Elucidation of the electron transfer reduction mechanism of anthracene endoperoxides

The homogeneous and heterogeneous reductions of the endoperoxides 9,10-diphenyl-9,10-epidioxyanthracene (DPA-O2) and 9,10-dimethyl-9,10-epidioxyanthracene (DMA-O2) were investigated, and they were found to undergo a dissociative electron-transfer reduction of the O-O bond to yield a distonic radical anion, with no evidence for C-O bond dissociation. A number of thermochemical parameters for each were determined using Savéant's model for dissociative electron transfer (ET), including E degrees, DeltaG(o)++, and bond dissociation energies. The products of the ET are dependent on the mode of reduction, namely heterogeneous or homogeneous, and on the electrode potential or standard potential of the homogeneous donor, respectively. The dissociative reduction of DMA-O2 under heterogeneous and homogeneous conditions yields the corresponding 9,10-dihydroxyanthracene DMA-(OH)2, quantitatively, in an overall two-electron process. In the case of DPA-O2, ET reduction also yields the corresponding 9,10-dihydroxyanthracene DPA-(OH)2 from reduction of the distonic radical anion, but in competition with this reduction, an O-neophyl-type rearrangement occurs that generates a carbon radical with a minimum rate constant of 5.9 x 10(10) s(-1). In the presence of a sufficiently reducing medium, the carbon-centered radical is reduced (E degrees = -0.85 V vs SCE) and ultimately yields 9-phenoxy-10-phenyl anthracene (PPA). The observation of this product is remarkable. In the heterogeneous ET, the yield of DPA-(OH)2/PPA is 97:3 and allows an estimate of the rate constant for ET to the distonic radical anion. In homogeneous reductions, the O-neophyl rearrangement is quantitative, but the yield of PPA depends on the redox properties of the donor. A unified mechanism of reduction of DPA-O2 is presented to account for these observations.     

Kinetics of dissociative electron transfer to ascaridole and dihydroascaridole-model bicyclic endoperoxides of biological relevance

The homogeneous and heterogeneous electron transfer (ET) reduction of ascaridole (ASC) and dihydroascaridole (DASC), two bicyclic endoperoxides, chosen as convenient models of the bridged bicyclic endoperoxides found in biologically relevant systems, were studied in aprotic media by using electrochemical methods. ET is shown to follow a concerted dissociative mechanism that leads to the distonic radical anion, which is itself reduced in a second step by an overall two-electron process. The kinetics of homogeneous ET to these endoperoxides from an extensive series of radical anion electron donors were measured as a function of the driving force of electron transfer (deltaG(o)ET). The kinetics of heterogeneous ET were also studied by convolution analysis. Together, the heterogeneous and homogeneous ET kinetic data provide the best example of the parabolic nature of the activation-driving force relationship for a concerted dissociative ET described by Savéant; the data is particularly illustrative due to the low bond-dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of the O-O bond and hence small intrinsic barriers. Analysis of the data allowed the dissociative reduction potentials (E(o)diss) to be determined as -1.2 and -1.1 Vagainst SCE for ASC and DASC, respectively. Unusually low pre-exponential factors measured in temperature-dependent kinetic studies suggest that ET to these O-O bonded systems is nonadiabatic. Analysis of ET kinetics for ASC and DASC by the Savéant model with a modification for nonadiabaticity allowed the intrinsic free energy for ET to be determined. The use of this approach and estimates for the BDE provide approximations of the reorganization energies. We suggest the methodology described herein can be used to evaluate the extent of ET to other endoperoxides of biological relevance and to provide thermochemical data not otherwise available.     

