“…In order to evaluate the geometrical and energetic effects of protonation on the electrocyclization, , we first carried out ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory, , and the second-order Møller−Plesset perturbation, using 1,4-pentadien-3-one (divinyl ketone) 7 as a simple model (Chart ). Although the intermediacy of the O -monoprotonated divinyl ketones such as 8 is well-established in the Nazarov-type cyclization, , we assume here a hypothetical O,O -diprotonation of the divinyl ketone (i.e., 9 ) in order to consider the effect of O,O -diprotonation on geometry and energy. Previous studies showed that several stationary structures of neutral 1,4-pentadien-3-one (divinyl ketone) 7 and O -protonated 1,4-pentadien-3-one 8 are possible.…”