Reaction path Hamiltonian analysis of dynamical solvent effects for a Claisen rearrangement and a Diels Alder reaction

The solvent effects for a Claisen rearrangement and a Diels-Alder reaction are investigated. Electronic structure methods are used to generate the frequencies, couplings, and curvatures along the minimum energy paths for these reactions in the gas phase and in the presence of two water molecules. The geometries and charge distributions along the minimum energy paths are analyzed to determine the structural and electrostatic roles of the water molecules. Reactive flux molecular dynamics methods based on a reaction path Hamiltonian are used to calculate the dynamical transmission coefficients, which account for recrossings of the transition state. The transmission coefficients for the Claisen rearrangement are nearly unity both in the gas phase and in the presence of two water molecules. The transmission coefficients for the Diels-Alder reaction are 0.95 and 0.89 in the gas phase and in the presence of two water molecules, respectively. These differences in the transmission coefficients are explained in terms of the locations and magnitudes of the curvature peaks along the reaction path, as well as the shape of the potential energy along the reaction coordinate near the transition state. Analysis of the dynamical trajectories provides insight into the dynamical role of the water molecules and elucidates possible reaction mechanisms. I