Ketene-acetylene [2 + 2] cycloadditions: cyclobutenone and/or oxete formation?

The [2 + 2] cycloaddition of monosubstituted acetylenes to ketene has been studied by ab initio(G2(MP2,SVP) and DFT (B3LYP/6-31Gd)) methods. The activation barrier decreases with increasing electron-donating ability of the acetylene substituent, and it can be roughly correlated with the energy of the acetylene HOMO. The addition to the C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond of ketene (giving cyclobutenones) is preferred for the less electron-rich acetylenes, but for the most electron rich ones (X = NH(2) and NMe(2)) the addition to the C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond (giving oxetes) becomes competitive, with activation barriers as low as ca. 45 (30) kJ mol(-1) for the two computational methods used. The cyclobutenones and oxetes can undergo ring opening to vinylketenes and acylallenes, respectively. Furthermore, the latter two compounds can interconvert by a 1,3-shift of the substituent X. The acylallenes become thermodynamically more stable than the vinylketenes for [small pi]-(lone pair) donating substituents X, and the 1,3-shift barrier also decreases, to ca. 130 kJ mol(-1) for X = NMe(2). In contrast, the 1,3-shifts of CH(3) and H have very high barriers.     

Does α‐effect exist in E2 reactions? A G2(+) investigation

The gas-phase base-induced bimolecular elimination (E2) reactions at saturated carbon with 13 bases, B(-) + CH3CH2Cl --> BH + CH2=CH2 + Cl(-) (B = HO, CH3O, CH3CH2O, FCH2CH2O, ClCH2CH2O, Cl, Br, FO, ClO, BrO, HOO, HSO, and H2NO), were investigated with the high-level G2(+) theory. It was found that all alpha-bases with adjacent lone pair electrons examined exhibited downward deviations from the correlation line between the overall barriers and proton affinities for the normal bases without adjacent lone pair electrons, indicating the existence of the alpha-effect in the gas phase E2 reactions. The sizes of the alpha-effect for the E2 reaction, DeltaH(alpha)(E2), span a smaller range if the alpha-atoms are on the same column in the periodic table, in contrast to the corresponding S(N)2 reactions, where the DeltaH(alpha)(S(N)2) values significantly decrease from an upper to a lower column. The origin of the alpha-effects in E2 reactions can be interpreted by the favorable orbital interaction between the lone-pair electrons and positively charged anti-bonding orbital. It is worth noticing that the neighboring electron-rich pi lobe instead of lone pair electrons could also cause the alpha-effect in E2 reaction.     

(CH3)2S与HOCl分子间的卤键和氢键相互作用

在DFT-B3LYP/6-311++G**水平上分别求得(CH3)2S…ClOH卤键复合物和(CH3)2S…HOCl氢键复合物势能面上的稳定构型. 频率分析表明, 与单体HOCl相比, 在两种复合物中, 10Cl—11O和12H—11O键伸缩振动频率发生显著的红移. 经MP2/6-311++G**水平计算的含基组重叠误差(BSSE)校正的气相中相互作用能分别为-11.69和-24.16 kJ·mol-1. 自然键轨道理论(NBO)分析表明, 在(CH3)2S…ClOH卤键复合物中, 引起10Cl—11O键变长的因素包括两种电荷转移: (i) 孤对电子LP(1S)1→σ*(10Cl—11O); (ii) 孤对电子LP(1S)2→σ*(10Cl—11O), 其中孤对电子LP(1S)2→σ*(10Cl—11O)转移占主要作用, 总的结果是使σ*(10Cl—11O)的自然布居数增加0.14035e, 同时11O原子的再杂化使其与10Cl成键时s成分增加, 即具有与电荷转移作用同样的“拉长效应”; 在(CH3)2S…HOCl氢键复合物中也存在类似的电荷转移, 但是11O原子的再杂化不同于前者. 自然键共振理论(NRT)进行键序分析表明, 在卤键复合物和氢键复合物中, 10Cl—11O和12H—11O键的键序都减小. 通过分子中原子理论(AIM)分析了复合物中卤键和氢键的电子密度拓扑性质.     

