Orbital phase control of the conformations of α- and β-substituted enamines and vinyl ethers

Abstract.

The conformational stabilities of the α- and β-substituted enamines and vinyl ethers were predicted by orbital phase theory and confirmed by ab initio molecular orbital calculations. Cyclic interaction significantly occurs among the nonbonding orbital n _Y for the lone pair on the hetero atom Y (N in the enamines or O in the ethers), the π and π* orbitals of the CC bond, and the σ_C-H or σ*_C-X orbitals on the substituent CH₂X. The cyclic -n _Y-π-σ_C-H-π*- interaction is favored by the orbital phase continuity in the α-substituted molecules, while the cyclic -n _Y-π-σ*_C-X-π*- interaction is favored in the β-substituted molecules. The most stable conformation was then predicted to be synperiplanar or (pseudo)equatorial in the α-substituted molecules and anticlinical or (pseudo)axial in the β-substituted molecules.