Triplet-pair character of the 21Ag dark state of polyenes

Alexandru G Ichert1,2, William Barford1,3

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, UK.

Related Concept Videos

Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview01:18

Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations: Structural Overview

Cycloheptatriene is a neutral monocyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon that consists of an odd number of carbon atoms and an intervening sp3 carbon in the ring. The three double bonds in the ring correspond to 6 π electrons, which is a Huckel number, and therefore satisfies the criteria of 4n + 2 π electrons. However, the intervening sp3 carbon disrupts the continuous overlap of p orbitals. As a result, cycloheptatriene is not aromatic.
Removing one hydrogen from the intervening CH2 group with both...
VSEPR Theory and the Effect of Lone Pairs04:01

VSEPR Theory and the Effect of Lone Pairs

Effect of Lone Pairs of Electrons on Molecule Geometry
Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals II03:35

Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals II

sp3d and sp3d 2 Hybridization
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Woodward–Fieser Rules01:29

UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Woodward–Fieser Rules

UV–Visible absorption spectra of conjugated dienes arise from the lowest energy π → π* transitions. The light-absorbing part of the molecule is called the chromophore, and the substituents directly attached to the chromophore are called auxochromes. A strong correlation exists between the absorption maxima, λmax, and the structure of a conjugated π system. The Woodward–Fieser rules predict the value of λmax for a given structure by adding the contributions...
[3,3] Sigmatropic Rearrangement of 1,5-Dienes: Cope Rearrangement01:21

[3,3] Sigmatropic Rearrangement of 1,5-Dienes: Cope Rearrangement

The Cope rearrangement is classified as a [3,3] sigmatropic shift in 1,5-dienes, leading to a more stable, isomeric 1,5-diene. The reaction involves a concerted movement of six electrons, four from two π bonds and two from a σ bond, via an energetically favorable chair-like transition state.
Woodward–Hoffmann Selection Rules and Microscopic Reversibility01:34

Woodward–Hoffmann Selection Rules and Microscopic Reversibility

Electrocyclic reactions, cycloadditions, and sigmatropic rearrangements are concerted pericyclic reactions that proceed via a cyclic transition state. These reactions are stereospecific and regioselective. The stereochemistry of the products depends on the symmetry characteristics of the interacting orbitals and the reaction conditions. Accordingly, pericyclic reactions are classified as either symmetry-allowed or symmetry-forbidden. Woodward and Hoffmann presented the selection criteria for...