1,2-Chlorine atom migration in 3-chloro-2-butyl radicals: a computational study

The structure as well as several unimolecular reaction pathways of the 3-chloro-2-butyl radical 1 have been studied at several different theoretical levels (B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ, BHLYP/aug-cc-pVDZ, G3(ROMP2)B3). The symmetrically chlorine-bridged structure is a transition state at all levels of theory and the most favorable ground state structure is the unbridged beta-chloroalkyl radical. Reaction barriers for the 1,2-chlorine migration process are higher than those for rotation around the central C-C bond. 1,2-migration of the chlorine atom is accompanied by an increase in chlorine negative charge as well as chlorine spin density. This hybrid homo-/heterolytic process is well known from rearrangement reactions in beta-(dialkoxyphosphoryloxy)alkyl radicals and suggests that chlorine migration can be influenced by polar substituent effects.     

Tandem pseudopericyclic reactions: [1,5]-X sigmatropic shift/6pi-electrocyclic ring closure converting N-(2-X-carbonyl)phenyl ketenimines into 2-X-quinolin-4(3H)-ones

N-(2-X-Carbonyl)phenyl ketenimines undergo, under mild thermal conditions, [1,5]-migration of the X group from the carbonyl carbon to the electron-deficient central carbon atom of the ketenimine fragment, followed by a 6pi-electrocyclic ring closure of the resulting ketene to provide 2-X-substituted quinolin-4(3H)-ones in a sequential one-pot manner. The X groups tested are electron-donor groups, such as alkylthio, arylthio, arylseleno, aryloxy, and amino. When involving alkylthio, arylthio, and arylseleno groups, the complete transformation takes place in refluxing toluene, whereas for aryloxy and amino groups the starting ketenimines must be heated at 230 degrees C in a sealed tube in the absence of solvent. The mechanism for the conversion of these ketenimines into quinolin-4(3H)-ones has been studied by ab initio and DFT calculations, using as model compounds N-(2-X-carbonyl)vinyl ketenimines bearing different X groups (X = F, Cl, OH, SH, NH(2), and PH(2)) converting into 4(3H)-pyridones. This computational study afforded two general reaction pathways for the first step of the sequence, the [1,5]-X shift, depending on the nature of X. When X is F, Cl, OH, or SH, the migration occurs in a concerted mode, whereas when X is NH(2) or PH(2), it involves a two-step sequence. The order of migratory aptitudes of the X substituents at the acyl group is predicted to be PH(2) > Cl > SH > NH(2) > F> OH. The second step of the full transformation, the 6pi-electrocyclic ring closure, is calculated to be concerted and with low energy barriers in all the cases. We have included in the calculations an alternative mode of cyclization of the N-(2-X-carbonyl)vinyl ketenimines, the 6pi-electrocyclic ring closure leading to 1,3-oxazines that involves its 1-oxo-5-aza-1,3,5-hexatrienic system. Additionally, the pseudopericyclic topology of the transition states for some of the [1,5]-X migrations (X = F, Cl, OH, SH), for the 6pi-electrocyclization of the ketene intermediates to the 4(3H)-pyridones, and for the 6pi-electrocyclization of the starting ketenimines into 1,3-oxazines could be established on the basis of their geometries, natural bond orbital analyses, and magnetic properties. The calculations predict that the 4(3H)-pyridones are the thermodynamically controlled products and that the 1,3-oxazines should be the kinetically controlled ones.     

Theoretical study on chlorine and hydrogen shift in cycloheptatriene and cyclopentadiene derivatives

