Experimental and AM1 calculational studies of the deprotonation of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-dione and bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,6-dione: a study of homoconjugation, inductive, and steric effects on the rates and diastereoselectivities of enolization

The kinetics of NaOD-catalyzed H/D exchange (enolization) at C3 α to the carbonyl group of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-dione (1) and bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,6-dione (2) have been studied in 60:40 (v/v) dioxane–D 2 O at 25.0 °C. The second-order rate constants for exchange are (9.7 ± 1.5) × 10 −1 and (3.4 ± 1.2) × 10 −5 L mol −1 s −1 for 1 and 2, respectively. Thus, 1, exchanges 76 times faster than bicyclo[2.2.2]octan-2-one (3) (k = (1.27 ± 0.02) × …