A DFT study on a mutipathways,one product reaction: Initially divergent radical reactions reconverge to form a single product

The mechanism for initially divergent radical reactions reconverging to form a single product is studied using density functional theory calculations. The calculation results suggest that there are six possible pathways from reactants to products. The free energy barriers of the rate‐determining steps of each pathway are almost equal. Thus, different from usual reaction, the selectivity of this reaction is determined by the relative value of free energy barriers of the two competitive reactions, that is, cyclization and bimolecular trapping, rather than that of rate‐determining steps. In all reaction pathways, cyclization reaction is more competitive than bimolecular trapping reaction due to its low free energy barrier. In addition, the free energy barriers of bimolecular trapping reaction between Bu₃SnH and reactants are all lower than that of NC? C₆H₁₁. However, Bu₃SnH is not always suitable due to its large steric repulsion. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Nature of the intermediates in gold(I)-catalyzed cyclizations of 1,5-enynes

The carbene or carbocationic nature of the intermediates in the gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,5-enynes can be revealed, depending on the ligands on the gold catalysts. Gold complexes with highly electron-donating ligands promote reactions that proceed via intermediates with carbene-like character, leading to products with a bicyclo[3.1.0]hexene skeleton. The intermediate cyclopropyl endo-gold carbenes formed in this cyclization have been trapped, for the first time, to give biscyclopropane derivatives in a reaction that proceeds in a concerted fashion, according to DFT calculations.     

Theoretical investigation on the detailed mechanism of the OH‐initiated atmospheric photooxidation of o‐xylene

The reaction mechanism for o‐xylene with OH radical and O₂ was studied by density functional theory (DFT) method. The geometries of the reactants, intermediates, transition states, and products were optimized at B3LYP/6‐31G(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 B3LYP/6‐311++G(2df,2pd) level using the B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) optimized geometries. Reaction energies for the formation of the aromatic intermediate radicals have been obtained to determine their relative stability and reversibility, and their activation barriers have been analyzed to assess the energetically favorable pathways to propagate the o‐xylene oxidation. The results of the theoretical study indicate that OH addition to o‐xylene forms ipso, meta, and para isomers of o‐xylene‐OH adducts, and the ipso o‐xylene adduct is the most stable among these isomers. Oxygen is expected to add to the o‐xylene‐OH adducts forming o‐xylene peroxy radicals. And subsequent ring closure of the peroxyl radicals to form bicyclic radicals. With relatively low barriers, isomerization of the o‐xylene bicyclic radicals to more stable epoxide radicals likely occurs, competing with O₂ addition to form bicyclic peroxy radicals. The study provides thermochemical data for assessment of the photochemical production potential of ozone and formation of toxic products and secondary organic aerosol from o‐xylene photooxidation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008     

Intramolecular Cyclization of 9,11‐Seco‐Estrane under Friedel–Crafts Reaction Conditions

An intramolecular cyclization of 17β‐acetoxy‐3‐methoxy‐9,11‐seco‐1,3,5(10)‐estratriene‐11‐oic acid under different Friedel–Crafts reaction conditions is described.     

PdCl2催化炔酸烯丙酯环化反应的密度泛函研究

用密度泛函方法(DFT)研究了PdCl2催化炔酸烯丙酯环化反应的机理. 在B3LYP/6-311G**水平上优化了各反应中间体和过渡态的结构. 计算结果表明, 反应是放热的, 主要经历了炔键的卤钯化、烯烃对烯基钯的迁移插入以及β-杂原子消除等过程. 烯烃的迁移插入是反应的手性决定步骤, β-杂原子消除是反应的速率控制步骤. 理论预测的主要产物是与实验吻合的(Z,R)-α-亚烷基-γ-丁内酯.     

分子内Friedel-Crafts环化反应在苯并环状物合成中的应用

Friedel-Crafts反应是有机合成中最有用的反应之一,它的应用范围十分广泛.Friedel-Crafts反应也是合成环状化合物的重要途径,尤其分子内的环化反应一直以来受到广泛的关注.对近年来应用分子内Friedel-Crafts环化反应合成苯并环状化合物进行了详细的综述,并对分子内Friedel-Crafts环化反应在有机合成上发展前景作了展望.     

Excited‐State Proton Transfer and Intramolecular Charge Transfer in 1,3‐Diketone Molecules

The photophysical signature of the tautomeric species of the asymmetric (N,N‐dimethylanilino)‐1,3‐diketone molecule are investigated using approaches rooted in density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent DFT (TD‐DFT). In particular, since this molecule, in the excited state, can undergo proton transfer reactions coupled to intramolecular charge transfer events, the different radiative and nonradiative channels are investigated by making use of different density‐based indexes. The use of these tools, together with the analysis of both singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces, provide new insights into excited‐state reactivity allowing one to rationalize the experimental findings including different behavior of the molecule as a function of solvent polarity.     

