global and local reactivity descriptors for picloram herbicide: a theoretical quantum study

In this work, we studied the reactivity of picloram in the aqueous phase at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) and MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) levels of theory through global and local reactivity descriptors. The results obtained at the MP2 level indicate that the cationic form of picloram exhibits the highest hardness while the anionic form is the most nucleophilic. From the Fukui function values, the most reactive site for electrophilic and free radical attacks are on the nitrogen in the pyridine ring. The more reactive sites for nucleophilic attacks are located on the nitrogen atom of the amide group and on the carbon atoms located at positions 2 and 3 in the pyridine ring.