A theoretical study of the Curtius rearrangement. The electronic structures and interconversions of the CHNO species

Abstract

The thermal and photochemical decomposition of formyl azide in the Curtius rearrangement has been studied by means of RHF–LCAO–MO–SCF calculations augmented by CI. The lower electronic states of carbonyl azides, carbonyl nitrenes, isocyanates, cyanates, oxazirenes, nitrile oxides (fulminates), and isofulminates are discussed on the basis of the results for formyl azide and the corresponding isomers of formula CHNO. The discovery of two nearly degenerate states of A′′ symmetry for formyl azide which may channel decomposition products directly to both isocyanates and carbonyl nitrenes explains some puzzling features of the photolytic Curtius rearrangement. The interconvertibility of the CHNO isomers (and the RCNO isomers) is discussed in terms of the energetics and intended correlations of the accessible electronic states of these species.