Alkenes mixtures, steric effect

While monosubstituted alkenes usually react with high regioselectivity, it is not true for disubstituted alkenes. Formation of mixtures of type 163 and 164 (equation 105) has been observed in most cases when unsymmetrical alkenes bearing two different substituents possess similar stereoelectronic properties. In general, regioselectivity is controlled by a combination of HOMO-LUMO interactions, steric effects and hydrogen bonding between suitable substituents in both alkene and nitrone molecules . ... 

Nitrile oxides undergo efficient [3-1-2] cycloadditions with alkynes and alkenes to generate isoxazoles and 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles, respectively. With unsymmetrical dipolarophiles there exists the possibility of regioisomeric mixtures of products however, it is generally found that steric effects control the regioselectivity and the more encumbered end of the dipolarophile becomes attached to the oxygen of the nitrile oxide. Thus, terminal alkynes and alkenes afford almost exclusively 3,5-disubstituted isoxazoles and dihydroisoxazoles, respectively (Scheme 91). 

As discussed in Section 3.1.11.1, which covers the reductive cleavage of the 3-hydroxy sulfone derivatives to alkenes, the Julia reaction proceeds by the formation of an anion that is able to equilibrate to the thermodynamic mixture prior to elimination. Therefore, there is no inherent advantage in producing the erthyro- or threo-fi-hydroxy sulfone selectively fix>m the keto sulfone. The ( )/(Z)-mixture of alkenes should be the same. This method is used to produce alkenes in cases where the acid derivative is more readily available or more reactive. The reaction of the sulfone anion with esters to form the keto sulfone, followed by reduction with metal hydrides has been studied. The steric effects in the reduction do become important for the reaction to produce vinyl sulfones, which are formed from the anti elimination of the 3-hydroxy sulfone adduct, as mentioned in Section 3.1.11.6.2. Some examples of the use of esters are presented below. 

Fluorinated alkenes have been reported to give cyclobutane derivatives by thermal additions to other alkenes. Olefins in their ground electronic states have not been observed to give stereospecific cycloaddition one with another whereas a carbon-carbon double bond which is part of an allene or keten will undergo stereospecific concerted cycloadditions. The separate reactions of tetrafluoroethylene with cis- and trans-[l,2- H2]ethylene, which should not be subject to an adverse steric effect, have been studied to establish whether these reactions are stereospecific. Identical mixtures of products were obtained from both reactions, as expected if they proceed through the... 

The regioselectivity of nitrone cycloadditions is usually effected by both steric and electronic factors. In nitrone cycloadditions of monosubstituted electron-deficient alkenes under thermal conditions, electronic control steers the nitrone oxygen to the (3-carbon of acceptor, whereas steric factors direct it to the a-carbon. Accordingly, a mixture of two regioisomers is produced under thermal conditions, as shown in Scheme 11.44 for dimethyl 2-oxo-3-butenylphosphonate. With Ti(0 i-Pr)2Cl2, which coordinates in a bidentate chelated fashion with this dipolarophile, only the 4-acyl regioisomer is produced (158). 

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