Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the several possibilities regarding the specification of the energy associated with the anomeric effect, and the experimental data concerning the configurational and conformational equilibria of the anomeric center and the related variations of valence geometry. The free-energy aspect of the anomeric effect as displayed by the equilibria of isomers is the area wherein the very concept was incepted and developed, and which still dominates its investigation. A considerable amount of data has been accumulated during the past two decades on the anomeric effect in terms of structure, energy, reactivity, and other properties. The description and understanding of the nature of stereoelectronic effects is an appropriate field for the application of organic quantum chemistry. Although several molecular orbital (MO) methods successfully describe the stereochemical behavior of pyranose models, their application to the more complex carbohydrates and oligosaccharides is limited at present due to economical reasons. The various rationalizations of the anomeric effect have been offered over the past years; they may be roughly divided into two main groups—namely, the electrostatic and the delocalization rationalization of the anomeric effect. It may be expected that the intramolecular interactions involved in the anomeric effect also influence the other points on the generalized reaction hypersurface.

Anomeric and Exo-Anomeric Effects in Carbohydrate Chemistry

Reduction of Oximes with Sodium Borohydride in the Presence of Transition Metal Compounds



The reduction of oximes with sodium borohydride in the presence of NiCl2 · 6 H2O and MoO3 was investigated. The combination of NaBH4 with NiCl2 · 6 H2O converted the unsaturated oximes through exhaustive reduction into saturated amines (Table 1). The C = C double bond remains preserved if the reduction is carried out in the presence of MoO3 (Table 2). The stereo-chemistry of the reduction in the presence of NiCl2 · 6 H2O is distinctivly different from that of MoO3.

Reduktion von Oximen mit Natriumboranat in Gegenwart von Übergangsmetallverbindungen

Ring Expansion of 3‐Oxetanone‐Derived Spirocycles: Facile Synthesis of Saturated Nitrogen Heterocycles

Understanding the interplay of multiple components (steric, electrostatic, stereoelectronic, dispersive, etc.) that define the overall energy, structure, and reactivity of organic molecules can be a daunting task. The task becomes even more difficult when multiple approaches based on different physical premises disagree in their analysis of a multicomponent molecular system. Herein, we will use a classic conformational “oddity”, the anomeric effect, to discuss the value of identifying the key contributors to reactivity that can guide chemical predictions. After providing the background related to the relevant types of hyperconjugation and a brief historic outline of the origins of the anomeric effect, we outline variations of its patterns and provide illustrative examples for the role of the anomeric effect in structure, stability, and spectroscopic properties. We show that the complete hyperconjugative model remains superior in explaining the interplay between structure and reactivity. We will use recent controversies regarding the origin of the anomeric effect to start a deeper discussion relevant to any electronic effect. Why are such questions inherently controversial? How to describe a complex quantum system using a model that is “as simple as possible, but no simpler”? What is a fair test for such a model? Perhaps, instead of asking “who is right and who is wrong?” one should ask “why do we disagree?”. Stereoelectronic thinking can reconcile quantum complexity with chemical intuition and build the conceptual bridge between structure and reactivity. Even when many factors contribute to the observed structural and conformational trends, electron delocalization is a dominating force when the electronic demand is high (i.e., bonds are breaking as molecules distort from their equilibrium geometries). In these situations, the role of orbital interactions increases to the extent where they can define reactivity. For example, negative hyperconjugation can unleash the “underutilized” stereoelectronic power of unshared electrons (i.e., the lone pairs) to stabilize a developing positive charge at an anomeric carbon. This analysis paves the way for the broader discussion of the omnipresent importance of negative hyperconjugation in oxygen-containing functional groups. From that point of view, the stereoelectronic component of the anomeric effect plays a unique role in guiding reaction design.

Volker Hoppen

Papers

Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance substituent-induced shieldings and conformational equilibriums in cyclohexanes