A Curtin–Hammett pentamethylene chain symmetrization process in the Bergman cyclization of an 11‐membered ring enediyne

Pentamethylene chain conformational effects for the Bergman cyclization of the 11‐membered ring enediyne, (3Z)‐3‐cycloundecene‐1,5‐diyne, 2, are examined theoretically with unrestricted Becke, three‐parameter, Lee–Yang–Parr/6‐31 G(d,p) calculations. A C₁ symmetric enediyne conformation was found to be the global minimum, where its nonsymmetric pentamethylene chain prevented π‐orbital alignment of the acetylene groups for C–C σ bond product formation. The Bergman cyclization of 2 was found to be conformationally dependent. In a Curtin–Hammett type process, the C₁ symmetric 2 inverts to one of the C_S or C₂ symmetric conformers required for the Bergman cyclization, which produced a C_S or C₂ symmetric 1,4‐diradical intermediate. The activation energy for the cyclization is slightly higher to reach the C₂ symmetry diradical compared with the C_S symmetry diradical. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Acid catalyzed intramolecular attack of β‐phenylthioureido group on amide function. Parallel formation of thiodihydrouracil and 4‐iminothiodihydrouracil. Different pathways in the Edman degradation reaction in the formation of six‐ versus five‐membered cyclic intermediates

Contrary to the cleavage of α‐phenylthioureido peptides 1 proceeding through intermediate 2‐anilinothiazolinone 2 , the b‐analog cis‐2‐(3‐phenylthioureido)cyclopentane‐carboxamide 5 forms transiently 4‐imino‐2‐thioxopyrimidine 6 . Monitoring amide cyclization and hydrolysis of iminopyrimidine 6 in acid by UV showed that an equilibrium between 5 and 6 was reached followed by slower conversion of both compounds into 2‐oxo‐4‐thioxopyrimidine 7 . Both processes were characterized by isosbestic points, the first due to parallel conversion of 5 into 6 and 7 (or 6 into 5 and 7 ) at a constant ratio while the second identical for both reactants – to conversion of equilibrated 5 and 6 into 7 . The special isosbestic points allowed the determination of the individual constants of Scheme 2. Further confirmation was obtained from NMR product analysis and following the cyclization of amide 5 in DMSO:DCl. Product 2‐oxo‐4‐ thioxopyrimidine 7 hydrolyzed reversibly to thioureido acid 8 . The cyclization rate of 8 allowed the participation of 6‐oxothiazine 10 formed by sulfur attack to be excluded. The absence of sulfur attack in the six‐membered case is explained by the longer C? S bond bringing about greater bond angle strain at the tetrahedral ring atoms due to the geometrical characteristics of five‐ and six‐membered rings with planar segments. The cyclizations of amide 5 to iminopyrimidine 6 and to thiodihydrouracil 7 are first order in [H⁺], while the reactions of protonated imine 6 H⁺ are zero order to amide and ?1 to thiodihydrouracil. The reaction orders can be reconciled by assuming a rate determining proton transfer from the tetrahedral intermediate in amide cyclization. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical insight into the open‐shell singlet diradical character of single molecular solvated dielectron e2@CnFn (n = 20, 28, 36, 50, 60, and 80)

Can there exist an open‐shell (OS) singlet diradical in the electronic ground state of the solvated dielectron? Here, we presented a comparison study by different cage‐shaped e₂@C_nF_n (n = 20, 28, 36, 50, 60, and 80) at unrestricted broken spin‐symmetry density functional theory. It is found that both the stability and the singlet diradical character of the molecule increase with increasing excess electron encapsulation space (size of the cage). For the e₂@C_nF_n (n = 50, 60, and 80), the electronic ground states have obvious special OS singlet diradical characters. Among these OS e₂@C_nF_n (n = 50, 60, and 80), the e₂@C₅₀F₅₀ with intermediate diradical character (0.658) is the most stable. The two semispheres in each highest occupied molecular orbital (α and β) of these diradicals suggest that the two excess electrons are simultaneously encapsulated inside the different regions of the cage, respectively, to form special broken s‐type 3excess electron pair.     

Solvent effects in the conversion of anthraquinone to anthrahydroquinone and simultaneously hydrogen sulfide to hydrogen and sulfur

The conversion rate of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and t-butylanthraquinone (TBAQ) to a sulfur atom and t-butylanthrahydroquinone (HTBAQH) is determined by the strength of three complexes. The complexes are between the reaction solvent and the TBAQ diradical, the HTBAQ radical or the HS radical. The strength of these complexes was determined by calculating the highest value of the electrostatic potential surface overlap between the solvent and a given radical. These computations used either the TINDO2 or the Zindo/1 semi empirical method. The solvent/TBAQ diradical complex was confirmed by experimental proton NMR. The width of the NMR aromatic region is directly related to the strength of the solvent/TBAQ diradical complex and to the experimental overall TBAQ conversion level.     

