Stereoelectronic interactions in cyclohexane, 1,3-dioxane, 1, 3-oxathiane, and 1,3-dithiane: W-effect, sigma(C)(-)(X) <--> sigma(C)(-)(H) interactions, anomeric effect-what is really important?

Stereoelectronic effects proposed for C-H bonds in cyclohexane, 1, 3-dioxane, 1,3-oxathiane, and 1,3-dithiane were studied computationally. The balance of three effects, namely, sigma(C)(-)(X) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)()eq, sigma(C)(-)(H)()eq --> sigma(C)(-)(X), and n(p)(X) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)()eq interactions, was necessary to explain the relative elongation of equatorial C(5)-H bonds. The role of homoanomeric n(p) --> sigma(C(5))(-)(H)()eq interaction is especially important in dioxane. In dithiane, distortion of the ring by long C-S bonds dramatically increases overlap of sigma(C(5))(-)(H)()eq and sigma(C)(-)(S) orbitals and energy of the corresponding hyperconjugative interaction. Anomeric n(p)(X) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)()ax interactions with participation of axial C-H bonds dominate at C(2), C(4), and C(6). The balance of hyperconjugative interactions involving C-H(ax) and C-H(eq) bonds agrees well with the relative bond lengths for all C-H(ax)/C-H(eq) pairs in all studied compounds. At the same time, the order of one-bond spin-spin coupling constants does not correlate with the balance of stereoelectronic effects in dithiane and oxathiane displaying genuine reverse Perlin effect.     

Homoanomeric effects in six-membered heterocycles

Structural and energetic consequences of homoanomeric n(X) --> beta-sigma(C-Y) interactions in saturated six-membered heterocycles where X = O, N, S, Se and Y = H, Cl were studied computationally using a combination of density functional theory (B3LYP) and Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis. Unlike the classic anomeric effect where the interacting donor and acceptor orbitals are parallel and overlap sidewise in a pi-fashion, orbital interactions responsible for homoanomeric effects can follow different patterns imposed by the geometric restraints of the respective cyclic moieties. For the equatorial beta-C-Y bonds in oxa-, thia- and selena-cyclohexanes, only the homoanomeric n(X)(ax) --> sigma(C-Y)(eq) interaction (the Plough effect) with the axial lone pair of X is important, whereas the n(X)(eq) --> sigma(C-Y)(eq) interaction (the W-effect) is negligible. On the other hand, the W-effect is noticeably larger than the n(X)(ax) --> sigma(C-Y)(eq) interaction in azacyclohexanes. Hyperconjugation is a controlling factor which determines relative trends in the equatorial beta-C-H bonds in heterocycloxanes. In contrast, all homoanomeric interactions are weak for the respective axial bonds where relative lengths are determined by intramolecular electron transfer through exchange interactions and polarization-induced rehybridization. Although the homoanomeric effects are considerably weaker than the classic vicinal anomeric n(X)(ax)-->alpha-sigma(C-Y)(ax) interactions, their importance increases significantly when the acceptor ability of sigmaorbitals increases as a result of bond stretching and/or polarization. Depending on the number of electrons and the topology of interactions, homoconjugation interactions can be cooperative (enhance each other) or anticooperative (compete with each other). Such effects reflect symmetry of the wave function and can be considered as weak manifestations of sigma homoaromaticity or homoantiaromaticity.     

Hyperconjugation effect in substituted methyl boranes: an orbital deletion procedure analysis

The hyperconjugation effect in the substituted methyl boranes, XCH(2)BH(2) (X = H, CH(3), NH(2), PH(2), OH, SH, F, Cl, Br), has been quantitatively evaluated by using the orbital deletion procedure (ODP), where the p(pi) orbital on boron is deactivated. Except for the case of X = NH(2), which forms a three-membered ring, the magnitude of the hyperconjugative stabilization in all other substituted methylborane ranges from 6.8 to 3.4 kcal/mol. Significant structural changes are observed, particularly the shortening of the central B-C bond distance and the reducing of the corresponding XCB and HCB bond angles. In general, the strength of the hyperconjugative interaction between the occupied sigma(C-X) bond and the vacant p(pi) orbital on boron is correlated to the electronegativity of X, and the competition between the donation ability of the sigma(C-X) and the sigma(C-H) bonds determines the preference of the staggered or eclipsed structure as the energy minimum state. When the donation abilities of the C-X and C-H bonds are comparable, other factors such as electron correlation and steric effect may play elaborate roles in the geometrical propensity of the most stable structures.     

