On the origin of altered diastereomeric ratios for anionic versus neutral reaction conditions in the oxy-Cope/ene reaction: an interplay of experiment and computational modeling.

We report herein a detailed investigation into the reaction mechanism for a sequential oxy-Cope/ene reaction under anionic conditions. With DFT calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, the observed diastereoselectivity is shown to be the result of an isomerization of the enolate olefin, which would evidently not occur under neutral conditions. The potential energy surface was thoroughly mapped out for the reaction pathways and the proposed mechanism confirmed the different product distributions observed under neutral and anionic oxy-Cope conditions. In addition, other possible pathways are shown to be higher in energy and experimental evidence is given that supports the olefin-isomerization pathway.

Manganese catalysts for C-H activation: an experimental/theoretical study identifies the stereoelectronic factor that controls the switch between hydroxylation and desaturation pathways.

We describe competitive C-H bond activation chemistry of two types, desaturation and hydroxylation, using synthetic manganese catalysts with several substrates. 9,10-Dihydrophenanthrene (DHP) gives the highest desaturation activity, the final products being phenanthrene (P1) and phenanthrene 9,10-oxide (P3), the latter being thought to arise from epoxidation of some of the phenanthrene. The hydroxylase pathway also occurs as suggested by the presence of the dione product, phenanthrene-9,10-dione (P2), thought to arise from further oxidation of hydroxylation intermediate 9-hydroxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene. The experimental work together with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations shows that the postulated Mn oxo active species, [Mn(O)(tpp)(Cl)] (tpp = tetraphenylporphyrin), can promote the oxidation of dihydrophenanthrene by either desaturation or hydroxylation pathways. The calculations show that these two competing reactions have a common initial step, radical H abstraction from one of the DHP sp(3) C-H bonds. The resulting Mn hydroxo intermediate is capable of promoting not only OH rebound (hydroxylation) but also a second H abstraction adjacent to the first (desaturation). Like the active Mn(V)=O species, this Mn(IV)-OH species also has radical character on oxygen and can thus give H abstraction. Both steps have very low and therefore very similar energy barriers, leading to a product mixture. Since the radical character of the catalyst is located on the oxygen p orbital perpendicular to the Mn(IV)-OH plane, the orientation of the organic radical with respect to this plane determines which reaction, desaturation or hydroxylation, will occur. Stereoelectronic factors such as the rotational orientation of the OH group in the enzyme active site are thus likely to constitute the switch between hydroxylase and desaturase behavior.

Manganese catalysts with molecular recognition functionality for selective alkene epoxidation.

Selective epoxidation of alkenes is possible with a new manganese porphyrin catalyst, C(PMR), that uses hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid on the substrate molecule and a Kemp's triacid unit. For two out of three olefin substrates employed, molecular recognition prevents the unselective oxidation of C-H bonds, and directs oxidation to the olefin moiety, giving only epoxide products. Weak diastereoselectivity is observed in the epoxide products, suggesting that molecular recognition affects the orientation of the catalyst-bound substrate. The previously reported manganese terpyridine complex C(TMR) is shown to be a superior epoxidation catalyst to the porphyrin catalyst C(PMR). Good conversion of 2-cyclopentene acetic acid (substrate S2) with C(PMR) is consistent with molecular modeling, which indicates a particularly good substrate/catalyst match. Evidence suggests that hydrogen bonding between the substrate and the catalyst is critical in this system.

Origin of diastereoselectivity in the tandem oxy-Cope/Claisen/ene reaction: experimental and theoretical studies of the ring inversion mechanism.

We report herein a detailed investigation into the reaction mechanism of the oxy-Cope/Claisen/ene reaction. A series of chiral substrates was prepared, subjected to the tandem sequence, and the enantiomeric excess of the final products was evaluated. The observed conservation of enantiomeric excess was taken as evidence that the ring inversion of the intermediary enol ether does not occur. DFT calculations were used to map out the potential energy surface for the reaction and evaluate the relative energies of the ring inversions relative to those of the Claisen and ene reactions. Transition state energies thus obtained were found to support the presence of a high-energy transition state for the ring inversion of B to D provided R(1) not equal H. In addition, the calculations lent further support to the hypothesis that the selectivity of the transannular ene reaction is under Curtin-Hammett control.

Studies toward the total synthesis of Wiedemannic acid.

[reaction: see text] We report a novel and efficient diastereoselective synthesis of wiedemannic acid analogue 30 in 16 steps from 7 using a tandem oxy-Cope/Claisen/ene reaction as the key step. Comparison of NMR data between wiedemannic acid (1) and analogue 30 leads us to believe that the reported stereochemistry at the ring junction of 1 is incorrect.

Highly efficient transfer of chirality from macrocyclic conformation in the tandem oxy-Cope/Claisen/ene reaction.

We report three highly stereoselective pericyclic reactions occurring in cascade leading to the synthesis of Decalins skeletons possessing two contiguous quaternary centers. The tandem reaction is triggered by an oxy-Cope rearrangement to create in situ a 10-membered ring enol ether macrocyle 6, which immediately rearranges via a Claisen [3,3] shift to the corresponding E-cyclodec-6-en-1-one 7. The latter spontaneously cyclizes via a transannular ene reaction to produce Decalin 5. Analysis of the mechanism with respect to the origin of the high diastereoselectivity of the tandem oxy-Cope/Claisen/ene reaction is presented.

Enantioselective allylation of beta,gamma-unsaturated aldehydes generated via Lewis acid induced rearrangement of 2-vinyloxiranes.

[reaction: see text] 2-Vinyloxiranes have been found to be excellent surrogates to beta,gamma-unsaturated aldehydes. These valuable electrophiles, generated in situ by treatment of a 2-vinyloxirane with a catalytic amount of Sc(OTf)(3), are effectively trapped by the chiral allylating agents based on alpha-pinene, affording bishomoallylic alcohols in high yield and excellent selectivity.