Orbitals stereospecific

Note that the stereochemistry comes out right. H s a and b are cis because they were cis in the starting quinone and the Diels-Alder reaction is stereospecific in this respect. H is also cis to and H " because the Diels-Alder reaction is stereoselectively endo. These points are described in more detail in Norman p.284-6 and explained in Ian Fleming Frontier Orbitals and Organic Chemical Reactions, Wiley 1976, p. 106-109. How would you make diene A ... 

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. 

Cycloaddition involves the combination of two molecules in such a way that a new ring is formed. The principles of conservation of orbital symmetry also apply to concerted cycloaddition reactions and to the reverse, concerted fragmentation of one molecule into two or more smaller components (cycloreversion). The most important cycloaddition reaction from the point of view of synthesis is the Diels-Alder reaction. This reaction has been the object of extensive theoretical and mechanistic study, as well as synthetic application. The Diels-Alder reaction is the addition of an alkene to a diene to form a cyclohexene. It is called a [47t + 27c]-cycloaddition reaction because four tc electrons from the diene and the two n electrons from the alkene (which is called the dienophile) are directly involved in the bonding change. For most systems, the reactivity pattern, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity are consistent with describing the reaction as a concerted process. In particular, the reaction is a stereospecific syn (suprafacial) addition with respect to both the alkene and the diene. This stereospecificity has been demonstrated with many substituted dienes and alkenes and also holds for the simplest possible example of the reaction, that of ethylene with butadiene ... 

Spin orbitals, 258, 277, 279 Square well potential, in calculation of thermodynamic quantities of clathrates, 33 Stability of clathrates, 18 Stark effect, 378 Stark patterns, 377 Statistical mechanics base, clathrates, 5 Statistical model of solutions, 134 Statistical theory for clathrates, 10 Steam + quartz system, 99 Stereoregular polymers, 165 Stereospecificity, 166, 169 Steric hindrance, 376, 391 Steric repulsion, 75, 389, 390 Styrene methyl methacrylate polymer, 150... 

In a photochemical cycloaddition, one component is electronically excited as a consequence of the promotion of one electron from the HOMO to the LUMO. The HOMO -LUMO of the component in the excited state interact with the HOMO-LUMO orbitals of the other component in the ground state. These interactions are bonding in [2+2] cycloadditions, giving an intermediate called exciplex, but are antibonding at one end in the [,i4j + 2j] Diels-Alder reaction (Scheme 1.17) therefore this type of cycloaddition cannot be concerted and any stereospecificity can be lost. According to the Woodward-Hoffmann rules [65], a concerted Diels-Alder reaction is thermally allowed but photochemically forbidden. 

It must be emphasized once again that the rules apply only to cycloaddition reactions that take place by cyclic mechanisms, that is, where two s bonds are formed (or broken) at about the same time. The rule does not apply to cases where one bond is clearly formed (or broken) before the other. It must further be emphasized that the fact that the thermal Diels-Alder reaction (mechanism a) is allowed by the principle of conservation of orbital symmetry does not constitute proof that any given Diels-Alder reaction proceeds by this mechanism. The principle merely says the mechanism is allowed, not that it must go by this pathway. However, the principle does say that thermal 2 + 2 cycloadditions in which the molecules assume a face-to-face geometry cannot take place by a cyclic mechanism because their activation energies would be too high (however, see below). As we shall see (15-49), such reactions largely occur by two-step mechanisms. Similarly. 2 + 4 photochemical cycloadditions are also known, but the fact that they are not stereospecific indicates that they also take place by the two-step diradical mechanism (mechanism... 

It is possible that some of these photochemical cycloadditions take place by a lA + A] mechanism, which is of course allowed by orbital symmetry when and if they do, one of the molecules must be in the excited singlet state (5i) and the other in the ground state.The nonphotosensitized dimerizations of cis- and trans-2-butene are stereospecific,making it likely that the [n2s + n2s] mechanism is operating in these reactions. However, in most cases it is a triplet excited state that reacts with the ground-state molecule in these cases the diradical (or in certain... 

The chemical reactions through cyclic transition states are controlled by the symmetry of the frontier orbitals [11]. At the symmetrical (Cs) six-membered ring transition state of Diels-Alder reaction between butadiene and ethylene, the HOMO of butadiene and the LUMO of ethylene (Scheme 18) are antisymmetric with respect to the reflection in the mirror plane (Scheme 24). The symmetry allows the frontier orbitals to have the same signs of the overlap integrals between the p-or-bital components at both reaction sites. The simultaneous interactions at the both sites promotes the frontier orbital interaction more than the interaction at one site of an acyclic transition state. This is also the case with interaction between the HOMO of ethylene and the LUMO of butadiene. The Diels-Alder reactions occur through the cyclic transition states in a concerted and stereospecific manner with retention of configuration of the reactants. 