Evidence for concerted pathways in ion-pairing coupled electron transfers

Ion-pairing with electro-inactive metal ions may change drastically the thermodynamic and kinetic reactivity of electron transfer in chemical and biochemical processes. Besides the classical stepwise pathways (electron-transfer first, followed by ion-pairing or vice versa), ion-pairing may also occur concertedly with electron transfer. The latter pathway avoids high-energy intermediates but a key issue is that of the kinetic price to pay to benefit from this thermodynamic advantage. A model is proposed leading to activation/driving force relationships characterizing such concerted associative electron transfers for intermolecular and intramolecular homogeneous reactions and for electrochemical reactions. Contrary to previous assertions, the driving force of the reaction (defined as the opposite of the reaction standard free energy), as well as the intrinsic barrier, does not depend on the concentration of the ion-pairing agent, which simply plays the role of one of the reactants. Besides solvent and intramolecular reorganization, the energy of the bond being formed is the main component of the intrinsic barrier. Application of these considerations to reactions reported in recent literature illustrates how concerted ion-pairing electron-transfer reactions can be diagnosed and how competition between stepwise and concerted pathways can be analyzed. It provided the first experimental evidence of the viability of concerted ion-pairing electron-transfer reactions.     

A unique autocatalytic process and evidence for a concerted-stepwise mechanism transition in the dissociative electron-transfer reduction of aryl thiocyanates

Electrochemical reduction of p-methyl-, p-methoxy-, and 3,5-dinitrophenyl thiocyanates as well as p-methyl- and p-methoxyphenyl disulfides was investigated in acetonitrile at an inert electrode. This series of compounds reveals a striking change in the reductive cleavage mechanism of the S-CN bond in thiocyanates as a function of the substituent on the aryl ring of the aryl thiocyanate. With nitro substituents, a stepwise mechanism, with an anion radical as the intermediate, takes place. When electron-donating groups (methyl and methoxy) are present, voltammetric as well as convolution analyses provide clear evidence for a transition between the concerted and stepwise mechanisms based on the magnitude of the transfer coefficient alpha. Moreover, a very interesting autocatalytic process is involved during the electrochemical reduction of these compounds. This process involves a nucleophilic substitution reaction on the initial aryl thiocyanate by the electrochemically generated arenethiolate ion. As a result of this unusual process, the electrochemical characteristics (peak potential and peak width) of the investigated series are concentration dependent.     

Model dialkyl peroxides of the fenton mechanistic probe 2-methyl-1-phenyl-2-propyl hydroperoxide (MPPH): kinetic probes for dissociative electron transfer

Two dialkyl peroxides, devised as kinetic probes for the heterogeneous electron transfer (ET), are studied using heterogeneous and homogeneous electrochemical techniques. The peroxides react by concerted dissociative ET reduction of the O-O bond. Under heterogeneous conditions, the only products isolated are the corresponding alcohols from a two-electron reduction as has been observed with other dialkyl peroxides studied to date. However, under homogeneous conditions, a generated alkoxyl radical undergoes a rapid beta-scission fragmentation in competition with the second ET resulting in formation of acetone and a benzyl radical. With knowledge of the rate constant for fragmentation and accounting for the diffuse double layer at the electrode interface, the heterogeneous ET rate constant to the alkoxyl radicals is estimated to be 1500 cm s(-1). The heterogeneous and homogeneous ET kinetics of the O-O bond cleavage have also been measured and examined as a function of the driving force for ET, deltaG(ET), using dissociative electron transfer theory. From both sets of kinetics, besides the evaluation of thermochemical parameters, it is demonstrated that the heterogeneous and homogeneous reduction of the O-O bond appears to be non-adiabatic.     

