Electrophilic cleavage of cyclopropanes. II. Concerning the effect of increasing electron demand upon the product-determining transition state in the reaction of 4-substituted-2-nitrobenzenesulphenyl chlorides and benzenesulphenyl chlorides with tetracyclo[3.2.0.02,7.04,6]heptane (quadricyclene)

Abstract

The effect of increasing electron demand upon the product-determining transition state in the reaction of arenesulphenyl chlorides with tetracyclo[3.2.0.0^2,7.0^4,6]heptane has been investigated. As the electron donating ability of the remote substituents on the phenyl ring of the sulphenyl chloride is varied from nitro to methoxy the relative proportion of adducts derived from edge-on attack is found to increase relative to that of adducts derived from corner attack. An ortho-nitro group was found to lead to a stabilizing interaction only in the case of 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulphenyl chloride. A mechanism involving the competition between the two conceptual modes of approach is suggested.