Thermal [2+2] cycloaddition of allenynes: easy construction of bicyclo[6.2.0]deca-1,8-dienes, bicyclo[5.2.0]nona-1,7-dienes, and bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,6-dienes.

The simple refluxing of allenynes, having a phenylsulfonyl functionality on the allenyl group, in xylene (or mesitylene) without microwave irradiation resulted in the efficient formation of bicyclo[5.2.0]nona-1,7-dienes and bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,6-dienes in high yields. This method was shown to be successfully applicable to the first construction of bicyclo[6.2.0]deca-1,8-dienes. Construction of the corresponding oxa- and azabicyclo[m.2.0] frameworks could also be attained. This thermal ring-closing reaction involves the formal [2+2] cycloaddition in which the distal double bond of an allenyl moiety exclusively served as one of the pi-components regardless of the position of the phenysulfonyl functionality on the allenyl moiety.