A DFT study of the Diels–Alder reaction between methyl acrolein derivatives and cyclopentadiene. Understanding the effects of Lewis acids catalysts based on sulfur containing boron heterocycles

Theoretical investigation of the effect of hydrogen bonding on the stereoselectivity of the Diels–Alder reaction

Here, we report the computational prediction of high exo selectivities in a series of Diels–Alder reactions with H-bonding interaction.

Roles of Lewis Acid Catalysts in Diels-Alder Reactions between Cyclopentadiene and Methyl Acrylate

The Diels-Alder reaction of cyclopentadiene with methyl acrylate catalyzed by AlCl₃ has been theoretically investigated. M06-2X level DFT calculations have shown that the formation of two C-C bonds is asynchronous in the cycloaddition both in the endo path and in the exo path, thus making a good contrast to the well-known concept of [4+2] reactions based on the orbital symmetry arguments. It was found that the catalyst facilitates the cycloaddition and brings a higher endo selectivity in the highly asynchronous process, as compared with the reaction of the diene and the dienophile without the catalyst.

Theoretical study of the 1,3-DC reaction between fluorinated alkynes and azides: Reactivity indices, transition structures, IGM and ELF analysis

DFT/B3LYP/6-31 + g(d,p) calculations were performed and reactivity indices, transition structures theory were applied to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the reaction between fluorinated alkynes and different azides. The process of cycloaddition operates through a one-step mechanism and an asynchronous transition states. Examination of the energy profile in the gas phase show two possible 1,4 and 1,5 addition channels for amid, the former is preferred. Furthermore, the Parr functions have used to elucidate the reaction's regioselectivity. It was noted that the addition of solvent (DMSO) does not affect the regioselectivity of the reactions. Analysis of charge transfer in the transition structures shows a moderate polar character for the majority of the studied reactions. Moreover, the independent gradient model based on promolecular density (IGM) has been used to evaluate the asynchronicity of the formation of the two new sigma bonds. Finally, the ELF calculation has been performed to clearly describe the formation of the previous bonds along the IRC path.

Effects of Solvent and Side-Chain Length on the Cycloaddition of Cyclopentadiene to N-alkylmaleimides: A Dft Study

Quantum chemistry calculations have been performed to investigate the kinetics and mechanism of the cycloaddition reaction between cyclopentadiene and N-alkylmaleimides in the gas phase and different solvents. To investigate the effects of side-chain length on the cycloaddition reaction, the rate constants and kinetic parameters of the reaction between cyclopentadiene with N-methyl-, N-ethyl-, N-propyl- and N-butyl-maleimide were calculated. The results obtained indicate that the reaction in solvents is faster than in the gas phase. Moreover, the dipole moments of the transition states are larger than those of the reactants. Therefore, the reactions in the most polar solvent (water) are faster than in ethanol, n-hexane, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) and acetonitrile. Quantum mechanics-molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations on the reactions using the explicit solvent model for water and TFE indicate that hydrogen bond interactions of the solvents have a key role in the rate of the reaction and these are more important than the polarity of the solvent. Natural bond orbital analysis reveals that the charge transfer between the reactants in solvents is more than in the gas phase. Finally, HOMO–LUMO analysis indicates that solvents increase the reactivity of the reactants in comparison to the gas phase.

Why trans- or cis-Dimethyl Fumarate Addition to 2,5-Dimethylpyrrole Gives Exclusively trans-7-Azanorbornane

The addition mechanism of dimethyl fumarate into 2,5-dimethylpyrrole is explored using density functional theory (DFT) methods. Our calculations find that TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-3H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole) prefers to undergo two TpW(NO)(PMe3) migrations, two 1,5-hydride migrations, and one reductive elimination to isomerize into TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-1H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole), in which TpW(NO)(PMe3) plays a proton-transfer role. trans-Dimethyl fumarate and TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-1H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole) tend to adopt a concerted cycloaddition manner to afford trans-7-azanorbornane with a free-energy barrier of 21.8 kcal/mol. cis-Dimethyl fumarate and TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η(2)-1H-2,5-dimethylpyrrole) are the most likely to experience a concerted cycloaddition → ring opening → ring closing process to provide trans-7-azanorbornane in which the concerted cycloaddition and the ring-opening process are in dynamic equilibrium (with similar energy barriers of 21.5 and 21.9 kcal/mol, respectively). The presence of TpW(NO)(PMe3) not only promotes the cycloaddition of trans- or cis-dimethyl fumarate with 2,5-dimethylpyrrole by donating d-electrons of the W atom into the diene system of the Diels-Alder reaction, but also is favorable for the ring-opening process of the formed cis-7-azanorbornane. Furthermore, trans-azanorbornane is 7.4 kcal/mol more stable than cis-azanorbornane. Our calculations provide a new explanation of the addition of dimethyl fumarate with 2,5-dimethylpyrrole exclusively giving trans-7-azanorbornane.

