The energetics and structural properties of 1,3-dithiane
(1), 2-phenyl-1,3-dithiane (2), and their
corresponding
axial and equatorial 2-lithio derivatives have been probed by using
density functional theory (DFT) at the Becke3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. In agreement with the
experimental observations, a very high preference for the equatorial
orientation
of the C−Li bond is calculated, the calculated energy difference
between 1-Li-ax and 1-Li-eq being 14.2
kcal·mol-1
and the calculated energy difference between 2-Li-ax and
2-Li-eq being 4.10
kcal·mol-1. Population analysis
indicates
high positive charge at lithium and small C−Li Wiberg bond indexes in
these 1,3-dithianyllithiums, suggesting an
ionic rather than covalent nature for the C−Li bond. The
collected structural data are in line with the expectation
that nC → σ*S
-
C
hyperconjugation stabilizes the equatorial isomers, whereas
nC/nS repulsive orbital
interactions
destabilize the axial isomers. Nevertheless, coordination of
equatorial lithium by the ring sulfurs is apparent in the
computed contact ion pairs for 1-Li-eq and
2-Li-eq. An interesting structure was predicted for the
axial form of
2-lithio-2-phenyl-1,3-dithiane wherein the lithium is bonded to C(2),
Cipso, Cortho, and one of the ring sulfurs, in
a
highly delocalized system in the case of the minimum energy
isomer.