A comprehensive theoretical study of nine classical caged polycycloalkanes (tetrahedrane, prismane, homoprismane, quadricyclane, cubane, pentaprismane, hexaprismane, adamantane and diamantane) was carried out with special focus on the structural behavior of their J(C,C) values calculated at the SOPPA level. The structural behavior of J(C,C) in small carbocages is dominated by steric strain whereas in medium-sized polycycloalkanes the J(C,C) values show no marked peculiarities and follow several well-defined structural trends typical of other alicyclic compounds.
Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.