Mechanism for the addition of carbenoid CH2ClLi to formaldehyde

Ab initio HF/6-31G calculations have been performed for the addition mechanism of carbenoid CH2ClLi with formaldehyde in tetrahydrofuran. An early complex of formaldehyde with CH2ClLi is first formed with quite exothermic effect. Only a little activation energy of 14.6 kJ/mol is needed for the complex developing into the product through a transition state with coplanar bicyclic structure. In this process, the eletrophilic attack of carbonyl carbon of formaldehyde is more active than the nucleophilic attack of carbon of carbenoid. The exothermal effect of this addition process isupto 216.5kJ/mol.