Controlling symmetry

Aggregates, controlling symmetry, 446 Aggregation, molecular orbital modeling, 457-470... 

Often it is possible to resolve vibrational structure of electronic transitions. In this section we will briefly review the symmetry selection rules and other factors controlling the intensity of individual vibronic bands. 

Concerted cycloadditions are observed with heterocyclics of all ring sizes. The heterocycles can react directly, or via a valence tautomer, and they can utilize all or just a part of unsaturated moieties in their rings. With three-membered rings, ylides are common reactive valence tautomers. Open chain 47T-systems are observed as intermediates with four-membered rings, and bicyclic valence tautomers are commonly reactive species in additions by large rings. Very often these reactive valence tautomers are formed under orbital symmetry control, both by thermal and by photochemical routes. 

Diene moieties, reactive in [2 + 4] additions, can be formed from benzazetines by ring opening to azaxylylenes (Section 5.09.4.2.3). 3,4-Bis(trifluoromethyl)-l,2-dithietene is in equilibrium with hexafluorobutane-2,3-dithione, which adds alkenes to form 2,3-bis-(trifluoromethyl)-l,4-dithiins (Scheme 17 Section 5.15.2.4.6). Systems with more than two conjugated double bonds can react by [6ir + 2ir] processes, which in azepines can compete with the [47t + 27t] reaction (Scheme 18 Section 5.16.3.8.1). Oxepins prefer to react as 47t components, through their oxanorcaradiene isomer, in which the 47r-system is nearly planar (Section 5.17.2.2.5). Thiepins behave similarly (Section 5.17.2.4.4). Nonaromatic heteronins also react in orbital symmetry-controlled [4 + 2] and [8 + 2] cycloadditions (Scheme 19 Section 5.20.3.2.2). 

A complete mechanistic description of these reactions must explain not only their high degree of stereospecificity, but also why four-ir-electron systems undergo conrotatory reactions whereas six-Ji-electron systems undergo disrotatory reactions. Woodward and Hoifinann proposed that the stereochemistry of the reactions is controlled by the symmetry properties of the HOMO of the reacting system. The idea that the HOMO should control the course of the reaction is an example of frontier orbital theory, which holds that it is the electrons of highest energy, i.e., those in the HOMO, that are of prime importance. The symmetry characteristics of the occupied orbitals of 1,3-butadiene are shown in Fig. 11.1. 

Suggest mechanisms for the following reactions. Classify the orbital symmetry-controlled process as clearly as you can with respect to type. 

The photochemistry of alkenes and dienes has already been mentioned in connection with the principles of orbital symmetry control in electrocyclic and cycloaddition processes in Section 13.2. Cycloadditions are considered, from a synthetic viewpoint, in Chapter 6 of Part B. This section will emphasize unimolecular photoreactions of alkenes and dienes. 

Orbital symmetry control of subsequent ring opening could account for isomerization at only one of the double bonds. Taking ij/ as the controlling frontier orbital, it can be seen that a concerted return to ip2 to rotation at only one terminus of the diene ... 

In crystals, the response of the crystal to a longitudinal loading may produce deformation controlled by the crystal symmetry that is not uniaxial... 

A cycloaddition reaction is one in which two unsaturated molecules add to one another, yielding a cyclic product. As with electrocyclic reactions, cycloadditions are controlled by the orbital symmetry of the reactants. Symmetry-allowed... 

A pericyclic reaction is one that takes place in a single step through a cyclic transition state without intermediates. There are three major classes of peri-cyclic processes electrocyclic reactions, cycloaddition reactions, and sigmatropic rearrangements. The stereochemistry of these reactions is controlled by the symmetry of the orbitals involved in bond reorganization. 

H-Azepines 1 undergo a temperature-dependent dimerization process. At low temperatures a kinetically controlled, thermally allowed [6 + 4] 7t-cycloaddition takes place to give the un-symmetrical e.w-adducts, e.g. 2.231-248-249 At higher temperatures (100-200°C) the symmetrical, thermodynamically favored [6 + 6] rc-adducts, e.g. 3, are produced. These [6 + 6] adducts probably arise by a radical process, since a concerted [6 + 6] tt-cycloaddition is forbidden on orbital symmetry grounds, as is a thermal [l,3]-sigmatropic C2 —CIO shift of the unsym-metrical [6 + 4] 7t-dimer. 

The C2 symmetry of sulfide 13 means that a single diastereomer is formed upon alkylation (Scheme 1.10). Attack from the Si face of the ylide is preferred as the Re face is shielded by the methyl group cis to the benzylidene group (28). Metzner postulates that this methyl group also controls the conformation of the ylide, as a steric clash in 27b renders 27a more favorable [16]. However, computational studies by Goodman revealed that 27a was not particularly favored over 27b, but it was substantially more reactive, thus providing the high enantioselectivity observed... 

In order to synthesize 1,3-diphenyl-l, 3-diamines 3 containing a C2 axis of symmetry, which can be employed as auxiliaries and controller groups in asymmetric syntheses, the diastereoselective addition of organometallic reagents to racemic pyrazolines 2, prepared from cinnamaldehyde (l)23, was investigated. 

According to frontier molecular orbital theory (FMO), the reactivity, regio-chemistry and stereochemistry of the Diels-Alder reaction are controlled by the suprafacial in phase interaction of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of one component and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the other. [17e, 41-43, 64] These orbitals are the closest in energy Scheme 1.14 illustrates the two dominant orbital interactions of a symmetry-allowed Diels-Alder cycloaddition. 

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