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.     

GaCl(3)-catalyzed insertion of diazene derivatives into the cyclopropane ring

GaCl3 has been found to efficiently catalyze the formal cycloadditions of diazene derivatives 6 onto 2-arylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates 5, giving rise to the pyrazolidine derivatives 7. The insertion into the cyclopropane ring proceeds with complete regioselectivity to furnish 5-arylpyrazolidine-1,2,3,3-tetracarboxylates exclusively; however, the cis-configured azo compound N-phenyltriazolinedione gave the two possible regioisomeric pyrazolidine derivatives in ratios varying from 1:1.5 to 1:3. Conceivable mechanisms of these transformations are being discussed.     

Competitive reaction pathways of C2Cl3 + NO via four-membered ring and bicyclic ring intermediates

The products and mechanisms of the atmospherically and environmentally important reaction, C(2)Cl(3) + NO, are investigated comprehensively by step-scan time-resolved Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy and the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d)//B3LYP/6-311G(d) level of electronic structure calculations. Vibrationally excited products of Cl(2)CO, ClNCO, CCl(3)NCO and NCO have been observed in the IR emission spectra. Cyclic intermediates are found to play important roles leading to the rich variety of the chemical transformations of the reaction. Mainly two competitive reaction pathways are revealed: the four-membered ring intermediate pathway leading to the products Cl(2)CO + ClCN which is essentially barrierless and the bicyclic ring intermediate pathway leading to the product channels of ClNCO + CCl(2,) CCl(3)NCO and CCl(3) + NCO which is rate-limited by a barrier of 42.9 kJ mol(-1) higher than the reactants. By photolyzing the precursor at 248 and 193 nm, respectively, C(2)Cl(3) radicals with different internal energy are produced to observe the product branching ratios as a function of reactant energy. The Cl(2)CO channel via the four-membered ring intermediate pathway is shown to be overwhelmingly dominant at low energy (temperature) but become less important at high energy while the ClNCO and CCl(3)NCO channels via the bicyclic ring intermediate pathway are greatly enhanced and compete effectively. The experimental observation of the products and their branching ratios varying with reactant energy is well consistent with the calculated potential energy profiles.     

A quadruple ring-closing metathesis reaction in the synthesis of bis-spirocyclic compounds: extending the scope of metathesis chemistry

The first example of a quadruple ring-closing metathesis reaction is reported. The reaction of the C2 symmetric octaene 3 afforded bis-spirocyclic compounds in high yield.     

Theoretical studies on four-membered ring compounds with NF2, ONO2, N3, and NO2 groups

Density functional theory (DFT) method has been employed to study the geometric and electronic structures of a series of four-membered ring compounds at the B3LYP/6-311G** and the B3P86/6-311G** levels. In the isodesmic reactions designed for the computation of heats of formation (HOFs), 3,3-dimethyl-oxetane, azetidine, and cyclobutane were chosen as reference compounds. The HOFs for N(3) substituted derivations are larger than those of oxetane compounds with --ONO2 and/or --NF2 substituent groups. The HOFs for oxetane with --ONO2 and/or --NF2 substituent groups are negative, while the HOFs for N3 substituted derivations are positive. For azetidine compounds, the substituent groups within the azetidine ring affect the HOFs, which increase as the difluoroamino group being replaced by the nitro group. The magnitudes of intramolecular group interactions were predicted through the disproportionation energies. The strain energy (SE) for the title compounds has been calculated using homodesmotic reactions. For azetidine compounds, the NF2 group connecting N atom in the ring decrease the SE of title compounds. Thermal stability were evaluated via bond dissociation energies (BDE) at the UB3LYP/6-311G** level. For the oxetane compounds, the O--NO2 bond is easier to break than that of the ring C--C bond. For the azetidine and cyclobutane compounds, the homolyses of C--NX2 and/or N--NX2 (X = O, F) bonds are primary step for bond dissociation. Detonation properties of the title compounds were evaluated by using the Kamlet-Jacobs equation based on the calculated densities and HOFs. It is found that 1,1-dinitro-3,3-bis(difluoroamino)-cyclobutane, with predicted density of ca. 1.9 g/cm(3), detonation velocity (D) over 9 km/s, and detonation pressure (P) of 41 GPa that are lager than those of TNAZ, is expected to be a novel candidate of high energy density materials (HEDMs). The detonation data of nitro-BDFAA and TNCB are also close to the requirements for HEDMs.     

