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Structural effects on interconversion of oxygen-substituted bisketenes and cyclobutenediones
Nanyan Fu1, Annette D Allen, Shinjiro Kobayashi
1Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H6, Canada.
Laser flash photolysis of cyclobutenediones generates bisketenes. Alkoxy-substituted bisketenes cyclize fastest, while aryl-substituted ones are less reactive, correlating with electronic properties.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Photochemistry
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Cyclobutenediones are versatile organic compounds.
- Bisketenes are reactive intermediates crucial in organic synthesis.
- Understanding their reactivity is key to developing new synthetic pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the generation and reactivity of bisketenes derived from various substituted cyclobutenediones.
- To elucidate the influence of different substituents on bisketene ring-closure kinetics.
- To correlate experimental reactivity data with computational findings.
Main Methods:
- Laser flash photolysis of substituted cyclobutenediones.
- Infrared (IR) spectroscopy to detect bisketene intermediates.
- Kinetic studies to determine ring-closure rate constants.
- Computational modeling (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) of reaction barriers.
Main Results:
- Bisketenes (6a-i) were successfully generated and detected via characteristic IR absorptions.
- Reactivity in ring closure varied significantly with substituents; alkoxy derivatives (6b-e) were most reactive.
- Aryl-substituted bisketenes (6f-h) exhibited lower reactivity, correlating well with aryl substituent electronic properties (sigma p constants).
- Photolysis of squaric acid (5a) offers a facile route to deltic acid (7).
Conclusions:
- Substituent effects play a critical role in the stability and reactivity of bisketenes.
- Electronic and steric factors influence the rate of ring closure.
- Computational studies support the experimental observations, providing insights into reaction mechanisms.
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