Addition reactions theoretical studies

As recently highlighted by Woodward, enantioselective Sf/2 allylic substitution reactions are mechanistically related to conjugate addition reactions . Theoretical studies carried out by Nakamura and coworkers for the conjugate addition and allylic alkylation using Gilman s cuprates revealed profound mechanistic similarities between these two processes . ... 

Studies regarding the nature of the catalytically active species for NHC complexes in Heck-type reactions have focused on the Mizorvki—Heck reaction and have consistently revealed a palladium(O) species as the active catalyst. The induction period is shortened upon addition of a reducing agent,and postulated intermediates of the reaction were isolated and characterized as well as employed in stoichiometric and catalytic reactions. Theoretical studies using DPT calculations showed the mechanism for NHC complexes to most likely he in agreement with phosphine chemistry. ... 

The first example of the application of this process with different oxime esters is shown in Scheme 10.1. The solvent plays an important role in this process and dioxane is usually used in these reactions. It is remarkable that, in the case of ribonucleosides (X=OH), it is not possible to achieve high regioselectivities in the 2 or 3 -position with PSL, but CALB again catalyzes the process towards the primary hydroxyl group in the 5 -position. In addition, a theoretic study to explain the abnormal regioselectivity of PSL to the less reactive hydroxyl group has recently been published [12]. 

The stereochemical outcome of nucleophilic addition reactions to cyclic ketones is the subject of numerous experimental and theoretical studies, with substituted cyclohexanones and cy-clopcntanones having been intensively studied. In addition reactions to substituted cyclohexanones 1 the problem of simple diastereoselectivity is manifested in the predominance of cither axial attack of a nucleophile, leading to the equatorial alcohol 2 A. or equatorial attack of the nucleophile which leads to the axial alcohol 2B. 

Recent theoretical studies have demonstrated that it is possible to calculate accurately adsorbate stmcture and energy levels, to explain trends with variations in metal composition, and to interpret and predict the influence of promoters and poisons on the adsorption of reactants. Additional efforts along these lines will contribute greatly to understanding how catalyst stmcture and composition influence catalyst-adsorbate interactions and the reactions of adsorbed species on a catalyst surface. With sufficient development of theoretical methods, it should be possible to predict the desired catalyst composition and stmcture to catalyze specific reactions prior to formulation and testing of new catalysts. 

Deubel, D. V., Frenking, G., 1999, Are there Metal Oxides that Prefer a [2+2] Addition over a [3+2] Addition to Olefins Theoretical Study of the Reaction Mechanism of LRe03 Addition (L = O", Cl, Cp) to Ethylene , 7. Am. 

Finally, the chemical properties of the new structures available from disilene addition reactions have hardly been touched. In future developments, theoretical and experimental studies are likely to proceed together and complement one another, as they have from the beginning days of this research. 

Additional experimental, theoretical, and computational work is needed to acquire a complete understanding of the microscopic dynamics of gas-phase SN2 nucleophilic substitution reactions. Experimental measurements of the SN2 reaction rate versus excitation of specific vibrational modes of RY (equation 1) are needed, as are experimental studies of the dissociation and isomerization rates of the X--RY complex versus specific excitations of the complex s intermolecular and intramolecular modes. Experimental studies that probe the molecular dynamics of the [X-. r - Y]- central barrier region would also be extremely useful. 

A theoretical study of the reaction mechanism for addition of organozincate complexes to aldehydes was recently performed using density functional theory.298 It has been suggested that the addition takes place through formation of a four-centered transition state and, therefore, it can be considered a typical nucleophilic reaction. 

The description theoretical study of defects frequently refers to some computation of defect electronic structure i.e., a solution of the Schrodin-ger equation (Pantelides, 1978 Bachelet, 1986). The goal of such calculations is normally to complement or guide the corresponding experimental study so that the defect is either properly identified or otherwise better understood. Frequently, the experimental study suffices to identify the basic structure of the defect this is particularly true when the system is EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) active. However, if the computational method properly simulates the defect, we are provided with a wealth of additional information that can be used to reveal some of the more basic and general features of many-electron defect systems and defect reactions. 

In our detailed theoretical study of reaction pathways of the model A-azido-A-methoxyformamide 82b we showed that decomposition by loss of nitrogen was the energetically most favourable process with an EA of only 5.3 kcal mol-1 at B3LYP/6-31G. 36 In addition this step is exothermic by 42-44kcalmol-1. Thermal decomposition of 68b to methyl formate 67b and nitrogen has an EA of only 2.9 kcal mol-1 and is exothermic by 95 kcal mol-1. Overall, the conversion of 82b to methyl formate 67b and two molecules of nitrogen is thus predicted to be exothermic by 137-139 kcalmol-1. 

