Abstract
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•The cycloaddition reaction of phosphorinium-3-olates with methyl acrylate takes place via a two-stage one-step mechanism.•The transition states are highly asynchronous.•The asynchronicity increases by inclusion of solvents.•These phosphorus cycloadducts are kinetically and thermodynamically more favourable than their nitrogen analogues.
A density functional theory study was performed on the [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction of 1H-phosphorinium-3-olate and 1-methylphosphorinium-3-olate with methyl acrylate. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were analysed by considering the regio- and stereoisomeric pathways in gas phase and solvents. The geometries indicate that the transition states are slightly more advanced and asynchronous in ethanol. Electron localisation function topological analysis of the bonding changes along the most favourable reaction pathway associated with the 32CA reaction of 1H-phosphorinium-3-olate with methyl acrylate indicates that the reaction takes place through a two-stage one-step mechanism. Non-covalent interactions analysis of TS6x-H reveals the existence of weak hydrogen bonding explaining the regioselectivity found in this low-polar zw-type 32CA reaction. On comparing these theoretical findings with the nitrogen analogues of the 32CA reactions, it is found that the regioselectivity is affected and the pathways are kinetically and thermodynamically enhanced. Therefore, a priori, the phosphorus cycloadducts could be synthesised.