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Mechanism of the keto-enol tautomerism in radical cations and gas-phase closed-shell systems

Journal Article · · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00518a032· OSTI ID:5772956

The enol-keto tautomerism in radical cations has been considered to involve a symmetry-forbidden 1,3-hydrogen shift. An alternative process involves two consecutive 1,2-hydrogen shifts. The ..delta..H/sub f/'s of the intermediate ions formed by a 1,2-hydrogen shift in the radical cations of phenol and the enol form of acetic acid have been calculated to be 220 and 191 kcal/mol, respectively. These ..delta..H/sub f/'s indicate barriers to the keto-enol tautomerism via two consecutive 1,2-hydrogen shifts of 50 and 47 kcal/mol, respectively, in good agreement with previously determined experimental values of 55 and 51 +- 10 kcal/mol, respectively. The tautomerism in the closed-shell systems 1-butene reversible 2-butene, vinyl alcohol reversible acetaldehyde, H/sub 2/C==O/sup +/CH/sub 3/ reversible H/sub 3/CO/sup +/==CH/sub 2/, and CH/sub 3/CH==O/sup +/CH/sub 3/ reversible CH/sub 3/CH/sub 2/O/sup +/==CH/sub 2/ is discussed in terms of two consecutive 1,2-hydrogen shifts.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Berkeley
OSTI ID:
5772956
Journal Information:
J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 101:24; ISSN JACSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English