In addition to the electronic difference between PR3 and PH3, bulkier ligands on the phosphine can change the reaction through their steric effect. Using the R = Bu on the anthraphos system, Haenel et al. calculated the available molecular surface (AMS) around the metal center as a measure of the space available to the alkane (13b). They correlated the AMS to the relative reactivities of the catalysts and the results show that two bulky tert-butyl groups on each P certainly limit the access to the metal center, and thus, may reduce the reactivity. Other theoretical studies on the pincer complexes showed that this steric contribution/ limitation plays a less important role than the activation barriers introduced by the catalyst itself (22), where the increase in energy barrier induced by the bulky 4Bu is smaller than the original barriers calculated... 

A theoretical study at a HF/3-21G level of stationary structures in view of modeling the kinetic and thermodynamic controls by solvent effects was carried out by Andres and coworkers [294], The reaction mechanism for the addition of azide anion to methyl 2,3-dideaoxy-2,3-epimino-oeL-eiythrofuranoside, methyl 2,3-anhydro-a-L-ciythrofuranoside and methyl 2,3-anhydro-P-L-eiythrofuranoside were investigated. The reaction mechanism presents alternative pathways (with two saddle points of index 1) which act in a kinetically competitive way. The results indicate that the inclusion of solvent effects changes the order of stability of products and saddle points. From the structural point of view, the solvent affects the energy of the saddles but not their geometric parameters. Other stationary points geometries are also stable. 

Initial theoretical studies focused on steps (1) and (2). Several model systems were examined with ab initio calculations.1191 For the reaction of methyl amine with methyl acetate, it was shown that the addition/elimi-nation (through a neutral tetrahedral intermediate) and the direct displacement (through a transition state similar to that shown in Figure 5a) mechanisms for aminolysis had comparable activation barriers. However, in the case of methyl amine addition to phenyl acetate, it was shown that the direct displacement pathway is favored by approximately 5 kcal/mol.1201 Noncovalent stabilization of the direct displacement transition state was therefore the focus of the subsequent catalyst design process. 

Beyond dimerization and oligomerization, [2 + 2]- and [4+ 2]-cycloadditions with conjugated dienes and styrenes and the addition of nucleophiles are typical reactions of strained cyclic allenes. These transformations have been studied most thoroughly with 1,2-cyclohexadiene (6) and its derivatives [1, 2]. Concerning the cycloadditions, a theoretical study had the surprising result that even the [4+ 2]-cycloadditions should proceed in two steps via a diradical intermediate [9]. In the case of nucleophiles, the sites of attack at several 1,2-cyclohexadiene derivatives having an... 

In recent years, interest in radical-based transformations of allenes has been renewed for two major reasons. First, a number of useful intramolecular additions of carbon-centered radicals to 1,2-dienes have been reported, which allowed syntheses of complex natural product-derived target molecules to be accomplished in instances where other methods have failed to provide similar selectivities. Further, a large body of kinetic and thermochemical data has become accessible from results of experimental and theoretical investigations in order to predict selectivities in addition reactions to allenes more precisely. Such contributions originated predominantly from (i) studies directed towards an understanding of the incineration process,... 

In 1998, Morokuma and co-workers carried out density functional calculations on the following model reaction, Pd(PH3)2 + C2H2 + (OCH2)2B-SH Pd(PH3)2 + (OCH2)2B-CH=CH-SH, to study the detailed reaction mechanism [24], The theoretical studies suggest that the reaction mechanism involves a metathesis-like process, instead of an oxidative addition, in breaking the B-S bond of the substrate. The reason for not having an... 

In this chapter, theoretical studies on various transition metal catalyzed boration reactions have been summarized. The hydroboration of olefins catalyzed by the Wilkinson catalyst was studied most. The oxidative addition of borane to the Rh metal center is commonly believed to be the first step followed by the coordination of olefin. The extensive calculations on the experimentally proposed associative and dissociative reaction pathways do not yield a definitive conclusion on which pathway is preferred. Clearly, the reaction mechanism is a complicated one. It is believed that the properties of the substrate and the nature of ligands in the catalyst together with temperature and solvent affect the reaction pathways significantly. Early transition metal catalyzed hydroboration is believed to involve a G-bond metathesis process because of the difficulty in having an oxidative addition reaction due to less available metal d electrons. 

Table 3 collects the results obtained by different authors on the reaction of 0s04(NH3) with ethylene. Though the methods were not identical, the results are very similar, and in all cases there is a clear preference of the [3+2] over the [2+2] pathway. Additional confirmation was provided by a combined experimental and theoretical study using kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) to compare experiment and theory. Kinetic isotope effects were measured by a new NMR technique [25] and compared to values, which are available from calculated transition states. It showed that indeed only the [3+2] pathway is feasible [10]. 

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