Carbon-to-carbon identity proton transfer from allene, ketene, ketenimine, and thioketene to their respective conjugate anions in the gas phase. An ab initio study.

Gas-phase acidities of CH2=C=X (X = CH2, NH, O, and S) and barriers for the identity proton transfers (X=C=CH2 + HC triple bond C-X- right harpoon over left harpoon -X-C triple bond CH + CH2=C=X) as well as geometries and charge distributions of CH2=C=X, HC triple bond C-X- and the transition states of the proton transfer were determined by ab initio methods at the MP2/6-311+G(d,p)//MP2/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory. The acidities were also calculated at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,p) level. A major objective of this study was to examine how the enhanced unsaturation of CH2=C=X compared to that of CH3CH=X may affect acidities, transition state imbalances, and intrinsic barriers of the identity proton transfer. The results show that the acidities are all higher while the barriers are lower than for the corresponding CH3CH=X series. The transition states are all imbalanced but less so than for the reactions of CH3CH=X.     

Proton transfers from carbon acids activated by pi-acceptors. Changes in intrinsic barriers and transition state imbalances induced by a cyano group. An ab initio study

We report an ab initio study of the identity carbon-to-carbon proton-transfer NCCH(2)Y + NCCH=Y(-) right arrow over left arrow NCCH=Y(-) + NCCH(2)Y in the gas phase, where Y = H, CH=CH(2), CH=O, CH=S, CN, NO, and NO(2). The main focus is on a comparison with the previously reported systems CH(3)Y + CH(2)=Y(-) right arrow over left arrow CH(2)=Y(-) + CH(3)Y, i.e., on the effect of the cyano group on acidities, proton-transfer barriers, and transition state structures. The conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) The transition state for the NCCH(2)Y/NCCH=Y(-) systems is more imbalanced than that for the CH(3)Y/CH(2)=Y(-) systems. (2) The cyano group leads to an increase in the acidities but to a decrease in the proton transfer barriers. This barrier reduction results from the fact that the stabilizing effect of the cyano group on the transition state is greater than that on the anion. (3) Within a reaction series, the barriers are largely dominated by the pi-acceptor strength of Y, i.e., the strongest pi-acceptors lead to the highest barriers. This is similar to proton transfers in solution but quite different from the CH(3)Y/CH(2)=Y(-) systems in the gas phase; in these latter systems pi-acceptor effects play a minor role while the barrier lowering field effect of Y is dominant.     

Substituent effects on the acidity of weak acids. 2. Calculated gas-phase acidities of substituted benzoic acids

To investigate the origin of substituent effects on the acidity of benzoic acids, the structures of a series of substituted benzoic acids and benzoates have been calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G* and MP2/6-311+G* theoretical levels. The vibrational frequencies were calculated using B3LYP/6-311+G* and allowed corrections for the change in zero-point energies on ionization, and the change in energy on going from 0 K (corresponding to the calculations) to 298 K. A more satisfactory agreement with the experimental values was obtained by energy calculations at the MP2/ 6-311++G* level using the above structures. The resulting Delta H(acid) values agree very well with the experimental gas-phase acidities. The energies of compounds with pi-electron-accepting or -releasing substituents, rotated to give the transition state geometries, provided rotational barriers that could be compared with those found for the corresponding substituted benzenes. Isodesmic reactions allowed the separate examination of the substituent effects on the energies of the acids and on the anions. Electron-withdrawing groups stabilize the benzoate anions more than they destabilize the benzoic acids. Electron-donating groups stabilize the acids and destabilize the anions by approximately equal amounts. The gas-phase acidities of meta- and para-substituted benzoic acids are linearly related. This is also found for the acidities of substituted phenylacetic acids and benzoic acids. Since direct pi-electron interactions are not possible with the phenylacetic acids, this indicates that the acidities are mainly controlled by a field effect interaction between the charge distribution in the substituted benzene ring and the negative charge of the carboxylate group. The Hammett sigma(M) and sigma(P) values are also linearly related for many small substituents from NO(2) through the halogens and to OH and NH(2). Most of the other substituents fall on a line with a different slope     