The transition structures (TSs) for chlorine 1,7-shift and 1,5-shift in 1,7,7-trichlorocycloheptatriene (1) and those of chlorine 1,5-shifts in 1,5,5-trichlorocyclopentadiene (3) and 1,2,5-trichloro-1,3-pentadiene (5) derivatives have been located with density functional theory (DFT) at the Becke3LYP/6-311G [and Becke3LYP/6-311+G] level. The calculational results were compared with those for corresponding hydrogen shifts in nonsubstituted molecules (cycloheptatriene (2), cyclopentadiene (4), and 1,3-pentadiene (6)). The following points were clarified: (1) The activation energy (Delta E(++)) for chlorine 1,7-shift in 1 was evaluated to be only +50.1 [+49.2] kJ/mol, which is smaller than that (+69.9 [+68.3]) for a 1,5-shift, supporting the theory that the conversion between two equivalent A and A' proceeds through a TS for direct chlorine 1,7-shift (Figure 1), rather than through a TS for a 1,5-shift (Figure 2). (2) The considerable amount of charge separation between a migrating chlorine atom (Cl(m)) and a seven-membered ring (-0.53 and +0.47 for Merz-Singh-Kollman scheme) occurs in a chlorine 1,7-shift, which is in good contrast to the result that the migrating hydrogen atom (H(m)) for a 1,7-shift in cycloheptatriene (2) carries almost no charge (Figure 3). This large charge separation can stabilize the TS for the chlorine 1,7-shift pathway. (3) The Delta E(++) values for suprafacial hydrogen 1,7-shift in 2 are quite large (+288.0 [+284.8] kJ/mol), much larger than that (+166.8 [+167.0]) for a 1,5-shift in 4 which is orbital symmetrically allowed (Figure 3). The calculation suggests that the chlorine 1,7-shift in 1 occurs easily at room temperature (actually observed experimentally) by proceeding via concerted suprafacial 1,7-shift through the zwitterionic TS with the significant assistance of Coulomb interaction between charged fragments (negatively charged chlorine atom and positively charged tropylium ring), rather than via a suprafacial 1,5-sigmatropic pathway. Other cases studied in this paper showed usual results predicted by orbital symmetrical consideration.     

Thermal stability of carbonyl radicals. Part II. Reactions of methylglyoxyl and methylglyoxylperoxy radicals at 1 bar in the temperature range 275-311 K

Reactions of methylglyoxyl and methylglyoxylperoxy radicals were investigated at a total pressure of 1 bar in oxygen. Methylglyoxyl radicals were generated by stationary photolysis of Br2-CH3C(O)C(O)H-NO2-O2-N2 mixtures at wavelengths > or =480 nm and of Cl2-CH3C(O)C(O)H-NO2-O2-N2 mixtures in the wavelength range 315-460 nm. In the bromine system, rate constant ratios for the reactions CH3C(O)CO --> CH3CO + CO (kdis) and CH3C(O)CO + O2 --> CH3C(O)C(O)O2 (kO2) were measured as a function of temperature in the range 275-311 K. Assuming the constant value kO2 = 5.1 x 10(-12) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) for our reaction conditions, kdis = 1.2 x 10(10.0+/-0.7) x exp(-11.7 +/- 3.8 kJ mol(-1)/RT) s(-1) (2sigma errors) was obtained for ptot = 1 bar (M = O2), in good agreement with the kinetic parameters calculated by Méreau et al. [R. Méreau, M.-T. Rayez, J.-C. Rayez, F. Caralp and R. Lesclaux, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2001, 3, 4712]. CH3C(O)C(O)O2 radicals oxidise NO2, forming NO3, CH3CO and CO2. This experimental result is supported by DFT and ab initio calculations. Possible mechanisms for the observed formation of several % of ketene and bromoacetyl peroxynitrate are discussed. Use of Cl rather than Br atoms to abstract the aldehydic H atom from methylglyoxal leads to chemically activated CH3C(O)CO radicals, thus substantially increasing the fraction of CH3C(O)CO radicals that decompose rather than add O2.     

Ketene-ketenimine rearrangements in the gas phase and in polar media. 1,3-Migration intermediates and sequential transition states

[reaction: see text] Calculations of the activation barrier for the 1,3-shifts of substituents X in alpha-imidoylketenes 1 (HN=C(X)-CH=C=O), which interconverts them with alpha-oxoketenimines 3 (HN=C=CH-C(X)=O) via a four-membered cyclic transition state TS2 have been performed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G* level. Substituents with accessible lone pairs have the lowest activation barriers for the 1,3-shift (halogens, OR, NR2). The corresponding activation barriers for the alpha-oxoketene-alpha-oxoketene rearrangement of 4 via TS5 are generally lower by 1-30 kJ/mol. A polar medium (acetonitrile, epsilon = 36.64) was simulated using the polarizable continuum (PCM) solvation model. The effect of the solvent field is a reduction of the activation barrier by an average of 12 kJ/mol. In the cases of 1,3-shifts of amino and dimethylamino groups, the stabilization of the transition state TS2 in a solvent field is so large that it becomes an intermediate, Int2, flanked by transition states (TS2' and TS2') that are due primarily to internal rotation of the amine functions, and secondarily to the 1,3-bonding interaction. In the case of the alpha-oxoketene-alpha-oxoketene rearrangement of 4, there is a corresponding intermediate Int5 for the 1,3-amine shift already in the gas phase.     

