The 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Nitrile Oxide to Vinylacetic Acid: Computational Study of Transition States Selectivity, Solvent Effects, and Bicyclo Formation

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction is a powerful tool for the cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to olefins, and this reaction is of considerable interest to obtain isoxazolines. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to study the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction mechanism that initially occurs between benzonitrile oxide and vinylacetic acid to yield a bicyclo, from successive cycloadditions. PBE1PBE, B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP functionals were used together with 6-311+G(2d,p) basis set. CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2d,p) calculations were done to compare the DFT energy barriers. The solvent effects were inc...