Stereospecific [2+2] cycloaddition reactions of diphosphorus with alkenes

[2+2] Cycloaddition reactions of P₂ with alkenes were predicted to have concerted paths, that is, pseudoexcitation, distorted 2π_s+2π_s, and 2π_s+2π_a processes without any interventions of intermediates. The pseudoexcitation and/or distorted 2π_s+2π_s paths with retention of configuration of alkenes are kinetically preferred to the 2π_s+2π_a path with inversion of configuration. The reactions were predicted from the appreciable difference in the calculated enthalpies of activation to be stereospecific.     

Fragmentations of Hydroxymethyl Radical Cation: An Ab Initio Study

The probable fragmentation channels of hydroxymethyl radical cation were studied through the H‐and H₂‐abstraction and C‐O bond breaking reactions including their related isomerization reactions. The energy barriers for hydroxymethyl cation undergoing isomerization reactions are generally higher than those undergoing the concerted 1,2‐elimination reactions to generate CHO⁺ and H₂. The fragmentation reaction to form CHO⁺ and H₂ through the 1,2‐elimination pathways is the major fragmentation channel for hydroxymethyl cation, consistent with the experimental observation. H abstraction from the hydroxyl group of CH₂OH⁺ is more difficult than that from the methylene group. The feasible path to lose H is to generate CHOH₂⁺ through hydrogen transfer reaction as the first step and then to undergo H‐elimination to generate trans‐CHOH⁺. Among all the reactions found in this study, the OH‐elimination to generate CH₂⁺ has the highest energy barrier. Our calculation results indicate that the major signals contributed from the related species of hydroxymethyl cation found in the mass spectrum should be m/e 29, m/e 30.     

Quantum chemical study of ethylene addition to group-7 oxo complexes MO2(CH3)(CH2) (M = Mn, Tc, Re)

Quantum chemical calculations using DFT at the B3LYP level have been carried out for the reaction of ethylene with the group-7 compounds ReO₂(CH₃)(CH₂) (Re1), TcO₂(CH₃)(CH₂) (Tc1) and MnO₂(CH₃)(CH₂) (Mn1). The calculations suggest rather complex scenarios with numerous pathways, where the initial compounds Re1-Mn1 may either engage in cycloaddition reactions or numerous addition reactions with concomitant hydrogen migration. There are also energetically low-lying rearrangements of the starting compounds to isomers which may react with ethylene yielding further products. The [2 + 2]_Re,C cycloaddition reaction of the starting molecule Re1 is kinetically and thermodynamically favored over the [3 + 2]_C,O and [3 + 2]_O,O cycloadditions. However, the reaction which leads to the most stable product takes place with initial rearrangement to the dioxohydridometallacyclopropane isomer Re1a that adds ethylene with concomitant hydrogen migration yielding Re1a-1. The latter reaction has a slightly higher barrier than the [2 + 2]_Re,C cycloaddition reaction. The direct [3 + 2]_C,O cycloaddition becomes more favorable than the [2 + 2]_M,C reaction for the starting compounds Tc1 and Mn1 of the lighter metals technetium and manganese but the calculations predict that other reactions are kinetically and thermodynamically more favorable than the cycloadditions. The reactions with the lowest activation barriers lead after rearrangement to the ethyl substituted dioxometallacyclopropanes Tc1a-1 and Mn1a-1. The manganese compound exhibits an even more complex reaction scenario than the technetium compounds. The thermodynamically most stable final product of ethylene addition to Mn1 is the ethoxy substituted metallacyclopropane Mn1a-2 which has, however, a high activation barrier.     

