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Computational Approaches to Reaction Mechanisms

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Computational and Theoretical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 769

Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
Interests: reaction mechanism; computational chemistry; homogeneous catalysis; organometallic; redox chemistry; hypervalent iodine; borane chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on recent advances in computational approaches for studying chemical reaction mechanisms. Contributions exploring quantum chemical calculations, molecular simulations, and data-driven methods for understanding reaction pathways and reactivity are welcome. The aim is to provide mechanistic insight that supports reaction design, prediction, and development across organic, catalytic, and related areas of chemistry.

Dr. Kaveh Farshadfar
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • computational chemistry
  • reaction mechanisms
  • density functional theory
  • machine learning
  • molecular modeling
  • structure–reactivity relationships

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

9 pages, 1667 KB  
Article
Unveiling the Molecular Mechanism of n-Bromobutane Synthesis Experiment: A DFT Study for Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Teaching
by Xiaobing Lan, Yong Zhao, Dongyi Hong, Rongkun Ouyang, Jiawei Li and Jun Chen
Molecules 2026, 31(10), 1690; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31101690 - 16 May 2026
Viewed by 482
Abstract
The synthesis of n-bromobutane from n-butanol is a classic undergraduate organic chemistry experiment, primarily intended to illustrate the bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) mechanism. However, this experiment is commonly plagued by low yields and the formation of byproducts (e.g., n-butene and di-n-butyl [...] Read more.
The synthesis of n-bromobutane from n-butanol is a classic undergraduate organic chemistry experiment, primarily intended to illustrate the bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) mechanism. However, this experiment is commonly plagued by low yields and the formation of byproducts (e.g., n-butene and di-n-butyl ether), which confuse students. To reveal the molecular origin of these competitive pathways, this study employs density functional theory (DFT) calculations to systematically investigate the reaction mechanism under acid catalysis. Four potential reaction pathways were explored: SN2 substitution, E2 elimination, intermolecular etherification, and a high-energy E2 pathway. The computational results indicate that the SN2 pathway to n-bromobutane is kinetically and thermodynamically favorable due to its low energy barrier. In contrast, the E2 elimination pathway possesses a higher energy barrier (18.8 kcal/mol vs. 13.5 kcal/mol for SN2), explaining why elevated temperatures favor the formation of n-butene. Moreover, the etherification pathway was found to be the most energetically demanding, consistent with the trace amounts of di-n-butyl ether observed experimentally. These findings provide a quantitative molecular-level rationale for the strict temperature control and standardized reagent addition sequences in the laboratory protocol. By visualizing the potential energy surfaces, this computational approach bridges the gap between theoretical mechanism and practical operation, offering a valuable pedagogical tool for enhancing student understanding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Approaches to Reaction Mechanisms)
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