Synthesis of polycyclic guanidines by cyclocondensation reactions of N-amidinyliminium ions.

A new method for the synthesis of polycyclic guanidines is described. The N-amidinyliminium ion generated from alpha-(phenylthio)amidine precursor 16 by reaction with Cu(OTf)(2) undergoes cyclocondensation with 1,3-dienes, styrenes, and beta-dicarbonyl compounds to give 1-iminohexahydropyrrolo[1,2-c]pyrimidines having side chains at C3 and C7. In all cases, major products have a cis relationship of the C7 side chain and angular C4a hydrogen, whereas C3 side chains are incorporated with lower stereoselectivity (dr = 2--5:1) in cyclocondensations with dienes and styrenes to give stereoisomer 39 as the major product. In contrast to most cycloadditions of alkenes with N-acyliminium ions, cyclocondensations of alkenes with N-amidinyliminium ions proceed by a stepwise pathway. Cyclocondensation of the cognate ureido aminal 31 with styrene provides the rare 2-imino-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-oxazine derivative 32, rather than a pyrimidine as the major product. The high stereoselectivity observed in condensations of 16 with benzyl acetoacetate to afford Biginelli adduct 29 supports the intermediacy of N-amidinyliminium ions in related tethered Biginelli condensations of guanidines reported earlier from our laboratories.