Density functional studies on chromium catalyzed ethylene trimerization

Mechanism of ethylene trimerization using chromium catalyst is investigated using density functional methods. Recent experimental results indicate Cr-based homogeneous catalysts to follow metallacycle pathway in ethylene tri-, teta- and oligomerization reactions. Given the importance of chlorinated Cr-based active catalysts in these reactions, we have used “bare” minimal ligands like Cl^? and considered catalytic cycles with neutral or cationic intermediates starting with [Cr(II)Cl₂(ethylene)₂] and [Cr(II)Cl(ethylene)₂]⁺, respectively. We have compared both ‘Cossee’ and the ‘metallacycle’ mechanisms on these model systems utilizing density functional computations at B3LYP/LANL2DZ(d,p) level. The metallacycle mechanism with cationic Cr(II)–Cr(IV) intermediates is found to be the most favored path, with oxidative coupling of two coordinated ethylene to form the chromacyclopentane being the rate determining step (RDS). We also found that with neutral intermediates the Cossee pathway rather than the metallacycle mechanism is followed. Thus in spite of the simplicity of using just Cl^? as ligand in the model catalytic intermediates, our computational results match remarkably well with many recent and important experimental findings.     

Molecular fragmentations: Part III. Structures and energies of the transition states in the rearrangement and decomposition of formamide molecular cations

MINDO/3 calculations have been made for the activation enthalpies, and the transition state structures for the following equilibria between isomers of the formamide molecular cation, M⁺: (NCOH₃)⁺ ? (NCHOH₂)⁺ ? (HNCOH₂)⁺? (H₂NCOH)⁺? (H₃NCC)⁺ for the following equilibria between the isomers of (M-H)⁺: (NCOH₂)⁺ ? (HNCOH)⁺ ? (H₂NCO)⁺ and for seven decomposition reactions of general type: M⁺ → (M-H)⁺ + H^? Rate constants have been deduced using calculated enthalpies of activation, and estimated A factors. All the processes are symmetry-allowed.     

Theoretical investigation of the gas-phase reaction of NiO+ with ethane

To explore the mechanisms for Ni-based oxide-catalyzed oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) reactions, we investigate the reactions of C₂H₆ with NiO⁺ using density functional calculations. Two possible reaction pathways are identified, which lead to the formation of ethanol (path 1), ethylene and water (path 2). The proportion of products is discussed by Curtin-Hammett principle, and the result shows that path 2 is the main reaction channel and the water and ethylene are the main products. In order to get a deeper understanding of the titled reaction, numerous means of analysis methods including the atoms in molecules (AIM), electron localization function (ELF), natural bond orbital (NBO), and density of states (DOS) are used to study the properties of the chemical bonding evolution along the reaction pathways.

     

Activation of CS2 and CO2 by Silylium Cations

The hydride-bridged silylium cation [Et₃Si−H−SiEt₃]⁺, stabilized by the weakly coordinating [Me₃NB₁₂Cl₁₁]⁻ anion, undergoes, in the presence of excess silane, a series of unexpected consecutive reactions with the valence-isoelectronic molecules CS₂ and CO₂. The final products of the reaction with CS₂ are methane and the previously unknown [(Et₃Si)₃S]⁺ cation. To gain insight into the entire reaction cascade, numerous experiments with varying conditions were performed, intermediate products were intercepted, and their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. Besides the [(Et₃Si)₃S]⁺ cation as the final product, crystal structures of [(Et₃Si)₂SMe]⁺, [Et₃SiS(H)Me]⁺, and [Et₃SiOC(H)OSiEt₃]⁺ were obtained. Experimental results combined with supporting quantum-chemical calculations in the gas phase and solution allow a detailed understanding of the reaction cascade.     

Functional group-selective ion-molecule reactions of ethylene glycol and its monomethyl and dimethyl ethers

The selective methylation and methylene substitution reactions of dimethyl ether ions with ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, and ethylene glycol dimethyl ether were investigated in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Whereas the reactions of ethylene glycol and ethylene glycol monomethyl ether with the methoxymethylene cation 45⁺ gave only [M + 13]⁺ product ions, the reaction of ethylene glycol dimethyl ether with the same reagent ion yielded exclusively [M + 15]⁺ ions. The relative rates of formation of these products and those from competing reactions were examined and rationalized on the basis of structural and electronic considerations. The heats of formation for various relevant species were estimated by computational methods and showed that the reactions leading to the [M + 13]⁺ ions were more energetically favorable than those leading to the [M + 15]⁺ products for cases in which both reactions are possible. Finally, the collision-induced dissociation behavior of the [M + H]⁺, [M + 13]⁺, and [M + 15]⁺ ions indicated that the and [M + H]⁺ rons dissociated by analogous pathways and were thus structurally similar, whereas the [M + 13]⁺ ions possessed distinctly different structural characteristics.     

