Origin of the Regioselectivity in the Gas‐Phase Aniline+CH3+ Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution

Nonadiabatic ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to monitor the attack of CH₃⁺ on aniline in the gas phase to form the corresponding σ complexes. The reaction is ultrafast and is governed by a single electron transfer within 30 fs, which involves two sequential conical intersections and finally produces a radical pair. Positive‐charge allocation in the aromatic compound is found to govern the substitution pattern in ortho, meta, or para position. Although the major products in the first step of the electrophilic aromatic substitution are the ortho and para σ complexes, initially 26 % of the simulated trajectories also form meta complexes, which then undergo H shifts, mainly to the para position.     

Ru–η6‐Arene Cations [{(Ph2PC6H4)2B(η6‐Ph)}RuX]+ (X=Cl,H) as Lewis Acids

The reactivity of [{(Ph₂PC₆H₄)₂B(η⁶‐Ph)}RuCl][B(C₆F₅)₄] ( 1 ) as a Lewis acid was investigated. Treatment of 1 with mono and multidentate phosphorus Lewis bases afforded the Lewis acid–base adducts with the ortho‐carbon atom of the coordinated arene ring. Similar reactivity was observed upon treatment with N‐heterocyclic carbenes; however, adduct formation occurred at both ortho‐ and para‐carbon atoms of the bound arene with the para‐position being favoured by increased steric demands. Interestingly treatment with isocyanides resulted in adduct formation with the B‐centre of the ligand framework. The hydride‐cation [{(Ph₂PC₆H₄)₂B(η⁶‐Ph)}RuH] [B(C₆F₅)₄] was prepared via reaction of 1 with silane. This species in the presence of a bulky phosphine behaves as a frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) to activate H₂ between the phosphorus centre and the ortho‐carbon atom of the η⁶‐arene ring.     

Theoretical and experimental interpretations of phenol oxidation by the hydroxyl radical

Phenol oxidation by OH radicals produced by the Fenton reaction was studied and the oxidation process was monitored by the UV–visible, ¹³C NMR and LC techniques. The results show that benzoquinone is formed. In the NMR and LC experiments, since the peaks corresponding to isomers ortho and para- benzoquinones are unresolved, DFT was used to determine the branching ratios of the isomers formation that coincides with their ΔG values (ortho > para > meta): 72% for ortho, 23% for para and 5.0% for meta. Furthermore, the energy profile of the OH attack at ortho is quite similar to that at the para position while the meta position attack is less favored by 2.0 kcal/mol.     

A First‐Principles Study on the Interaction between Alkyl Radicals and Graphene

The interaction between alkyl radicals and graphene was studied by means of dispersion‐corrected density functional theory. The results indicate that isolated alkyl radicals are not likely to be attached onto perfect graphene. It was found that the covalent binding energies are low, and because of the large entropic contribution, Δ${G{{{\ominus}\hfill \atop 298\hfill}}}$ is positive for methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, and tert‐butyl radicals. Although the alkylation may proceed by moderate heating, the desorption barriers are low. For the removal of the methyl and tert‐butyl radicals covalently bonded to graphene, 15.3 and 2.4 kcal mol^?1 are needed, respectively. When alkyl radicals are agglomerated, the binding energies are increased. For the addition in the ortho position and on opposite sides of the sheet, the graphene–CH₃ binding energy is increased by 20 kcal mol^?1, whereas for the para addition on the same side of the sheet, the increment is 9.4 kcal mol^?1. In both cases, the agglomeration turns the Δ${G{{{\ominus}\hfill \atop 298\hfill}}}$ <0. For the ethyl radical, the ortho addition on opposite sides of the sheet has a negative Δ${G{{{\ominus}\hfill \atop 298\hfill}}}$ , whereas for isopropyl and tert‐butyl radicals the reactions are endergonic. The attachment of the four alkyl radicals under consideration onto the zigzag edges is exergonic. The noncovalent adsorption energies computed for ethyl, isopropyl, and tert‐butyl radicals are significantly larger than the graphene–alkyl‐radical covalent binding energies. Thus, physisorption is favored over chemisorption. As for the Δ${G{{{\ominus}\hfill \atop 298\hfill}}}$ for the adsorption of isolated alkyl radicals, only the tert‐butyl radical is likely to be exergonic. For the phenalenyl radical we were not able to locate a local minimum for the chemisorbed structure since it moves to the physisorbed structure. An important conclusion of this work is that the consideration of entropic effects is essential to investigate the interaction between graphene and free radicals.     