Acylation of 2,5-dimethoxycarbonyl[60]fulleropyrrolidine and synthesis of its multifullerene derivatives

2,5-Dimethoxycarbonyl[60]fulleropyrrolidine (1) is acylated with various chlorocarbonyl compounds to give fullerene derivatives with the general formula C(60)(MeOOCCH)(2)NC(O)R, R = (CH(2))(5)Br, (CH(2))(8)C(O)Cl (3), (CH(2))(4)C(O)Cl, or cis-C(6)H(4)(C(O)Cl. The monoacylated sebacoyl derivative 3 readily reacts with alcohols and amines such as methanol, diethylamine, glycine methyl ester, and aza-18-crown-6 through the remaining chlorocarbonyl group. Chromatography of 3 on silica gel converts it into the corresponding acid C(60)(MeOOCCH)(2)NC(O)(CH(2))(8)COOH (4). Treating 4 with PCl(5) regenerates the precursor 3 quantitatively. Piperazine reacts with 4 in the presence of DCC and BtOH to form a bisfullerene derivative in which two sebacoyl chains and the piperazine act as the bridge between two molecules of 1. Other molecules with multifunctional groups react with 4 similarly to form multifullerene derivatives. NMR data indicate that the rotation of the relatively bulky phthaloyl group is hindered around the amide bond N [bond] C(O), the rotation barrier of which is 15.06 kcal/mol. The relative stereochemistry of the 2,5-dimethoxycarbonyl groups is established by (1)H NMR spectra and further confirmed by resolution of the enantiomeric 2,5-trans-isomer of the starting material 1.     

Atmospheric chemistry of CF3CH2CH2OH: kinetics, mechanisms and products of Cl atom and OH radical initiated oxidation in the presence and absence of NOX

Relative rate techniques were used to study the kinetics of the reactions of Cl atoms and OH radicals with CF(3)CH(2)C(O)H and CF(3)CH(2)CH(2)OH in 700 Torr of N(2) or air diluent at 296 +/- 2 K. The rate constants determined were k(Cl+CF(3)CH(2)C(O)H) = (1.81 +/- 0.27) x 10(-11), k(OH+CF(3)CH(2)C(O)H) = (2.57 +/- 0.44) x 10(-12), k(Cl+CF(3)CH(2)CH(2)OH) = (1.59 +/- 0.20) x 10(-11), and k(OH+CF(3)CH(2)CH(2)OH) = (6.91 +/- 0.91) x 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). Product studies of the chlorine initiated oxidation of CF(3)CH(2)CH(2)OH in the absence of NO show the sole primary product to be CF(3)CH(2)C(O)H. Product studies of the chlorine initiated oxidation of CF(3)CH(2)CH(2)OH in the presence of NO show the primary products to be CF(3)CH(2)C(O)H (81%), HC(O)OH (10%), and CF(3)C(O)H. Product studies of the chlorine initiated oxidation of CF(3)CH(2)C(O)H in the absence of NO show the primary products to be CF(3)C(O)H (76%), CF(3)CH(2)C(O)OH (14%), and CF(3)CH(2)C(O)OOH (< or =10%). As part of this work, an upper limit of k(O(3)+CF(3)CH(2)CH(2)OH) < 2 x 10(-21) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) was established. Results are discussed with respect to the atmospheric chemistry of fluorinated alcohols.     

