Electrochemical studies of weak carbon and nitrogen acids: Fluorene and p-cyanoaniline in dimethylformamide

The electrochemical reduction of fluorene and p-cyanoaniline in DMF at a platinum electrode is initially a one-electron process which affords the corresponding readical anions. In the absence of an added proton donor, decomposition of the radical anions occurs by carbonhydrogen bond cleavage to give the conjugate bases of the starting materials; the anions subsequently slowly abstract a proton from the tetraalkylammonium cation of the supporting electrolyte to regenerate the original electroactive species. In the presence of dimethylmalonate, both radical anions rapidly electron transfer to the added proton donor. Neither self-protonation nor protonation by the added donor was observed for either radical anion. In addition to proton abstraction, 9-fluorenyl anion reacts with oxygen to give fluorene and hydroxide ion. Abstraction of a proton from fluorene by the latter species then effects a chain reaction in which 9-fluorenyl anion is the chain-carrying species. Reduction of bifluorenyl occurs with carbon-carbon bond cleavage to give 9-fluorenyl anion as the initial product. Subsequent proton transfer from bifluorenyl to 9-fluorenyl anion then yields the final products, 9-bifluorenyl anion and fluorene, in equimolar amounts.     

9,9′-螺双芴的光电性能

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)-B3LYP/6-31G(d)方法对9,9'-螺双芴低聚物[(SBF)_n(n=1-4)]体系进行全优化,得到各分子的最高占据轨道(HOMO)和最低空轨道(LUMO)能量及HOMO-LUMO能隙,结果表明各分子整体表现出很好的共轭性质.并在分子的阳离子和阴离子状态的优化结构基础上,计算得到电离势(IP)、电子亲和势(EA)、空穴抽取能(HEP)、电子抽取能(EEP)和重组能等相关能量.利用单激发组态相瓦作用(CIS)/3-21G方法优化得到9,9'-螺双芴单体的S_1激发态的几何构型.用含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)方法计算得到了分子吸收光谱和荧光光谱的相关数据.随着聚合长度的增加,能隙变窄,空穴注入和电子转移的能力都相应提高,吸收光所需能量减小,吸收强度(f)增大,光谱红移.采用线性外推法,利用低聚物分子的各种性质与聚合度n之间的关系,得到高聚物的相应性质.为考察9位螺芴化的影响,将(SBF)_n的相关性质与母体芴的低聚物[(FL)_n(n=1-4)]进行比较,由两者的计算结果对比显示,在芴的9位螺芴化可以提高电子和空穴的传输能力,并同时保留芴优良的发光性质.     

9,9’-螺双芴的光电性能

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)-B3LYP/6-31G(d)方法对9,9'-螺双芴低聚物[(SBF)n(n=1-4)]体系进行全优化, 得到各分子的最高占据轨道(HOMO)和最低空轨道(LUMO)能量及HOMO-LUMO能隙, 结果表明各分子整体表现出很好的共轭性质. 并在分子的阳离子和阴离子状态的优化结构基础上, 计算得到电离势(IP)、电子亲和势(EA)、空穴抽取能(HEP)、电子抽取能(EEP)和重组能等相关能量. 利用单激发组态相互作用(CIS)/3-21G方法优化得到9,9'-螺双芴单体的S1激发态的几何构型. 用含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)方法计算得到了分子吸收光谱和荧光光谱的相关数据. 随着聚合长度的增加, 能隙变窄, 空穴注入和电子转移的能力都相应提高, 吸收光所需能量减小, 吸收强度(f)增大, 光谱红移. 采用线性外推法, 利用低聚物分子的各种性质与聚合度n之间的关系, 得到高聚物的相应性质.为考察9位螺芴化的影响, 将(SBF)n的相关性质与母体芴的低聚物[(FL)n(n=1-4)]进行比较, 由两者的计算结果对比显示, 在芴的9位螺芴化可以提高电子和空穴的传输能力, 并同时保留芴优良的发光性质.     

