Water (in water) as an intrinsically efficient proton acceptor in concerted proton electron transfers

The oxidation of PhOH in water by photochemically generated Ru(III)(bpy)(3) is taken as prototypal example disclosing the special character of water, in the solvent water, as proton acceptor in concerted proton-electron transfer reactions. The variation of the rate constant with temperature and driving force, as well as the variation of the H/D kinetic isotope effect with temperature, allowed the determination of the reaction mechanism characterized by three intrinsic parameters, the reorganization energy, a pre-exponential factor measuring the vibronic coupling of electronic states at equilibrium distance, and a distance-sensitivity parameter. Analysis of these characteristics and comparison with a standard base, hydrogen phosphate, revealed that electron transfer is concerted with a Grotthus-type proton translocation, leading to a charge delocalized over a cluster involving several water molecules. A mechanism is thus uncovered that may help in understanding how protons could be transported along water chains over large distances in concert with electron transfer in biological systems.     

Pyridine as proton acceptor in the concerted proton electron transfer oxidation of phenol

Taking pyridine as a prototypal example of biologically important nitrogen bases involved in proton-coupled electron transfers, it is shown with the example of the photochemically triggered oxidation of phenol by Ru(III)(bpy)(3) that this proton acceptor partakes in a concerted pathway whose kinetic characteristics can be extracted from the overall kinetic response. The treatment of these data, implemented by the results of a parallel study carried out in heavy water, allowed the determination of the intrinsic kinetic characteristics of this proton acceptor. Comparison of the reorganization energies and of the pre-exponential factors previously derived for hydrogen phosphate and water (in water) as proton acceptors suggests that, in the case of pyridine, the proton charge is delocalized over a primary shell of water molecules firmly bound to the pyridinium cation.     

Theory favors a stepwise mechanism of porphyrin degradation by a ferric hydroperoxide model of the active species of heme oxygenase

The report uses density functional theory to address the mechanism of heme degradation by the enzyme heme oxygenase (HO) using a model ferric hydroperoxide complex. HO is known to trap heme molecules and degrade them to maintain iron homeostasis in the biosystem. The degradation is initiated by complexation of the heme, then formation of the iron-hydroperoxo species, which subsequently oxidizes the meso position of the porphyrin by hydroxylation, thereby enabling eventually the cleavage of the porphyrin ring. Kinetic isotope effect studies indicate that the mechanism is assisted by general acid catalysis, via a chain of water molecules, and that all the events occur in concert. However, previous theoretical treatments indicated that the concerted mechanism has a high barrier, much higher than an alternative mechanism that is initiated by O-O bond homolysis of iron-hydroperoxide. The present contribution studies the stepwise and concerted acid-catalyzed mechanisms using H(3)O(+)(H(2)O)(n)(), n = 0-2. The effect of the acid strength is tested using the H(4)N(+)(H(2)O)(2) cluster and a fully protonated ferric hydroperoxide. All the calculations show that a stepwise mechanism that involves proton relay and O-O homolysis, in the rate-determining step, has a much lower barrier (>10 kcal/mol) than the corresponding fully concerted mechanism. The best fit of the calculated solvent kinetic isotope effect, to the experimental data, is obtained for the H(3)O(+)(H(2)O)(2) cluster. The calculated alpha-deuterium secondary kinetic isotope effect is inverse (0.95-0.98), but much less so than the experimental value (0.7). Possible reasons for this quantitative difference are discussed. Some probes are suggested that may enable experiment to distinguish the stepwise from the concerted mechanism.     

Potential-, pH-, and isotope-dependence of proton-coupled electron transfer of an osmium aquo complex attached to an electrode