Equatorial preference in the C[bond]H activation of cycloalkanes: GaCl3-catalyzed aromatic alkylation reaction

GaCl(3) catalyzes the aromatic alkylation of naphthalene or phenanthrene using cycloalkanes. The C[bond]C formation predominantly takes place at the least hindered positions of the substrates, and equatorial isomers regarding the cycloalkane moiety are generally obtained. The reaction of bicyclo[4.4.0]decane and naphthalene occurs at the 2-position of naphthalene and at the 2- or 3-carbons of the cycloalkane, and the products possess a trans configuration at the junctures and an equatorial configuration at the naphthyl groups. Notably, cis-bicyclo[4.4.0]decane turns out to be much more reactive than the trans isomer, and a turnover number "TON" up to 20 based on GaCl(3) is attained. 1,2-Dimethylcyclohexane reacts similarly, and the cis isomer is more reactive than the trans isomer. Monoalkylcycloalkanes react at the secondary carbons provided that the alkyl group is smaller than tert-butyl. Adamantanes react at the tertiary 1-position. The alkylation reaction is considered to involve the C[bond]H activation of cycloalkanes with GaCl(3) at the tertiary center followed by the migration of carbocations and electrophilic aromatic substitution yielding thermodynamically stable products. The stereochemistry of the reaction reveals that GaCl(3) activates the equatorial tertiary C[bond]H rather than the axial tertiary C[bond]H.     

Synthesis of the EF-ring of ciguatoxin 3C based on the [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement and ring-closing olefin metathesis

The EF-ring segment of ciguatoxin 3C, a causative toxin of ciguatera fish poisoning, was synthesized in three major steps: 1,4-addition for the C20O-C27 bond connection, chirality transferring anti selective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement for the construction of the anti-2-hydroxyalkyl ether part, and ring-closing olefin metathesis for the F-ring formation.     

Michael versus retro-Michael reaction in the regioselective synthesis of N-1 and N-3 uracil adducts

By controlling the temperature or reaction time in the base-catalysed Michael-type addition of 5-substituted uracil derivatives we were able to synthesise N-1 or N-3 uracil adducts using methyl acrylate and acrylonitrile as acceptors. The mechanism of this chemical inequivalence was established using ¹H NMR spectroscopic studies. The investigations revealed that formation of the N-1 adduct was achievable under kinetically controlled conditions irrespective to the type of the base used (TEA, DBU). In turn, synthesis of the N-3 adducts proceeded from the initially formed N-1,N-3 diadduct via a retro-Michael reaction which dominates at elevated temperature or prolonged reaction time.     

Theoretical investigation on the reaction of HS+ with CH3NH2

The singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces for the reaction of HS⁺ with the simplest primary amine, CH₃NH₂, were determined at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d,p) level using the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and QCISD/6-311G(d,p) geometries. All possible reaction channels were explored. The results show that three paths on the singlet potential energy surface and one path on the triplet potential energy surface are competitive. These four feasible paths provide products which are presented in the paper and they are consistent with previous experimental results. On the other hand, the stationary points involved in the most favourable path all lie below those of the reactant and thus the title reaction is expected to be rapid, which is also consistent with the experiment.     

水催化HBrO与OH自由基反应的微观机理

采用密度泛函理论,分别在B3LYP/6-311++g(d,p)和B3LYP/aug-cc-PVTZ理论水平下,系统研究了无水和水催化的OH自由基与HBrO反应,即HBrO+OH和HBrO+OH+H_2O 2个反应的微观反应机理,给出了所有可能发生的反应路径,并指出能量最低的反应通道.对于没有水参与的反应,由于OH自由基进攻HBrO方式不同,存在顺式方向和反式方向2种进攻方式的反应路径;当有一分子水参与反应时,考虑HBrO H_2O复合物与OH自由基的反应和HBrO与H_2O OH复合物2种反应情况,共发现4条不同的反应路径.这2种反应的所有路径均是在OH自由基提取氢之前以氢键复合物形式存在,反应过程均为无势垒加合过程,总反应为放热反应.水对目标反应起催化作用,有效地降低了反应的势垒,可以加快OH自由基和HBrO的消耗速度.     

Theoretical investigation on the mechanism of the CuI-catalyzed carbon-nitrogen coupling reaction of 2-iodo-selenophene with benzamide

The mechanism of the carbon-nitrogen coupling reaction of 2-iodo-selenophene with benzamide catalyzed by CuI has been investigated with density functional theory at the GGA/PW91/DND and GGA/PBE/DNP levels. The geometric configurations of the reactants, intermediates, transition states, and products were optimized and verified by means of vibration frequency calculations. A four-step mechanism was proposed for the reaction. The first step was the rate-control step. Two possible pathways in the fourth step were investigated, and the main pathway was identified by comparing their activation and dissociation energies. For comparison, the same calculations were performed to the reaction without the CuI activator. The activation barrier with CuI is 76 kJ mol(-1) smaller than that without CuI. It turns out that CuI can promote the reaction by lowering the activation energy. Our calculations reveal the crucial role of CuI in the reaction and agree well with experimental findings.     

二苯甲酰甲烷互变异构反应机理溶剂效应的理论研究

采用密度泛函B3LYP方法,在6-31+G(d,p)基组水平上对二苯甲酰甲烷质子转移引起的酮式-烯醇式互变异构反应机理进行了计算研究,获得了零点能、总能量、吉布斯自由能及质子转移过程的反应焓、活化能、活化吉布斯自由能和速率常数等参数.3种非质子溶剂中的优化和频率计算采用Onsager模型进行计算.计算结果表明,不论在气相还是3种溶剂中,二苯甲酰甲烷的烯醇式较酮式稳定,烯醇式向酮式气相转变需要较高的活化能垒,在不同极性的溶剂中,随着溶剂介电常数的增大,异构化反应活化能垒减小,反应速率常数增大.     

