A computational
study was performed to explore the possible mechanisms
of β-isocinchonine-catalyzed asymmetric C(sp2)-H
allylation of trisubstituted allenoates using Morita–Baylis–Hillman
(MBH) carbonates for synthesis of axially chiral tetrasubstituted
allenoates. The calculated results indicate that the most energetically
favorable pathway includes (1) nucleophilic attack on MBH carbonate
by β-isocinchonine, (2) BocO– dissociation,
(3) stereoselective formation of the C–C bond, and (4) regeneration
of the catalyst. By tracking the orbital overlap/interaction changes,
the half shoulder-to-head orbital overlap mode can be smoothly switched
to a head-to-head orbital overlap mode for the key C–C σ
bond formation, which is also identified as the stereoselectivity-determining
process. Further distortion/interaction, noncovalent interaction (NCI),
and atom-in-molecule (AIM) analyses demonstrate that C–H···O
and C–H···π interactions should be key
for controlling the axial and central chirality. This work would be
useful for rational design of organocatalytic allylic alkylation reactions
for synthesis of axially chiral compounds in the future.