IChO 2004 · Theory problem 6

Diels-Alder Reactions

The Diels-Alder reaction, a concerted [4+2]-cycloaddition between a diene and an olefin to yield a cyclohexene, was discovered in 1928 here in Kiel. Prof. Otto Diels and his coworker Kurt Alder mixed p-benzoquinone with an excess of cyclopentadiene and obtained the following result:

Figure 1

6.1 Draw the structure of A (without stereochemical information).

The Diels-Alder reaction is a concerted, one-step reaction that proceeds with high stereospecificity. For example, only a single stereoisomer C is formed in the following reaction

Figure 2

If you use the E-isomer of the alkene instead, you will obtain two other stereoisomers D1 and D2.

6.2 Give the structures of D1 and D2.

Accordingly, in the original reaction (formation of B from cyclopentadiene and benzoquinone) Diels and Alder found only one of the following six conceivable stereoisomers of B (see next page).

Hints:

  • keep the stereospecific formation of C in mind

and

  • the sterically less hindered isomer forms.
Figure 3
Figure 4

6.3 Which single isomer of the six stereoisomers 1-6 of B shown above did they isolate?

After prolonged heating (15h, \(120\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\)) of the originally isolated stereoisomer B (melting point mp: \(157\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\)), Diels and Alder obtained two new stereoisomers E (mp: \(153\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\)) and F (mp: \(163\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\)). Equilibration of B with a catalytic amount of a strong base at \(25\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\) gave a further stereoisomer G (mp: \(184\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\)).

Figure 5
Figure 6

6.4 Decide the questions on the answer sheet concerning the Diels-Alder reaction.

Hint: You do not need to know, which of the six stereoisomers 1 – 6 (shown above) corresponds to either E, F or G in order to answer this question.

The Diels-Alder reaction plays also an important role in the following reaction sequence.

Figure 7

6.5 Draw the structures for I, K and L.

Hints:

  • K has only one methyl group.
  • L is the Diels-Alder adduct of K and the alkene shown.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 6.1 — A: The mono-Diels–Alder adduct, tricyclo[6.2.1.0²,⁷]undeca-4,9-diene-3,6-dione, \(\ce{C11H10O2}\).
    SMILES, without stereochemistry: O=C1C=CC(=O)C2C3C=CC(C3)C12.

  • 6.2 — D1 and D2: The two enantiomers of trans-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarbonitrile, formed as a racemate. Each has one endo and one exo cyano group.

  • D1, the \((2R,3R)\) enantiomer: N#C[C@H]1[C@H](C#N)[C@H]2C=C[C@@H]1C2.
  • D2, the \((2S,3S)\) enantiomer: N#C[C@@H]1[C@@H](C#N)[C@H]2C=C[C@@H]1C2.
    The labels D1 and D2 may be interchanged.

  • 6.3 — B: Isomer 2, the anti-endo,endo bis(cyclopentadiene) adduct of p-benzoquinone, \(\ce{C16H16O2}\). Its two methylene bridges lie on opposite faces.
    Stereochemical SMILES: O=C1[C@H]2[C@H]3C=C[C@H](C3)[C@H]2C(=O)[C@@H]2[C@@H]3C=C[C@@H](C3)[C@H]12.

  • 6.4: The intended interpretation is kinetic endo selectivity in the initial formation of B, followed by reversible equilibration on heating. At \(120\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\), the equilibrium abundance is F > E > B; at \(25\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\), B is favored over G. Melting points do not determine this equilibrium ordering. The exact answer-sheet questions are unavailable.

  • 6.5:

  • I: Dimethyl 2-[(2-oxocyclohexyl)methylidene]propanedioate, \(\ce{C12H16O5}\), shown in its keto form:
    COC(=O)C(=CC1CCCCC1=O)C(=O)OC.
  • K: Methyl 2-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-chromene-3-carboxylate, a fused α-pyrone, \(\ce{C11H12O4}\):
    COC(=O)C1=CC2=C(CCCC2)OC1=O.
  • L: The racemic tricyclic lactone Diels–Alder adduct of K and 1,1-dimethoxyethene, \(\ce{C15H20O6}\). The carbon bearing both methoxy groups bonds to the ester-bearing terminus of K’s diene. Its two enantiomeric SMILES are:
    COC(=O)[C@]12C=C3CCCC[C@@]3(CC1(OC)OC)OC2=O
    COC(=O)[C@@]12C=C3CCCC[C@]3(CC1(OC)OC)OC2=O.

Solution

6.1 — Formation of the mono-adduct A

The reactants are cyclopenta-1,3-diene, C1=CC=CC1, and 1,4-benzoquinone, O=C1C=CC(=O)C=C1.

