Highly efficient photochemically induced thiyl radical-mediated racemization of aliphatic amines at 30 degrees C

UV irradiation in the presence of thiol enables the performance of highly efficient aliphatic amines racemization, under mild conditions at 30 degrees C. The reaction proceeds via the reversible generation of prochiral alpha-aminoalkyl radicals. The latter may result either from a redox process between the thiyl radical and the amine or from direct hydrogen atom abstraction by thiyl radical. As hydrogen atom donor, the thiol plays a crucial role. While the racemization of both primary and secondary amines were fast processes, the racemization of tertiary amines was sluggish. A tentative rationale is based on the photostimulated amine-catalyzed oxidation of the thiol into the corresponding disulfide, which makes the hydrogen atom donor concentration in the reaction medium drop up to trace amount at a rate that depends on the nature of the amine.     

A pitfall of using 2‐[(2E)‐3‐(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)‐2‐methylprop‐2‐enylidene]malononitrile as a matrix in MALDI TOF MS: chemical adduction of matrix to analyte amino groups

2‐[(2E)‐3‐(4‐tert‐Butylphenyl)‐2‐methylprop‐2‐enylidene]malononitrile (DCTB) has been considered as an excellent matrix for matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) of many types of synthetic compounds. However, it might provide troublesome results for compounds containing aliphatic primary or secondary amino groups. For these compounds, strong extra ion peaks with a mass difference of 184.1 Da were usually observed, which might falsely indicate the presence of some unknown impurities that were not detected by other matrices. On the basis of the possible mechanisms proposed, these extra ions are the products of nucleophilic reactions between analyte amino groups and DCTB molecules or radical cations. In these reactions, an amino group replaces the dicyanomethylene group of DCTB forming a matrix adduct via a ? C?N‐bond. An aliphatic primary amine could react easily with DCTB and the reaction could start once they are mixed in a MALDI solution. For an aliphatic secondary amine, on the other hand, the reaction most likely occurs in the gas phase. Protonation of amino groups by adding acid seems to be a useful way to stop DCTB adduction for compounds with one single amino group, but not for compounds with multiple amino groups. Unlike aliphatic primary or secondary amines, aliphatic tertiary amines and aromatic amines do not yield DCTB adducts. This is because tertiary amines do not have the required transferrable H‐(N) atom to form an extra ? C?N‐bond, while aromatic amines are not sufficiently nucleophilic to attack DCTB. In view of the possible matrix adduction, care should be taken in MALDI time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS) when DCTB is used as the matrix for compounds containing amino group(s). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Probing the Compound I-like reactivity of a bare high-valent oxo iron porphyrin complex: the oxidation of tertiary amines

The mechanisms of oxidative N-dealkylation of amines by heme enzymes including peroxidases and cytochromes P450 and by functional models for the active Compound I species have long been studied. A debated issue has concerned in particular the character of the primary step initiating the oxidation sequence, either a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) or an electron transfer (ET) event, facing problems such as the possible contribution of multiple oxidants and complex environmental effects. In the present study, an oxo iron(IV) porphyrin radical cation intermediate 1, [(TPFPP)*+ Fe(IV)=O]+ (TPFPP = meso-tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl)porphinato dianion), functional model of Compound I, has been produced as a bare species. The gas-phase reaction with amines (A) studied by ESI-FT-ICR mass spectrometry has revealed for the first time the elementary steps and the ionic intermediates involved in the oxidative activation. Ionic products are formed involving ET (A*+, the amine radical cation), formal hydride transfer (HT) from the amine ([A(-H)]+, an iminium ion), and oxygen atom transfer (OAT) to the amine (A(O), likely a carbinolamine product), whereas an ionic product involving a net initial HAT event is never observed. The reaction appears to be initiated by an ET event for the majority of the tested amines which included tertiary aliphatic and aromatic amines as well as a cyclic and a secondary amine. For a series of N,N-dimethylanilines the reaction efficiency for the ET activated pathways was found to correlate with the ionization energy of the amine. A stepwise pathway accounts for the C-H bond activation resulting in the formal HT product, namely a primary ET process forming A*+, which is deprotonated at the alpha-C-H bond forming an N-methyl-N-arylaminomethyl radical, A(-H)*, readily oxidized to the iminium ion, [A(-H)]+. The kinetic isotope effect (KIE) for proton transfer (PT) increases as the acidity of the amine radical cation increases and the PT reaction to the base, the ferryl group of (TPFPP)Fe(IV)=O, approaches thermoneutrality. The ET reaction displayed by 1 with gaseous N,N-dimethylaniline finds a counterpart in the ET reactivity of FeO+, reportedly a potent oxidant in the gas phase, and with the barrierless ET process for a model (P)*+ Fe(IV)=O species (where P is the porphine dianion) as found by theoretical calculations. Finally, the remarkable OAT reactivity of 1 with C6F5N(CH3)2 may hint to a mechanism along a route of diverse spin multiplicity.     