Theoretical study on the mechanism and kinetics of addition of hydroxyl radicals to fluorobenzene

Geometries, frequencies, reaction barriers, and reaction rates were calculated for the addition of OH radical to fluorobenzene using Möller–Plesset second‐order perturbation (MP2) and G3 methods. Four stationary points were found along each reaction path: reactants, prereaction complex, transition state, and product. A potential for association of OH radical and fluorobenzene into prereaction complex was calculated, and the associated transition state was determined for the first time. G3 calculations give higher reaction barriers than MP2, but also a significantly deeper prereaction complex minimum. The rate constants, calculated with Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) theory using G3 energies, are much faster and in much better agreement with the experiment than those calculated with MP2 method, as the deeper well favors the formation of prereaction complex and also increases the final relative populations of adducts. The discrepancies between the experimental and calculated rate constants are attributed to the errors in calculated frequencies as well as to the overestimated G3 reaction barriers and underestimated prereaction complex well depth. It was possible to rectify those errors and to reproduce the experimental reaction rates in the temperature range 230–310 K by treating the relative translation of OH radical and fluorobenzene as a two‐dimensional particle‐in‐the‐box approximation and by downshifting the prereaction complex well and reaction barriers by 0.7 kcal mol^?1. The isomeric distribution of fluorohydroxycyclohexadienyl radicals is calculated from the reaction rates to be 30.9% ortho, 22.6% meta, 38.4% para, and 8.3% ipso. These results are in agreement with experiment that also shows dominance of ortho and para channels. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Substituent Effect on N-Benzylideneanilines by DFT Energy Partition

To investigate the substituent effect on x-electron delocalization of the N-benzylideneaniline （NBA）, the vertical resonance energies △E^V（θ） of eleven substituted NBAs were separated into n and a parts at the B3LYP/6-311G（d） level of the Density Functional Theory （DFT）. When substituted with an electron-releasing group --OH, the calculated △E^V（θ） of NBA was increased, indicative of more resonance destabilization than the mother molecule. However, when substituted with an electron-withdrawing group -NO2, the calculated △E^V（θ） values indicated less resonance destabilization. The most destabilizing effect was observed especially when the -OH group located at the ortho-position of the aromatic ring in the fragment -N=CH-Ar. For most of the substituted NBA molecules, it was the destabilized a framework that determined the destabilizing feature of the vertical resonance energy, instead of the stabilized n system. When the -NO2 substituent at the para-position of the aromatic ring of the -N=CH-Ar group, the π system had the highest stabilizing effect while the σ framework exhibited the highest destabilizing effect. While the -NO2 substituent was at the para-position of the left aromatic ring （At-）, the NBA had the least vertical resonance energy value.     

On the Addition of Aryl Radicals to Graphene: The Importance of Nonbonded Interactions

