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Reactions of conjugated dienones with arenes under superelectrophilic activation conditions result in the formation of conjugated enones, indanes, and carbocyclic structures.

The reaction of CF3-propargyl alcohols [ArCCCH(OH)CF3] with arenes under the action of acidic HUSY zeolite CBV-720 was investigated. It was found that the reaction at 100 °C for 1 h gave rise to 3-aryl-1-CF3-indenes in up to 83% yield. Electronic characteristics of the reaction key intermediates, mesomeric CF3-propargyl-allenyl cations [ArCC−HC+(CF3) ↔ ArC+CCH(CF3)], were studied by DFT calculations. A plausible cationic reaction mechanism is discussed.

Reactions of cross-conjugated enynones,1,5-diarylpent-1-en-4-yn-3-ones, with arenes in the system TfOH-pyridine or under the action of acidic zeolite HUSY lead regioselectively to products of hydroarylation of the acetylene bond only,1,1,5-triarylpent-1,4-dien-3-ones, in yields up to 98%. These dienones add one more arene molecule to the double carbon–carbon bond in neat TfOH forming 1,1,5,5-tetraarylpent-1-en-3-ones in high yields. Cationic reaction intermediates have been studied by means of DFT calculations to elucidate plausible reaction mechanisms.

Superacidic activation of CF3-substituted allyl alcohols, bearing one or two bromine atoms at the CC double bond, with TfOH was studied. These brominated alcohols were found to behave as highly reactive multicentered electrophiles. The obtained cationic intermediates were studied by means of NMR and DFT calculations. The protonation of dibromo derivatives with TfOH resulted in cyclization to form trifluoromethylated 1H-indenes and/or indan-1-ones in yields up to 90%. The reaction of dibromosubstituted CF3-allyl alcohols with arenes in the presence of TfOH gave rise to either CF3-alkenes (formal substitution of hydroxyl with an aryl group) or CF3-indenes, depending on the nucleophilicity and bulkiness of the starting arenes. The reaction of monobrominated CF3-substituted allyl alcohols with arenes in TfOH afforded two regioisomeric CF3-alkenes, as a result of arylation of both terminal carbons of the allyl system, in yields up to 95%. The obtained brominated CF3-alkenes can be converted efficiently into trifluoromethylated allenes by treatment with KOH in ethanol in yields up to 92%.

2,4-Diaryl-1,1,1-trifluorobut-3-en-2-oles and their TMS-ethers in H2SO4 at room temperature in just 2 min are quantitatively cyclized into 1-aryl-3-trifluoromethyl-1H-indenes. The reaction proceeds through an intermediate formation of the corresponding CF3-allyl cations, which are cyclized regioselectively at the allyl carbon atom most remote from the CF3-group. The obtained CF3-indenes in solution of EtOAc in the presence of silica gel at room temperature over 4 h are quantitatively isomerized into 3-aryl-1-trifluoromethyl-1H-indenes.

1-(Diphenylphosphoryl)alka-1,2-dienes (phosphonoallenes) in Brønsted (super)acids (TfOH, FSO3H, H2SO4) gave the corresponding 1,2-oxaphosphol-3-enium ions, that were studied by means of NMR and DFT calculations. Upon hydrolysis of reaction solution, these cations afforded 3-hydroxyalk-2-en-1-yl-diphenylphosphine oxides (phosphonoallyl alcohols). But in (super)acids the cations were slowly transformed into O-protonated forms of 1-phenyl-1,4-dihydrophosphinoline 1-oxides, which were monitored by NMR. The latter phosphaheterocycles can be directly obtained from phosphonoallenes under the action of Lewis acid AlCl3.

4-Aryl-1,1,1-trifluorobut-3-en-2-ones ArCH[double bond, length as m-dash]CHCOCF3 (CF3-enones) react with arenes in excess of Brønsted superacids (TfOH, FSO3H) to give, stereoselectively, trans-1,3-diaryl-1-trifluoromethyl indanes in 35-85% yields. The reaction intermediates, the O-protonated ArCH[double bond, length as m-dash]CHC(OH(+))CF3 and the O,C-diprotonated ArHC(+)CH2C(OH(+))CF3 species, have been studied by means of (1)H, (13)C, (19)F NMR, and DFT calculations. Both types of the cations may participate in the reaction, depending on their electrophilicity and electron-donating properties of the arenes. The formation of CF3-indanes is a result of cascade reaction of protonated CF3-enones to form chemo-, regio- and stereoselectively three new C-C bonds. The obtained trans-1,3-diaryl-1-trifluoromethyl indanes were investigated as potential ligands for cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 types. The most potent compound showed sub-micromolar affinity for both receptor subtypes with a 6-fold selectivity toward the CB2 receptor with no appreciable cytotoxicity toward SHSY5Y cells.

The integrated intensities of the ν(CC) and ν(CN) stretching vibration bands of acetonitrile (CH3CN) molecules, the δ(OCN) bending vibration band of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) molecules, and the ν3 and ν4 bands of perchlorate anions (ClO4−) in ternary CH3CN–Mg(ClO4)2–DMF solutions were measured. The obtained experimental data show that DMF molecules have a greater ability to solvate cations than CH3CN molecules. The spectroscopic properties of CH3CN and DMF molecules located in the first coordination sphere of a cation depend on the composition of the solvate: the absolute intensities of the ν(CC) and ν(CN) bands of CH3CN molecules and of the δ(OCN) band of DMF molecules decrease when the number of DMF molecules in the first solvation shell of the cations increases. Electron transfer from the solvent molecules to the cations is discussed. The influence of the electrostatic field of the cations on the electro-optical parameters of the bonds of the solvated molecules decreases due to this effect.