An ambiphilic diene for bioorthogonal labeling

I recently posted on a paper proposing 1,2-benzoquinone and related compounds as the diene component for bioorthogonal labeling. Levandowski, Gamache, Murphy, and Houk report on tetrachlorocyclopentadiene ketal 1 as an active ambiphilic diene component.¹

1 is sterically congested to diminish self-dimerization and will react with both electron-rich and electron-poor dienes. To test it as an active diene in bioorthogonal labeling applications, they optimized the structures of the transition states at CPCM(water)/M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p)//CPCM(water)/M06-2X/6-31G(d) for the Diels-Alder reaction of 1 with a variety of dienophiles including trans-cyclooctene 2 and endo-bicyclononyne 3. These transition states are shown in Figure 1. The activation free energy is quite low for each: 18.1 kcal mol^-1 with 2 and 18.9 kcal mol^-1 with 3.

TS(1+2)

TS(1+3)

Figure 1. CPCM(water)/M06-2X/6-31G(d) optimized geometries for the TSs of the reaction of 1 with 2 and 3.

Experiments were successfully run using 1 as a label on a neuropeptide.

References

1) Levandowski, B. J.; Gamache, R. F.; Murphy, J. M.; Houk, K. N., "Readily Accessible Ambiphilic Cyclopentadienes for Bioorthogonal Labeling." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 6426-6431, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b02978.

InChIs

1:InChI=1S/C7H4Cl4O2/c8-3-4(9)6(11)7(5(3)10)12-1-2-13-7/h1-2H2
InChIkey=DXQQKKGWMVTLOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2MoBwh1

I recently posted on a paper proposing 1,2-benzoquinone and related compounds as the diene component for bioorthogonal labeling. Levandowski, Gamache, Murphy, and Houk report on tetrachlorocyclopentadiene ketal 1 as an active ambiphilic diene component.¹

1 is sterically congested to diminish self-dimerization and will react with both electron-rich and electron-poor dienes. To test it as an active diene in bioorthogonal labeling applications, they optimized the structures of the transition states at CPCM(water)/M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p)//CPCM(water)/M06-2X/6-31G(d) for the Diels-Alder reaction of 1 with a variety of dienophiles including trans-cyclooctene 2 and endo-bicyclononyne 3. These transition states are shown in Figure 1. The activation free energy is quite low for each: 18.1 kcal mol^-1 with 2 and 18.9 kcal mol^-1 with 3.

TS(1+2)

TS(1+3)

Figure 1. CPCM(water)/M06-2X/6-31G(d) optimized geometries for the TSs of the reaction of 1 with 2 and 3.

Experiments were successfully run using 1 as a label on a neuropeptide.

References

1) Levandowski, B. J.; Gamache, R. F.; Murphy, J. M.; Houk, K. N., "Readily Accessible Ambiphilic Cyclopentadienes for Bioorthogonal Labeling." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 6426-6431, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b02978.

InChIs

1:InChI=1S/C7H4Cl4O2/c8-3-4(9)6(11)7(5(3)10)12-1-2-13-7/h1-2H2
InChIkey=DXQQKKGWMVTLOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2MoBwh1

Aminomethylene carbene does not rearrange by tunneling

Eckhardt and Schreiner have spectroscopically characterized the aminomethylene carbene 1.¹ Their characterization rests on IR spectra, with comparison to the computed AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pCVQZ anharmonic vibrational frequencies, and the UV-Vis spectra, with comparison to the computed B3LYP/6–311++G(2d,2p) transitions.

1 can be converted to 2 by photolysis. Interestingly, 1 does not convert to 2 after 5 days on the matrix in the dark. This is in distinct contrast to hydroxycarbene and related other carbene which undergo quantum mechanical tunneling (see this post and this post). Examination of the potential energy surface for the reaction of 1 to 2 at AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pCVQZ (see Figure 1) identifies that the lowest barrier is 45.8 kcal mol^-1, about 15 kcal mol^-1 larger than the barrier for the hydroxycarbene rearrangement. Additionally, the barrier width for 1 → 2 is 25% larger than for the hydroxycarbenes. Both of these suggest substantially reduced tunneling, and WKB analysis predicts a tunneling half-life of more than a billion years. The stability of 1 is attributed to the strong π-donor ability of nitrogen to the electron-poor carbene. This is reflected in a very short C-N bond (1.27 Å).

Figure 1. Structures and energies of 1 and 2 and the transition states that connect them. The relative energies (kcal mol^-1) are computed at AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pCVQZ.

References

1) Eckhardt, A. K.; Schreiner, P. R., "Spectroscopic Evidence for Aminomethylene (H−C̈−NH2)—The
Simplest Amino Carbene." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 5248-5252, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201800679.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/CH3N/c1-2/h1H,2H2
InChIKey=KASBEVXLSPWGFS-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/CH3N/c1-2/h2H,1H2
InChIKey=WDWDWGRYHDPSDS-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2JKJfUs

Eckhardt and Schreiner have spectroscopically characterized the aminomethylene carbene 1.¹ Their characterization rests on IR spectra, with comparison to the computed AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pCVQZ anharmonic vibrational frequencies, and the UV-Vis spectra, with comparison to the computed B3LYP/6–311++G(2d,2p) transitions.

1 can be converted to 2 by photolysis. Interestingly, 1 does not convert to 2 after 5 days on the matrix in the dark. This is in distinct contrast to hydroxycarbene and related other carbene which undergo quantum mechanical tunneling (see this post and this post). Examination of the potential energy surface for the reaction of 1 to 2 at AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pCVQZ (see Figure 1) identifies that the lowest barrier is 45.8 kcal mol^-1, about 15 kcal mol^-1 larger than the barrier for the hydroxycarbene rearrangement. Additionally, the barrier width for 1 → 2 is 25% larger than for the hydroxycarbenes. Both of these suggest substantially reduced tunneling, and WKB analysis predicts a tunneling half-life of more than a billion years. The stability of 1 is attributed to the strong π-donor ability of nitrogen to the electron-poor carbene. This is reflected in a very short C-N bond (1.27 Å).

Figure 1. Structures and energies of 1 and 2 and the transition states that connect them. The relative energies (kcal mol^-1) are computed at AE-CCSD(T)/cc-pCVQZ.

References

1) Eckhardt, A. K.; Schreiner, P. R., "Spectroscopic Evidence for Aminomethylene (H−C̈−NH2)—The
Simplest Amino Carbene." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 5248-5252, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201800679.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/CH3N/c1-2/h1H,2H2
InChIKey=KASBEVXLSPWGFS-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/CH3N/c1-2/h2H,1H2
InChIKey=WDWDWGRYHDPSDS-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2JKJfUs

Another long C-C bond

This is a third post in a series dealing with very short or very long distances between atoms. Ishigaki, Shimajiri, Takeda, Katoono, and Suzuki have prepared three related analogues of hexaphenylethane that all have long C-C bonds.¹ The idea is to create a core by fusing two adjacent phenyls into a naphylene, and then protect the long C-C bond through a shell made up of large aryl groups, 1. Fusing another 5-member ring opposite to the stretched C-C bond (2) creates a scissor effect that should stretch that bond further, even more so in the unsaturated version 3.

Their M062-x/6-31G* computations predict an increasing longer C-C bond (highlighted in blue in the above drawing): 1.730 Å in 1, 1.767 Å in 2, and 1.771 Å in 3. The structure of 3 is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1. M06-2x/6-31G(d) optimized structure of 3.

These three compounds were synthesized, and characterized by IR and Raman spectroscopy. Their x-ray crystal structures at 200 K and 400K were also determined. The C-C distances are 1.742 Å (1), 1.773 Å (2) and 1.798 Å (3) with distances slightly longer at 400 K. These rank as the longest C-C bonds recorded.

References

1) Ishigaki, Y.; Shimajiri, T.; Takeda, T.; Katoono, R.; Suzuki, T., "Longest C–C Single Bond among Neutral Hydrocarbons with a Bond Length beyond 1.8 Å." Chem 2018, 4, 795-806, DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2018.01.011.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C40H26/c1-5-17-32-27(11-1)23-24-28-12-2-6-18-33(28)39(32)36-21-9-15-31-16-10-22-37(38(31)36)40(39)34-19-7-3-13-29(34)25-26-30-14-4-8-20-35(30)40/h1-26H
InChIKey=IFIFQLGAOZULMX-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C42H28/c1-5-13-33-27(9-1)17-18-28-10-2-6-14-34(28)41(33)37-25-23-31-21-22-32-24-26-38(40(37)39(31)32)42(41)35-15-7-3-11-29(35)19-20-30-12-4-8-16-36(30)42/h1-20,23-26H,21-22H2
InChIKey=HSJDZFLRPWJAGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C42H26/c1-5-13-33-27(9-1)17-18-28-10-2-6-14-34(28)41(33)37-25-23-31-21-22-32-24-26-38(40(37)39(31)32)42(41)35-15-7-3-11-29(35)19-20-30-12-4-8-16-36(30)42/h1-26H
InChIKey=QQYNKBIOZSXWGD-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2ujUb5D

This is a third post in a series dealing with very short or very long distances between atoms. Ishigaki, Shimajiri, Takeda, Katoono, and Suzuki have prepared three related analogues of hexaphenylethane that all have long C-C bonds.¹ The idea is to create a core by fusing two adjacent phenyls into a naphylene, and then protect the long C-C bond through a shell made up of large aryl groups, 1. Fusing another 5-member ring opposite to the stretched C-C bond (2) creates a scissor effect that should stretch that bond further, even more so in the unsaturated version 3.

Their M062-x/6-31G* computations predict an increasing longer C-C bond (highlighted in blue in the above drawing): 1.730 Å in 1, 1.767 Å in 2, and 1.771 Å in 3. The structure of 3 is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1. M06-2x/6-31G(d) optimized structure of 3.

These three compounds were synthesized, and characterized by IR and Raman spectroscopy. Their x-ray crystal structures at 200 K and 400K were also determined. The C-C distances are 1.742 Å (1), 1.773 Å (2) and 1.798 Å (3) with distances slightly longer at 400 K. These rank as the longest C-C bonds recorded.

References

1) Ishigaki, Y.; Shimajiri, T.; Takeda, T.; Katoono, R.; Suzuki, T., "Longest C–C Single Bond among Neutral Hydrocarbons with a Bond Length beyond 1.8 Å." Chem 2018, 4, 795-806, DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2018.01.011.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C40H26/c1-5-17-32-27(11-1)23-24-28-12-2-6-18-33(28)39(32)36-21-9-15-31-16-10-22-37(38(31)36)40(39)34-19-7-3-13-29(34)25-26-30-14-4-8-20-35(30)40/h1-26H
InChIKey=IFIFQLGAOZULMX-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C42H28/c1-5-13-33-27(9-1)17-18-28-10-2-6-14-34(28)41(33)37-25-23-31-21-22-32-24-26-38(40(37)39(31)32)42(41)35-15-7-3-11-29(35)19-20-30-12-4-8-16-36(30)42/h1-20,23-26H,21-22H2
InChIKey=HSJDZFLRPWJAGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C42H26/c1-5-13-33-27(9-1)17-18-28-10-2-6-14-34(28)41(33)37-25-23-31-21-22-32-24-26-38(40(37)39(31)32)42(41)35-15-7-3-11-29(35)19-20-30-12-4-8-16-36(30)42/h1-26H
InChIKey=QQYNKBIOZSXWGD-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2ujUb5D

An even shorter non-bonding H…H distance

The competition for finding molecules with ever-closer non-bonding H^…H interactions is heating up. I have previously blogged about 1, a in,in-Bis(hydrosilane) designed by Pascal,¹ with an H^…H distance of 1.57 Å, and also blogged about 2, the dimer of tri(di-t-butylphenyl)methane,² where the distance between methine hydrogens on adjacent molecules is 1.566 Å.

Now Pascal reports on 3, which shows an even closer H^…H approach.³

The x-ray structure of 3 shows the in,in relationship of the two critical hydrogens, H_A and H_B. Though the positions of these hydrogens were refined, the C-H distance are artificially foreshortened. A variety of computed structures are reported, and these all support a very short H^…H non-bonding distance of about 1.52 Å. The B3PW91-D3/cc-pVTZ optimized structure is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. B3PW91-D3/cc-pVTZ optimized structure of 3.

The authors also note an unusual feature of the ¹H NMR spectrum of 3: the H_B signal appears as a double with J_AB= 2.0 Hz. B3LYP/6–311++G(2df,2pd) NMR computations indicated a coupling of 3.1 Hz. This is the largest through-space coupling recorded.

References

1. Zong, J.; Mague, J. T.; Pascal, R. A., "Exceptional Steric Congestion in an in,in-Bis(hydrosilane)." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 13235-13237, DOI: 10.1021/ja407398w.

2. Rösel, S.; Quanz, H.; Logemann, C.; Becker, J.; Mossou, E.; Cañadillas-Delgado, L.; Caldeweyher, E.; Grimme, S.; Schreiner, P. R., "London Dispersion Enables the Shortest Intermolecular Hydrocarbon H···H Contact." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 7428–7431, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b01879.

3. Xiao, Y.; Mague, J. T.; Pascal, R. A., "An Exceptionally Close, Non-Bonded Hydrogen–Hydrogen Contact with Strong Through-Space Spin–Spin Coupling." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 2244-2247, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201712304.