Radiochemical study of gas-phase reactions of diethylstannilium cations Et2SnT+ with oxygen-containing compounds: I. Interaction of diethylstannilium cations with methyl tert-butyl ether

Radiochemical method was applied to study the gas-phase interaction between the nucleogenic diethylstannyl cations Et₂SnT⁺ and methyl tert-butyl ether. The possible reaction mechanisms are considered. Diethylstannylium cations are found to isomerize during the reaction to tertiary cation Me₂EtSn⁺, as well as undergo a rearrangement accompanied by elimination of ethane rater than ethylene, in contrast to the cases of silicon and germilium analogs.     

Theoretical study of photochemical reactions: Electron assignment and the state correlation diagram

A general way for drawing the state correlation diagram and seeking the reaction path is presented. If a high-symmetry reacting system is given, its least-motion path that maintains the symmetry is primarily examined. For a given state, it is judged whether the least-motion path is symmetry allowed or forbidden. If allowed, it is called the direct process. If forbidden, the symmetry imposed on the system should be relaxed, resulting in the mixing of MO 's. Then, the energy barrier of the avoided crossing for some excited states is removed and the possible reaction path is found. After this procedure, the symmetry-allowed paths may be sought by the geometry optimization with a suitable wave function. By the use of such a procedure, the dissociation of diazomethane and (3H-)diazirine is found to proceed via the C_s and C₂ symmetries.     

Methane Activation by Diatomic Molybdenum Carbide Cations

Metal carbide species have been proposed as a new type of chemical entity to activate methane in both gas‐phase and condensed‐phase studies. Herein, methane activation by the diatomic cation MoC⁺ is presented. MoC⁺ ions have been prepared and mass‐selected by a quadrupole mass filter and then allowed to interact with methane in a hexapole reaction cell. The reactant and product ions have been detected by a reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer. Bare metal Mo⁺ and MoC₂H₂⁺ ions have been observed as products, suggesting the occurrence of ethylene elimination and dehydrogenation reactions. The branching ratio of the C₂H₄ elimination channel is much larger than that of the dehydrogenation channel. Density functional theory calculations have been performed to explore in detail the mechanism of the reaction of MoC⁺ with CH₄. The computed results indicate that the ethylene elimination process involves the occurrence of spin conversions in the C?C coupling (doublet→quartet) and hydrogen atom transfer (quartet→sextet) steps. The carbon atom in MoC⁺ plays a key role in methane activation because it becomes sp³ hybridized in the initial stages of the ethylene elimination reaction, which leads to much lower energy barriers and more stable intermediates. This study provides insights into the C?H bond activation and C?C coupling involved in methane transformation over molybdenum carbide‐based catalysts.     

Réduction du cryptate de thallium(I) par polarographie impulsionnelle normale: Constante de réduction électrochimique (hétérogène) et constante de vitesse (homogène) de décomplexation

In propylene carbonate as solvent (+(n-hex)₄NClO₄ 0.1 M) the cryptate [222 Tl]⁺ and the cation Tl⁺ are electroducible. The reduction step is monoelectronic and slowed down for the cryptate compared to the uncomplexed cation. For the cryptate [222 Tl]⁺, by correlation of n.m.r. results on homogeneous ion exchange and combination with the electrochemical heterogeneous data, the standard redox potential of the couple [222 Tl]⁺/[222 Tl]⁰ is estimated to be ?0.73±0.02 V/SCE. This value is in agreement with the electrochemical results. The stability constant of [222 Tl]⁺ is calculated by two independent procedures, from electrochemical results and from n.m.r. data. The results are concordant: log K_s=9.0±0.3 at 25°C, in propylene carbonate (+(n-hex)₄NClO₄ 0.1 M).     