Electronic properties of multifurcated bent hydrogen bonds CH3...Y and CH2...Y

H-bonding angle angleYHX has an important effect on the electronic properties of the H-bond Y...HX, such as intra- and intermolecular hyperconjugations and rehybridization, and topological properties of electron density. We studied the multifurcated bent H-bonds of the proton donors H3CZ (Z = F, Cl, Br), H2CO and H2CF2 with the proton acceptors Cl(-) and Br(-) at the four high levels of theory: MP2/6-311++G(d,p), MP2/6-311++G(2df,2p), MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) and QCISD/6-311++G(d,p), and found that they are all blue-shifted. These complexes have large interaction energies, 7-12 kcal mol(-1), and large blue shifts, delta r(HC) = -0.0025 --0.006 A and delta v(HC) = 30-90 cm(-1). The natural bond orbital analysis shows that the blue shifts of these H-bonds Y...HnCZ are mainly caused by three factors: rehybridization; indirect intermolecular hyperconjugation n(Y) -->sigma*(CZ), in that the electron density from n(Y) of the proton acceptor is transferred not to sigma*(CH), but to sigma*(CZ) of the donor; intramolecular hyperconjugation n(Z) -->sigma*(CH), in that the electron density in sigma*(CH) comes back to n(Z) of the donor such that the occupancy in sigma*(CH) decreases. The topological properties of the electron density of the bifurcated H-bonds Y...H2CZ are similar to those of the usual linear H-bonds, there is a bond critical point between Y and each hydrogen, and a ring critical point inside the tetragon YHCH. However, the topological properties of electron density of the trifurcated H-bonds Y...H3CZ are essentially different from those of linear H-bonds, in that the intermolecular bond critical point, which represents a closed-shell interaction, is not between Y and hydrogen, but between Y and carbon.     

H-Atom abstraction from CH(3)NHNH(2) by NO(2): CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,2p)//MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) and CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,p)//CCSD/6-31+G(d,p) calculations

Stationary points of paths for H atom abstraction from CH(3)NHNH(2) (monomethylhydrazine) by NO(2) were characterized via CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,2p)//MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) and CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,p)//CCSD/6-31+G(d,p) calculations. Five transition states connecting CH(3)NHNH(2)-NO(2) complexes to a manifold that includes CH(3)NHNH-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HNO(2), and CH(3)NHNH-HNO(2) complexes were identified. Transition states that connect CH(3)NHNH-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HONO, CH(3)NNH(2)-HNO(2), and CH(3)NHNH-HNO(2) complexes to each other via H atom exchange and/or hindered internal rotation were also identified. The high point in the minimum energy path from the CH(3)NHNH(2) + NO(2) reactant asymptote to the manifold of HONO-containing product states is a transition state 8.6 kcal/mol above the reactant asymptote. From a kinetics standpoint, this value is considerably higher than the 5.9 kcal/mol value that was estimated for it based on theoretical results for H atom abstraction from NH(3) by NO(2).     

Energetics of the O-H bond and of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in HOC6H4C(O)Y (Y = H, CH3, CH2CH=CH2, C[triple bond]CH, CH2F, NH2, NHCH3, NO2, OH, OCH3, OCN, CN, F, Cl, SH, and SCH3) compounds

The energetics of the phenolic O-H bond in a series of 2- and 4-HOC 6H 4C(O)Y (Y = H, CH3, CH 2CH=CH2, C[triple bond]CH, CH2F, NH2, NHCH 3, NO2, OH, OCH3, OCN, CN, F, Cl, SH, and SCH3) compounds and of the intramolecular O...H hydrogen bond in 2-HOC 6H 4C(O)Y, was investigated by using a combination of experimental and theoretical methods. The standard molar enthalpies of formation of 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (2HBA), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4HBA), 2'-hydroxyacetophenone (2HAP), 2-hydroxybenzamide (2HBM), and 4-hydroxybenzamide (4HBM), at 298.15 K, were determined by micro- or macrocombustion calorimetry. The corresponding enthalpies of vaporization or sublimation were also measured by Calvet drop-calorimetry and Knudsen effusion measurements. The combination of the obtained experimental data led to Delta f H m (o)(2HBA, g) = -238.3 +/- 2.5 kJ.mol (-1), DeltafHm(o)(4HBA, g) = -220.3 +/- 2.0 kJ.mol(-1), Delta f H m (o)(2HAP, g) = -291.8 +/- 2.1 kJ.mol(-1), DeltafHm(o)(2HBM, g) = -304.8 +/- 1.5 kJ.mol (-1), and DeltafHm(o) (4HBM, g) = -278.4 +/- 2.4 kJ.mol (-1). These values, were used to assess the predictions of the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p), B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ, B3P86/6-31G(d,p), B3P86/6-311+G(d,p), B3P86/aug-cc-pVDZ, and CBS-QB3 methods, for the enthalpies of a series of isodesmic gas phase reactions. In general, the CBS-QB3 method was able to reproduce the experimental enthalpies of reaction within their uncertainties. The B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) method, with a slightly poorer accuracy than the CBS-QB3 approach, achieved the best performance of the tested DFT models. It was further used to analyze the trends of the intramolecular O...H hydrogen bond in 2-HOC 6H 4C(O)Y evaluated by the ortho-para method and to compare the energetics of the phenolic O-H bond in 2- and 4-HOC 6H 4C(O)Y compounds. It was concluded that the O-H bond "strength" is systematically larger for 2-hydroxybenzoyl than for the corresponding 4-hydroxybenzoyl isomers mainly due to the presence of the intramolecular O...H hydrogen bond in the 2-isomers. The observed differences are, however, significantly dependent on the nature of the substituent Y, in particular, when an intramolecular H-bond can be present in the radical obtained upon cleavage of the O-H bond.     

