Ring strain energies: substituted rings, norbornanes, norbornenes and norbornadienes

Ring strain energies (RSEs) are predicted using homodesmotic reactions at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory. Substituents are conserved in the acyclic reference and any difference in energy between the ring and the acyclic reference corresponds exclusively to RSE. Small rings are stabilized by alkyl substituents and this stabilization decreases as the size of the ring increases. There is a destabilization of medium sized rings. Greater stabilization is found upon alkyl substitution at a double bond in an unsaturated ring and this stabilization decreases as ring size increases. The effects of cis-1,2-disubstitution on RSEs have been evaluated and indicate stabilization for both small and medium sized rings. RSEs of saturated and unsaturated polycyclic systems agree well with the RSEs derived from experimental thermochemical data. RSEs are reported for substituted norbornanes, norbornenes, and norbornadienes to complement experimental studies.