One double bond of benzoquinone acts as the dienophile. Cycloaddition forms two carbon–carbon σ bonds, while the two internal carbons of the original diene retain a double bond. The other benzoquinone double bond remains available for the second cycloaddition.

The atom balance is

\[ \ce{C6H4O2 + C5H6 -> C11H10O2}. \]

Thus A is the mono-adduct specified in the Answers.

To draw it, retain the six-membered quinone ring with both carbonyl groups. Convert one of its double bonds into the shared single bond of a fused norbornene unit; leave the opposite quinone double bond unchanged. Do not add stereochemical wedges or dashes.


6.2 — Retention of the alkene configuration

The illustrated dienophile is maleonitrile, or (Z)-but-2-enedinitrile, N#C/C=C\C#N. Its two cyano groups are cis.

The illustrated product C is cis-endo-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarbonitrile:
N#C[C@@H]1[C@H](C#N)[C@@H]2C=C[C@H]1C2.

A Diels–Alder reaction is suprafacial on both reacting π systems. Consequently, substituents that are cis on the dienophile remain cis in the product, and trans substituents remain trans.

The alternative reagent is fumaronitrile, or (E)-but-2-enedinitrile, N#C/C=C/C#N. It therefore gives a norbornene product with trans cyano groups:

\[ \ce{C5H6 + C4H2N2 -> C9H8N2}. \]

One cyano group is endo and the other exo. The two possible products are mirror images, D1 and D2, whose stereochemical SMILES are given above. With achiral reagents and conditions, they form in equal amounts.

For the requested drawings, use the same norbornene framework as C:

  • In one drawing, place the upper cyano group on a solid wedge and the lower one on a hashed wedge.
  • In the other, reverse those two cyano-group orientations.
  • At each substituted carbon, the hydrogen points opposite to its cyano group.

The cis/trans retention is stereospecificity. Selection of the particular cis product C over the other cis arrangement is the additional endo selectivity illustrated by the problem.


6.3 — Selection of isomer 2

A second cyclopentadiene molecule adds to the remaining quinone-derived double bond:

\[ \ce{C11H10O2 + C5H6 -> C16H16O2}. \]

The overall reaction is

\[ \ce{C6H4O2 + 2C5H6 -> C16H16O2}. \]

Applying the endo relationship illustrated by C to both additions leaves isomers 1 and 2 as the endo,endo possibilities.

Candidate Relationship of the two methylene bridges Consequence
1 Same face, syn Greater crowding
2 Opposite faces, anti Less crowding

The second cyclopentadiene approaches the less obstructed face of the mono-adduct. Therefore,

\[ \boxed{\mathrm{B}=\text{isomer 2}}. \]

In the supplied projection of isomer 2, the left bridge and both left fusion hydrogens are solid wedges; the right bridge and both right fusion hydrogens are dashed. This is the configuration encoded in B’s SMILES above.


6.4 — Conclusions supported by the equilibration experiments

The printed E + F denotes a mixture of stereoisomers, not a reaction producing one molecule of each from one molecule of B. The balanced interconversions are separately

\[ \ce{B <=> E}, \qquad \ce{B <=> F}, \qquad \ce{B <=> G}. \]

All four species have formula \(\ce{C16H16O2}\). E, F and G are stereoisomers of the same bis-adduct skeleton; its stereo-unspecified SMILES is
O=C1C2C3C=CC(C3)C2C(=O)C2C3C=CC(C3)C12.

Their individual configurations need not be assigned to interpret the experiments.

Kinetic and thermodynamic interpretation. The original addition selects endo,endo B. This is the intended example of kinetic endo selectivity. Prolonged heating permits equilibration, for which F is the predominant product. Thermal interconversion can occur through retro-Diels–Alder cleavage and readdition.

Base provides another route to stereochemical equilibration through removal and return of hydrogens adjacent to the carbonyl groups. A catalyst changes the rate of equilibration, not the equilibrium constant for a specified reaction at a fixed temperature.

Equilibrium ratios. With the usual ideal-mixture interpretation of the percentages,

\[ K_{\mathrm{B}\to\mathrm E} =\frac{20}{10}=2, \qquad K_{\mathrm{B}\to\mathrm F} =\frac{70}{10}=7 \quad\text{at }120\,^\circ\mathrm C, \]

whereas

\[ K_{\mathrm{B}\to\mathrm G} =\frac{40}{60}=\frac23 \quad\text{at }25\,^\circ\mathrm C. \]

For completeness, the corresponding standard Gibbs-energy differences follow from

\[ \Delta G^\circ=-RT\ln K. \]

Using the standard gas constant \(R=8.314\ \mathrm{J\,mol^{-1}\,K^{-1}}\):

