title: Distinguishing the early and late transition states and exploring the validity of sigma --> sigma*#, sigma# --> sigma*, and sigma --> pi*(C=O) concepts in diastereoselection from NBO analysis.
abstract: Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis of several early TSs does not support the sigma --> sigma*# hypothesis. The sigma --> pi*(C=O) interaction controls the carbonyl pyramidalization that, in turn, controls the pi-selectivity of a nucleophilic addition. In contrast, late TSs are devoid of sigma --> pi*(C=O) interactions, and they benefit from sigma --> sigma*# interactions that control pi-selectivity. The evidence in favor of Anh-Felkin's sigma# --> sigma* hypothesis is weak. The electron-withdrawing sigma(C-F) in the 2-fluoropropanal-LiCN TS did not align anti to the incipient bond even though there was complete conformational freedom. The initial guess for the TS in which sigma(C-F) was held anti to sigma# optimized to what had lost the said geometrical relationship. Furthermore, in the TS for axial addition of LiCN to 2-ax-F-cyclohexanone, the net sigma --> sigma*# interaction was considerably larger than the net sigma# --> sigma* interaction. The relative TS energies require that the equatorial addition of LiCN to 2-ax-F-cyclohexanone be favored over the axial addition in good compliance with the available experimental results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur-208016, India. vijendra@iitk.ac.in
authors.forename: Veejendra K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Rengarajan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balamurugan
authors.forename: Vardhineedi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sriramurthy
authors.forename: Naganabonia Vijaya
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Kumar