Directing power of cyclobutenoid annelations on the double bonds of planar cyclooctatetraenes

Ab initio and hybrid density functional quantum mechanical computations are applied to the structure and energetics of a series of two-atom-bridge annelated cyclooctatetraenes. The contribution of each annelation to the exo/endo relative energy is estimated. Key directing factors for a given type of annelation, such as strain, electronegativity, or cyclic electron count, can be sorted out by comparison of various bridge compositions. Overall, electron count and the essential components of the Clar/Robinson rule work well to predict the exo/endo preferences. Specifically, three 4-e(-) Hückel systems (CH-CH, NH-BH and NH-C(O)) display dominant exo forms whereas the three 4n + 2 Hückel counterparts (C(O)-C(O), BH-BH, and planar NH-NH) display a common preference for endo. These endo systems act like four independent four-membered "aromatic" rings linked by "single" bonds. An analysis based on the effective hybridization of carbon atoms in the annulene (Bent's rule) provides a rationale for subtle trends in their specific annulene geometry.     

Interaction of the t-butylcalix[4]arene Anion with Ammonium Cations in Acetonitrile: Host–Guest Complexes or exo Counterions? A Molecular Dynamics Investigation

We report a theoretical study of the NR4+salts (R = H; Me; Et) of the t-butylcalix[4]arenemonooxyanion L- inacetonitrile solution, to compare the endocomplexes NR4+ inside the cone of thehost) with the exo ones. For a given cation, wefind that the complexes display structures of similartype in the gas phase and in acetonitrile solution.Intrinsically, the endo forms are more stablethan exo ones, but they are less well solvated.As a result, exo complexes are predicted to bemore stable than the endo ones in acetonitrile.In the gas phase and in solution, the exocomplexes of NMe4+ and NEt4+display interesting examples of fluctional intimateion pairs, where the cation oscillates between theoxygen lower rim region of L- and exo stacking with the phenolic rings ofL-. Based on free energy perturbation calculations,we compare endo NH4+/NMe4+complexes and find that the hypotheticalNH4+ complex is more stable in acetonitrile solution.     

Stereoselectivity in Diels-Alder reactions of diene-substituted N-alkoxycarbonyl-1,2-dihydropyridines

Diene substituent effects on the regiochemical and stereochemical outcomes of uncatalyzed Diels-Alder reactions of N-alkoxycarbonyl-1,2-dihydropyridines with both styrene and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) were studied. Alkyl substitution on the diene in all cases examined resulted in a kinetic preference for 7-endo isomers (7-phenyl 51-96% exo and 7-acetyl 54-96% exo). For both dienophiles, the highest stereoselectivities (>or=89% endo) were observed with 5-methyl or 6-methyl substituents in the dihydropyridine. Theoretical calculations of the energies of gas phase endo and exo transition states at the RHF/3-21G(*) predict that total entropy, DeltaStotal, considerations favor endo cycloadducts for both dienophiles with DHP, while total energy considerations, DeltaEo, favor endo cycloadducts for styrene and exo cycloadducts for MVK. At this level, favored endo-phenyl isomers are correctly predicted for styrene reactions, but the calculation of 7-acetyl exo or endo isomer dominance is diene-substituent-dependent for MVK reactions. The preference for endo addition of MVK to the parent, 5-methyl, and 6-methyl-DHPs was successfully predicted by calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G* theory level.     

Exceptionally pyramidalized olefins: A theoretical study of the cyclopropenyl fused tricycles Tricyclo

RHF, MP2, and TCSCF ab initio theory and B3LYP, B3PW91, and SVWN density functional theory were used to study the series of cyclopropenyl-fused tricycles 9-12. In each of 9-12, the cyclopropenyl double bond is exceptionally pyramidalized (butterfly angle psi approximately 41-50 degrees ) with both endo and exo bent isomers. In the norbornyl systems (9 and 10), the endo bent isomers are more stable than the exo bent isomers, whereas in the bicyclo[2. 2.2]octadiene 12 the reverse is true with the exo bent isomer being the low energy form. The activation barriers for the endo/exo interconversions are calculated to be relatively low (DeltaH() approximately 6-13 kcal/mol).     

