Intramolecular Diels-Alder and tandem intramolecular Diels-Alder/1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles

The scope of intramolecular Diels-Alder and a novel tandem Diels-Alder/1,3-dipolar cycloaddition cascade of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles is disclosed. In the cases examined, the tandem cycloadditions construct three new rings with formation of four new C-C bonds and set all six stereocenters about a central six-membered ring in a single step including three contiguous and four total quaternary centers without a trace of a second diastereomer. Copyright © 2002 American Chemical Society.