Ca+催化的N2O+CO反应机理的理论研究

采用B3LYP/cc-pVTZ理论水平系统研究了Ca+离子催化N2O+CO→N2+CO2反应的微观机理.反应分两步进行:第一步Ca+夺取N2O中的O原子有两条反应通道,其中优势通道为Ca+金属离子与N2O分子中O作用,形成线性分子复合物,活化N2O分子中的N-O键,之后的反应路径为O-N键断裂机理;第二步为CaO+金属...     

Application of ring-closing metathesis to the synthesis of 19-functionalized derivatives of 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3

[STRUCTURE: SEE TEXT] The synthesis of the 19-functionalized derivative of vitamin D3 based on ring-closing metathesis (RCM) is presented.     

Theoretical studies on the reaction mechanism of palladium(0)-catalyzed addition of thiocyanates to alkynes

The reaction mechanism of the Pd(0)-catalyzed alkyne cyanothiolation reaction is investigated by MP2, CCSD(T) and the density functional method B3LYP. The overall reaction mechanism is examined. The B3LYP results are consistent with the results of CCSD(T) and MP2 methods for the isomerization, acetylene insertion and reductive elimination steps, but not for the oxidative addition step. For the oxidative addition, the bisphosphine and monophosphine pathways are competitive in B3LYP, while the bisphosphine one is preferred for CCSD(T) and MP2 methods. The electronic mechanisms for the oxidative addition of thiocyanate HS-CN to Pd(PH(3))(2) and Pd(PH(3)) and for the acetylene insertion into Pd-S and Pd-CN are discussed in terms of the electron-donation and back-donation. The chemo-selectivity that acetylene inserts into the Pd-S bond rather than into the Pd-CN bond is due to the involvement of the S p orbital. It is the doubly occupied S p unhybridized orbital that donates an electron to the alkylene pi* anti-bonding orbital, which makes insertion into Pd-S bond more favorable than into the Pd-CN bond. During the insertion into the Pd-S bond, the S sp(2) hybrid orbital and unhybridized p orbital transform into each other, while the C sp hybrid orbital shifts its direction for insertion into Pd-CN bond. By using the monosubstituted acetylenes (CN, Me and NH(2)), the influence of substituents at acetylene on the chemo- and regio-selectivities is analyzed.     

Theoretical studies on the mechanism and stereoselectivity of Rh(Phebox)-catalyzed asymmetric reductive aldol reaction

Density functional theory calculations (B3LYP) have been carried out to understand the mechanism and stereochemistry of an asymmetric reductive aldol reaction of benzaldehyde and tert-butyl acrylate with hydrosilanes catalyzed by Rh(Phebox-ip)(OAc)(2)(OH(2)). According to the calculations, the reaction proceeds via five steps: (1) oxidative addition of hydrosilane, (2) hydride migration to carbon-carbon double bond of tert-butyl acrylate, which determines the chirality at C2, (3) tautomerization from rhodium bound C-enolate to rhodium bound O-enolate, (4) intramolecular aldol reaction, which determines the chirality at C3 and consequently the anti/syn-selectivity, and (5) reductive elimination to release aldol product. The hydride migration is the rate-determining step with a calculated activation energy of 23.3 kcal mol(-1). In good agreement with experimental results, the formation of anti-aldolates is found to be the most favorable pathway. The observed Si-facial selectivity in both hydride migration and aldol reaction are well-rationalized by analyzing crucial transition structures. The Re-facial attack transition state is disfavored because of steric hindrance between the isopropyl group of the catalyst and the tert-butyl acrylate.     

SnCl2-catalyzed selective atom economic imino Diels-Alder reaction: synthesis of 2-(1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl)quinolines

The synthesis of 2-(1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl)quinolines by a SnCl(2)-catalyzed multicomponent reaction has been described. The reaction proceeds chemo- and regioselectively in an atom-economic way, generating a library of 24 quinoline derivatives.     

Antibacterial potential of N-(2-furylmethylidene)-1, 3, 4-thiadiazole-2-amine: Experimental and theoretical investigations

Recently, a lot of interest has been attributed to the Schiff base compound because of its wide range of biological activities which include: antibacterial, antifungal, antima larial, including; antiproliferative, antiviral, and antipyretic. In this research work, N-(2-furylmethylidene)-1, 3, 4-thiadiazole- 2-amine gotten from o-phenylenediamine and 5- methoxysalicaldehyde was produced and characterized using UV–Visible, FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and GC-MS along with molecular modeling using density functional theory (DFT) and molecular docking approach. The results obtained indicated that the Schiff base exhibited antimicrobial action against all the tested microbes except Candidaalbicans isolate, which exhibited zero diameter zone of inhibition. The theoretical investigations of the synthesized compounds were computed applying density functional theory at the B3LYP/6–31++G (d, p) level of theory and in silico molecular docking simulation. In comparing binding affinity energies and binding poses of the studied compound and the standard drug (ampicillin), the deduction that the molecular docking analysis results are in good agreement with in vitro analysis of the synthesized compounds can be made.