The Conservation of Orbital Symmetry
by R. B. Woodward, R. Hoffmann
Category: Science

The Conservation of Orbital Symmetry examines the principle of conservation of orbital symmetry and its use. The central content of the principle was that reactions occur readily when there is congruence between orbital symmetry characteristics of reactants and products, and only with difficulty when that congruence does not obtain—or to put it more succinctly, orbital symmetry is conserved in concerted reaction. This principle is expected to endure, whatever the language in which it may be couched, or whatever greater precision may be developed in its application and extension. The book opens with a review of the elementary aspects of the molecular orbital theory of bonding. This is followed by separate chapters on correlation diagrams, the conservation of orbital symmetry, theory of electrocyclic reactions, theory of cycloadditions and cycloreversions, and theory of sigmatropic reactions. Subsequent chapters deal with group transfers and eliminations; secondary conformational effects in concerted cycloaddition reactions; and generalized selection rules for pericyclic reactions.