Theoretical analysis on geometries and electronic structures of antiaromatic pentalene and its N‐substituted derivatives: monomer,oligomers and polymer

The antiaromatic compounds have received a great deal of attention for several decades because of their unusual electronic structures. The electronic structures and properties of antiaromatic pentalene and its six nitrogen heterocyclic derivatives were systematically studied by the density functional theory at the Becke, three‐parameter, Lee–Yang–Parr level with 6‐31G* basis set. The results indicated that all the monomers have stable singlet states and remarkable bond‐length alternations. From the dimer to polymer in those molecules, pentalene(P), cyclopenta[b]pyrrole(CPP), cyclopenta[d]imidazole(CPI), pyrrolo[2,3‐b]pyrrole(PP1) and pyrrolo[3,2‐d]imidazole(PI) are stable diradical structures; pyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrrole (PP2) and imidazo[4,5‐d]imidazole(II) are stable singlet ground states. The electronic properties including bond length, bond‐length alternation, electron density at bond critical points, Wiberg bond index and nucleus‐independent chemical shift were analyzed. It was found that in diradical molecules the bond‐length alternations are diminished, the charge tends to equilibrate, the π‐electron delocalization and conjugation are strengthened. The electronic properties of singlet ground state molecules have nearly no variations from monomers to polymers. The band structure analysis shows that diradical structure molecules have small band gaps (<1.0 eV), wide bandwidth and small effective masses of holes and electrons which suggest that diradical structure molecules are very good candidates for conductive materials. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Is 4‐nitrobenzenethiol converted to p,p′‐dimercaptoazobenzene or 4‐aminothiophenol by surface photochemistry reaction?

For the first time, the experimental and theoretical evidence for the conversion of 4‐nitrobenzenethiol (4‐NBT) to p,p′‐dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) in Ag and Cu sols by surface photochemistry reaction is obtained with surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The SERS spectrum of 4‐NBT in Cu sol is identical to that of DMAB produced from 4‐aminothiophenol in Ag sol as reported in recent literature, thereby providing direct spectral evidence. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

n‐type silicon solar cells with surface‐passivated screen‐printed aluminium‐alloyed rear emitter

Aluminium‐doped p‐type (Al‐p⁺) silicon emitters fabricated by means of a simple screen‐printing process are effectively passivated by plasma‐enhanced chemical‐vapour deposited amorphous silicon (a‐Si). We measure an emitter saturation current density of only 246 fA/cm², which is the lowest value achieved so far for a simple screen‐printed Al‐p⁺ emitter on silicon. In order to demonstrate the applicability of this easy‐to‐fabricate p⁺ emitter to high‐efficiency silicon solar cells, we implement our passivated p⁺ emitter into an n⁺np⁺ solar cell structure. An independently confirmed conversion efficiency of 19.7% is achieved using n‐type phosphorus‐doped Czochralski‐grown silicon as bulk material, clearly demonstrating the high‐efficiency potential of the newly developed a‐Si passivated Al‐p⁺ emitter. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The thermal C2–C6 (Schmittel)/ene cyclization of enyne–allenes – crossing the boundary between classical and nonstatistical kinetics

The thermal C²–C⁶/ene cyclization of enyne–allenes has become an exciting venue for both mechanistic and synthetic studies. While at first most efforts were aimed at establishing the diradical nature of the thermal process and to derive therefrom efficient protocols for synthetic schemes, recent evidence has disclosed the C²–C⁶ cyclization as a unique reaction heavily influenced by nonstatistical dynamic effects. Depending on the substituents at the enyne–allene, one can readily identify transitions between classical and nonstatistical behaviors on the basis of experimental data. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction in enyne–allenes: a computational investigation and comparison with the Myers–Saito and Schmittel reactions