An osmium complex, [OsII(bpy)2(4-aminomethylpyridine)(H2O)]2+, is attached to a mixed self-assembled monolayer on a gold electrode. The complex exhibits 1-electron, 1-proton redox chemistry (OsIII(OH)/OsII(H2O)) at pHs and potentials that are experimentally accessible with gold electrodes in aqueous electrolytes. The thermodynamic behavior and kinetic behavior of the system are investigated as a function of pH in both H2O and D2O. The two formal potentials and two pKa values are relatively constant for two chain lengths in H2O and in D2O. The standard rate constants at all pHs are strongly and uniformly affected by chain length, indicating that electronic coupling is the dominant factor controlling the rate of electron transfer. In both H2O and D2O, the standard rate constant is weakly dependent on the pH, exhibiting a minimum value midway between the pKa values. The kinetic isotope effect is small; standard rate constants decrease by roughly a factor of 2 in D2O over a wide range of pHs, but not at the more acidic pHs. The Tafel plots and plots of the transfer coefficient vs overpotential are asymmetrical at all pHs. These results are interpreted in terms of a larger reorganization energy for the OsII species and a smaller reorganization energy for the OsIII species. The OsIII reorganization energy is constant at all pHs in both H2O and D2O. The pH dependence of the OsII reorganization energy accounts for some or all of the pH dependence of the standard rate constant in H2O and D2O. The data deviate substantially from predictions of the stepwise proton-coupled electron-transfer mechanism. The observation of a kinetic isotope effect supports the concerted mechanism.     

Isotope effects on the unimolecular dissociation of ionized 3-methyl-2-butanol: reactions via a long-lived C-H-C hydrogen-bridged ion-neutral complex

A pronounced isotope effect causes metastable CD3CHOHCH(CH3)2+* ions to expell C3H6D2 in preference to C3H7D in a ratio of approximately 33:1; a number of related compounds show similar effects. High-level ab initio calculations suggest that the reactant alcohol molecular ion possesses an extraordinarily long alpha-carbon-carbon bond and that the reaction proceeds via the formation of an intermediate hydrogen-bridged complex of propane and ionized vinyl alcohol, in which the bridging hydrogen atom is almost midway between the two carbon termini. The isotopic preference reflects the difference between the zero-point vibrational energies of the isotopically different product pairs rather than kinetic isotope effects on the hydrogen atom transfer reactions that precede dissociation.     

A kinetic study of the reaction of N,N-dimethylanilines with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical: a concerted proton-electron transfer?

The reactivity of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (dpph*) toward the N-methyl C-H bond of a number of 4-X-substituted- N, N-dimethylanilines (X = OMe, OPh, CH 3, H) has been investigated in MeCN, in the absence and in the presence of Mg(ClO 4) 2, by product, and kinetic analysis. The reaction was found to lead to the N-demethylation of the N, N-dimethylaniline with a rate quite sensitive to the electron donating power of the substituent (rho (+) = -2.03). With appropriately deuterated N, N-dimethylanilines, the intermolecular and intramolecular deuterium kinetic isotope effects (DKIEs) were measured with the following results. Intramolecular DKIE [( k H/ k D) intra] was found to always be similar to intermolecular DKIE [( k H/ k D) inter]. These results suggest a single-step hydrogen transfer mechanism from the N-C-H bond to dpph* which might take the form of a concerted proton-electron transfer (CPET). An electron transfer (ET) step from the aniline to dpph* leading to an anilinium radical cation, followed by a proton transfer step that produces an alpha-amino carbon radical, appears very unlikely. Accordingly, a rate-determining ET step would require no DKIE or at least different inter and intramolecular isotope effects. On the other hand, an equilibrium-controlled ET is not compatible with the small slope value (-0.22 kcal (-1) K (-1)) of the log k H/Delta G degrees plot. Furthermore, the reactivity increases by changing the solvent to the less polar toluene whereas the reverse would be expected for an ET mechanism. In the presence of Mg (2+), a strong rate acceleration was observed, but the pattern of the results remained substantially unchanged: inter and intramolecular DKIEs were again very similar as well as the substituent effects. This suggests that the same mechanism (CPET) is operating in the presence and in the absence of Mg (2+). The significant rate accelerating effect by Mg (2+) is likely due to a favorable interaction of the Mg (2+) ion with the partial negatively charged alpha-methyl carbon in the polar transition state for the hydrogen transfer process.     