InChI

3: InChI=1S/C27H24S3/c1-4-17-13-28-10-16-11-29-14-18-5-2-8-21-24(18)27-23(17)20(7-1)26(21)22-9-3-6-19(25(22)27)15-30-12-16/h1-9,16,26-27H,10-15H2
InChIKey=NJBHGDPNFALCTL-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2ICvNpW

The competition for finding molecules with ever-closer non-bonding H^…H interactions is heating up. I have previously blogged about 1, a in,in-Bis(hydrosilane) designed by Pascal,¹ with an H^…H distance of 1.57 Å, and also blogged about 2, the dimer of tri(di-t-butylphenyl)methane,² where the distance between methine hydrogens on adjacent molecules is 1.566 Å.

Now Pascal reports on 3, which shows an even closer H^…H approach.³

The x-ray structure of 3 shows the in,in relationship of the two critical hydrogens, H_A and H_B. Though the positions of these hydrogens were refined, the C-H distance are artificially foreshortened. A variety of computed structures are reported, and these all support a very short H^…H non-bonding distance of about 1.52 Å. The B3PW91-D3/cc-pVTZ optimized structure is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. B3PW91-D3/cc-pVTZ optimized structure of 3.

The authors also note an unusual feature of the ¹H NMR spectrum of 3: the H_B signal appears as a double with J_AB= 2.0 Hz. B3LYP/6–311++G(2df,2pd) NMR computations indicated a coupling of 3.1 Hz. This is the largest through-space coupling recorded.

References

1. Zong, J.; Mague, J. T.; Pascal, R. A., "Exceptional Steric Congestion in an in,in-Bis(hydrosilane)." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 13235-13237, DOI: 10.1021/ja407398w.

2. Rösel, S.; Quanz, H.; Logemann, C.; Becker, J.; Mossou, E.; Cañadillas-Delgado, L.; Caldeweyher, E.; Grimme, S.; Schreiner, P. R., "London Dispersion Enables the Shortest Intermolecular Hydrocarbon H···H Contact." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 7428–7431, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b01879.

3. Xiao, Y.; Mague, J. T.; Pascal, R. A., "An Exceptionally Close, Non-Bonded Hydrogen–Hydrogen Contact with Strong Through-Space Spin–Spin Coupling." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 2244-2247, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201712304.

InChI

3: InChI=1S/C27H24S3/c1-4-17-13-28-10-16-11-29-14-18-5-2-8-21-24(18)27-23(17)20(7-1)26(21)22-9-3-6-19(25(22)27)15-30-12-16/h1-9,16,26-27H,10-15H2
InChIKey=NJBHGDPNFALCTL-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2ICvNpW

MD studies of simple pericyclic reactions

At the recent ACS meeting in New Orleans, Ken Houk spoke at the Dreyfus award session in honor of Michele Parrinello. Ken’s talk included discussion of some recent molecular dynamics studies of pericyclic reactions. Because of their similarities in approaches and observations, I will discuss three recent papers from his group (which Ken discussed in New Orleans) in this post.

The Cope rearrangement, a fundamental organic reaction, has been studied extensively by computational means (see Chapter 4.2 of my book). Mackey, Yang, and Houk examine the degenerate Cope rearrangement of 1,5-hexadiene with molecular dynamics at the (U)B3LYP/6-31G(d) level.¹ They examined 230 trajectories, and find that of the 95% of them that are reactive, 94% are trajectories that directly cross through the transition zone. By this, Houk means that the time gap between the breaking and forming C-C bonds is less than 60 fs, the time for one C-C bond vibration. The average time in the transition zone is 35 fs. This can be thought of as “dynamically concerted”. For the other few trajectories, a transient diradical with lifetime of about 100 fs is found.

The dimerization of cyclopentadiene finds the two [4+2] pathways merging into a single bispericylic transition state. ² Only a small minority (13%) of the trajectories sample the region about the Cope rearrangement that interconverts the two mirror image dimers. These trajectories average about 60 fs in this space, which comes from the time separation between the formation of the two new C-C bonds. The majority of the trajectories quickly pass through the dimerization transition zone in about 18 fs, and avoid the Cope TS region entirely. These paths can be thought of as “dynamically concerted”, while the other set of trajectories are “dynamically stepwise”. It should be noted however that the value of S² in the Cope transition zone are zero and so no radicals are being formed.

Finally, Yang, Dong, Yu, Yu, Li, Jamieson, and Houk examined 15 different reactions that involve ambimodal (i.e. bispericyclic) transition states.³ They find a strong correlation between the differences in the bond lengths of the two possible new bond vs. their product distribution. So for example, in the reaction shown in Scheme 1, bond a is the one farthest along to forming. Bond b is slightly shorter than bond c. Which of these two is formed next is dependent on the dynamics, and it turns out the P_ab is formed from 73% of the trajectories while P_ac is formed only 23% of the time. This trend is seen across the 15 reaction, namely the shorter of bond b or c in the transition state leads to the larger product formation. When competing reactions involve bonds with differing elements, then a correlation can be found with bond order instead of with bond length.

Scheme 1

References

1) Mackey, J. L.; Yang, Z.; Houk, K. N., "Dynamically concerted and stepwise trajectories of the Cope rearrangement of 1,5-hexadiene." Chem. Phys. Lett. 2017, 683, 253-257, DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2017.03.011.

2) Yang, Z.; Zou, L.; Yu, Y.; Liu, F.; Dong, X.; Houk, K. N., "Molecular dynamics of the two-stage mechanism of cyclopentadiene dimerization: concerted or stepwise?" Chem. Phys. 2018, in press, DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2018.02.020.

3) Yang, Z.; Dong, X.; Yu, Y.; Yu, P.; Li, Y.; Jamieson, C.; Houk, K. N., "Relationships between Product Ratios in Ambimodal Pericyclic Reactions and Bond Lengths in Transition Structures." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 3061-3067, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b13562.

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2HZJOJM

At the recent ACS meeting in New Orleans, Ken Houk spoke at the Dreyfus award session in honor of Michele Parrinello. Ken’s talk included discussion of some recent molecular dynamics studies of pericyclic reactions. Because of their similarities in approaches and observations, I will discuss three recent papers from his group (which Ken discussed in New Orleans) in this post.

The Cope rearrangement, a fundamental organic reaction, has been studied extensively by computational means (see Chapter 4.2 of my book). Mackey, Yang, and Houk examine the degenerate Cope rearrangement of 1,5-hexadiene with molecular dynamics at the (U)B3LYP/6-31G(d) level.¹ They examined 230 trajectories, and find that of the 95% of them that are reactive, 94% are trajectories that directly cross through the transition zone. By this, Houk means that the time gap between the breaking and forming C-C bonds is less than 60 fs, the time for one C-C bond vibration. The average time in the transition zone is 35 fs. This can be thought of as “dynamically concerted”. For the other few trajectories, a transient diradical with lifetime of about 100 fs is found.

The dimerization of cyclopentadiene finds the two [4+2] pathways merging into a single bispericylic transition state. ² Only a small minority (13%) of the trajectories sample the region about the Cope rearrangement that interconverts the two mirror image dimers. These trajectories average about 60 fs in this space, which comes from the time separation between the formation of the two new C-C bonds. The majority of the trajectories quickly pass through the dimerization transition zone in about 18 fs, and avoid the Cope TS region entirely. These paths can be thought of as “dynamically concerted”, while the other set of trajectories are “dynamically stepwise”. It should be noted however that the value of S² in the Cope transition zone are zero and so no radicals are being formed.

Finally, Yang, Dong, Yu, Yu, Li, Jamieson, and Houk examined 15 different reactions that involve ambimodal (i.e. bispericyclic) transition states.³ They find a strong correlation between the differences in the bond lengths of the two possible new bond vs. their product distribution. So for example, in the reaction shown in Scheme 1, bond a is the one farthest along to forming. Bond b is slightly shorter than bond c. Which of these two is formed next is dependent on the dynamics, and it turns out the P_ab is formed from 73% of the trajectories while P_ac is formed only 23% of the time. This trend is seen across the 15 reaction, namely the shorter of bond b or c in the transition state leads to the larger product formation. When competing reactions involve bonds with differing elements, then a correlation can be found with bond order instead of with bond length.

Scheme 1

References

1) Mackey, J. L.; Yang, Z.; Houk, K. N., "Dynamically concerted and stepwise trajectories of the Cope rearrangement of 1,5-hexadiene." Chem. Phys. Lett. 2017, 683, 253-257, DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2017.03.011.

2) Yang, Z.; Zou, L.; Yu, Y.; Liu, F.; Dong, X.; Houk, K. N., "Molecular dynamics of the two-stage mechanism of cyclopentadiene dimerization: concerted or stepwise?" Chem. Phys. 2018, in press, DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2018.02.020.

3) Yang, Z.; Dong, X.; Yu, Y.; Yu, P.; Li, Y.; Jamieson, C.; Houk, K. N., "Relationships between Product Ratios in Ambimodal Pericyclic Reactions and Bond Lengths in Transition Structures." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 3061-3067, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b13562.

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2HZJOJM

The structure of gauche-1,3-butadiene

Sometimes you run across a paper that is surprising for a strange reason: hasn’t this work been done years before? That was my response to seeing this paper on the structure of gauche-1,3-butadiene.¹ Surely, a molecule as simple as this has been examined to death. But, in fact there has been some controversy over whether the cis or gauche form is the second lowest energy conformation. Computations have indicated that the cis form is a transition state for interconverting the two gauche isomers, but experimental confirmation was probably so late in coming due to the small amount of the gauche form present and its small dipole moment.

This paper describes Fourier-transform microwave (FTMW) spectroscopy using two variants: cavity-enhanced FTMW combined with a supersonic expansion and chirped-pulse FTMW in a cryogenic buffer gas cell. In addition, computations were done at CCSD(T) using cc-pCVTZ through cc-pCV5Z basis sets and corrections for perturbative quadruples. The computed structure is shown in Figure 1. In addition to confirming this non-planar structure, with a C-C-C-C dihedral angle of 33.8°, they demonstrate the tunneling between the two mirror image gauche conformations, through the cis transition state.

Figure 1. Computed geometry of gauche-1,3-butadiene.

References

1. Baraban, J. H.; Martin-Drumel, M.-A.; Changala, P. B.; Eibenberger, S.; Nava, M.; Patterson, D.; Stanton, J. F.; Ellison, G. B.; McCarthy, M. C., "The Molecular Structure of gauche-1,3-Butadiene: Experimental Establishment of Non-planarity." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 1821-1825, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201709966.

InChIs

1,3-butadiene: InChI=1S/C4H6/c1-3-4-2/h3-4H,1-2H2
InChIKey=KAKZBPTYRLMSJV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2HpjTze

Sometimes you run across a paper that is surprising for a strange reason: hasn’t this work been done years before? That was my response to seeing this paper on the structure of gauche-1,3-butadiene.¹ Surely, a molecule as simple as this has been examined to death. But, in fact there has been some controversy over whether the cis or gauche form is the second lowest energy conformation. Computations have indicated that the cis form is a transition state for interconverting the two gauche isomers, but experimental confirmation was probably so late in coming due to the small amount of the gauche form present and its small dipole moment.

This paper describes Fourier-transform microwave (FTMW) spectroscopy using two variants: cavity-enhanced FTMW combined with a supersonic expansion and chirped-pulse FTMW in a cryogenic buffer gas cell. In addition, computations were done at CCSD(T) using cc-pCVTZ through cc-pCV5Z basis sets and corrections for perturbative quadruples. The computed structure is shown in Figure 1. In addition to confirming this non-planar structure, with a C-C-C-C dihedral angle of 33.8°, they demonstrate the tunneling between the two mirror image gauche conformations, through the cis transition state.

Figure 1. Computed geometry of gauche-1,3-butadiene.

References

1. Baraban, J. H.; Martin-Drumel, M.-A.; Changala, P. B.; Eibenberger, S.; Nava, M.; Patterson, D.; Stanton, J. F.; Ellison, G. B.; McCarthy, M. C., "The Molecular Structure of gauche-1,3-Butadiene: Experimental Establishment of Non-planarity." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 1821-1825, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201709966.

InChIs

1,3-butadiene: InChI=1S/C4H6/c1-3-4-2/h3-4H,1-2H2
InChIKey=KAKZBPTYRLMSJV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2HpjTze

quintuple helicene fused corannulene

Corannulene 1 is an interesting aromatic compound because it is nonplanar, having a bowl shape. [6]helicene is an interesting aromatic compound because it is nonplanar, having the shape of a helix. Kato, Segawa, Scott and Itami have joined these together to synthesize the interesting quintuple helicene compound 3.¹

The optimized structure of 3 is shown in Figure 1. They utilized computations to corroborate two experimental findings. First, the NMR spectra of 3 shows a small number of signals indicating that the bowl inversion should be rapid. The molecule has C₅ symmetry due to the bowl shape of the corannulene core. Rapid inversion makes the molecule effectively D₅. (The inversion transition state is of D₅ symmetry, and would be a nice quiz question for those looking for molecules of unusual point groups.) The B3LYP/6-31G(d) computed bowl inversion barrier is only 1.9 kcal mol^-1, significantly less that the bowl inversion barrier of 1: 10.4 kcal mol^-1. This reduction is partly due to the shallower bowl depth of 3 (0.572 Å in the x-ray structure, 0.325 Å in the computed structure) than in 1 (0.87 Å).

Figure 1. Optimized structure of 3.

