Diels-Alder Reactions of 2-Azabutadienes with Aldehydes: Ab Initio and Density Functional Theoretical Study of the Reaction Mechanism, Regioselectivity, Acid Catalysis, and Stereoselectivity

The Diels−Alder reaction of 2-azabutadiene with aldehydes has been studied using high level ab initio molecular orbital and density functional methods. Multiconfigurational calculations were carried out on the concerted and stepwise mechanisms. At the CASPT2F/6-31G*//CASSCF/6-31G* level of theory, the [π4s + π2s]-cycloaddition of 2-azabutadiene with formaldehyde is predicted to be a concerted reaction, in good agreement with the experimental evidence. The regio- and stereoselectivity of the reaction was studied at the HF/6-31G*, MP2/6-31G*, and Becke3LYP/6-31G* levels of theory. The density functional calculations appears to give a good description of the basic features of the reaction. The…