Hydrogen bonding catalysis operates by charge stabilization in highly polar Diels-Alder reactions

[reaction: see text] The alcohol-catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions of acrolein and benzaldehyde with Rawal's diene were evaluated with density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G(d)). Several potential modes of catalysis with two methanol molecules were used to model catalysis by TADDOLs. In agreement with crystallographic data, cooperative catalysis with TADDOLs is predicted to be favorable.