Electrochemical reduction of uracil in dimethyl sulfoxide: Autoprotonation of the anion radical

The electrochemical reduction of uracil in dimethyl sulfoxide was investigated, using d.c.and a.c. polarography, cyclic voltammetry, and controlled potential electrolysis. Uracil is reduced in a one-electron step (E_1/2=?2.3 V); the apparent number of electrons transferred (n) decreases from one at infinite dilution to one-half at concentrations above 1mM. The concentration dependent n-value is due to proton transfer by the parent compound to the radical anion formed on reduction. Such a proton transfer, which has been observed for 2-hydroxypyrimidine, deactivates part of the uracil, which would otherwise be available for reduction, by formation of the more difficultly reducible conjugate base. The uracil anion forms insoluble mercury salts, producing two oxidation waves (E_1/2 of ?0.1 and ?0.3 V); the latter wave is due to formation of a passivating film on the electrode. Digital simulations indicate that the protonation rate exceeds 10⁵M^?1 s^?1 and that, at low uracil concentration, some of the free radical formed on protonation is further reduced. At concentrations exceeding 1 mM, all of the free radical dimerizes. The effect of added acids and base on the electrochemical behavior is described.     

Reactions of Diethyl Dibromomalonate and Ethyl 2,2-Dichloroacetoacetate with Water and Carbonyl Compounds (Aldehydes and Ketones) in the Presence of Pentacarbonyliron

Diethyl dibromomalonate and ethyl 2,2-dichloroacetoacetate are effectively reduced with the system pentacarbonyliron-proton-donor compound (water or butyl methyl ketone) to give the corresponding hydrodehalogenation products. These results provide a support for the previous assumption that the key reaction stage is reduction with pentacarbonyliron of initially formed radical to anion which is then involved in proton transfer.     

Analysis of active chemical species generated by electrolysis using non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis. Detection of the anion radical and the divalent anion of tetracyanoquinodimethane

We have investigated detection of the anion radical and the divalent anion of tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) by acetonitrile-CE under anaerobic conditions. With electrolysis at a potential of 0.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), an acetonitrile solution of TCNQ turned green, characteristic of the TCNQ anion radical (TCNQ-). Only one peak of the anionic compound was observed in CE of the electrolysis solution and it should be that of TCNQ-. Then, the electrolysis potential was shifted to -0.8 V expected to be sufficient potential for the further reduction of TCNQ-, and the solution turned almost colourless. In CE analysis of the latter solution, another anionic component possessing a larger electrophoretic mobility than that of TCNQ- was detected, and it was decomposed immediately under aerobic conditions. This product was strongly suggested to be the divalent anion of TCNQ, and the present method would contribute notably to detection of the unstable species.     

Synthesis, optical, electrochemical, and thermal properties of α,α′-bis(9,9-bis-n-hexylfluorenyl)-substituted oligothiophenes

A series of new α,α′-bis(9,9-bis-n-hexylfluorenyl)-substituted oligothiophenes with 2-, 4-, and 6-thiophene rings have been synthesized via a nickel-catalyzed reductive dimerization and their optical, electrochemical, and thermal properties investigated. The fluorene substituents have shown electronic interactions with the oligothiophene chains, enhanced the solubility of these materials and stabilized the radical cation and dication by blocking the reactive α-positions of the thiophene moieties. The absorption, fluorescence, electrochemical, and thermal properties of these materials can be tuned by varying the conjugation length of the oligothiophene segment.     

Electron transfer reduction of a highly electron-deficient fullerene,C60F18

Electron transfer reduction of a highly electron-deficient fullerene, C60F18, to the defluorinated anion, C60F17- occurs efficiently by a relatively weak one-electron reductant, p-chloranil radical anion; the one-electron reduction potential of C60F18 is evaluated as 0.04 V (vs. SCE) by comparison of the rate constant for electron-transfer from 10,10'-dimethyl-9,9',10,10'-tetrahydro-9,9'-biacridine to C60F18 with those of other one-electron reductants.     

Synthesis and oxidative polymerization of dialkyl fluorene-9,9-dicarboxylates

Novel long-chain dialkyl fluorene-9,9-dicarboxylates were synthesized by treating fluorene with lithium diisopropylamide followed by alkyl chloroformates. The fluorene derivatives were readily electro-oxidized to form electroactive films on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. From the viewpoint of suitable potential window (from −2.5 to 1.5 V vs Ag/Ag⁺), cyclic voltammograms of the films indicated the electroactive properties of the fluorene derivatives that make them good candidates for electrochemical capacitor materials.     

