9-Azahomocubane.

Homocubane, a highly strained cage hydrocarbon, contains two very different positions for the introduction of a nitrogen atom into the skeleton, e. g., a position 1 exchange results in a tertiary amine whereas position 9 yields a secondary amine. Herein reported is the synthesis of 9-azahomocubane along with associated structural characterization, physical property analysis and chemical reactivity. Not only is 9-azahomocubane readily synthesized, and found to be stable as predicted, the basicity of the secondary amine was observed to be significantly lower than the structurally related azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane, although similar to 1-azahomocubane.

1-Azahomocubane.

Highly strained cage hydrocarbons have long stood as fundamental molecules to explore the limits of chemical stability and reactivity, probe physical properties, and more recently as bioactive molecules and in materials discovery. Interestingly, the nitrogenous congeners have attracted much less attention. Previously absent from the literature, azahomocubanes, offer an opportunity to investigate the effects of a nitrogen atom when incorporated into a highly constrained polycyclic environment. Herein disclosed is the synthesis of 1-azahomocubane, accompanied by comprehensive structural characterization, physical property analysis and chemical reactivity. These data support the conclusion that nitrogen is remarkably well tolerated in a highly strained environment.

Oxyfunctionalization of non-natural targets by dioxiranes. 6. On the selective hydroxylation of cubane.

By using methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane (TFDO), the direct mono- and bishydroxylation of cubane could be achieved in high yield under remarkably mild conditions. Comparison of the rates of dioxirane O-insertion with those of standard reference compounds, such as adamantane and cyclopropane, as well as ab initio computations provide useful hints concerning the mechanism of these transformations.

Direct Metalation of 1,3,5,7-Tetranitrocubane with Amides of Tin and Lead. Preparation and Chemistry of o-Nitrostannanes and o-Nitroplumbanes in the Cubyl Series(1).

Trialkyltin and trialkyllead amides react directly and remarkably easily with 1,3,5,7-tetranitrocubane to form mono- to tetrakis(trialkyltin)- and -(trialkyllead) tetranitrocubanes. These are all stable compounds. The X-ray crystallographic properties of some are given. The (trialkylstannyl)cubanes react with electrophiles such as bromine with unexpected cleavage of alkyltin bonds rather than cubyl-tin bonds. On the other hand, the (trialkylplumbyl)cubanes do ultimately undergo cubyl-lead bond cleavage. This provides a useful way to achieve substitution on the cubane nucleus and provides access to compounds such as 1,3,5,7-tetrabromo-2,4,6,8-tetranitrocubane. The lead derivatives of tetranitrocubane are also useful for making 1,2,3,5,7-pentanitrocubane and 1,2,3,4,5,7-hexanitrocubane.