On the formation of the CH2CH2CH = NH2+ distonic radical cation upon ionization of cyclopropylamine and allylamine

Ab initio molecular orbital and density functional theory calculations have been applied to determine the relative stability of the cyclopropylamine 1 and allylamine (CH2 = CHCH2NH2+ 2) radical cations and their isomers. It is confirmed that, upon ionization, 1 undergoes barrier-free ring-opening giving the distonic species CH2CH2CH = NH2+ 3. 2 also rearranges by a 1,2-H-shift to the more stable 3 (by 70 kJ/mol) which is, however, less stable than the 1-aminopropene ion (CH3-CH = CH-NH2+ 4) by 60 kJ/mol. The transition structure TS 2/3 lies 40 kJ/mol higher in energy than TS 3/4, Although QCISD and B3LYP calculations of isotropic hyperfine coupling constants agree reasonably with observed values, supporting the presence of the distonic 3 in ESR matrix experiments, the exclusive observation of 3, but not 4, is intriguing, This emphasizes the role of the matrix in stabilizing 3. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.