Theoretical and electrochemical analysis of dissociative electron transfers proceeding through formation of loose radical anion species: reduction of symmetrical and unsymmetrical disulfides

The dissociative reduction of a series of symmetrical (RSSR, R = H, Me, t-Bu, Ph) and unsymmetrical disulfides (RSSR', R = H, R' = Me and R = Ph, R' = Me, t-Bu) was studied theoretically, by MO ab initio calculations and, for five of them, also experimentally, by convolution voltammetry in N,N-dimethylformamide. The reduction is dissociative but proceeds by a stepwise mechanism entailing the formation of the radical anion species. The electrochemical data led to estimated large intrinsic barriers, in agreement with an unusually large structural modification undergone by the disulfide molecules upon electron transfer. The theoretical results refer to MP2/3-21G*//MP2/3-21G*, MP2/3-21*G*//MP2/3-21G*, CBS-4M, and G2(MP2), the latter approach being used only for the molecules of small molecular complexity. A loose radical-anion intermediate was localized and the dissociation pattern for the relevant bonds analyzed. For all compounds, the best fragmentation pathway in solution is cleavage of the S-S bond. In addition, S-S bond elongation is the major structural modification undergone by the disulfide molecule on its way to the radical anion and eventually to the fragmentation products. The calculated energy of activation for the initial electron transfer was estimated from the crossing of the energy profiles of the neutral molecule and its radical anion (in the form of Morse-like potentials) as a function of the S-S bond length coordinate. The inner intrinsic barrier obtained in this way is in good agreement with that determined by convolution voltammetry, once the solvent effect is taken into account.     

Clarification of the oxidation state of cobalt corroles in heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic reduction of dioxygen

Co(III) corroles were investigated as efficient catalysts for the reduction of dioxygen in the presence of perchloric acid in both heterogeneous and homogeneous systems. The investigated compounds are (5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole)cobalt (TPFCor)Co, (10-pentafluorophenyl-5,15-dimesitylcorrole)cobalt (F 5PhMes 2Cor)Co, and (5,10,15-trismesitylcorrole)cobalt (Mes 3Cor)Co, all of which contain bulky substituents at the three meso positions of the corrole macrocycle. Cyclic voltammetry and rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry were used to examine the catalytic activity of the compounds when adsorbed on the surface of a graphite electrode in the presence of 1.0 M perchloric acid, and this data is compared to results for the homogeneous catalytic reduction of O 2 in benzonitrile containing 10 (-2) M HClO 4. The corroles were also investigated as to their redox properties in nonaqueous media. A reversible one-electron oxidation occurs at E 1/2 values between 0.42 and 0.89 V versus SCE depending upon the solvent and number of fluorine substituents on the compounds, and this is followed by a second reversible one-electron abstraction at E 1/2 = 0.86 to 1.18 V in CH 2Cl 2, THF, or PhCN. Two reductions of each corrole are also observed in the three solvents. A linear relationship is observed between E 1/2 for oxidation or reduction and the number of electron-withdrawing fluorine groups on the compounds, and the magnitude of the substituent effect is compared to what is observed in the case of tetraphenylporphyrins containing meso -substituted C 6F 5 substituents. The electrochemically generated forms of the corrole can exist with Co(I), Co(II), or Co(IV) central metal ions, and the site of the electron-transfer in each oxidation or reduction of the initial Co(III) complex was examined by UV-vis spectroelectrochemistry. ESR characterization was also used to characterize singly oxidized (F 5PhMes 2Cor)Co, which is unambiguously assigned as a Co(III) radical cation rather than the expected Co(IV) corrole with an unoxidized macrocyclic ring.     

The role of nonbonded sulfur-oxygen interaction in the dissociative electron transfer to nitro-substituted arenesulfenyl chlorides

The electrochemical reduction of p-nitrophenyl sulfenyl chloride, o-nitrophenyl sulfenyl chloride as well as bis(4-nitrophenyl) disulfide and bis(2-dinitrophenyl) disulfide was investigated in acetonitrile at an inert electrode. Reduction standard potentials as well standard heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants have been determined using convolution analysis. An unexpected big difference in the thermodynamics and kinetics of the initial electron-transfer process as well as a striking change in the reductive cleavage mechanism of the S-Cl bond as a function of the nitro group position on the aryl ring of the aryl sulfenyl chloride is observed. A computational study at the B3LYP level shows that this difference in behavior is due to the through-space nonbonded S...O interaction in the o-nitrophenyl sulfenyl chloride.     

