COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF THE MECHANISM OF ISOMERIZATION OF ALLYL ALCOHOL INTO HOMOALLYL ALCOHOL BY LITHIUM AMIDE

Pathways for lithium amide catalyzed isomerization of lithiated allyl alcohol into lithiated homoallyl alcohol have been calculated using se miempirical (PM3). ab initio (HF, MP2) and DFT (B3LYP) methods. The re arrangement takes place in heterodimer complexes in which the two lith iums play different roles in different pathways via intermediates. In the proton transfer transition states the proton is about half transfe rred between carbon and nitrogen.