Electrochemistry and electrogenerated chemiluminescence of 3,6-di(spirobifluorene)-N-phenylcarbazole

We report here the electrochemistry, luminescence, and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of 3,6-dispirobifluorene-N-phenylcarbazole (DSBFNPC). DSBFNPC contains two spirobifluorene groups covalently attached to the N-phenylcarbazole core. The optimized geometry as determined from semiempirical MNDO calculations shows that the phenyl group is twisted 89 degrees from the plane of central carbazole, indicating a lack of electron delocalization between these groups. However, the two fluorene rings of each spirobifluorene group are twisted 58 degrees relative to each other and two spirobifluorene groups are twisted 64 degrees from the N-phenylcarbazole ring, suggesting some charge delocalization among these groups. The cyclic voltammetry of this compound shows two reversible oxidation waves (assigned to the formation of the cation and dication) and a two-electron reduction wave that becomes reversible at higher scan rates (assigned to formation of anion). Digital simulations were carried out to obtain details of the electrochemical processes, and electrochemical behavior was compared to that of phenylcarbazole (PC). Upon cycling between the oxidation and reduction waves, ECL is produced by radical ion annihilation. The photophysical properties of DSBFNPC show a strong resemblance to the parent compound, PC, and the ECL spectrum produced via radical ion annihilation shows good agreement with the fluorescence emission spectrum of DSBFNPC.     

In situ electrochemical ESR and voltammetric studies on the anodic oxidation of para-haloanilines in acetonitrile

An in situ electrochemical electron spin resonance (ESR) study on the electro-oxidation of para-chloroaniline, para-bromoaniline, and para-iodoaniline dissolved in acetonitrile at gold electrodes is reported. ESR spectra obtained using a tubular flow cell reveal the presence of a paramagnetic dimer product derived from para-aminodiphenylamine, during oxidative electrolysis, suggesting the coupling of reactive electrogenerated radical cations with neutral parent haloaniline molecules. The ESR signal intensity behaves in a manner expected for a radical species reacting with second-order kinetics, suggesting the paramagnetic dimer is, itself, unstable. The theory describing the ESR signal intensity flow rate behavior for this reaction mechanism is developed for the tubular arrangement and used to extract mechanistic and kinetic data from the experimental results for the cases of para-chloroaniline and para-bromoaniline. Further mechanistic aspects, including proton and halide ion expulsion during dimerization, are explored voltammetrically and with the aid of digital simulations using Digisim. Comparison of the ESR signal and voltammetric measurements suggests that an additional mechanism operates which does not lead to paramagnetic products. Additionally, the in situ electrolysis of N,N-dimethyl-para-bromoaniline is reported to generate the stable radical cation of N,N,N',N'-tetramethylbenzidine, and a mechanism of electro-oxidation is, thus, proposed.     

, B.E. Conway,J.O'M. Bockris (Eds.)Modern Aspects of Electrochemistry,No. 13, Plenum Press,New York and London (1979)

The electrochemical reductions of fluorenone hydrazone (Fl=NNH₂), fluorenone fluorenylhydrazone (FIHNHN=Fl), fluorenone azine (Fl=N?N=Fl) and benzophenone analogs have been studied at platinum cathodes in DMF?0.1 M(n-Bu)₄NClO₄ in the absence and presence of an added proton donor. Fl=NNH₂ undergoes reduction to give an unstable anion radical which decomposes by an unidentified pathway to afford Fl=NH. The latter species is electroactive at the applied potential and is reduced to the corresponding amine, FlHNH₂. Four electrons per molecule of Fl=NNH₂ are required for this process when electroreduction is effected in the presence of diethyl malonate (DEM), an electroinactive proton donor. Unreacted Fl=NNH₂ serves as the source of protons when electroreduction is conducted in the absence of DEM.Dual reaction channels are observed for the reduction of FlHNHN=Fl. If the corresponding anion radical is not protonated by either an added proton donor or unreacted starting material, decomposition occurs by carbon-nitrogen bond cleavage to give FlH₂ and Fl=NNH₂ as products. Reduction of the latter species occurs at the same potential as FlHNHN=Fl, ultimately affording FlHNH₂. The reaction channel involving carbon-nitrogen bond cleavage is replaced by a pathway involving nitrogen-nitrogen bond cleavage in the presence of an added proton donor. The final reduction product by this route is FlHNH₂.Fl=N?N=Fl is reduced stepwise and reversibly to its dianion in an aprotic medium. In the presence of a relatively strong proton donor such as hexafluoro-2-propanol, reduction gives FlHNHN=Fl. The redox behavior of the benzophenone analogs, Ph₂C=N?N=CPh₂, Ph₂CHNHN=CPh₂ and Ph₂C=NNH₂, parallels that of their counterparts in the fluorene series.     