Selective N-alkylation of amines using nitriles under hydrogenation conditions: facile synthesis of secondary and tertiary amines

Nitriles were found to be highly effective alkylating reagents for the selective N-alkylation of amines under catalytic hydrogenation conditions. For the aromatic primary amines, the corresponding secondary amines were selectively obtained under Pd/C-catalyzed hydrogenation conditions. Although the use of electron poor aromatic amines or bulky nitriles showed a lower reactivity toward the reductive alkylation, the addition of NH(4)OAc enhanced the reactivity to give secondary aromatic amines in good to excellent yields. Under the same reaction conditions, aromatic nitro compounds instead of the aromatic primary amines could be directly transformed into secondary amines via a domino reaction involving the one-pot hydrogenation of the nitro group and the reductive alkylation of the amines. While aliphatic amines were effectively converted to the corresponding tertiary amines under Pd/C-catalyzed conditions, Rh/C was a highly effective catalyst for the N-monoalkylation of aliphatic primary amines without over-alkylation to the tertiary amines. Furthermore, the combination of the Rh/C-catalyzed N-monoalkylation of the aliphatic primary amines and additional Pd/C-catalyzed alkylation of the resulting secondary aliphatic amines could selectively prepare aliphatic tertiary amines possessing three different alkyl groups. According to the mechanistic studies, it seems reasonable to conclude that nitriles were reduced to aldimines before the nucleophilic attack of the amine during the first step of the reaction.     

Enthalpy of cooperative hydrogen bonding in complexes of tertiary amines with aliphatic alcohols: Calorimetric study

The work is devoted to the investigation of thermodynamics of specific interaction of the tertiary aliphatic and aromatic amines with associated solvents as which aliphatic alcohols were taken. Solution enthalpies of aliphatic alcohols in amines (tri-n-propylamine, 2-methylpyridine, 3-methylpyridine, N-methylimidazole) as well as amines in alcohols were measured at infinite dilution. The enthalpies of specific interaction (H-bonding) in systems studied were determined based on experimental data. The enthalpies of specific interaction of amines in aliphatic alcohols significantly lower than the enthalpies of hydrogen bonding in complexes amine–alcohol of 1:1 composition determined in base media due to the reorganization of aliphatic alcohols as solvents. The determination of solvent reorganization contribution makes possible to define the hydrogen bonding enthalpies of amines with clusters of alcohols. Obtained enthalpies of hydrogen bonding in multi-particle complexes are sensitive to the influence of cooperative effect. It was shown, that hydrogen bond cooperativity factors in multi-particle complexes of alcohols with amines are approximately equal for all alcohols when pyridines and N-methylimidazole as solutes are used. At the same time, H-bonding cooperativity factors in complexes of trialkylamines with associative species of alcohols decrease with increasing of alkyl radical length in alcohol and amine molecules.This work shows that the thermodynamic functions of specific interaction of solutes with associated solvents cannot be described using the H-bond parameters for the complexes of 1:1 composition.     