A reasonable idea of the stability of the stereoisomeric trigonal vinyl cations can be gained from the behavior of vinyl anions and radicals. It is known that the interconversion between stereoisomeric vinyl anions is fairly slow, with an activation energy of the order of 18-24 kcal/mole (171). On the other hand, inversion of stereoisomeric vinyl radicals is reasonably rapid, even at fairly low temperatures, with an activation energy of the order of 2-8 kcal/mole (172). Hence, extrapolating from the electron-rich vinyl anion through the neutral vinyl radical to the electron-deficient vinyl cation, one would expect rapid interconversion between stereoisomeric vinyl cations and only a small amount (if any) of stereospecificity. To put it differently, the vinyl cation should be mostly linear with an empty p orbital and very little trigonal character. 

Hydroboration is a stereospecific syn addition that occurs through a four-center TS with simultaneous bonding to boron and hydrogen. The new C—B and C—H bonds are thus both formed from the same face of the double bond. In molecular orbital terms, the addition is viewed as taking place by interaction of the filled alkene it orbital with the empty p orbital on boron, accompanied by concerted C—H bond formation.158... 

Photocycloaddition of Alkenes and Dienes. Photochemical cycloadditions provide a method that is often complementary to thermal cycloadditions with regard to the types of compounds that can be prepared. The theoretical basis for this complementary relationship between thermal and photochemical modes of reaction lies in orbital symmetry relationships, as discussed in Chapter 10 of Part A. The reaction types permitted by photochemical excitation that are particularly useful for synthesis are [2 + 2] additions between two carbon-carbon double bonds and [2+2] additions of alkenes and carbonyl groups to form oxetanes. Photochemical cycloadditions are often not concerted processes because in many cases the reactive excited state is a triplet. The initial adduct is a triplet 1,4-diradical that must undergo spin inversion before product formation is complete. Stereospecificity is lost if the intermediate 1,4-diradical undergoes bond rotation faster than ring closure. 

Use of substituted systems has shown that the reaction is stereospecific.300 The groups on C(2) and C(5) of the pyrroline ring rotate in the disrotatory mode on going to product. This stereochemistry is consistent with conservation of orbital symmetry. 

Concerted cycloaddition reactions provide the most powerful way to stereospecific creations of new chiral centers in organic molecules. In a manner similar to the Diels-Alder reaction, a pair of diastereoisomers, the endo and exo isomers, can be formed (Eq. 8.45). The endo selectivity in the Diels-Alder arises from secondary 7I-orbital interactions, but this interaction is small in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. If alkenes, or 1,3-dipoles, contain a chiral center(s), the approach toward one of the faces of the alkene or the 1,3-dipole can be discriminated. Such selectivity is defined as diastereomeric excess (de). 

The reaction is carried out simply by heating a diene or another conjugated system of n bonds with a reactive unsaturated compound (dienophile). Usually the reaction is not sensible to catalysts and light does not affect the course. Depending on the specific components, either carboxylic or heterocyclic products can be obtained. The stereospecificity of the reaction was firmly established even before the importance of orbital symmetry was recognized. In terms of orbital symmetry classification, the Diels-Alder reaction is a k4s + n2s cycloaddition, an allowed process. 

The compounds 43, 45, 48b and 48c gave the corresponding disUoxanes in quantitative yields, and BTSP is converted into hexamethyldisUoxane, 44, formed from difluorote-tramethyldisiloxane. The reaction of 44 with BTSP was not inhibited by 2,4,6-tri(t-butyl)phenol. Compound 48a did not react with di-f-butyl peroxide, which is the carbon analog of BSTP, suggesting an important role of vacant rf-orbitals of the silicon atom. The Si—Si oxidation of compound 49 with BSTP proceeds quantitatively and in a stereospecific fashion (equation 72) . ... 

Thermolysis of ) -sultines leads via retrocycloaddition to the fragmentation products SO2 and olefin. The fragmentation is stereospecific in accordance with orbital symmetry principles. 

Photocycloaddition with electron-deficient olefins, where it is proposed that the reaction pathway involves attack by the electron in the it orbital, can be stereospecific.32-63 The irradiation of acetone 42 with cis- 43 or /ranj-dicyanoethylene 44 leads to the stereoisomeric oxetanes. 

In support of the possible concerted nature of cycloreversion in bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane systems, the first example of a remarkably stereospecific and orbital-symmetry-predicted cleavage has been observed for the pyrolysis of ann -l,2,5,6-tetracyanotricyclo[4.2.0.02 5]octane (30) in the crystalline form to (Z, >1,2,5,6-tetracyanocycloocta-l,5-diene (32).120 This reaction should be kinetically preferred because it requires only minimal molecular motions in the solid state. However, (Z,Z)-l,2,5,6-tctracyanocycloocta-l,5-diene (31) is the only low-molecular thermolysis product when 30 is heated at 270 °C, presumably via a diradical mechanism.120... 

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