Thermodynamic Control of Isomerizations of Bicyclic Radicals: Interplay of Ring Strain and Radical Stabilization

The stereochemistry of electrocyclic reactions is strongly influenced by the orbital symmetry of the polyene HOMO. Under thermal conditions, the reaction proceeds via the ground-state HOMO.
Selection Rules: Thermal Activation
Conjugated systems containing an even number of π-electron pairs undergo a conrotatory ring closure. For example, thermal electrocyclization of (2E,4E)-2,4-hexadiene, a conjugated diene containing two π-electron pairs, gives trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene.

The addition of a hydrogen halide to 1,3-butadiene gives a mixture of 1,2- and 1,4-adducts. Since more substituted alkenes are more stable, the 1,4-adduct is expected to be the major product. However, the product distribution is strongly influenced by temperature; low temperature favors the 1,2-adduct, whereas the 1,4-adduct is predominant at high temperature.

Radical reactions can occur either intermolecularly or intramolecularly. In an intermolecular radical reaction, a nucleophilic radical adds to an electrophilic alkene or vice versa. In such reactions, the radical and generally the alkene, which is also called the radical trap, are two different molecules. Additionally, for such intermolecular reactions to occur, the radical trap must be active, present in an excess concentration, and the radical starting material must have a weak...

Thermal cycloadditions are reactions where the source of activation energy needed to initiate the reaction is provided in the form of heat. A typical example of a thermally-allowed cycloaddition is the Diels–Alder reaction, which is a [4 + 2] cycloaddition. In contrast, a [2 + 2] cycloaddition is thermally forbidden.

Electrocyclic reactions, cycloadditions, and sigmatropic rearrangements are concerted pericyclic reactions that proceed via a cyclic transition state. These reactions are stereospecific and regioselective. The stereochemistry of the products depends on the symmetry characteristics of the interacting orbitals and the reaction conditions. Accordingly, pericyclic reactions are classified as either symmetry-allowed or symmetry-forbidden. Woodward and Hoffmann presented the selection criteria for...

The thermodynamic favorability of a reaction is determined by the change in Gibbs free energy (ΔG). ΔG has two components- enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS). The entropy component is negligible for alkane halogenation because the number of reactants and product molecules are equal. In this case, the ΔG is governed only by the enthalpy component. The most crucial factor that determines ΔH is the strength of the bonds. ΔH can be determined by comparing the energy...