Manifestation of stereoelectronic effects on the calculated carbon-hydrogen bond lengths and one-bond 1J(C-H) NMR coupling constants. Relative acceptor ability of the carbonyl (C=O), thiocarbonyl (C=S), and methylidene (C=CH2) groups toward C-H donor bonds

Theoretical examination [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), PP/IGLO-III//B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), and NBO methods] of six-membered cyclohexane 1 and carbonyl-, thiocarbonyl-, or methylidene-containing derivatives 2-27 afforded precise structural (in particular, C-H bond distances) and spectroscopic (specifically, one-bond (1)J(C)(-)(H) NMR coupling constants) data that show the consequences of stereoelectronic hyperconjugative effects in these systems. Major observations include the following. (1) sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() -->(C)(=)(Y) and pi(C)(=)(Y) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() (Y = O, S, or CH(2)) hyperconjugation leads to a shortening (strengthening) of the equatorial C-H bonds adjacent to the pi group. This effect is reflected in smaller (1)J(C)(-)(H)(ax)() coupling constants relative to (1)J(C)(-)(H)(eq)(). (2) Comparison of the structural and spectroscopic consequences of sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() --> pi(C)(=)(Y) hyperconjugation in cyclohexanone 2, thiocyclohexanone 3, and methylenecyclohexane 4 suggests a relative order of acceptor orbital ability C=S > C=O > C=CH(2), which is in line with available pK(a) data. (3) Analysis of the structural and spectroscopic data gathered for heterocyclic derivatives 5-12 reveals some additivity of sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() --> pi(C)(=)(Y), pi(C)(=)(Y) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)(), n(X) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)(), n(beta)(O) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)(eq)(), and sigma(S)(-)(C) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)(eq)() stereoelectronic effects that is, nevertheless, attenuated by saturation effects. (4) Modulation of the C=Y acceptor character of the exocyclic pigroup by conjugation with alpha-heteroatoms O, N, and S in lactones, lactams, and methylidenic analogues 13-24 results in decreased sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() --> pi(C)(=)(Y) and pi(C)(=)(Y) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() hyperconjugation. (5) Additivity of sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() --> pi(C)(=)(Y) and pi(C)(=)(Y) --> sigma(C)(-)(H)(ax)() hyperconjugative effects is also apparent in 1,3-dicarbonyl derivative 25 (C=Y equal to C=O), 1,3-dithiocarbonyl derivative 26 (C=Y equal to C=S), and 1,3-dimethylidenic analogue 27 (C=Y equal to C=CH(2)).     

Polar effects and structural variation in 4-substituted 1-phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives: a quantum chemical study

The transmission of polar effects through the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane framework has been investigated by ascertaining how the geometry of a phenyl group at a bridgehead position is affected by a variable substituent at the opposite bridgehead position. We have determined the molecular structure of several Ph-C(CH(2)-CH(2))(3)C-X molecules (where X is a charged or dipolar substituent) from HF/6-31G and B3LYP/6-311++G molecular orbital calculations and have progressively replaced each of the three -CH(2)-CH(2)- bridges by a pair of hydrogen atoms. Thus the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives were changed first into cyclohexane derivatives in the boat conformation, then into n-butane derivatives in the anti-syn-anti conformation, and eventually into assemblies of two molecules, Ph-CH(3) and CH(3)-X, appropriately oriented and kept at a fixed distance. For each variable substituent the deformation of the benzene ring relative to X = H remains substantially the same even when the substituent and the phenyl group are no longer connected by covalent bonds. This provides unequivocal evidence that long-range polar effects in bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives are actually field effects, being transmitted through space rather than through bonds. Varying the substituent X in a series of Ph-C(CH(2)-CH(2))(3)C-X molecules gives rise to geometrical variation (relative to X = H) not only in the benzene ring but also in the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane cage. The two deformations are poorly correlated. The rather small deformation of the benzene ring correlates well with traditional measures of long-range polar effects in bicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives, such as sigma(F) or sigma(I) values. The much larger deformation of the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane cage is controlled primarily by the electronegativity of X, similar to deformation of the benzene ring in Ph-X molecules. Thus the field and electronegativity effects of the substituent are well separated and can be studied simultaneously, as they act on different parts of the molecular skeleton.     

