Ring opening of 2-aza-3-borabicyclo[2.2.0]hex-5-ene, the Dewar form of 1,2-dihydro-1,2-azaborine: stepwise versus concerted mechanisms

Holger F Bettinger,Otto Hauler

doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.86

Abstract

The ring opening of the Dewar form of 1,2-dihydro-1,2-azaborine, 2-aza-3-borabicyclo[2.2.0]hex-5-ene (3) is investigated by theoretical methods by using multiconfiguration SCF (CASSCF) and coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)] with basis sets up to polarised quadruple-zeta quality. The title compound was previously reported to form photochemically in cryogenic noble gas matrices from 1,2-dihydro-1,2-azaborine (4). Four reaction paths for the thermal ring opening of 3 to 4 could be identified. These are the conventional disrotatory and conrotatory electrocyclic ring-opening pathways where the BN unit is only a bystander. Two more favourable paths are stepwise and involve 1,3-boron–carbon interactions. The lowest energy barrier for the isomerisation reaction, 22 kcal mol−1, should be high enough for an experimental observation in solution. However, in solution the dimerisation of 3 is computed to have a very low barrier (3 kcal mol−1), and thus 3 is expected to be a short-lived reactive intermediate.

Highlights

The barrier for ring opening of Dewar benzene (1) to yield benzene (2) is high enough to give this benzene valence isomer a half life of about two days [1] at room temperature despite the significant exothermicity (60–70 kcal mol−1) of the isomerisation reaction (Scheme 1) [2,3,4,5,6]
We have recently reported that the irradiation (λ = 254 nm) of 1,2-dihydro-1,2-azaborine (4), a boron-nitrogen heterocycle that is isoelectronic and isosteric with benzene [15], results in its Dewar isomer 2-aza-3-borabicyclo[2.2.0]hex-5-ene (3) under the conditions of cryogenic noble gas matrix isolation [16]
In agreement with the results obtained for the all-carbon system [14], the barrier for the orbital-symmetry-allowed conrotatory ring opening is lower (26.5 kcal mol−1) than it is for the forbidden disrotatory reaction (30.1 kcal mol−1) (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

The barrier for ring opening of Dewar benzene (1) to yield benzene (2) is high enough to give this benzene valence isomer a half life of about two days [1] at room temperature despite the significant exothermicity (60–70 kcal mol−1) of the isomerisation reaction (Scheme 1) [2,3,4,5,6]. The ring opening of the Dewar form of 1,2-dihydro-1,2-azaborine, 2-aza-3-borabicyclo[2.2.0]hex-5-ene (3) is investigated by theoretical methods by using multiconfiguration SCF (CASSCF) and coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)] with basis sets up to polarised quadruple-zeta quality. The lowest energy barrier for the isomerisation reaction, 22 kcal mol−1, should be high enough for an experimental observation in solution.

Results

Conclusion