Methylenecyclopropane
Methylenecyclopropane is an organic compound with the formula 2CCH2. It is a colourless easily condensed gas that is used as a reagent in organic synthesis.Synthesis
Methylenecyclopropane can be synthesised via an intramolecular cyclisation reaction from methallyl chloride by treatment with a strong base such as sodium amide.Reactions
Being a strained and unsaturated molecule methylenecyclopropane undergoes many reactions, especially in the presence of metal catalysts.
For example, methylenecyclopropanes can be converted to cyclobutenes in the presence of a Platinum catalyst. This can be considered similar to the ring expansion seen in vinylcyclopropane rearrangements
Substituted methylenecyclopropanes can also be involved in trimethylenemethane cycloaddition reactions.
