1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylide with ethene and 2-butene: a computational study

B3LYP/6-311 + G(d,p) has been used to calculate the relative energies and geometrical parameters of the respective reactants, transition states, and cycloadducts from the cycloadditions of azomethine ylide and ethene, (Z)-2-butene, and (E)-2-butene. The half-chair (envelope) transition state structures are consistent with a synchronous concerted cycloaddition mechanism.