Regioselective bond cleavage in the dissociative electron transfer to benzyl thiocyanates: the role of radical/ion pair formation

Important aspects of the electrochemical reduction of a series of substituted benzyl thiocyanates were investigated. A striking change in the reductive cleavage mechanism as a function of the substituent on the aryl ring of the benzyl thiocyanate was observed, and more importantly, a regioselective bond cleavage was encountered. A reductive alpha-cleavage (CH(2)-S bond) was seen for cyano and nitro-substituted benzyl thiocyanates leading to the formation of the corresponding nitro-substituted dibenzyls. With other substituents (CH(3)O, CH(3), H, Cl, and F), both the alpha (CH(2)-S) and the beta (S-CN) bonds could be cleaved as a result of an electrochemical reduction leading to the formation of the corresponding substituted monosulfides, disulfides, and toluenes. These final products are generated through either a protonation or a nucleophilic reaction of the two-electron reduction-produced anion on the parent molecule. The dissociative electron transfer theory and its extension to the formation/dissociation of radical anions, as well as its extension to the case of strong in-cage interactions between the produced fragments ("sticky" dissociative electron transfer (ET)), along with the theoretical calculation results helped rationalize (i) the observed change in the ET mechanism, (ii) the dissociation of the radical anion intermediates formed during the electrochemical reduction of the nitro-substituted benzyl thiocyanates, and more importantly (iii) the regioselective reductive bond cleavage.     

A radical-anion chain mechanism initiated by dissociative electron transfer to a bicyclic endoperoxide: insight into the fragmentation chemistry of neutral biradicals and distonic radical anions

The electron-transfer (ET) reduction of two diphenyl-substituted bicyclic endoperoxides was studied in N,N-dimethylformamide by heterogeneous electrochemical techniques. The study provides insight into the structural parameters that affect the reduction mechanism of the O-O bond and dictate the reactivity of distonic radical anions, in addition to evaluating previously unknown thermochemical parameters. Notably, the standard reduction potentials and the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) were evaluated to be -0.55+/-0.15 V and 20+/-3 kcal mol(-1), respectively, the last representing some of the lowest BDEs ever reported. The endoperoxides react by concerted dissociative electron transfer (DET) reduction of the O-O bond yielding a distonic radical-anion intermediate. The reduction of 1,4-diphenyl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-ene (1) results in the quantitative formation of 1,4-diphenylcyclohex-2-ene-cis-1,4-diol by an overall two-electron mechanism. In contrast, ET to 1,4-diphenyl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (2) yields 1,4-diphenylcyclohexane-cis-1,4-diol as the major product; however, in competition with the second ET from the electrode, the distonic radical anion undergoes a beta-scission fragmentation yielding 1,4-diphenyl-1,4-butanedione radical anion and ethylene in a mechanism involving less than one electron. These observations are rationalized by an unprecedented catalytic radical-anion chain mechanism, the first ever reported for a bicyclic endoperoxide. The product ratios and the efficiency of the catalytic mechanism are dependent on the electrode potential and the concentration of weak non-nucleophilic acid. A thermochemical cycle for calculating the driving force for beta-scission fragmentation is presented, and provides insight into why the fragmentation chemistry of distonic radical anions is different from analogous neutral biradicals.     

Direct electron transfer reactions of laccases from different origins on carbon electrodes

Electrochemical studies of laccases from basidiomycetes, i.e., Trametes hirsuta, Trametes ochracea, Coriolopsis fulvocinerea, Cerrena maxima, and Cerrena unicolor, have been performed. Direct (mediatorless) electrochemistry of laccases on graphite electrodes has been investigated with cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry as well as potentiometry. For all mentioned high potential laccases direct electron transfer (DET) has been registered at spectrographic graphite and highly ordered pyrolytic graphite electrodes. The characteristics of DET reactions of the enzymes were analysed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. It is shown that the T1 site of the laccase is the primary electron acceptor, both in solution (homogenous case) and at surface of the graphite electrode (heterogeneous case). A mechanism of ET for the process of the electro-reduction of oxygen at the laccase-modified graphite electrodes is proposed and the similarity of this heterogeneous process to the laccase catalysed oxygen reduction homogeneous reaction is concluded.     

