Transition state orbitals

Use the procedure of Section 21-1 OF to set up transition-state orbitals and determine whether these lead to a favored Huckel or a favored Mobius transition state for the following processes ... 

Figure 5 Orbital correlation diagram for the suprafacial [1,3] shift of a proton in propene. The transition-state orbitals are based on the Hiickel orbitals for cyclobutadiene...

Hence Fukui s method is justified in the transition state, the FOs then being practically degenerate, with increased frontier coefficients at the reaction centers. All the other interactions are an order smaller.6 Unfortunately, transition state orbitals cannot be obtained easily,7 so we generally substitute the MOs of the reagents instead. This supplementary approximation,8 introduced for practical reasons, occasionally gives results which appear to violate the frontier orbital theory. We will examine such cases in more detail later (pp. 62, 76-78). 

Because of the principle of microscopic reversibility it is appropriate to consider frontier orbital analysis of the reaction in either direction. The Hammond postulate dictates that the more exothermic the reaction the more the transition state will reflect the starting geometry, and frontier orbital analysis of reactant orbitals is expected to be a better predictor of relative transition state orbital interactions than for an endothermic or a less exothermic process. Conversely, frontier orbital analysis of product orbitals in exothermic reactions would be a poorer predictor of transition state energy. 

Transition state orbital picture with an empty k orbital that can accept electrons from a developing a C-Nuc bond... 

Sequences such as the above allow the formulation of rate laws but do not reveal molecular details such as the nature of the transition states involved. Molecular orbital analyses can help, as in Ref. 270 it is expected, for example, that increased strength of the metal—CO bond means decreased C=0 bond strength, which should facilitate process XVIII-55. The complexity of the situation is indicated in Fig. XVIII-24, however, which shows catalytic activity to go through a maximum with increasing heat of chemisorption of CO. Temperature-programmed reaction studies show the presence of more than one kind of site [99,1(K),283], and ESDIAD data show both the location and the orientation of adsorbed CO (on Pt) to vary with coverage [284]. 

The classical counterpart of resonances is periodic orbits [91, 95, 96, 97 and 98]. For example, a purely classical study of the H+H2 collinear potential surface reveals that near the transition state for the H+H2 H2+H reaction there are several trajectories (in R and r) that are periodic. These trajectories are not stable but they nevertheless affect strongly tire quantum dynamics. A study of tlie resonances in H+H2 scattering as well as many other triatomic systems (see, e.g., [99]) reveals that the scattering peaks are closely related to tlie frequencies of the periodic orbits and the resonance wavefiinctions are large in the regions of space where the periodic orbits reside. 

Theoretical work by the groups directed by Sustmann and, very recently, Mattay attributes the preference for the formation of endo cycloadduct in solution to the polarity of the solvent Their calculations indicate that in the gas phase the exo transition state has a lower energy than the endo counterpart and it is only upon introduction of the solvent that this situation reverses, due to the difference in polarity of both transition states (Figure 1.2). Mattay" stresses the importance of the dienophile transoid-dsoid conformational equilibrium in determining the endo-exo selectivity. The transoid conformation is favoured in solution and is shown to lead to endo product, whereas the cisoid conformation, that is favoured in the gas phase, produces the exo adduct This view is in conflict with ab initio calculations by Houk, indicating an enhanced secondary orbital interaction in the cisoid endo transition state . 

In summary, it seems that for most Diels-Alder reactions secondary orbital interactions afford a satisfactory rationalisation of the endo-exo selectivity. However, since the endo-exo ratio is determined by small differences in transition state energies, the influence of other interactions, most often steric in origin and different for each particular reaction, is likely to be felt. The compact character of the Diels-Alder activated complex (the activation volume of the retro Diels-Alder reaction is negative) will attenuate these eflfects. The ideas of Sustmann" and Mattay ° provide an attractive alternative explanation, but, at the moment, lack the proper experimental foundation. 

The regioselectivity benefits from the increased polarisation of the alkene moiety, reflected in the increased difference in the orbital coefficients on carbon 1 and 2. The increase in endo-exo selectivity is a result of an increased secondary orbital interaction that can be attributed to the increased orbital coefficient on the carbonyl carbon ". Also increased dipolar interactions, as a result of an increased polarisation, will contribute. Interestingly, Yamamoto has demonstrated that by usirg a very bulky catalyst the endo-pathway can be blocked and an excess of exo product can be obtained The increased di as tereo facial selectivity has been attributed to a more compact transition state for the catalysed reaction as a result of more efficient primary and secondary orbital interactions as well as conformational changes in the complexed dienophile" . Calculations show that, with the polarisation of the dienophile, the extent of asynchronicity in the activated complex increases . Some authors even report a zwitteriorric character of the activated complex of the Lewis-acid catalysed reaction " . Currently, Lewis-acid catalysis of Diels-Alder reactions is everyday practice in synthetic organic chemistry. 

Orbital-based methods can be used to compute transition structures. When a negative frequency is computed, it indicates that the geometry of the molecule corresponds to a maximum of potential energy with respect to the positions of the nuclei. The transition state of a reaction is characterized by having one negative frequency. Structures with two negative frequencies are called second-order saddle points. These structures have little relevance to chemistry since it is extremely unlikely that the molecule will be found with that structure. 

In principle cis 2 butene and trans 2 butene may be mterconverted by rotation about the C 2=C 3 double bond However unlike rotation about the C 2—C 3 single bond in butane which is quite fast mterconversion of the stereoisomeric 2 butenes does not occur under normal circumstances It is sometimes said that rotation about a carbon-carbon double bond is restricted but this is an understatement Conventional lab oratory sources of heat do not provide enough energy for rotation about the double bond m alkenes As shown m Figure 5 2 rotation about a double bond requires the p orbitals of C 2 and C 3 to be twisted from their stable parallel alignment—m effect the tt com ponent of the double bond must be broken at the transition state... 

Although both stereoisomers yield 4 tert butylcyclohexene as the only alkene they do so at quite different rates The cis isomer reacts over 500 times faster than the trans The difference in reaction rate results from different degrees of rr bond develop ment in the E2 transition state Since rr overlap of p orbitals requires their axes to be parallel rr bond formation is best achieved when the four atoms of the H—C—C—X unit he in the same plane at the transition state The two conformations that permit this are termed syn coplanar and anti coplanar... 

FIGURE 10 6 Confor mations and electron delo calization in 1 3 butadiene The s CIS and the s trans con formations permit the 2p or bitalsto be aligned parallel to one another for maxi mum TT electron delocaliza tion The s trans conformation is more stable than the s CIS Stabilization resulting from tt electron de localization is least in the perpendicular conformation which IS a transition state for rotation about the C 2—C 3 single bond The green and yellow colors are meant to differentiate the orbitals and do not indicate their phases... 

The Diels-Alder reaction is believed to proceed m a single step A deeper level of understanding of the bonding changes m the transition state can be obtained by examining the nodal properties of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the diene and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the dienophile... 

The BDE theory does not explain all observed experimental results. Addition reactions are not adequately handled at all, mosdy owing to steric and electronic effects in the transition state. Thus it is important to consider both the reactivities of the radical and the intended coreactant or environment in any attempt to predict the course of a radical reaction (18). AppHcation of frontier molecular orbital theory may be more appropriate to explain certain reactions (19). 

A more complete analysis of interacting molecules would examine all of the involved MOs in a similar wty. A correlation diagram would be constructed to determine which reactant orbital is transformed into wfiich product orbital. Reactions which permit smooth transformation of the reactant orbitals to product orbitals without intervention of high-energy transition states or intermediates can be identified in this way. If no such transformation is possible, a much higher activation energy is likely since the absence of a smooth transformation implies that bonds must be broken before they can be reformed. This treatment is more complete than the frontier orbital treatment because it focuses attention not only on the reactants but also on the products. We will describe this method of analysis in more detail in Chapter 11. The qualitative approach that has been described here is a useful and simple wty to apply MO theory to reactivity problems, and we will employ it in subsequent chapters to problems in reactivity that are best described in MO terms. I... 

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