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Li D, Wang Y. DFT study on isothiourea-catalyzed C-C bond activation of cyclobutenone: the role of the catalyst and the origin of stereoselectivity. Org Biomol Chem 2024; 22:2662-2669. [PMID: 38477235 DOI: 10.1039/d4ob00267a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The organocatalytic C-C bond activation strategy stands out as a new reaction mode for the release of ring strain and expands the scope of organocatalysts. Thus, disclosing the role of the organocatalyst in the C-C bond cleavage process would be of interest. Here, an isothiourea-catalyzed C-C bond activation/cycloaddition reaction of cyclobutenone is selected as a computational model to uncover the role of the catalyst. Based on the calculations, the electrocyclic cleavage of cyclobutenone is calculated to be energetically more favorable than the isothiourea-catalyzed C-C bond cleavage, which is different from the NHC-catalyzed C-C bond activation of cyclobutenone. The computational results show that the isothiourea promotes the reaction by increasing the nucleophilicity of vinyl ketene and thus lowers the energy barrier of the cycloaddition process. Moreover, NCI and AIM analyses are performed to disclose the origin of stereoselectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daochang Li
- Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, 136 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450002, P. R. China.
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, 136 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450002, P. R. China.
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Liang P, Yang H, Wang Y. Elucidating the mechanism and origin of stereoselectivity in the activation/transformation of an acetic ester catalyzed by an N-heterocyclic carbene. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:4320-4328. [PMID: 38234281 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05581g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The activation of an ester by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organocatalysis is an efficient and important approach for generating an NHC-bound enolate intermediate, an important active intermediate in the transformation of carbonyl compounds. Herein, we perform a theoretical study on the NHC-catalyzed activation and transformation reaction of an acetic ester in which the NHC-bound enolate intermediate is a key intermediate. Multiple activation and transformation pathways are proposed and analyzed to identify an energetically favorable pathway. The use of different substrates for the reaction is considered. When a chalcone substrate is used, [4+2] cycloaddition between the enolate intermediate and the chalcone is identified to be both the rate- and stereoselectivity-determining step for the reaction, with the R-configured product being generated as the major isomer. Noncovalent interaction (NCI) and atoms-in-molecules (AIM) analyses are performed to identify the origin of the stereoselectivity of the reaction, and a local reactivity analysis is conducted to explore substrate and catalyst effects on the reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingxin Liang
- Department of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, 136 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450001, P. R. China.
| | - Haoran Yang
- Department of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, 136 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450001, P. R. China.
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, 136 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450001, P. R. China.
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Zhu C, Pham LN, Yuan X, Ouyang H, Coote ML, Zhang X. High Electric Fields on Water Microdroplets Catalyze Spontaneous and Fast Reactions in Halogen-Bond Complexes. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:21207-21212. [PMID: 37724917 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
The use of external electric fields as green and efficient catalysts in synthetic chemistry has recently received significant attention for their ability to deliver remarkable control of reaction selectivity and acceleration of reaction rates. Technically, methods of generating high electric fields in the range of 1-10 V/nm are limited, as in-vacuo techniques have obvious scalability issues. The spontaneous high fields at various interfaces promise to solve this problem. In this study, we take advantage of the spontaneous high electric field at the air-water interface of sprayed water microdroplets in the reactions of several halogen bond systems: Nu:--X-X, where Nu: is pyridine or quinuclidine and X is bromine or iodine. The field facilitates ultrafast electron transfer from Nu:, yielding a Nu-X covalent bond and causing the X-X bond to cleave. This reaction occurs in microseconds in microdroplets but takes days to weeks in bulk solution. Density functional theory calculations predict that the reaction becomes barrier-free in the presence of oriented external electric fields, supporting the notion that the electric fields in the water droplets are responsible for the catalysis. We anticipate that microdroplet chemistry will be an avenue rich in opportunities in the reactions facilitated by high electric fields and provides an alternative way to tackle the scalability problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghui Zhu
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Le Nhan Pham
- Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Xu Yuan
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Haoran Ouyang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Michelle L Coote
- Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
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Blyth MT, Coote ML. Manipulation of N-heterocyclic carbene reactivity with practical oriented electric fields. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:375-383. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04507a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Electric fields can be used to tune the nucleophilicity and electrophilicity of N-heterocyclic carbenes and enhance their catalytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell T. Blyth
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Michelle L. Coote
- Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia
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Zhang J, Qiao Q, Wu Z, Pang Z, Shi Q, Qiao Y, Wang Y, wei D. Mechanism and origin of selectivities for NHC-catalyzed synthesis of axially chiral benzothiophene/benzofuran-fused biaryls. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:1662-1670. [DOI: 10.1039/d1ob02429a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
By performing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we investigated and identified the fundamental pathway for N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed synthesis of axially chiral benzothiophene-fused biaryl using enal and 2-benzyl-benzothiophene-3-carbaldehyde, which includes...
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Luo J, Han LL, Chen K, Song J, Wei D. A DFT study on the mechanism and regioselectivity of NHC-catalyzed double acylation of aromatic 1,2-diketones with α,β-unsaturated ketones. NEW J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2nj03147g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The possible mechanisms and the origin of regioselectivity of the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed double acylation reaction of aromatic 1,2-diketones with α,β-unsaturated ketones have been theoretically studied using density functional theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Luo
- College of Chemistry, and Institute of Green Catalysis, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, P. R. China
| | - Li-Li Han
- College of Chemistry, and Institute of Green Catalysis, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, P. R. China
| | - Kuohong Chen
- College of Chemistry, and Institute of Green Catalysis, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, P. R. China
| | - Jinshuai Song
- College of Chemistry, and Institute of Green Catalysis, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, P. R. China
| | - Donghui Wei
- College of Chemistry, and Institute of Green Catalysis, Zhengzhou University, 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, P. R. China
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