Manifestation of stereoelectronic effects on the calculated carbon-hydrogen bond lengths and one bond (1)J(C-H) NMR coupling constants in cyclohexane,six-membered heterocycles,and cyclohexanone derivatives

Cyclohexane (1), oxygen-, sulfur-, and/or nitrogen-containing six-membered heterocycles 2-5, cyclohexanone (6), and cyclohexanone derivatives 7-16 were studied theoretically [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and PP/IGLO-III//B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) methods] to determine the structural (in particular C-H bond distances) and spectroscopic (specifically, one bond (1)J(C-H) NMR coupling constants) consequences of stereoelectronic hyperconjugative effects. The results confirm the importance of n(X) --> sigma*(C-H)(app) (where X = O, N), sigma(C-H)(ax) --> pi*(C=O), sigma(S-C) --> sigma*(C-H)(app), sigma(C-S)-->sigma*(C-H)(app), beta-n(O) --> sigma*(C-H), and sigma(C-H) --> sigma*(C-H)(app) hyperconjugation, as advanced in previous theoretical models. Calculated r(C-H) bond lengths and (1)J(C-H) coupling constants for C-H bonds participating in more than one hyperconjugative interaction show additivity of the effects.     

Oxidative properties of FeO2+: electronic structure and solvation effects

An electronic structure analysis is provided of the action of solvated FeO(2+), [FeO(H(2)O)(5)](2+), as a hydroxylation catalyst. It is emphasized that the oxo end of FeO(2+) does not form hydrogen bonds (as electron donor and H-bond acceptor) with H-bond donors nor with aliphatic C-H bonds, but it activates C-H bonds as an electron acceptor. It is extremely electrophilic, to the extent that it can activate even such poor electron donors as aliphatic C-H bonds, the C-H bond orbital acting as electron donor in a charge transfer type of interaction. Lower lying O-H bonding orbitals are less easily activated. The primary electron accepting orbital in a water environment is the 3sigma*alpha orbital, an antibonding combination of Fe-3d(z(2)) and O-2p(z), which is very low-lying relative to the pi*alpha compared with, for example, the sigma* orbital in O(2) relative to its pi*. This is ascribed to relatively small Fe-3d(z(2)) with O-2p(z) overlap, due to the nodal structure of the 3d(z(2)).The H-abstraction barrier is very low in the gas phase, but it is considerably enhanced in water solvent. This is shown to be due to strong screening effects of the dielectric medium, leading to relative destabilization of the levels of the charged [FeO(H(2)O)(5)](2+) species compared to those of the neutral substrate molecules, making it a less effective electron acceptor. The solvent directly affects the orbital interactions responsible for the catalytic reaction.     

C_(56)X_(10)(X=F,Cl,Br,I)的结构稳定性和电子性质

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)中的广义梯度近似(GGA)方法对C56X10(X=F,Cl,Br,I)的结构稳定性和电子性质进行了计算研究.结构稳定性计算表明:对于C56X10(X=F,Cl,Br,I),能隙、反应热、最大振动频率和最小振动频率都随着X原子序数的增加而减小,表明C56X10(X=F,Cl,Br,I)的稳定性随着X原子序数的增加而逐渐降低,其中C56F10最为稳定.前人在实验上已成功合成出C56Cl10,因此,我们推测C56F10有望在实验上成功合成.前线轨道计算发现,C56相邻的五边形公共顶点以及两个六边形-五边形-六边形公共顶点是笼子中化学活性最强的部位,有利于卤族元素的外部吸附.此外,计算结果还显示,C56X10(X=F,Cl,Br,I)的电负性随着X原子序数的增大而逐渐减弱,C—X基团的电负性因位置的不同而不同.     