Second, they took the enhanced MMMMM-isomer and heated it to obtain the thermodynamic properties for the inversion to the PPPPP-isomer. (The PPPPP-isomer is shown in the top scheme.) The experimental values are ΔH^‡ = 36.8 kcal mol^-1, ΔS^‡ = 8.7 cal mol^-1 K^-1, and ΔG^‡ = 34.2 kcal mol^-1 at 298 K. They computed all of the stereoisomers of 3 along with the transition states connecting them. The largest barrier is found in going from MMMMM–3 to MMMMP–3 with a computed barrier of 34.5 kcal mol^-1, in nice agreement with experiment.

References

1. Kato, K.; Segawa, Y.; Scott, L. T.; Itami, K., "A Quintuple [6]Helicene with a Corannulene Core as a C₅-Symmetric Propeller-Shaped π-System." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 1337-1341, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201711985.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C20H10/c1-2-12-5-6-14-9-10-15-8-7-13-4-3-11(1)16-17(12)19(14)20(15)18(13)16/h1-10H
InChIKey=VXRUJZQPKRBJKH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C26H16/c1-3-7-22-17(5-1)9-11-19-13-15-21-16-14-20-12-10-18-6-2-4-8-23(18)25(20)26(21)24(19)22/h1-16H
InChIKey=UOYPNWSDSPYOSN-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C80H40/c1-11-31-51-41(21-1)42-22-2-12-32-52(42)62-61(51)71-63-53-33-13-3-23-43(53)44-24-4-14-34-54(44)64(63)73-67-57-37-17-7-27-47(57)48-28-8-18-38-58(48)68(67)75-70-60-40-20-10-30-50(60)49-29-9-19-39-59(49)69(70)74-66-56-36-16-6-26-46(56)45-25-5-15-35-55(45)65(66)72(62)77-76(71)78(73)80(75)79(74)77/h1-40H
InChIKey=XYUIBQJVZTYREY-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2Ex2cYd

Corannulene 1 is an interesting aromatic compound because it is nonplanar, having a bowl shape. [6]helicene is an interesting aromatic compound because it is nonplanar, having the shape of a helix. Kato, Segawa, Scott and Itami have joined these together to synthesize the interesting quintuple helicene compound 3.¹

The optimized structure of 3 is shown in Figure 1. They utilized computations to corroborate two experimental findings. First, the NMR spectra of 3 shows a small number of signals indicating that the bowl inversion should be rapid. The molecule has C₅ symmetry due to the bowl shape of the corannulene core. Rapid inversion makes the molecule effectively D₅. (The inversion transition state is of D₅ symmetry, and would be a nice quiz question for those looking for molecules of unusual point groups.) The B3LYP/6-31G(d) computed bowl inversion barrier is only 1.9 kcal mol^-1, significantly less that the bowl inversion barrier of 1: 10.4 kcal mol^-1. This reduction is partly due to the shallower bowl depth of 3 (0.572 Å in the x-ray structure, 0.325 Å in the computed structure) than in 1 (0.87 Å).

Figure 1. Optimized structure of 3.

Second, they took the enhanced MMMMM-isomer and heated it to obtain the thermodynamic properties for the inversion to the PPPPP-isomer. (The PPPPP-isomer is shown in the top scheme.) The experimental values are ΔH^‡ = 36.8 kcal mol^-1, ΔS^‡ = 8.7 cal mol^-1 K^-1, and ΔG^‡ = 34.2 kcal mol^-1 at 298 K. They computed all of the stereoisomers of 3 along with the transition states connecting them. The largest barrier is found in going from MMMMM–3 to MMMMP–3 with a computed barrier of 34.5 kcal mol^-1, in nice agreement with experiment.

References

1. Kato, K.; Segawa, Y.; Scott, L. T.; Itami, K., "A Quintuple [6]Helicene with a Corannulene Core as a C₅-Symmetric Propeller-Shaped π-System." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 1337-1341, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201711985.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C20H10/c1-2-12-5-6-14-9-10-15-8-7-13-4-3-11(1)16-17(12)19(14)20(15)18(13)16/h1-10H
InChIKey=VXRUJZQPKRBJKH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C26H16/c1-3-7-22-17(5-1)9-11-19-13-15-21-16-14-20-12-10-18-6-2-4-8-23(18)25(20)26(21)24(19)22/h1-16H
InChIKey=UOYPNWSDSPYOSN-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C80H40/c1-11-31-51-41(21-1)42-22-2-12-32-52(42)62-61(51)71-63-53-33-13-3-23-43(53)44-24-4-14-34-54(44)64(63)73-67-57-37-17-7-27-47(57)48-28-8-18-38-58(48)68(67)75-70-60-40-20-10-30-50(60)49-29-9-19-39-59(49)69(70)74-66-56-36-16-6-26-46(56)45-25-5-15-35-55(45)65(66)72(62)77-76(71)78(73)80(75)79(74)77/h1-40H
InChIKey=XYUIBQJVZTYREY-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2Ex2cYd

Computed spectra and the structure of (+)-frondosin B

The structure of (+)-frondosin B 1 has been the subject of some concern. The compound has been synthesized by a number of research groups with the expected R isomer as the target. However, the Danishefsky¹ and MacMillan² synthesis led to a molecule with [α]_D of about +16°, while Trauner³ reports a value of -16.8° and Ovaska⁴ prepared the S isomer with [α]_D = -17.3°. Something is amiss here.

Joyce and coworkers have looked into this structure problem through a combination of advanced analytical techniques and computational chemistry.⁵ They utilize optical activity, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and compare the experiments with computational results. IR and VCD were computed at B3LYP/6-31G** using a Boltzmann-weighted set of low-energy conformations. ECD computations were done at CAM-B3LYP/6-31++G**//B3LYP/6-31G**.

Basically, they found that (+)-frondosin B does have the R stereocenter. The different synthetic schemes did actually all lead to the same isomer, tested by looking at key intermediates along the way. The discrepancy in the optical activity is due to a small impurity, 2, that has the opposite rotation and a magnitude 10 times greater than that of authentic 1.

This paper is another nice example demonstrating the power of modern computational approaches to spectra that can be extremely valuable in structure determination. Organic chemists of all stripes should certainly be aware of how this tool can complement experiments.

My thanks to Derek Lowe who posted on this paper in his In The Pipeline blog.

References

1) Inoue, M.; Carson, M. W.; Frontier, A. J.; Danishefsky, S. J., "Total Synthesis and Determination of the Absolute Configuration of Frondosin B." J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2001, 123, 1878-1889, DOI: 10.1021/ja0021060.

2) Reiter, M.; Torssell, S.; Lee, S.; MacMillan, D. W. C., "The organocatalytic three-step total synthesis of (+)-frondosin B." Chem. Sci. 2010, 1, 37-42, DOI: 10.1039/C0SC00204F.

3) Hughes, C. C.; Trauner, D., "Palladium-catalyzed couplings to nucleophilic heteroarenes: the total synthesis of (−)-frondosin B." Tetrahedron 2004, 60, 9675-9686, DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2004.07.041.

4) Ovaska, T. V.; Sullivan, J. A.; Ovaska, S. I.; Winegrad, J. B.; Fair, J. D., "Asymmetric Synthesis of Seven-Membered Carbocyclic Rings via a Sequential Oxyanionic 5-Exo-Dig Cyclization/Claisen Rearrangement Process. Total Synthesis of (−)-Frondosin B." Org. Letters 2009, 11, 2715-2718, DOI: 10.1021/ol900967j.

5) Joyce, L. A.; Nawrat, C. C.; Sherer, E. C.; Biba, M.; Brunskill, A.; Martin, G. E.; Cohen, R. D.; Davies, I. W., "Beyond optical rotation: what’s left is not always right in total synthesis." Chem. Sci. 2018, 9, 415-424, DOI: 10.1039/C7SC04249C.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C20H24O2/c1-12-6-8-16-14(5-4-10-20(16,2)3)18-15-11-13(21)7-9-17(15)22-19(12)18/h7,9,11-12,21H,4-6,8,10H2,1-3H3/t12-/m1/s1
InChIKey=LSPMJSWSYGOLFD-GFCCVEGCSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C20H24O2/c1-12-5-4-10-20(3)16(12)8-6-13(2)19-18(20)15-11-14(21)7-9-17(15)22-19/h7,9,11,13,21H,4-6,8,10H2,1-3H3/t13-,20-/m1/s1
InChIKey=ZBXZDKMLFIJFHG-ZUOKHONESA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2pIPD6H

The structure of (+)-frondosin B 1 has been the subject of some concern. The compound has been synthesized by a number of research groups with the expected R isomer as the target. However, the Danishefsky¹ and MacMillan² synthesis led to a molecule with [α]_D of about +16°, while Trauner³ reports a value of -16.8° and Ovaska⁴ prepared the S isomer with [α]_D = -17.3°. Something is amiss here.

Joyce and coworkers have looked into this structure problem through a combination of advanced analytical techniques and computational chemistry.⁵ They utilize optical activity, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and compare the experiments with computational results. IR and VCD were computed at B3LYP/6-31G** using a Boltzmann-weighted set of low-energy conformations. ECD computations were done at CAM-B3LYP/6-31++G**//B3LYP/6-31G**.

Basically, they found that (+)-frondosin B does have the R stereocenter. The different synthetic schemes did actually all lead to the same isomer, tested by looking at key intermediates along the way. The discrepancy in the optical activity is due to a small impurity, 2, that has the opposite rotation and a magnitude 10 times greater than that of authentic 1.

This paper is another nice example demonstrating the power of modern computational approaches to spectra that can be extremely valuable in structure determination. Organic chemists of all stripes should certainly be aware of how this tool can complement experiments.

My thanks to Derek Lowe who posted on this paper in his In The Pipeline blog.

References

1) Inoue, M.; Carson, M. W.; Frontier, A. J.; Danishefsky, S. J., "Total Synthesis and Determination of the Absolute Configuration of Frondosin B." J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2001, 123, 1878-1889, DOI: 10.1021/ja0021060.

2) Reiter, M.; Torssell, S.; Lee, S.; MacMillan, D. W. C., "The organocatalytic three-step total synthesis of (+)-frondosin B." Chem. Sci. 2010, 1, 37-42, DOI: 10.1039/C0SC00204F.

3) Hughes, C. C.; Trauner, D., "Palladium-catalyzed couplings to nucleophilic heteroarenes: the total synthesis of (−)-frondosin B." Tetrahedron 2004, 60, 9675-9686, DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2004.07.041.

4) Ovaska, T. V.; Sullivan, J. A.; Ovaska, S. I.; Winegrad, J. B.; Fair, J. D., "Asymmetric Synthesis of Seven-Membered Carbocyclic Rings via a Sequential Oxyanionic 5-Exo-Dig Cyclization/Claisen Rearrangement Process. Total Synthesis of (−)-Frondosin B." Org. Letters 2009, 11, 2715-2718, DOI: 10.1021/ol900967j.

5) Joyce, L. A.; Nawrat, C. C.; Sherer, E. C.; Biba, M.; Brunskill, A.; Martin, G. E.; Cohen, R. D.; Davies, I. W., "Beyond optical rotation: what’s left is not always right in total synthesis." Chem. Sci. 2018, 9, 415-424, DOI: 10.1039/C7SC04249C.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C20H24O2/c1-12-6-8-16-14(5-4-10-20(16,2)3)18-15-11-13(21)7-9-17(15)22-19(12)18/h7,9,11-12,21H,4-6,8,10H2,1-3H3/t12-/m1/s1
InChIKey=LSPMJSWSYGOLFD-GFCCVEGCSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C20H24O2/c1-12-5-4-10-20(3)16(12)8-6-13(2)19-18(20)15-11-14(21)7-9-17(15)22-19/h7,9,11,13,21H,4-6,8,10H2,1-3H3/t13-,20-/m1/s1
InChIKey=ZBXZDKMLFIJFHG-ZUOKHONESA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry https://ift.tt/2pIPD6H

C60 Fullerene isomers

The Grimme group has examined all 1812 C₆₀ isomers, in part to benchmark some computational methods.¹ They computed all of these structures at PW6B95-D3/def2-QZVP//PBE-D3/def2-TZVP. The lowest energy structure is the expected fullerene 1 and the highest energy structure is the nanorod 2 (see Figure 1).

1

2

Figure 1. Optimized structures of the lowest (1) and highest (2) energy C₆₀ isomers.

About 70% of the isomers like in the range of 150-250 kcal mol^-1 above the fullerene 1, and the highest energy isomer 2 lies 549.1 kcal mol^-1 above 1. To benchmark some computational methods, they selected the five lowest energy isomers and five other isomers with higher energy to serve as a new database (C60ISO), with energies computed at DLPNO-CCSD(T)/CBS*. The mean absolute deviation of the PBE-D3/def2-TZVP relative energies with the DLPNO-CCSD(T)/CBS* energies is relative large 10.7 kcal mol^-1. However, the PW6B95-D3/def2-QZVP//PBE-D3/def2-TZVP method is considerably better, with a MAD of only 1.7 kcal mol^-1. This is clearly a reasonable compromise method for fullerene-like systems, balancing accuracy with computational time.

They also compared the relative energies of all 1812 isomers computed at PW6B95-D3/def2-QZVP//PBE-D3/def2-TZVP with a number of semi-empirical methods. The best results are with the DFTB-D3 method, with an MAD of 5.3 kcal mol^-1.