Inductive effects in radicals calculated from DFT energies; substituted bicyclo[2.2.2]octan-1-yloxy radicals

Energies of a series of 4-substituted 1-oxybicyclo[2.2.2]octan-1-yloxy radicals with 18 various substituents were calculated within the framework of the DFT theory at the levels UB3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//UB3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and UB3LYP/6-311++G(2df,p)//UB3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and compared with similar series of the parent alcohols, their deprotonated and protonated forms calculated at the levels B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,p)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p). The two levels are of the same performance and both are sufficient for molecules of this type according to comparison with scarce experimental gas-phase acidities and basicities. The substituent effects were analyzed in terms of isodesmic equations. In addition to strong dependence on the substituent inductive effect, a slight dependence on the electronegativity of the first atom of the substituent was proven in certain cases. In all aspects, there is no qualitative difference between the effects on radicals and on similar closed shell species. Radicals behave as slightly electron deficient; the substituent effect is weaker than that on the ions but stronger than on neutral molecules.     

Kinetics of the multichannel reaction of methanethiyl radical (CH3S*) with 3O2

The CH3S* + O2 reaction system is considered an important process in atmospheric chemistry and in combustion as a pathway for the exothermic conversion of methane-thiyl radical, CH3S*. Several density functional and ab initio computational methods are used in this study to determine thermochemical parameters, reaction paths, and kinetic barriers in the CH3S* + O2 reaction system. The data are also used to evaluate feasibility of the DFT methods for higher molecular weight oxy-sulfur hydrocarbons, where sulfur presents added complexity from its many valence states. The methods include: B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p), CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p)//MP2/6-31G(d,p), B3P86/6-311G(2d,2p)//B3P86/6-31G(d), B3PW91/6-311++G(3df,2p), G3MP2, and CBS-QB3. The well depth for the CH3S* + 3O2 reaction to the syn-CH3SOO* adduct is found to be 9.7 kcal/mol. Low barrier exit channels from the syn-CH3SOO* adduct include: CH2S + HO2, (TS6, E(a) is 12.5 kcal/mol), CH3 + SO2 via CH3SO2 (TS2', E(a) is 17.8) and CH3SO + O (TS17, E(a) is 24.7) where the activation energy is relative to the syn-CH3SOO* stabilized adduct. The transition state (TS5) for formation of the CH3SOO adduct from CH3S* + O2 and the reverse dissociation of CH3SOO to CH3S* + O2 is relatively tight compared to typical association and simple bond dissociation reactions; this is a result of the very weak interaction. Reverse reaction is the dominant dissociation path due to enthalpy and entropy considerations. The rate constants from the chemical activation reaction and from the stabilized adduct to these products are estimated as functions of temperature and pressure. Our forward rate constant and CH3S loss profile are in agreement with the experiments under similar conditions. Of the methods above, the G3MP2 and CBS-QB3 composite methods are recommended for thermochemical determinations on these carbon-sulfur-oxygen systems, when they are feasible.     