He I photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical investigation on diaceto disulfide, CH3C(O)OSSOC(O)CH3

A novel species, diaceto disulfide (CH3C(O)OSSOC(O)CH3), has been generated through the heterogeneous reaction between sulfur monochloride (S2Cl2) and silver acetate (AgOC(O)CH3). Photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and theoretical calculations are performed to investigate its electronic and geometric structures. This molecule exhibits gauche conformation with both C=O groups syn to the S-O bond. The dihedral angle around the S-S bond is calculated to be -93.1 degrees at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level. After structural optimizations of the most stable conformer, a theoretical study involving the calculation of the ionization energies using orbital valence Green's functional (OVGF) was performed. The ionization energies of different bands in the photoelectron spectrum are in good agreement with the calculated values from the OVGF method. The first vertical ionization energy of CH3C(O)OSSOC(O)CH3 is determined to be 9.83 eV by photoelectron spectroscopy, which corresponds to the ionization of an electron mainly localized on the sulfur 3p lone pair molecular orbital.     

Atmospheric chemistry of ethyl propionate

Ethyl propionate is a model for fatty acid ethyl esters used as first-generation biodiesel. The atmospheric chemistry of ethyl propionate was investigated at 980 mbar total pressure. Relative rate measurements in 980 mbar N(2) at 293 ± 0.5 K were used to determine rate constants of k(C(2)H(5)C(O)OC(2)H(5) + Cl) = (3.11 ± 0.35) × 10(-11), k(CH(3)CHClC(O)OC(2)H(5) + Cl) = (7.43 ± 0.83) × 10(-12), and k(C(2)H(5)C(O)OC(2)H(5) + OH) = (2.14 ± 0.21) × 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). At 273-313 K, a negative Arrhenius activation energy of -3 kJ mol(-1) is observed.. The chlorine atom-initiated oxidation of ethyl propionate in 980 mbar N(2) gave the following products (stoichiometric yields): ClCH(2)CH(2)C(O)OC(2)H(5) (0.204 ± 0.031), CH(3)CHClC(O)OC(2)H(5) (0.251 ± 0.040), and C(2)H(5)C(O)OCHClCH(3) (0.481 ± 0.088). The chlorine atom-initiated oxidation of ethyl propionate in 980 mbar of N(2)/O(2) (with and without NO(x)) gave the following products: ethyl pyruvate (CH(3)C(O)C(O)OC(2)H(5)), propionic acid (C(2)H(5)C(O)OH), formaldehyde (HCHO), and, in the presence of NO(x), PAN (CH(3)C(O)OONO(2)). The lack of acetaldehyde as a product suggests that the CH(3)CH(O)C(O)OC(2)H(5) radical favors isomerization over decomposition. From the observed product yields, we conclude that H-abstraction by chlorine atoms from ethyl propionate occurs 20.4 ± 3.1%, 25.1 ± 4.0%, and 48.1 ± 8.8% from the CH(3)-, -CH(2)-, and -OCH(2)- groups, respectively. The rate constant and branching ratios for the reaction between ethyl propionate and the OH radical were investigated theoretically using quantum mechanical calculations and transition state theory. The stationary points along the reaction path were optimized using the CCSD(T)-F12/VDZ-F12//BH&HLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory; this model showed that OH radicals abstract hydrogen atoms primarily from the -OCH(2)- group (80%).     

Energetics of C-Cl, C-Br, and C-I bonds in haloacetic acids: enthalpies of formation of XCH2COOH (X=CI, Br, I) compounds and the carboxymethyl radical

