Norbornyl cation structure

In summary, the temperature dependence of the proton nmr spectra does not provide a sufficient basis to decide upon the norbornyl cation structure. The slow 3,2-hydride shift might be rationalized by either a non-classical or classical interpretation, but both the activation energies and the pre-exponential factors might be influenced by solvation. If this is the case the arguments based on the pmr observations become still less persuasive. 

In 1965 he stated, On the other hand, the norbornyl cation does not possess sufficient electrons to provide a pair for all of the bonds required by the proposed bridged structures. One must propose a new bonding concept, not yet established in carbon structures (emphasis added). 

Clearly there was no lack of devoted adversaries (perhaps a more proper term than enemies) on both sides of the norbornyl ion controversy. It is to their credit that we today probably know more about the structure of carbocations, such as the norbornyl cation, than about most other chemical species. Their efforts also resulted not only in rigorous studies but also in the development or improvement of many techniques. Although many believe that too much effort was expended... 

Fig. 5.12. Crystal structures of substituted norbomyl cations. (A) 1,2,4,7-Tetramethylnorbomyl cation (reproduced from Ref. 154 by permission of Wiley-VCH). (B) 2-Methoxy-l,7,7-trimethyl-norbornyl cation (reproduced from Ref 155 by permission of the American Chemical Society).

Draw a Lewis structure (or series of Lewis structures) foi 2-norbornyl cation which adequately describes its geometry, charge distribution and bond density surface, Relate this structure to your description of 3-methyl-1-butyl cation. 

A bridged carbocation with a two-electron, three-centre bond was proposed as early as 1939 (Nevell et al., 1939) for the 2-norbornyl cation [lO ] as a reactive intermediate in the solvolysis of 2-norbornyl system (see also Winstein and Trifan, 1949). It has now been isolated as the SbFe salt and the bridged structure is accounted for using solid-state nmr studies... 

The structure of the 2-norbornyl cation has been a focal point of controversy in physical organic chemistry. Experimental NMR spectroscopy and computational methods have been the decisive tools, favoring the hypercoordinated symmetric bridged structure 30, a protonated nortricyclane.79 The tricoordinated 2-norbornyl cation 31 is not a local minimum (MP2/6-31G(d)) on the energy surface.80... 

Norbornyl cation reappraisal of structure, 11, 179 Nuclear magnetic relaxation, recent problems and progress, 16, 239 Nuclear magnetic resonance see NMR Nuclear motion, principle of least, 15, 1... 

Determining the structure of the norbornyl cation has piqued the imagination and challenged the resources of chemists for a lengthy period. The problem apparently was initiated by the suggestion of... 

Editor s footnote A forthcoming volume of the series is expected to contain an article by G. A. Olah, J. E. Nordlander, and P. v. R. Schleyer on the norbornyl cation, its structure and relevance to chemistry. 

The tabulation shows that the t-butyl system is a reasonable model for some equilibrating ions. It fails badly, however, when applied to the norbornyl compounds. The isopropyl system is a poor model for sec-butyl and cyclopentyl ions and is a very poor model for the norbornyl cation. The failure of the models to provide reasonable estimates of the shifts in the tertiary norbornyl cations which are undergoing either VVagner-Meerwein shifts or hydride migration makes it clear that the experimentad shifts in the secondary system cannot be used as structural proofs. Rather they should be regarded as fascinating results to be rationadized in terms of the structure, whatever it may be. 

The picture becomes somewhat more complete when the structural choices available for the C3H7 cation are considered. This species is known as its trialkyl derivative, norbornyl cation (99). It has been unequivocally demonstrated by NMR spectra that the extra hydrogen... 

Using methods such as those discussed for the norbornyl cation, nonclassical structures have now been established for a number of carbocations. " Representative examples are shown below. The 7-phenyl-7-norbornenyl cation 19 exists as a bridged strucmre 20, in which the formally empty p orbital at C7 overlaps with the C2—C3 double bond. This example is of a homoallylic cation. The cyclopropyl-carbinyl cation 21, historically one of the first systems where nonclassical ions were proposed, has been shown to exist in superacids mainly as the nonclassical bicyclo-butonium ion 22, although it appears as if there is a small amount of the classical 21 present in a rapid equilibrium. Cations 23 and 24 are examples of p-hydridobridged... 

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