Interplay of Structure and Reactivity in a Most Unusual Furan Diels-Alder Reaction

Ring Rearrangement Metathesis in 7-Oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptene (7-Oxanorbornene) Derivatives. Some Applications in Natural Product Chemistry

Metathesis reactions is firmly established as a valuable synthetic tool in organic chemistry, clearly comparable with the venerable Diels-Alder and Wittig reactions and, more recently, with the metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Metathesis reactions can be considered as a fascinating synthetic methodology, allowing different variants regarding substrate (alkene and alkyne metathesis) and type of metathetical reactions. On the other hand, tandem metathesis reactions such Ring Rearrangement Metathesis (RRM) and the coupling of metathesis reaction with other reactions of alkenes such as Diels-Alder or Heck reactions, makes metathesis one of the most powerful and reliable synthetic procedure.

In particular, Ring-Rearrangement Metathesis (RRM) refers to the combination of several metathesis transformations into a domino process such as ring-opening metathesis (ROM)/ring-closing metathesis (RCM) and ROM-cross metathesis (CM) in a one-pot operation. RRM delivers complex frameworks that are difficult to assemble by conventional methods constitutingan atom economic process. RRM is applicable to mono- and polycyclic systems of varying ring sizes such as cyclopropene, cyclobutene, cyclopentene, cyclohexene, pyran systems, bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene derivatives, bicyclo[2.2.2]octene derivatives, bicyclo[3.2.1]octene derivatives and bicyclo[3.2.1]octene derivatives.

In this review our attention has focused on the RRM reactions in 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptene derivatives and on their application in the synthesis of natural products or significant subunits of them.

Sequential Diels–Alder Reactions in a Conjugated Tetraene System

A sequence of two Diels–Alder reactions is observed for the reaction of bis-diene ( E)-3-[2-(furan-2-yl)vinyl]-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one with two equivalents of N-phenylmaleimide. This study shows that the electron-deficient furanyl site, which is primarily “inactive” towards a [4 + 2] reaction, easily undergoes cycloaddition with the second equivalent of N-phenylmaleimide to produce the final bis-adduct. This is because the first Diels–Alder reaction between N-phenylmaleimide and the more reactive cyclohex-2-en-1-one site of the diene converts the 2-furanyl ring to a more electron-rich component, since the electron-withdrawing double bond attached to the furan ring changes to an electron-releasing alkyl group after the first cycloaddition. Consequently, the resulting furanyl diene is then able to undergo the second cycloaddition.

How the mechanism of a [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction involving a stabilized N-lithiated azomethine ylide toward a π-deficient alkene is changed to stepwise by solvent polarity? What is the origin of its regio- and endo stereospecificity? A DFT study using NBO, QTAIM, and NCI analyses

The regio- and endo stereospecific 32CA reaction of the stabilized N-lithiated azomethine ylide 2 toward the π-deficient alkene 3in THF occurs to afford cycloadduct 6via a stepwise mechanism, passing through the zwitterionic intermediate 4.

Theoretical study of the regio- and stereoselectivity of the intramolecular Povarov reactions yielding 5H-chromeno[2,3-c] acridine derivatives

The intramolecular Povarov (IMP) reactions involved in the synthesis of 5H-chromeno[2,3-c] acridine derivatives [Tetrahedron Lett., 2010, 51, 3071–3074] have been studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods.

Why trans- or cis-Dimethyl Fumarate Addition to 2,5-Dimethylpyrrole Gives Exclusively trans-7-Azanorbornane

The addition mechanism of dimethyl fumarate into 2,5-dimethylpyrrole is explored using density functional theory (DFT) methods. Our calculations find that TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-3H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole) prefers to undergo two TpW(NO)(PMe3) migrations, two 1,5-hydride migrations, and one reductive elimination to isomerize into TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-1H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole), in which TpW(NO)(PMe3) plays a proton-transfer role. trans-Dimethyl fumarate and TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-1H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole) tend to adopt a concerted cycloaddition manner to afford trans-7-azanorbornane with a free-energy barrier of 21.8 kcal/mol. cis-Dimethyl fumarate and TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-1H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole) are the most likely to experience a concerted cycloaddition → ring opening → ring closing process to provide trans-7-azanorbornane in which the concerted cycloaddition and the ring-opening process are in dynamic equilibrium (with similar energy barriers of 21.5 and 21.9 kcal/mol, respectively). The presence of TpW(NO)(PMe3) not only promotes the cycloaddition of trans- or cis-dimethyl fumarate with 2,5-dimethylpyrrole by donating d-electrons of the W atom into the diene system of the Diels-Alder reaction, but also is favorable for the ring-opening process of the formed cis-7-azanorbornane. Furthermore, trans-azanorbornane is 7.4 kcal/mol more stable than cis-azanorbornane. Our calculations provide a new explanation of the addition of dimethyl fumarate with 2,5-dimethylpyrrole exclusively giving trans-7-azanorbornane.

A bonding evolution theory study of the mechanism of [3+2] cycloaddition reactions of nitrones with electron-deficient ethylenes

BET study of the mechanism of zw-type [3+2] cycloaddition reactions of nitrones with electron-deficient ethylenes.

A DFT study of the role of the Lewis acid catalysts in the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of the electrophilic nitrone isomer of methyl glyoxylate oxime with nucleophilic cyclopentene

The mechanism and stereoselectivity of the BH₃-catalysed 32CA reaction between C-methoxycarbonyl nitrone and cyclopentene has been studied using MPWB1K/6-31G(d) computational level.

Non-classical CH⋯O hydrogen-bond determining the regio- and stereoselectivity in the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of (Z)-C-phenyl-N-methylnitrone with dimethyl 2-benzylidenecyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylate. A topological electron-density study

Formation of a non-classical CH⋯O hydrogen-bond involving the nitrone C–H hydrogen is responsible for the selectivity experimentally found in this non-polar zw-type 32CA reaction.

Understanding the high reactivity of carbonyl compounds towards nucleophilic carbenoid intermediates generated from carbene isocyanides

The high nucleophilic character of the carbenoid intermediate cis-IN together with the specific approach mode of acetone make the formation of the C–C single bond with a very low activation free energy, possible.

Fluorinated enol ethers: their synthesis and reactivity

This review sums up the methods for the preparation of fluorinated enol ethers as well as their numerous synthetic applications.

Competing mechanisms for the reaction of dichloropropynylborane with 2-tert-butylbutadiene. Diels–Alder reaction versus alkynylboration

Density functional theory and the quantum theory of atoms in molecules approach were used to study two competing process: the Diels–Alder reaction and the 1,4-alkynylboration.

Understanding organofluorine chemistry. An introduction to the C-F bond

Fluorine is the most electronegative element in the periodic table. When bound to carbon it forms the strongest bonds in organic chemistry and this makes fluorine substitution attractive for the development of pharmaceuticals and a wide range of speciality materials. Although highly polarised, the C-F bond gains stability from the resultant electrostatic attraction between the polarised C delta+ and F delta- atoms. This polarity suppresses lone pair donation from fluorine and in general fluorine is a weak coordinator. However, the C-F bond has interesting properties which can be understood either in terms of electrostatic/dipole interactions or by considering stereoelectronic interactions with neighbouring bonds or lone pairs. In this tutorial review these fundamental aspects of the C-F bond are explored to rationalise the geometry, conformation and reactivity of individual organofluorine compounds.