Figure 3.3

In this figure we see selected stationary points and molecular orbitals for the controtatory 4-pi-electrocyclic ring closure of (E,E)-hexa-2,4-diene.
The starting point of this reaction is (E,E)-hexa-2,4-diene:

cb_005.mol

and the corresponding Gaussian input file for this compound in its cis-conformation is:

#p b3lyp/6-31G(d,p) int=finegrid freq pop=npa                         

cb_005 b3lyp/6-31G(d,p) opt TS

0 1
C,0,0.0766130374,0.7297164659,0.7646202356
C,0,-0.116808485,1.5478211981,-0.2812899902
C,0,0.116808485,-1.5478211978,-0.2812899917
C,0,-0.0766130374,-0.7297164666,0.7646202349
H,0,0.3562656452,1.1761527996,1.7202213391
H,0,-0.3562656452,-1.1761528012,1.720221338
C,0,0.0824087089,3.0338425878,-0.2573432823
H,0,-0.8383793058,3.5658922008,-0.5296214102
H,0,0.3970851365,3.3823588517,0.7310329642
H,0,0.84554325,3.344855093,-0.9830423662
C,0,-0.0824087089,-3.0338425875,-0.2573432851
H,0,0.8383793058,-3.5658922003,-0.5296214135
H,0,-0.3970851365,-3.3823588523,0.7310329611
H,0,-0.84554325,-3.3448550921,-0.9830423693
H,0,-0.4525255232,1.1205374846,-1.2264120502
H,0,0.4525255232,-1.1205374834,-1.2264120512


The preferred transition state for this electrocyclic ring closure indicates a preference for conrotatory movement of the reaction centers:

cb_006_invts.mol

The corresponding Gaussian input file for the transition state is:

#p b3lyp/6-31G(d,p) int=finegrid freq pop=npa                         

cb_006 b3lyp/6-31G(d,p) opt TS

0 1
 C                  1.02012000   -0.14166100   -0.35499100
 C                  0.68235400    1.22141100   -0.07890400
 H                  1.39178700    2.03385700    0.07685500
 C                 -1.02012000   -0.14166000    0.35499100
 C                 -0.68235400    1.22141100    0.07890400
 H                 -1.39178600    2.03385700   -0.07685500
 C                  2.27949500   -0.82145000    0.12241700
 H                  3.11761600   -0.61755900   -0.56110000
 H                  2.15617300   -1.90932500    0.14893400
 H                  2.57764700   -0.48887000    1.12124000
 C                 -2.27949500   -0.82144900   -0.12241700
 H                 -2.15615900   -1.90932200   -0.14896900
 H                 -2.57766700   -0.48884300   -1.12122500
 H                 -3.11760700   -0.61759200    0.56112100
 H                  0.59433100   -0.56791100   -1.25756300
 H                 -0.59433100   -0.56791100    1.25756200


Trans-3,4-dimethylcyclobutene is the reaction product:

cb_003_inv.mol

and the corresponding Gaussian input file for this compound is:

#p b3lyp/6-31G(d,p) int=finegrid freq pop=npa                         

cb_003 b3lyp/6-31G(d,p) opt min

0 1
 C                 -0.57213900    1.32080300    0.34759700
 C                 -0.67245000   -0.19679500    0.41683700
 C                  0.67245200   -0.19679500   -0.41683900
 C                  0.57213800    1.32080600   -0.34759500
 H                 -1.21862900    2.10758700    0.72787500
 H                 -0.51799000   -0.59459200    1.42967300
 H                  1.21862600    2.10759300   -0.72787100
 C                 -1.89176800   -0.86063700   -0.21923700
 H                 -2.80097200   -0.65153500    0.35589300
 H                 -1.77210300   -1.94905000   -0.26535600
 H                 -2.05094000   -0.49264200   -1.23882000
 C                  1.89176700   -0.86063800    0.21923700
 H                  2.80097500   -0.65153600   -0.35588600
 H                  1.77210200   -1.94905100    0.26535300
 H                  2.05093500   -0.49264500    1.23882200
 H                  0.51799200   -0.59458700   -1.42967700