Theoretical study of regioselectivity in nucleophilic addition to unsymmetrical cyclic anhydrides. Intrinsic reactivity and influence of the cation

Abstract

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations have been carried out for the series of succinic, maleic, and phthalic anhydrides unsymmetrically substituted with CH 3 , CH 3 O, Cl, F, and CN. The size of the LUMO coefficient on the carbon atom of the carbonyl group provides a reliable guide to the relative reactivities of the two carbonyl functions. The predictions based on the intrinsic reactivities are in good agreement with the regioselectivities observed in metal hydride reductions of succinic anhydrides. In the series of maleic and phthalic anhydrides the above considerations are applicable only to methyl derivatives. The compounds substituted with lone pairs-bearing groups (OCH 3 , Cl, F) form stable chelates with the cations present in the reaction media. Since the chelated carbonyl group is strongly activated toward the nucleophilic addition, the "bridging" effect is the dominant factor controlling orientation of hydride addition. The optimum position for the nucleophilic attack in cyclic anhydrides was calculated. The results confirm the generality of the nonperpendicular, restricted path of nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl group in succinic anhydride.