Theoretical study on the solvent effect of the nitrosyl cation (NO+) generating reaction

Nitrosyl cation (NO⁺) generating reaction HONO + H⁺ → NO⁺ + H₂O has been theoretically investigated by B3LYP and high‐electron‐correlation QCISD methods with 6‐31G (d,p) basis set. The solvent effects on the geometries, reaction path properties, energies, thermodynamic, and kinetic characters in four solvents (benzene, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, and water) have been calculated using self‐consistent reaction field (SCRF) approach with the polarizable continuum model (PCM). The results show that the activation energy barriers and the relative energies of the products are decreased with increase of the polarities of the solvents, and the reaction is favored in polar solvents thermodynamically and kinetically. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Examining the impact of ancillary ligand basicity on copper(I)–ethylene binding interactions: a DFT study

A theoretical investigation at the density functional theory level (B3LYP) has been conducted to elucidate the impact of ligand basicity on the binding interactions between ethylene and copper(I) ions in [Cu(?? ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ and a series of [Cu(L)(?? ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ complexes, where L?=?substituted 1,10-phenanthroline ligands. Molecular orbital analysis shows that binding in [Cu(?? ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ primarily involves interaction between the filled ethylene ??-bonding orbital and the empty Cu(4s) and Cu(4p) orbitals, with less interaction observed between the low energy Cu(3d) orbitals and the empty ethylene ??*-orbital. The presence of electron-donating ligands in the [Cu(L)(?? ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ complexes destabilizes the predominantly Cu(3d)-character filled frontier orbital of the [Cu(L)]⁺ fragment, promoting better overlap with the vacant ethylene ??*-orbital and increasing Cu????ethylene ??-backbonding. Moreover, the energy of the filled [Cu(L)]⁺ frontier orbital and mixing with the ethylene ??*-orbital increase with increasing pK _a of the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand. Natural bond orbital analysis reveals an increase in Cu????ethylene electron donation with addition of ligands to [Cu(?? ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ and an increase in backbonding with increasing ligand pK _a in the [Cu(L)(?? ²-C₂H₄)]⁺ complexes. Energy decomposition analysis (ALMO-EDA) calculations show that, while Cu????ethylene charge transfer (CT) increases with more basic ligands, ethylene????Cu CT and non-CT frozen density and polarization effects become less favorable, yielding little change in copper(I)?Cethylene binding energy with ligand pK _a. ALMO-EDA calculations on related [Cu(L)(NCCH₃)]⁺ complexes and calculated free energy changes for the displacement of acetonitrile by ethylene reveal a direct correlation between increasing ligand pK _a and the favorability of ethylene binding, consistent with experimental observations.     

Consequences of a through-bond interaction in tetracyclo-[5.3.0.0.0]-deca-4,8-diene (“Hypostrophene”)

Photoelectron spectroscopy is used to demonstrate the mechanistic consequences of the level ordering in a given molecule on its reactivity, using the recently synthesized hypostrophene, which contains two CC double bonds in a rigid, cisoid conformation, as an example. The inability of this molecule to close photochemically to the saturated analog is traced to the presence of an exceptionally high-lying σ level which is ideally oriented for an effective through-bond coupling of the two π orbitals. Contrary to the norbornadiene case, this through-bond coupling overrides the direct through-space interaction, placing the in-phase combination of the two π orbitals above the out-of-phase combination, and thus converts the _π2_s+_π2_s photocycloaddition from a symmetry-allowed to a symmetry-forbidden reaction.     

