to afford cyclobutanone derivatives in good yields. A density functional theory (DFT) based computational study has been performed to obtain insight into the nature of the cycloaddition reactions and to investigate the difference in reactivity of cyclobuteniminium salts. Finally, the usefulness of cyclobutanone derivatives has been demonstrated by ring expansion reactions affording lactone, lactame, and cyclopentanone derivatives.