A comprehensive model for the role of water and silanols in the amine catalyzed aldol reaction

The experimentally observed effects of water, and the effects of silanol groups, on the liquid-phase amine-catalyzed aldol reaction of acetone with 4-nitrobenzaldehyde have been elucidated with a comprehensive theoretical model describing the reaction kinetics. The CBS-QB3 model chemistry is used, with bulk solvent effects accounted for according to COSMO-RS theory, and water molecules explicitly considered. Two promoting water molecules were found to be optimal in reducing the Gibbs free energy barriers for reactions involving a proton transfer, i.e., the carbinolamine and enamine formation steps, and the aldol product liberation step. The presence of one water molecule in the carbon-carbon coupling step was already sufficient to prevent the formation of a site-blocking enamine species, which would otherwise lead to deactivation of the amine. Compared to a single water molecule, isolated silanol groups were found to assist the amine in a similar and slightly more pronounced manner, resulting in overall lower barriers for all transition states. Promotion by two vicinal silanols resulted in even lower barriers. The effect of water was found to be more pronounced in apolar hexane as compared to DMSO, i.e., resulting in a less pronounced deactivation of the amine, and lower barriers for reactions where water is assisting in the transition state