A NMR and theoretical study of the aggregates between alkyllithium and chiral lithium amides: control of the topology through a single asymmetric center

The complexes between methyllithium and chiral 3-aminopyrrolidine (3-AP) lithium amides bearing a second asymmetric center on their lateral amino group were studied using multinuclear ((1)H, (6)Li, (13)C, (15)N) low-temperature NMR spectroscopies in tetrahydrofuran-d(8). The results indicate that lithium chelation forces the pyrrolidine ring of the 3-AP to adopt a norbornyl-like conformation and that robust 1:1 noncovalent complexes between methyllithium and 3-AP lithium amides form in the medium. A set of (1)H-(1)H and (1)H-(6)Li NMR cross-coupling correlations shows that the binding of methyllithium can take place along the "exo" or the "endo" face of this puckered structure, depending on the relative configuration of the lateral chiral group. This aggregation step renders the nitrogen of the 3-amino group chiral, the "exo" and "endo" topologies corresponding to the (S) and (R) configurations, respectively, of this atom. Density functional theory calculations show that the "exo" and "endo" arrangements are, for both diastereomers, almost isoenergetic even when solvent is taken into account. This result suggests that the formation of the mixed aggregates is under strict kinetic control. A relationship between the topology of these complexes and the sense of induction in the enantioselective alkylation of aromatic aldehydes by alkyllithiums is proposed.     

1, 3-环己二烯与丙烯反应exo和endo机理的理论研究

采用从头算方法在3-21G基组上研究了1, 3-环己二烯与丙烯生成exo和endo产物的反应机理。该反应生成exo和endo产物各存在三条反应途径, 其中两条为分步途径, 一条为协同途径。经计算研究表明:1, 3-环己二烯与丙烯生成exo和endo产物的有利途径为经过一个双自由基中间体的分步过程, 由丙烯端位碳原子先进攻的分步过程最为容易。对应于该过程, 生成exo和endo产物的反应速控步骤的位垒值分别为80.69kJ/mol和75.58kJ/mol。表明生成endo产物的反应比生成exo产物的反应略为有利。     

Group 14 Metal Terminal Phosphides: Correlating Structure with |J(MP)|

A series of heavier group 14 element, terminal phosphide complexes, M(BDI)(PR(2)) (M = Ge, Sn, Pb; BDI = CH{(CH(3))CN-2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)}(2); R = Ph, Cy, SiMe(3)) have been synthesized. Two different conformations (endo and exo) are observed in the solid-state; the complexes with an endo conformation have a planar coordination geometry at phosphorus (M = Ge, Sn; R = SiMe(3)) whereas the complexes possessing an exo conformation have a pyramidal geometry at phosphorus. Solution-state NMR studies reveal through-space scalar coupling between the tin and the isopropyl groups on the N-aryl moiety of the BDI ligand, with endo and exo exhibiting different J(SnC) values. The magnitudes of the tin-phosphorus and lead-phosphorus coupling constants, |J(SnP)| and |J(PbP)|, differ significantly depending upon the hybridization of the phosphorus atom. For Sn(BDI)(P{SiMe(3)}(2)), |J(SnP)| is the largest reported in the literature, surpassing values attributed to compounds with tin-phosphorus multiple-bonds. Low temperature NMR studies of Pb(BDI)(P{SiMe(3)}(2)) show two species with vastly different |J(PbP)| values, interpreted as belonging to the endo and exo conformations, with sp(2)- and sp(3)-hybridized phosphorus, respectively.     

A diastereoselective switch in the access to isobenzofuran-derived alpha-selenoesters

The cycloaddition of 1-phenylisobenzofuran (PIBF) with methyl acrylate yields, in a moderate endo/exo ratio, the expected oxa-bridged adduct, which can be deprotonated and condensed on diphenyl diselenide to provide, in a stereoconvergent step, the "endo" alpha-selenoester. Its "exo" epimer is obtained by reacting PIBF and methyl alpha-phenylselenoacrylate. These adducts can be oxidized to give a common unsaturated bridged ester that can react with an imminium ylide to provide the expected pyrrolidine stereoselectively.     

Electron ionization (EI) mass spectra of exo-endo double-bond isomers of polycyano "push-pull" pentadienes derived from cycloalkylidene malonic acid derivatives

The title compounds, which exist in solutions as mixtures of exo/endo double bond isomers due to the "push-pull" effect of the electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents, were studied by mass-spectrometric methods. Their fragmentation routes under electron impact were established and confirmed by metastable ion analysis and accurate mass measurements. The results demonstrated that the relative amounts of exo/endo isomeric molecular ions are in close agreement with the isomeric ratios observed in solutions by the NMR, although the mass spectra of the tetracyano derivatives indicated a small fraction of molecular ions existing in the endo form, which could not be detected in solution by the NMR methods.     

