Donor–acceptor cyclopropanes as ortho-quinone methide equivalents in formal (4 + 2)-cycloaddition to alkenes

Abstract

A new type of donor–acceptor cyclopropane reactivity towards alkenes was revealed for 2-arylcyclopropane-1,1-diesters that contain an OH-group in the ortho-position of the aryl substituent. In this case, the initial cyclopropanes participate in formal (4 + 2)-cycloaddition as synthetic equivalents of ortho-quinone methides which are potential intermediates generated under mild conditions in the presence of a Lewis acid.