CH2=CHCl与O(3P)反应的理论研究

用量子化学密度泛函理论和QCISD(Quadratic configuration interaction calculation)方法,对0(^3P)与CH2CHCl的反应进行了理论研究．在UB3LYP／6—311 G(d,p),UB3LYP／6—31 (3df,3pd)计算水平上,优化了反应物、产物、中间体和过渡态的几何构型,并在UQCISD(T)／6—311 G(2df,2pO)水平上计算了单点能量．为了确证过渡态的真实性,在UB3LYP／6—311 G(3df,3pd)水平上进行了内禀坐标(IRC)计算和频率分析,并确定了反应机理．研究结果表明,反应主要产物为CH2CHO和Cl．     

CH3 CH2 +N(4S)反应机理的理论研究

The reaction for CH3CH2+N(4S) was studied by ab initio method. The geometries of the reactants, intermediates, transition states and products were optimized at MP2/6-311+G(d,p) level. The corresponding vibration frequencies were calculated at the same level. The single point calculations for all the stationary points were carried out at the QCISD(T)/ 6-311+G(d,p) level using the MP2/6-311+G(d,p) optimized geometries. The results of the theoretical study indicate that the major products are the CH2CH2+3NH and H2CN＋CH3, and the minor products are the CH3CHN+H in the reaction. The majority of the products CH2CH2+3NH are formed via a direct hydrogen abstraction channel. The products H2CN＋CH3 are produced via an addition/dissociation channel. The products CH3CHN+H are produced via an addition/dissociation channel.     

Thermal decomposition of ethanol. III. A computational study of the kinetics and mechanism for the CH3+C2H5OH reaction

The mechanism for the CH3+C2H5OH reaction has been investigated by the modified Gaussian-2 method based on the geometric parameters of the stationary points optimized at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. Five transition states have been identified for the production of CH4+CH3CHOH (TS1), CH4+CH3CH2O (TS2), CH4+CH2CH2OH (TS3), CH3OH+CH3CH2 (TS4), and CH3CH2OCH3+H (TS5) with the corresponding barriers 12.0, 13.2, 16.0, 44.7, and 49.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The predicted rate constants and branching ratios for the three lower-energy H-abstraction reactions were calculated using the conventional and variational transition state theory with quantum-mechanical tunneling corrections for the temperature range 300-3000 K. The predicted total rate constant, kt=8.36 x 10(-76) T(20.00) exp(5258/T) cm3 mol(-1) s(-1) (300-600 K) and 6.10 x 10(-25) T(4.10)exp(-4058/T) cm3 mol(-1) s(-1) (600-3000 K), agrees closely with existing experimental data in the temperature range 403-523 K. Similarly, the predicted rate constants for CH3+CH3CD2OH and CD3+C2H5OD are also in reasonable agreement with available low temperature kinetic data.     

CH_2CO+CH_2的多通道反应的理论研究

利用密度泛函(DFT)和自然键轨道理论(NBO)及高级电子耦合簇[CCSD(T)]和电子密度拓扑(AIM)方法,对单重态和三重态CH2与CH2CO反应的微观机理进行了研究.在B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)水平上优化了反应通道各驻点的几何构型.在CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d,p)水平上计算了各物种的单点能量,并对总能量进行了校正.计算表明,单重态CH2与CH2CO的C-H键可发生插入反应,与C=C、C=O可发生加成反应,存在三条反应通道,产物为CO和C2H4,从能量变化和反应速控步骤能垒两方面考虑,反应II更容易发生.对反应通道中的关键点进行了自然键轨道及电子密度拓扑分析.三重态CH2与CH2CO的反应存在三条反应通道,一条是与C-H键的插入反应,另一条是三重态CH2与C=C发生加成反应,产物为CO和三重态C2H4,通道II势垒较低,更容易发生.最后一条涉及双自由基的反应活化能最大,最难发生.     

Substituent effects on the acidity of weak acids. 3. Phenols and benzyl alcohols

The gas-phase acidities of meta- and para-substituted phenols have been calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G, MP2/6-311+G, MP2/6-311++G, and MP2/6-311+G(2df,2pd) theoretical levels. The larger basis sets give the more satisfactory DeltaHacid values that are correlated with the observed acidities with a slope close to unity. They are systematically about 2 kcal/mol too small. The acidities of most substituted phenols are linearly related to those of the corresponding substituted benzoic acids and benzyl alcohols. Here, the substituent effect is a Coulombic interaction (field effect) of the distributed charge in the benzene ring with the negative charge of the anionic center. The exceptions are strong para-substituted pi-acceptors such as NO(2) and CHO, and to a smaller extent, CN and CF(3). Here there is direct charge transfer from the phenoxide oxygen to the substituent.     

