N-carbamate protected alpha-amidoalkyl-p-tolylsulfones: convenient substrates in the aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

An efficient and practical one-pot approach to aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts has been developed. The reaction occurs between N-Boc or N-Cbz imines, generated in situ from stable and easy to handle N-Boc or N-Cbz protected alpha-amidoalkyl-p-tolylsulfones, and electron-deficient alkenes in the presence of DABCO. The presented procedure eliminates the use of the relatively unstable N-carbamate imines prior to the coupling reaction. The reaction is limited to alpha-amidosulfones derived from aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes.     

Highly enantioselective aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction with a bisphenol-based bifunctional organocatalyst

Newly developed phosphino-bisphenol 1c was found to be an efficient organocatalyst for the aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction. High enantioselectivity up to 96% ee was obtained with catalyst loading of 1 mol %.     

The aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of electronically and sterically deactivated substrates

The aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (azaMBH) reaction has been studied for electronically and sterically deactivated Michael acceptors. It is found that electronically deactivated systems can be converted with electron-rich phosphanes and pyridines as catalysts equally well. For sterically deactivated systems clearly better catalytic turnover can be achieved with pyridine catalysts. This is in accordance with the calculated affinities of the catalysts towards different Michael-acceptors.     

ESI-MS studies on the mechanism of Pd0-catalyzed three-component tandem double addition-cyclization reaction

Four cationic palladium intermediates have been characterized by the high-resolution ESI-FTMS technology, on the basis of which a mechanism was proposed for the Pd0-catalyzed three-component tandem double addition cyclization of organic halides, 2-(2,3-allenyl)malonates, and imines.     

Novel ring transfer reaction of furans via intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of allene intermediate: a new double annulation reaction

A novel ring tansfer reaction of furans to fused furans by tandem intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction and base-catalyzed ring-opening of the adducts has been developed.     

N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of cyclic enones with N-tosylarylimines

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) prove to be efficient catalysts for the aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (aza-MBH) reaction of cyclopent-2-en-1-one or cyclohex-2-en-1-one with a variety of N-tosylarylimines to give the aza-MBH adduct in high yields. Crossover experiments show NHC can add to N-tosylarylimines in a reversible manner, which allows the addition of NHC to cyclic enones and thus catalyzes the aza-Mortia-Baylis-Hillman reaction.     

On the mechanism of a double ring-closing metathesis reaction

A detailed study of the steps involved in the double ring-closing metathesis reaction of 2 to 3 has been carried out. Both the selectivity and mechanism were affected by choice of catalyst.     

Halide trapping of the Nazarov intermediate in strained polycyclic systems: a new interrupted Nazarov reaction

1,4-Dien-3-ones encased within bridged bicyclic frameworks undergo efficient Nazarov electrocyclization upon treatment with TiCl₄, but the resulting cyclopentenyl cations are trapped by chloride in preference to deprotonation. In contrast to the usual eliminative pathway, which destroys one of the stereocenters formed during electrocyclization, this process preserves both new centers and generates an additional one at the site of chloride trapping. Examples involving skeletal rearrangements and other Lewis acids are also discussed.     

Ab initio studies on the mechanism of the fluoroketene-imine cycloaddition reaction: Via a gauche or trans intermediate

The cycloaddition reaction of FCH(double bond)C(double bond)O and NH₂CH(double bond)NH leading to 2-azetidinone was studied theoretically at the level of RHF /6–31G and RHF /6–31G *. Two possible mechanisms via a gauche or trans intermediate were compared. The obtained results show that the reaction proceeds in a gauche manner much easier than in a trans one. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Dissociation mechanism of a stable intermediate: perfluorohydroxylamine

The mechanism of dissociation of F2NOF has been studied using density-functional (B3LYP, BB1K, and MPWB1K) and wave function methods (CCSD). Variational transition state theory was used to calculate the rate constants for cis-F2NOF --> FNO + F2 (concerted), cis-F2NOF --> F2NO + F, and cis-F2NOF --> trans-F2NOF --> F3NO. Rate constants were also calculated for the dissociation of F2NOF by using transition state theory. The enthalpies of the transitions states (CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ//B3LYP/6-311+G(d)) were very close to the enthalpy of separated F2NO + F radicals which implies temperature-dependent competition between concerted rearrangement and fragmentation-recombination. The picture is further complicated by the fact that F2NO undergoes fragmentation into FNO + F with a very low barrier. Thus, formation of F3NO, the global minimum on the potential energy surface, can only occur by a concerted process (not from F2NO + F). The data were fit to a temperature-dependent rate in the range 200-1000 K in the form k2 = 8.14 x 10(13) exp(-7860/T) s(-1), k(1) = 6.37 x 10(13) exp(-7855/T) s(-1), and k(10) = 1.42 x 10(12) exp(-7420/T) for cis-F2NOF --> FNO + F2 (concerted), cis-F2NOF --> F2NO + F, and cis-F2NOF --> F3NO, respectively. The calculated lifetime of cis-F2NOF at 298K is 2.5 x 10(-3) s via k1.     

