Ene reaction of singlet oxygen, triazolinedione, and nitrosoarene with chiral deuterium-labeled allylic alcohols: The interdependence of diastereoselectivity and regioselectivity discloses mechanistic insights into the hydroxy-group directivity

The ene reaction of singlet oxygen (O-1(2)), triazolinedione (TAD), and nitrosoarene, specifically 4-nitronitrosobenzene (ArNO), with the tetrasubstituted 1,3-allylically strained, chiral allylic alcohol 3, 4-dimethylpent-3-en-2-ol (2) leads to the threo-configured ene products in high diastereoselectivity, a consequence of the hydroxy-group directivity. Hydrogen bonding favors formation of the threo-configured encounter complex threo-EC in the early stage of ene reaction. For the analogous twix deuterium-labeled allylic alcohol Z-2-d(3), a hitherto unrecognized dichotomy between O-1(2) and the ArNO and TAD enophiles is disclosed in the regioselectivity of the tetrasubstituted alcohol: Whereas for ArNO and TAD, hydrogen bonding with the allylic hydroxy group dictates the regioselectivity (twix selectivity), for O-1(2), the cis effect dominates (twin/trix selectivity). From the interdependence between the twix/twin regioselectivity and the threo/erythro diastereoselectivity, it has been recognized that the enophile also attacks the allylic alcohol from the erythro pi face without assistance by hydrogen bonding with the allylic hydroxy functionality.