Dale E Vitale
Department of Chemistry and Physics
Kean University
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
In computational chemical research homodesmotic reactions (HDRs) are useful in isolating contributions of secondary structural features (SSCs) like Baeyer strain, resonance and aromaticity to total molecular energies. Together with experimental or computed heats of formation HDRs can also be used to help students understand the structural bases of SSCs. With computed heats of formation they also offer a vehicle for integration of computational chemistry and molecular modeling into the introductory organic chemistry curriculum. The definition, construction and the pedagogical uses of HDRs are discussed. In particular, HDRs for defining and illustrating the structural basis of aromaticity are illustrated.