The standard molar enthalpies of formation of chloro-, bromo-, and iodoacetic acids in the crystalline state, at 298.15 K, were determined as deltafH(o)m(C2H3O2Cl, cr alpha)=-(509.74+/- 0.49) kJ x mol(-1), deltafH(o)m(C2H3O2Br, cr I)-(466.98 +/- 1.08) kJ x mol(-1), and deltafH(o)m (C2H3O2I, cr)=-(415.44 +/- 1.53) kJ x mol(-1), respectively, by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry. Vapor pressure versus temperature measurements by the Knudsen effusion method led to deltasubH(o)m(C2H3O2Cl)=(82.19 +/- 0.92) kJ x mol(-1), deltasubH(o)m(C2H3O2Br)=(83.50 +/- 2.95) kJ x mol(-1), and deltasubH(o)m-(C2H3O2I) = (86.47 +/- 1.02) kJ x mol(-1), at 298.15 K. From the obtained deltafH(o)m(cr) and deltasubH(o)m values it was possible to derive deltafH(o)m(C2H3O2Cl, g)=-(427.55 +/- 1.04) kJ x mol(-1), deltafH(o)m (C2H3O2Br, g)=-(383.48 +/- 3.14) kJ x mol(-1), and deltafH(o)m(C2H3O2I, g)=-(328.97 +/- 1.84) kJ x mol(-1). These data, taken with a published value of the enthalpy of formation of acetic acid, and the enthalpy of formation of the carboxymethyl radical, deltafH(o)m(CH2COOH, g)=-(238 +/- 2) kJ x mol(-1), obtained from density functional theory calculations, led to DHo(H-CH2COOH)=(412.8 +/- 3.2) kJ x mol(-1), DHo(Cl-CH2COOH)=(310.9 +/- 2.2) kJ x mol(-1), DHo(Br-CH2COOH)=(257.4 +/- 3.7) kJ x mol(-1), and DHo(I-CH2COOH)=(197.8 +/- 2.7) kJ x mol(-1). A discussion of the C-X bonding energetics in XCH2COOH, CH3X, C2H5X, C2H3X, and C6H5X (X=H, Cl, Br, I) compounds is presented.     

Chloroacetone photodissociation at 193 nm and the subsequent dynamics of the CH3C(O)CH2 radical--an intermediate formed in the OH + allene reaction en route to CH3 + ketene

We use a combination of crossed laser-molecular beam experiments and velocity map imaging experiments to investigate the primary photofission channels of chloroacetone at 193 nm; we also probe the dissociation dynamics of the nascent CH(3)C(O)CH(2) radicals formed from C-Cl bond fission. In addition to the C-Cl bond fission primary photodissociation channel, the data evidence another photodissociation channel of the precursor, C-C bond fission to produce CH(3)CO and CH(2)Cl. The CH(3)C(O)CH(2) radical formed from C-Cl bond fission is one of the intermediates in the OH + allene reaction en route to CH(3) + ketene. The 193 nm photodissociation laser allows us to produce these CH(3)C(O)CH(2) radicals with enough internal energy to span the dissociation barrier leading to the CH(3) + ketene asymptote. Therefore, some of the vibrationally excited CH(3)C(O)CH(2) radicals undergo subsequent dissociation to CH(3) + ketene products; we are able to measure the velocities of these products using both the imaging and scattering apparatuses. The results rule out the presence of a significant contribution from a C-C bond photofission channel that produces CH(3) and COCH(2)Cl fragments. The CH(3)C(O)CH(2) radicals are formed with a considerable amount of energy partitioned into rotation; we use an impulsive model to explicitly characterize the internal energy distribution. The data are better fit by using the C-Cl bond fission transition state on the S(1) surface of chloroacetone as the geometry at which the impulsive force acts, not the Franck-Condon geometry. Our data suggest that, even under atmospheric conditions, the reaction of OH with allene could produce a small branching to CH(3) + ketene products, rather than solely producing inelastically stabilized adducts. This additional channel offers a different pathway for the OH-initiated oxidation of such unsaturated volatile organic compounds, those containing a C=C=C moiety, than is currently included in atmospheric models.     

Computational study of carbon atom (3P and 1D) reaction with CH2O. Theoretical evaluation of 1B1 methylene production by C (1D)

Singlet and triplet free energy surfaces for the reactions of C atom ((3)P and (1)D) with CH(2)O are studied computationally to evaluate the excited singlet ((1)B(1)) methylene formation from deoxygenation of CH(2)O by C ((1)D) atom as suggested by Shevlin et al. Carbon atoms can react by addition to the oxygen lone pair or to the C=O double bond on both the triplet and singlet surfaces. Triplet C ((3)P) atoms will deoxygenate to give CO plus CH(2) ((3)B(1)) as the major products, while singlet C ((1)D) reactions will form ketene and CO plus CH(2) ((1)A(1)). No definitive evidence of the formation of excited singlet ((1)B(1)) methylene was found on the singlet free energy surface. A conical intersection between the (1)A' and (1)A' ' surfaces located near an exit channel may play a role in product formation. The suggested (1)B(1) state of methylene may form via the (1)A' ' surface only if dynamic effects are important. In an effort to interpret experimental observation of products trapped by (Z)-2-butene, formation of cis- and trans-1,2-dimethylcyclopropane is studied computationally. The results suggests that "hot" ketene may react with (Z)-2-butene nonstereospecifically.     