Diels–Alder Reactions of α-Cyano α,β-Unsaturated Ketones with 2-Methyl-1,3-Butadiene: DFT Study of Mechanism, Reactivity and Regioselectivity

The mechanism, reactivity and regioselectivity of Diels–Alder cycloaddition reactions of 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene with four dienophiles, ( E)-2-benzylidene-3-oxobutanenitrile, ( E)-2-(furan-2-ylmethylene)-3-oxopentanenitrile, ( E)-2-benzylidene-4,4-dimethyl-3-oxopentanenitrile, and (E)-2-benzoyl-3-(furan-2-yl) acrylonitrile, have been studied by means of several theoretical approaches. The regioselectivity of these reactions has been confirmed by their activation energies, the Gazquez–Mendez rule, Houk's rule and global descriptors of the products. All the studied reactions have normal electron demand character and a polar nature. All calculations were done at the DFT-B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory.

Towards Understanding the Role of Lewis Acid on the Regioselectivity and Mechanism for the Acetylation Reaction of 2-benzoxazolinone with Acetyl Chloride: A DFT Study

A theoretical study of the role of the Lewis acid on the regioselectivity in the acylation reaction of 2-benzoxazolinone with acetyl chloride has been carried out through DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G** level of theory. FMO analysis and DFT-based reactivity indices predicted favourable of the 6-regioisomer product. Analysis of the potential energy surfaces indicates that this acylation reaction proceeds with high 6-regioselectivity due to the favourable interactions in this pathway. The results obtained corroborate very well with the experimental data.

Quantum chemical study of Diels-Alder reactions catalyzed by Lewis acid activated oxazaborolidines

The catalytic activity of Lewis acid activated oxazaborolidines in the Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and methacrolein is investigated by using the DFT method. Oxazaborolidine is not able to coordinate to methacrolein in the absence of AlBr3 because the bonding stabilization is too small to cover the destabilization arising from the deformation of the two species. Accordingly, oxazaborolidine hardly catalyzes the cycloaddition by itself. The calculations show that the attachment of AlBr3 to the nitrogen atom of oxazaborolidine enhances the Lewis acidity of its boron center and enables it to coordinate to methacrolein. When the AlBr3-assisted oxazaborolidine is once coordinated, the catalytic activity originates mainly from the oxazaborolidine framework, and to a smaller extent from the attached AlBr3 part. The Lewis acid AlBr3 plays an additional role to facilitate the reaction by reducing the overlap repulsion between the diene and the dienophile. The attachment of AlBr3 to the oxygen atom, another Lewis basic site in oxazaborolidine, also gives a stable AlBr3-oxazaborolidine complex, but the reaction catalyzed by this complex is not preferred to that catalyzed by the complex in which AlBr3 is attached to the nitrogen atom. The electrophilicity of boron center in oxazaborolidine and those in the AlBr3-oxazaborolidine complexes are compared in terms of localized reactive orbitals.

Net electrophilicity

The concept of net electrophilicity (electroaccepting power relative to electrodonating power) is introduced. It provides expected trends in most cases. A net electrophilicity scale is presented. Various reactivity descriptors for 32 molecules are calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d) level of theory. Profiles of net electrophilicity along the reaction paths of thermoneutral, exothermic, endothermic, and cycloaddition reactions are analyzed. Net electrophilicity often attains its minimum value for a stable state or a favorable reaction.

Understanding the mechanism of polar Diels-Alder reactions

A good correlation between the activation energy and the polar character of Diels-Alder reactions measured as the charge transfer at the transition state structure has been found. This electronic parameter controls the reaction rate to an even greater extent than other recognized structural features. The proposed polar mechanism, which is characterized by the electrophilic/nucleophilic interactions at the transition state structure, can be easily predicted by analyzing the electrophilicity/nucleophilicity indices defined within the conceptual density functional theory. Due to the significance of the polarity of the reaction, Diels-Alder reactions should be classified as non-polar (N), polar (P), and ionic (I).

Computational evaluation of enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions mediated by Corey's cationic oxazaborolidine catalysts

The cationic oxazaborolidine-catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions of butadiene and a series of five dienophiles have been studied using density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G(d)). In each case, the computational results successfully reproduce the experimentally observed sense of stereoinduction and enantiomeric ratio. The computed structures of the lowest energy Lewis acid-carbonyl complexes and Lewis acid-transition state complexes are closely related to the models for stereoselection proposed by Corey and co-workers.