This is a Diels-Alder reaction, which does not follow the regiospecificity rules. What makes this reaction unusual is that normally quinol-lactone does not react with dienes. Also if we follow the regiospecificity rules we would logically expect to get the structure in Figure 2. However by using stannic chloride (SnCl4) in methylene chloride, the product shown was obtained. It was determined through NMR spectroscopy that this particular product was present, and not its isomer in Figure 2. TBSO stands for the tert-butyldimethylsilyl group.
The reaction is described in this article.
I found an article which looks more closely at the process of migration and elimination of TBS when the final product is synthesized, which produces TBSOTf. It states that stannic chloride causes the migration of the tosyl group (1st paragraph of “Results and Discussion” section). I believe this plays a role in the final “inversion” of the product in the posted reaction. Also this Diels-Alder reaction is performed in Lewis acid which gives the regioselectivity opposite to what we would expect in an uncatalyzed reaction.
The product in Figure 2 should be expected, because if we examine the ortho-para rules for regioselectivity through the formation of radicals without a catalysit (Lewis acid), we can see that the major product should resemble the one in Figure 2. There is an example on this page under the “Regioselectivity” section, which has the major product boxed in.
Polymers have important uses in both research and industry. Alkoxyamines are used in ATRP (atom transfer radical polymerization)-based polymerizations and can serve as efficient regulators in the preparation of polymers. In the past, the alkoxyamines were produced by the creation of radicals that are carbon-centered and were then trapped by nitroxide. This method, however, gave low yields and undesired byproducts. The reaction shown here takes place at low temperatures and in the presence of a nitroxide, utilizing an ATRP-based initiator that is treated with copper bromide. The ATRP is involved in the living radical polymerization system. Me6-tren ligand forms a catalyst complex for the reaction of the initiator with nitroxide. Equilibrium between the transfer to and from radicals and dormant species in the reaction is controlled by the Me6-tren ligand forming a complex with the Cu(II), which the free radicals can then interact with. The catalyst name Me6-tren stands for the chemical tris(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)-amine. This is a more effective procedure for preparation that results in high yields. Discoveries such as this are important in areas such as nanotechnology.
Recently there has been a paradigm shift away from using solvents in organic synthesis as solventless reactions can lead to improved outcomes, and more benign synthetic procedures, in for example an aldol condensation reaction as shown above. Sustainability is increasingly an important issue in broader context when you are talking about health, energy, and the sciences. Removing organic solvents in chemical synthesis is important in the drive towards benign chemical technologies. Organic solvents are high on the list of toxic compounds due to the problems in containing volatile compounds and the sheer large volume of them used in industry.
Some advantages of utilizing solventless reactions are that the compounds are often sufficiently pure to avoid extensive purification using chromatography, the reactions can be rapid, often reaching substantial completion in several minutes compared to hours in organic solvents, and the energy usage can be much lower.
The above is one of the final reactions in the synthesis of an enantiospecifically labeled fatty acid. It involves a reduction with Lindlar’s Catalyst in the presence of deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen. Lindlar’s Catalyst (powdered barium sulfate coated with Pd, poisoned with quinoline) converts an alkyne to a cis-alkene, as seen in the reaction above. The article I looked at focused on pheromone biosynthesis in S. isatideus and the role stereochemistry played.
The reaction seen above is an example of a substitution nucleophilic 1 reaction. The mild reaction conditions and high yields makes the Lucas reaction a convient way to be utilized in the industrial-scale preparation of alkyl chlorides from aliphatic alcohols. However, the wide use of the Lucas reagent in industrial settings is limited due to the cost of ZnCl2. This reaction proceeds rapidly and is needed for the fast demand and industrial use of menthyl chloride.
