First Electronic Investigation of the Structure of Alkenes Compatible to Carbon Radicals Bearing a Single Fluorine Atom
作者:Yoshio Takeuchi、Shun-ichi Kawahara、Takanori Suzuki、Toru Koizumi、Hiroyuki Shinoda
DOI:10.1021/jo951622j
日期:1996.1.1
In order to look into the electronic course of the Michael addition of alpha-fluorocarbon radical to alkenes, theoretical MO calculations and experiments were attempted. The SOMO values and atomic charges for the alpha-carbon radical of ethyl beta-phenylpropionate (4a) and that of the alpha-fluoro analog (4b) and HOMO and LUMO values and atomic charges for three representative alkenes, acrylonitrile (6), styrene (7), and propene (8), were calculated using 6-31G and 6-31G* methods. The results are as follows: (i) In the case of simple radicals such as 4a, interaction between the SOMO of radicals and the LUMO of alkenes seems dominant, and therefore, 4a should react with 6 more readily than 7 or 8. (ii) Those radicals having an electron-withdrawing group (EWG) such as fluorine become more electrophilic, considering the energy level differences between the SOMO of radicals and the HOMO and LUMO of alkenes, (iii) The energy level difference between the SOMO of 4b and the HOMO of 7 is smaller than that between the SOMO of 4b and the HOMO of 6 or 8, and further, the terminal carbon atom in 7 is more negatively charged than that in 6 or 8. Therefore, electrophilic radicals such as 4b should be more reactive toward 7 than 6 or 8, On the basis of these predictions, the denitrative alkylations of alpha-fluoro-alpha-nitroalkanoic esters (1a and 1b) with 7, having no EWG but being conjugated with an aromatic ring, were found to give the alpha-alkylated alpha-nuoro esters (3e and 3d, respectively) in much improved yield when compared with those reactions with 6 having a conjugated EWG. This result provides an important synthetic strategy toward useful monofluoro molecules.