Development of Domino Processes by Using 7-Silylcycloheptatrienes and Its Analogues

7-Silyl- and 7-silylmethylcycloheptatrienes were shown to react with acylnitroso reagents at room temperature, through their norcaradiene forms, to generate the corresponding cycloadducts 5?ab and 6?ab as single diastereomers. The course of the reaction was dramatically modified by changing the reaction conditions. Using a polar medium, functionalized cyclohexa-1,3-dienes 7?ab and bicyclic compounds 13?ab were instead generated, incorporating one or two amino groups. Similar behavior was observed by using other dienophiles, including triazolinedione, but also activated aldehydes and ketones. A tentative mechanism has been proposed to rationalize the formation of both classes of products that relies on a domino process involving four consecutive elementary steps, in this order: 1) electrocyclic process, 2) hetero-DielsAlder reaction, 3) cyclopropane ring opening, and 4) hetero-DielsAlder reaction. Trapping of the cationic intermediate and isolation of the primary cycloadduct provide support for this hypothesis. An enantioselective version of the cascade using cycloheptatriene 4?b and aldehydes and ketones, under copper(II) catalysis was also carried out, leading to cyclohexa-1,3-dienes 21, 28, and 30 with enantioselectivities up to 93?% ee. Finally, elaboration of the intermediates above has been carried out, opening a straightforward access to sugar mimics 4243 and complex polycyclic systems 36 and 39.