A comparison of spin-orbit coupling calculated [CASSCF(6,6)/(cc-pVDZ on C,H and VDZ+P on Br] for bromomethylcarbene and methylcarbene predicts a highly unusual inverse heavy-atom effect by the Br substituent, particularly at geometries near the syn conformation. This behavior is due to a vacant 4d orbital on the Br atom acting as a weak pi-electron acceptor and overwhelming the even weaker effect of the pi-symmetry lone pair donor 4p orbital, which in itself would cause a small normal heavy-atom effect.

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Complex Molecular Systems and Biomolecules Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic 16610 Prague 6 Czech Republic

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