Abstract.
Transition structures associated with the C-C bond-formation step of the proline-catalyzed intermolecular aldol reaction between acetone and isobutyraldehyde have been studies using density functional theory methods at the B3LYP/6-31G** computational level. A continuum model has been selected to represent solvent effects. For this step, which is the stereocontrolling and rate-determining step, four reactive channels corresponding to the syn and anti arrangement of the active methylene of the enamine relative to the carboxylic acid group of l-proline and the re and si attack modes to both faces of the aldehyde carbonyl group have been analyzed. The B3LYP/6-31G** energies are in good agreement with experiment, allowing us to explain the origin of the catalysis and stereoselectivity for these proline-catalyzed aldol reactions.
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Received: 2 April 2002 / Accepted: 18 July 2002 / Published online: 11 October 2002
Acknowledgements. This work was supported by research funds provided by the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura of the Spanish Government by DGICYT (project PB98–1429). All the calculations were performed on a Cray–Silicon Graphics Origin 2000 of the Servicio de Informática de la Universidad de Valencia. We are most indebted to this center for providing us with computer capabilities.
Correspondence to: L. R. Domingo e-mail: domingo@utopia.uv.es
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Arnó, M., Domingo, L. Density functional theory study of the mechanism of the proline-catalyzed intermolecular aldol reaction. Theor Chem Acc 108, 232–239 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00214-002-0381-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00214-002-0381-7