Stereoselective cycloaddition of 1,3-cyclohexadiene on Si(100): a simple algorithm for product identification based on secondary orbital interactions

We consider the reaction of 1,3-cyclohexadiene (1,3-CHD) on Si(100) and show that the observed reactivity and stereoselectivity cannot be explained on the basis of thermodynamics. We postulate the existence of secondary orbital interactions (SOIs) and introduce a simple algorithm that examines all possible secondary interactions between the frontier orbitals of the molecule and the surface. We demonstrate using an orbital symmetry-based algorithm supported by DFT calculations that SOIs favor a particular molecular configuration, consistent with the experimental observations. The potential role of SOIs in controlling surface chemical reactions is discussed.