References

1) Sure, R.; Hansen, A.; Schwerdtfeger, P.; Grimme, S., "Comprehensive theoretical study of all 1812 C₆₀ isomers." Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2017, 19, 14296-14305, DOI: 10.1039/C7CP00735C.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C60/c1-2-5-6-3(1)8-12-10-4(1)9-11-7(2)17-21-13(5)23-24-14(6)22-18(8)28-20(12)30-26-16(10)15(9)25-29-19(11)27(17)37-41-31(21)33(23)43-44-34(24)32(22)42-38(28)48-40(30)46-36(26)35(25)45-39(29)47(37)55-49(41)51(43)57-52(44)50(42)56(48)59-54(46)53(45)58(55)60(57)59
InChIKey=XMWRBQBLMFGWIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C60/c1-11-12-2-21(1)31-41-32-22(1)3-13(11)15-5-24(3)34-43(32)53-55-47-36-26-6-16-17-7(26)28-9-19(17)20-10-29-8(18(16)20)27(6)37-46(36)54(51(41)55)52-42(31)33-23(2)4(14(12)15)25(5)35-44(33)58-56(52)48(37)39(29)50-40(30(9)10)49(38(28)47)57(53)59(45(34)35)60(50)58
InChIKey=AGZHNPDQKMDYHI-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2FW4p1t

The Grimme group has examined all 1812 C₆₀ isomers, in part to benchmark some computational methods.¹ They computed all of these structures at PW6B95-D3/def2-QZVP//PBE-D3/def2-TZVP. The lowest energy structure is the expected fullerene 1 and the highest energy structure is the nanorod 2 (see Figure 1).

1

2

Figure 1. Optimized structures of the lowest (1) and highest (2) energy C₆₀ isomers.

About 70% of the isomers like in the range of 150-250 kcal mol^-1 above the fullerene 1, and the highest energy isomer 2 lies 549.1 kcal mol^-1 above 1. To benchmark some computational methods, they selected the five lowest energy isomers and five other isomers with higher energy to serve as a new database (C60ISO), with energies computed at DLPNO-CCSD(T)/CBS*. The mean absolute deviation of the PBE-D3/def2-TZVP relative energies with the DLPNO-CCSD(T)/CBS* energies is relative large 10.7 kcal mol^-1. However, the PW6B95-D3/def2-QZVP//PBE-D3/def2-TZVP method is considerably better, with a MAD of only 1.7 kcal mol^-1. This is clearly a reasonable compromise method for fullerene-like systems, balancing accuracy with computational time.

They also compared the relative energies of all 1812 isomers computed at PW6B95-D3/def2-QZVP//PBE-D3/def2-TZVP with a number of semi-empirical methods. The best results are with the DFTB-D3 method, with an MAD of 5.3 kcal mol^-1.

References

1) Sure, R.; Hansen, A.; Schwerdtfeger, P.; Grimme, S., "Comprehensive theoretical study of all 1812 C₆₀ isomers." Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2017, 19, 14296-14305, DOI: 10.1039/C7CP00735C.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C60/c1-2-5-6-3(1)8-12-10-4(1)9-11-7(2)17-21-13(5)23-24-14(6)22-18(8)28-20(12)30-26-16(10)15(9)25-29-19(11)27(17)37-41-31(21)33(23)43-44-34(24)32(22)42-38(28)48-40(30)46-36(26)35(25)45-39(29)47(37)55-49(41)51(43)57-52(44)50(42)56(48)59-54(46)53(45)58(55)60(57)59
InChIKey=XMWRBQBLMFGWIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C60/c1-11-12-2-21(1)31-41-32-22(1)3-13(11)15-5-24(3)34-43(32)53-55-47-36-26-6-16-17-7(26)28-9-19(17)20-10-29-8(18(16)20)27(6)37-46(36)54(51(41)55)52-42(31)33-23(2)4(14(12)15)25(5)35-44(33)58-56(52)48(37)39(29)50-40(30(9)10)49(38(28)47)57(53)59(45(34)35)60(50)58
InChIKey=AGZHNPDQKMDYHI-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2FW4p1t

Strain-promoted cycloaddition to cyclooctyne

Click chemistry has been used in a broad range of applications. The use of metal catalysts has limited its application to biological system, but the development of strain-promoted cycloaddition to cyclooctyne has opened up click chemistry to bioorthogonal labeling.

An interesting variation on this is the use of 1,2-benzoquinone 1 and substituted analogues as the Diels-Alder diene component. Escorihuela and co-workers have reported on the use of this diene with a number of cyclooctyne derivatives, measuring kinetics and also using computations to assess the mechanism.¹

Their computations focused on two reactions using cyclooctyne 2 and the cyclopropane-fused analogue 3:

	Reaction 1
	Reaction 2

They examined these reactions with a variety of density functionals along with some post-HF methods. The transition states of the two reactions are shown in Figure 1. A variety of different density functionals and MP2 are consistent in finding synchronous or nearly synchronous transition states.

Rxn1-TS

Rxn2-TS

Figure 1. B97D/6-311+G(d,p) transition states for Reactions 1 and 2.

In terms of activation energies, all of the DFT methods consistently overestimate the barrier by about 5-10 kcal mol^-1, with B97D-D3 doing the best. MP2 drastically underestimates the barriers, though the SOS-MP2 or SCS-MP2 improve the estimate. Both CCSD(T) and MR-AQCC provide estimates of about 8.5 kcal mol^-1, still 3-4 kcal mol^-1 too high. The agreement between CCSD(T), a single reference method, and MR-AQCC, a multireference method, indicate that the transition states have little multireference character. Given the reasonable estimate of the barrier afforded by B97D-D3, and its tremendous performance advantage over SCS-MP2, CCSD(T) and MR-AQCC, this is the preferred method (at least with current technology) for examining Diels-Alder reactions like these, especially with larger molecules.

References

1) Escorihuela, J.; Das, A.; Looijen, W. J. E.; van Delft, F. L.; Aquino, A. J. A.; Lischka, H.; Zuilhof, H., "Kinetics of the Strain-Promoted Oxidation-Controlled Cycloalkyne-1,2-quinone Cycloaddition: Experimental and Theoretical Studies." J. Org. Chem. 2018, 83, 244-252, DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.7b02614.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C6H4O2/c7-5-3-1-2-4-6(5)8/h1-4H
InChIKey=WOAHJDHKFWSLKE-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C8H12/c1-2-4-6-8-7-5-3-1/h1-6H2
InChIKey=ZPWOOKQUDFIEIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C9H12/c1-2-4-6-9-7-8(9)5-3-1/h8-9H,3-7H2
InChIKey=rQDNSAFCVPAMWCJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

4: InChI=1S/C14H16O2/c15-13-11-7-8-12(14(13)16)10-6-4-2-1-3-5-9(10)11/h7-8,11-12H,1-6H2
InChIKey=OQMYZEFKUMPECV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

5: InChI=1S/C15H16O2/c16-14-12-5-6-13(15(14)17)11-4-2-9-7-8(9)1-3-10(11)12/h5-6,8-9,12-13H,1-4,7H2/t8-,9+,12?,13?
InChIKey=NKDGTIVNLDJQKR-RFZWMSCOSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2ETq3W7

Click chemistry has been used in a broad range of applications. The use of metal catalysts has limited its application to biological system, but the development of strain-promoted cycloaddition to cyclooctyne has opened up click chemistry to bioorthogonal labeling.

An interesting variation on this is the use of 1,2-benzoquinone 1 and substituted analogues as the Diels-Alder diene component. Escorihuela and co-workers have reported on the use of this diene with a number of cyclooctyne derivatives, measuring kinetics and also using computations to assess the mechanism.¹

Their computations focused on two reactions using cyclooctyne 2 and the cyclopropane-fused analogue 3:

	Reaction 1
	Reaction 2

They examined these reactions with a variety of density functionals along with some post-HF methods. The transition states of the two reactions are shown in Figure 1. A variety of different density functionals and MP2 are consistent in finding synchronous or nearly synchronous transition states.

Rxn1-TS

Rxn2-TS

Figure 1. B97D/6-311+G(d,p) transition states for Reactions 1 and 2.

In terms of activation energies, all of the DFT methods consistently overestimate the barrier by about 5-10 kcal mol^-1, with B97D-D3 doing the best. MP2 drastically underestimates the barriers, though the SOS-MP2 or SCS-MP2 improve the estimate. Both CCSD(T) and MR-AQCC provide estimates of about 8.5 kcal mol^-1, still 3-4 kcal mol^-1 too high. The agreement between CCSD(T), a single reference method, and MR-AQCC, a multireference method, indicate that the transition states have little multireference character. Given the reasonable estimate of the barrier afforded by B97D-D3, and its tremendous performance advantage over SCS-MP2, CCSD(T) and MR-AQCC, this is the preferred method (at least with current technology) for examining Diels-Alder reactions like these, especially with larger molecules.

References

1) Escorihuela, J.; Das, A.; Looijen, W. J. E.; van Delft, F. L.; Aquino, A. J. A.; Lischka, H.; Zuilhof, H., "Kinetics of the Strain-Promoted Oxidation-Controlled Cycloalkyne-1,2-quinone Cycloaddition: Experimental and Theoretical Studies." J. Org. Chem. 2018, 83, 244-252, DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.7b02614.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C6H4O2/c7-5-3-1-2-4-6(5)8/h1-4H
InChIKey=WOAHJDHKFWSLKE-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C8H12/c1-2-4-6-8-7-5-3-1/h1-6H2
InChIKey=ZPWOOKQUDFIEIX-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C9H12/c1-2-4-6-9-7-8(9)5-3-1/h8-9H,3-7H2
InChIKey=rQDNSAFCVPAMWCJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

4: InChI=1S/C14H16O2/c15-13-11-7-8-12(14(13)16)10-6-4-2-1-3-5-9(10)11/h7-8,11-12H,1-6H2
InChIKey=OQMYZEFKUMPECV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

5: InChI=1S/C15H16O2/c16-14-12-5-6-13(15(14)17)11-4-2-9-7-8(9)1-3-10(11)12/h5-6,8-9,12-13H,1-4,7H2/t8-,9+,12?,13?
InChIKey=NKDGTIVNLDJQKR-RFZWMSCOSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2ETq3W7

New Procedure for computing NMR spectra with spin-spin coupling

Computed NMR spectra have become a very useful tool in identifying chemical structures. I have blogged on this multiple times. A recent trend has been the development of computational procedures that lead to computed spectra (again, see that above link). Now, Grimme, Neese and coworkers have offered their approach to computed NMR spectra, including spin-spin splitting.¹

Their procedure involves four distinct steps.

1. Generation of the conformer and rotamer space. This is a critical distinctive element of their method in that they take a number of different tacks for sampling conformational space to insure that they have identified all low-energy structures. This involves a combination of normal mode following, genetic structure crossing (based on genetic algorithms for optimization), and molecular dynamics. Making this all work is their choice of using the computational efficient GFN-xTB² quantum mechanical method.
2. The low-energy structures are then subjected to re-optimization at PBEh-3c and then single-point energies obtained at DSD-BLYP-D3/def2-TZVPP including treatment of solvation by COSMO-RS. The low-energy structures that contribute 4% or more of the Boltzmann-weighted population are then carried forward.
3. Chemical shifts and spin-spin coupling constants are then computed with the PBE0 method and the pcS and pcJ basis sets developed by Jensen for computing NMR shifts.³
4. Lastly, the chemical shifts and coupling constants are averaged and the spin Hamiltonian is solved.

The paper provides a number of examples of the application of the methodology, all with quite good success. The computer codes to run this method are available for academic use from xtb@thch.uni-bonn.de.

References

1) Grimme, S.; Bannwarth, C.; Dohm, S.; Hansen, A.; Pisarek, J.; Pracht, P.; Seibert, J.; Neese, F., "Fully Automated Quantum-Chemistry-Based Computation of Spin–Spin-Coupled Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 14763-14769, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708266.

2) Grimme, S.; Bannwarth, C.; Shushkov, P., "A Robust and Accurate Tight-Binding Quantum Chemical Method for Structures, Vibrational Frequencies, and Noncovalent Interactions of Large Molecular Systems Parametrized for All spd-Block Elements (Z = 1–86)." J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2017, 13, 1989-2009, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.7b00118.

3) Jensen, F., "Basis Set Convergence of Nuclear Magnetic Shielding Constants Calculated by Density Functional Methods." J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2008, 4, 719-727, DOI: 10.1021/ct800013z.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2GPOTEn

Computed NMR spectra have become a very useful tool in identifying chemical structures. I have blogged on this multiple times. A recent trend has been the development of computational procedures that lead to computed spectra (again, see that above link). Now, Grimme, Neese and coworkers have offered their approach to computed NMR spectra, including spin-spin splitting.¹

Their procedure involves four distinct steps.

1. Generation of the conformer and rotamer space. This is a critical distinctive element of their method in that they take a number of different tacks for sampling conformational space to insure that they have identified all low-energy structures. This involves a combination of normal mode following, genetic structure crossing (based on genetic algorithms for optimization), and molecular dynamics. Making this all work is their choice of using the computational efficient GFN-xTB² quantum mechanical method.
2. The low-energy structures are then subjected to re-optimization at PBEh-3c and then single-point energies obtained at DSD-BLYP-D3/def2-TZVPP including treatment of solvation by COSMO-RS. The low-energy structures that contribute 4% or more of the Boltzmann-weighted population are then carried forward.
3. Chemical shifts and spin-spin coupling constants are then computed with the PBE0 method and the pcS and pcJ basis sets developed by Jensen for computing NMR shifts.³
4. Lastly, the chemical shifts and coupling constants are averaged and the spin Hamiltonian is solved.

