Steric effects in elimination reactions

These studies on steric assistance (12) led to a detailed consideration of the possible role of steric effects in a wide variety of systems, such as steric effects in displacement reactions 10, 14), steric effects in elimination reactions 15,16), steric effects in alicyclic systems (77), and steric effects in... 

Brown, H. C. Wheeler, O. H. Steric Effects in Elimination Reactions. IX. The Effect of the Steric Requirements of the Leaving Group on the Direction of Bimolecular Elimination in 2-Pentyl Derivatives J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1956, 78, 2199-2202. Also see Bartsch, R. A. Bunnett, J. F. Orientation of Olefin-Forming Elimination in Reactions of 2-Substituted Hexanes with Potassium frrf-Butoxide-fiprf-Butyl Alcohol and Sodium Methoxide-Methanol /. Aw. Chem. Soc. 1969, 91, 1376-1382. Provide the products expected from the following olefin-forming reactions. (CJH-7)... 

J. Moritani, and Y. Okamoto Stcric effects in ehmination reactions. VII, The effect of the steric requirements of alkoxidc bases on the direction of biTiiolecular elimination. J. Amer. chem. Soc. 78, 2193 (1956). 

In order to introduce groups which cannot effect the elimination reaction, sterically hindered non-nucleophilic bases such as lithium diisopropylamide , lithium 2,2,4,4-tetramethylpiperidide or even t-BuO" can be used. Employing this technique, Szeimies and coworkers introduced thio and amino groups into the bridgehead position of bicyclobutane derivatives ... 

As discussed in Section 3.1.11.1, which covers the reductive cleavage of the 3-hydroxy sulfone derivatives to alkenes, the Julia reaction proceeds by the formation of an anion that is able to equilibrate to the thermodynamic mixture prior to elimination. Therefore, there is no inherent advantage in producing the erthyro- or threo-fi-hydroxy sulfone selectively fix>m the keto sulfone. The ( )/(Z)-mixture of alkenes should be the same. This method is used to produce alkenes in cases where the acid derivative is more readily available or more reactive. The reaction of the sulfone anion with esters to form the keto sulfone, followed by reduction with metal hydrides has been studied. The steric effects in the reduction do become important for the reaction to produce vinyl sulfones, which are formed from the anti elimination of the 3-hydroxy sulfone adduct, as mentioned in Section 3.1.11.6.2. Some examples of the use of esters are presented below. 

Brown s investigation of the addition compounds of trimethyl borane, diborane, and boron trifluoride with amines has provided a quantitative estimation for steric strain effects in chemical reactions. He also investigated the role of steric effects in solvolytic, displacement, and in elimination reactions. His results demonstrate that steric effects can assist, as well as hinder, the rate of a chemical reaction. 

The regioselectivity also results from steric effects in the transition state for the E2 ehmination. A (CH3)3N group has approximately the same van der Waals radius as a tert-huvy group. A trans periplanar arrangement of the proton to be eliminated and the (CH3)3N group is required for an E2 elimination reaction of the quaternary ammonium salt to take place. 

The scope of heteroaryne or elimination-addition type of substitution in aromatic azines seems likely to be limited by its requirement for a relatively unactivated leaving group, for an adjacent ionizable substituent or hydrogen atom, and for a very strong base. However, reaction via the heteroaryne mechanism may occur more frequently than is presently appreciated. For example, it has been recently shown that in the reaction of 4-chloropyridine with lithium piperidide, at least a small amount of aryne substitution accompanies direct displacement. The ratio of 4- to 3-substitution was 996 4 and, therefore, there was 0.8% or more pyridyne participation. Heteroarynes are undoubtedly subject to orientation and steric effects which frequently lead to the overwhelming predominance of... 

Syn elimination and the syn-anti dichotomy have also been found in open-chain systems, though to a lesser extent than in medium-ring compounds. For example, in the conversion of 3-hexyl-4-d-trimethylammonium ion to 3-hexene with potassium ec-butoxide, 67% of the reaction followed the syn-anti dichotomy. In general syn elimination in open-chain systems is only important in cases where certain types of steric effect are present. One such type is compounds in which substituents are found on both the P and the y carbons (the unprimed letter refers to the branch in which the elimination takes place). The factors that cause these results are not completely understood, but the following conformational effects have been proposed as a partial explanation. The two anti- and two syn-periplanar conformations are, for a quaternary ammonium salt ... 

Formation of trans isomers in overwhelming predominance in the ISOC reaction leading to five-membered rings (Entries a-d) has been ascribed to the orientation in which H% H , and R are on the exo face of TS 182b (this avoids a possible strain between R and NO or between H and [48b] that is presumably present in TS 182 a). Since elimination of silanol involving H in no way interferes with the orientation of H and R, a trans relationship between H and is abundantly clear. This fully accords with the widely accepted view that approach of the dipole and dipolarophile takes place in two parallel planes [49] and that the endo TS is preferred in the absence of obvious steric effects [50]. Formation of approximately 5% cis isomer when the dipolarophile terminus is disubstituted is accountable in terms of the cycloaddition taking place via TS 182a. 

Now let s consider the effect of the substrate on the rate of an E2 process. Recall from the previous chapter that Sn2 reactions generally do not occur with tertiary substrates, because of steric considerations. But E2 reactions are different than Sn2 reactions, and in fact, tertiary substrates often undergo E2 reactions quite rapidly. To explain why tertiary substrates will undergo E2 but not Sn2 reactions, we must recognize that the key difference between substitution and elimination is the role played by the reagent. In a substitution reaction, the reagent functions as a nucleophile and attacks an electrophilic position. In an elimination reaction, the reagent functions as a base and removes a proton, which is easily achieved even with a tertiary substrate. In fact, tertiary substrates react even more rapidly than primary substrates. 

To assess the trapping of biological nucleophiles, the pyrido[l,2-a]indole cyclopropyl quinone methide was generated in the presence of 5 -dGMP. The reaction afforded a mixture of phosphate adducts that could not be separated by reverse-phase chromatography (Fig. 7.16). The 13C-NMR spectrum of the purified mixture shown in Fig. 7.16 reveals that the pyrido [1,2-a] indole was the major product with trace amounts of azepino[l,2-a] indole present. Since the stereoelec-tronic effect favors either product, steric effects must dictate nucleophilic attack at the least hindered cyclopropane carbon to afford the pyrido[l,2-a]indole product. Both adducts were stable with elimination and aromatization not observed. In fact, the pyrido [1,2-a] indole precursor (structure shown in Scheme 7.14) to the pyrido [l,2-a]indole cyclopropyl quinone methide possesses cytotoxic and cytostatic properties not observed with the pyrrolo [1,2-a] indole precursor.47... 

The selectivity in the Heck reaction of allylic alcohol 111 is interesting, and the factors that lead to the observed preference for (3-hydride elimination toward nitrogen in this system are unclear, although a combination of steric effects and stereoelectronic factors (i.e., alignment of C-H and C-Pd bonds, nN a c H interactions) is likely involved. Examination of related examples from the literature (Scheme 4.20) reveals no clear trend. Rawal and Michoud examined substrate 115, which lacks the influence of both the amine and hydroxyl substituents and also seems to favor (3-hydride elimination within the six-membered ring over formation of the exocyclic olefin under standard Heck conditions [18a]. However, under... 

Steric hindrance in the silyl groups of cation (349) and nucleophile (352) has virtually no effect on the rate constant of the C,C-coupling reaction. Hence, it can be concluded that, at least for silyl-containing nucleophiles (352), elimination of the trialkylsilyl group from cationic intermediate A is not the rate-determining step of the reaction sequence (Scheme 3.207). 

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