An ab initio study on the allene-isocyanic acid and ketene-vinylimine [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction paths

The reaction paths of [2 + 2] cycloadditions of allene (H2C=C=CH2) to isocyanic acid (HN=C=O) and ketene (H2C=C=O) to vinylimine (H2C=C=NH), leading to all the possible 14 four-membered ring molecules, were investigated by the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ method. In the two considered reactions, the 2-azetidinone (beta-lactam) ring compounds were predicted to be the most stable thermodynamically in the absence of an environment. Although 4-methylene-2-azetidinone is the most stable product of the ketene-vinylimine cycloaddition, its activation barrier is higher than that for 4-methylene-2-iminooxetane by ca. 6 kcal/mol. Therefore, the latter product can be obtained owing to kinetic control. The activation barriers in the allene-isocyanic acid reactions are quite high, 50-70 kcal/mol, whereas in the course of the ketene-vinylimine cycloaddition they are equal to ca. 30-55 kcal/mol. All the reactions studied were found to be concerted and mostly asynchronous. Simulation of the solvent environment (toluene, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, and water) by using Tomasi's polarized continuum model with the integral equation formalism (IEF-PCM) method showed the allene-isocyanic reactions remained concerted, yet the activation barriers were somewhat higher than those in the gas phase, whereas the ketene-vinylimine reactions became stepwise. The larger the solvent dielectric constant, the lower the activation barriers found. The lowest-energy pathways in the gas phase and in solvent were confirmed by intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) calculations. The atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis of the electron density distribution in the transition-state (TS) structures allowed us to distinguish pericyclic from pseudopericyclic from nonplanar-pseudopericyclic types of reactions.     

Frontier-orbital analyses of ketene [2+2] cycloadditions

Twelve kinds of ketene [2+2] cycloadditions have been investigated by ab initio calculations. They are composed of four ketenes (Y–HC=C=O, Y=H, NH₂, Cl, and CN) and three isoelectronic ketenophiles (ethylene, methylenimine, and formaldehyde). All the transition state geometries obtained here are not different significantly, but the extent of formation of two covalent bonds differs appreciably. The difference is attributable to the degree of the charge transfer interactions. One is the interaction from the π orbital and/or the lone pair orbital of a ketenophile to the LUMO of a ketene (dominant charge transfer, CT1). The other is that from the HOMO of the ketene to the π* orbital of the ketenophile (second dominant charge transfer, ct1). CT1 contributes to the formation of only one covalent bond, and ct1 does to the formation of the other. This independent function is characteristic of ketene [2+2] cycloadditions. They are not concerned with the orbital phase. We also have examined Fukui's postulate that the deformation of particular frontier orbitals causes the reaction progress. The role has been verified both by configuration analyses along the intrinsic reaction coordinate of the ketene-ethylene reaction and by the examination of distortions of frontier-orbital shapes along the low-frequency vibrational modes. Received: 25 June 1998 / Accepted: 28 August 1998 / Published online: 11 November 1998     

Ab initio molecular orbital study of the reactivity of active alkyl groups. V. Nitrosation mechanism of acetone with syn-form of methyl nitrite

The mechanisms of nitrosation of acetone through sodium enolate [CH3CO1CH2]-Na+ (1) or naked enolate [CH3CO1CH2]- (2) with methyl nitrite CH3O3NO2 (3), and the reactivity of the syn-form of 3 (syn-3) during the C-N bond formation process were investigated using ab initio molecular orbital (MO) methods. Our results have demonstrated the predominant formation of E-1-hydroxyimino-2-oxo-propane CH3COCH=NOH (4E) when the complex [CH3CO1CH2NO2(O3CH3)]-Na+ was produced kinetically via a metal-chelated pericyclic transition state (TS(CHELATED)), in which the O3 atom of syn-3 was coordinated to the Na+ atom of 1.     

