Anti-Hammond behaviour

Non-additivity of substituent effects has been proposed as a criterion for the operation of the RSR so the linearity argues against its applicability in this system. In a description of transition states by structure-reactivity coefficients (Jencks and Jencks, 1977), two alternative types of behaviour were discussed. In Hammond -type reactions the more endothermic reactions have later transition states, whereas anti-Hammond behaviour is characterized by an adjustment of the transition-state structure to take advantage of favourable substituent effects. These results illustrate that different systems can display quite different behaviour in linear free energy correlations. Thus, in alkene protonations, such correlations cover vast ranges in reactivity with only modest changes in sensitivities, while in solvolytic reactions the selectivity p varies depending on the electron supply at the electron-deficient centre (Johnson, 1978). 

In conclusion, the previous show that, by taking advantage of the information provided by the MQSM, it is possible to draw an approximate shape of the computationally very demanding Intrinsic Reaction Coordinate, independent of the definition of the reaction coordinate being more or less complicated, and also allowing the prediction of the Hammond and anti-Hammond behaviour. 

Hammond behaviour may be observed if the intersecting parabolae are of different curvature. The physical interpretation of this difference in curvature is that bond-making and bond-breaking processes are not necessarily synchronous as is assumed in conventional Marcus theory. While such a modification in the theory may overcome the inherent problem of treating anti-Hammond effects it does make application of the Marcus theory more difficult by the introduction of additional unknowns into the free energy relationship of (112). 

Since anti-Hammond postulate behaviour is predicted for the concerted process, and not for the step-wise path, this reaction must therefore occur via the concerted mechanism. 

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