The paper provides a number of examples of the application of the methodology, all with quite good success. The computer codes to run this method are available for academic use from xtb@thch.uni-bonn.de.

References

1) Grimme, S.; Bannwarth, C.; Dohm, S.; Hansen, A.; Pisarek, J.; Pracht, P.; Seibert, J.; Neese, F., "Fully Automated Quantum-Chemistry-Based Computation of Spin–Spin-Coupled Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 14763-14769, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708266.

2) Grimme, S.; Bannwarth, C.; Shushkov, P., "A Robust and Accurate Tight-Binding Quantum Chemical Method for Structures, Vibrational Frequencies, and Noncovalent Interactions of Large Molecular Systems Parametrized for All spd-Block Elements (Z = 1–86)." J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2017, 13, 1989-2009, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.7b00118.

3) Jensen, F., "Basis Set Convergence of Nuclear Magnetic Shielding Constants Calculated by Density Functional Methods." J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2008, 4, 719-727, DOI: 10.1021/ct800013z.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2GPOTEn

Isotope Controlled Selectivity

I seem to be recently flooded with papers dealing with tunneling in organic systems. Well, here’s one more! Kozuch, Borden, Schreiner and co-workers seek out systems whereby isotopic substitution might lead to reaction selectivity.¹ Their base system is cyclopropylmethylcarbene 1, which can undergo three different reactions: (a) the ring can expand to give 1-methylcyclobut-1-ene 2, (b) a hydrogen can shift from the terminal methyl group to give vinylcyclopropane 3, or (c) the methane hydrogen can shift to produce ethylidenecyclopropane 4. This last option can be neglected since its barrier (20.5 kcal mol^-1) is so much higher than for the other two, 7.5 kcal mol^-1 for the ring expansion and 12.1 kcal mol^-1 for the [1,2]H-shift converting 1 → 3.

At high temperature, the ring expansion to 2 will dominate, but at low temperature the hydrogen shift to 3 might dominate by tunneling through the barrier due to the low mass and short distances involved. The reaction rates were computed using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and small-curvature tunneling. At low temperature, the rate for the hydrogen shift is 10 orders of magnitude faster than the ring expansion. Thinking that deuterium substitution of the terminal methyl group might slow down the rate of the [1,2]-shift, they computed the rates for the reactions of 1-d3, and in fact the rate of this shift does reduce by 10⁴ but it is still much faster than the rate for ring expansion. What is needed is a system where the rate for ring expansion is slower than the rate for hydrogen migration but faster than the rate of deuterium migration.

They examine a number of different substituents that may help to lower the barrier for the ring expansion. The methoxy derivative 5 turns out to suit the bill perfectly. The methoxy group reduces the barrier for ring expansion from 7.5 kcal mol^-1 with 1 to 2.5 kcal mol^-1 with 5. With hydrogenated 5, the [1,2]H-shift is 10³ times faster than ring expansion, but with deuterated 5, ring expansion is twice as fast as the deuterium migration.

The authors call this isotope controlled selectivity (ICS), and this is the first example of this type of control.

References

1. Nandi, A.; Gerbig, D.; Schreiner, P. R.; Borden, W. T.; Kozuch, S., Isotope-Controlled Selectivity by Quantum Tunneling: Hydrogen Migration versus Ring Expansion in Cyclopropylmethylcarbenes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 9097-9099, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b04593.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C5H8/c1-2-5-3-4-5/h5H,3-4H2,1H3
InChIKey=KJIJNBZLGHBOTI-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI<=1S/C5H8/c1-5-3-2-4-5/h3H,2,4H2,1H3
InChIKey=AVPHQXWAMGTQPF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C5H8/c1-2-5-3-4-5/h2,5H,1,3-4H2
InChIKey=YIWFBNMYFYINAD-UHFFFAOYSA-N

4: InChI=1S/C5H8/c1-2-5-3-4-5/h2H,3-4H2,1H3
InChIKey=ZIFNDRXSSPCNID-UHFFFAOYSA-N

5: InChI=1S/C6H10O/c1-3-6(7-2)4-5-6/h4-5H2,1-2H3
InChIKey=YMBSTCICUAORNN-UHFFFAOYSA-N

6: InChI<=1S/C6H10O/c1-5-3-4-6(5)7-2/h3-4H2,1-2H3
InChIKey=QBLNAZHAVPMLHB-UHFFFAOYSA-N

7: InChI<=1S/C6H10O/c1-3-6(7-2)4-5-6/h3H,1,4-5H2,2H3
InChIKey=FHYLDABSPVPDTJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2BkLDNf

I seem to be recently flooded with papers dealing with tunneling in organic systems. Well, here’s one more! Kozuch, Borden, Schreiner and co-workers seek out systems whereby isotopic substitution might lead to reaction selectivity.¹ Their base system is cyclopropylmethylcarbene 1, which can undergo three different reactions: (a) the ring can expand to give 1-methylcyclobut-1-ene 2, (b) a hydrogen can shift from the terminal methyl group to give vinylcyclopropane 3, or (c) the methane hydrogen can shift to produce ethylidenecyclopropane 4. This last option can be neglected since its barrier (20.5 kcal mol^-1) is so much higher than for the other two, 7.5 kcal mol^-1 for the ring expansion and 12.1 kcal mol^-1 for the [1,2]H-shift converting 1 → 3.

At high temperature, the ring expansion to 2 will dominate, but at low temperature the hydrogen shift to 3 might dominate by tunneling through the barrier due to the low mass and short distances involved. The reaction rates were computed using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and small-curvature tunneling. At low temperature, the rate for the hydrogen shift is 10 orders of magnitude faster than the ring expansion. Thinking that deuterium substitution of the terminal methyl group might slow down the rate of the [1,2]-shift, they computed the rates for the reactions of 1-d3, and in fact the rate of this shift does reduce by 10⁴ but it is still much faster than the rate for ring expansion. What is needed is a system where the rate for ring expansion is slower than the rate for hydrogen migration but faster than the rate of deuterium migration.

They examine a number of different substituents that may help to lower the barrier for the ring expansion. The methoxy derivative 5 turns out to suit the bill perfectly. The methoxy group reduces the barrier for ring expansion from 7.5 kcal mol^-1 with 1 to 2.5 kcal mol^-1 with 5. With hydrogenated 5, the [1,2]H-shift is 10³ times faster than ring expansion, but with deuterated 5, ring expansion is twice as fast as the deuterium migration.

The authors call this isotope controlled selectivity (ICS), and this is the first example of this type of control.

References

1. Nandi, A.; Gerbig, D.; Schreiner, P. R.; Borden, W. T.; Kozuch, S., Isotope-Controlled Selectivity by Quantum Tunneling: Hydrogen Migration versus Ring Expansion in Cyclopropylmethylcarbenes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 9097-9099, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b04593.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C5H8/c1-2-5-3-4-5/h5H,3-4H2,1H3
InChIKey=KJIJNBZLGHBOTI-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI<=1S/C5H8/c1-5-3-2-4-5/h3H,2,4H2,1H3
InChIKey=AVPHQXWAMGTQPF-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C5H8/c1-2-5-3-4-5/h2,5H,1,3-4H2
InChIKey=YIWFBNMYFYINAD-UHFFFAOYSA-N

4: InChI=1S/C5H8/c1-2-5-3-4-5/h2H,3-4H2,1H3
InChIKey=ZIFNDRXSSPCNID-UHFFFAOYSA-N

5: InChI=1S/C6H10O/c1-3-6(7-2)4-5-6/h4-5H2,1-2H3
InChIKey=YMBSTCICUAORNN-UHFFFAOYSA-N

6: InChI<=1S/C6H10O/c1-5-3-4-6(5)7-2/h3-4H2,1-2H3
InChIKey=QBLNAZHAVPMLHB-UHFFFAOYSA-N

7: InChI<=1S/C6H10O/c1-3-6(7-2)4-5-6/h3H,1,4-5H2,2H3
InChIKey=FHYLDABSPVPDTJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2BkLDNf

Antiaromatic compounds stabilized by benzenoid fusion

Antiaromatic compounds by definition are unstable and so difficult to prepare. One approach to increase their stability is to fuse aromatic ring(s) onto the antiaromatic system. I discuss in this blog post two different scaffolds where this approach has been successful in preparing molecules that express some degree of antiaromaticity. In addition, I mention a technique to aid in evaluating the aromatic/antiaromatic character.

Pentalene 1 is a formal 8-π electron system and would be antiaromatic. To avoid this antiaromatic character, the double bonds are localized. Fusing benzenoid rings to pentalene to give dibenzo[a,e]penatalene 2 has been done, but the central rings avoid antiaromatic character by expressing the Kekule structure shown below.

Yasuda and coworkers report the preparation of mesityl-substituted dibenzo[a,f]penatalene
3.¹ Resonance structures of 3¸ shown below, either have only one aromatic ring, or have two aromatic rings along with a trimethylenemethane (TMM) diradical component. Thus, one might expect 3 to express more antiaromatic character than 2.

NICS(1) values, computed at B3LYP/6-31G**, for 2 are -6.23 for the 6-member ring and +5.87 ppm for the 5-member ring, showing reduced aromaticity of the former ring. In sharp contrast, the NICS(1) values for 3 are +7.48 for the 6-member ring and +25.5 ppm for the 5-member ring, indicating substantial antiaromatic character for both rings. The calculated spin density distribution shows largest unpaired density on the expected carbon atoms based on the resonance structures involving the TMM fragment.

Xia and coworkers have prepared substituted analogues of the three structural isomers whereby three naphthylene units are fused together creating two cyclobutadienoid rings.² These three frameworks are molecules 4-6. The 4-member rings are formally antiaromatic, tempered by the fused aromatic naphthylene groups. The question is then how does the different attachment geometry manifest in aromatic and/or antiaromatic character?

The computations take advantage of the NICS-XY method – well, a variation of this method. I had meant to write a post about the NICS-XY method when Stanger published it,³ but I just never got around to it. The idea is that NICS is evaluated typically at a single point, and just which point to use has been the subject of some discussion. Instead, Stanger proposes the NICS-XY method as a grid of points perpendicular to the plane of the molecule, typically in the plane bisecting the molecule. Trends in the values as one moves across the ring and perpendicular to the ring could assist in identifying aromatic/antiaromatic behavior.

Xia computed the NICS_πZZ along a line in the molecular plane bisecting the rings. This is shown in the figure below, which I have reproduced from the article. For example, for 4, which is compound 1 in the Xia paper and the figure below, the NICS values are taken along the line that horizontally bisects the molecule. In ring A, the values are negative, indicative of an aromatic ring. Across ring B, the values are still negative, but not as negative as for ring A, indicating a diminished aromaticity. In ring C, the values are positive, as one would expect for the antiaromatic cyclobutadienoid ring.

Figure taken from J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15933-15939.

The authors highlight two trends. First, in the linear fusion (see the inset above), the aromatic ring fused to the cyclobutadienoid ring expresses diminished aromaticity. This can be understood in the following way. In naphthalene, the C2-C3 bond is longer than the C1-C2 bond. When the cyclobutadienoid is fused at the C2-C3 bond, it can lengthen even more to weaken the antiaaromaticity of the 4-member ring, and this consequently reduces the aromaticity of the 6-member ring. Fusion of the cyclobutadienoid ring at C1-C2, the shorter bond, causes a higher degree of antiaromaticity in the 4-member ring. The lengthening of this C1-C2 bond to try to reduce the antiromaticity of the 4-member ring leads to greater bond equalization in the 6-member ring, and its consequently greater aromatic character.

References

1. Konishi, A.; Okada, Y.; Nakano, M.; Sugisaki, K.; Sato, K.; Takui, T.; Yasuda, M., "Synthesis and Characterization of Dibenzo[a,f]pentalene: Harmonization of the Antiaromatic and Singlet Biradical Character." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15284-15287, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b05709.

2. Jin, Z.; Teo, Y. C.; Teat, S. J.; Xia, Y., "Regioselective Synthesis of [3]Naphthylenes and Tuning of Their Antiaromaticity." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15933-15939, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b09222.

3. Gershoni-Poranne, R.; Stanger, A., "The NICS-XY-Scan: Identification of Local and Global Ring Currents in Multi-Ring Systems." Chem. Eur. J. 2014, 20, 5673-5688, DOI: 10.1002/chem.201304307.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C8H6/c1-3-7-5-2-6-8(7)4-1/h1-6H
InChIKey=GUVXZFRDPCKWEM-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C16H10/c1-3-7-13-11(5-1)9-15-14-8-4-2-6-12(14)10-16(13)15/h1-10H
InChIKey=OZEPXROCWSMGGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C16H10/c1-3-7-14-11(5-1)9-13-10-12-6-2-4-8-15(12)16(13)14/h1-10H
InChIKey=XOERMEAUYMRNNZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

4: InChI=1S/C30H16/c1-2-6-18-10-24-23(9-17(18)5-1)27-13-21-15-29-25-11-19-7-3-4-8-20(19)12-26(25)30(29)16-22(21)14-28(24)27/h1-16H
InChIKey=CHDMCKMZQIHGAH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

5: InChI=1S/C30H16/c1-3-7-19-15-27-25(13-17(19)5-1)23-11-9-22-21(29(23)27)10-12-24-26-14-18-6-2-4-8-20(18)16-28(26)30(22)24/h1-16H
InChIKey=LPXGODOTGXTPRU-UHFFFAOYSA-N

6: InChI=1S/C30H16/c1-2-7-19-13-26-25(12-18(19)6-1)27-15-21-9-10-22-24-11-17-5-3-4-8-20(17)14-29(24)30(22)23(21)16-28(26)27/h1-16H
InChIKey=BKMGPFRQJXDFJQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2CRMGJv

Antiaromatic compounds by definition are unstable and so difficult to prepare. One approach to increase their stability is to fuse aromatic ring(s) onto the antiaromatic system. I discuss in this blog post two different scaffolds where this approach has been successful in preparing molecules that express some degree of antiaromaticity. In addition, I mention a technique to aid in evaluating the aromatic/antiaromatic character.