Hydrogen Bonding in Pyridine N-Oxide/Acid Systems: Proton Transfer and Fine Details Revealed by FTIR, NMR, and X-ray Diffraction

The H-bonded complexes of pyridine N-oxide (PyO) with H(2)O, acetic, cyanoacetic, propiolic, tribromoacetic, trichloroacetic, trifluoroacetic, hydrochloric, and methanesulfonic acids have been studied by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical DFT calculations. Correlations between vibrational frequencies of the NO stretching and PyO ring modes and geometric parameters of the H-bond have been established. FTIR experiments show and DFT calculations confirm that definite discontinuity is present in the vicinity of the midpoint in the proton transfer pathway. The established correlations significantly aid in the understanding of fine effects such as the isotope (deuteration) effect, crystal-to-solution transition, or criticality of aqueous solutions induced by ionic pairs. Geometric isotope effect in the ionic H-bond aggregate of PyO·H(D)Cl was found to be extraordinary large. Measured FTIR, CP/MAS, and high-resolution (13)C NMR spectra indicate that H-bond in the PyO·HCl complex in polar solvent can potentially be more ionic than in the crystal. Vibrational modes of ionic pairs originating via proton transfer in H-bond complexes can provide new information concerning the interionic interaction and its role in the phase separation and mezo-structuring processes. The results are compared to the relevant data for PyO·HCl complex in argon matrix.     

Kinetic isotope effects for concerted multiple proton transfer: a direct dynamics study of an active-site model of carbonic anhydrase II

The rate constant of the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme carbonic anhydrase II, which removes carbon dioxide from body fluids, is calculated for a model of the active site. The rate-determining step is proton transfer from a zinc-bound water molecule to a histidine residue via a bridge of two or more water molecules. The structure of the active site is known from X-ray studies except for the number and location of the water molecules. Model calculations are reported for a system of 58 atoms including a four-coordinated zinc ion connected to a methylimidazole molecule by a chain of two waters, constrained to reproduce the size of the active site. The structure and vibrational force field are calculated by an approximate density functional treatment of the proton-transfer step at the Self-Consistent-Charge Density Functional Tight Binding (SCC-DFTB) level. A single transition state is found indicating concerted triple proton transfer. Direct-dynamics calculations for proton and deuteron transfer and combinations thereof, based on the Approximate Instanton Method and on Variational Transition State Theory with Tunneling Corrections, are in fair agreement and yield rates that are considerably higher and kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) that are somewhat higher than experiment. Classical rate constants obtained from Transition State Theory are smaller than the quantum values but the corresponding KIEs are five times larger. For multiple proton transfer along water bridges classical KIEs are shown to be generally larger than quantum KIEs, which invalidates the standard method to distinguish tunneling and over-barrier transfer. In the present case, a three-way comparison of classical and quantum results with the observed data is necessary to conclude that proton transfer along the bridge proceeds by tunneling. The results suggest that the two-water bridge is present in low concentrations but makes a substantial contribution to proton transport because of its high efficiency. Bridging structures containing more water molecules may have lower energies but are expected to be less efficient. The observed exponential dependence of the KIEs on the deuterium concentration in H(2)O/D(2)O mixtures implies concerted transfer and thus rules out substantial contributions from structures that lead to stepwise transfer via solvated hydronium ions, which presumably dominate proton transfer in less efficient carbonic anhydrase isozymes.     

Electrochemical approach to concerted proton and electron transfers. Reduction of the water-superoxide ion complex

Concerted proton and electron transfers (CPET) currently attract considerable theoretical and experimental attention, notably in view of their likely involvement in many enzymatic reactions. Electrochemistry, through techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, can provide a quite effective access to CPET in terms of diagnosis and quantitative kinetic characterization. The relationships expressing the rate constant of an electrochemical CPET are given. Besides the CPET standard potential, it depends on two main factors. One is the reorganization energy, which appears as the sum of an intramolecular contribution and two solvent reorganization energies corresponding to proton and electron transfers, respectively. The other is the pre-exponential factor that mainly depends on proton tunneling through the activation barrier. Procedures for estimating these various factors as well as the H/D kinetic isotope effect are described. Application of the theory is illustrated by the experimental results obtained for the cyclic voltammetric reduction of the water-superoxide ion complex in dimethylformamide and acetonitrile.     