Dispersion‐corrected density functional theory is utilized to study the addition of aryl radicals to perfect and defective graphene. Although the perfect sheet shows a low reactivity against aryl diazonium salts, the agglomeration of these groups and the addition onto defect sites improves the feasibility of the reaction by increasing binding energies per aryl group up to 27 kcal mol^?1. It is found that if a single phenyl radical interacts with graphene, the covalent and noncovalent additions have similar binding energies, but in the particular case of the nitrophenyl group, the adsorption is stronger than the chemisorption. The single vacancy shows the largest reactivity, increasing the binding energy per aryl group by about 80 kcal mol^?1. The zigzag edge ranks second, enhancing the reactivity 5.4 times with respect to the perfect sheet. The less reactive defect site is the Stone–Wales type, but even in this case the addition of an isolated aryl radical is exergonic. The arylation process is favored if the groups are attached nearby and on different sublattices. This is particularly true for the ortho and para positions. However, the enhancement of the binding energies decreases quickly if the distance between the two aryl radicals is increased, thereby making the addition on the perfect sheet difficult. A bandgap of 1–2 eV can be opened on functionalization of the graphene sheets with aryl radicals, but for certain configurations the sheet can maintain its semimetallic character even if there is one aryl radical per eight carbon atoms. At the highest level of functionalization achieved, that is, one aryl group per five carbon atoms, the bandgap is 1.9 eV. Regarding the effect of using aryl groups with different substituents, it is found that they all induce the same bandgap and thus the presence of NO₂, H, or Br is not relevant for the alteration of the electronic properties. Finally, it is observed that the presence of tetrafluoroborate can induce metallic character in graphene.     

17O NMR studies of ortho‐substituent effects in substituted phenyl tosylates

¹⁷O NMR spectra for 35 ortho‐, para‐, and meta‐substituted phenyl tosylates (phenyl 4‐methylbenzenesulfonates), 4‐CH₃‐C₆H₄SO₂OC₆H₄‐X, at natural abundance in acetonitrile at 50 °C were recorded. The ¹⁷O NMR chemical shifts, δ(¹⁷O), of the sulfonyl (SO₂) and the single‐bonded phenoxy (OPh) oxygens for para and meta derivatives correlated well with dual substituent parameter treatment using the Taft inductive, σ_I, and resonance, σº_R, constants. The influence of ortho substituents on the sulfonyl oxygen and the single‐bonded phenoxy oxygen chemical shifts, δ(¹⁷O), was found to be nicely described by the Charton equation: δ(¹⁷O)_ortho = δ(¹⁷O)_H + ρ_Iσ_I + ρ_Rσ°_R + δE_s^B when the data treatment was performed separately for electron‐donating +R substituents and electron‐attracting ?R substituents. Electron‐attracting meta and para substituents in the phenyl moiety caused deshielding while the electron‐donating meta, para and ortho +R substituents produce shielding effects on the sulfonyl (SO₂) and single‐bonded phenoxy (OPh) oxygens. The influence of ortho inductive and resonance effects in the case of +R substituents was found to be approximately twice higher than the corresponding influence from the para position. Due to the steric effect of ortho substituents a decrease in shielding of the oxygens at the sulfonyl group (δE_s^B > 0, E_s^B < 0) was detected. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The ortho‐Substituent Effect on the Ag‐Catalysed Decarboxylation of Benzoic Acids

A combined experimental and computational investigation on the Ag‐catalysed decarboxylation of benzoic acids is reported herein. The present study demonstrates that a substituent at the ortho position exerts dual effects in the decarboxylation event. On one hand, ortho‐substituted benzoic acids are inherently destabilised starting materials compared to their meta‐ and para‐substituted counterparts. On the other hand, the presence of an ortho‐electron‐withdrawing group results in an additional stabilisation of the transition state. The combination of both effects results in an overall reduction of the activation energy barrier associated with the decarboxylation event. Furthermore, the Fujita–Nishioka linear free energy relationship model indicates that steric bulk of the substituent can also exert a negative effect by destabilising the transition state of decarboxylation.     

Surface Charge‐Transfer Doping of Graphene Nanoflakes Containing Double‐Vacancy (5‐8‐5) and Stone–Wales (55‐77) Defects through Molecular Adsorption