Intramolecular hydrogen bonding and hydrogen atom abstraction in gas-phase aliphatic amine radical cations

The intramolecular hydrogen atom abstraction by the nitrogen atom in isolated aliphatic amine radical cations is examined experimentally and with composite high-level ab initio methods of the G3 family. The magnitude of the enthalpy barriers toward H-atom transfer varies with the shape and size of the cyclic transition state and with the degree of substitution at the nitrogen and carbon atoms involved. The lower barriers are found for 1,5- and 1,6-abstraction, for chairlike transition states, for abstraction reactions in ionized primary amines, and for abstraction of H from tertiary carbon atoms. In most cases, the internal energy required for 1,4-, 1,5-, and 1,6-hydrogen atom abstraction to occur is less than that required for gas-phase fragmentation by simple cleavage of C-C bonds, which explains why H-atom transfer can be reversible and result in extensive H/D exchange prior to the fragmentation of many low-energy deuterium labeled ionized amines. The H-atom transfer to nitrogen is exothermic for primary amine radical cations and endothermic for tertiary amines. It gives rise to a variety of distonic radical cations, and these may undergo further isomerization. The heat of formation of the gauche conformers of the gamma-, delta-, and epsilon-distonic isomers is up to 25 kJ mol(-1) lower than that of the corresponding trans forms, which is taken to reflect C-H-N hydrogen bonding between the protonated amino group and the alkyl radical site.     

Mechanism for the reduction of the mixed-valent MnIIIMnIV[2-OHsalpn]2+ complex by tertiary amines

The mixed-valent dimanganese(III/IV) complex MnIIIMnIV(2-OHsalpn)2+, 1, is cleanly reduced in acetonitrile by aliphatic tertiary amines to give the dimanganese(III) product MnIII2(2-OHsalpn)2, 2. Thorough characterization of the organic reaction products shows that tributylamine is converted to dibutylformamide and propionaldehyde. Kinetic studies and radical trapping experiments suggest that this occurs via initial single-electron transfer from the amine to 1 coupled with C-H alpha proton transfer from the oxidized amine. EPR spectroscopy and base inhibition studies indicate that coordination of the amine to 1 is a critical step prior to the electron transfer step. Rate data and its dependence on the amine indicate that the ability of the amine to reduce 1 is correlated to its basicity rather than to its reduction potential. Weakly basic amines were unable to reduce 1 irrespective of their reduction potential. This was inferred to indicate that proton transfer from the amine radical cation is also important in the reduction of 1 by tertiary amines. Comparison of the activation energy with reaction thermodynamics indicates that proton transfer and electron transfer must be concerted to explain the rapidity of the reaction. The fate of the amine radical is dependent on the presence of oxygen, and labeling studies show that oxygen in the organic products arises from dioxygen, although incorporation from trace water was also observed. These data indicate that inhibition of the hydrolytic quenching of the amine radical in an aprotic solvent results in a different fate for the amine radical when compared to amine oxidation reactions in aqueous solution. The proposed mechanism gives new insight into the ability of amines with high reduction potential to reduce metal ions of lower potential. In particular, these data are consistent with the ability of small amines and certain amine-containing buffers to inhibit manganese-dependent oxygen evolution in photosynthesis, which arises in some cases as a result of manganese reduction and its concomitant loss from the PS II reaction center.     

Nonsolvent application of ionic liquids: organo-catalysis by 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation based room-temperature ionic liquids for chemoselective N-tert-butyloxycarbonylation of amines and the influence of the C-2 hydrogen on catalytic efficiency

1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation based ionic liquids efficiently catalyze N-tert-butyloxycarbonylation of amines with excellent chemoselectivity. The catalytic role of the ionic liquid is envisaged as "electrophilic activation" of di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (Boc(2)O) through bifurcated hydrogen bond formation with the C-2 hydrogen of the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation and has been supported by a downfield shift of the imidazolium C-2 hydrogen of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([bmim][NTf(2)]) from δ 8.39 to 8.66 in the presence of Boc(2)O in the (1)H NMR and a drastic reduction of the catalytic efficiency with 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium ionic liquids that are devoid of the C-2 hydrogen. The differential time required for reaction with aromatic and aliphatic amines has offered means for selective N-t-Boc formation during inter and intramolecular competitions. Preferential N-t-Boc formation with secondary aliphatic amine has been achieved in the presence of primary aliphatic amine. Comparison of the catalytic efficiency for N-t-Boc formation with a common substrate revealed that [bmim][NTf(2)] is superior to the reported Lewis acid catalysts.     