Effect of pressure on a heavy-atom isotope effect of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

Hydrostatic pressure causes a monophasic decrease in the (13)C primary isotope effect expressed on the oxidation of benzyl alcohol by yeast alcohol dehydrogenase. The primary isotope effect was measured by the competitive method, using whole-molecule mass spectrometry. The effect is, therefore, an expression of isotopic discrimination on the kinetic parameter V/K, which measures substrate capture. Moderate pressure increases capture by activating hydride transfer, the transition state of which must therefore have a smaller volume than the free alcohol plus the capturing form of enzyme [Cho, Y.-K.; Northrop, D. B. Biochemistry 1999, 38, 7470-7475]. The decrease in the (13)C isotope effect with increasing pressure means that the transition state for hydride transfer from the heavy atom must have an even smaller volume, measured here to be 13 mL.mol(-1). The pressure data factor the kinetic isotope effect into a semiclassical reactant-state component, with a null value of k(12)/k(13) = 1, and a transition-state component of Q(12)/Q(13) = 1.028 (borrowing Bell's nomenclature for hydrogen tunneling corrections). A similar experiment involving a deuterium isotope effect previously returned the same volume and null value, plus a pressure-sensitive isotope effect [Northrop, D. B.; Cho, Y.-K. Biochemistry 2000, 39, 2406-2412]. Consistent with precedence in the chemical literature, the latter suggested a possibility of hydrogen tunneling; however, it is unlikely that carbon can engage in significant tunneling at ambient temperature. The fact that the decrease in activation volumes for hydride transfer is equivalent when one mass unit is added to the carbon end of a scissile C-H bond and when one mass unit is added to the hydrogen end is significant and suggests a common origin.     

Isotope exchange in reactions between D2O and size-selected ionic water clusters containing pyridine, H+ (pyridine)m(H2O)n

Pyridine containing water clusters, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), have been studied both experimentally by a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and by quantum chemical calculations. In the experiments, H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n) with m = 1-4 and n = 0-80 are observed. For the cluster distributions observed, there are no magic numbers, neither in the abundance spectra, nor in the evaporation spectra from size selected clusters. Experiments with size-selected clusters H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 0-3, reacting with D(2)O at a center-of-mass energy of 0.1 eV were also performed. The cross-sections for H/D isotope exchange depend mainly on the number of water molecules in the cluster and not on the number of pyridine molecules. Clusters having only one pyridine molecule undergo D(2)O/H(2)O ligand exchange, while H(+)(pyridine)(m)(H(2)O)(n), with m = 2, 3, exhibit significant H/D scrambling. These results are rationalized by quantum chemical calculations (B3LYP and MP2) for H(+)(pyridine)(1)(H(2)O)(n) and H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n), with n = 1-6. In clusters containing one pyridine, the water molecules form an interconnected network of hydrogen bonds associated with the pyridinium ion via a single hydrogen bond. For clusters containing two pyridines, the two pyridine molecules are completely separated by the water molecules, with each pyridine being positioned diametrically opposite within the cluster. In agreement with experimental observations, these calculations suggest a "see-saw mechanism" for pendular proton transfer between the two pyridines in H(+)(pyridine)(2)(H(2)O)(n) clusters.     

Switching the redox mechanism: models for proton-coupled electron transfer from tyrosine and tryptophan

The coupling of electron and proton transfer is an important controlling factor in radical proteins, such as photosystem II, ribinucleotide reductase, cytochrome oxidases, and DNA photolyase. This was investigated in model complexes in which a tyrosine or tryptophan residue was oxidized by a laser-flash generated trisbipyridine-Ru(III) moiety in an intramolecular, proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reaction. The PCET was found to proceed in a competition between a stepwise reaction, in which electron transfer is followed by deprotonation of the amino acid radical (ETPT), and a concerted reaction, in which both the electron and proton are transferred in a single reaction step (CEP). Moreover, we found that we could analyze the kinetic data for PCET by Marcus' theory for electron transfer. By altering the solution pH, the strength of the Ru(III) oxidant, or the identity of the amino acid, we could induce a switch between the two mechanisms and obtain quantitative data for the parameters that control which one will dominate. The characteristic pH-dependence of the CEP rate (M. Sjodin et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 3932) reflects the pH-dependence of the driving force caused by proton release to the bulk. For the pH-independent ETPT on the other hand, the driving force of the rate-determining ET step is pH-independent and smaller. On the other hand, temperature-dependent data showed that the reorganization energy was higher for CEP, while the pre-exponential factors showed no significant difference between the mechanisms. Thus, the opposing effect of the differences in driving force and reorganization energy determines which of the mechanisms will dominate. Our results show that a concerted mechanism is in general quite likely and provides a low-barrier reaction pathway for weakly exoergonic reactions. In addition, the kinetic isotope effect was much higher for CEP (kH/kD > 10) than for ETPT (kH/kD = 2), consistent with significant changes along the proton reaction coordinate in the rate-determining step of CEP.     

