Quantum Chemistry Study of Hydrolysis Mechanism of 1,2-Thiazetidine 1,1-Dioxide

The hydrolysis of 1,2-thiazetidine 1,1-dioxide has been studied by using ab initio and density functional theory at HF/6-31G*, MP2/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* levels, showing there exist two potential theoretical products. One is N-ethyl amino-methyl sulfonate (P1) in which breaking of bond S–C is concerted, the other is 2-taurine methyl ester (P2) which involves two reaction processes with two different mechanisms: concerted and stepwise. There are two pathways of a and b in stepwise, and the former is the lowest in energy barrier in the hydrolysis of 1,2-thiazetidine 1,1-dioxide. The energy barriers of water-assisted hydrolysis of 1,2-thiazetidine 1,1-dioxide are obviously lower than those of no-water-assisted hydrolysis. Solvent effects have been considered by means of a polarizable continuum model (PCM).