Ab Initio Predictions of the Gas-Phase Acidities of Diazirine and Diazomethane*

Absolute gas-phase acidities of diazirine, diazomethane, dimethylamine, ethylamine and methylamine have been obtained with ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the G2 and G2(MP2) levels of theory. Values at the G2 and G2(MP2) levels are all within 1 kJ mol-1 of one another. The calculated gas-phase acidities for diazomethane, dimethylamine, ethylamine and methylamine (and other reference molecules considered) are all within 3 kJ mol-1 of experiment. For diazirine the calculated result, although consistent with experiment, would suggest an acidity towards the lower end of the range of possible experimental values.