Pentalene 1 is a formal 8-π electron system and would be antiaromatic. To avoid this antiaromatic character, the double bonds are localized. Fusing benzenoid rings to pentalene to give dibenzo[a,e]penatalene 2 has been done, but the central rings avoid antiaromatic character by expressing the Kekule structure shown below.

Yasuda and coworkers report the preparation of mesityl-substituted dibenzo[a,f]penatalene
3.¹ Resonance structures of 3¸ shown below, either have only one aromatic ring, or have two aromatic rings along with a trimethylenemethane (TMM) diradical component. Thus, one might expect 3 to express more antiaromatic character than 2.

NICS(1) values, computed at B3LYP/6-31G**, for 2 are -6.23 for the 6-member ring and +5.87 ppm for the 5-member ring, showing reduced aromaticity of the former ring. In sharp contrast, the NICS(1) values for 3 are +7.48 for the 6-member ring and +25.5 ppm for the 5-member ring, indicating substantial antiaromatic character for both rings. The calculated spin density distribution shows largest unpaired density on the expected carbon atoms based on the resonance structures involving the TMM fragment.

Xia and coworkers have prepared substituted analogues of the three structural isomers whereby three naphthylene units are fused together creating two cyclobutadienoid rings.² These three frameworks are molecules 4-6. The 4-member rings are formally antiaromatic, tempered by the fused aromatic naphthylene groups. The question is then how does the different attachment geometry manifest in aromatic and/or antiaromatic character?

The computations take advantage of the NICS-XY method – well, a variation of this method. I had meant to write a post about the NICS-XY method when Stanger published it,³ but I just never got around to it. The idea is that NICS is evaluated typically at a single point, and just which point to use has been the subject of some discussion. Instead, Stanger proposes the NICS-XY method as a grid of points perpendicular to the plane of the molecule, typically in the plane bisecting the molecule. Trends in the values as one moves across the ring and perpendicular to the ring could assist in identifying aromatic/antiaromatic behavior.

Xia computed the NICS_πZZ along a line in the molecular plane bisecting the rings. This is shown in the figure below, which I have reproduced from the article. For example, for 4, which is compound 1 in the Xia paper and the figure below, the NICS values are taken along the line that horizontally bisects the molecule. In ring A, the values are negative, indicative of an aromatic ring. Across ring B, the values are still negative, but not as negative as for ring A, indicating a diminished aromaticity. In ring C, the values are positive, as one would expect for the antiaromatic cyclobutadienoid ring.

Figure taken from J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15933-15939.

The authors highlight two trends. First, in the linear fusion (see the inset above), the aromatic ring fused to the cyclobutadienoid ring expresses diminished aromaticity. This can be understood in the following way. In naphthalene, the C2-C3 bond is longer than the C1-C2 bond. When the cyclobutadienoid is fused at the C2-C3 bond, it can lengthen even more to weaken the antiaaromaticity of the 4-member ring, and this consequently reduces the aromaticity of the 6-member ring. Fusion of the cyclobutadienoid ring at C1-C2, the shorter bond, causes a higher degree of antiaromaticity in the 4-member ring. The lengthening of this C1-C2 bond to try to reduce the antiromaticity of the 4-member ring leads to greater bond equalization in the 6-member ring, and its consequently greater aromatic character.

References

1. Konishi, A.; Okada, Y.; Nakano, M.; Sugisaki, K.; Sato, K.; Takui, T.; Yasuda, M., "Synthesis and Characterization of Dibenzo[a,f]pentalene: Harmonization of the Antiaromatic and Singlet Biradical Character." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15284-15287, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b05709.

2. Jin, Z.; Teo, Y. C.; Teat, S. J.; Xia, Y., "Regioselective Synthesis of [3]Naphthylenes and Tuning of Their Antiaromaticity." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15933-15939, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b09222.

3. Gershoni-Poranne, R.; Stanger, A., "The NICS-XY-Scan: Identification of Local and Global Ring Currents in Multi-Ring Systems." Chem. Eur. J. 2014, 20, 5673-5688, DOI: 10.1002/chem.201304307.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C8H6/c1-3-7-5-2-6-8(7)4-1/h1-6H
InChIKey=GUVXZFRDPCKWEM-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C16H10/c1-3-7-13-11(5-1)9-15-14-8-4-2-6-12(14)10-16(13)15/h1-10H
InChIKey=OZEPXROCWSMGGM-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3: InChI=1S/C16H10/c1-3-7-14-11(5-1)9-13-10-12-6-2-4-8-15(12)16(13)14/h1-10H
InChIKey=XOERMEAUYMRNNZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

4: InChI=1S/C30H16/c1-2-6-18-10-24-23(9-17(18)5-1)27-13-21-15-29-25-11-19-7-3-4-8-20(19)12-26(25)30(29)16-22(21)14-28(24)27/h1-16H
InChIKey=CHDMCKMZQIHGAH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

5: InChI=1S/C30H16/c1-3-7-19-15-27-25(13-17(19)5-1)23-11-9-22-21(29(23)27)10-12-24-26-14-18-6-2-4-8-20(18)16-28(26)30(22)24/h1-16H
InChIKey=LPXGODOTGXTPRU-UHFFFAOYSA-N

6: InChI=1S/C30H16/c1-2-7-19-13-26-25(12-18(19)6-1)27-15-21-9-10-22-24-11-17-5-3-4-8-20(17)14-29(24)30(22)23(21)16-28(26)27/h1-16H
InChIKey=BKMGPFRQJXDFJQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2CRMGJv

azatriquinacene, a novel aromatic

The range of aromatic compounds seems limitless. Mascal and co-workers have prepared the azatriquinacene 1 in a remarkably simple fashion.¹ The molecule is a zwitterion, with the carbon atoms forming a 9-center, but 10 π-electron ring, and the quaternary nitrogen sitting above it. The carbon ring satisfies Hückel’s rule (4n+2) and so should be aromatic. The capping nitrogen should help to keep the carbon ring fixed in a shallow bowl.

As expected, the molecule in fact turns out to possess an aromatic 10 π-electron ring. The B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) geometry is shown in Figure 1. There is little bond alternation among the C-C distances: the mean deviation is only 0.015 Å with the largest difference only 0.024 &Aring. The x-ray crystal structure shows the same trends. The NICS(1) value is -12.31 ppm, larger even than that of benzene (-10.22 ppm).

Figure 1. B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) geometry of 1.

References

1) Hafezi, N.; Shewa, W. T.; Fettinger, J. C.; Mascal, M., "A Zwitterionic, 10 π Aromatic Hemisphere." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 14141-14144, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708521.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C10H9N/c1-11-8-2-3-9(11)6-7-10(11)5-4-8/h2-7H,1H3
InChIKey=ZXZPLDVSQUVKTH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2nTVkRI

The range of aromatic compounds seems limitless. Mascal and co-workers have prepared the azatriquinacene 1 in a remarkably simple fashion.¹ The molecule is a zwitterion, with the carbon atoms forming a 9-center, but 10 π-electron ring, and the quaternary nitrogen sitting above it. The carbon ring satisfies Hückel’s rule (4n+2) and so should be aromatic. The capping nitrogen should help to keep the carbon ring fixed in a shallow bowl.

As expected, the molecule in fact turns out to possess an aromatic 10 π-electron ring. The B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) geometry is shown in Figure 1. There is little bond alternation among the C-C distances: the mean deviation is only 0.015 Å with the largest difference only 0.024 &Aring. The x-ray crystal structure shows the same trends. The NICS(1) value is -12.31 ppm, larger even than that of benzene (-10.22 ppm).

Figure 1. B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) geometry of 1.

References

1) Hafezi, N.; Shewa, W. T.; Fettinger, J. C.; Mascal, M., "A Zwitterionic, 10 π Aromatic Hemisphere." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 14141-14144, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708521.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C10H9N/c1-11-8-2-3-9(11)6-7-10(11)5-4-8/h2-7H,1H3
InChIKey=ZXZPLDVSQUVKTH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2nTVkRI

Heavy-atom tunneling

Though recognized to occur in organic systems, the breadth of involvement of heavy-atom tunneling has not been established. Doubleday, Greer and coworkers have examined 13 simple organic reactions sampling pericyclic reactions, radical rearrangements and S_N2 reactions for heavy-atom tunneling.¹ A few of these reactions are shown below.

Reaction rates were obtained using the small curvature tunneling approximation (SCT), computed using Gaussrate. Reaction surfaces were computed at B3LYP/6-31G*. The tunneling correction to the rate was also estimated using the model developed by Bell: k_Bell = (u/2)/sin(u/2) where u = hν^‡/RT and ν^‡ is the imaginary frequency associated with the transition state. The temperature was chosen so as to give a common rate constant of 3 x 10^-5 s^-1. Interestingly, all of the examined reactions exhibited significant tunneling even at temperatures from 270-350 K (See Table 1). The tunneling effect estimated by Bell’s equation is very similar to that of the more computationally demanding SCT computation.

Table 1. Tunneling contribution to the rate constant

Reaction	% tunneling
	35
	17
	28
	95
CN– + CH3Cl → CH3CN + Cl– (aqueous)	45

This study points towards a much broader range of reactions that may be subject to quantum mechanical tunneling than previously considered.

References

1. Doubleday, C.; Armas, R.; Walker, D.; Cosgriff, C. V.; Greer, E. M., "Heavy-Atom Tunneling Calculations in Thirteen Organic Reactions: Tunneling Contributions are Substantial, and Bell’s Formula Closely Approximates Multidimensional Tunneling at ≥250 K." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 13099-13102, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708489.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2ANrTWv

Though recognized to occur in organic systems, the breadth of involvement of heavy-atom tunneling has not been established. Doubleday, Greer and coworkers have examined 13 simple organic reactions sampling pericyclic reactions, radical rearrangements and S_N2 reactions for heavy-atom tunneling.¹ A few of these reactions are shown below.

Reaction rates were obtained using the small curvature tunneling approximation (SCT), computed using Gaussrate. Reaction surfaces were computed at B3LYP/6-31G*. The tunneling correction to the rate was also estimated using the model developed by Bell: k_Bell = (u/2)/sin(u/2) where u = hν^‡/RT and ν^‡ is the imaginary frequency associated with the transition state. The temperature was chosen so as to give a common rate constant of 3 x 10^-5 s^-1. Interestingly, all of the examined reactions exhibited significant tunneling even at temperatures from 270-350 K (See Table 1). The tunneling effect estimated by Bell’s equation is very similar to that of the more computationally demanding SCT computation.

Table 1. Tunneling contribution to the rate constant

Reaction	% tunneling
	35
	17
	28
	95
CN– + CH3Cl → CH3CN + Cl– (aqueous)	45

This study points towards a much broader range of reactions that may be subject to quantum mechanical tunneling than previously considered.

References

1. Doubleday, C.; Armas, R.; Walker, D.; Cosgriff, C. V.; Greer, E. M., "Heavy-Atom Tunneling Calculations in Thirteen Organic Reactions: Tunneling Contributions are Substantial, and Bell’s Formula Closely Approximates Multidimensional Tunneling at ≥250 K." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 13099-13102, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201708489.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2ANrTWv

Perspective on Tunneling Control

Over the past nine years the Schreiner group, often in collaboration with the Allen group, have produced some remarkable studies demonstrating the role of tunneling control. (I have made quite a number of posts on this topics.) Tunneling control is a third mechanism for dictating product formation, in tandem with kinetic control (the favored product is the one that results from the lowest barrier) and thermodynamic control (the favored product is the one that has the lowest energy). Tunneling control has the favored product resulting from the narrowest mass-considered barrier.

Schreiner has written a very clear perspective on tunneling control. It is framed quite interestingly by some fascinating quotes:

It is probably fair to say that many organic chemists view the concept of tunneling, even of hydrogen atoms, with some skepticism. – Carpenter 1983²

Reaction processes have been considered as taking place according to the laws of classical mechanics, quantum mechanical theory being only employed in calculating interatomic forces. – Bell 1933³

Schreiner’s article makes it very clear how critical it is to really think about reactions from a truly quantum mechanical perspective. He notes the predominance of potential energy diagrams that focus exclusively on the relative energies and omits any serious consideration of the reaction coordinate metrics, like barrier width. When one also considers the rise in our understanding of the role of reaction dynamics in organic chemistry (see, for example, these many posts), just how long will it take for these critical notions to penetrate into standard organic chemical thinking? As Schreiner puts it:

It should begin by including quantum phenomena in introductory textbooks, where they are, at least in organic chemistry, blatantly absent. To put this oversight in words similar to those used much earlier by Frank Weinhold in a different context: “When will chemistry textbooks begin to serve as aids, rather than barriers, to this enriched quantum-mechanical perspective?”⁴

References

1) Schreiner, P. R., "Tunneling Control of Chemical Reactions: The Third Reactivity Paradigm." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15276-15283, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b06035.