Behavior of electrogenerated bases in room-temperature ionic liquids

The reductive electrochemistry of substituted benzophenones in the aprotic room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bistriflimide occurs via two consecutive one-electron processes leading to the radical anion and dianion, respectively. The radical anion exhibited electrochemical reversibility at all time-scales whereas the dianion exhibited reversibility at potential sweep rates of >or=10 V s(-1), collectively indicating the absence of strong ion-paring with the RTIL cation. In contrast, reduction in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bistriflimide is complicated by proton-transfer from the [Bmim] cation. At low potential sweep rates, reduction involves a single two-electron process characteristic of either an electrochemical, chemical, electrochemical (ECE) or disproportion-type (DISP1) mechanism. The rate of radical anion protonation in [Bmim] is governed by basicity and conforms to the Hammett free-energy relation. At higher potential sweep rates in [Bmim][NTf2], reduction occurs via two consecutive one-electron processes, giving rise to the partially reversible generation of the radical anion and the irreversible generation of the dianion, respectively. Also, the redox potentials for the reversible parent/radical anion couples were found to be a linear function of Hammett substituent constants in both RTIL media and exhibited effectively equivalent solvent-dependent reaction constants, which are similar to those for reduction in polar molecular solvents such as acetonitrile or alcohols.     

Convenient Synthesis of 2,7-Diamino-9,9- bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorene

For the synthesis of 2,7-diamino-9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorene 2 , first 2,7-dinitro-9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorene 1 was synthesized by the reaction of 2,7-dinitro-9-fluorenone with aniline and aniline hydrochloride. 2 was obtained by the reduction of 1 with hydrazine hydrate and 10% palladium on carbon.     

Electron-transfer reactions with significant changes in structure. Unsymmetrical crowded ethylenes

The electrochemical reduction mechanisms of xanthylideneanthrone, 6, thioxanthylideneanthrone, 7, 10-(diphenylmethylene)anthrone, 8, and 9-(diphenylmethylene)-9H-fluorene, 9, have been studied in dimethylformamide. The reduction of the first two compounds proceeds from folded forms of the neutral to twisted forms of the anion radical according to a square scheme. The data for reduction of 8 can be well accounted for by the same square scheme. However, one-step reduction with concerted electron transfer and structural change cannot be ruled out. Compound 9, whose fluorene ring system cannot fold, exists only in twisted forms in the neutral, anion radical, and dianion. Consequently, there are no major changes in structure upon reduction, and the compound is reduced in two reversible steps with the second complicated by rapid loss of the dianion that is probably due to protonation by components of the medium.     

Electrochemical reduction of triorganohalo-silanes and -germanes

The electrochemical reduction of triorganohalo-silanes and -germanes in 1,2-dimethoxyethane has been investigated by polarography, cyclic voltammetry, controlled potential coulometry, and macroscale electrolysis. The reduction of the silicon compounds exhibits a single irreversible wave. The polarograms for the germanium compounds exhibit two irreversible waves. The second wave shifts to more anodic potentials with addition of phenol or acetic acid. Dimer (i.e. disilanes or digermanes) are the main product of macroscale electrolysis in aprotic solvent but the hydrides are the principal products in protic solution.The results are interpreted in terms of the coexistence of two separate processes. The first involves a one electron reduction followed by dimerization of the radical. At higher cathodic potential a two electron charge transfer step occurs to form an anion, which in aprotic solvents reacts with the starting halogeno compound to form dimer, and in protic solutions gives the hydride.     

