The volumes of reaction determined for the hypothetical
cyclization of 1-alkenes to cycloalkanes
decrease continuously from the formation of cyclopropane
(ΔV
R = −5.5 cm3
mol-1) up to the formation of
cyclodecane (ΔV
R = −32.3 cm3
mol-1) and seem to be constant for the larger
rings. The analysis of the
packing coefficients (η = V
W/V)
leads to the conclusion that this ring-size dependent decrease in
volume
results from the different packing of cyclic and acyclic compounds
rather than from the changes in their intrinsic
molecular volumes. The investigation of the intramolecular
Diels−Alder reactions of (E)-1,3,8-nonatriene
(E)-1 and (E)-1,3,9-decatriene
(E)-2 leading to the
bicyclo[4.3.0]nonenes cis- and
trans-4
(ΔV
⧧/ΔV
R
[cm3
mol-1] −24.8/−32.0 and −24.8/−28.5,
respectively) or bicyclo[4.4.0]decenes cis- and
trans-6 (−37.6/−45.4
and −35.0/−37.4, respectively) confirms the ring-size dependence of
the activation and reaction volumes.
The dependence of the effect of pressure from the number of newly
forming rings is illustrated with the
thermolysis of (Z)-1,3,8-nonatriene
(Z)-1 in which an intramolecular Diels−Alder
reaction leading to bicyclo[4.3.0]nonene cis-4 competes with a
sigmatropic [1,5] hydrogen shift leading to
(E,Z)-1,5,7-nonatriene 7. The
use of high pressure causes a reversal of selectivity.