DFT prediction of ground-state spin multiplicity of cyclobutane-1,3-diyls: notable effects of two sets of through-bond interactions

DFT calculations (UB3LYP/6-31+G**) have been performed to predict the substituent effect on the ground-state spin-multiplicity and the singlet-triplet energy gap in cyclobutane-1,3-diyls, CB-DR. The ground state is calculated to be largely dependent on the substituents (X, Y) at the C2 and C4 positions. The substituent effects can be reasonably explained by the two sets of through-bond (TB) interactions which result from the coupling between the symmetric nonbonding molecular orbital (Psi(S)) and the C-X (Y) sigma and sigma* orbitals.     

On the molecular structure of X-CF3 molecules (X = Cl,Br, I)

The average molecular structures of X-CF₃, molecules (X = Cl, Br, I) have been determined by combined use of electron diffraction and microwave data. Including results for X = H and X = F a strict correlation between C-F bond length and the electronegativity of the X atom is observed. This correlation can be nicely understood in terms of the electron distribution calculated in the CNDO/2 approximation. It is also observed that the change in the C-X bond length with substitution of the CF₃-group by a CH₃-group is strictly correlated with the electronegativity of the X atom.     

Supramolecular chemistry of halogens: complementary features of inorganic (M-X) and organic (C-X') halogens applied to M-X...X'-C halogen bond formation

Electronic differences between inorganic (M-X) and organic (C-X) halogens in conjunction with the anisotropic charge distribution associated with terminal halogens have been exploited in supramolecular synthesis based upon intermolecular M-X...X'-C halogen bonds. The synthesis and crystal structures of a family of compounds trans-[MCl(2)(NC(5)H(4)X-3)(2)] (M = Pd(II), Pt(II); X = F, Cl, Br, I; NC(5)H(4)X-3 = 3-halopyridine) are reported. With the exception of the fluoropyridine compounds, network structures propagated by M-Cl...X-C halogen bonds are adopted and involve all M-Cl and all C-X groups. M-Cl...X-C interactions show Cl...X separations shorter than van der Waals values, shorter distances being observed for heavier halogens (X). Geometries with near linear Cl...X-C angles (155-172 degrees ) and markedly bent M-Cl...X angles (92-137 degrees ) are consistently observed. DFT calculations on the model dimers {trans-[MCl(2)(NH(3))(NC(5)H(4)X-3)]}(2) show association through M-Cl...X-C (X not equal F) interactions with geometries similar to experimental values. DFT calculations of the electrostatic potential distributions for the compounds trans-[PdCl(2)(NC(5)H(4)X-3)(2)] (X = F, Cl, Br, I) demonstrate the effectiveness of the strategy to activate C-X groups toward halogen bond formation by enhancing their electrophilicity, and explain the absence of M-Cl...F-C interactions. The M-Cl...X-C halogen bonds described here can be viewed unambiguously as nucleophile-electrophile interactions that involve an attractive electrostatic contribution. This contrasts with some types of halogen-halogen interactions previously described and suggests that M-Cl...X-C halogen bonds could provide a valuable new synthon for supramolecular chemists.     

Electron deficient carbon-titanium triple bonds: formation of triplet XC/TiX3 methylidyne complexes

Laser-ablated titanium atoms react with CX4 (X = F and Cl) to produce triplet state XC/TiX3 complexes trapped in an argon matrix. Products are identified by their infrared spectra and comparison to theoretically predicted vibrations. Density functional theory calculations converge to C(3v) symmetry structures for these lowest-energy products. The two unpaired electrons in the carbon 2p orbitals are shared with empty titanium d orbitals leading to degenerate singly occupied pi molecular orbitals and an electron-deficient triple bond between the carbon and titanium centers, on the basis of DFT bonding analysis and spin density calculations. The carbon-titanium distances are near typical C=Ti double bond lengths, and the C-X bonds in the resulting products are shorter than in the CX4 precursors. It appears that X lone-pair conjugation contributes to the C-X bond strength and somewhat to the C-Ti bond, and Cl does better in this regard than F.     

