Unusual conformational effects on the regioselectivity of olefin insertion in the rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of 4-methylene-1,3-dioxanes

Abstract

A mechanistic model for the rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of 4-methylene-1,3-dioxanes is described. As part of a study aimed at an anti-diastereoselective hydroformylation, unusual conformational effects on the regioselectivity of the reaction were discovered. This discovery has led to the proposal that the product mixtures are governed by classical Curtin-Hammett kinetics.