Geranyl carbocation

Following this initial SN1 reaction, loss of the pro-R hydrogen gives geranyl diphosphate, itself an allylic diphosphate that dissociates a second time. Reaction of the geranyl carbocation with water in a second S>jl reaction, followed by loss of a proton, then yields geraniol. 

The sizable secondary-D KIEs observed for 512-D3,T are explained by slight destabilization of the intermediate geranyl carbocation/MgOPP2- anion pairs at the enzyme active site, and by the weaker electron-donating capacity of the deuteriomethyl group. 

Two units of isopentenyl pyrophosphate are combined with one Cioatom unit— geranyl pyrophosphate, which loses its pyrophosphate group to form a unstabile intermediate— geranyl carbocation ... 

Geranyl pyrophosphate is an allylic pyrophosphate and like dimethylallyl pyrophosphate can act as an alkylating agent toward a molecule of isopentenyl pyrophosphate A 15 carbon carbocation is formed which on deprotonation gives/ar nesyl pyrophosphate... 

Geranyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate are analogues of dimethylallyl diphosphate that contain two and three C5 subunits respectively they can undergo exactly the same SnI reactions as does dimethylallyl diphosphate. In all cases, a carbocation mechanism is favoured by the resonance stabilization of the allylic carbocation. Dimethylallyl diphosphate, geranyl diphosphate, and farnesyl diphosphate are precursors for natural terpenoids and steroids. 

The possibility of nucleophilic attack on different carbons in the resonance-stabilized carbocation facilitates another modification exploited by nature during terpenoid metabolism. This is a change in double-bond stereochemistry in the allylic system. The interconversions of geranyl diphosphate, linalyl diphosphate, and neryl diphosphate provide neat but satisfying examples of the chemistry of simple allylic carbocations. 

As shown in Figure 28.2, the allylic carbocation that is produced after pyrophosphate has left from dimethylallyl pyrophosphate adds to the double bond of isopentenyl pyrophosphate to produce a new carbocation containing 10 carbons. Loss of a proton from this carbocation produces geranyl pyrophosphate, which serves as the precursor... 

Isomerization of the double bond of geranyl pyrophosphate from to 7 produces neryl pyrophosphate. As shown in Figure 28.3, the carbocation that is formed from neryl pyrophosphate can cyclize to a new carbocation that contains a six-membered ring. Nucleophilic addition of water to this carbocation produces a-terpenol, whereas loss of a proton produces limonene, a monoterpene with a lemonlike odor that occurs in citrus fruits. Further transformations lead to other monoterpenes, such as menthol,... 

Sesquiterpenes have 15 carbons. The parent for this family is famesyl pyrophosphate, which is produced by the addition of the carbocation derived from geranyl pyrophosphate to isopentenyl pyrophosphate. This reaction is very similar to the formation of geranyl pyrophosphate shown in Figure 28.2. 

Figure 5.6 Proposed mechanism for the cyclization of geranyl diphosphate to sabinene and sabinene hydrate under catalysis by monoterpene synthases the reaction begins with the hydrolysis of the diphosphate moiety to generate a resonance-stabilized carbocation (1) the carbocation then isomerizes to an intermediate capable of cyclization by return of the diphosphate (2) and rotation around a single bond (3) after a second diphosphate hydrolysis (4) the resulting carbocation undergoes a cyclization (5) a hydride shift (6) and a second cyclization (7) before the reaction terminates by deprotonation (8) or capture of the cation by water (9). Cyclizations, hydride shifts and a variety of other rearrangements of carbocationic intermediates are a characteristic of the mechanisms of terpene synthases. No known terpene synthase actually produces both sabinene and sabinene hydrate these are shown to indicate the possibilities for reaction termination. PP indicates a diphosphate moiety.

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