Semiempirical and ab initio transition state calculations for the transformation of N-acetyltetrazoles into corresponding 1,3,4-oxadiazoles

The transformation of 2-acetyl-5-substituted-tetrazoles into the corresponding 1,3,4-oxadiazoles was studied with the semiempirical and ab initio methods. Two mechanisms, one with two transition states and the other with three, were elucidated by . The first mechanism supported by PM3 and MNDO has a two-step, almost concerted, mechanism for the elimination of a nitrogen molecule from the tetrazole ring and formation of the oxadiazole product from an open-chain intermediate through carbon C₅ and acetyl oxygen bond formation. The second mechanism supported by AM1 and MINDO/3 breaks the elimination of the nitrogen molecule into two steps: first breaking the N₄-C₅ and then the N₂-N₃ bonds. Even when the AM1 and MINDO/3 transition state structures were optimized by PM3 and MNDO, the obtained transition states present only one bond breaking. The HF/STO-3G and HF/3-21G ab initio methods agree with the first mechanism where two bonds are breaking almost simultaneously. Despite the disagreement in the mechanism of the nitrogen elimination, the transition state that presents the product formation from open-chain intermediates is quite similar for all methods studied. The semiempirical calculation of this transition state is possible only if it is assumed that it has biradical character. The activation energies calculated by PM3 seem to be insensitive to the nature of the substituents.