What Happens to Molecules as They React? A Valence Bond Approach to Reactivity

Sason S. Shaik*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

373 Scopus citations

Abstract

A methodology for conceptualization and construction of potential energy curves for a variety of organic reactions is presented. We suggest that in all reactions which involve covalent bond-making and bond-breaking steps, the ground potential energy curve arises from an intersection of two curves-one which is initially a ground configuration and the other an excited configuration which contains the VB “image” of the product. The curve crossing turns out to be a heuristic electronic promotion which prepares the closed shell reactants for bond reorganization. It may also be described as a switchover of two VB structures, one reactant-like, the other product-like. This behavior is shown to be general whenever at least one of the reactants is closed shell. Examples are given for nucleophilic, electrophilic, and symmetry-forbidden reactions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3692-3701
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume103
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1981
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'What Happens to Molecules as They React? A Valence Bond Approach to Reactivity'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this