Mechanism and the Origins of Periselectivity in Cycloaddition Reactions of Benzyne with Dienes.

Density functional theory calculations have been used to explore the reaction mechanism of (4 + 2) and (2 + 2) cycloadditions of benzyne with classical dienes. The results indicate the following: (1) (4 + 2) products arise via concerted pathways, (2) (2 + 2) products arise via stepwise pathways with diradical intermediates, and (3) these diradical intermediates are formed via isomerization of carbene intermediates. The origins of periselectivity in these reactions are analyzed using distortion/interaction analysis for the key steps, and they indicate that the tiny distortion in the very early [4 + 2] transition structure, coupled with an entropic favorability, controls selective (4 + 2) cycloaddition.