The reaction mechanisms as well as substituted effect and solvent effect of the enyne–allenes are investigated by Density Functional Theory (DFT) method and compared with the Myers–Saito and Schmittel reactions. The Myers–Saito reaction of non‐substituted enyne–allenes is kinetically and thermodynamically favored as compared to the Schmittel reaction; while the concerted [4 + 2] cycloaddition is only 1.32 kcal/mol higher than the C₂? C₇ cyclization and more exothermic (Δ_RE = ?69.38 kcal/mol). For R₁ = CH₃ and t‐Bu, the increasing barrier of the C₂? C₇ cyclization is higher than that for the C₂? C₆ cyclization because of the steric effect, so the increased barrier of the [4 + 2] cycloaddition is affected by such substituted electron‐releasing group. Moreover, the strong steric effect of R₁ = t‐Bu would shift the C₂? C₇ cyclization to the [4 + 2] cycloaddition. On the other hand, for R₁ = Ph, NH₂, O^?, NO₂, and CN substituents, the barrier of the C₂? C₆ cyclization would be more diminished than the C₂? C₇ cyclization due to strong mesomeric effect; the reaction path of C₂? C₇ cyclization would also shift to the [4 + 2] cycloaddition. The solvation does not lead to significant changes in the potential‐energy surface of the reaction except for the more polar surrounding solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), or water. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical insights into the regioselectivity of a Pictet‐Spengler reaction: Transition state structures leading to salsolinol and isosalsolinol

The mechanism of the cyclization step of the Pictet‐Spengler reaction between acetaldehyde and dopamine to give salsolinol and isosalsolinol was studied computationally, using density functional theory. The preferential formation in acidic media of salsolinol, the product of para‐cyclization, and the requirement of a neutral pH for the formation of the ortho‐cyclized isosalsolinol are explained in terms of 2 different mechanistic routes with an iminium ion or a phenolate‐iminium zwitterion as starting reactants.     

Palladium‐catalyzed cyclization of 2‐alkynyl‐N‐ethanoyl anilines to indoles: synthesis,structural, spectroscopic,and mechanistic study

This study reports a facial regio‐selective synthesis of 2‐alkyl‐N‐ethanoyl indoles from substituted‐N‐ethanoyl anilines employing palladium (II) chloride, which acts as a cyclization catalyst. The mechanistic trait of palladium‐based cyclization is also explored by employing density functional theory. In a two‐step mechanism, the palladium, which attaches to the ethylene carbons, promotes the proton transfer and cyclization. The gas‐phase barrier height of the first transition state is 37 kcal/mol, indicating the rate‐determining step of this reaction. Incorporating acetonitrile through the solvation model on density solvation model reduces the barrier height to 31 kcal/mol. In the presence of solvent, the electron‐releasing (–CH₃) group has a greater influence on the reduction of the barrier height compared with the electron‐withdrawing group (–Cl). These results further confirm that solvent plays an important role on palladium‐catalyzed proton transfer and cyclization. For unveiling structural, spectroscopic, and photophysical properties, experimental and computational studies are also performed. Thermodynamic analysis discloses that these reactions are exothermic. The highest occupied molecular orbital?lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap (4.9–5.0 eV) confirms that these compounds are more chemically reactive than indole. The calculated UV–Vis spectra by time‐dependent density functional theory exhibit strong peaks at 290, 246, and 232 nm, in good agreement with the experimental results. Moreover, experimental and computed ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the indole derivatives are well correlated. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,structural characterization,and spectroscopic properties of the ortho,meta, and para isomers of 8‐(HOCH2‐C6H4)‐BODIPY and 8‐(MeOC6H4)‐BODIPY

Fluorescent members of the 4, 4‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a, 4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene (BODIPY) family are widely used for a range of markers, dyes, and sensors. The capacity to substitute the basic framework is an attractive feature permitting a range of differently substituted materials to be formed. New isomeric BODIPYs, o‐, m‐, and p‐8‐[R‐C₆H₄]‐BODIPY (R = CH₂OH, 2a (o), 2b (m), 2c (p); R = OMe, 3a (o), 3b (m), 3c (p)), have been synthesized and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, absorbance and emission spectroscopy, and single crystal X‐ray diffraction. The o‐isomers have a very high quantum yield emission in non‐polar solvents, while the m‐ and p‐ analogs showed weak fluorescence under the same conditions. Spectroscopic analysis, as well as X‐ray structural characterization, suggested that substitution in the ortho‐position of the phenyl ring is sufficient to increase the steric hindrance and hence impede the rotation of the phenyl moiety about the 8C‐C axis, thereby favoring radiative compared to non‐radiative relaxation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Substituent effects on the 13C NMR chemical shifts of the imine carbon in N‐(4‐X–benzylidene)‐4‐(4‐Y–styryl) anilines

