Theoretical Study of the AlEt3-Promoted Tandem Reductive Rearrangement of Epoxides

The AlEt3-promoted tandem reductive rearrangement reactions of epoxides was studied at B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. For the model compound σ-hydroxy epoxides, two possible reaction pathways I and II were calculated. The main difference is the order of ethylene release and six- to five-member ring rearrangement.The ring contraction rearrangement in pathway I is the first step and this step is the rate controlling step with a free energy barrier of 116.62 kJ/mol. For pathway II, the ethylene release occurs first, and is followed by a six-member ring opening reaction which is the rate controlling step, and the barrier is 251.38 kJ/mol.The reason for such high barrier is that the ethylene release results in the following reaction being moredifficult. The results show that pathway I (C-C rearrangement and then ethylene release) is more favorable,which is consistent with experimental results.