A theoretical study of the regioselectivity of the reaction of six-membered and five-membered nitrones with a series of substituted alkenes

The experimentally observed regioselectivity of a series of alkenes reactions with some nitrones has been thoroughly investigated theoretically using density functional theory (DFT) B3lyp/6-31G(d) level of theory. Both Fukui and Parr indices have been calculated to explain and show the most reactive sites. The electrostatic surface potential has also been studied and analyzed in order to show the positive and negative regions responsible of the possible interaction between the two studied reactants. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental findings.