Diazadioxa[8]circulenes: Planar Antiaromatic Cyclooctatetraenes

In this paper we describe a new class of antiaromatic planar cyclooctatetraenes: the diazadioxa[8]circulenes. The synthesis was achieved by means of a new acid‐mediated oxidative dimerization of 3,6‐dihydroxycarbazoles to yield the diazadioxa[8]circulenes in high yields. The synthetic protocol appears to be general, and is a one‐pot transformation in which two C? C bonds and two C? O bonds are formed with the loss of two molecules of water. We also present a detailed characterization of the optical and electrochemical properties of this new class of stable planar cyclooctatetraenes. The properties of the diazadioxa[8]circulenes are compared with the properties of isoelectronic tetraoxa[8]circulenes and azatrioxa[8]circulenes. We discuss the antiaromatic nature of the planar central cyclooctatetraene moiety. The antiaromatic nature of the planar cyclooctatetraenes was studied by using computational methods (NICS calculations), and these calculations reveal that the central eight‐membered ring has antiaromatic character.     

Stereoelectronic, torsional, and steric effects on rates of enolization of ketones

The stereoselectivities of base-catalyzed enolizations of ketones have been studied by quantum mechanical methods. Transition structures of exo and endo deprotonation of camphor, norcamphor, and dehydronorcamphor have been located with two model bases. Stereoelectronic, torsional, and steric effects on activation energies were assessed. These calculations demonstrate the importance of torsional strain between partial bonds and vicinal bonds on the rates of deprotonation and on related reactions involving the formation of enolates or reactions of enols and enolates.     

Conformational analysis and electronic structure of acetanilide

The calculations of the electronic structure and conformational analysis of the acetanilide were carried out using the CNDO/2 method. The results show that the endo form is 1.2 Kcal/mole more stable than the exo form. The most stable conformation of the exo isomer corresponds to the dihedral angle of 90 ° between the phenyl and acetamide plane, whereas the minimum energy conformation of the endo isomer corresponds to the dihedral angle 50 °–60 °. A comparison of the calculated and experimental dipole moments suggests also the dihedral angle of 50 °–60 °. A comparison with experiment indicates that this molecular orbital method is good for conformational analysis and gives electronic structure which is compatible with spectroscopic measurement. The calculated conformational analysis and electronic structure of the acetanilide are in excellent agreement with experiments.We thank Professor J. P. Green for helpful discussions. This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH-17489-01).     

First isolation of eclipsed vic-disulfoxide: 7,8-dithiabicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4-diene 7-exo,8-exo-dioxide

[reaction: see text] The oxidation of 7,8-dithiabicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4-diene 7-exo-oxide with dimethyldioxirane (DMD) provided the 7-exo-8-exo-dioxide, the structure of which was determined by X-ray crystallography [S-S 2.341(2) A and 90 degree angle O-S-S-O 4.1(3) degrees ]. The exo attack of DMD to give the exo,exo-dioxide was kinetically more favorable than the endo attack to give the endo,exo-dioxide. DFT calculations showed that the exo,exo-dioxide is thermodynamically more stable than the other stereoisomers.     

Radical ring expansion reactions of methylenecyclopropane derivatives: a theoretical study

The evolution of the primary radicals from 1-(3-bromopropyl)-2-ethyl-3-methylenecyclopropane, 1-(3-bromopropyl)-1-trimethylsilyl-2-methylenecyclopropane, 1-(3-bromobutyl)-2-ethyl-3-methylenecyclopropane, and 1-(3-bromobutyl)-1-trimethylsilyl-2-methylenecyclopropane was theoretically studied at the ROMP2/6-311++G(d,p)//UB3LYP/6-31G(d,p) theory level taking into account the effect of solvent through a PCM-UAHF model. For the propyl-substituted radicals, the attack of the radical center on the double bond takes place most favorably in an exo fashion. The subsequent ring expansions yield the product corresponding to the rupture of the endo C-C bond as the most favorable one in accordance with the experimental results. In the case of 1-(3-bromobutyl)-2-ethyl-3-methylenecyclopropane, the Gibbs energy barriers for the endo and exo attacks are the same, and the subsequent reversible evolution yields the product corresponding to the rupture of the exo C-C bond as the most favorable one through thermodynamic control in agreement with experiment. Finally, for 1-(3-bromobutyl)-1-trimethylsilyl-2-methylenecyclopropane, our calculations predict that the endo attack is 0.8 kcal/mol more favorable than the exo one. In the subsequent reversible ring expansion, the product corresponding to the rupture of the endo C-C bond is kinetically the most favored one in reasonable agreement with the experimental observations.     