Hydrogen atom abstraction reactions from tertiary amines by benzyloxyl and cumyloxyl radicals: influence of structure on the rate-determining formation of a hydrogen-bonded prereaction complex

A time-resolved kinetic study on the hydrogen atom abstraction reactions from a series of tertiary amines by the cumyloxyl (CumO(?)) and benzyloxyl (BnO(?)) radicals was carried out. With the sterically hindered triisobutylamine, comparable hydrogen atom abstraction rate constants (k(H)) were measured for the two radicals (k(H)(BnO(?))/k(H)(CumO(?)) = 2.8), and the reactions were described as direct hydrogen atom abstractions. With the other amines, increases in k(H)(BnO(?))/k(H)(CumO(?)) ratios of 13 to 2027 times were observed. k(H) approaches the diffusion limit in the reactions between BnO(?) and unhindered cyclic and bicyiclic amines, whereas a decrease in reactivity is observed with acyclic amines and with the hindered cyclic amine 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethylpiperidine. These results provide additional support to our hypothesis that the reaction proceeds through the rate-determining formation of a C-H/N hydrogen-bonded prereaction complex between the benzyloxyl α-C-H and the nitrogen lone pair wherein hydrogen atom abstraction occurs, and demonstrate the important role of amine structure on the overall reaction mechanism. Additional mechanistic information in support of this picture is obtained from the study of the reactions of the amines with a deuterated benzyloxyl radical (PhCD(2)O(?), BnO(?)-d(2)) and the 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyloxyl radical.     

Ionization of aniline and its N-methyl and N-phenyl substituted derivatives by (free) electron transfer to n-butyl chloride parent radical cations

The electron transfer from aniline and its N-methyl as well as N-phenyl substituted derivatives (N-methylaniline, N,N-dimethylaniline, diphenylamine, triphenylamine) to parent solvent radical cations was studied by electron pulse radiolysis in n-butyl chloride solution. The ionization results in the case of aniline (ArNH2) and the secondary aromatic amines (Ar2NH, Ar(Me)NH) in the synchronous and direct formation of amine radical cations, as well as aminyl radicals, in comparable amounts. Subsequently, ArNH2*+ deprotonates in a delayed reaction with the present nucleophile Cl-, and forms further ArNH*. In contrast, tertiary aromatic amines such as triphenylamine and dimethylaniline yield primarily the corresponding amine radical cations Ar3N*+ or Ar(Me2)N*+, only. The persistent Ar3N*+ forms a charge transfer complex (dimer) with the parent amine molecule, whereas Ar(Me2)N*+ deprotonates to carbon-centered radicals Ar(Me)NCH2*.     

THE PHOTOREDUCTION OF METHYLENE BLUE BY AMINES—II. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE DECAY OF SEMIREDUCED METHYLENE BLUE

Abstract— The decay of semireduced methylene blue (MB') formed in the photoreduction of the dye by aryl- and alkylamines was examined by flash photolysis. The second order decay of MB in methanol produced using arylamines and 1,4-diazabicyclooctane as photoreducing agents led to complete regeneration of the dye and amine. The rate constants for a series of N.N-dimethylanilines showed a small substituent effect ( p = 0.69 ± 0.16) compatible with recombination of MB' with arylamine derived radical cations. A study of the solvent effect on the recombination process revealed the importance of the stability of the radical cation toward the solvent and also indicated that the reaction approaches the rate of diffusion. The photoreduction of the dye by most alkylamines examined resulted in permanent bleaching of methylene blue. The second order decay of MB' produced using tertiary aliphatic amines led exclusively to formation of the leuco-dye with no apparent regeneration of methylene blue; this process was tentatively assigned to a reaction of MB' with α-amino radicals formed from the amine radical cation. It was concluded that the methylene blue-sensitized photooxidation of amines involves a Type I process and possible mechanisms are discussed.     

A Systematic Account on Aromatic Hydroxylation by a Cytochrome P450 Model Compound I: A Low‐Pressure Mass Spectrometry and Computational Study

Cytochrome P450 enzymes are heme‐containing mono‐oxygenases that mainly react through oxygen‐atom transfer. Specific features of substrate and oxidant that determine the reaction rate constant for oxygen atom transfer are still poorly understood and therefore, we did a systematic gas‐phase study on reactions by iron(IV)‐oxo porphyrin cation radical structures with arenes. We present herein the first results obtained by using Fourier transform‐ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and provide rate constants and product distributions for the assayed reactions. Product distributions and kinetic isotope effect studies implicate a rate‐determining aromatic hydroxylation reaction that correlates with the ionization energy of the substrate and no evidence of aliphatic hydroxylation products is observed. To further understand the details of the reaction mechanism, a computational study on a model complex was performed. These studies confirm the experimental hypothesis of dominant aromatic over aliphatic hydroxylation and show that the lack of an axial ligand affects the aliphatic pathways. Moreover, a two‐parabola valence bond model is used to rationalize the rate constant and identify key properties of the oxidant and substrate that drive the reaction. In particular, the work shows that aromatic hydroxylation rates correlate with the ionization energy of the substrate as well as with the electron affinity of the oxidant.     

