Determination of the Rate Constant of the [4 + 2] Cycloaddition Between an Aryne Atropisomer and Furan in Solution.

Using a specially designed prototype of a nonracemic aryne atropisomer with a low barrier to enantiomerization ( 36 kJ·mol), it was possible to determine the kinetic constant of its cycloaddition with furan in solution by a combination of theoretical calculations and experimental measurements. It was found that the reaction half-life of this aryne atropisomer in solution with 100 equivalents of furan as the trapping reagent is <150 ns at temperatures above -20 °C.

Enantiospecific Syntheses of Congested Atropisomers through Chiral Bis(aryne) Synthetic Equivalents.

The synthetic equivalents of the enantiopure binaphthyl bis(aryne) atropisomers derived from BINOL (1,1'-bi-2,2'-naphtol) featuring a stereogenic axis vicinal to the two reactive triple bonds can be generated for the first time in solution in an enantiospecific manner. Using a two-step sequence based on the bidirectional [4+2] cycloaddition of furan derivatives followed by an aromatizative deoxygenation reaction, several 9,9'-bianthracenyl-based atropisomers could be prepared enantiospecifically in high enantiomeric purity. Alternatively, bidirectional reactions with anthracene, 2-bromostyrene, and perylene as the arynophiles afforded very congested bis(benzotriptycene), bis(tetraphene) and bis(anthra[1,2,3,4-ghi]perylene) nanocarbon atropisomers in equally high enantiomeric purity.

Periselectivity in the Aza-Diels-Alder Reaction of 1-Azadienes with α-Oxoketenes: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study.

Inversions in the periselectivity of formal aza-Diels-Alder cycloadditions between α-oxoketenes generated by a thermally-induced Wolff rearrangement and 1-azadienes were observed experimentally as a function of the α-oxoketene and the 1-azadiene, as well as the reaction temperature and time. Some unexpected inversion in the diastereoselectivity was observed, too. These variations in selectivities were fully rationalized by computational modeling using density functional theory (DFT) methods.

Enantiospecific Generation and Trapping Reactions of Aryne Atropisomers.

Enantioenriched aryne atropisomers having a biaryl stereogenic axis vicinal to the reactive triple bond are demonstrated to exist. These reaction intermediates are easily produced in situ and can undergo the standard aryne cycloaddition chemistry in an enantiospecific manner. Notably, the aryne atropisomers herein have allowed the practical syntheses of a small nanographene as well as some triptycene and anthracene derivatives that embed stereogenic axes of controlled absolute configurations.