Intramolecular electron transfer in cofacially pi-stacked fluorenes: evidence of tunneling

The one-electron reduction of neutral pi-stacked di- and trifluorenes (F-2 and F-3) in HMPA, where ion association is absent, results in the formation of anion radicals in which the odd electron resides predominantly on just one of the external fluorene moieties, as established by EPR spectroscopy. However, in the case of tetrafluorene, introduction of a single electron leads to a kinetically controlled anion radical F-4(int)*- in which the odd electron undergoes rapid exchange between two central fluorene rings, where the anionic charge is partially shielded from solvation due to the presence of external fluorene rings. On a time scale of minutes, anion radical F-4(int)*- converts to a thermodynamically stabilized anion radical F-4(ext)*-, with the electron exhibiting coupling from the protons on an external fluorene moiety. The charge and spin residing on an external moiety allow efficient solvation of the anionic charge. A similar fast exchange of a single electron (probably with the involvement of quantum mechanical tunneling) among three and four internal fluorene moieties is initially observed via EPR spectroscopy in the penta- and hexafluorene derivatives, F-5 and F-6, respectively.     

Proton transfer reactions of photogenerated cyanoaromatic-methylaromatic radical ion pairs2

The photochemical reactions of a number of cyanoaromatic (acceptor) and methylaromatic (donor) molecules have been investigated. These reactions can result in the formation of photosubstitution products or benzyl radical coupling products. A survey of our results and previously published data indicates that exergonic photostimulated electron transfer is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the observation of reaction products. The efficiency of proton transfer from the donor cation radical to the acceptor anion radical is determined by the kinetic acidity and basicity of the radical ion pair. Mechanistic evidence is presented which indicates that proton transfer requires diffusion apart and reencounter of the initially formed radical ion pair. Predominant radical pair combination is observed for anion radicals which yield electron-deficient free radicals upon protonation, whereas predominant cage escape and benzyl radical coupling is observed for anion radicals which yield electron-rich free radicals upon protonation.     

Photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer process of fullerene (C60) and amine-substituted fluorenes studied by laser flash photolysis

Photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer process of fullerene (C60) with 9,9-bis(4-triphenylamino)fluorene (BTAF) and 9,9-dimethoxyethyl-2-diphenylaminofluorene (DAF) in toluene and benzonitrile has been investigated by nanosecond laser photolysis technique in the visible/near-IR regions. By the selective excitation of C60 using 532 laser light, it has been proved that the electron transfer takes place from the ground states BTAF and DAF to the triplet excited state of C60 ((3)C60*) by observing the radical anion of C60 and radical cation of BTAF and DAF. It was observed that the electron transfer of BTAF/(3)C60* is more efficient than DAF/(3)C60* reflecting the effect of amine-substitutents of the fluorene moiety on the efficiency of the electron transfer process. On addition of a viologen dication (OV(2+)), the electron of the anion radical of C60 mediates to OV(2+) yielding the OV(+). These results proved that the photosensitized electron-transfer/electron-mediating processes have been confirmed by the transient absorption spectral method.     

Reductive tert-Butylation of Anils by tert-Butylmercury Halides(1)

tert-Butyl radicals add to the carbon atom of benzylideneanilines to form anilino radicals, which are protonated in the presence of PTSA or NH(4)(+) in Me(2)SO. Reduction of the resulting aniline radical cations occurs readily by the ate complex, t-BuHgI(2)(-). In the absence of a proton donor, t-BuHgI will also transfer a hydrogen atom to the anilino radical to give the reductive alkylation product. Protonation can promote a free radical chain process involving electron transfer by substrate activation and/or by increasing the electron affinity of the intermediate radicals. Since the adduct radicals formed from benzylideneanilines are more easily protonated than the parent Schiff bases, PTSA but not NH(4)(+) demonstrates substrate activation, although both proton donors promote the free radical reaction.