Photochemical synthesis of highly functionalized cyclopropyl ketones

A series of di- and trisubstituted cyclopropyl ketones 11 were prepared by irradiation of ketones 3 and 5, which bear a leaving group adjacent to the carbonyl C-atom. The required ketones 3 could be easily synthesized either by functionalization of ketones 1 with a hypervalent iodine reagent, 2, or by O-sulfonylation of a-hydroxy ketones 7. The nitrates 5 were obtained by treatment of the corresponding alpha-bromo ketones with AgNO3. The irradiation of 3 and 5 must be performed in the presence of an acid scavenger (1-methyl-1H-imidazole) to obtain the cyclopropanes 11 in good yields. The synthetic efficiency of the method was, among other things, demonstrated by the preparation of a highly strained bicyclo[2.1.0]pentane 11i in good yield. The mechanism of the photochemical cyclization was investigated by means of photokinetic measurements, as well as by quantum-chemical calculations. It was shown that the presence of the leaving group substantially influences all steps of the photochemical reaction cascade. The X-ray crystal structures of 11j and exo-11k were also determined.