Proton-coupled intervalence charge transfer: concerted processes

The kinetics of proton-induced intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) may be measured electrochemically by generating one of the members of the IVCT couple in situ and following its conversion by means of the electrochemical signature of the other member of the couple. In the case of the diiron complex taken as an example, the reaction kinetics analysis, including the H/D isotope effect, clearly points to the prevalence of the concerted proton-intervalence charge transfer pathway over the stepwise pathways. A route is thus open toward systematic kinetic studies of proton-induced IVCT aiming at uncovering the main reactivity parameters and the factors that control the occurrence of concerted versus stepwise pathways.     

Concerted proton-electron transfers. Consistency between electrochemical kinetics and their homogeneous counterparts

The concerted proton-electron transfer (CPET) oxidation of phenol with water (in water) and hydrogen phosphate as proton acceptors provides a good example for testing the consistency of the electrochemical and homogeneous approaches to a reaction, the comprehension of which raises more mechanistic and kinetic challenges than that of a simple outer-sphere electron transfer. Comparison of the intrinsic kinetic characteristics (obtained at zero driving force of the CPET reaction) shows that consistency is indeed observed after a careful identification and quantitation of side factors (electrical work terms, image force effects). Water (in water) appears as a better intrinsic proton acceptor than hydrogen phosphate in both cases in terms of reorganization energy and pre-exponential factor, corroborating the mechanism by which electron transfer is concerted with Grotthus-type proton translocation in water. Detailed compared analysis of the approaches also revealed that modest but significant electric field effects may be at work in the electrochemical case. Comparison with phenoxide ion oxidation, taken as a reference outer-sphere electron transfer, points to a CPET precursor complex that possesses a precise spatial structure allowing the formation of one or several H-bonds as required by the occurrence of the CPET reaction, thus decreasing considerably the number of efficient collisions compared with those undergone by structureless spherical reactants.     

Electron-transfer mechanism in the N-demethylation of N,N-dimethylanilines by the phthalimide-N-oxyl radical

The reactivity of the phthalimide N-oxyl radical (PINO) toward the N-methyl C-H bond of a number of 4-X-substituted N,N-dimethylanilines (X = OMe, OPh, CF(3), CO(2)Et, CN) has been investigated by product and kinetic analysis. PINO was generated in CH(3)CN by reaction of N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) with Pb(OAc)(4) or, for the kinetic study of the most reactive substrates (X = OMe, OPh), with tert-butoxyl radical produced by 266 nm laser flash photolysis of di-tert-butyl peroxide. The reaction was found to lead to the N-demethylation of the N,N-dimethylaniline with a rate very sensitive to the electron donating power of the substituent (rho(+) = -2.5) as well as to the oxidation potential of the substrates. With appropriately deuterated N,N-dimethylanilines the intermolecular and intramolecular deuterium kinetic isotope effects (DKIEs) were measured for some substrates (X = OMe, CO(2)Et, CN) with the following results. First, intramolecular DKIE [(k(H)/k(D))(intra)] was found to be always different and higher than intermolecular DKIE [(k(H)/k(D))(inter)]; second, no intermolecular DKIE [(k(H)/k(D))(inter) = 1] was observed for X = OMe, whereas substantial values of (k(H)/k(D))(inter) were exhibited by X = CO(2)Et (4.8) and X = CN (5.8). These results, while are incompatible with a single step hydrogen atom transfer from the N-C-H bond to the N-oxyl radical, as proposed for the reaction of PINO with benzylic C-H bonds, can be nicely interpreted on the basis of a two-step mechanism involving a reversible electron transfer from the aniline to PINO leading to an anilinium radical cation, followed by a proton-transfer step that produces an alpha-amino carbon radical. In line with this conclusion the reactivity data exhibited a good fit with the Marcus equation and a lambda value of 37.6 kcal mol(-1) was calculated for the reorganization energy required in this electron-transfer process. From this value, a quite high reorganization energy (>60 kcal mol(-1)) is estimated for the PINO/NHPI(-H)(-) self-exchange reaction. It is suggested that the N-demethylated product derives from the reaction of the alpha-amino carbon radical with PINO to form either a cross-coupling product or an alpha-amino carbocation. Both species may react with the small amounts of H(2)O present in the medium to form a carbinolamine that, again by hydrolysis, can be eventually converted into the N-demethylated product.     

