Stirring-controlled bifurcations in the 1,4-cyclohexanedione-bromate reaction

Bei Zhao1, Jichang Wang

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario ON N9B 3P4, Canada.

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Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.
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In addition to the oxymercuration–demercuration method, which converts the alkenes to alcohols with Markovnikov orientation, a complementary hydroboration-oxidation method yields the anti-Markovnikov product. The hydroboration reaction, discovered in 1959 by H.C. Brown, involves the addition of a B–H bond of borane to an alkene giving an organoborane intermediate. The oxidation of this intermediate with basic hydrogen peroxide forms an alcohol.
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Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Hydroboration

A significant aspect of hydroboration–oxidation is the regio- and stereochemical outcome of the reaction.
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