Computational study on the addition of HCN to methanimine catalyzed by formamidine and formamide

In this paper, we have carried out a theoretical study on the addition of HCN to methanimine with formamidine or formamide using second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation (MP2) method with 6-31 + G(d,p) basis sets. At MP2 level. a high-energy, intermediate has been located for each pathway. The addition of HCN to methanimine with formamidine has the lowest free energy barrier according to the calculations at MP2 level. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved