Theoretical Studies on Myers−Saito and Schmittel Cyclization Mechanisms of Hepta-1,2,4-triene-6-yne

Mechanistic Aspects and Synthetic Applications of Radical Additions to Allenes

More than 50 years have passed since Haszeldine reported the first addition of a trifluoromethyl radical to an allene; in the intervening years, both the chemistry of allenes and the reactivity of single-electron species have become topics of intense interest. In this Review, we provide an overview of the fundamentals of radical additions to allenes and highlight the emergence of theoretical and experimental evidence that reveals unique reactivity patterns for radical additions to allenes as compared with other unsaturated compounds. Factors capable of exerting control over the chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivities of the attack of carbon- and heteroatom-based radicals at each of the three potential reactive sites in an allene substrate are described. These include reaction conditions, the nature of the attacking radical, the substitution pattern of the allene, and the length of the linker between the radical center and the proximal allene carbon in the substrate. Cycloaddition reactions between allenes and partners containing π-bonds, which are likely to proceed through radical pathways, are presented to highlight their ability to rapidly access complex polycyclic scaffolds. Finally, the synthetic utility of the products arising from these chemistries is described, including their applications to the construction of complex molecules.

Heavy-Atom Tunneling Calculations in Thirteen Organic Reactions: Tunneling Contributions are Substantial, and Bell's Formula Closely Approximates Multidimensional Tunneling at ≥250 K

Multidimensional tunneling calculations are carried out for 13 reactions, to test the scope of heavy-atom tunneling in organic chemistry, and to check the accuracy of one-dimensional tunneling models. The reactions include pericyclic, cycloaromatization, radical cyclization and ring opening, and S_N 2. When compared at the temperatures that give the same effective rate constant of 3×10^-5  s^-1 , tunneling accounts for 25-95 % of the rate in 8 of the 13 reactions. Values of transmission coefficients predicted by Bell's formula, κ_Bell  , agree well with multidimensional tunneling (canonical variational transition state theory with small curvature tunneling), κ_SCT . Mean unsigned deviations of κ_Bell vs. κ_SCT are 0.08, 0.04, 0.02 at 250, 300 and 400 K. This suggests that κ_Bell is a useful first choice for predicting transmission coefficients in heavy-atom tunnelling.