芳香叔胺引发烯类单体聚合研究——单体结构与聚合的关系

不同烯类单体在芳香叔胺存在下的聚合机构不一样。甲基丙烯酸甲酯等有α-甲基的烯类单体在不照光的条件下即可被芳香叔胺引发聚合,其聚合机构认为是首先α—甲基被胺-氧复合物氧化,生成单体过氧化物。再与胺形成氧化还原体系,分解产生自由基。 丙烯酸酯,丙烯腈等没有α-甲基的单体,只有光照时才被芳香叔胺氧化聚合,不光照时完全不聚合。这是因为这些单体不被胺-氧复合物氧化。光照下聚合的机构认为是因光的激发,这些单体与芳香叔胺形成电子转移激发络合物,再分解产生自由基。 研究了单体结构,胺结构对光聚合速度的影响。不同单体的活性次序是: AN>MA>VA>St 不同芳香叔胺的活性次序是: DMT>DMA>DMB>DNA 表明单体双键电子云密度越小,芳香叔胺氮原子上电子云密度越大,越容易形成激发态电子转移络合物,从而越容易聚合。     

Distribution of amines in water/AOT/n-hexane reverse micelles: influence of the amine chemical structure

The distribution of different aliphatic and aromatic amines: n-butylamine (n-BA), isobutylamine (i-BA), tert-butylamine (t-BA), piperidine (PIP), N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) and N-methylaniline (MA) in water/sodium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate(AOT)/n-hexane reverse micelles was investigated by steady-state fluorescence measurements. The partition constants were measured by an indirect method based on the effect that amine partitioning exert on the bimolecular rate of the reaction between a microphase incorporated fluorophore (Ru(bpy)2+(3)) and the quencher, (Fe(CN)3-(6)). For MA, that can act as a quencher of the fluorophore a direct method was used. The results show that primary amines have larger partition constants than the secondary ones. For tertiary amines the distribution constants were practically negligible. Laser flash photolysis experiments confirmed that tertiary amines, both aliphatic and aromatic, are not incorporated to the micellar pseudophase. The effect of the amine structure on the partition constant was analyzed through linear solvation free energy relationships (LSER) using solute parameters and compared with those obtained for alcohols. Hydrogen bond interactions with the AOT polar heads appear to be the main driving force for the distribution of amines between the organic and micellar pseudophases, whereas the size of the alkyl or aromatic group tends to hinder it.     

Polyepoxide-water interactions: Influence of the chemical structure of the network

We have investigated the influence of the chemical structure of polyepoxide networks on the sorption behaviour and water-induced changes of viscoelastic and mechanical properties. The β relaxation was found to be unaffected by the presence of adsorbed water for an anhydride and an aromatic amine based polyepoxide. The anhydride based network shows better behaviour in a water environment than the aromatic amine based network in terms of plasticisation, reversibility of the degradation and loss of mechanical properties. This has been attributed to (i) a smaller crosslinking density, leading to a smaller specific volume in the glassy state and thus a smaller water uptake and (ii) a strong interaction between water and tertiary amines in epoxide-aromatic amine networks. This interaction, probably of electrostatic nature, would result from the delocalization of the doublet of the nitrogen atom. The results are critically compared to the literature on aliphatic amine based polyepoxides, where the dependence of the β relaxation on the water content is proposed to be related to the electron-donating ability of the aliphatic chain.     