Kinetic isotope effects on the rate-limiting step of heme oxygenase catalysis indicate concerted proton transfer/heme hydroxylation

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the O2 and NADPH/cytochrome P450 reductase-dependent conversion of heme to biliverdin, free iron ion, and CO through a process in which the heme participates as both dioxygen-activating prosthetic group and substrate. We earlier confirmed that the first step of HO catalysis is a monooxygenation in which the addition of one electron and two protons to the HO oxy-ferroheme produces ferric-alpha-meso-hydroxyheme (h). Cryoreduction/EPR and ENDOR measurements further showed that hydroperoxo-ferri-HO converts directly to h in a single kinetic step without formation of a Compound I. We here report details of that rate-limiting step. One-electron 77 K cryoreduction of human oxy-HO and annealing at 200 K generates a structurally relaxed hydroperoxo-ferri-HO species, denoted R. We here report the cryoreduction/annealing experiments that directly measure solvent and secondary kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) of the rate-limiting R --> h conversion, using enzyme prepared with meso-deuterated heme and in H2O/D2O buffers to measure the solvent KIE (solv-KIE), and the secondary KIE (sec-KIE) associated with the conversion. This approach is unique in that KIEs measured by monitoring the rate-limiting step are not susceptible to masking by KIEs of other processes, and these results represent the first direct measurement of the KIEs of product formation by a kinetically competent reaction intermediate in any dioxygen-activating heme enzyme.The observation of both solv-KIE(298) = 1.8 and sec-KIE(298) = 0.8 (inverse) indicates that the rate-limiting step for formation of h by HO is a concerted process: proton transfer to the hydroperoxo-ferri-heme through the distal-pocket H-bond network, likely from a carboxyl group acting as a general acid catalyst, occurring in synchrony with bond formation between the terminal hydroperoxo-oxygen atom and the alpha-meso carbon to form a tetrahedral hydroxylated-heme intermediate. Subsequent rearrangement and loss of H2O then generates h.     

Insights into the free-energy dependence of intramolecular dissociative electron transfers

To study the relationship between rate and driving force of intramolecular dissociative electron transfers, a series of donor-spacer-acceptor (D-Sp-A) systems has been devised and synthesized. cis-1,4-Cyclohexanedyil and a perester functional group were kept constant as the spacer and acceptor, respectively. By changing the aryl substituents of the phthalimide moiety, which served as the donor, the driving force could be varied by 0.74 eV. X-ray diffraction crystallography and ab initio conformational calculations pointed to D-Sp-A molecules having the cis-(cyclohexane) equatorial(phthalimido)-axial(perester) conformation and the same D/A orientation. The intramolecular dissociative electron-transfer process was studied by electrochemical means in N,N-dimethylformamide, in comparison with thermodynamic and kinetic information obtained with models of the acceptor and the donor. The intramolecular process consists of the electron transfer from the electrochemically generated phthalimide-moiety radical anion to the peroxide functional group. The electrochemical analysis provided clear evidence of a concerted dissociative electron-transfer mechanism, leading to the cleavage of the O-O bond. Support for this mechanism was obtained by ab initio MO calculations, which provided information about the LUMO of the acceptor and the SOMO of the donor. The intramolecular rate constants were determined and compared with the corresponding intermolecular values, the latter data being obtained by using the model molecules. As long as the effective location of the centroid of the donor SOMO does not vary significantly by changing the aryl substituent(s), the intramolecular dissociative electron transfer obeys the same main rules already highlighted for the corresponding intermolecular process. On the other hand, introduction of a nitro group drags the SOMO away from the acceptor, and consequently, the intramolecular rate drops by as much as 1.6 orders of magnitude from the expected value. Therefore, a larger solvent reorganization than for intermolecular electron transfers and the effective D/A distance and thus electronic coupling must be taken into account for quantitative predictions of intramolecular rates.     

