0000000000328329
AUTHOR
Hatem Layeb
A DFT study of the role of the Lewis acid catalysts in the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of the electrophilic nitrone isomer of methyl glyoxylate oxime with nucleophilic cyclopentene
The molecular mechanism and stereoselectivity of the BF3 Lewis acid catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction between C-methoxycarbonyl nitrone and cyclopentene has been theoretically studied using DFT methods at the MPWB1K/6-31G(d) computational level. The BF3 catalyst accelerates the 32CA reaction by decreasing the activation energy leading to the formation of the trans cycloadduct as the kinetic product, in agreement with the experimental data. Inclusion of solvent effects slightly increases the activation energy and decreases the exothermic character of the 32CA reaction as a consequence of a better solvation of nitrone than the transition state and the cycloadduct. The use of the…
A DFT study of the mechanism of Brønsted acid catalysed Povarov reactions
Abstract The molecular mechanism of the Bronsted acid (BA) catalysed Povarov reaction of N -phenyl- C -methoxycarbonyl imine with a methylenecyclopropane (MCP) has been investigated using DFT methods at the MPWB1K/6-31G(d) level. This BA catalysed Povarov reaction is a domino process initialised by the formation of a cationic intermediate which experiences a quick intramolecular Friedel–Crafts reaction yielding the final tetrahydroquinoline. Protonation of the imine nitrogen atom notably increases the electrophilicity of the corresponding species, accelerating the reaction through ionic processes. Analysis of the Parr functions in the initial nucleophilic attack of MCP to the protonated imi…