Molecular-orbital calculations reactions

Many researchers have considered models for possible intermediates in the nitrogenase reaction. Two possible dinitrogen attachments to the FeMoco factor of MoFe-protein have been put forward. Symmetric, edge- or side-on modes discussed by Dance48 would lead to a reaction sequence such as is shown in reaction 6.11. In contrast, the asymmetric end-on terminal mode discussed in the work of Nicolai Lehnert50 may be favored thermodynamically and by molecular orbital calculations. Reaction sequence 6.13 below illustrates one scenario for the asymmetric model. 

The reaction between a trinuclear metal carbonyl cluster and trimetbyl amine borane has been investigated (41) and here the cluster anion functions as a Lewis base toward the boron atom, forming a B—O covalent bond (see Carbonyls). Molecular orbital calculations, supported by stmctural characterization, show that coordination of the amine borane causes small changes in the trinuclear framework. 

Molecular orbital calculations indicate that cyclo C-18 carbyne should be relatively stable and experimental evidence for cyclocarbynes has been found [25], Fig. 3B. Diederich et al [25] synthesised a precursor of cyclo C-18 and showed by laser flash heating and time-of flight mass spectrometry that a series of retro Diels-Alder reactions occurred leading to cyclo C-18 as the predominant fragmentation pattern. Diederich has also presented a fascinating review of possible cyclic all-carbon molecules and other carbon-rich nanometre-sized carbon networks that may be susceptible to synthesis using organic chemical techniques [26]. 

Hydroxypyridine 1-oxide is insoluble in chloroform and other suitable solvents, and, although the solid-state infrared spectrum indicates that strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding occurs, no additional structural conclusions could be reached. Jaffe has attempted to deduce the structure of 4-hydroxypyridine 1-oxide using the Hammett equation and molecular orbital calculations. This tautomeric compound reacts with diazomethane to give both the 1- and 4-methoxy derivatives, " and the relation of its structure to other chemical reactions has been discussed by Hayashi. ... 

Molecular orbital calculations (ah initio or semiempirical methods) are also often used to provide a description of radical species and their reactions. High levels of theory are required to provide reliable data. However, rapid advances in computer power and computational methods are seeing these methods more widely used and with greater success (for leading references on the application of theory to describe radical addition reactions, see Section 1.2.7). 

Various ab initio and scmi-cmpirical molecular orbital calculations have been carried out on the reaction of radicals with simple alkenes with the aim of defining the nature of the transition state (Section 1.2.7).2I>,j , 6 These calculations all predict an unsymmetrical transition state for radical addition (i.e. Figure 1.1) though they differ in other aspects. Most calculations also indicate a degree of charge development in the transition state. 

Tsuda and Oikawa (1989) investigated the photolysis of the 1,2-isomer of 10.89 (1,2-benzoquinone diazide) by means of MINDO/3 molecular orbital calculations with configurational interaction. These authors came to the conclusion that no ketocarbene of the type of 10.90 is formed, but that the rearrangement into the cyclopentadienyl ketene 10.94 is a concerted reaction in which the elimination of nitrogen and the rearrangement take place simultaneously. In the opinion of the present author the theoretical result for 1,2-quinone diazide is not necessarily in contradiction to the experimental investigations of Sander, Yankelevich et al., and Nakamura et al., as the reagents used were not exactly the same. 

Naphthalene undergoes electrophihc substitutions at the a rather than p position. The Hueckel molecular orbital calculations show that all the carbons have the same jt electron density 1.0. This is not in agreement with the theory of organic reactions based on the Coulombic interaction that electrophilic attack occurs on the most negatively charged atom. Fukui [7] proposed the frontier orbital theory for the discrepancy between the theory and the experimental observation. The importance of... 

Gleiter and Paquette studied the selectivity in the reactions of isodicyclopentadiene by molecular orbital calculation by the STO-3G level of theory using simple model compounds 81 and 82 (Scheme 33) [42], They found remarkable tilting of Tt orbitals due to the mixing of o and orbitals. The orbitals tilt their terminal p orbital inward on the top face. 

It is not intended that the equations of this study be used to supplant the much more elegant molecular orbital calculations, both semiempirical and ab initio, and the mechanical modeling studies of radical forming reactions. However, it may be possible to make some hypotheses about differences in mechanisms between reaction families, based on the values of the slopes in Table IV. The slopes could be considered "sensitivity factors" (like rho values) for measuring the relative magnitude of transition state effects (U) and reactant state effects (N) on the rates of the four reactions of this study. 

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations are being used to study the reactions of anionic nucleophiles with carbonyl compounds in the gas phase. A rich variety of energy surfaces is found as shown here for reactions of hydroxide ion with methyl formate and formaldehyde, chloride ion with formyl and acetyl chloride, and fluoride ion with formyl fluoride. Extension of these investigations to determine the influence of solvation on the energy profiles is also underway the statistical mechanics approach is outlined and illustrated by results from Monte Carlo simulations for the addition of hydroxide ion to formaldehyde in water. 

The recent interest in the exploration of electrocatalytic phenomena from first principles can be traced to the early cluster calculations of Anderson [1990] and Anderson and Debnath [1983]. These studies considered the interaction of adsorbates with model metal clusters and related the potential to the electronegativity determined as the average of the ionization potential and electron affinity—quantities that are easily obtained from molecular orbital calculations. In some iterations of this model, changes in reaction chemistry induced by the electrochemical environment... 

In a series of studies of the spectroscopy and photochemistry of nickel(O) -a-diimine complexes, the structural differences among the complexes NiL2 and Ni(CO)2L (L Q-diimine) have been examined by means of molecular orbital calculations and electronic absorption Raman resonance studies.2471, 472 Summing up earlier work, the noninnocence of a-diimine ligands with a flat — N=C—C=N— skeleton in low-valent Ni chemistry and the course of substitution reactions of Ni° complexes with 1,4-diaza-1,3-dienes or a,a -bipyridine have been reviewed.2473... 

This review describes the current status of silenes (silaethylenes, silaethenes), molecules which contain a silicon-carbon double bond. The heart of the material is derived from a computer-based search of the literature which we believe reports all silenes that have been described to date, either as isolated species, chemically trapped species, proposed intermediates (in reactions where some experimental evidence has been provided), or as the result of molecular orbital calculations. Ionized species... 

Self-consistent field molecular orbital calculations by Fenske and coworkers have confirmed that nucleophilic additions to Fischer and related complexes [e.g., (CO)sCr=CXY, (T)5-C5H5)(CO)2Mn=CXY], are frontier orbital-controlled rather than charge-controlled reactions (7-9). Interaction of the HOMO of the nucleophile with the carbene complex LUMO (localized on Ca) destroys the metal-carbon w-interaction and converts the bond to a single one. 

Recently, theoretical calculations were done on the olefin polymerization. In particular, an ab-initio molecular orbital calculation was used to optimize the geometry for the ground, transition and product states of model systems, based on gas-phase reactions ... 

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