Azatrioxa[8]circulenes: Planar Anti‐Aromatic Cyclooctatetraenes

We describe herein the first synthesis of a new class of anti‐aromatic planar cyclooctatetraenes: the azatrioxa[8]circulenes. This was achieved by treating a suitably functionalised 3,6‐dihydroxycarbazole with 1,4‐benzoquinones or a 1,4‐naphthoquinone. We fully characterised the azatrioxa[8]circulenes by using optical, electrochemical and computational techniques as well as by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The results of a computational study (NICS) suggest that the central planar cyclooctatetraene is anti‐aromatic when the molecules are in neutral or oxidised states (2+), and that the corresponding dianions are aromatic. We discuss the aromatic/anti‐aromatic nature of the planar cyclooctatetraenes and compare them with the isoelectronic tetraoxa[8]circulenes.     

Modular assembly of metal-organic supercontainers incorporating sulfonylcalixarenes

A new strategy for the design of container molecules is presented. Sulfonylcalix[4]arenes, which are synthetic macrocyclic containers, are used as building blocks that are combined with various metal ions and tricarboxylate ligands to construct metal-organic "supercontainers" (MOSCs). These MOSCs possess both endo and exo cavities and thus mimic the structure of viruses. The synthesis of MOSCs is highly modular, robust, and predictable. The unique features of MOSCs are expected to provide exciting new opportunities for the exploration of their functional applications.     

Planar or nonplanar: what is the structure of urea in aqueous solution?

A combined quantum chemical statistical mechanical method has been used to study the solvation of urea in water, with emphasis on the structure of urea. The model system consists of three parts: a Hartree-Fock quantum chemical core, 99 water molecules described with a polarizable force-field, and a dielectric continuum. A free-energy profile along the transition of urea from planar to a nonplanar structure is calculated. This mode in aqueous solution is found to be floppy. That is, the structure of urea in water is not well-defined because the planar to nonplanar transition requires an energy of the order of the thermal energy at room temperature. We discuss the implications of this finding for simulation studies of urea in polar environments like water and proteins.     

Diels-Alder Addition of Dicyclopentadiene with Cyclopentadiene in Polar Solvents

Diels-Alder addition of dicyclopentadiene and cyclopentadiene in polar solvents has been studied to produce tricyclopentadiene（TCPD） that is a potential high-density fuel precursor. GC and MS analysis shows that the adducts contain two isomers, namely exo- and endo-TCPD. Theoretical simulation shows that although the transition state of endo-TCPD has a lower activation energy, exo-TCPD is thermodynamically preferred. Polar solvents can accelerate the reaction rate and improve the exo/endo ratio of TCPD because the transition state of exo-TCPD has a higher polarity than that of endo-TCPD. The solvent effect follows the order of polarity： benzyl methanol〉cyclohexanone〉toluene. The conversion rises when the temperature ranges from 120 to 150 ℃, but the selectivity of TCPD slightly decreases. Increasing the pressure can improve the conversion but the exo/endo ratio of TCPD is unchanged. The apparent kinetics in different solvents was determined via nonlinear regression. The activation energies are 99.47, 101.15, and 107.32 kJ/mol for benzyl methanol, cyclohexanone, and toluene, respectively. The optimal reaction conditions are as follows： benzyl methanol as solvent, temperature 150 ℃, and pressure 900 kPa. After an 11-hour reaction, a conversion of 58.0%, a TCPD selectivity of 95.7%, and an exo/endo ratio of 1/5.3 has been obtained.     

二[氧合-二(3-二茂铁基丙烯酸二正丁基锡(Ⅳ))]配合物的合成及谱学表征

由FcCH=CHCO2H和(n Bu)2SnO反应合成了{[(FcCH=CHCO2)Sn(n Bu)2]2O}2(A)新配合物[其中Fc=(η5 C5H5)Fe(η5 C5H4)].经红外光谱和核磁共振(1H、13C、119Sn)谱学研究, 确定其组成和结构.提出 [(RCOOSnR′2)2O]2类化合物中一一指认与内环锡、外环锡键连的两类烷基R′中各个碳峰的原则.