NMR spectra, GIAO and charge density calculations of five-membered aromatic heterocycles

The B3LYP/6-31+G(d) molecular geometry optimized structures of 17 five-membered heterocycles were employed together with the gauge including atomic orbitals (GIAO) density functional theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p) levels of theory for the calculation of proton and carbon chemicals shifts and coupling constants. The method of geometry optimization for pyrrole (1), N-methylpyrrole (2) and thiophene (7) using the larger 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), B3LYP/6-31+G(2d,p) and B3LYP/cc-pVTZ levels of theory gave little difference between calculated and experimental values of coupling constants. In general, the (1)H and 13C chemical shifts for all compounds are in good agreement with theoretical calculations using the smaller 6-31 basis set. The values of nJHH(n=3, 4, 5) and rmnJ(CH)(n=1, 2, 3, 4) were predicted well using the larger 6-31+G(d,p) and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets and at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p), B3LYP/6-31+G(2d,2p) levels of theory. The computed atomic charges [Mülliken; Natural Bond Orbital Analysis (NBO); Merz-Kollman (MK); CHELP and CHELPG] for the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) geometry optimized structures of 1-17 were used to explore correlations with the experimental proton and carbon chemical shifts.     

CH3CH2+O(3P)反应机理的理论研究

The reaction for CH3CH2+O(3P) was studied by ab initio method. The geometries of the reactants, intermediates, transition states and products were optimized at MP2/6-311+G(d,p) level. The corresponding vibration frequencies were calculated at the same level. The single-point calculations for all the stationary points were carried out at the QCISD(T)/6-311+G(d,p) level using the MP2/6-311+G(d,p) optimized geometries. The results of the theoretical study indicate that the major products are the CH2O＋CH3, CH3CHO+H and CH2CH2+OH in the reaction. For the products CH2O＋CH3 and CH3CHO+H, the major production channels are A1: (R)→IM1→TS3→(A) and B1: (R)→IM1→TS4→(B), respectively. The majority of the products CH2CH2+OH are formed via the direct abstraction channels C1 and C2: (R)→TS1(TS2)→(C). In addition, the results suggest that the barrier heights to form the CO reaction channels are very high, so the CO is not a major product in the reaction.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of the decomposition of lithiated hydroxyl side-chain amino acids

Lithium cation complexes with serine (Ser) and threonine (Thr) are collisionally activated with xenon in a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer and are observed to exhibit a variety of decomposition pathways in addition to a loss of the intact ligand. Prominent pathways include a loss of H2O, CO2, and aldehydes (XCHO where X=H for Ser and CH3 for Thr). Quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level are used to explore the reaction mechanisms for these processes in detail. Complete potential energy surfaces for all three processes are elucidated, including all intermediates and transition states. Theoretical molecular parameters for the rate-limiting transition states are then used to analyze the threshold energies in the experimental data, providing experimental measurements of the energies of these transition states. These experimental energies are compared with single-point energies calculated at three different levels, B3LYP, B3P86, and MP2(full), using the 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis set with geometries and zero-point energies calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level. Good agreement between experiment and theory (especially MP2(full)) suggests that the reaction mechanisms have been reasonably elucidated.     

Theoretical investigation on stability and isomerizations of CH3SO isomers

The stability and isomerizations of CH3SO isomers have been investigated at B3LYP/6-311G(d,p), MP2/6-311G(d,p), QCISD/6-311G(d,p), and CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p) levels. Geometries of isomers and transition states (TS) have been optimized at the B3LYP/6-311G(d, p) level. Vibration analysis and the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) calculated at the same level have been applied to validate the connection of the stationary points. The four different methods give similar results: 11 isomers and 9 isomerization channels were found. CH3SO and CH2(S)OH are the most stable species among the 11 isomers. Furthermore, the breakage and formation of the chemical bonds in isomerization reactions have been discussed by the topological analysis method of electronic density. The "energy transition state (ETS)" and the "structure transition state (STS)" of all the isomerizations have been found. The topological analysis shows that the relative positions of ETS and STS are determined by reaction energy. The nonplanar four-member ring structure transition state (STS), which was first found in this paper, extended the concept of ring STS.     

