Hydrogen Abstraction/Acetylene Addition Revealed

For almost half a century, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been proposed to play a key role in the astrochemical evolution of the interstellar medium (ISM) and in the chemistry of combustion systems. However, even the most fundamental reaction mechanism assumed to lead to the simplest PAH naphthalene—the hydrogen abstraction–acetylene addition (HACA) mechanism—has eluded experimental observation. Here, by probing the phenylacetylene (C₈H₆) intermediate together with naphthalene (C₁₀H₈) under combustion‐like conditions by photo‐ionization mass spectrometry, the very first direct experimental evidence for the validity of the HACA mechanism which so far had only been speculated theoretically is reported.     

Unexpected Chemistry from the Reaction of Naphthyl and Acetylene at Combustion‐Like Temperatures

The hydrogen abstraction/acetylene addition (HACA) mechanism has long been viewed as a key route to aromatic ring growth of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in combustion systems. However, doubt has been drawn on the ubiquity of the mechanism by recent electronic structure calculations which predict that the HACA mechanism starting from the naphthyl radical preferentially forms acenaphthylene, thereby blocking cyclization to a third six‐membered ring. Here, by probing the products formed in the reaction of 1‐ and 2‐naphthyl radicals in excess acetylene under combustion‐like conditions with the help of photoionization mass spectrometry, we provide experimental evidence that this reaction produces 1‐ and 2‐ethynylnaphthalenes (C₁₂H₈), acenaphthylene (C₁₂H₈) and diethynylnaphthalenes (C₁₄H₈). Importantly, neither phenanthrene nor anthracene (C₁₄H₁₀) was found, which indicates that the HACA mechanism does not lead to cyclization of the third aromatic ring as expected but rather undergoes ethynyl substitution reactions instead.     

Selective Formation of Indene through the Reaction of Benzyl Radicals with Acetylene

The combustion of fossil fuels forms polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) composed of five‐ and six‐ membered aromatic rings, such as indene (C₉H₈), which are carcinogenic, mutagenic, and deleterious to the environment. Indene, the simplest PAH with single five‐ and six‐membered rings, has been predicted theoretically to be formed through the reaction of benzyl radicals with acetylene. Benzyl radicals are found in significant concentrations in combustion flames, owing to their highly stable aromatic and resonantly stabilized free‐radical character. We provide compelling experimental evidence that indene is synthesized through the reaction of the benzyl radical (C₇H₇) with acetylene (C₂H₂) under combustion‐like conditions at 600 K. The mechanism involves an initial addition step followed by cyclization and aromatization through atomic hydrogen loss. This reaction was found to form the indene isomer exclusively, which, in conjunction with the high concentrations of benzyl and acetylene in combustion environments, indicates that this pathway is the predominant route to synthesize the prototypical five‐ and six‐membered PAH.     

Three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded framework in bis(melamin‐1‐ium) naphthalene‐1,5‐disulfonate melamine pentahydrate

Crystals of the title compound, 2C₃H₇N₆⁺·C₁₀H₆O₆S₂²⁻·C₃H₆N₆·5H₂O, are built up of neutral 2,4,6‐triamino‐1,3,5‐triazine (melamine), singly protonated melaminium cations, naphthalene‐1,5‐disulfonate dianions and water molecules. Two independent anions lie across centres of inversion in the space group P. The melamine molecules are connected by N—H...N hydrogen bonds into two different one‐dimensional polymers almost parallel to the (010) plane, forming a stacking structure along the b axis. The centrosymmetric naphthalene‐1,5‐disulfonate anions interact with water molecules via O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to the (001) plane. The cations and anions are connected by N—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonds to form a three‐dimensional supramolecular framework.     

Two derivatives of 1,5‐disubstituted tetrazoles: 1‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐1H‐tetrazol‐5‐amine and {(E)‐[1‐(4‐ethoxyphenyl)‐1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl]iminomethyl}dimethylamine

The geometric features of 1‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐1H‐tetrazol‐5‐amine, C₇H₆N₆O₂, correspond to the presence of the essential interaction of the 5‐amino group lone pair with the π system of the tetrazole ring. Intermolecular N—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen bonds result in the formation of infinite chains running along the [110] direction and involve centrosymmetric ring structures with motifs R₂²(8) and R₂²(20). Molecules of {(E)‐[1‐(4‐ethoxyphenyl)‐1H‐tetrazol‐5‐yl]iminomethyl}dimethylamine, C₁₂H₁₆N₆O, are essentially flattened, which facilitates the formation of a conjugated system spanning the whole molecule. Conjugation in the azomethine N=C—N fragment results in practically the same length for the formal double and single bonds.     

7‐{Di­phenyl­[(tri­phenyl­phos­phine)­aurio]­phos­phine(1+)‐P}‐8‐methyl‐7,8‐dicarba‐nido‐undecaborate(1–) dichloro­methane hemi­solvate

The title compound, 7‐[(Ph₂P)Au(PPh₃)]‐8‐(CH₃)‐7,8‐nido‐C₂B₉H₁₀]·­0.5CH₂Cl₂ or [Au(C₁₅H₂₃B₉P)­(C₁₈H₁₅P)]·­0.5CH₂Cl₂, is the first reported gold derivative of the ligand [7‐­(Ph₂P)‐8‐(CH₃)‐7,8‐nido‐C₂B₉H₁₀]^?. It has a mono­nuclear structure with the gold centre in an essentially linear coordination [P—Au—P 174.041 (15)°]. The open C₂B₃ face contains one H atom that is strongly bonded to the central B atom and semi‐bridging to a neighbouring B atom [B—H distances 1.070 (16) and 1.45 (3) Å].     

