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Antiaromaticity Gain Activates Tropone and Nonbenzenoid Aromatics as Normal-Electron-Demand Diels-Alder Dienes.

Lucas José KarasAdam T CampbellIgor V AlabuginJudy I-Chia Wu
Published in: Organic letters (2020)
We propose a carbonyl umpolung strategy for activating tropone as a normal-electron-demand Diels-Alder diene. Tropone has low reactivity for Diels-Alder reactions because of its [4n+2] π-aromaticity. Conversion of the carbonyl group into a hydrazone ion (═N-NR-) reverses the polarity of the exocyclic double bond, increases the [4n] ring π-antiaromaticity, and raises the HOMO energy. Computed gas-phase activation free energies for a Diels-Alder reaction with maleimide suggest a billion-fold rate increase when the tropone C═O is replaced by ═N-NR- (R = H or SO2CH3). Other nonbenzenoid aromatics can be activated as normal-electron-demand Diels-Alder dienes in the same way.
Keyphrases
  • electron transfer
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  • electron microscopy
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  • transition metal