Gas‐phase pyrolysis mechanisms of 3‐anilino‐1‐propanol: Density functional theory study

The gas‐phase pyrolytic decomposition mechanisms of 3‐anilino‐1‐propanol with the products of aniline, ethylene, and formaldehyde or N‐methyl aniline and aldehyde were studied by density functional theory. The geometries of the reactant, transition states, and intermediates were optimized at the B3LYP/6‐31G (d, p) level. Vibration analysis was carried out to confirm the transition state structures, and the intrinsic reaction coordinate method was performed to search the minimum energy path. Four possible reaction channels are shown, including two concerted reactions of direct pyrolytic decomposition and two indirect channels in which the reactant first becomes a ring‐like intermediate, followed by concerted pyrogenation. One of the concerted reactions in the direct pyrolytic decomposition has the lowest activation barrier among all the four channels, and so, it occurs more often than others. The results appear to be consistent with the experimental outcomes. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Pd‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of 4‐Aza‐1,6‐enynes to 3‐Aza‐bicyclo[4.1.0]hept‐2‐enes

A method for the synthesis of bicyclo[4.1.0]heptenes from 1,6‐enynes through Pd‐catalyzed cycloisomerization has been developed. N‐ and O‐tethered 1,6‐enynes were successfully transformed to their corresponding 3‐aza‐ and 3‐oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptenes in reasonable‐to‐high yields using the catalysts [PdCl₂(CH₃CN)₂]/P(OPh)₃ or [Pd(maleimidate)₂(PPh₃)₂] in toluene. The computational calculations using density functional theory indicate that [PdCl₂{P(OPh)₃}] in the oxidation state Pd^II acts as the active catalyst species for the formation of 3‐azabicyclo[4.1.0]heptenes through 6‐endo‐dig cyclization.     

Toward the complete range separation of non‐hybrid exchange–correlation functional

In this study, we use a very simple scheme to achieve range separation of a total exchange–correlation functional. We have utilized this methodology to combine a short‐range pure density functional theory (DFT) functional with a corresponding long‐range pure DFT, leading to a “Range‐separated eXchange–Correlation” (RXC) scheme. By examining the performance of a range of standard exchange–correlation functionals for prototypical short‐ and long‐range properties, we have chosen B‐LYP as the short‐range functional and PBE‐B95 as the long‐range counterpart. The results of our testing using a more diverse range of data sets show that, for properties that we deem to be short‐range in nature, the performance of this prescribed RXC‐DFT protocol does resemble that of B‐LYP in most cases, and vice versa. Thus, this RXC‐DFT protocol already provides meaningful numerical results. Furthermore, we envisage that the general RXC scheme can be easily implemented in computational chemistry software packages. This study paves a way for further refinement of such a range‐separation technique for the development of better performing DFT procedures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Exploring two-state reaction pathways in the photodimerization of cyclohexadiene.

The ground- (S0) and lowest triplet-state (T1) pathways associated with dimerization of cyclohexadiene to give [2+2] and [4+2] cycloadducts have been theoretically studied at the UBLYP and UB3LYP levels of theory with the 6-31G* basis set. The DFT energies were validated by CCSD(T) single-point energy calculations. These cycloaddition reactions follow stepwise mechanisms with formation of bis-allylic biradical (BB) intermediates. In the S0 ground state, the interaction between two cyclohexadiene molecules with formation of BB intermediate IN(S0) has a large activation enthalpy of 32.0 kcal mol(-1). On the other hand, C-C bond-formation in the lowest triplet state (T1) leading to BB intermediate IN(T1) has a low activation enthalpy of 5.0 kcal mol(-1), but the subsequent ring closure involves a very large activation enthalpy of 43.4 kcal mol(-1). Triplet-to-singlet intersystem crossing from IN(T1) to IN(S0) favors cyclization to give the corresponding [2+2] and [4+2] cycloadducts.     