Conversion Temperature \(K\) \(\Delta G^\circ\)
B → E \(393.15\ \mathrm K\) \(2\) \(-2.27\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\)
B → F \(393.15\ \mathrm K\) \(7\) \(-6.36\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\)
E → F \(393.15\ \mathrm K\) \(3.5\) \(-4.10\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\)
B → G \(298.15\ \mathrm K\) \(2/3\) \(+1.01\ \mathrm{kJ\,mol^{-1}}\)

Thus, under that interpretation,

\[ G^\circ_{\mathrm F}<G^\circ_{\mathrm E}<G^\circ_{\mathrm B} \quad\text{at }120\,^\circ\mathrm C, \]

and

\[ G^\circ_{\mathrm B}<G^\circ_{\mathrm G} \quad\text{at }25\,^\circ\mathrm C. \]

Melting point is not a sufficient stability criterion. G has the highest quoted melting point, yet the B/G equilibrium favors B. Melting points concern solid–liquid equilibrium and cannot by themselves rank the isomers in the reacting mixture.

The two experiments occur at different temperatures and involve different sets of equilibrating species. They do not establish a single ordering of B, E, F and G at one common temperature, nor do they determine activation energies, reaction enthalpies or entropies.


6.5 — Identification of I, K and L

The starting materials are:

Substance Name SMILES
Cyclic ketone Cyclohexanone O=C1CCCCC1
Activated alkene Dimethyl 2-(methoxymethylidene)propanedioate COC=C(C(=O)OC)C(=O)OC
Later dienophile 1,1-Dimethoxyethene C=C(OC)OC

Formation of I. Strong base generates the cyclohexanone enolate; its oxygen-anionic resonance form is [O-]C1=CCCCC1.

The enolate carbon attacks the methoxy-bearing carbon of the activated alkene. Elimination of methoxide, C[O-], restores the activated double bond. The resulting ketone has the side chain

\[ \ce{-CH=C(CO2Me)2} \]

attached to an α-carbon of cyclohexanone. This is I, dimethyl 2-[(2-oxocyclohexyl)methylidene]propanedioate.

The neutral organic atom balance, expressing the formal loss of methanol, CO, is

\[ \ce{C6H10O + C7H10O5 -> C12H16O5 + CH3OH}. \]

For the drawing, start with cyclohexanone and attach the side chain above to either equivalent α-carbon. The SMILES in the Answers leaves the configuration of this enolizable center unspecified.

Formation of K. Further deprotonation at that α-carbon gives a conjugated enolate. An oxygen-anionic representation of the I-derived enolate is
COC(=O)C(=CC1=C([O-])CCCC1)C(=O)OC.

Its oxygen attacks one methyl ester carbonyl intramolecularly. Methoxide elimination closes a six-membered lactone ring, giving the fused α-pyrone K:

\[ \ce{C12H16O5 -> C11H12O4 + CH3OH}. \]

One methyl ester has become the lactone; the other remains a methyl ester. Consequently, K has exactly one methyl group, as required.

For a precise drawing, number the α-pyrone oxygen 1, its carbonyl carbon 2, and the remaining ring carbons 3–6. K has:

  • a methyl ester at C3;
  • double bonds C3=C4 and C5=C6;
  • the four-methylene chain of the original cyclohexanone ring joining C5 and C6.

Formation of L. The conjugated diene in K is C3=C4–C5=C6. It undergoes cycloaddition with 1,1-dimethoxyethene:

\[ \ce{C11H12O4 + C4H8O2 -> C15H20O6}. \]

The final aromatic product fixes the required regiochemistry. To obtain adjacent methoxy and ester substituents:

  • form a bond between C3 of K and the dienophile carbon bearing both methoxy groups;
  • form a bond between C6 of K and the dienophile’s methylene carbon;
  • leave the residual double bond at C4=C5;
  • retain the lactone bridge C3–C2(=O)–O1–C6.

This gives L, with the connectivity and relative stereochemistry encoded by the two enantiomeric SMILES in the Answers. Addition to either face of K produces the racemic pair.

Conversion of L to the aromatic product. Heating expels carbon dioxide, O=C=O, from the lactone bridge. Loss of methanol from the dimethoxy-containing portion then completes aromatization:

\[ \ce{C15H20O6 -> C13H16O3 + CO2 + CH3OH}. \]

The product is methyl 3-methoxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-2-carboxylate,
COC(=O)c1cc2c(cc1OC)CCCC2.

One methoxy group of the dienophile remains attached to the aromatic ring, adjacent to the methyl ester. The complete neutral organic balance is

\[ \ce{C6H10O + C7H10O5 + C4H8O2 -> C13H16O3 + CO2 + 3CH3OH}. \]

The solution was checked against the official solution.