Alternating Current Electrolysis for the Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Mixed Disulfide via Sulfur–Sulfur Bond Metathesis towards Dynamic Disulfide Libraries

A novel approach of electrolysis using alternating current was applied in the sulfur–sulfur bond metathesis of symmetrical disulfides towards unsymmetrical disulfides. As initially expected, a statistical distribution in disulfides was obtained. Furthermore, the influence of electrode polarisation by alternating current was investigated on a two-disulfide matrix. The highly dynamic nature of this chemistry resulted in the creation of dynamic disulfide libraries by expansion of the matrices, consisting of up to six symmetrical disulfides. In addition, mixing of matrices and stepwise expanding of a matrix by using alternating current electrolysis were realised.     

Porous Organic Phenanthroline-Based Polymer as an Efficient Transition-Metal-Free Heterogeneous Catalyst for Direct Aromatic C−H Activation

Direct C−H bond transformation has been regarded as one of the most important areas in organic synthesis in both academia and industry. However, the heterogeneous transition-metal-free catalysis of direct C−H bond transformation has remained a contemporary challenge. To tackle this challenge, we designed and constructed a porous phenanthroline-based polymer (namely POP-Phen) via free radical polymerization of vinyl-functionalized phenanthroline monomers. POP-Phen shows excellent catalytic performances in transition-metal-free catalyzed C−H arylation, even better than those of the corresponding homogeneous catalyst, which is mainly attributed to the high density of catalytically active sites in the heterogeneous catalyst. Kinetic isotope experiments and spectral characterizations demonstrate the electron-transfer between the heterogeneous catalyst and the base (t-BuOK), a key step for C−H activation. We believe that this porous organic phenanthroline polymer could open a new door for the design of novel heterogeneous transition-metal-free catalysts for direct C−H activation.     

煤焦催化HCN还原NO的反应机理

通过量子化学密度泛函理论研究了均相和煤焦催化的HCN还原NO反应机理,计算了反应动力学参数。结果表明,均相还原反应的活化能为306 kJ/mol,而煤焦催化的NO还原反应的活化能为136 kJ/mol。典型再燃温度1 400 K下,HCN异相还原NO的反应速率略小于煤焦异相还原NO的反应速率;HCN参与下的煤焦异相还原NO反应较CO参与下的煤焦异相促还原NO反应更易发生。各组分的吸附顺序对HCN异相还原NO的反应有明显的影响;在典型再燃温度下,NO先吸附时煤焦表面的异相还原反应速率常数为5.28×10~(10),比HCN先吸附时最快反应路径的反应速率常数大一个数量级。煤焦对NO还原具有显著的催化作用;煤焦表面作为NO的还原反应位点,对反应气体具有明显的活化作用。     

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics formalism for Marcus theory of heterogeneous and self-exchange electron-transfer rate constants

The cross-exchange electron-transfer rate constant expression of Marcus is derived from the Flux-force formalism of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. The relationship governing the Onsager's phenomenological coefficients for cross-exchange and self-exchange electron-transfer processes is deduced. Onsager's phenomenological coefficient pertaining to the Butler-Volmer equation is derived and estimated from the experimental exchange current densities. The correlation between the heterogeneous and the homogeneous electron-transfer rate constants derived by Marcus is analyzed in terms of the corresponding phenomenological coefficients.     