Mechanistic Study of the Rhodium‐Catalyzed [3+2+2] Carbocyclization of Alkenylidenecyclopropanes with Alkynes

A systematic theoretical study has been performed on the recently reported Rh^I‐catalyzed [3+2+2] carbocyclization reactions between alkenylidenecyclopropanes (ACPs) and alkynes. With the aid of theoretical calculations, two possible mechanisms, that is, alkene‐carbometalation‐first and alkyne‐carbometalation‐first mechanisms, are examined in this study. In the oxidative addition step, the possibility of reaction on either the distal or proximal C? C bond of the cyclopropane group has been evaluated. The calculations indicate that the alkene‐activation‐first mechanism is more favored for the overall catalytic cycle. This mechanism involves four steps, that is, oxidative addition of the distal (rather than the proximal) C? C bond of cyclopropane group, alkene carbometalation, alkyne carbometalation, and reductive elimination. The rate‐determining step in the overall catalytic cycle is the carbometalation of the alkyne (i.e., the alkyne‐insertion step) and this step also determines the regioselectivity. Finally, the origin of the regioselectivity is determined by the steric effect (i.e., the steric crowding between the electron‐withdrawing group on alkyne and other ligands on the rhodium center) in the alkyne‐insertion step.     

Understanding the Woodward-Hoffmann rules by using changes in electron density

The Woodward-Hoffmann rules for pericyclic reactions are explained entirely in terms of directly observable physical properties of molecules (specifically changes in electron density) without any recourse to model-dependent concepts, such as orbitals and aromaticity. This results in a fundamental explanation of how the physics of molecular interactions gives rise to the chemistry of pericyclic reactions. This construction removes one of the key outstanding problems in the qualitative density-functional theory of chemical reactivity (the so-called conceptual DFT). One innovation in this paper is that the link between molecular-orbital theory and conceptual DFT is treated very explicitly, revealing how molecular-orbital theory can be used to provide "back-of-the-envelope" approximations to the reactivity indicators of conceptual DFT.     

The gas‐phase H‐abstraction reactions of CCl3H with CX1X2•− (X1X2 = HF,HCl, HBr,HI, FF,ClCl, BrBr,and II), a DFT study

A systematic investigation on the H‐abstraction reactions of 8 carbene radical anions with CCl₃H has been performed theoretically using the popular DFT functional BHandHLYP/aug‐cc‐pVTZ/RECP level of theory. As a result, our studies strongly suggest that the reactivity of the title reactions (CX¹X^{2 ??} + CCl₃H) present increase in the order: CHI ^?? < CHBr ^?? < CHCl ^?? < CHF ^?? for first halogen CHX ^?? and CCI₂ ^?? < CBr₂ ^?? < CCl₂ ^?? < CF₂ ^?? for second halogen CX^{2 ??} , more important, the reactions of the former exhibit more activity than those of corresponding the latter. Moreover, based on the NBO analysis, the Activation Strain model analysis and the correlations analyses of activation barrier with both PA and IE, respectively, we further confirm over the conclusion. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Ring-closing olefin metathesis on ruthenium carbene complexes: model DFT study of stereochemistry

Ring-closing metathesis (RCM) is the key step in a recently reported synthesis of salicylihalamide and related model compounds. Experimentally, the stereochemistry of the resulting cycloolefin (cis/trans) depends strongly on the substituents that are present in the diene substrate. To gain insight into the factors that govern the observed stereochemistry, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out for a simplified dichloro(2-propylidene)(imidazole-2-ylidene)ruthenium catalyst I, as well as for the real catalyst II with two mesityl substituents on the imidazole ring. Four model substrates are considered, which are closely related to the systems studied experimentally, and in each case, two pathways A and B are possible since the RCM reaction can be initiated by coordination of either of the two diene double bonds to the metal center. The first metathesis yields a carbene intermediate, which can then undergo a second metathesis by ring closure, metallacycle formation, and metallacycle cleavage to give the final cycloolefin complex. According to the DFT calculations, the stereochemistry is always determined in the second metathesis reaction, but the rate-determining step may be different for different catalysts, substrates, and pathways. The ancillary N-heterocyclic carbene ligand lies in the Ru-Cl-Cl plane in the simplified catalyst I, but is perpendicular to it in the real catalyst II, and this affects the relative energies of the relevant intermediates and transition states. Likewise, the introduction of methyl substituents in the diene substrates influences these relative energies appreciably. Good agreement with the experimentally observed stereochemistry is only found when using the real catalyst II and the largest model substrates in the DFT calculations.     

Sol-Gel Distribution of Polycondensation Reaction

A theoretical approach to polycondensation reaction of Aa-Bb type Involving intramolecular cycllzatlon has been proposed by Tang Au-chin et al.. In this paper, the theoretical sol-gel distribution is tested by polycondensation of adipic acid with trimethylol propane in a sto-ichiometric ratio of 0. 8, and the effect of intramolecular cyclization is discussed in detail.