A computational study of bond dissociation enthalpies in haloethenes

Carbon–hydrogen bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) were computed for all haloethenes, C₂H_4?nX_n (n=0–3, X=F, Cl, Br, I), at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) level using isodesmic reactions. It was found that C–H bond strengths in the monohaloethenes varied substantially, by as much as 18 kJ mol^?1, dependent upon the bond's stereochemical position relative to the halogen. BDEs in the dihaloethanes varied in the order CX₂CH–H>(E)-CHXCX–H>(Z)-CHXCX–H. Trends in the computed bond enthalpies were discussed and explained on the basis of relative steric repulsions and hyperconjugative delocalization interactions, as determined from Natural Bond Orbital analysis.