The electronic structure of nitrilimines revisited.
A combination of density-functional theory and natural resonance theory has been used to show that a complete description of the electronic structure of nitrilimines, R(1)CNNR(2), requires four resonance structures (propargylic, allenic, 1,3-dipolar and carbenic); appropriate substituents were shown to enhance the carbene character of nitrilimines to the point where they may be considered stable carbenes.
Centre for Research in Molecular Modeling and Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Robert C
RC
Mawhinney
Heidi M
HM
Muchall
Gilles H
GH
Peslherbe