Unconventional exo selectivity in thermal normal-electron-demand Diels-Alder reactions

Inducing high exo selectivity in Diels-Alder reaction by dimethylborane substituent: a DFT study

In this work, the role of Lewis acid-base (LAB) interaction on the stereoselectivity of the Diels-Alder (DA) reaction has been studied by DFT in gas and solution (dichloromethane) phases. The calculations were performed at the B3LYP/6-311G++ (d, p) level. Two different series of DA reactions were investigated: (1)-three mono-substituted cyclopentadienes + dimethyl(vinyl)borane; (2)-five α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds + cyclopenta-2,4-dien-1-yldimethylborane. The reacting diene and dienophile pairs were chosen to restrict LAB interaction to the exo reaction pathway. It was found that in some of the examined cases, the favorable LAB interaction is so strong that it can lead to a completely exo-selective DA reaction. Furthermore, a novel multistep synthetic method was hypothesized for preparing exo cycloadduct with near 100% stereoselectivity. Our results can open up new avenues toward the rational design of exo-selective DA reactions for synthesizing novel bioorganic compounds.

Novel Bisamide Alkaloids Enantiomers from Pepper Roots (Piper nigrum L.) with Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory and Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects

The roots of Piper nigrum L., a seasoning for cooking various types of broths, are renowned for their high nutritional content and potential medicinal benefits. In this study, nine pairs of novel cyclohexene-type bisamide alkaloids (1a/1b-9a/9b) were isolated from the pepper roots using molecular network analysis strategies. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic data, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and X-ray diffraction analyses. Using an intermolecular Diels-Alder reaction, a strategy for the synthesis of bisamide alkaloids from different monomeric amide alkaloids was developed. Furthermore, these compounds were chirally separated for the first time, and compounds 3a and 5a/5b showed significant anti-neuroinflammation effects in the models of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced BV2 microglial cells. Meanwhile, compounds 6b and 7a displayed concentration-dependent inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase with IC₅₀ values of 6.05 ± 1.10 and 3.81 ± 0.10 μM, respectively. These findings confirmed that these bisamide alkaloids could be applied in functional food formulations and pharmaceutical products as well as facilitate the further development and usage of pepper roots.

Cyclocarbonylation of Allenyl Glyoxylate Strategy to Build the Tricyclic Core of Cyclocalopin A

An approach for the construction of the tricyclic framework of naturally occurring cyclocalopin A is described. The establishment of the crucial intermediate α-methylene bis-γ,δ-lactone involves a [2 + 2 + 1]-cyclocarbonylation of newly introduced allenyl glyoxylate via direct methods using Mo(CO)₆ or sequential reaction pathways. The sequential reaction route involved a stannylative cyclization by Pd(0) catalyst, bromination of an vinyl stannane moiety, and final cyclocarbonylation by palladium catalysis to provide the bis-γ,δ-lactone. The feasibility of forming the spiro-system by an exo-selective [4 + 2]-cycloaddition was accomplished.

New Trends and Future Opportunities in the Enzymatic Formation of C-C, C-N, and C-O bonds

Organic chemistry provides society with fundamental products we use daily. Concerns about the impact that the chemical industry has over the environment is propelling major changes in the way we manufacture chemicals. Biocatalysis offers an alternative to other synthetic approaches as it employs enzymes, Nature's catalysts, to carry out chemical transformations. Enzymes are biodegradable, come from renewable sources, operate under mild reaction conditions, and display high selectivities in the processes they catalyse. As a highly multidisciplinary field, biocatalysis benefits from advances in different areas, and developments in the fields of molecular biology, bioinformatics, and chemical engineering have accelerated the extension of the range of available transformations (E. L. Bell et al., Nat. Rev. Meth. Prim. 2021, 1, 1-21). Recently, we surveyed advances in the expansion of the scope of biocatalysis via enzyme discovery and protein engineering (J. R. Marshall et al., Tetrahedron 2021, 82, 131926). Herein, we focus on novel enzymes currently available to the broad synthetic community for the construction of new C-C, C-N and C-O bonds, with the purpose of providing the non-specialist with new and alternative tools for chiral and sustainable chemical synthesis.