Sensitive fluorescent detection and Lewis basicity of aliphatic amines

In this contribution is reported the sensitive properties of the Zn(II) Schiff base complex, 1, in dichloromethane with respect a series of primary, secondary, and tertiary aliphatic amines through the study of fluorescence enhancement upon amine coordination to the Lewis acidic Zn(II) metal center with formation of 1:1 adducts. It is found that complex 1 exhibits selectivity and nanomolar sensitivity for primary and alicyclic amines. A distinct selectivity is also observed along the series of secondary or tertiary amines, paralleling the increasing steric hindrance at the nitrogen atom. The binding interaction can be related to the Lewis basicity of the coordinating amine; thus, complex 1 represents a suitable reference Lewis acid, and estimated binding constants within the investigated amine series can be related to their relative Lewis basicity. A relative order of the Lewis basicity can be established for acyclic amines, primary > secondary > tertiary, while an inverted order, tertiary > secondary ≈ primary (acyclic), is found in the case of alicyclic amines. The present approach represents a simple, suitable method to ranking the relative Lewis basicity of aliphatic amines in low-polarity, nonprotogenic solvents.     

Mechanistic investigations on the reaction between amines or amides and an alkylperoxy-lambda3-iodane

A mechanism involving the intermediate formation of an amine radical cation by single-electron transfer is proposed for the oxidation of secondary amines with alkylperoxy-lambda(3)-iodane. On the other hand, the oxidation of acetamides probably proceeds by a radical process, which involves the direct hydrogen abstraction of the methylene group alpha to the nitrogen atom.     

The mechanism of carbon dioxide catalysis in the hydrogen peroxide N-oxidation of amines

The reactivity of the peroxymonocarbonate ion, HCO4- (an active oxidant derived from the equilibrium reaction of hydrogen peroxide and bicarbonate), has been investigated in the oxidation of aliphatic amines. Tertiary aliphatic amines are oxidized to the corresponding N-oxides in high yields, while secondary amines give corresponding nitrones. A closely related mechanism for the H2O2 oxidation of tertiary amines catalyzed by CO2 (under 1 atm) and H2O2 at 25 degrees C is proposed. The rate laws for the oxidation of N-methylmorpholine (1) to N-methylmorpholine N-oxide and N,N-dimethylbenzylamine (2) to N,N-dimethylbenzylamine N-oxide have been obtained. The second-order rate constants for the oxidation by HCO4- are k1 .016 M(-1) s(-1) for 1 in water and k1=0.042 M(-1) s(-1) for 2 in water/acetone (5:1). The second-order rate constants for tertiary amine oxidations by HCO4- are over 400-fold greater than those for H2O2 alone. Activation parameters for oxidation of 1 by HCO4- in water are reported (DeltaH=36+/-2 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaS=-154+/-7 J mol(-1) K(-1)). The BAP (NH4HCO3-activated peroxide) or CO2/H2O2 oxidation reagents are simple and economical methods for the preparation of tertiary amine N-oxides. The reactions proceed to completion, do not require extraction, and afford the pure N-oxides in excellent yields in aqueous media.     

N-nitrosation of amines by NO2 and NO: a theoretical study

Gas-phase nitrosation of amines implies a nonionic pathway different from the nitrosonium nitrosation via acidification of nitrite. Electronic structure calculations discussed in this work suggest a free radical mechanism, in which NO2 abstracts a hydrogen atom from the nitrogen in primary and secondary amines to form an intermediate complex of an aminyl radical and nitrous acid. The aminyl radical intermediate is then quenched by nitric oxide, leading to the formation of nitrosamine. High-level calculations (CBS-QB3) show that alkyl substitutions on amines can activate the H-abstraction reaction. Thus, while H-abstraction from NH3 was found to exhibit a reaction barrier (DeltaH) of 106 kJ/mol, similar calculations indicate that the corresponding barriers decrease to 72 and 45 kJ/mol for methylamine and dimethylamine, respectively. Heterocyclic secondary amines have also been investigated in a similar manner. The five-membered-ring (5-m-r) amine appears to be the most reactive: pyrrolidine (DeltaH=30 kJ/mol), azetidine (DeltaH=44 kJ/mol), piperidine (DeltaH=44 kJ/mol), and aziridine (DeltaH=74 kJ/mol). The reaction barrier for 1H-pyrrole, an aromatic 5-m-r secondary amine, was found to be 59 kJ/mol. The origin of the high activity for the 5-m-r alkylamine stems from a hydrogen-bond-like interaction between the aminyl radical and the nascent nitrous acid molecule. This theoretical study suggests that, in the presence of nitrogen oxides, the gas-phase nitrosation of secondary amines is feasible.