2) Carpenter, B. K., "Heavy-atom tunneling as the dominant pathway in a solution-phase reaction? Bond shift in antiaromatic annulenes." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1983, 105, 1700-1701, DOI: 10.1021/ja00344a073.

3) Bell, R. P., "The Application of Quantum Mechanics to Chemical Kinetics." Proc. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 1933, 139 (838), 466-474, DOI: 10.1098/rspa.1933.0031.

4) Weinhold, F., "Chemistry: A new twist on molecular shape." Nature 2001, 411, 539-541, DOI: 10.1038/35079225.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2ABYo6q

Over the past nine years the Schreiner group, often in collaboration with the Allen group, have produced some remarkable studies demonstrating the role of tunneling control. (I have made quite a number of posts on this topics.) Tunneling control is a third mechanism for dictating product formation, in tandem with kinetic control (the favored product is the one that results from the lowest barrier) and thermodynamic control (the favored product is the one that has the lowest energy). Tunneling control has the favored product resulting from the narrowest mass-considered barrier.

Schreiner has written a very clear perspective on tunneling control. It is framed quite interestingly by some fascinating quotes:

It is probably fair to say that many organic chemists view the concept of tunneling, even of hydrogen atoms, with some skepticism. – Carpenter 1983²

Reaction processes have been considered as taking place according to the laws of classical mechanics, quantum mechanical theory being only employed in calculating interatomic forces. – Bell 1933³

Schreiner’s article makes it very clear how critical it is to really think about reactions from a truly quantum mechanical perspective. He notes the predominance of potential energy diagrams that focus exclusively on the relative energies and omits any serious consideration of the reaction coordinate metrics, like barrier width. When one also considers the rise in our understanding of the role of reaction dynamics in organic chemistry (see, for example, these many posts), just how long will it take for these critical notions to penetrate into standard organic chemical thinking? As Schreiner puts it:

It should begin by including quantum phenomena in introductory textbooks, where they are, at least in organic chemistry, blatantly absent. To put this oversight in words similar to those used much earlier by Frank Weinhold in a different context: “When will chemistry textbooks begin to serve as aids, rather than barriers, to this enriched quantum-mechanical perspective?”⁴

References

1) Schreiner, P. R., "Tunneling Control of Chemical Reactions: The Third Reactivity Paradigm." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 15276-15283, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b06035.

2) Carpenter, B. K., "Heavy-atom tunneling as the dominant pathway in a solution-phase reaction? Bond shift in antiaromatic annulenes." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1983, 105, 1700-1701, DOI: 10.1021/ja00344a073.

3) Bell, R. P., "The Application of Quantum Mechanics to Chemical Kinetics." Proc. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 1933, 139 (838), 466-474, DOI: 10.1098/rspa.1933.0031.

4) Weinhold, F., "Chemistry: A new twist on molecular shape." Nature 2001, 411, 539-541, DOI: 10.1038/35079225.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2ABYo6q

Heavy atom tunneling in semibullvalene

Another prediction made by quantum chemistry has now been confirmed. In 2010, Zhang, Hrovat, and Borden predicted that the degenerate rearrangement of semibullvalene 1 occurs with heavy atom tunneling.¹ For example, the computed rate of the rearrangement including tunneling correction is 1.43 x 10^-3 s^-1 at 40 K, and this rate does not change with decreasing temperature. The predicted half-life of 485 s is 10¹⁰ shorter than that predicted by transition state theory.

Now a group led by Sander has examined the rearrangement of deuterated 2.² The room temperature equilibrium mixture of d⁴–2 and d²–2 was deposited at 3 K. IR observation showed a decrease in signal intensities associated with d⁴–2 and concomitant growth of signals associated with d²–2. The barrier for this interconversion is about 5 kcal mol^-1, too large to be crossed at this temperature. Instead, the interconversion is happening by tunneling through the barrier (with a rate about 10^-4 s^-1), forming the more stable isomer d²–2 preferentially. This is exactly as predicted by theory!

References

1. Zhang, X.; Hrovat, D. A.; Borden, W. T., "Calculations Predict That Carbon Tunneling Allows the Degenerate Cope Rearrangement of Semibullvalene to Occur Rapidly at Cryogenic Temperatures." Org. Letters 2010, 12, 2798-2801, DOI: 10.1021/ol100879t.

2. Schleif, T.; Mieres-Perez, J.; Henkel, S.; Ertelt, M.; Borden, W. T.; Sander, W., "The Cope Rearrangement of 1,5-Dimethylsemibullvalene-2(4)-d1: Experimental Evidence for Heavy-Atom Tunneling." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10746-10749, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704787.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C8H8/c1-3-6-7-4-2-5(1)8(6)7/h1-8H
InChIKey=VEAPRCKNPMGWCP-UHFFFAOYSA-N

d⁴–2: InChI=1S/C10H12/c1-9-5-3-7-8(4-6-9)10(7,9)2/h3-8H,1-2H3/i5D
InChIKey=WUJOLJNLXLACNA-UICOGKGYSA-N

d²–2: InChI=1S/C10H12/c1-9-5-3-7-8(4-6-9)10(7,9)2/h3-8H,1-2H3/i7D
InChIKey=WUJOLJNLXLACNA-WHRKIXHSSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2A9m2I5

Another prediction made by quantum chemistry has now been confirmed. In 2010, Zhang, Hrovat, and Borden predicted that the degenerate rearrangement of semibullvalene 1 occurs with heavy atom tunneling.¹ For example, the computed rate of the rearrangement including tunneling correction is 1.43 x 10^-3 s^-1 at 40 K, and this rate does not change with decreasing temperature. The predicted half-life of 485 s is 10¹⁰ shorter than that predicted by transition state theory.

Now a group led by Sander has examined the rearrangement of deuterated 2.² The room temperature equilibrium mixture of d⁴–2 and d²–2 was deposited at 3 K. IR observation showed a decrease in signal intensities associated with d⁴–2 and concomitant growth of signals associated with d²–2. The barrier for this interconversion is about 5 kcal mol^-1, too large to be crossed at this temperature. Instead, the interconversion is happening by tunneling through the barrier (with a rate about 10^-4 s^-1), forming the more stable isomer d²–2 preferentially. This is exactly as predicted by theory!

References

1. Zhang, X.; Hrovat, D. A.; Borden, W. T., "Calculations Predict That Carbon Tunneling Allows the Degenerate Cope Rearrangement of Semibullvalene to Occur Rapidly at Cryogenic Temperatures." Org. Letters 2010, 12, 2798-2801, DOI: 10.1021/ol100879t.

2. Schleif, T.; Mieres-Perez, J.; Henkel, S.; Ertelt, M.; Borden, W. T.; Sander, W., "The Cope Rearrangement of 1,5-Dimethylsemibullvalene-2(4)-d1: Experimental Evidence for Heavy-Atom Tunneling." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10746-10749, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704787.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C8H8/c1-3-6-7-4-2-5(1)8(6)7/h1-8H
InChIKey=VEAPRCKNPMGWCP-UHFFFAOYSA-N

d⁴–2: InChI=1S/C10H12/c1-9-5-3-7-8(4-6-9)10(7,9)2/h3-8H,1-2H3/i5D
InChIKey=WUJOLJNLXLACNA-UICOGKGYSA-N

d²–2: InChI=1S/C10H12/c1-9-5-3-7-8(4-6-9)10(7,9)2/h3-8H,1-2H3/i7D
InChIKey=WUJOLJNLXLACNA-WHRKIXHSSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2A9m2I5

Review of the Activation Strain/Distortion-Interaction Model

Bickelhaupt and Houk present a nice review of their separately developed, but conceptually identical model for assessing reactivity.¹ Houk termed this the “distortion/interaction” model,² while Bickelhaupt named it “activation strain”.³ The concept is that the activation barrier can be dissected in a distortion or stain energy associated with bringing the reactants into the geometry of the transition state, and the interaction energy is the stabilization energy afforded by the molecular orbital interactions of the reactant components with each other in the transition state.

The review discusses a broad range of applications, including S_N2 and E₂ reactions, pericyclic reactions (including Diels-Alder reactions of enones and the dehdydro Diels-Alder reaction that I have discussed in this blog), a click reaction, a few examples involving catalysis, and the regioselectivity of indolyne (see this post). They also discuss the role of solvent and the relationship of this model to Marcus Theory.

I also want to mention in passing a somewhat related article by Jorgensen and co-authors published in the same issue of Angewandte Chemie as the above review.⁴ This article discusses the paucity of 10 electron cycloaddition reactions, especially in comparison to the large number of very important cycloaddition reactions involving 6 electrons, such as the Diels-Alder reaction, the Cope rearrangement, and the Claisen rearrangement. While the article does not focus on computational methods, computations have been widely used to discuss 10-electron cycloadditions. The real tie between this paper and the review discussed above is Ken Houk, whose graduate career started with an attempt to perform a [6+4] cycloaddition, and he has revisited the topic multiple times throughout his career.

References

1. Bickelhaupt, F. M.; Houk, K. N., "Analyzing Reaction Rates with the Distortion/Interaction-Activation Strain Model." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10070-10086, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201701486.

2. Ess, D. H.; Houk, K. N., "Distortion/Interaction Energy Control of 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactivity." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 10646-10647, DOI: 10.1021/ja0734086

3. Bickelhaupt, F. M., "Understanding reactivity with Kohn-Sham molecular orbital theory: E2-S_N2 mechanistic spectrum and other concepts." J. Comput. Chem. 1999, 20, 114-128

4. Palazzo, T. A.; Mose, R.; Jørgensen, K. A., "Cycloaddition Reactions: Why Is It So
Challenging To Move from Six to Ten Electrons?" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10033-10038, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201701085.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2yqoiKt

Bickelhaupt and Houk present a nice review of their separately developed, but conceptually identical model for assessing reactivity.¹ Houk termed this the “distortion/interaction” model,² while Bickelhaupt named it “activation strain”.³ The concept is that the activation barrier can be dissected in a distortion or stain energy associated with bringing the reactants into the geometry of the transition state, and the interaction energy is the stabilization energy afforded by the molecular orbital interactions of the reactant components with each other in the transition state.

The review discusses a broad range of applications, including S_N2 and E₂ reactions, pericyclic reactions (including Diels-Alder reactions of enones and the dehdydro Diels-Alder reaction that I have discussed in this blog), a click reaction, a few examples involving catalysis, and the regioselectivity of indolyne (see this post). They also discuss the role of solvent and the relationship of this model to Marcus Theory.

I also want to mention in passing a somewhat related article by Jorgensen and co-authors published in the same issue of Angewandte Chemie as the above review.⁴ This article discusses the paucity of 10 electron cycloaddition reactions, especially in comparison to the large number of very important cycloaddition reactions involving 6 electrons, such as the Diels-Alder reaction, the Cope rearrangement, and the Claisen rearrangement. While the article does not focus on computational methods, computations have been widely used to discuss 10-electron cycloadditions. The real tie between this paper and the review discussed above is Ken Houk, whose graduate career started with an attempt to perform a [6+4] cycloaddition, and he has revisited the topic multiple times throughout his career.

References

1. Bickelhaupt, F. M.; Houk, K. N., "Analyzing Reaction Rates with the Distortion/Interaction-Activation Strain Model." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10070-10086, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201701486.

2. Ess, D. H.; Houk, K. N., "Distortion/Interaction Energy Control of 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactivity." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 10646-10647, DOI: 10.1021/ja0734086

3. Bickelhaupt, F. M., "Understanding reactivity with Kohn-Sham molecular orbital theory: E2-S_N2 mechanistic spectrum and other concepts." J. Comput. Chem. 1999, 20, 114-128

4. Palazzo, T. A.; Mose, R.; Jørgensen, K. A., "Cycloaddition Reactions: Why Is It So
Challenging To Move from Six to Ten Electrons?" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10033-10038, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201701085.

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2yqoiKt

More applications of computed NMR spectra

In this post I cover two papers discussing application of computed NMR chemical shifts to structure identification and (yet) another review of computational techniques towards NMR structure prediction.

Grimblat, Kaufman, and Sarotti¹ take up the structure of rubriflordilactone B 1, which was isolated from Schisandra rubriflora. The compound was then synthesized and its x-ray structure reported, however its NMR did not match with the natural extract. It was suggested that there were actually two compounds in the extract, the minor one was less soluble and is the crystallized 1, and a second compound responsible for the NMR signal.

The authors looked at all stereoisomers of this molecule keeping the three left-most rings intact. The low energy rotamers of these 32 stereoisomers were then optimized at B3LYP/6-31G* and the chemical shifts computed at PCM(pyridine)/mPW1PW91/6-31+G**. To benchmark the method, DP4+ was used to identify which stereoisomer best matches with the observed NMR of authentic 1; the top fit (92.6% probability) was the correct structure.

The 32 stereoisomers were then tested against the experimental NMR of the natural extract. DP4+ with just the proton shifts suggested structure 2 (99.8% probability); however, the ¹³C chemical shifts predicted a different structure. Re-examination of the reported chemical shifts identifies some mis-assigned signals, which led to a higher C-DP4+ prediction. When all 128 stereoisomers were tested, structure 2 had the highest DP4+ prediction (99.5%), but the C-DP4+ prediction remained problematic (10.8%). Analyzing the geometries of all reasonable alternative for agreement with the NOESY spectrum confirmed 2. These results underscore the importance of using all data sources.