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Heilonine

Chemical transformations that rapidly and efficiently construct a high level of molecular complexity in a single step are perhaps the most valuable in total synthesis. Among such transformations is the transition metal catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloisomerization reaction, which forges three new C-C bonds and one or more rings in a single synthetic operation. We report here a strategy that leverages this transformation to open de novo access to the Veratrum family of alkaloids. The highly convergent approach described herein includes (i) the enantioselective synthesis of a diyne fragment containing the steroidal A/B rings, (ii) the asymmetric synthesis of a propargyl-substituted piperidinone (F ring) unit, (iii) the high-yielding union of the above fragments, and (iv) the intramolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloisomerization reaction of the resulting carbon framework to construct in a single step the remaining three rings (C/D/E) of the hexacyclic cevanine skeleton. Efficient late-stage maneuvers culminated in the first total synthesis of heilonine (1), achieved in 21 steps starting from ethyl vinyl ketone.

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.

Asymmetric Synthesis of 3,3′-Piperidinoyl Spirooxindoles and Discovery of Stereospecific Cycloadducts as Novel Hedgehog Pathway Modulators

An enantioselective hetero-Diels–Alder reaction of alkylidene­ oxindoles and 2-aza-3-silyloxy-1,3-butadienes, catalyzed by divalent transition metal complexes with N,N′-dioxide ligands offered an efficient access to natural-product-based 3,3′-piperidinoyl spiroox­indole class of small molecules. exo-Cycloadducts formed via stereospecific cycloaddition with Z-olefin displayed potent activity in modulation of hedgehog pathway.

The simplest Diels-Alder reactions are not endo-selective

There is a widespread perception that the high level of endo selectivity witnessed in many Diels-Alder reactions is an intrinsic feature of the transformation. In contrast to expectations based upon this existing belief, the first experimental Diels-Alder reactions of a novel, deuterium-labeled 1,3-butadiene with commonly used mono-substituted alkenic dienophiles (acrolein, methyl vinyl ketone, acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, acrylamide and acrylonitrile) reveal kinetic endo : exo ratios close to 1 : 1. Maleonitrile, butenolide, α-methylene γ-butyrolactone, and N-methylmaleimide behave differently, as does methyl vinyl ketone under Lewis acid catalysis. CBS-QB3 calculations incorporating solvent and temperature parameters give endo : exo product ratios that are in near quantitative agreement with these and earlier experimental findings. This work challenges the preconception of innate endo-selectivity by providing the first experimental evidence that the simplest Diels-Alder reactions are not endo-selective. Trends in behaviour are traced to steric and electronic effects in Diels-Alder transition structures, giving new insights into these fundamental processes.

Conceptual similarities between zeolites and artificial enzymes

Inspired by artificial enzymes, we have designed zeolites acting as scaffolds for a given Diels–Alder reaction using mimics of the reaction transition state.

By using a Diels–Alder (DA) reaction as a base case, we show that a pure silica zeolite acting as an entropy-trapping scaffold can be synthesized with an organic structure directing agent (OSDA) analogue of the transition state (TS) of the DA reaction. A cavity stabilization of the TS is observed with the corresponding decrease in the activation energy of the reaction. A lower enthalpy of activation and a larger decrease in entropy are obtained with the zeolite synthesized with the analogue of the DA TS when compared with other zeolitic structures. Those differences are maintained, while catalytic activity is increased, when active sites are introduced in the zeolite. The catalytic zeolitic system synthesized with the OSDA analogue of the TS shows conceptual similarities with “de novo design” of an artificial enzyme to perform DA reactions, in where a suitable scaffold of existing proteins is chosen, and computationally designed active sites able to catalyze the cycloaddition reaction are introduced.

exo/endo Selectivity Control in Diels-Alder Reactions of Geminal Bis(silyl) Dienes: Theoretical and Experimental Studies

