Molecular orbital calculations on the optical rotatory properties of chiral allene systems

The chiroptical properties associated with the ^* transitions in dissymmetric allene systems are calculated and relationships between the chiroptical observables and the stereochemical and electronic structural features of these systems are examined. The calculations are based on the INDO and CNDO/S semiempirical molecular orbital models for the electronic structure of the molecular systems and excited states are constructed in the virtual orbital-configuration interaction approximation. The dipole strengths, rotatory strengths, and dissymmetry factors for the three lowest energy ^* transitions are computed and reported for eleven chiral allene structures. Relationships between absolute configuration and the signs of the ^* rotatory strengths are examined and discussed.