F. Taddei, Erich Kleinpeter

• The relative energy of conformers, DeltaE, of monosubstituted cyclohexanes with OR (R = Me, Et, i-Pr and t-Bu) and R substituents (R = Me, Et, i-Pr and t-Bu) was calculated with MO ab initio theory at RHF, MP2 and QCISD levels with the 6-311G* and 6-311 + G* basis sets. A selected group of delocalizing interactions were calculated with the natural bond orbital method in order to quantify the hyperconjugative contribution, DeltaE(hyp.), to the relative stability of conformers. From the calculated values of DeltaE and DeltaE(hyp.) an estimate of the differential steric effect, DeltaE(ster.), of substituents in cyclohexane was obtained. The values of DeltaE(hyp), and DeltaE(ster.) show that they have a similar magnitude for OR substituents, while for R substituents the values of are greater. The shift in the conformational equilibrium towards the axial conformer, the so-called anomeric effect, takes place when, within a series of substituents, hyperconjugative interactions and steric interactions balance in favour of the stability ofThe relative energy of conformers, DeltaE, of monosubstituted cyclohexanes with OR (R = Me, Et, i-Pr and t-Bu) and R substituents (R = Me, Et, i-Pr and t-Bu) was calculated with MO ab initio theory at RHF, MP2 and QCISD levels with the 6-311G* and 6-311 + G* basis sets. A selected group of delocalizing interactions were calculated with the natural bond orbital method in order to quantify the hyperconjugative contribution, DeltaE(hyp.), to the relative stability of conformers. From the calculated values of DeltaE and DeltaE(hyp.) an estimate of the differential steric effect, DeltaE(ster.), of substituents in cyclohexane was obtained. The values of DeltaE(hyp), and DeltaE(ster.) show that they have a similar magnitude for OR substituents, while for R substituents the values of are greater. The shift in the conformational equilibrium towards the axial conformer, the so-called anomeric effect, takes place when, within a series of substituents, hyperconjugative interactions and steric interactions balance in favour of the stability of this conformer. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved…