Abstract
The electrophilic addition reactions of methylsulfenyl chloride to the double bonds of functionalized ethenes have been studied theoretically. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been applied for starting species and ethene‐based sulfonium intermediates bearing substitutes at α‐carbon atom to study geometrical parameters and electronic states of plausible intermediate forms. The quantum chemical optimizations of intermediates indicate that the episulfonium ion is the most likely methyl‐ or carboxyl‐substituted ethane‐based intermediate. However, with phenyl substituents the intermediate is more like a carbonium than an episulfonium ion. The role of sulfur appears to be that of directing the stereochemistry of the addition reaction of chloride, forming the trans product upon nucleophilic attack on the C—C bond of the episulfonium ion. The regioselectivity features of the opening of the episulfonium ion by the chloride anion depend on the LUMO and LUMO+1 of the episulfonium ion and the approaching HOMO of chlorine. The results of the theoretical investigations are in agreement with experiment. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 18:695–703, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20378