Circumambulatory rearrangements

Synthesis and Reactivity of the Phosphorus Analogues of Cyclopentadienone, Tricyclopentanone, and Housene

The phosphorus analogues of cyclopentadienone, tricyclopentanone, and housene were accessed from bis(cyclopropenyl)diphosphetanedione 3, which was prepared by mixing 1,2,3-tris-tert-butylcyclopropenium tetrafluoroborate (1) and sodium phosphaethynolate [Na(OCP)(dioxane)_n ]. While photolysis of 3 results in decarbonylation, yielding bis(cyclopropenyl)diphosphene 4 and after rearrangement diphosphahousene 5, thermolysis of 3 leads to phosphatricyclo[2.1.0.0]pentanone 7. Metal-mediated valence isomerization of 7 and subsequent demetalation provides access to phosphacyclopentadienone 12.

Novel Parallel Reaction between a [1,5] Sigmatropic Alkylthio Shift and a [1,5] Sigmatropic Hydrogen Shift Observed in a 2H-Azepine Ring

Although heating 2-methoxy-2H-azepine results in a [1,5] sigmatropic hydrogen shift, heating 2-propylthio-2H-azepine results in not only a [1,5] sigmatropic hydrogen shift but also a [1,5] sigmatropic propylthio shift. Kinetic measurements reveal that migratory aptitudes increase in the order of MeO < H, PrS. These [1,5] sigmatropic shifts are discussed on the basis of ab initio DFT calculations. [reaction: see text].

Theoretical Study of the Heptamethylbenzenium Ion. Intramolecular Isomerizations and C2, C3, C4 Alkene Elimination

Recent experimental work on the methanol-to-hydrocarbons (MTH) reaction in zeolite H-Beta suggests that the heptamethylbenzenium (heptaMB+) cation is an important intermediate. We have carried out quantum chemical calculations to investigate intramolecular isomerization reactions and eliminations of small alkenes such as ethene, propene, and isobutene from heptaMB+ isomers. Two types of reaction paths have been investigated for the alkene formation: One starting with an initial ring contraction, and one starting with an initial ring expansion of the heptaMB+ ion. The reaction starting with an initial ring contraction leads to a bicyclic species that may split off propene or, after further isomerizations, isobutene. Expansion to a seven-membered ring may, via further isomerizations, lead to formation of ethyl and isopropyl groups that may in turn be split off as ethene and propene. The calculations have been carried out at the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory with zero point energy corrections. Comparisons with experimental data are made where possible.

Gas-phase identity nucleophilic substitution reactions of cyclopropenyl halides

The gas-phase identity nucleophilic substitution reactions of halide anions (X = F, Cl, and Br) with cyclopropenyl halides, X(-) + (CH)(3)X <= => X(CH)(3) + X(-), are investigated theoretically at four levels of theory, B3LYP/6-311+G**, MP2/6-311+G**, G2(+)MP2//MP2/6-311+G**, and G2(+)//MP2/6-311+G**. Four types of reaction paths, the sigma-attack S(N)2, pi-attack S(N)2'-syn, and S(N)2'-anti and sigmatropic 1,2-shift, are possible for all the halides. In the fluoride anion reactions, two types of stable adducts, syn- and anti-1,2-difluorocyclopropyl anions, can exist on the triple-well-type potential energy surface of the identity substitution reactions with rearrangement of double bond (C=C), S(N)2'-syn, and S(N)2'-anti processes. The TSs for the sigma-attack S(N)2 paths have "open" (loose) structures so that the ring positive charges are high rendering strong aromatic cyclopropenyl (delocalized) cation-like character. In contrast, in the pi-attack S(N)2' paths, a lone pair is formed at the unsubstituted carbon (C3), which stabilizes the 1,2-dihalocyclopropyl (delocalized) anion-like TS by two strong n(C)-sigma*(C-F) vicinal charge-transfer delocalization interactions. The barrier height increases in the order S(N)2'-anti < sigma-attack S(N)2 < S(N)2'-syn for X = Cl and Br, whereas for X = F the order is changed to S(N)2'-anti < S(N)2'-syn < sigma-attack S(N)2 due to the stable difluoro adduct formation. The sigmatropic 1,2-shift (circumambulatory) reactions have high activation barriers and cannot interfere with the substitution reactions.