Additions and corrections: Transverse compression and the secondary H/D isotope effects in intramolecular SN2 methyl-transfer reactions

Abstract

Using ab initio molecular orbital theory mainly at the 3-21+G level, intramolecular SN2 methyl transfer between two oxygens confined within a rigid template is found to proceed exclusively by a high energy retention mechanism when the oxygens are separated by three or four bonds, and by a high energy inversion mechanism when the oxygens are separated by six bonds. Both mechanisms exist when the oxygens are separated by five bonds. The CH3/CD3 kinetic isotope effects are normal (1.21-1.34) in the retention processes and inverse (0.66-0.81) in the inversion reactions. In the case of inversion, compression of C-H bonds of the transition state by structural effects in the plane perpendicular to the O-C-O plane increases the inverse isotope effect. The retention barriers are high because retention is inherently unfavorable, even when pericyclic stabilization of the transition state is possible. The inversion barriers are high because a rigid template cannot accommodate a linear O-CH3 -O structure, and the O-C-O bending vibration is stiff (the Eschenmoser effect). Using a novel design strategy, a nonrigid template has been found in which the barrier and the CH3/CD3 kinetic isotope effect are the same as in an intermolecular reaction.Key words: Eschenmoser effect, isotope effect, compression, SN2, sigmatropic rearrangement.