‘Self‐terminating radical cyclizations’ – new insight into the mechanism of the termination step from computational studies

Computational methods were used to gain detailed insight into the mechanism of self‐terminating radical cyclizations, which are initiated by intermolecular addition of O‐centred radicals XO^? to alkynes. The calculations were performed for the reaction of NO, SO, and AcO^? with cyclodecyne ( 1 ) and 5‐cyclodecynone ( 2 ), respectively. Whereas radical addition and the subsequent transannular radical translocation steps are energetically highly favourable processes for the various XO^?, the terminating homolytic β‐fragmentation of the O? X bond in the intermediate α‐oxy radicals 10 – 13 shows a strong dependence on the nature of X. Using simplified model systems, the fragmentation was explored in detail, which revealed that the rate of this step is primarily determined by the strength of the O? X bond and only to a minor extent by the ability of the X moiety to stabilize an unpaired electron in the transition state. However, the cleavage is exothermic, when the released radical X^? is resonance stabilized, e.g. NO, SO, and Bn^?, respectively. In those cases where the unimolecular β‐fragmentation of the O? X bond is slow, termination could also proceed through a bimolecular radical chain process involving the α‐oxy radical intermediate 10 – 13 and the precursor of XO^?, e.g. the Barton PTOC ester 18 or Kim's dithiocarbamate 20 , respectively. Alternative termination mechanisms via oxidation of 10 – 13 can be ruled out under the usual experimental conditions of self‐terminating radical cyclizations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.