A Computational Study on the Stereo- and Regioselective Formation of the C4α-C6' Bond of Tethered Catechin Moieties by an Exhaustive Search of the Transition States

Mechanistic insights into the stereocontrolling non-covalent π interactions in Pd-catalyzed redox-relay Heck arylation reaction

The mechanism and origin of enantioselectivity of palladium-catalyzed redox-relay Heck arylation of 1,1-disubstituted homoallylic alcohols were investigated computationally. The computed mechanism consists of an initial migratory insertion, followed by a β-hydride elimination, and a subsequent re-insertion/elimination process to yield an enol intermediate, which tautomerizes to the more stable carbonyl product. Results from DFT calculations suggest that the key enantiodetermining step is the reinsertion of an alkene intermediate into the Pd-H bond, but not the initial migratory insertion of the substrate into the Pd-Aryl species. By comparing two chiral pyridine oxazoline ligands with a focus on the phenyl versus tert-butyl substituent effects, a plethora of attractive non-covalent π interactions, including CH-π interaction, lone pair-π interaction and T-shaped π-π interaction, are identified to play a key role in enabling high enantioselectivity of this reaction. This work provides mechanistic insights into the comprehensive understanding of this catalytic cascade, and highlights the significant role played by non-covalent π interactions in its enantiocontrol.

Lone Pair-π Interactions in Organic Reactions

Noncovalent interactions between a lone pair of electrons and π systems can be categorized into two types based on the nature of π systems. Lone pair-π(C═O) interactions with π systems of unsaturated, polarized bonds are primarily attributed to orbital interactions, whereas lone pair-π(Ar) interactions with π systems of aromatic functional groups result from electrostatic attractions (for electron-deficient aryls) or dispersion attractions and Pauli repulsions (for electron-rich/neutral aryls). Unlike well-established noncovalent interactions, lone pair-π interactions have been comparatively underappreciated or less used to influence reaction outcomes. This review emphasizes experimental and computational studies aimed at integrating lone pair-π interactions into the design of catalytic systems and utilizing these interactions to regulate the reactivity and selectivity of chemical transformations. The role of lone pair-π interactions is highlighted in the stabilization or destabilization of transition states and ground-state binding. Examples influenced by lone pair-π interactions with both unsaturated, polarized bonds and aromatic rings as π systems are included. At variance with previous reviews, the present review is not structured according to the physical origin of particular classes of lone pair-π interactions but is divided into chapters according to ways in which lone pair-π interactions affect kinetics and/or selectivity of reactions.

Computational Analysis of the Selective Formation of the C4α-C8' Bond in the Intermolecular Coupling of Catechin Derivatives

Procyanidin B3 is a natural flavonoid composed of two catechins connected via a C4α-C8' bond. The couplings of catechin derivatives, promoted by Lewis acids, have been widely applied to the syntheses of procyanidin B3 and related flavonoids because the reactions construct the C4α-C8' bond in a highly stereo- and regioselective manner. However, the structural complexity of the catechin derivatives has complicated the exploration of a detailed mechanism for this selectivity. Here, we report the results of a computational study to provide plausible origins for the selective C4α-C8' bond formation of catechin derivatives 1 and 2 by using models 5 and 7. Although a systematic search did not provide S_N2-like transition states, we successfully identified transition states TS-A, TS-B, and TS-C for the S_N1-type C4α-C8', C4β-C8', and C4α-C6' bond formations, respectively, from a total of 233 transition states to justify the stereo- and regioselectivity of the experimental results. The analysis of these structures by NCIPLOT mapping and the distortion/interaction strain model suggests that the eclipsed interaction at the forming C-C bond between the electrophile and the nucleophile destabilizes TS-B, while the strain of the electrophile destabilizes TS-C. Consequently, the C4α-C8' bond is formed via the lowest energy transition state TS-A.