Determination of Reactivities by MO Theory (XI). Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions of N-Acetylpyrrolidone

MO theoretical studies on the conformation and the acid-catalyzed nucleophilic substitution of N-acetylpyperidone were carried out by EHT, CNDO/2 and the orbital mixing analytical methods. MO calculations show that the most preferred conformation is the half-chair, cis-trans form and the protonation occurs most readily on the acetyl carbonyl oxygen. These results were interpreted in terms of conjugative, electrostatic and steric effect. From orbital mixing analysis, we found also that the reactivity of protonated carbonyl carbon is greatly enhanced due to increase in positive charge (for charge controlled reaction) of the carbonyl carbon atom. Accordingly, the acetyl cleavage will be preferred in the nucleophilic substitution (acid-catalyzed hydrolysis) to the ring cleavage.