Reddy and Kutateladze point out the importance of using coupling constants along with chemical shifts in structure identification.² They examined cordycepol A 3, obtained from Cordyceps ophioglossoides. They noted that the computed chemical shifts and coupling constants of originally proposed structure 3a differed dramatically from the experimental values.

They first proposed that the compound has structure 3b. The computed coupling constants using their relativistic force field.³ The experimental coupling constants for the proton H1 are 13.4 and 7.1 Hz. The computed values for 3a are 8.9 and 1.6 Hz, and this structure is clearly incorrect. The coupling constants are improved with 3b, but the ¹³C chemical shifts are in poor agreement with experiment. So, they proposed structure 3c, the epimer at both C1 and C11 of the original structure.

They optimized four conformations of 3c at B3LYP/6-31G(d) and obtained Boltzmann-weighted chemical shifts at mPW1PW91/6-311+G(d,p). The RMS deviation of the computed ¹³C chemical shifts relative to the experiment is only 1.54 ppm, and more importantly, the computed coupling constants of 13.54 and 6.90 Hz are in excellent agreement with the experiment values.

Lastly, Grimblat and Sarotti present a review of a number of methods for using computed NMR chemical shifts towards structure prediction.⁴ These methods include CP3, DP4, DP4+ (all of which I have posted on in the past) and an artificial neural network approach of their own design. They discuss a number of interesting cases where each of these methods has been crucial in identifying the correct chemical structure.

References

1. Grimblat, N.; Kaufman, T. S.; Sarotti, A. M., "Computational Chemistry Driven Solution to Rubriflordilactone B." Org. Letters 2016, 18, 6420-6423, DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b03318.

2. Reddy, D. S.; Kutateladze, A. G., "Structure Revision of an Acorane Sesquiterpene Cordycepol A." Org. Letters 2016, 18, 4860-4863, DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b02341.

3. (a) Kutateladze, A. G.; Mukhina, O. A., "Minimalist Relativistic Force Field: Prediction of Proton–Proton Coupling Constants in 1H NMR Spectra Is Perfected with NBO Hybridization Parameters." J. Org. Chem. 2015, 80, 5218-5225, DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b00619; (b) Kutateladze, A. G.; Mukhina, O. A., "Relativistic Force Field: Parametrization of 13C–1H Nuclear Spin–Spin Coupling Constants." J. Org. Chem. 2015, 80, 10838-10848, DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b02001.

4. Grimblat, N.; Sarotti, A. M., "Computational Chemistry to the Rescue: Modern Toolboxes for the Assignment of Complex Molecules by GIAO NMR Calculations." Chem. Eur. J. 2016, 22, 12246-12261, DOI: h10.1002/chem.201601150.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C28H30O6/c1-13-9-20(32-26(13)30)25-14(2)24-17-6-5-15-12-28-21(8-7-16(15)18(17)10-19(24)31-25)27(3,4)33-22(28)11-23(29)34-28/h5-9,14,19-22,24-25H,10-12H2,1-4H3/t14-,19+,20-,21-,22+,24-,25-,28+/m0/s1
InChIKey=JGSLSHOXBXVVTQ-NEUKEVNNSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C28H30O6/c1-13-9-20(32-26(13)30)25-14(2)24-17-6-5-15-12-28-21(8-7-16(15)18(17)10-19(24)31-25)27(3,4)33-22(28)11-23(29)34-28/h5-9,14,19-22,24-25H,10-12H2,1-4H3/t14-,19-,20-,21-,22+,24+,25-,28+/m0/s1
InChIKey=JGSLSHOXBXVVTQ-WQIRXNRDSA-N

3c: InChI=1S/C16H28O2/c1-6-11(2)9-14-16(5)12(3)7-8-13(16)15(4,17)10-18-14/h9,12-14,17H,6-8,10H2,1-5H3/b11-9-/t12-,13-,14-,15-,16+/m0/s1
InChIKey=WPQIVUHVYBQTBG-AWEVENECSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2xU0237

In this post I cover two papers discussing application of computed NMR chemical shifts to structure identification and (yet) another review of computational techniques towards NMR structure prediction.

Grimblat, Kaufman, and Sarotti¹ take up the structure of rubriflordilactone B 1, which was isolated from Schisandra rubriflora. The compound was then synthesized and its x-ray structure reported, however its NMR did not match with the natural extract. It was suggested that there were actually two compounds in the extract, the minor one was less soluble and is the crystallized 1, and a second compound responsible for the NMR signal.

The authors looked at all stereoisomers of this molecule keeping the three left-most rings intact. The low energy rotamers of these 32 stereoisomers were then optimized at B3LYP/6-31G* and the chemical shifts computed at PCM(pyridine)/mPW1PW91/6-31+G**. To benchmark the method, DP4+ was used to identify which stereoisomer best matches with the observed NMR of authentic 1; the top fit (92.6% probability) was the correct structure.

The 32 stereoisomers were then tested against the experimental NMR of the natural extract. DP4+ with just the proton shifts suggested structure 2 (99.8% probability); however, the ¹³C chemical shifts predicted a different structure. Re-examination of the reported chemical shifts identifies some mis-assigned signals, which led to a higher C-DP4+ prediction. When all 128 stereoisomers were tested, structure 2 had the highest DP4+ prediction (99.5%), but the C-DP4+ prediction remained problematic (10.8%). Analyzing the geometries of all reasonable alternative for agreement with the NOESY spectrum confirmed 2. These results underscore the importance of using all data sources.

Reddy and Kutateladze point out the importance of using coupling constants along with chemical shifts in structure identification.² They examined cordycepol A 3, obtained from Cordyceps ophioglossoides. They noted that the computed chemical shifts and coupling constants of originally proposed structure 3a differed dramatically from the experimental values.

They first proposed that the compound has structure 3b. The computed coupling constants using their relativistic force field.³ The experimental coupling constants for the proton H1 are 13.4 and 7.1 Hz. The computed values for 3a are 8.9 and 1.6 Hz, and this structure is clearly incorrect. The coupling constants are improved with 3b, but the ¹³C chemical shifts are in poor agreement with experiment. So, they proposed structure 3c, the epimer at both C1 and C11 of the original structure.

They optimized four conformations of 3c at B3LYP/6-31G(d) and obtained Boltzmann-weighted chemical shifts at mPW1PW91/6-311+G(d,p). The RMS deviation of the computed ¹³C chemical shifts relative to the experiment is only 1.54 ppm, and more importantly, the computed coupling constants of 13.54 and 6.90 Hz are in excellent agreement with the experiment values.

Lastly, Grimblat and Sarotti present a review of a number of methods for using computed NMR chemical shifts towards structure prediction.⁴ These methods include CP3, DP4, DP4+ (all of which I have posted on in the past) and an artificial neural network approach of their own design. They discuss a number of interesting cases where each of these methods has been crucial in identifying the correct chemical structure.

References

1. Grimblat, N.; Kaufman, T. S.; Sarotti, A. M., "Computational Chemistry Driven Solution to Rubriflordilactone B." Org. Letters 2016, 18, 6420-6423, DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b03318.

2. Reddy, D. S.; Kutateladze, A. G., "Structure Revision of an Acorane Sesquiterpene Cordycepol A." Org. Letters 2016, 18, 4860-4863, DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b02341.

3. (a) Kutateladze, A. G.; Mukhina, O. A., "Minimalist Relativistic Force Field: Prediction of Proton–Proton Coupling Constants in 1H NMR Spectra Is Perfected with NBO Hybridization Parameters." J. Org. Chem. 2015, 80, 5218-5225, DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b00619; (b) Kutateladze, A. G.; Mukhina, O. A., "Relativistic Force Field: Parametrization of 13C–1H Nuclear Spin–Spin Coupling Constants." J. Org. Chem. 2015, 80, 10838-10848, DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b02001.

4. Grimblat, N.; Sarotti, A. M., "Computational Chemistry to the Rescue: Modern Toolboxes for the Assignment of Complex Molecules by GIAO NMR Calculations." Chem. Eur. J. 2016, 22, 12246-12261, DOI: h10.1002/chem.201601150.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C28H30O6/c1-13-9-20(32-26(13)30)25-14(2)24-17-6-5-15-12-28-21(8-7-16(15)18(17)10-19(24)31-25)27(3,4)33-22(28)11-23(29)34-28/h5-9,14,19-22,24-25H,10-12H2,1-4H3/t14-,19+,20-,21-,22+,24-,25-,28+/m0/s1
InChIKey=JGSLSHOXBXVVTQ-NEUKEVNNSA-N

2: InChI=1S/C28H30O6/c1-13-9-20(32-26(13)30)25-14(2)24-17-6-5-15-12-28-21(8-7-16(15)18(17)10-19(24)31-25)27(3,4)33-22(28)11-23(29)34-28/h5-9,14,19-22,24-25H,10-12H2,1-4H3/t14-,19-,20-,21-,22+,24+,25-,28+/m0/s1
InChIKey=JGSLSHOXBXVVTQ-WQIRXNRDSA-N

3c: InChI=1S/C16H28O2/c1-6-11(2)9-14-16(5)12(3)7-8-13(16)15(4,17)10-18-14/h9,12-14,17H,6-8,10H2,1-5H3/b11-9-/t12-,13-,14-,15-,16+/m0/s1
InChIKey=WPQIVUHVYBQTBG-AWEVENECSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2xU0237

Triplet cyclobutadiene

Cyclobutadiene has long fascinated organic chemists. It is the 4e analogue of the 6e benzene molecule, yet it could hardly be more different. Despite nearly a century of effort, cyclobutadiene analogues were only first prepared in the 1970s, reflecting its strong antiaromatic character.

Per-trimethylsilylcyclobutadiene 1 offers opportunities to probe the properties of the cyclobutadiene ring as the bulky substituents diminish dimerization and polymerization of the reactive π-bonds. Kostenko and coworkers have now reported on the triplet state of 1.¹ They observe three EPR signals of 1 at temperatures above 350 K, and these signals increase in area with increasing temperature. This is strong evidence for the existence of triplet 1 in equilibrium with the lower energy singlet. Using the variable temperature EPR spectra, the singlet triplet gap is 13.9 ± 0.8 kcal mol^-1.

The structures of singlet and triplet 1 were optimized at B3LYP-D3/6-311+G(d,p) and shown in Figure 1. The singlet is the expected rectangle, with distinctly different C-C distance around the ring. The triplet is a square, with equivalent C-C distances. Since both the singlet and triplet states are likely to have multireference character, the energies of both states were obtained at RI-MRDDCI2-CASSCF(4,4)/def2-SVP//B3LYPD3/6-311+G(d,p) and give a singlet-triplet gap of 11.8 kcal mol^-1, in quite reasonable agreement with experiment.

singlet

triplet

Figure 1. Optimized geometries of singlet and triplet 1.

References

1. Kostenko, A.; Tumanskii, B.; Kobayashi, Y.; Nakamoto, M.; Sekiguchi, A.; Apeloig, Y., "Spectroscopic Observation of the Triplet Diradical State of a Cyclobutadiene." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10183-10187, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201705228.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C16H36Si4/c1-17(2,3)13-14(18(4,5)6)16(20(10,11)12)15(13)19(7,8)9/h1-12H3
InChIkey=AYOHYRSQVCLGKR-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2gYKAe6

Cyclobutadiene has long fascinated organic chemists. It is the 4e analogue of the 6e benzene molecule, yet it could hardly be more different. Despite nearly a century of effort, cyclobutadiene analogues were only first prepared in the 1970s, reflecting its strong antiaromatic character.

Per-trimethylsilylcyclobutadiene 1 offers opportunities to probe the properties of the cyclobutadiene ring as the bulky substituents diminish dimerization and polymerization of the reactive π-bonds. Kostenko and coworkers have now reported on the triplet state of 1.¹ They observe three EPR signals of 1 at temperatures above 350 K, and these signals increase in area with increasing temperature. This is strong evidence for the existence of triplet 1 in equilibrium with the lower energy singlet. Using the variable temperature EPR spectra, the singlet triplet gap is 13.9 ± 0.8 kcal mol^-1.

The structures of singlet and triplet 1 were optimized at B3LYP-D3/6-311+G(d,p) and shown in Figure 1. The singlet is the expected rectangle, with distinctly different C-C distance around the ring. The triplet is a square, with equivalent C-C distances. Since both the singlet and triplet states are likely to have multireference character, the energies of both states were obtained at RI-MRDDCI2-CASSCF(4,4)/def2-SVP//B3LYPD3/6-311+G(d,p) and give a singlet-triplet gap of 11.8 kcal mol^-1, in quite reasonable agreement with experiment.

singlet

triplet

Figure 1. Optimized geometries of singlet and triplet 1.

References

1. Kostenko, A.; Tumanskii, B.; Kobayashi, Y.; Nakamoto, M.; Sekiguchi, A.; Apeloig, Y., "Spectroscopic Observation of the Triplet Diradical State of a Cyclobutadiene." Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 10183-10187, DOI: 10.1002/anie.201705228.

InChIs

1: InChI=1S/C16H36Si4/c1-17(2,3)13-14(18(4,5)6)16(20(10,11)12)15(13)19(7,8)9/h1-12H3
InChIkey=AYOHYRSQVCLGKR-UHFFFAOYSA-N

from Computational Organic Chemistry http://ift.tt/2gYKAe6