Transition antiaromatic

Adopting the view that any theory of aromaticity is also a theory of pericyclic reactions [19], we are now in a position to discuss pericyclic reactions in terms of phase change. Two reaction types are distinguished those that preserve the phase of the total electi onic wave-function - these are phase preserving reactions (p-type), and those in which the phase is inverted - these are phase inverting reactions (i-type). The fomier have an aromatic transition state, and the latter an antiaromatic one. The results of [28] may be applied to these systems. In distinction with the cyclic polyenes, the two basis wave functions need not be equivalent. The wave function of the reactants R) and the products P), respectively, can be used. The electronic wave function of the transition state may be represented by a linear combination of the electronic wave functions of the reactant and the product. Of the two possible combinations, the in-phase one [Eq. (11)] is phase preserving (p-type), while the out-of-phase one [Eq. (12)], is i-type (phase inverting), compare Eqs. (6) and (7). Normalization constants are assumed in both equations ... 

We term the in-phase combination an aromatic transition state (ATS) and the out-of-phase combination an antiaromatic transition state (AATS). An ATS is obtained when an odd number of electron pairs are re-paired in the reaction, and an AATS, when an even number is re-paired. In the context of reactions, a system in which an odd number of electrons (3, 5,...) are exchanged is treated in the same way—one of the electron pairs may contain a single electron. Thus, a three-electron system reacts as a four-electron one, a five-electron system as a six-electron one, and so on. 

The potential surfaces of the ground and excited states in the vicinity of the conical intersection were calculated point by point, along the trajectory leading from the antiaromatic transition state to the benzene and H2 products. In this calculation, the HH distance was varied, and all other coordinates were optimized to obtain the minimum energy of the system in the excited electronic state ( Ai). The energy of the ground state was calculated at the geometry optimized for the excited state. In the calculation of the conical intersection... 

There is another usefiil viewpoint of concerted reactions that is based on the idea that transition states can be classified as aromatic or antiaromatic, just as is the case for ground-state molecules. A stabilized aromatic transition state will lead to a low activation energy, i.e., an allowed reaction. An antiaromatic transition state will result in a high energy barrier and correspond to a forbidden process. The analysis of concerted reactions by this process consists of examining the array of orbitals that would be present in the transition state and classifying the system as aromatic or antiaromatic. 

The selection rules for cycloaddition reactions can also be derived from consideration of the aromaticity of the transition state. The transition states for [2tc -f 2tc] and [4tc -1- 2tc] cycloadditions are depicted in Fig. 11.11. For the [4tc-1-2tc] suprafacial-suprafacial cycloaddition, the transition state is aromatic. For [2tc -F 2tc] cycloaddition, the suprafacial-suprafacial mode is antiaromatic, but the suprafacial-antarafacial mode is aromatic. In order to specify the topology of cycloaddition reactions, subscripts are added to the numerical classification. Thus, a Diels-Alder reaction is a [4tc -f 2 ] cycloaddition. The... 

The aromatic-antiaromatic transition state rules are. another formulation of the Woodward-Hoffmann type rules (Table 8.3). 

The alternate approach of Dewar and Zimmerman can be illustrated by an examination of the 1,3,5-hexatriene system.<81,92> The disrotatory closure has no sign discontinuity (Hiickel system) and has 4n + 2 (where n = 1) ir electrons, so that the transition state for the thermal reaction is aromatic and the reaction is thermally allowed. For the conrotatory closure there is one sign discontinuity (Mobius system) and there are 4u + 2 (n = 1) ir electrons, so that the transition state for the thermal reaction is antiaromatic and forbidden but the transition state for the photochemical reaction is aromatic or allowed (see Chapter 8 and Table 9.8). If we reexamine the butadiene... 

Using the nomenclature of Dewar and Zimmerman, the transition state for the 2, + 2S cycloaddition is a 4n Hiickel system (zero nodes) and is antiaromatic in the ground state and aromatic in the excited state. The transition state for the 2S + 20 cycloaddition is a 4n Mobius system (one node) and is aromatic in the ground state and antiaromatic in the excited state (see Chapter 8). The general cycloaddition rules are given in Table 9.5. 

Aromatic transition state = allowed reaction —, antiaromatic transition state — forbidden reaction. 

The second mechanism, due to the permutational properties of the electronic wave function is referred to as the permutational mechanism. It was introduced in Section I for the H4 system, and above for pericyclic reactions and is closely related to the aromaticity of the reaction. Following Evans principle, an aromatic transition state is defined in analogy with the hybrid of the two Kekule structures of benzene. A cyclic transition state in pericyclic reactions is defined as aromatic or antiaromatic according to whether it is more stable or less stable than the open chain analogue, respectively. In [32], it was assumed that the in-phase combination in Eq. (14) lies always the on the ground state potential. As discussed above, it can be shown that the ground state of aromatic systems is always represented by the in-phase combination of Eq. (14), and antiaromatic ones—by the out-of-phase combination. 

Despite its unsaturated nature, benzene with its sweet aroma, isolated by Michael Faraday in 1825 [1], demonstrates low chemical reactivity. This feature gave rise to the entire class of unsaturated organic substances called aromatic compounds. Thus, the aromaticity and low reactivity were connected from the very beginning. The aromaticity and reactivity in organic chemistry is thoroughly reviewed in the book by Matito et al. [2]. The concepts of aromaticity and antiaromaticity have been recendy extended into main group and transition metal clusters [3-10], The current chapter will discuss relationship among aromaticity, stability, and reactivity in clusters. 

Applying these rules in pericyclic reactions it has been shown and a generalization given that thermal reactiom occur via aromatic transition states while photochemical reactions proceed via antiaromatic transition state. A cyclic transition state is considered to be aromatic or isoconjugate with the corresponding aromatic system if the member of conjugated atoms and that of the n... 

At this point, it is appropriate to draw a parallel with the straightforward MO explanations for the aromaticity of benzene using approaches based on a single closed-shell Slater determinant, such as HMO and restricted Hartree-Fock (RWF), which also have no equivalent within more advanced multi-configuration MO constructions. The relevance of this comparison follows from the fact that aromaticity is a primary factor in at least one of the popular treatments of pericyclic reactions Within the Dewar-Zimmerman approach [4-6], allowed reactions are shown to pass through aromatic transition structures, and forbidden reactions have to overcome high-energy antiaromatic transition structures. 

In the fused compounds (241) and (242) the furan ring fails to react as a diene and Diels-Alder reaction with dienophiles occurs on the terminal carbocyclic rings. However, (243) and (244) afford monoadducts with dimethyl fumarate by addition to the furan rings (70JA972). The rates of reaction (Table 2) of a number of dehydroannuleno[c]furans with maleic anhydride, which yield fully conjugated dehydroannulenes of the exo type (247), have been correlated with the aromaticity or antiaromaticity of the products (76JA6052). It was assumed that the transition state for the reactions resembled products to some extent, and the relative rates therefore are a measure of the resonance energy of the products. The reaction of the open-chain compound (250), which yields the adduct (251), was taken as a model. Hence the dehydro[4 + 2]annulenes from (246) and (249) are stabilized compared to (251), and the dehydro[4 ]annulenes from (245) and (248) are destabilized (Scheme 84). 

While the initial formulation of homoaromaticity pre-dated the introduction of orbital symmetry by some eight years33, the two concepts are inextricably linked34. This is most evident when pericyclic reactions are considered from the perspective of aromatic or antiaromatic transitions states35 and the Huckel/Mobius concept31. The inter-relationship can be demonstrated by the electrocyclic reaction shown in Scheme 136. 

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