Hammett equation and generalized Pauling's electronegativity equation

Substituent interaction energy (SIE) was defined as the energy change of the isodesmic reaction X-spacer-Y + H-spacer-H --> X-spacer-H + H-spacer-Y. It was found that this SIE followed a simple equation, SIE(X,Y) = -ksigma(X)sigma(Y), where k was a constant dependent on the system and sigma was a certain scale of electronic substituent constant. It was demonstrated that the equation was applicable to disubstituted bicyclo[2.2.2]octanes, benzenes, ethylenes, butadienes, and hexatrienes. It was also demonstrated that Hammett's equation was a derivative form of the above equation. Furthermore, it was found that when spacer = nil the above equation was mathematically the same as Pauling's electronegativity equation. Thus it was shown that Hammett's equation was a derivative form of the generalized Pauling's electronegativity equation and that a generalized Pauling's electronegativity equation could be utilized for diverse X-spacer-Y systems. In addition, the total electronic substituent effects were successfully separated into field/inductive and resonance effects in the equation SIE(X,Y) = -k(1)F(X)F(Y) - k(2)R(X)R(Y) - k(3)(F(X)R(Y) + R(X)F(Y)). The existence of the cross term (i.e., F(X)R(Y) and R(X)F(Y)) suggested that the field/inductive effect was not orthogonal to the resonance effect because the field/inductive effect from one substituent interacted with the resonance effect from the other. Further studies on multi-substituted systems suggested that the electronic substituent effects should be pairwise and additive. Hence, the SIE in a multi-substituted system could be described using the equation SIE(X1, X2, ..., Xn) = Sigma(n-1)(i=1)Sigma(n)(j=i+1)k(ij)sigma(X)isigma(X)j.     

Negative hyperconjugation in phosphorus stabilized carbanions

The electronic Fukui function is used to give qualitative electronic proof on the existence of back-bonding from the carbon lone pair toward the sigma* P-Y and P-O orbitals in phosphorus stabilized carbanions. NBO analyses are used to investigate the energetic, electronic, and structural impacts of this negative hyperconjugation interaction. The observed energetic stabilization can indeed be attributed to the electronic delocalization of the lone pair toward the antibonding orbitals. This delocalization is furthermore responsible for the shorter P-C bonds, longer P-Y (P-O) bonds, and wider Y-P-Y angles observed for the anionic compounds compared to their neutral counterparts. From the electronic NBO analysis it becomes clear that phosphorus containing functional groups are best described as sigma donor/pi acceptors.     

Periodic trends in bond dissociation energies. A theoretical study

Bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of all possible A-X single bonds involving the first- and second-row atoms, from Li to Cl, where the free valences are saturated by hydrogens, have been estimated through the use of the G3-theory and at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2pd)//B3LYP/6-31G(2df,p) DFT level of theory. BDEs exhibit a periodical behavior. The A-X (A = Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, and Si) BDEs show a steady increase along the first and the second row of the periodic table as a function of the atomic number Z(X). For A-X bonds involving electronegative atoms (A = C, N, O, F, P, S, and Cl) the bond energies achieve a maximum around Z(X) = 5. The same behavior is observed when BDEs are plotted against the electronegativity chi(X) of the atom X. Thus, for A-X bonds (A = Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, Si), the BDEs for a fixed A increases, grosso modo, as the electronegativity differences between X and A increase, with some exceptions, which reflect the differences in the relaxation energies of the radicals produced upon the bond cleavage. A similar trend, albeit less pronounced, is found for single A-X bonds, where A = C, N, O, F, P, S, and Cl. However, there is an additional feature embodied in the enhancement of the strength of the A-boron bonds due to the ability of boron to act as a strong electron acceptor. The trends in bond lengths and charge densities at the bond critical points are in line with the aforementioned behavior.     

Dependence of the γ carbon-13 shielding effect on electronegativity

Three γ effects on ¹³C shielding in 3,3-dimethylheteracyclohexanes as a function of the hetero-atom X have been examined. The γ-anti effect on the equatorial 3-methyl group is small in absolute magnitude but strongly dependent on the polar properties of X. The plot of the ¹³C shielding of this carbon vs the electronegativity of X is linear, with a slope of ?5.8 ppm/electronegativity unit. The γ-gauche effects on the axial 3-methyl group and on the 4-carbon are large in absolute magnitude but have quite different dependences on the polar properties of X. Whereas the shielding of the 4-carbon exhibits a linear dependence on electronegativity (slope ?3.5), the axial 3-methyl group shows little dependence (slope crudely ?0.7), even though the geometric relationship between X and either carbon is almost the same. Neither gauche carbon shielding appears to be related to the steric properties of X. The polar component of both the γ-anti effect and the γ-gauche effect is interpreted as arising from overlap of appropriately positioned parallel orbitals. For the anti case, the pathway is the familiar zigzag arrangement of bonds. For the gauche case, the pathway may be either through space (the orbitals would be only on X and C-α; for the 4-carbon, this interaction would be through the center of the ring) or through bonds (there are parallel axial orbitals on all four atoms). The absence of a significant polar effect for the axial 3-methyl group suggests that the gauche interaction requires a rigid pathway. The polar component of the general γ-gauche effect is superimposed upon a larger contribution that is essentially independent of the nature of X and may be associated with the removal of the hydrogen on the β-carbon and replacement with the γ-X group.     

