SN2 reactions in the gas phase. Transition states for the reaction: Cl− + RBr = ClR + Br−, where R = CH3, C2H5, and iso-C3H7, from abinitio calculations and comparison with experiment. Solvent effects

Abstract

The geometries and the energies of the reactants, transition state, and products for the gas phase reaction: Cl− + CH3Br = ClCH3 + Br−, were obtained from abinitio calculations using a closed shell SCF method with a MINI basis set developed by Huzinaga etal. The energy changes predicted by the calculations are found in good agreement with the experimental data. The energies and geometries of the reactants and the transition state for the gas phase reactions: Cl− + RBr = ClR + Br−, where R = C2H5 and iso-C3H7, were also obtained. The resulting activation energies follow the same trend as the experimental data: Me < Et < iso-Pr; however, the predicted increase of activation energy is considerably larger. The energies and geometries for the reactants, transition state, and products of the gas phase ion-dihydrate reaction: Cl−(H2O)2 + CH3Br → H2O(ClCH3Br)−H2O → Br−(H2O)2 + CH3Cl were obtained as well. These data provide an interesting comparison with experimental results in aqueous solution. The reaction coordinate of the ion-dihydrate reaction is very much closer to that for aqueous solution than to that for the gas phase. Keywords: nucleophilic substitution reactions, ion–molecule reactions, activation energy.