Role of curvature in acridone for1O2oxidation of a natural product homoallylic alcohol: A noveliso‐hydroperoxide intermediate

Abstract

AbstractA density functional theoretical (DFT) study is presented, implicating a1O2oxidation process to reach a dihydrobenzofuran from the reaction of the natural homoallylic alcohol, glycocitrine. Our results predict an interconversion between glycocitrine and aniso‐hydroperoxide intermediate [R(H)O+–O−] that provides a key path in the chemistry which then follows. Formations of allylic hydroperoxides are unlikely from a1O2‘ene’ reaction. Instead, the dihydrobenzofuran arises by1O2oxidation facilitated by a 16° curvature of the glycocitrine ring imposed by a pyramidalN‐methyl group. This curvature facilitates the formation of theiso‐hydroperoxide, which is analogous to theisospecies CH2I+–I−and CHI2+–I−formed by UV photolysis of CH2I2and CHI3. Theiso‐hydroperoxide is also structurally reminiscent of carbonyl oxides (R2C=O+–O−) formed in the reaction of carbenes and oxygen. Our DFT results point to intermolecular process, in which theiso‐hydroperoxide's fate relates to O‐transfer and H2O dehydration reactions for new insight into the biosynthesis of dihydrobenzofuran natural products.