N(4S)+CH3X(X=Cl、Br)反应机理的理论研究

The reaction of N(4S)+CH3X(X=Cl、Br) was studied by the ab initio method. The geometries of the reactants, transition states and products were optimized at the MP2/6-311+G(d,p) level. The corresponding vibration frequencies were calculated at the same level. The single-point calculations for all the stationary points were carried out at the MP2/6-311++G(3df,2p) and the QCISD(T)/6-311+G(d,p) levels using the MP2/6-311+G(d,p) optimized geometries. The energies of all the stationary points were calculated by the G2MP2 method. The results of this theoretical study indicate that the reaction has three reaction channels: H abstraction reaction channel a, Cl or Br abstraction reaction channel b and substitution reaction channel c. For the N(4S)+CH3Cl reaction, reaction channel a is the main reaction channel. Reaction channels b and c may have a slight contribution in the reaction. For the N(4S)+CH3Br reaction, reaction channel a is the main reaction channel. Reaction channels b and c may have some contribution in the reaction.     

Gas-phase acidities of disubstituted methanes and of enols of carboxamides substituted by electron-withdrawing groups

The gas-phase acidities DeltaG degrees (acid) of some 20 amides/enols of amides RNHCOCHYY'/RNHC(OH)=CYY' [R = Ph, i-Pr; Y, Y' = CO(2)R', CO(2)R' ', or CN, CO(2)R', R', R' ' = Me, CH(2)CF(3), CH(CF(3))(2)], the N-Ph and N-Pr-i amides of Meldrum's acid, 1,3-cyclopentanedione, dimedone, and 1,3-indanedione, and some N-p-BrC(6)H(4) derivatives and of nine CH(2)YY' (Y, Y' = CN, CO(2)R', CO(2)R' '), including the cyclic carbon acids listed above, were determined by ICR. The acidities were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31+G//B3LYP/6-31+G level for both the enol and the amide species or for the carbon acid and the enol on the CO in the CH(2)YY' series. For 12 of the compounds, calculations were also conducted with the larger base sets 6-311+G and G-311+G. The DeltaG degrees (acid) values changed from 341.3 kcal/mol for CH(2)(CO(2)Me)(2) to 301.0 kcal/mol for PhNHC(OH)=C(CN)CH(CF(3))(2). The acidities increased for combinations of Y and Y' based on the order CO(2)Me < CO(2)CH(2)CF(3) < CN, CO(2)CH(CF(3))(2) for a single group and reflect the increased electron-withdrawal ability of Y,Y' coupled with the ability to achieve planarity of the crowded anion. The acidities of corresponding YY'-substituted systems follow the order N-Ph enols > N-Pr-i enols > CH(2)YY'. Better linear relationships between DeltaG degrees (acid) values calculated for the enols and the observed values than those for the values calculated for the amides suggest that the ionization site is the enolic O-H of most of the noncyclic trisubstituted methanes. The experimental DeltaG degrees (acid) value for Meldrum's acid matches the recently reported calculated value. The calculated structures and natural charges of all species are given, and the changes occurring in them on ionization are discussed. Correlations between the DeltaG degrees (acid) values and the pK(enol) values, which are linear for the trisubstituted methanes, excluding YY' = (CN)(2) and nonlinear for the CH(2)YY' systems, are discussed.     

Remote substituent effects on N-X (X = H,F, Cl,CH3, Li) bond dissociation energies in para-substituted anilines

UB3LYP/6-311++g**//UB3LYP/6-31+g* and ROMP2/6-311++g**//UB3LYP/6-31+g* methods were used to calculate (i) N-X bond dissociation energies (BDE) in 4-YC6H4NH-X and (ii) N-H BDEs in 4-YC6H4NU-H, where Y = H, Me, OCH3, SMe, NH2, NMe2, SiMe3, F, Cl, CN, COOH, CF3, and NO2, X = H, CH3, F, Cl, and Li, and U = H, F, and CH(3). It was found that N-H BDEs of 4-YC6H4NH2 have a positive correlation with the substituent sigma(p+) constants. The slope (rho+) is about 3.0-4.3 kcal/mol, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. It was also found that the substituent effects on N-X BDEs of 4-YC6H4NH-X change considerably when X changes. rho(+)values for N-CH3, N-F, N-Cl, and N-Li BDEs were calculated to be 3.1-4.6, 1.3-1.9, 1.8-2.6, and 4.9-6.8 kcal/mol, respectively. The reason for the variation of substituent effects was proposed to be the ground-state effect, i.e., the interaction between the intact NH-X moiety and the parasubstituents. Finally, alpha-substitution was found to be able to significantly change the substituent effects. rho(+)values for N-H BDEs of 4-C6H4NCH3(-)H and 4-C6H4NF-H are 2.5-4.0 and 1.7-1.9 kcal/mol, respectively.