We present the first generation and spectroscopic identification of the higher-lying E conformer of the simplest aromatic carboxylic acid, benzoic acid (1a), as its O-deuterated isotopologue (E)-d(1)-1a using matrix-isolation techniques; the parent (E)-1a could not be observed because of fast H-tunneling to the more stable conformer (Z)-1a. Even deuterated (E)-d(1)-1a converts quickly back to (Z)-d(1)-1a through D-tunneling with a half-life (τ) of ∼12 min in Ar at 11 K. Tunneling computations using an Eckart barrier in conjunction with a CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//MP2/cc-pVDZ + ZPVE intrinsic reaction path revealed that τ of (E)-1a is only ∼10(-5) min, in marked contrast to those of simple aliphatic acids, which are in the range of minutes. The electronic substituent effects on D-tunneling in para-substituted benzoic acid derivatives (p-X-PhCOOD, d(1)-1) were systematically studied in Ar matrices at 11 K to derive the first Hammett relationships for atom tunneling. σ-Electron donors (X = alkyl) increase the half-life of d(1)-1, while σ-acceptor/π-donor groups (X = OD, NH(2), halogen) and to an even greater extent a σ-/π-acceptor group (X = NO(2)) decrease τ. The latter finding is in line with the smaller E-to-Z reaction barriers and narrower reaction widths for the isomerization. Tunneling substituent constants (σ(t)) for this conformational isomerization were derived experimentally and computationally.
Unusual and novel polycyclic cyclooctatrienes, fenestradienes, and fenestrenes form readily from trienynes depending on the structure of the starting trienynes and the reaction conditions. The experimentally observed high torquoselectivities and complete diastereoselectivities of the 8pi-electrocyclization products have been thoroughly studied using density functional computations at B3PW91/6-31G(d,p). The different P- and M-helical topologies for the Mobius aromatic transition structures are the origin of the observed torquoselectivities in the cyclooctatrienes. The P-helical topologies direct the newly formed single bonds into a favorable equatorial position of the neighboring cycloalkane moieties (X = ring size) that retain their most stable conformation. The M-helical transition structures lead to an axial connection for the smaller rings (X = 4-6) and an equatorial connection for the seven- and eight-membered cycloalkanes. This leads to unfavorable conformations for the larger cycloalkane moieties. Experiments and computations show that for trienynes involving small neighboring cycloalkane groups (X = 4-6) M-helical topology is preferred toward cyclooctatrienes and in the following the corresponding fenestradienes can be formed as kinetic or even thermodynamic products; they convert to their more stable cyclooctatriene valence isomers derived from P-helical transition structures at higher temperatures. For larger cycloalkane moieties with more conformational flexibility only cyclooctatrienes with torquoselectivities derived from P-helical transition structures form.
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