Density functional theory investigation of the reactions of isodihalomethanes (CH(2)X-X where X = Cl, Br, or I) with ethylene: substituent effects on the carbenoid behavior of the CH(2)X-X species

D L Phillips; W H Fang

doi:10.1021/jo010582i

Density functional theory investigation of the reactions of isodihalomethanes (CH(2)X-X where X = Cl, Br, or I) with ethylene: substituent effects on the carbenoid behavior of the CH(2)X-X species

J Org Chem. 2001 Aug 24;66(17):5890-6. doi: 10.1021/jo010582i.

Authors

D L Phillips¹, W H Fang

Affiliation

¹ Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, PR China. phillips@hkucc.hku.hk

PMID: 11511267
DOI: 10.1021/jo010582i

Abstract

We investigated the chemical reactions of isodihalomethane (CH(2)X-X) and CH(2)X radical species (where X = Cl, Br, or I) with ethylene and the isomerization reactions of CH(2)X-X using density functional theory calculations. The CH(2)X-X species readily reacts with ethylene to give the cyclopropane product and an X(2) product via a one-step reaction with barrier heights of approximately 2.9 kcal/mol for CH(2)I-I, 6.8 kcal/mol for CH(2)Br-Br, and 8.9 kcal/mol for CH(2)Cl-Cl. The CH(2)X reactions with ethylene proceed via a two-step reaction mechanism to give a cyclopropane product and X atom product with much larger barriers to reaction. This suggests that photocyclopropanation reactions using ultraviolet excitation of dihalomethanes most likely occurs via the isodihalomethane species and not the CH(2)X species. The isomerization reactions of CH(2)X-X had barrier heights of approximately 14.4 kcal/mol for CH(2)I-I, 11.8 kcal/mol for CH(2)Br-Br, and 9.1 kcal/mol for CH(2)Cl-Cl. We compare our results for the CH(2)X-X carbenoids to results from previous calculations of the Simmons-Smith-type carbenoids (XCH(2)ZnX) and Li-type carbenoids (LiCH(2)X) and discuss their differences and similarities as methylene transfer agents.