The comparative quantum chemical study of the epoxidation reaction mechanism of eugenol and isoeugenol with peracetic and perbenzoic acids

Abstract

Aim. To study the kinetics of the epoxidation reaction for eugenol and isoeugenol with perbenzoic acid, carry out the comparative quantum chemical study of the epoxidation reaction mechanism of eugenol and isoeugenol isomers (2-cis and 2-trans) with peracetic and perbenzoic acids. Results and discussion. The kinetics of the epoxidation reaction of isomeric terpenoids eugenol and isoeugenol with perbenzoic acid in the medium of methylene chloride medium at 293 K was studied using the method of iodometric titration. It was shown that the rate constant of the epoxidation reaction for eugenol was in 5.5 times higher than for isoeugenol. According to the results of quantum chemical calculations using the UBH&HLYP/6-31G (d) approximation, the structures of transition states of eugenol and isoeugenol formed during the epoxidation reactions studied were proposed, and the activation energies for the corresponding reactions were calculated. Based on the results of the studies conducted it was found that the ratio of the activation energies during the interaction of eugenol and isoeugenol with peracetic and perbenzoic acids showed the higher reactivity of isoeugenol. Experimental part. To study the kinetics of the epoxidation reaction the method of iodometric titration was used. The method of the functional density (software Gaussian 09, approximation UBH&HLYP/6-31G (d)) was applied for calculation. Conclusions. The results of the quantum chemical study of the epoxidation reaction mechanism of eugenol and isoeugenol are consistent with the kinetic data experimentally obtained; it confirms the correctness of using the UBH&HLYP/6-31G (d) approximation for studying the features of epoxidation of isomeric terpenoids with organic peracids.

Keywords

• terpenoids
• quantum chemical research
• reaction mechanism
• reaction kinetics
• epoxidation
• peracetic acid
• perbenzoic acid