The adsorption of six electron donor–acceptor (D/A) organic molecules on various sizes of graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) containing two common defects, double‐vacancy (5‐8‐5) and Stone–Wales (55‐77), are investigated by means of ab initio DFT [M06‐2X(‐D3)/cc‐pVDZ]. Different D/A molecules adsorb on a defect graphene (DG) surface with binding energies (ΔE_b) of about ?12 to ?28 kcal mol^?1. The ΔE_b values for adsorption of molecules on the Stone–Wales GNF surface are higher than those on the double vacancy GNF surface. Moreover, binding energies increase by about 10 % with an increase in surface size. The nature of cooperative weak interactions is analyzed based on quantum theory of atoms in molecules, noncovalent interactions plot, and natural bond order analyses, and the dominant interaction is compared for different molecules. Electron density population analysis is used to explain the n‐ and p‐type character of defect graphene nanoflakes (DGNFs) and also the change in electronic properties and reactivity parameters of DGNFs upon adsorption of different molecules and with increasing DGNF size. Results indicate that the HOMO–LUMO energy gap (E_g) of DGNFs decreases upon adsorption of molecules. However, by increasing the size of DGNFs, the E_g and chemical hardness of all complexes decrease and the electrophilicity index increases. Furthermore, the values of the chemical potential of acceptor–DGNF complexes decrease with increasing size, whereas those of donor–DGNF complexes increase.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of substituted benzaldehydes by hexamethylenetetramine‐bromine

The oxidation of thirty‐six monosubstituted benzaldehydes by hexa‐methylenetetramine‐bromine (HABR), in aqueous acetic acid solution, leads to the formation of the corresponding benzoic acids. The reaction is first order with respect to HABR. Michaelis‐Menten–type kinetics were observed with respect to aldehyde. The reaction failed to induce the polymerization of acrylonitrile. There is no effect of hexamethylenetetramine on the reaction rate. The oxidation of [²H]benzaldehyde (PhCDO) indicated the presence of a substantial kinetic isotope effect. The effect of solvent composition indicated that the reaction rate increases with an increase in the polarity of the solvent. The rates of oxidation of meta‐ and para‐substituted benzaldehydes showed excellent correlations in terms of Charton's triparametric LDR equation, whereas the oxidation of ortho‐substituted benzaldehydes correlated well with tetraparametric LDRS equation. The oxidation of para‐substituted benzaldehydes is more susceptible to the delocalization effect but the oxidation of ortho‐ and meta‐substituted compounds displayed a greater dependence on the field effect. The positive value of γ suggests the presence of an electron‐deficient reaction center in the rate‐determining step. The reaction is subjected to steric acceleration when ortho‐substituents are present. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 615–622, 2000     

Theoretical study on the reaction of the phenoxy radical with O2, OH,and NO2

Unlike the chemistry underlying the self‐coupling of phenoxy (C₆H₅O) radicals, there are very limited kinetics data at elevated temperatures for the reaction of the phenoxy radical with other species. In this study, we investigate the addition reactions of O_2, OH, and NO₂ to the phenoxy radical. The formation of a phenoxy‐peroxy is found to be very slow with a rate constant fitted to k = 1.31 × 10^?20T^2.49 exp (?9300/T) cm³/mol/s in the temperature range of (298–2,000 K) where the addition occurs predominantly at the ortho site. Our rate constant is in line with the consensus of opinions in the literature pointing to the observation of no discernible reaction between the oxygen molecule and the resonance‐stabilized phenoxy radical. Addition of OH at the ortho and para sites of the phenoxy radical is found to afford adducts with sizable well depths of 59.8 and 56.0 kcal/mol, respectively. The phenoxy‐NO₂ bonds are found to be among the weakest known phenoxy‐radical bonds (1.7–8.7 kcal/mol). OH‐ and O₂‐initiated mechanisms for the degradation of atmospheric phenoxy appear to be negligible and the fate of atmospheric phenoxy is found to be controlled by its reaction with NO₂. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

