High pressure promoted dearomatization of nitroarenes by [4+2] cycloadditions with silyloxydienes

Abstract

Simple nitroarenes such as nitronaphthalenes and nitroquinolines smoothly undergo dearomatizing [4+2] cycloadditions with silyloxydienes under 16 kbar. Highly functionalized 3-dimensional polycyclic adducts bearing a tetrasubstituted carbon centre at the ring junction are obtained in one step from simple raw materials. This unprecedented dearomative Diels–Alder process is performed at room temperature without any chemical promoter, illustrating the exceptional role of high pressure as a physical promoter.