Consonant bifunctional relationship

The recognition of consonant bifunctional relationships in the target molecule allows their disconnection by a retro-Claisen, a retro-aldol or a retro-Mannich condensation or by retro-Michael addition [equivalent, according to Corey s formalisation, to the application of the corresponding transforms (= operators) to the appropriate retrons]. 

HP-4 EGA, in order to functionalise or create new consonant bifunctional relationships (new dissonances must be avoided) sometimes, introduce a double bond prior to disconnection of bonds (conjugated if a C=0 group is already present). 

Notations 1,2-D, 1,3-C, 1,4-D, etc., refer to the relative position of the two functional groups within the carbon chain. Notice that rings, even if they have no functionality, can be classified as either consonant or dissonant depending upon whether they have an even or an odd number of carbon atoms. Table 2.4 summarises all the possibilities for bifunctional relationships as well as for rings, whether they are carbocycles or heterocycles, and whether they are funtionalised or not. 

TABLE 2.4. Consonant and dissonant linear bifunctional relationships, carbocycles, and heterocycles... 

In principle, the synthesis of a consonant molecule or a bifunctional relationship within a more complex polyfunctional molecule, does not offer too many difficulties. In fact, all the classical synthetic methods of carbon-carbon bond formation that utilise reactions which are essentially reversible, lead to consonant relationships. For instance, the book by H.O. House "Modem Synthetic Reactions" [22], after dealing, for almost 500 pages, with functional group manipulations, devotes the last 350 pages to carbon-carbon bond formation, all of which lead to consonant relationships. These methods can, actually, be reduced to the following four classical condensations (and their variants) Claisen condensation, aldol condensation, Mannich condensation and Michael addition (Table 2.5). 

Bifunctional systems In the case of bifunctional systems (or molecules) only two alternatives are possible the bifunctional relationships are either "consonant" or "dissonant" (apart from molecules or systems with functional groups of type A to which we have referred to as "assonant"). In the first case, the synthetic problem will have been solved, in principle, in applying the "heuristic principle" HP-2 that is to say, the molecule will be disconnected according to a retro-Claisen, a retro-aldol or a retro-Mannich condensation, or a retro-Michael addition, proceeding if necessary by a prior adjustment of the heteroatom oxidation level (FGI). 

In contrast, the so-called bis-nor-Wieland-Miescher ketone (2) is a more complex synthetic problem, since the molecule is a multidissonant system with two dissonant bifunctional group relationships (1,4-D and 1,6-D) and two dissonant cyclopentane rings, besides a 1,5-consonant bifunctional group relationship. Its synthesis was only accomplished 30 years after the synthesis of its consonant homologue [5],... 

CHAOS, of course, also finds and shows (if required) all the bifunctional relationships which are classified as "consonant" and "dissonant". 

CONSONANT, which disconnect bifunctional consonant relationships (1,3-C and 1,5-C). 

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