Aldol reaction base-catalyzed mechanism

The aldol reaction is catalyzed by acid as well as by base. What is the reactive nucleophile in the acid-catalyzed aldoJ reaction Propose a mechanism. 

Entries 1 and 2 in Scheme 2.1 illustrate the preparation of aldol reaction products by the base-catalyzed mechanism. In entry 1, the product is a /< -hydroxya I dehyde, whereas in entry 2 dehydration has occurred and the product is an a,/f-unsaturated aldehyde. 

Step 2 is the isomerization of glucose to fructose. This reaction involves the conversion of the aldohexose into the 2-ketohexose. Retro-aldol reaction of the aldohexose leads to a C4 and C2 sugar, whereas the ketohexose leads to the two trioses, dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and glyceraldehyde (GLY). As the pathway to LA involves the trioses, selective glucose isomerization is essential, its conversion being limited by equilibrium in the operational temperature window. The isomerization of aldo- to ketoses can proceed via an acid-catalyzed hydride shift, a base-catalyzed mechanism with a proton shift (and intermediate enol), or via a concerted 1,2-hydride shift in neutral media [96, 97]. The latter isomerization mechanism occurs at mild temperatures (100°C) in the presence of Lewis acid catalysts, first... 

Catechol and related phenolics 13,16,19, 31, and 32 were also isolated after alkaline treatment of D-glucose and sucrose. Several other substituted acetophenones were isolated. The mechanism of formation of phenolic compounds from monosaccharides under alkaline conditions has yet to be thoroughly investigated. The similarity in the types of aromatic products from D-glucose and D-xylose indicates the formation of the same C2, C3, or C4 fragments, with subsequent recombination and cycliza-tion. Base-catalyzed aldol reactions are, no doubt, predominant pathways in the initial formation of these aromatic products. 

Self-addition of fragments occurs by the familiar, base-catalyzed, aldol mechanism. This reaction shows general, base catalysis,139-140 indicating that the rate-controlling step is the formation of the anion (80). As it is this anion that is liberated in the cleavage process of the... 

The mechanism A very detailed mechanistic study of this phosphoramide-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reaction was conducted by the Denmark group (see also Section 6.2.1.2) [59, 60], Mechanistically, the chiral phosphoramide base seems to coordinate temporarily with the silicon atom of the trichlorosilyl enolates, in contrast with previously used chiral Lewis acids, e.g. oxazaborolidines, which interact with the aldehyde. It has been suggested that the hexacoordinate silicate species of type I is involved in stereoselection (Scheme 6.15). Thus, this cationic, diphosphoramide silyl enolate complex reacts through a chair-like transition structure. 

The basic principles of the mechanism of this Lewis-base-catalyzed aldol reaction have already been described in Section 6.2.1.1. With regard to the course of the enantio- and diastereoselective formation of aldol adducts with two stereogenic centers, it is proposed that synthesis of anti-products proceeds via a chair-like transition structure. A distinctive feature of the cationic transition state complex is a hexacoordinated silicon atom bearing two chiral phosphoramide molecules as ligands (Scheme 6.30). 

A detailed study of the reaction mechanism based on quantum mechanical calculations was reported very recently by Houk and List et al. [96]. In this connection, the ratio of the four stereoisomeric products in the proline-catalyzed dia-stereo- and enantioselective aldol reaction was predicted and excellent agreement... 

For the proline- and proline congener-catalyzed aldol reaction [23, 24], a mechanism based on enamine formation is proposed [25], Scheme 7. The catalytic process starts with condensation of the secondary amino group of proline with a carbonyl substrate leading to a nucleophilic enamine intermediate, which mimics the condensation of the active-site lysine residue with a carbonyl substrate in type I aldolases. The adjacent carboxylic acid group of the enamine intermediate... 

Fig. 13.49. Mechanisms of base-catalyzed aldol reactions aldol addition (steps 1 and 2) and aldol condensation (up to and including step 4).

The general principles for proposing reaction mechanisms, first introduced in Chapter 4 and summarized in Appendix 3 A, are applied here to a crossed aldol condensation. This example emphasizes a base-catalyzed reaction involving strong nucleophiles. In drawing mechanisms, be careful to draw all the bonds and substituents of each carbon atom involved. Show each step separately, and draw curved arrows to show the movement of electrons from the nucleophile to the electrophile. 

Predict the products of aldol and crossed aldol reactions before and after dehydra- Problems 22-62, 64, 67, 68, 69, tion of the products. Give mechanisms for the acid-catalyzed and base-catalyzed 72, 73, 76, 79, 80, and 81... 

A reaction involved in the metabolism of sugars is the splitting of fructose- 1,6-diphosphate to give glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate. In the living system, this retro-aldol is catalyzed by an enzyme called aldolase however, it can also be catalyzed by a mild base. Propose a mechanism for the base-catalyzed reaction. 

The mechanism is similar to that of the barium-catalyzed direct aldol reaction (Scheme 16). The reaction commences with deprotonation of the ketone (2) by the Br0nsted base unit of the catalyst under generation of the enolate 81. After addition of the aldehyde 1 the Lewis acid-base adduct 82 is formed. Then the reaction of the aldehyde and the enolate occurs (82 83). After... 

In the aldol reaction,the a carbon of one aldehyde or ketone molecule adds to the carbonyl carbon of another. Although acid-catalyzed aldol reactions are known,the most common form of the reaction uses a base. There is evidence that an SET mechanism can intervene when the substrate is an aromatic ketone. " Although hydroxide was commonly used in early versions of this reaction, stronger bases, such as alkoxides (RO ) or amides (R2N ), are also common. Amine bases have been used. Hydroxide ion is not a strong enough base to convert substantially all of an aldehyde or ketone molecule to the corresponding enolate ion, that is., the equilibrium lies well to the left, for both aldehydes and... 

The Knoevenagel condensation is a base-catalyzed aldol-type reaction, and the exact mechanism depends on the substrates and the type of catalyst used. The first proposal for the mechanism was set forth by A.C.O. Hann and A. Lapworth Hann-Lapworth mechanism) In 1904." When tertiary amines are used as catalysts, the formation of a p-hydroxydlcarbonyl Intermediate is expected, which undergoes dehydration to afford the product. On the other hand, when secondary or primary amines are used as catalyst, the aldehyde and the amine condense to form an Imlnlum salt that then reacts with the enolate. Finally, a 1,2-ellmlnatlon gives rise to the desired a,p-unsaturated dicarbonyl or related compounds. The final product may undergo a Michael addition with the excess enolate to give a bis adduct. 

The Robinson annulation has three distinct steps the Michael addition of the enol or enolate across the double bond of the a,(3-unsaturated ketone to produce a 1,5-diketone (Michael adduct), followed by an intramolecular aldol reaction, which affords a cyclic (3-hydroxy ketone (keto alcohol), and finally a base-catalyzed dehydration which gives rise to the substituted cyclohexenone. An alternative mechanism via disrotatory electrocyclic ring closure is possible. ... 

The Knoevenagel reaction, the condensation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with aldehydes to give unsaturated compounds, is catalyzed by 2° amines. A perfectly reasonable mechanism involving deprotonation of the 1,3-dicarbonyl compound by base, aldol reaction with the ketone, and Elcb elimination of H2O can be drawn. However, the Knoevenagel reaction does not proceed nearly so well using 3° amines, suggesting that the amine does not simply act as a base. 

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