Experimental and theoretical data are provided for a set of 11 pericyclic reactions of unsaturated hydrocarbons. Literature experimental data are evaluated and standardized to ∆H q 0K for comparison to theory. Hartree-Fock, MP2, CASSCF, CASPT2, density functional theory (B3LYP, BPW91, MPW1K, and KMLYP functionals), and CBS-QB3 transition-structure geometries, activation enthalpies and entropies, and reaction enthalpies and entropies for these reactions are reported and are compared to experimental results. For activation enthalpies, several density functionals rival CASPT2 and CBS-QB3 for closest agreement with experiment, while CASPT2 and CBS-QB3 provide the most accurate heats of reaction. Transition-structure geometries are reproduced well by all methods with the exception of the Cope rearrangement and cyclopentadiene dimerization transition structures.

The Mayo and Flory mechanisms for the self-initiation of styrene polymerization were explored with B3LYP and BPW91 density functional calculations. The Diels-Alder dimer (AH) is the key intermediate, and the lowest energy pathway for AH formation is a stepwise mechanism via a gauche/sickle (*M2*Gs) or gauche/U-shaped (*M2*Gu) diradical. Ring closure of the 1,4-diradical to diphenylcyclobutane (DCB) is predicted to have a lower barrier than ring closure to AH. Dynamic effects are likely to play an important role in determining the rate of AH versus DCB formation. Hydrogen transfer from AH to styrene to generate two monoradical species is predicted to be a reasonable process that initiates monoradical polymerization.

Highly functionalized, cyclobutene-containing adducts are afforded through intramolecular cycloadditions between cyclobutadiene and tethered dienes. The cycloaddition displays the following reactivity trend: cyclobutadiene serves as a dienophile in intramolecular reactions when it is connected to the diene through a four-atom tether. In cases where a three-atom linker separates the two reaction partners, the cyclobutadiene can function as both a diene and dienophile, affording a mixture of vinylcyclobutane (2 + 2) and cyclohexene-containing cycloadducts (4 + 2). Theoretical studies provide insight into the factors influencing the various pericyclic pathways operative in this system. In cases where cyclobutadiene functions as a diene to generate vinylcyclobutanes, these (2 + 2) adducts can be converted into the corresponding (4 + 2) cyclohexenyl products through a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement.

The performance of two local exchange functionals, OLYP and O3LYP, developed by Handy and Cohen (Mol. Phys. 2001, 99, 403), has been assessed for predicting activation barriers and reaction energies for a set of eleven pericyclic reactions for which experimental data are well established. The results are compared to B3LYP and CBS-QB3 results previously reported (Guner et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2003, 107, 11445).

The thermal deazetizations of a series of substituted 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-enes and some simpler model systems have been studied using the UB3LYP/6-31G(d) and CASPT2 methods, with a variety of active spaces. A fused cyclopropane exerts unique control on the mechanism and rate of deazetization. When the Walsh sigma-orbitals are appropriately aligned in an exo orientation, a pericyclic three-bond cleavage occurs. For an endo-fused cyclopropane, sequential one-bond cleavages occur to take advantage of orbital overlap with the Walsh orbitals. In systems lacking strongly directing substituents, concerted two-bond cleavage pathways to form diradical intermediates have a small enthalpic advantage (DeltaH(0K)++) over sequential one-bond cleavage pathways. However, the one-bond mechanism has an entropic advantage over the two-bond; consequently, at 400-500 K where decomposition occurs, one-bond and two-bond diradical cleavages both occur simultaneously. The thermal decompositions of trans-azomethane and 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene are also studied, and the results are compared to extensive computational studies in the literature. Comparisons of UB3LYP, CASSCF, and CASPT2 surfaces for these reactions are made.

The relative energies of the chair and boat transition states of a variety of Ireland-Claisen rearrangements were obtained by B3LYP/6-31G calculations. Theoretical results are in good agreement with experimental data and provide a quantitative analysis of the origins of boat preferences that are observed in some of these reactions.

The construction and performance of a scroll coil double-resonance probe for solid-state NMR on stationary samples is described. The advantages of the scroll coil at the high resonance frequencies of 1 H and 31 P include: high efficiency, minimal perturbations of tuning by a wide range of samples, minimal RF sample heating of high dielectric samples of biopolymers in aqueous solution, and excellent RF homogeneity. The incorporation of a cable tie cinch for mechanical stability of the scroll coil is described. Experimental results obtained on a Hunter Killer Peptide 1 (HKP1) interacting with phospholipid bilayers of varying lipid composition demonstrate the capabilities of this probe on lossy aqueous samples.

Intramolecular cycloadditions between cyclobutadiene and olefins can provide highly functionalized cyclobutene-containing products. The outcome of the reaction depends on the nature of the tether connecting the two reactive partners in the cycloaddition. Electronically unactivated olefins attached to cyclobutadiene through a three-atom, heteroatom-containing tether yield successfully the desired cycloadducts, whereas the corresponding substrates without a heteroatom linkage or with a longer tether are less prone to undergo the intramolecular cycloaddition. Calculations were used to help uncover some of the factors that influence the course of the cycloaddition. Successful intramolecular reactions usually require either electronic activation of the dienophile, conformational restriction of the tether, or a slower oxidation protocol. In general, a facile intermolecular dimerization of cyclobutadiene is the major process that competes with the intramolecular cycloaddition.