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The factors underlying the experimentally observed branching ratio (70:30) of the (1,3‐cyclohexadiene) CHD → HT (1,3,5‐hexatriene) photochemical ring‐opening reaction are investigated. The ring‐opening reaction path is optimized by a high‐level multi‐reference DFT method and the density along the path is analyzed by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and stress tensor methods. The performed density analysis suggests that, in both S1 and S0 electronic states, there exists an attractive interaction between the ends of the fissile σ‐bond of CHD that steers the ring‐opening reaction predominantly in the direction of restoration of the ring. It is suggested that opening of the ring and formation of the reaction product (HT) can only be achieved when there is a sufficient persistent nuclear momentum in the direction of stretching of the fissile bond. As this orientation of the nuclear momentum vector can be expected relatively rare during the dynamics, this explains the observed low quantum yield of the ring‐opening reaction. Experimentally observed branching ratio (70:30) of the (1,3‐cyclohexadiene) CHD → HT (1,3,5‐hexatriene) photochemical ring‐opening reaction is investigated by first‐principles calculations and next‐generation quantum theory of atoms in molecules. It is suggested that opening of the ring and formation of the reaction product can only be achieved when there is a sufficient persistent nuclear momentum in the direction of stretching of the fissile bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vector‐based representation of the chemical bond is introduced, which we refer to as the bond‐path framework set B = {p, q, r}, where p, q, and r represent 3 eigenvector‐following paths with corresponding lengths H*, H, and the familiar quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) bond‐path length (BPL). The intended application of B is for molecules subjected to various types of reactions and distortions, including photoisomerization reactions, applied torsions θ, or normal modes of vibration. The lengths H* and H of the eigenvector‐following paths are constructed using the e1 and e2 Hessian eigenvectors, respectively, along the bond path, these corresponding to the least and most preferred directions of charge density accumulation. In particular, the paths p and q provide a vector representation of the scalar QTAIM ellipticity ε. The bond‐path framework set B is applied to the excited state deactivation of fulvene that involves distortions along various intramolecular degrees of freedom, such as the bond stretching/compression of bond‐length alternation and bond torsion distortions. We find that the H* and H lengths can differentiate between the ground and excited electronic states, in contrast to the QTAIM BPL. Five unique paths were presented for B= {(p0,p1), (q0,q1), r} for the ground and first excited states where the profile of the scaling factor, the ellipticity ε, reveals a large unexpected asymmetry for the excited state. A "next‐generation" quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) is introduced to analyze all types of bonding in molecules subjected to various types of reactions and distortions, including photoisomerization reactions, applied torsions θ, or normal modes of vibration. The double‐bond isomerization of fulvene is used as test model for this "next‐generation" QTAIM approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]