Cycloaddition reactions of ICNO

The mechanism and selectivity of cycloaddition reactions of iodonitrile oxide, ICNO, have been studied with theoretical methods for the first time using MR-AQCC coupled-cluster and B3LYP DFT methods. Calculations have predicted that the favoured ICNO dimerisation process is a multi-step reaction to diiodofuroxan involving dinitrosoethylene-like intermediates. The ICNO cycloaddition with nitriles and ethynyl derivatives is a synchronous process favouring the formation of 1,2,4-oxadiazole and 1,2-oxazole derivatives, respectively. The cycloaddition reactions of ICNO have been studied experimentally by generating ICNO from AgCNO and iodine. Diiodofuroxan is obtained, however, even at the presence of nitriles.