Can boron antisites of BNNTs be an efficient metal-free catalyst for nitrogen fixation? – A DFT investigation

Nitrogen fixation is a challenging reaction under ambient conditions.

Stereo-, Regio-, and Chemoselective [3 + 2]-Cycloaddition of (2E,4E)-Ethyl 5-(Phenylsulfonyl)penta-2,4-dienoate with Various Azomethine Ylides, Nitrones, and Nitrile Oxides: Synthesis of Pyrrolidine, Isoxazolidine, and Isoxazoline Derivatives and a Computational Study

One-pot chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective synthesis of series of heterocyclic and spiroheterocyclic compounds was accomplished through mono- and bis[3 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions of (2E,4E)-ethyl 5-(phenylsulfonyl)penta-2,4-dienoate as a dipolarophile with azomethine ylides, nitrones, and nitrile oxides in good yields. The structures of the products were established by spectroscopic techniques as well as by single-crystal XRD study, and DFT calculations were performed to further understand the mechanism of this [3 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction.