Regioselectivity in the ring-opening

B. P. Roberts and T. M. Smits, Regioselectivity in the ring opening of 2-phenyl-l,3-dioxan-2-yl radicals derived from cyclic benzylidene acetals and comparison with deoxygenation of a carbohydrate diol via its cyclic thionocarbonate, Tetrahedron Lett., 42 (2001) 3663-3666. 

Ratier, M., Pereyre, M., Davies, A.G., and Sutcliffe, R., Regioselectivity in the ring opening of 2-alkylcyclopropylmethyl radicals. The effect of electronegative substituents, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2, 1907, 1984. 

Fused aziridines as sources of azomethine ylides 12KGS187. Regioselectivity in the ring opening of non-activated aziridines 12CSR 643. 

The effect of the BF3 activation on the regioselectivity of the ring opening of vinylic and acetylenic oxiranes is dramatic, as in these conditions the reaction occurs exclusively on the allylic " or the propargylic " position, and still with inversion (Scheme 40). This excellent regioselectivity allows the direct stereospecific preparation of homoallylic and homopropargylic alcohols in excellent yields. In the case of acetylenic oxiranes, a remarkable difference in the reactivity of cis and trans oxiranes has been evidenced, the former being more reactive. 

Thermolysis of a solution of epoxide 79 and l,3-thiazole-5(477)-thione derivative 80 in xylene led to the formation of three cycloadducts in 85% overall yield (22). It was expected that the geminal cyano groups of the epoxide would control the regioselectivity of the ring opening such that the anionic terminus of the dipole would be localized on that carbon. Regiochemical control led to a very selective... 

Rough guidelines for the prediction of regioselectivity in epoxide ring openings are summarized in Scheme 4.60. Under neutral or basic reaction conditions alkyl-or aryl-substituted epoxides react with most nucleophiles at the less substituted carbon atom [248-253]. Under acidic reaction conditions, however, product mixtures or preferential attack at the most substituted carbon atom can be observed. Acids can usually be used to enhance the reactivity of epoxides and to promote substitution at the site of an epoxide which forms a carbocation more readily. 

Furthermore, in respect to the regioselectivity of the ring opening reaction of oxiranes, electronic as well as steric factors can play a role. These general considerations stimulate the use of zeolites and non zeolitic molecular sieves as heterogeneous catalysts for such rearrangement reactions in the liquid or in the gas phase in a slurry reactor and in a continuous fixed bed reactor, respectively. 

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