肌红蛋白在碳纳米管修饰电极上的直接电化学和电催化性能

将肌红蛋白(Mb)通过吸附的方法固定在碳纳米管(CNT)表面, 用AFM、XPS、UV-Vis和FTIR对其进行了表征, 研究了CNT对Mb直接电子转移反应的促进作用. 循环伏安结果表明, Mb在CNT表面能进行有效和稳定的直接电子转移反应, 其循环伏安曲线上表现出一对良好的、几乎对称的氧化还原峰; 在20−160 mV•s−1的扫速范围内, 式量电位E0′几乎不随扫速而变化, 其平均值为(−0.343±0.001) V (vs SCE, pH 7.0); Mb在CNT表面直接电子转移的表观速率常数为(3.11±0.98) s−1; 式量电位E0′与溶液pH的关系表明, Mb的直接电化学过程是一个有H+参与的电极过程. 进一步的实验结果显示, 固定在CNT表面的Mb能保持其对H2O2和O2还原的生物电催化活性.     

Arylbiphenylene atropisomers: structure, conformation, stereodynamics, and absolute configuration

Anti and syn conformers, due to restricted sp(2)-sp(2) bond rotation, were detected in hindered 1,8-diarylbiphenylenes, the aryl moieties being phenyl groups bearing 0micron-alkyl substituents such as Me, Et, i-Pr, and t-Bu. By means of low-temperature NOE experiments, the corresponding structures were assigned and were found to be in agreement with the results of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The interconversion barriers of these conformers were determined by line-shape simulation of the variable-temperature NMR spectra and the experimental values were reproduced satisfactorily by DFT calculations. In the case of the bulkiest aryl substituent investigated (i.e., 2-methylnaphthalene), the syn and anti atropisomers were stable enough as to be separated at ambient temperature. The two enantiomers (M,M and P,P) of the isomer anti were also isolated by enantioselective HPLC, and the theoretical interpretation of the corresponding CD spectrum allowed the absolute configuration to be assigned.     

焦炭催化CO还原NO的反应机理研究

利用密度泛函理论,研究了焦炭催化作用下CO还原NO的化学反应机理,优化得到了均相反应路径以及在Zigzag和Armchair型焦炭表面上的异相反应路径中所有驻点的几何构型与能量,并对三条反应路径进行了动力学分析。结果表明,均相NO还原反应的活化能为254.06 kJ/mol,而Zigzag型与Armchair型焦炭表面NO异相还原反应的活化能分别为86.94与52.16 kJ/mol,说明焦炭在NO还原反应中能够起到催化作用。在焦炭表面进行的CO还原NO的反应路径经历N_2形成、N_2释放及两步CO_2释放四个阶段,最终生成一个N_2分子与两个CO_2分子。此外,通过对比不同路径下异相反应的能量变化与动力学参数可知,焦炭表面结构对NO还原反应特性存在较大影响;与Zigzag型焦炭表面相比,基于Armchair型焦炭表面的NO还原反应决速步能垒值更低且反应速率更快,表明在Armchair型焦炭表面上的NO还原反应更易进行。     

Direct electron transfer reactions between human ceruloplasmin and electrodes

In an effort to find conditions favouring bioelectrocatalytic reduction of oxygen by surface-immobilised human ceruloplasmin (Cp), direct electron transfer (DET) reactions between Cp and an extended range of surfaces were considered. Exploiting advances in surface nanotechnology, bare and carbon-nanotube-modified spectrographic graphite electrodes as well as bare, thiol- and gold-nanoparticle-modified gold electrodes were considered, and ellipsometry provided clues as to the amount and form of adsorbed Cp. DET was studied under different conditions by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Two Faradaic processes with midpoint potentials of about 400 mV and 700 mV vs. NHE, corresponding to the redox transformation of copper sites of Cp, were clearly observed. In spite of the significant amount of Cp adsorbed on the electrode surfaces, as well as the quite fast DET reactions between the redox enzyme and electrodes, bioelectrocatalytic reduction of oxygen by immobilised Cp was never registered. The bioelectrocatalytic inertness of this complex multi-functional redox enzyme interacting with a variety of surfaces might be associated with a very complex mechanism of intramolecular electron transfer involving a kinetic trapping behaviour.