1-萘甲酰苯胺和2-萘甲酰苯胺的分子内电荷转移研究

A series of 1-naphthanilides (1) and 2-naphthanilides (2) with varied substituents at the para- or meta-position of anilino phenyl ring were prepared and their absorption and fluorescence spectra in a nonpolar solvent cyclohexane were investigated. An abnormal long wavelength emission assigned to the charge transfer (CT) state was found for all of the prepared naphthanilides in cyclohexane. A linear free energy correlation between the CT emission energies and the Hammett constants of the substituent was found within series 1 and 2. The value of the linear slope with 1 (0.42 eV) was higher than that with 2 (0.32 eV) being close to that of the substituted benzanilides 3 (0.31 eV) The higher slope value suggested higher charge separation extent in the CT state of 1 than that of 2. It was found that the corresponding linear slope of anilino-substituted benzanilides remained unchanged when para-, meta-, ortho-, or ortho, ortho-methyls were introduced into the anilino moiety, which ruled out the possible contribution of the difference in the steric effect and the electron accepting ability of the naphthoyl acceptor in 1 and 2. Compared with the early reported N-substituted-benzoyl-aminonaphthalene derivatives 4 and 5, it was considered that 1-naphthoyl enhanced the charge transfer in 1 and the proximity of its ^1La and ^1Lb states was suggested to be responsible. It was shown that 1- and/or 2-substituted naphthalene cores acting as either electron acceptor (naphthoyl) or electron donor (aminonaphthalene) were different in not only electron accepting (donating) ability but also shaping the charge transfer pathway.     

β‐Cyclodextrin‐modified three‐dimensional graphene oxide‐wrapped melamine foam for the solid‐phase extraction of flavonoids

A new three‐dimensional graphene oxide‐wrapped melamine foam was prepared and used as a solid‐phase extraction substrate. β‐Cyclodextrin was fabricated onto the surface of three‐dimensional graphene oxide‐wrapped melamine foam by a chemical covalent interaction. In view of a specific surface area and a large delocalized π electron system of graphene oxide, in combination with a hydrophobic interior cavity and a hydrophilic peripheral face of β‐cyclodextrin, the prepared extraction material was proposed for the determination of flavonoids. In order to demonstrate the extraction properties of the as‐prepared material, the adsorption energies were theoretically calculated based on periodic density functional theory. Static‐state and dynamic‐state binding experiments were also investigated, which revealed the monolayer coverage of flavonoids onto the β‐cyclodextrin/graphene oxide‐wrapped melamine foams through the chemical adsorption. ¹H NMR spectroscopy indicated the formation of flavonoids–β‐cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed method exhibited acceptable linear ranges (2–200 μg/L for rutin and quercetin‐3‐O‐rhamnoside; 5–200 μg/L for quercetin) with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9979 to 0.9994. The batch‐to‐batch reproducibility (n = 5) was 3.5–6.8%. Finally, the as‐established method was satisfactorily applied for the determination of flavonoids in Lycium barbarum (Goji) samples with relative recoveries in the range of 77.9–102.6%.     

A DFT study of proton transfers for the reaction of phenol and hydroxyl radical leading to dihydroxybenzene and H2O in the water cluster

Reactions of phenol and hydroxyl radical were studied under the aqueous environment to investigate the antioxidant characters of phenolic compounds. M06‐2X/6‐311 + G(d,p) calculations were carried out, where proton transfers via water molecules were examined carefully. Stepwise paths from phenol + OH^• + (H₂O)_n (n = 3, 7, and 12) to the phenoxyl radical (Ph O^•) via dihydroxycyclohexadienyl radicals (ipso, ortho, meta, and para OH‐adducts) were obtained. In those paths, the water dimer was computed to participate in the bond interchange along hydrogen bonds. The concerted path corresponding to the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT, apparently Ph OH + OH^• → Ph O^• + H₂O) was found. In the path, the hydroxyl radical located on the ipso carbon undergoes the charge transfer to prompt the proton (not hydrogen) transfer. While the present new mechanism is similar to the sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) one, the former is of the concerted character. Tautomerization reactions of ortho or para (OH)C₆H₅=O + (H₂O)_n → C₆H₄(OH)₂(H₂O)_n were traced with n = 2, 3, 4, and 14. The n = 3 (and n = 14) model of ortho and para was calculated to be most likely by the strain‐less hydrogen‐bond circuit.     

