[structures: see text] Penta-1,3-dienyl acrylates undergo kinetically controlled intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reactions and DFT calculations (B3LYP/6-31+G(d)) predict stereoselectivities that are in very good agreement with the experimental values. The nature of the diene C1 substituent has virtually no influence upon reactivity or trans/cis-stereoselectivity whereas terminal C9 dienophile substituents have a substantial effect on both the reactivity and stereoselectivity of these IMDA reactions. The TSs highlight contributions from strain in the developing tether-containing ring, and steric and electronic effects between tether and dienophile substituents, thus providing insight into the origins of IMDA reactivity and stereoselectivity.

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A novel approach for exo/endo stereocontrol of intramolecular Diels−Alder reactions is described. Substrates carrying a hydroxymethyl group attached to the diene and an ester group attached to the dienophile participate in hydrogen bonding in the transition state. This non-covalent interaction causes either a significant enhancement or diminution in the observed kinetic endo/exo product ratio. Thus, the parent pentadienyl maleate 12 undergoes intramolecular Diels−Alder reaction to give an approx. 5:1 mixture of transand cis-fused bicyclic cycloadducts, whereas the C2-hydro-