A THEORETICAL-ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE AND ELECTRONIC-PROPERTIES OF 2-NITROPHENYLCYANATE AND 2-NITROPHENYLTHIOCYANATE

Molecular orbital calculations are reported on the structure and elect ronic properties of both 2-nitrophenylcyanate and 2-nitrophenylthiocya nate using both the semiempirical AM1 and PM3 methods and the ab initi o 3-21G and 6-31G* basis sets. The resulting structures are compared with crystallographic data where available. The marked difference in b iological activity observed between the two molecules appears to be at tributable to large differences in their electronic properties rather than to any geometric factors. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.