Ring-Opening Reactions of Donor-Acceptor Cyclobutanes with Electron-Rich Arenes, Thiols, and Selenols.

Donor-acceptor (D-A) cyclobutanes with two geminal ester groups as acceptors are reacted with electron-rich arenes as nucleophiles to afford ring-opened products. AlCl3 mediates this Friedel-Crafts-type reaction. A variety of donors and electron-rich arenes are used. Nucleophilic thiols and selenols also trigger this ring-opening reaction. Furthermore, a comparison of various physical parameters has been carried out for several D-A cyclobutanes.