Petroleum Chemistry, Vol.48, No.4, 309-313, 2008
Synthesis of energetic compounds via the metathesis reaction of 4-methylenespiro[2,3]hexane
Transformations of methylenespiro[2,3]hexane (MSH) on a heterogeneous rhenium-alumina metathesis (disproportionation) catalyst were studied. It was found that, owing to a significant difference in the stability of carbenic complexes of methylene and disubstituted carbenes, MSH undergoes isomerization to 4-methylspiro[2,3]hex-4-ene followed by their cometathesis yielding bis(spiro[2,3]hexylidene-4). The feasibility of selective cometathesis of MSH and dicyclobutylidene on the rhenium-alumina catalyst resulting in the formation of 4-cyclobutylidenespiro[2,3]hexane was shown.