CH3SH…HOO开壳型氢键复合物的结构及其电子密度拓扑性质

在DFT-B3LYP/6-311++G**水平下求得CH3SH…HOO复合物势能面上的稳定构型. 计算结果表明, 在HOO以其O8—H7作为质子供体与CH3SH分子中的S5原子为质子受体形成的氢键复合物1和2中, O8—H7明显被“拉长”, 且其伸缩振动频率发生显著的红移, 红移值分别为330.1和320.4 cm-1; 在CH3SH分子以其S5—H6作为质子供体与HOO的端基O9原子为质子受体形成的氢键复合物3和4中, 也存在类似的情况, 但S5—H6伸缩振动频率红移不大. 经MP2/6-311++G**水平计算的4种复合物含BSSE校正的相互作用能分别为-20.81, -20.10, -4.46和-4.52 kJ/mol. 自然键轨道理论(NBO)分析表明, 在CH3SH…HOO复合物1和2中, 引起H7—O8键长增加的因素包括两种电荷转移, 即孤对电子n1(S5)→σ*(H7—O8)和孤对电子n2(S5)→σ*(H7—O8), 其中后者为主要作用. 在复合物3和4中也有相似的电荷转移情况, 但轨道间的相互作用要弱一些. AIM理论分析结果表明, 4个复合物中的S5…H7间和O9…H6间都存在键鞍点, 且其Laplacian量▽2ρ(r)都是很小的正值, 说明这种相互作用介于共价键和离子键之间, 偏静电作用为主.     

Atmospheric chemistry of two biodiesel model compounds: methyl propionate and ethyl acetate

The atmospheric chemistry of two C(4)H(8)O(2) isomers (methyl propionate and ethyl acetate) was investigated. With relative rate techniques in 980 mbar of air at 293 K the following rate constants were determined: k(C(2)H(5)C(O)OCH(3) + Cl) = (1.57 ± 0.23) × 10(-11), k(C(2)H(5)C(O)OCH(3) + OH) = (9.25 ± 1.27) × 10(-13), k(CH(3)C(O)OC(2)H(5) + Cl) = (1.76 ± 0.22) × 10(-11), and k(CH(3)C(O)OC(2)H(5) + OH) = (1.54 ± 0.22) × 10(-12) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of methyl propionate in 930 mbar of N(2)/O(2) diluent (with, and without, NO(x)) gave methyl pyruvate, propionic acid, acetaldehyde, formic acid, and formaldehyde as products. In experiments conducted in N(2) diluent the formation of CH(3)CHClC(O)OCH(3) and CH(3)CCl(2)C(O)OCH(3) was observed. From the observed product yields we conclude that the branching ratios for reaction of chlorine atoms with the CH(3)-, -CH(2)-, and -OCH(3) groups are <49 ± 9%, 42 ± 7%, and >9 ± 2%, respectively. The chlorine atom initiated oxidation of ethyl acetate in N(2)/O(2) diluent gave acetic acid, acetic acid anhydride, acetic formic anhydride, formaldehyde, and, in the presence of NO(x), PAN. From the yield of these products we conclude that at least 41 ± 6% of the reaction of chlorine atoms with ethyl acetate occurs at the -CH(2)- group. The rate constants and branching ratios for reactions of OH radicals with methyl propionate and ethyl acetate were investigated theoretically using transition state theory. The stationary points along the oxidation pathways were optimized at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//BHandHLYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The reaction of OH radicals with ethyl acetate was computed to occur essentially exclusively (～99%) at the -CH(2)- group. In contrast, both methyl groups and the -CH(2)- group contribute appreciably in the reaction of OH with methyl propionate. Decomposition via the α-ester rearrangement (to give C(2)H(5)C(O)OH and a HCO radical) and reaction with O(2) (to give CH(3)CH(2)C(O)OC(O)H) are competing atmospheric fates of the alkoxy radical CH(3)CH(2)C(O)OCH(2)O. Chemical activation of CH(3)CH(2)C(O)OCH(2)O radicals formed in the reaction of the corresponding peroxy radical with NO favors the α-ester rearrangement.