Long‐range electronic substituent effects were targeted using the substituent dependence of δ_C(C═N), and specific cross‐interactions were explored extendedly. A wide set of N‐(4‐X–benzylidene)‐4‐(4‐Y–styryl) anilines, p‐X–C₆H₄CH═NC₆H₄CH═CHC₆H₄–p‐Y (X = NMe₂, OMe, Me, H, Cl, F, CN, or NO₂; Y = NMe₂, OMe, Me, H, Cl, or CN) were prepared for this study, and their ¹³C NMR chemical shifts δ_C(C═N) of C═N bonds were measured. The results show that both the inductive and resonance effects of the substituents Y on the δ_C(C═N) of p‐X–C₆H₄CH═NC₆H₄CH═CHC₆H₄–p‐Y are less than those of the substituents Y in p‐X–C₆H₄CH═NC₆H₄–p‐Y. Moreover, the sensitivity of the electronic character of the C═N function to electron donation/electron withdrawal by the substituent X or Y attenuates as the length of the conjugated chain is elongated. It was confirmed that the substituent cross‐interaction is an important factor influencing δ_C(C═N), not only when both X and Y are varied but also when either X or Y is fixed. The long‐range transmission of the specific cross‐interaction effects on δ_C(C═N) decreases with increasing conjugated distance between X and Y. The results of this study suggest that there is a long‐range transmission of the substituent effects in p‐X–C₆H₄CH═NC₆H₄CH═CHC₆H₄–p‐Y. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of an arenediazonium ion with hydrophilic aminocarboxylic acids in aqueous buffered solution

The reaction of 4‐nitrobenzenediazonium ion, 4NBD, with the aminocarboxylic acids (AA) glycine and serine was studied under acidic conditions by using Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV), which allows simultaneous monitoring of 4NBD loss and product formation. Voltammograms of the reaction mixture are complex, showing up to five reduction peaks. The reduction peaks at E_p = ?0.5 and ?1.0 V, not detected in the absence of AA, are associated to products formed in the course of the reaction. The variation of their peak current, i_p, with time shows a complex behavior; that of i_p (E_p = ?1.0 V) follows a biphasic profile with i_p increasing with time up to a maximum after which a decrease is detected, suggestive of formation and subsequent decomposition of a transient intermediate, meanwhile i_p (E_p = ?0.5 V) increases with time after an induction period. The peaks at E_p = ?0.1 and ?0.8 V are associated to the reduction of the diazonium group of 4NBD and, in the presence of AA ([AA] >>> [4NBD]), their peak currents decrease exponentially with time following clean first‐order kinetics for more than 3t_1/2. The variation of k_obs with [AA] at a given pH is linear with an intercept equal to zero and that of log(k_obs) with pH at constant [AA] is also linear. Kinetic evidence is consistent with a reaction mechanism involving an irreversible, rate‐limiting bimolecular step which leads to the formation of an unstable triazene, which further decomposes yielding 4‐nitroaniline among other reaction products. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics of base‐catalyzed cyclization of 2,6‐dinitrophenylsulfanyl ethanenitrile and 2,4,6‐trinitrophenylsulfanyl ethanenitrile

The kinetics of base catalyzed cyclization of 2,6‐dinitrophenylsulfanyl ethanenitrile and 2,4,6‐trinitrophenylsulfanyl ethanenitrile giving 2‐cyano‐7‐nitrobenzo[d]thiazole‐3‐oxide and 2‐cyano‐5,7‐dinitrobenzo[d]thiazole‐3‐oxide respectively was studied in methanolic methoxyacetate, acetate, trichlorophenoxide, N‐methylmorpholine, and N‐methylpiperidine buffers at 25 °C and I = 0.1 mol L^?1. It was found that reaction involves both general acid and general base catalyses whose manifestation depends on the pK_a of the acid‐buffer component and the ratio of both buffer components. In weakly basic buffers the rate‐limiting step is C? H bond breaking in the cyclic intermediate, while in strongly basic buffers the rate‐limiting step is the general acid‐catalyzed elimination of hydroxyl group from the intermediate. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solvatochromic properties of long alkyl chain π* indicators: comparison of N,N‐dialkyl‐4‐nitroanilines and alkyl 4‐nitrophenyl ethers

