Menthyl cation

With respect to the biosyntheses of menthane-type monoterpenes, the menthyl cation C can either lose a proton resulting in the formation of Umonene (16), or it may be directly attacked by H O to give a-terpineol (17), which can... 

Superelectrophilic activation has also been proposed to be involved, based upon the reactivity of carbocations with molecular hydrogen (a a-donor).16 This chemistry is probably even involved in an enzymatic system that converts CO2 to methane. It was found that A. A -menthyl tetrahy-dromethanopterin (11) undergoes an enzyme-catalyzed reaction with H2 by hydride transfer to the pro-R position and releases a proton to give the reduced product 12 (eq 15). Despite the low nucleophilicity of H2, cations like the tert-butyl cation (13) are sufficiently electrophilic to react with H2 via 2 electron-3 center bond interaction (eq 16). However, due to stabilization (and thus delocalization) by adjacent nitrogen atoms, cations like the guanidinium ion system (14) do not react with H2 (eq 17). 

Figure 39. Molecular structure of the cation in [Co (Pli2PCH2)3CMe (S2CO—(-)-menthyl)]-[BPhJ.CHjClz.

By reaction of cationic carbonyl complexes with lithium carbanions, neutral acyl complexes are prepared. Whereas treatment of [> -CpFe(CO)3]BF4 with (a) PhLi gives the expected > -CpFe(CO)2 [C(0)Ph] in 80% yield, with (b) MeLi only traces of > -CpFe(CO)2 [C(0)Me] can be detected . This complex and other phosphane-substituted acyl compounds of the type f -CpM(CO)L[C(0)Me] [M = Fe, Ru L = CO, PPh3, P(hex)j], as well as >/ -CpMo(CO)2P(hex)3[C(0)Me] (prepared by different routes), are protonated with and alkylated with [R3 0]BF4 reversibly, yielding cationic hydroxy- and alkoxy(methyl)carbene complexes, respectively . The formation of the ( + )- and ( —)-acetyl complex / -CpFe(C0)(PPh3)[C(0)Me] from the ( + )-and ( —)-conformers of optically active > -CpFe(C0XPPh3)[C(0)0-menthyl] and MeLi occurs with inversion of configuration at the asymmetric iron atom . 

Irradiation of electron deficient arenes in the presence of cis-l,2-diphenylcyclopropane leads to formation of the trans isomer by an electron transfer mechanism. The reaction occurs by way of the radical cation of the cyclopropane which isomerises prior to back electron transfer. It has now been examined using menthyl and bornyl esters of benzene tetracarboxylic acid as chiral electron transfer sensitisers. °° Slight excesses of one of the enantiomers of the trans-1,2-diphenylcyclopropane were observed. The dicyanoanthracene sensitised reactions of 1,1,2,3-tetra-arylcyclopropanes have been studied.Depending on the substituents present on the arene rings these compounds rearrange to 1,1,3,3-tetra-arylpropenes. The rearrangement occurs in a ring opened radical cation intermediate. 

Diels-Alder reactions of cyclopentadiene with methyl acrylate [19], (-)-menthyl acrylate, or other chiral dienophiles [20-23] catalyzed by cation-exchanged KIO montmorillonites were thoroughly investigated by Mayoral and co-workers. The structures of the chiral dienophiles are depicted in Figure 1. Moderate diastereo-selectivities were obtained with (-)-menthyl acrylate (54 %) and (7 )-f -acryloyl-pantolactone (53 %) in reactions catalyzed by zinc(II)-exchanged KIO montmoril-lonite at —20 °C. 

K10 montmorillonites exchanged with different cations, dried at 120°C or calcined at 550°C, are used as catalysts in Diels-Alder reactions of methyl and (-)-menthyl acrylates with cyclopentadiene. In general, calcined clays give rise to better conversions and selectivities. Zr(IV) and specially Ti(IV) clays display the best catalytic activities. However, the best asymmetric induction is achieved with Cr(lll) and Ca(ll) calcined clays. Clays containing easily reducible cations behave differently due to the cyclopentadiene polymerization via radical cations. 

Clays [2] and zeolites [3] have been reported as good catalysts for Diels-Alder synthesis. Recently, we have studied the Diels-Alder cycloaddition between methyl acrylate (1) and cyclopentadiene (2) (Figure 1) and have shown that the solvent [4], the calcination of the solid [5] and the exchanged cation [6] play a decisive role. We now report the results obtained from the reactions of cyclopentadiene with methyl and (-)-menthyl acrylates, catalysed by K10 montmorillonites exchanged with different cations and dried at 120°C or calcined at 550°C. 

Table 3. Results obtained from the Diels-Alder reaction between (-)-menthyl acrylate (4) and cyclopentadiene (2), catalysed by cation exchanged K10 montmorillonites calcined at 550°C.

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