Enantioselective Diels–Alder reactions of α-fluorinated α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds: Part 5. Chemical consequences of fluorine substitution

α-Fluoro-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, compared with the corresponding non-fluorinated parent compounds, are less reactive in Diels–Alder reactions with normal 1,3-dienes. The cycloadducts of such dienophiles with 2,3-dimethylbutadiene (1) or o-quinodimethane (6) exhibit low stability whereas the corresponding cycloaddducts formed with cyclopentadiene (7) are stable compounds. While the cycloadditions of oct-1-en-3-one (2e) or benzyl acrylate (10b) with 7 are endo-selective, the corresponding reactions with 2-fluorooct-1-en-3-one (2a) or benzyl 2-fluoroacrylate (10a) are exo-selective. Applying Lewis acids as mediators, the reactions with non-fluorinated dienophiles become even more endo-selective, while the corresponding reactions with the fluorinated analogues become more exo-selective. Using enantiopure Lewis acidic metal complexes such as titanium TADDOLates, low enantioselectivity is observed in reactions of 7 with 2e or 10b. Moderate enantioselectivity (max. 43% enantiomeric excesses (ee)) is found in the corresponding cycloadditions of 7 with 2a, whereas 10a shows practically no enantioselectivity. The more efficient chiral induction in reactions with the fluorinated dienophile 2a might be caused by a chelate-like complexation of the carbonyl compound involving the fluorine substituent.