Synthesis of novel rhodium‐xylyl linked N‐heterocyclic carbene complexes as hydrosilylation catalysts

Reaction of ortho‐xylylbis(N‐2,4,6‐trimethylbenzylimidazolinium); xylylbis(N‐butylimidazolinium) and para‐xylylbis(N‐2,4,6‐trimethylbenzylimidazolinium); xylylbis(N‐butylimidazolinium) salts with KOBu^t and [RhCl(COD)]₂ yields ortho‐ and para‐xylylbis{(N‐alkylimidazolidin‐2‐ylidene)chloro(η⁴‐1,5‐cyclooctadiene) rho dium(I)} complexes (2a–d). All compounds synthesized were characterized by elemental analysis and NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular structures of the 2a and 2d were determined by X‐ray crystallography. Triethylsilane reacts with acetophenone derivatives in the presence of catalytic amount of the new rhodium(I)–carbene complexes (2a–d), to give the corresponding silylethers in good yields (83–99%). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and asymmetric anionic polymerization of substituted 7‐aryl‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides

Substituted 7‐aryl‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides which have an electron‐donating methoxy substituent at the para‐position (p‐OMe, 2a ) or an electron‐withdrawing chloro one at the para‐ (p‐Cl, 2b ), meta‐ (m‐Cl, 2c ) , and ortho‐positions (o‐Cl, 2d ) of the benzene ring were synthesized, and their asymmetric anionic polymerizations using the complex of lithium 4‐isopropylphenoxide with (?)‐sparteine were carried out in toluene at 0 °C. The polymers with negative specific rotation were obtained for all of four monomers, and the polymer obtained from 2a showed smaller specific rotation value than that of polymer having no substituent (p‐H, 1 ) on the phenyl group and the polymers obtained from 2b–d showed larger ones. It was found that the kind of a substituent and its substitution position on the phenyl group affect significantly the optical activity of polymers. The largest specific rotation value of [α]₄₃₅= ?153.2° was obtained in the polymerization of 2d with an ortho‐chloro substituent. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 437–444     

The gas enhanced negative ion mass spectra of polychloroanisoles

Methane or a methane–oxygen mixture was used as an enhancement gas to obtain negative ion mass spectra of polychloroanisoles. Dichloroanisoles did not react with oxygen but the more highly chlorinated anisoles did. Compounds with hydrogen ortho to the methoxy group had [M? 1]^? ions, while others gave . The fragment arose through loss of an ortho chlorine and amethyl hydrogen. The loss of HCl followed by oxygen displacement of a remaining ortho or para chlorine produced [M? 55]^? ions; the para position was the preferred site of displacement. Another ion-molecule reaction with oxygen leads to [M? CH₂Cl]^?. The fragmentations resemble those of chlorinated aromatics such as the polychlorodibenzodioxins.     

Muonium atom addition to pyridine and to the pyridinium cation

Muonium atoms are found to add mainly to the N-atom and to the ortho and meta positions in pyridine in almost equal amounts, giving pyridinyl and 2-azacyclohexadienyl radicals and 3-azacyclohexadienyl radicals, respectively (no addition was observed at the para site); on protonation, as in a sample of PyH⁺ BF₄⁻, the reactivity follows the positive charge density, being enhanced for addition to the N(H⁺) position, reduced for the ortho/meta positions, and now conferring a significant yield of the para isomer. These results for genuine reactions of hydrogen atoms are discussed in view of studies of radical formation in these materials, made using EPR spectroscopy, when they are exposed to γ-rays in cryogenic matrices, for which mechanisms involving charge-neutralization of initial radical ions are proposed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Dimerization of Diarylalkynes: Direct Access to Azulenes

We have developed a simple gold‐catalyzed procedure for the synthesis of substituted and modifiable azulenes. The azulenes are formed either by the dimerization of push–pull diarylalkynes bearing a fluorine atom in ortho or para position or by the dimerization of a symmetric electron‐rich diarylalkyne. In the presence of a cationic gold catalyst, the two alkynes can form a highly reactive vinyl cation. Trapping of this high‐energy intermediate by an appropriate aryl unit then delivers substituted azulenes in a single step and in a perfect atom economy.