Hydrophobic forms of the N,N‐dialkyl‐4‐nitroaniline (DNAP) (p‐O₂NC₆H₄NR₂) ( 1a–f ) and alkyl‐4‐nitrophenyl ether (p‐O₂NC₆H₄OR) ( 2a–c ) solvatochromic π* indicators have been characterized and compared with respect to: (a) solvatochromic bandshape, (b) sensitivity expressed as ?s , ( / d π * ), and (c) trends in ? s with increasing length of alkyl chain(s) on the probe molecule. ? Octyl 4‐nitrophenyl ether (p‐O₂NC₆H₄OC₈H₁₇) ( 2b ) and ? decyl 4‐nitrophenyl ether (p‐O₂N C₆H₄ OC₁₀H₂₁) ( 2c ) were synthesized and their solvatochromic UV/Vis absorption bands were found to maintain a Gausso‐Lorentzian bandshape for the indicators in non‐polar and alkyl substituted aromatic solvents, for example, hexane(s) and mesitylene. Corresponding absorption bands for 1a–f display increasing deviation from a Gausso‐Lorentzian shape in the same solvents as the alkyl chains on the indicator are increased in length all the way to C₁₀ and C₁₂, for example, N,N‐didecyl‐4‐nitroaniline (p‐O₂NC₆H₄N (C₁₀H₂₁)₂) and N,N‐didodecyl‐4‐nitroaniline (p‐O₂NC₆H₄N (C₁₂H₂₅)₂) ( 1d–f ). A plot of ? s versus C_n follows a 1st order decay for the DNAP indicators but is linear for the alkyl 4‐nitrophenyl ethers. A discussion of how the long alkyl chains on the two types of indicators affect the orientation and overlap of n and π * orbitals, and resulting solvatochromic bands is presented. For DNAP, overextending the alkyl chains to obtain greater hydrophobic character may cause the alkane component to dominate solute‐solvation processes at the expense of the probe's fundamental solvatochromic character. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

XANES studies of monosubstituted benzhydrazide complexes of copper

K x‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES) studies were carried out on nine samples of monosubstituted benzhydrazide complexes of copper, viz. copper(II) benzhydrazide, o‐, m‐ and p‐hydroxybenzhydrazide, o‐, m‐ and p‐nitrobenzhydrazide and o‐ and p‐chlorobenzhydrazide. These complexes are known for their pharmacological activity as antitubercular agents, antibacterial agents and as fungicides. In the three categories of substituted benzhydrazides the ionicity is found to increase in the order para > meta > ortho. Our studies revealed that the substituted complexes are less ionic than the parent complex. Among the three groups, hydroxy‐substituted complexes are more ionic than nitro‐ and chloro‐substituted hydrazides. Splitting of the principal absorption maximum (1s → 4p) takes place in most of these complexes. The splitting into two components has been assigned to the transitions 1s → A*(4p_z) and 1s → B*(4p_x, 4p_y). The estimated bandgap values for these complexes decrease in the order ortho > meta > para. The present studies indicate that as the chemical shift values increase in all the three groups, the bandgap energy values decrease. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bond cutting in Cs‐doped tris(8‐hydroxyquinoline) aluminium

A series of Cs 4d and Al 2p spectra associated with valence‐band and cut‐off spectra have been used to characterize the interaction between caesium and tris(8‐hydroxyquinoline) aluminium (Alq₃) molecules in a Cs‐doped Alq₃ layer. The Cs 4d and Al 2p spectra were tuned to be very surface sensitive by selecting a photon energy of 120 eV at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Taiwan. A critical Cs concentration exists, above which a new Al 2p signal appears next to the Al 2p peak of Alq₃ in the lower binding‐energy side. The Al 2p signal was analyzed and assigned as being contributed from a mixture of Alq₂, Alq and Al. Experimental data supported the observation that bond cutting of Alq₃ by the doped Cs atoms occurred at high Cs doping concentration.     

Mechanistic study on silver(I)‐catalyzed aminofluorination of unactivated alkenes

A study has been performed on the mechanism for the Ag(I)‐catalyzed intramolecular aminofluorination of N‐arylpent‐4‐enamides with Selectfluor by means of density functional theory. According to the calculations, the whole catalytic cycle consists of a series of elementary reactions, including formation of the complex ( IMC ) of the substrate and Ag(H₂O)⁺ (derived from the ligation of H₂O to Ag(I)), oxidation of the complex IMC by Selectfluor, deprotonation, homolytic cleavage of the N–Ag(II) bond, intramolecular radical cyclization, and fluorine abstraction. It is suggested that the oxidation of the complex IMC should be the rate‐determining step and that the intramolecular radical cyclization determines the regioselectivity of the reaction. Different from that in the decarboxylative fluorination, herein, the deprotonation of the amide is initiated by Ag(II) rather than Ag(I).