Electrophiles transition state symmetry

The X-ray structure of the dibromine complex with toluene (measured at 123 K) is more complicated, and shows multiple crystallographically independent donor/acceptor moieties [68]. Most important, however, is the fact that in all cases the acceptor shows an over-the-rim location that is similar to that in the benzene complex. In both systems, the acceptor is shifted by 1.4 A from the main symmetry axis, the shortest Br C distances of 3.1 A being significantly less than the sum of the van der Waals radii of 3.55 A [20]. Furthermore, the calculated hapticity in the benzene/Br2 complex (x] = 1.52) is midway between the over-atom (rj = 1.0) and over-bond (rj = 2.0) coordination. In the toluene complex, the latter varies from rj = 1.70 to 1.86 (in four non-equivalent coordination modes) and thus lies closer to the over-bond coordination model. Moreover, the over-bond bromine is remarkably shifted toward the ortho- and para-carbons that correspond to the positions of highest electron density (and lead to the transition states for electrophilic aromatic bromination [12]). Such an experimental location of bromine is in good agreement with the results of high level theoretical... 

According to Olah, the high intramolecular sensitivity arises from the orbital symmetry requirements of this transition state. The electrophile can only interact with two p orbitals that have the same sign in the highest occupied molecular orbital (83). Thus transition states 84 and 85 are possible, but 86 is not. 

Muetterties and Schunn (1966) suggest that certain boron hydride structures, e.g. 26 and 22 or 23 (C, symmetry, when X=Y), might be used as models for electrophilic substitution. In general, if 21 or 22 were the preferred C3 transition states or intermediates, the reaction would go with retention. Note that these are the analogs of the two-electron three-center species A3 discussed earlier by HMO theory. If, however, X, Y, and R were permuted, there would be several stereochemical possibilities, two of which are indicated in Table 7. To decide what kind of geometry is assumed in SE2 transition states, which are pentacoordinated and electron- and orbital-deficient, calculations on model species are needed to establish preferred geometries. 

The carbon-silicon bond has two important effects on the adjacent alkenc. The presence of a high-energy filled CT orbital of the correct symmetry to interact with the n system produces an alkene that is more reactive with electrophiles, due to the higher-energy HOMO, and the same ff orbital stabilizes the carbocation if attack occurs at the remote end of the alkene. This lowers the transition state for electrophilic addition and makes allyl silanes much more reactive than isolated alkenes. 

The four-membered cyclic transition state is not allowed by orbital symmetry theory and parity rules. It requires inversion of configuration at the a-carbon and trans addition to the alkene by a conrotatory process, which is sterically impossible [261,263]. The six-membered transition state is allowed by parity rules, but the relative contributions of this pathway and that by unimolecular ionization depends on their relative rate constants and therefore their free energies of activation. Since the transition state of electrophilic addition to alkenes proceeds with a very late transition state requiring an electrophile with a highly developed charge, covalent species are not sufficiently polarized to react directly with alkenes. Thus, the reaction should occur in two steps rather than by a concerted addition [264],... 

We report here the results of an investigation of the geometry of the CH5 ion by the CNDO/2 method 100>. Considerable interest was aroused by the geometry of this ion, thought to play an important role for the interpretation of the structure of the transition state in electrophilic substitution at alkanes. Three configurations have been explored, which have D3, C4 , and Cs symmetry (Fig. 21). The following parameters have been... 

Finally for the electrophilic attachment of chlorine to ethylene we have studied the free energy and the form of the wavefunction along the reaction coordinate maintaining the geometry at a Civ symmetry. From the stationary points we have found the geometries and the free energies of the transition state and of the chloronium intermediate. 

The philicity of a carbene directly depends on the structure of the transition state of an addition reaction. The rules of orbital symmetry conservation forbid the least-motion C2v-symmetry reaction path [41]. For electrophilic carbenes, characterized by predominance of the n — p interaction, preferable is the so-called 7r-approach (Fig. 8.3). In the case of nucleophilic carbenes, optimum conditions for the overlap between the (Tcxy 7r -orbitals are provided by the asymmetrical cr-approach (Fig. 8.3b). By making use of certain assumptions, Rondan, Houk, and Moss [44, 45] calculated the overlap integrals Sjj between the corresponding frontier orbitals of carbene and alkene for the n- and the (7-approaches. Then, having computed the energies of those orbitals, they obtained the energies of stabilization of the composite system arising in two... 

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