An unexpected multicomponent reaction leading to 2-arylpyrrolo[2,3,4-kl]acridin-1(2H)-ones

An unexpected condensation profile was observed for the three-component reaction of 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadione (dimedone), various anilines, and isatin leading to the synthesis of novel 2-arylpyrrolo[2,3,4-kl]acridin-1(2H)-ones in the ionic liquid [HMIm]HSO₄. Regeneration of the enamine group after the initial condensation reaction associated with participation of the restored amine group in translactonization with the pyrrolidone ring are suggested as the main differentiating events being favored over addition of the second dimedone molecule, with respect to similar reported reactions.     

Influence de la nature du solvant sur le comportement photochimique de complexes trans- ET cis-[PtCl2(éthylène)(amine)]

Nature of the solvent plays a major role in the photochemical behaviour of cis- and trans-[PtCl₂(ethylene)(amine)] complexes. Dimeric compounds [Pt₂Cl₄-(amine)₂] are obtained on irradiation of these complexes in chloroform or diethyl ether. A non-stereospecific reaction of photosubstitution is observed in nitrile solvents. When methanol, dimethoxyethane or dimethylformamide are used as solvents, cis and trans complexes have a quite different photochemical behaviour, but in all of the cases, a photodegradation leading to ionic species [PtCl₃(ethylene)]^? H⁺ amine and [PtCl₃(amine)]^? H⁺ amine is the main reaction.     

Reaction of CH3CHO with Y+: A density functional theoretical study

The reaction mechanism of the Y⁺ cation with CH₃CHO has been investigated with a DFT approach. All the stationary points are determined at the UB3LYP/ECP/6-311++G** level of the theory. Both ground and excited state potential energy surfaces are investigated in detail. The present results show that the title reaction start with the formation of a CH₃CHO-metal complex followed by C-C, aldehyde C-H, methyl C-H and C-O activation. These reactions can lead to four different products (Y⁺CH₄ + CO, Y⁺CO + CH₄, Y⁺COCH₂ + H₂ and Y⁺O + C₂H₄). The minimum energy reaction path is found to involve the spin inversion in the different reaction steps, this potential energy curve-crossing dramatically affects reaction exothermic. The present results may be helpful in understanding the mechanism of the title reaction and further experimental investigation of the reaction.     

Pulse radiolysis studies of intermolecular charge transfers involving tryptophan and three-electron-bonded intermediates derived from methionine

The oxidation processes of the radiation-generated, three-electron-bonded intermediates AcMet₂ [S??S]⁺ and AcMet [S??Br] were investigated by pulse radiolysis via their reactions with tryptophan (TrpH). These intermediates were derived from N-acetyl-methionine amide (N-AcMetNH₂) and N-acetyl-methionine methyl ester (N-AcMetOMe). The bimolecular rate constant k of the reaction between each intermediate and l-tryptophan (TrpH) was measured. For N-AcMetNH₂, k for the reaction of AcMet₂ [S??S]⁺ with TrpH were 3.4?×?10⁸ and 2.2?×?10⁸?dm³?mol^?1?s^?1 at pH?=?1 and 4.5, respectively. For N-AcMetOMe, k for the reaction of AcMet₂ [S??S]⁺ with TrpH were 4.0?×?10⁸ and 2.8?×?10⁸?dm³?mol^?1?s^?1 at pH 1 and 4.5, respectively. The rate constants for the intermolecular transformation of Met [S??Br] into TrpH⁺ or Trp were also estimated. For N-AcMetNH₂, k for the reaction of AcMet₂ [S??Br] with TrpH were 2.6?×?10⁸ and 3.3?×?10⁸?dm³?mol^?1?s^?1 at pH 1 and 4.5, respectively. Related mechanisms were discussed.     

Collinear quantum mechanical calculations for the reaction: He + H2+ → HeH+ + H

An integral equation reaction path technique has been used to calculate, within the collinear approximation, reaction probabilities for the reaction He + H₂⁺ → HeH⁺ + H over the energy range 0.95 <- E <- 1.19 eV. This reaction differs from those that have been studied previously within the collinear approximation in that a severe oscillatory behavior is exhibited in the energy dependence of the reaction probabilities.