A unique and novel cyclopropylmethyl cation intermediate: a DFT study

Some physical organic aspects of the intermediates that result from the interaction between phenylmethylenecyclopropane (substituted derivatives are important in synthesizing cyclobutenes) and platinum and palladium halides have been studied using B3LYP. Geometrical aspects, values of atom polarizable tensor charges (APT), effect of substituents, selected transition states activation barriers, and molecular orbital calculations are presented. These calculations suggest a novel organometallic cyclopropylmethyl cation, which is characterized by the presence of a highly polarized and unusually long sigma bond between the benzylic carbon and coordinating halogen atom.     

The reaction of thio acids with azides: a new mechanism and new synthetic applications

A new amide synthesis strategy based on a fundamental mechanistic revision of the reaction of thio acids and organic azides is presented. The data demonstrate that amines are not formed as intermediates in this reaction. Alternative mechanisms proceeding through a thiatriazoline intermediate are suggested. The reaction has been applied to the preparation of simple and architecturally complex amides that are difficult to access using conventional methods. The reaction is chemoselective, effective for unprotected substrates, and compatible with aprotic and protic solvents, including water.     

The crystallographic structure of thermoNicotianamine synthase with a synthetic reaction intermediate highlights the sequential processing mechanism

We determined the three-dimensional structure of a complex between an archaeal nicotianamine synthase homologue and a chemically synthesised reaction intermediate. This structure suggests that the enzymes cavity allows both an ordered substrate binding and provides energetic coupling of the reaction intermediate formation and translocation.     

Crosslinking of chitosan fibers with dialdehydes: Proposal of a new reaction mechanism

A highly deacetylated chitosan from shrimp with a degree of deacetylation of 95.28 ± 3.03% was prepared and spun into a monofilament fiber using a solution of 4% (w/v) chitosan in 4% (v/v) aqueous acetic acid. Samples of the spun fibers were immersed in aqueous solutions containing glutaraldehyde and glyoxal, and subsequently washed and dried. When the concentration of crosslinking agent was varied at room temperature over a constant time of 1 h, dry mechanical properties improved up to a point after which increasing concentrations resulted in degradation. Immersion time was also varied between 1 and 60 min at 25.8°C, and temperature was varied between 25.8 and 70.0°C, at fixed concentrations of both glyoxal and glutaraldehyde. It was demonstrated that mechanical improvements might be rendered at higher temperatures over lesser times. However, it was also shown that at higher temperatures, fiber mechanical properties would begin to diminish. Chitosan films were subjected to similar treatments in aqueous crosslinking solutions. Fourier transform infrared data (FTIR) on the films suggest that some interaction is occurring between the glutaraldehyde or glyoxal and the amine group on the chitosan backbone. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1079–1094, 1999     

A new solvent-dependent mechanism for a triazolinedione ene reaction

The ene reaction between 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) and tetramethylethylene has been investigated using QM/MM calculations in water, methanol, DMSO, and acetonitrile. The effects of solvation on the mechanism and rates of reaction are elucidated using two-dimensional potentials of mean force (PMF) simulations utilizing free-energy perturbation theory and Monte Carlo statistical mechanics. A new mechanism is proposed where direct formation of an open dipolar intermediate following the addition of PTAD to the alkene is rate-limiting and the pathway toward ene product is significantly dependent on the reaction medium. In protic solvents, the open dipolar intermediate may proceed directly to the ene product or reversibly form an aziridinium imide (AI) intermediate that does not participate in the reaction. However, in aprotic solvents the open intermediate is short-lived (<10-11 s) and the ene product forms via the AI intermediate. The calculated free energies of activation are in close agreement with those derived from experiment, e.g., DeltaG of 14.9 kcal/mol compared to 15.0 kcal/mol in acetonitrile. Density functional theory calculations at the (U)B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) level using the CPCM continuum solvent model were also carried out and confirmed a zwitterionic, and not diradical, open intermediate present in the reaction. Only the QM/MM methodology was able to accurately reproduce the experimental rates and differentiate between the protic and aprotic solvents. Solute-solvent interaction energies, radial distribution functions, and charges are analyzed and show that the major factor dictating the changes in reaction path is hydrogen bond stabilization of the charge separations spanning 2 to 4 atoms in the intermediates and transition states.     

Revision of outcome and mechanism of a new multicomponent reaction

[reaction: see text] A recently reported multicomponent reaction (MCR) produces pyrido[1,2-a]pyrazines and not the previously described 1H-imidazol-4-yl-pyridines. This different structure is proposed on the basis of a new mechanism of formation and the spectroscopic data.