Toward an understanding of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between diphenylnitrone and a maleimide:bisamide complex. A DFT analysis of the reactivity of symmetrically substituted dipolarophiles

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between diphenylnitrone and a maleimide:bisamide complex has been studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods at the B3LYP/6-31G∗ level. The molecular recognition of the bisamide receptor to maleimide favors the formation of the complex through three hydrogen bonds. However, they are not able to produce an efficient acceleration of the cycloaddition because the symmetric substitution of the dipolarophile sites. This poor capability is discussed in base of the transition state structures and the analysis of the reactivity indexes of the reagents.