Intramolecular electron transfer in heterosubstituted benzene derivatives as probed by dissociative electron attachment

The electron transmission and dissociative electron attachment spectra of the 1-chloroalkyl benzene derivatives, C(6)H(5)(CH(2))(3)Cl and C(6)H(5)(CH(2))(4)Cl, and of the sulfur and silicon derivatives, C(6)H(5)SCH(2)Cl, C(6)H(5)Si(CH(3))(2)CH(2)Cl and C(6)H(5)CH(2)Si(CH(3))(2)CH(2)Cl, are presented for the first time. The relative Cl(-) fragment anion currents generated by electron attachment to the benzene pi* LUMO are measured in the series C(6)H(5)(CH(2))(n)Cl, with n = 1-4, and in the heteroatomic compounds. The Cl(-) yield reflects the rate of intramolecular electron transfer between the pi-system and the remote chlorine atom, which in turn depends on the extent of through-bond coupling between the localized pi* and sigma*(Cl-C) orbitals. In compounds C(6)H(5)(CH(2))(n)Cl the Cl(-) current rapidly decreases with increasing length of the saturated chain. This decrease is significantly attenuated when a carbon atom of the alkyl skeleton is replaced with a third-row heteroatom. This greater ability to promote through-bond coupling between the pi* and sigma*(Cl-C) orbitals is attributed to the sizably lower energy of the empty sigma*(S-C) and sigma*(Si-C) orbitals with respect to the sigma*(C-C) orbitals. In the sulfur derivative the increase of the Cl(-) current is larger than in the silicon analogue. In this case, however, other negative fragments are observed, due to dissociation of the S-C bonds.     

Spatial shape of electron delocalization: structure of the laplacian of the negative exchange-correlation density

The Laplacian of the negative exchange-correlation density (with respect to coordinate r(2)), nabla<(r)2>(2)[-Gamma(sigma1)(sigma2)(XC) (r(1),r(2))] = nabla(r)2(2)X(sigma1)(sigma2)(r(1),r(2)), is proposed as an instrument for the analysis of electron delocalization in real space. It determines local concentrations in the amount of electrons that are delocalized from a reference point r(1) over space. Integration of the reference coordinate r(1) over an atomic basin Omega(n) gives the function nabla(2)X(sigma1)(sigma2)(Omega(n);r), which contains detailed information about the spatial shape of the delocalization that originates from an atom in a molecule. Its isosurface representations are richly structured and resemble molecular orbitals in their complexity and partly also in their shape. The sum over all nabla(2)X(sigma1)(sigma2)(Omega(n);r) functions of a molecule equals the Laplacian of the electron density nabla(2)rho(r), for which it provides a meaningful partitioning into atomic contributions.     

An orbital phase theory for the torquoselectivity of the ring-opening reactions of 3-substituted cyclobutenes: geminal bond participation

We apply an orbital phase theory to the torquoselectivity of the electrocyclic reactions of 3-substituted (X) cyclobutenes. The torquoselectivity is shown to be controlled by the orbital-phase relation of the reacting pi(CC) and sigma(CC) bonds with the sigma(CX) bond geminal to the sigma(CC) bond to be cleaved. The inward rotation of electron-donating sigma(CX) bonds and outward rotation of electron-withdrawing sigma(CX) bonds have been deduced from the orbital-phase theory. Enhancement of the inward rotation by the electron-donating capability of the sigma(CX) bonds is confirmed by the correlation between the torquoselectivity and sigma(CX) orbital energy. The orbital overlaps between the geminal sigma(CX) (sigma(CH)) and sigma(CC) bonds are found to be important as well. Unsaturated substituents with low-lying unoccupied pi orbitals also promote the inward rotation.