title: A mechanistic investigation into the zinc carbenoid-mediated homologation reaction by DFT methods: is a classical donor-acceptor cyclopropane intermediate involved?
abstract: An extensive density functional theory (DFT, M05-2X) investigation has been performed on the zinc carbenoid-mediated homologation reaction of β-keto esters. The mechanistic existence of a classical donor-acceptor cyclopropane intermediate was probed to test the traditional school of thought regarding these systems. Calculations of the carbenoid insertion step, following enolate formation, unmasked two possible pathways. Pathway B was shown to explain the proposed, but spectroscopically unobservable donor-acceptor cyclopropane intermediate, while the second (pathway A) reveals an alternative to the classical intermediate in that a cyclopropane transition state leads to product.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia.
authors.forename: Wilhelm A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Eger
authors.forename: Charles K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Zercher
authors.forename: Craig M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Williams