Figure 1
(Left) The minimum-energy path for the addition of a hydride ion to formaldehyde. The points A, B, C, D, E correspond to H−⋯C distances of 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.5 and 1.12 Å, respectively, for which the calculated binding energies (relative to infinitely separated H− + CH2O) are 19.4, 21.2, 26.7, 39.9 and 48.4 kcal mol−1, respectively. The dashed and dotted curves show paths that are 0.6 and 6.0 kcal mol−1 higher than the minimum-energy path. (Right) Energy profiles for lateral angular displacements out of the XZ plane. Reprinted with permission from Bürgi et al. (1974), copyright (1974) Elsevier. |