Asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction with >C=P– functionality of the 2-phosphaindolizine-η¹-P-aluminium(O-menthoxy) dichloride complex: experimental and theoretical results

• Rajendra K. Jangid,
• Nidhi Sogani,
• Neelima Gupta,
• Raj K. Bansal,
• Moritz von Hopffgarten and
• Gernot Frenking

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 392–400, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.40

• , Germany 10.3762/bjoc.9.40 Abstract The Diels–Alder reaction of the 2-phosphaindolizine-η1-P-aluminium(O-menthoxy) dichloride complex with dimethylbutadiene was investigated experimentally and computationally. The >C=P– functionality of the complex reacts with 2,3-dimethylbutadiene with complete

• diastereoselectivity to afford [2 + 4] cycloadducts. Calculation of the model substrate, 3-methoxycarbonyl-1-methyl-2-phosphaindolizine-P-aluminium(O-menthoxy) dichloride (7a), at the DFT (B3LYP/6-31+G*) level reveals that the O-menthoxy moiety blocks the Re face of the >C=P– functionality, due to which the activation

• barrier of the Diels–Alder reaction of 7a with 1,3-butadiene, involving its attack from the Si face, is lower. It is found that in this case, the exo approach of the diene is slightly preferred over the endo approach. Keywords: aluminium(O-menthoxy) dichloride; asymmetric synthesis; >C=P– functionality