辅酶NADH模型物还原活化烯烃反应机理研究

对本课题组近年来研究的辅酶NADH模型物还原活化烯烃的反应机理进行了综述。对于辅酶模型物还原2-溴-1-苯基亚乙基丙二腈类化合物的反应,依赖辅酶模型物和底物的结构,反应可以按一步的负氢转移机理或按电子转移机理进行。用手性辅酶模型物进行这一反应,可得到具有中等光学活性的环丙烷衍生物。实验结果表明辅酶模型物BNAH与1,1-二苯基-2,2-二硝基乙烯的反应的过渡态具有部分双自由基和部分共价键形成的特征,为Pross-Shaik“曲线交叉模型”所预测的“中间机理”提供了直接的证据。BNAH与9-亚芴基丙二腈的反应经历电子转移和负电荷在9-位碳上的碳负离子中间体,动力学同位素效应为2.6。     

Influence of donor-acceptor distance variation on photoinduced electron and proton transfer in rhenium(i)-phenol dyads

A homologous series of four molecules in which a phenol unit is linked covalently to a rhenium(I) tricarbonyl diimine photooxidant via a variable number of p-xylene spacers (n = 0-3) was synthesized and investigated. The species with a single p-xylene spacer was structurally characterized to get some benchmark distances. Photoexcitation of the metal complex in the shortest dyad (n = 0) triggers release of the phenolic proton to the acetonitrile/water solvent mixture; a H/D kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of 2.0 ± 0.4 is associated with this process. Thus, the shortest dyad basically acts like a photoacid. The next two longer dyads (n = 1, 2) exhibit intramolecular photoinduced phenol-to-rhenium electron transfer in the rate-determining excited-state deactivation step, and there is no significant KIE in this case. For the dyad with n = 1, transient absorption spectroscopy provided evidence for release of the phenolic proton to the solvent upon oxidation of the phenol by intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer. Subsequent thermal charge recombination is associated with a H/D KIE of 3.6 ± 0.4 and therefore is likely to involve proton motion in the rate-determining reaction step. Thus, some of the longer dyads (n = 1, 2) exhibit photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), albeit in a stepwise (electron transfer followed by proton transfer) rather than concerted manner. Our study demonstrates that electronically strongly coupled donor-acceptor systems may exhibit significantly different photoinduced PCET chemistry than electronically weakly coupled donor-bridge-acceptor molecules.     

Hydrogen bond geometries from electron paramagnetic resonance and electron-nuclear double resonance parameters: density functional study of quinone radical anion-solvent interactions

Density functional theory was used to study the impact of hydrogen bonding on the p-benzosemiquinone radical anion BQ(*-) in coordination with water or alcohol molecules. After complete geometry optimizations, (1)H, (13)C, and (17)O hyperfine as well as (2)H nuclear quadrupole coupling constants and the g-tensor were computed. The suitability of different model systems with one, two, four, and 20 water molecules was tested; best agreement between theory and experiment could be obtained for the largest model system. Q-band pulse (2)H electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) experiments were performed on BQ(*-) in D(2)O. They compare very well with the spectra simulated by use of the theoretical values from density functional theory. For BQ(*-) in coordination with four water or alcohol molecules, rather similar hydrogen-bond lengths between 1.75 and 1.78 A were calculated. Thus, the computed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters are hardly distinguishable for the different solvents, in agreement with experimental findings. Furthermore, the distance dependence of the EPR parameters on the hydrogen-bond length was studied. The nuclear quadrupole and the dipolar hyperfine coupling constants of the bridging hydrogens show the expected dependencies on the H-bond length R(O.H). A correlation was obtained for the g-tensor. It is shown that the point-dipole model is suitable for the estimation of hydrogen-bond lengths from anisotropic hyperfine coupling constants of the bridging (1)H nuclei for H-bond lengths larger than approximately 1.7 A. Furthermore, the estimation of H-bond lengths from (2)H nuclear quadrupole coupling constants of bridging deuterium nuclei by empirical relations is discussed.