Quantum Tunneling in Reactions Modulated by External Electric Fields: Reactivity and Selectivity.

Quantum tunneling and external electric fields (EEFs) can promote some reactions. However, the synergetic effect of an EEF on a tunneling-involving reaction and its temperature-dependence is not very clear. In this study, we extensively investigated how EEFs affect three reactions that involve hydrogen- or (ground- and excited-state) carbon-tunneling using reliable DFT, DLPNO-CCSD(T1), and variational transition-state theory methods. Our study revealed that oriented EEFs can significantly reduce the barrier and corresponding barrier width (and vice versa ) through more electrostatic stabilization in transition states. These EEF effects enhance the nontunneling and tunneling-involving rates. Such EEF effects also decrease the crossover temperatures and quantum tunneling contribution, albeit with lower and thinner barriers. Moreover, EEFs can modulate and switch on/off the tunneling-driven 1,2-H migration of hydroxycarbenes under cryogenic conditions. Furthermore, our study predicts for the first time that EEF/tunneling synergy can control the chemo- or site-selectivity of one molecule bearing two similar/same reactive sites.