Theoretical studies on the electrocyclic reactions of bis(allene) and vinylallene. Role of allene group

The reaction mechanisms of the electrocyclic ring closure of bis(allene) and vinylallene were studied by ab initio MO methods. The conrotatory and disrotatory pathways of the electrocyclic reactions from bis(allene) to bis(methylene)cyclobutene were determined by a CASSCF method. The transition state on the conrotatory pathway is 26.8 kcal/mol above bis(allene) and about 23 kcal/mol lower than that on the disrotatory pathway at a MRMP calculation level. The activation energy on the conrotatory pathway is lower by 23 kcal/mol than that of the electrocyclic reaction of butadiene. This lower energy barrier comes from the interactions of the "side pi orbitals" of the allene group. The interaction of the "vertical pi orbitals" of the allene group is predominant at the early stage of the reaction. The activation energy of the electrocyclic reaction of vinylallene is about 8.5 kcal/mol higher than that on the conrotatory pathway of bis(allene).