C. Tsangarakis, M. Stratakis
FULL PAPER
that the remarkable stereochemical dispositions[2] of the ter-
minal gem-dimethyl groups in enzyme-catalysed cyclizations
of terpenoids imply barriers to rotation around the
C–Ccarbocation bonds in the transient dimethyl-substituted
carbocations at least 3 kcalmol–1 higher than the activation
energies of the accompanying C–C bond-formation steps.
The confined environment of an enzyme cavity should fav-
our such an energy profile, due to the close proximity of
the reacting double bond and the carbocation, so the cycli-
zation step would be almost barrierless.[1e–1f]
An alternative explanation for the observed diastereose-
lection in the intrazeolite cyclization reaction might be the
major diastereomers (5a or 6a) arising from chair-like tran-
sition states, while the minor diastereomers (5b and 6b)
arise from boat-like transition states (Scheme 7). This sce-
nario would require that rotation around the C6–C7 bond
of CI be negligible (Scheme 5). Although it is difficult to
distinguish between the two proposed mechanisms, the sec-
ond explanation is less likely since the energy difference be-
tween a boat- and a chair-like transition state would be ex-
pected to be much higher than 0.8 kcalmol–1.[20] Neverthe-
less, the current results clearly establish that, within zeolite
Y, rotation around the C6–C7 bond of the initially formed
carbocation is slower than its cyclization rate, as a result of
the proximity of the nucleophilic C2–C3 double bond.
anol (2×5 mL for 30 min each time) and then filtered again. The
combined solvent extracts were evaporated to afford the cyclized
products α- and γ-cyclogeranyl acetate (16 mg, 80%). The 1H
NMR spectroscopic data for the labelled γ-cyclogeranyl and α-cy-
clogeranyl acetate (5a/5b and 6a/6b, respectively) matched the spec-
troscopic data for 1a and 1b reported earlier by us,[12] with the only
differences appearing in the region of 0.8–1.1 ppm, where the gem-
methyl group absorptions reflect the ratios of 5a/5b and 6a/6b.
Cyclization of [8,8,8-D3]Geranyl Acetate (3) Promoted by ClSO3H
in 2-Nitropropane: [8,8,8-D3]Geranyl acetate (20 mg, 0.1 mmol) was
added at –25 °C to a solution of ClSO3H (0.18 µL, 0.26 mmol) in 2-
nitropropane (as obtained from commercial sources, 0.3 mL). After
30 min, triethylamine (0.1 mL) dissolved in diethyl ether (2 mL)
was added and the solution was washed with brine. The organic
layer was dried with MgSO4, the solvent was removed under vac-
uum, and the oily residue was chromatographed (hexane/ethyl ace-
tate, 4:1) to afford the diastereomeric (2-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcy-
clohexyl)methyl [D3]acetate (4a/4b, 12 mg, 53% isolated yield) as a
1
colourless oil. The H NMR spectroscopic data for the mixture of
the labelled 4a/4b matched the spectroscopic data of the unlabelled
cyclic alcohol reported by us earlier.[12]
Supporting Information (see also the footnote on the first page of
this article): Experimental details for the synthesis of [8,8,8-D3]ger-
1
anyl acetate (3). Copies of H and 13C NMR spectra for the inter-
mediate compounds in the synthesis of 3, cyclization reactions, and
nOe experiments.
Acknowledgments
This project was co-funded by the European Social Fund and
national resources (program PYTHAGORAS-II).
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Scheme 7.
Conclusions
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In conclusion, we have shown that the confined environ-
ment of the zeolite Y significantly alters the reaction energy
profile for the cyclization of a model terpenoid (geranyl ace-
tate) relative to the reaction in solution.
[3] P. F. Vlad, Pure Appl. Chem. 1993, 65, 1329–1336, and refer-
Experimental Section
ences therein.
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General: Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were obtained on a
500 MHz instrument. Isomeric purities were determined by 1H
NMR, 13C NMR and by GC or GC-MS on an HP-5 capillary
column. All spectra reported here were taken in CDCl3.
[5] a) K. Ishihara, S. Nakamura, H. Yamamoto, J. Am. Chem.
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Intrazeolite Cyclization of [8,8,8-D3]Geranyl Acetate (3): [8,8,8-D3]-
Geranyl acetate (3, 20 mg) was added to a slurry containing NaY
(0.5 g), previously dried[12] at 120 °C for at least 6 h under vacuum
(10–4 Torr), in hexane (5 mL), and the heterogeneous mixture was
either stirred at room temperature for 5–6 h or heated to 70 °C for
1 h. After that period, the reaction mixture was filtered, and the
filtrate was kept. The solid material was further washed with meth-
[7] a) A. F. Barrero, J. F. Q. del Moral, E. M. Sanchez, J. F. Arte-
aga, Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2006, 10, 1627–1641; b) J. M. Cuerva,
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Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2006, 4435–4439