Validity of the Hammond postulate and constraints on general one-dimensional reaction barriers

The Hammond postulate is a useful, qualitative tool that interrelates structural similarities between reactants, transition structures, and products with the exo- or endothermicity of reactions. It applies to most chemical reactions, although several exceptions are known. In this study the following problem is addressed: is it possible to formulate conditions for the validity of the quantitative Hammond postulate in terms of simple physical quantities characteristic to the molecules involved? A detailed analysis is given for the conditions of validity of the postulate, in terms of bounds on the internal forces and force constants of nuclear arrangements encountered along a reaction path. We have determined a broad class of constraints on barrier shapes that must be satisfied in order to obtain a critical situation that violates the Hammond postulate: a reactant-like transition structure (“transition state”) for endothermic reactions, and a product-like one for exothermic reactions. The general constraints are formulated in terms of physically meaningful quantities: (i) energy differences, (ii) restrictions on slopes (e.g., an upper bound on internal forces), and (iii) restrictions on curvatures (e.g., upper bounds on force constants) along potential curves.     

Metallacycloalkanes: I. Preparation and characterisation of α,α′-bipyridyl-5-nickela-3,3,7,7-tetramethyl-trans-tricyclo[4.1.0.02,4]heptane

Oxidative addition of 2 molecules of 3,3-dimethylcyclopropene (I) to α,α′-bipyridyl(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) (III) gave the title compound (IV) in over 90% yield. Complex IV was characterized by mass, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Its structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (a 13.7081(2), b 14.638(2), c 9.5139(1) Å, β 110.82(1)°, C2/c, R = 0.05 for 1614 reflections).     

Synthesis and structural characterization of acetatobis(triphenylphosphine)dicarbonylmanganese(I), (CH3CO2)Mn(CO)2[P(C6H5)3]2: An organometallic complex containing a chelating acetate ligand

The accidental but intriguing synthesis of acetatobis(triphenylphosphine)dicarbonylmanganese(I), (CH₃CO₂)Mn(CO)₂[P(C₆H₅)₃]₂, has been accomplished by the reaction of NaMn(CO)₅ with (CH₃)₃SiCl followed by the addition of triphenylphosphine and acetic acid. A three-dimensional single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis has shown an octahedral-like molecule containing a symmetrically oxygen-chelating acetate group, the first such group to be reported in a metal carbonyl complex. The two triphenylphosphine ligands occupy mutually trans positions with the two carbonyl ligands possessing the remaining cis sites in the octahedral complex. The compound crystallizes with four molecules in a monoclinic unit cell of space group symmetry $\text{P}\text{2}{}_1\text{c}$ and of dimensions a = 17.744(2) Å, b = 9.692(1) Å, c = 20.004(2) Å, and β = 106.195(4)°. The relatively long MnO(acetate) bond lengths [2.066(6) and 2.069(7) Å] and the relatively short MnCO bond lengths [1.701(12) and 1.760(13) Å] and the relatively short MnP(C₆H₅)₃ bond lengths [2.260(3) and 2.275(3) Å], compared to the corresponding MnCO and MnP(C₆H₅)₃ bond lengths in other manganese carbonyl triphenylphosphine complexes, are rationalized on the basis that the acetate ligand in this molecule functions primarily as a σ-donor.     

Multiple scattering theory. II. Collision induced dissociation in first order

Computationally tractable formulae for one particle differential cross sections and for coincidence cross sections for atom— diatom collision induced dissociation (CID) are obtained within the framework of first order multiple scattering theory. The first order formulation is then used to analyze the simple “knockout circle” model for CID and to derive a more reliable multiple scattering spectator model. Finally, differential and coincidence cross sections are computed for Li⁺ + H₂ at 2O eV and are compared with experiment. The qualitative insight afforded by coincidence studies of CID is clearly demonstrated.     

Kinetics of the γ-radiation-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the solid state

Studies have been made of the γ-radiation-induced polymerization of methyl methacrylate in bulk, in the solid state at a temperature of ?65°C. and a radiation intensity of 346,000 rad/hr. The reaction was found to have an extremely long induction period (～50 hr.) when pure monomer was used, and to be first-order with respect to polymer concentration. This first-order dependency was confirmed by a series of irradiations in which 0.6% poly(methyl methacrylate) was dissolved in the monomer before irradiation. These irradiations showed no induction period. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated a much more heterotactic polymer than that obtained in the liquid state at ?49°C.     

High-resolution spectroscopy of induced chiral dimers: a study of the dimers of ethanol by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy

We present the first recording of the high-resolution spectrum of an induced chiral dimer. Three conformers of the induced chiral dimers of ethanol have been observed using a pulsed molecular-beam Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The rotational constants of the normal isotopomers of the three species have been determined to be (a) A=5113.826(5), B=1329.7214(4), and C=1257.5151(3) MHz, (b) A=5086.459(5), B=1316.6508(4), and C=1243.6329(4) MHz, and (c) A=4851.608(5), B=1369.7558(6), and C=1243.4184(4) MHz. The observed species have been assigned to calculated structures via Kraitchman double substitution analyses and ab initio calculations. The Kraitchman analyses and the fitted centrifugal distortion parameters suggest that the deuterium bond is significantly stronger than the hydrogen bond in the dimers of ethanol.     

Theoretical conformational analysis of a simple sulphilimine model

The topomerization (bond rotation andS-pyramidal inversion) of a simple sulphilimine model, H₂SNH has been studied with the aid ofab initio SCF MO calculations. The highest rotation barrier occurs when the H₂SN moiety is planar, < HSN = 120 °. The maxima of the inversion crossections occur at the planar conformation for all rotation angles α as expected, however, the minima belong to different values when α is varied. The minimum energy path between the two lowest minima of the conformational energy surface consists of a pure inversion section and a section which is mostly rotation. The optimum values of the < HSN bond angles are significantly smaller than the corresponding < RSN bond angles of sulphilimines of bulkierR substituents.     

Electron-impact induced fragmentation of thiirene and thiophene dioxides

The electron impact mass spectra of several substituted thiirene and thiophene oxides and dioxides have been investigated using both low and high resolution mass spectrometry. The predominant fragmentation process in the spectra of the thiirene compounds is the elimination of the hetero (SO or SO₂) function and formation of a substituted acetylene ion. The 5-membered ring thiophene dioxides exhibit mainly elimination of SO rather than SO₂. Plausible mechanisms leading to the formation of the principal ions are proposed on the basis of metastable transitions.     

The photochemistry of benzotricyclo[3.1.0.02,6]Hex-3-ene1

Irradiation of $\text{1}$ in methanoi with λ 254 nm yields $\text{3}$ and $\text{4}$ as the main primary products which result from the excited singlet state hy initial cyclopropane bond homolysis, but no primary photosolvolysis products.     

Second virial coefficients of asymmetric top molecules

A short self-contained derivation is given for the second virial coefficient B2(T) of a gas consisting of identical interacting asymmetric rigid rotors. The resulting expression is correct through variant Planck's over h2. First, the canonical partition function is derived by means of an variant Planck's over h expansion of exp[-H/(k(B)T)] due to Friedmann [Adv. Chem. Phys. 4, 225 (1962)]. The present work applies angular momentum operators and known facts from angular momentum theory. It is considerably more accessible than Friedmann's exposition, which is not based on angular momentum operators, but instead on explicit derivatives with respect to Euler angles. The partition function obtained from the variant Planck's over h expansion is applied to the derivation of an expression for B2(T) that is identical in appearance to the expression for symmetric rotors of T Pack [J. Chem. Phys. 78, 7217 (1983)]. The final equation in this work is valid for rigid rotors of any symmetry.