The factors controlling the reactivity and exo/ endo selectivity of Diels-Alder reactions of geminal bis(silyl) dienes catalyzed by AlEt₂Cl are studied at the B3LYP-D3(BJ)(SMD,CH₂Cl₂)/6-31++G**//B3LYP-D3(BJ)(SMD,CH₂Cl₂)/6-31+G* theoretical level. The reaction proceeds via a two-stage one-step mechanism, and the AlEt₂Cl as a Lewis acid catalyst enhances the electrophilicity of the carbonyl compound by coordination, consequently accelerating a cycloaddition reaction with a low energy barrier. A geminal bis(silyl) group of the diene and an α-substituent in α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds adjust the interaction energy (Δ E_int) as well as the deformation energy (Δ E_strain) of the diene and dienophile, affecting the barrier height and the diastereochemical outcome accordingly. The steric repulsion between the geminal bis(silyl) group and Al(III) catalyst increases the Pauli repulsion energy (Δ E_Pauli) and strain energy of dienophile fragment (Δ E_{strain(dienophile-LA)}) in the endo pathway, ensuring the exo selectivity. The introduction of a halogen atom (Cl or Br) or methyl group at the α-position of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds increases the deformation energy of the diene fragment. Meanwhile, the noncovalent interactions (that is, dispersion and electrostatic interaction) stabilize the endo transition state, leading to predominant endo products. The theoretical predictions of the exo/ endo selectivity for Diels-Alder reactions of the substituted α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound with Cl or Br atoms by the DFT method are also well confirmed by experiment.

Molecular design principles towards exo-exclusive Diels–Alder reactions

The exo selective Diels–Alder reactions, reported as special cases, usually involve catalytic reaction conditions and specific cyclic structural motifs on the diene and/or the dienophile. Here we report a systematic computational investigation on the substituent effect for simple, linear dienes and dienophiles towards exo control in Diels–Alder reactions under thermal conditions. Through detailed characterization of reaction pathways for Diels–Alder cycloadditions between linear dienes and dienophiles with various substituents, we summarize a set of design principles aiming for an optimal and nearly-exclusive exo selectivity. These results shall lead to valuable guidelines and more versatile strategies in organic synthesis that are in accordance with the principles of green chemistry.

Exo-exclusive stereoselectivity for simple, terminal-substituted dienes and dienophiles may be achieved under thermal conditions through a delicate control of substituent identities.

Correlating the vibrational spectra of structurally related molecules: A spectroscopic measure of similarity

Using catastrophe theory and the concept of a mutation path, an algorithm is developed that leads to the direct correlation of the normal vibrational modes of two structurally related molecules. The mutation path is defined by weighted incremental changes in mass and geometry of the molecules in question, which are successively applied to mutate a molecule into a structurally related molecule and thus continuously converting their normal vibrational spectra from one into the other. Correlation diagrams are generated that accurately relate the normal vibrational modes to each other by utilizing mode-mode overlap criteria and resolving allowed and avoided crossings of vibrational eigenstates. The limitations of normal mode correlation, however, foster the correlation of local vibrational modes, which offer a novel vibrational measure of similarity. It will be shown how this will open new avenues for chemical studies. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stereoselective one-pot synthesis of polypropionates

Polypropionates—motifs with alternating methyl and hydroxy groups—are important segments of many natural products possessing high bioactivity and therapeutic value. Synthetic access to these structures remains an area of intensive interest, focusing on the establishment of the contiguous stereocentres and a desire for operational simplicity. Here we report an efficient strategy for the stereoselective assembly of polypropionates with three or four stereocentres through a three-step relay process that include Diels–Alder reaction, silylenol ether hydrolysis and Baeyer–Villiger oxidation. The stereochemistry and functionality of the resulting polypropionates depend on the substitution pattern of the diene and dienophile substrates of the Diels–Alder cycloaddition. More importantly, the relay sequence is effectively performed in one pot, and the product could potentially undergo the same sequence for further elaboration. Finally, the C1–C9 segment of the macrolide etnangien is constructed with four of the six stereogenic centres established using the relay sequence.

Polypropionates are present in many natural products possessing high bioactivity and therapeutic value. Here the authors show a strategy for the stereoselective assembly of polypropionates with three or four stereocentres through a process that includes a Diels–Alder reaction, silylenol ether hydrolysis and Baeyer–Villiger oxidation.