Different hydrogen‐bonded structures in three 2‐thienyl‐substituted tetrahydro‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepines

The molecules of (2RS,4SR)‐2‐exo‐(5‐bromo‐2‐thienyl)‐7‐chloro‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₄H₁₁BrClNOS, (I), are linked into cyclic centrosymmetric dimers by C—H...π(thienyl) hydrogen bonds. Each such dimer makes rather short Br...Br contacts with two other dimers. In (2RS,4SR)‐2‐exo‐(5‐methyl‐2‐thienyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₅H₁₅NOS, (II), a combination of C—H...O and C—H...π(thienyl) hydrogen bonds links the molecules into chains of rings. A more complex chain of rings is formed in (2RS,4SR)‐7‐chloro‐2‐exo‐(5‐methyl‐2‐thienyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₅H₁₄ClNOS, (III), built from a combination of two independent C—H...O hydrogen bonds, one C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bond and one C—H...π(thienyl) hydrogen bond.     

Four 7‐aryl‐substituted pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones: similar molecular structures but different crystal structures

Molecules of 1,3‐dimethyl‐7‐(4‐methylphenyl)pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4(1H,3H)‐dione, C₁₆H₁₅N₃O₂, (I), are linked by paired C—H...O hydrogen bonds to form centrosymmetric R₂²(10) dimers, which are linked into chains by a single π–π stacking interaction. A single C—H...O hydrogen bond links the molecules of 7‐(biphenyl‐4‐yl)‐1,3‐dimethylpyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4(1H,3H)‐dione, C₂₁H₁₇N₃O₂, (II), into C(10) chains, which are weakly linked into sheets by a π–π stacking interaction. In 7‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐methylpyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4(1H,3H)‐dione, C₁₄H₁₀FN₃O₂, (III), an N—H...O hydrogen bond links the molecules into C(6) chains, which are linked into sheets by a π–π stacking interaction. The molecules of 7‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐3‐methylpyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐2,4(1H,3H)‐dione, C₁₅H₁₃N₃O₃, (IV), are also linked into C(6) chains by an N—H...O hydrogen bond, but here the chains are linked into sheets by a combination of two independent C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds.     

Four differently substituted 2‐aryl‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepines: hydrogen‐bonded structures in one,two and three dimensions

In (2RS,4SR)‐7‐chloro‐2‐exo‐(2‐chloro‐6‐fluorophenyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₆H₁₂Cl₂FNO, (I), molecules are linked into chains by a single C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bond. (2RS,4SR)‐2‐exo‐(2‐Chloro‐6‐fluorophenyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₆H₁₃ClFNO, (II), is isomorphous with compound (I) but not strictly isostructural with it, as the hydrogen‐bonded chains in (II) are linked into sheets by an aromatic π–π stacking interaction. The molecules of (2RS,4SR)‐7‐methyl‐2‐exo‐(4‐methylphenyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₈H₁₉NO, (III), are linked into sheets by a combination of C—H...N and C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds. (2S,4R)‐2‐exo‐(2‐Chlorophenyl)‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐1,4‐epoxy‐1‐benzazepine, C₁₆H₁₄ClNO, (IV), crystallizes as a single enantiomer and the molecules are linked into a three‐dimensional framework structure by a combination of one C—H...O hydrogen bond and three C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds.     

3‐Germyl‐3,3‐di­methyl­propionic acid derivatives

The crystal structures of 3,3‐di­methyl‐3‐(tri­chloro­germyl)­propionic acid, [Ge(C₅H₉O₂)Cl₃], 3,3‐di­methyl‐3‐(tri­phenyl­germyl)­propionic acid, [Ge(C₆H₅)₃(C₅H₉O₂)], and 3,3‐di­methyl‐3‐(tri‐p‐toly­lgermyl)­propionic acid, [Ge(C₇H₇)₃(C₅H₉O₂)], have slightly distorted tetrahedral geometries about the Ge atoms. All the structures form dimers via strong O—H·O hydrogen bonds, resulting in eight‐membered rings that can be best described in terms of graph‐set notation (8).     

catena‐Poly[[aquacopper(II)]‐μ‐hydroxido‐μ‐naphthalene‐1‐carboxylato‐κ2O:O′]: effect of a bulky aromatic skeleton in self‐assembly

In the title coordination polymer, [Cu(C₁₁H₇O₂)(OH)(H₂O)]_n, the Cu^II center is five‐coordinated by two O atoms from two different naphthalene‐1‐carboxylate (L) ligands, one O atom from one coordinated water molecule and two O atoms from two hydroxide anions. L ligands and hydroxide anions jointly bridge adjacent Cu^II centers to generate a one‐dimensional chain along the b‐axis direction. The results reveal that the steric bulk of the naphthalene ring system in L may play an important role in the formation of the title complex.     

3‐(1H‐Pyrrol‐2‐yl)‐1H‐pyrazole forms an unusual hydrogen‐bonded two‐dimensional (3,4)‐connected net

The title compound, C₇H₇N₃, is the first crystallographically characterized 1H‐pyrrolyl‐1H‐pyrazole derivative and contains two unique molecules in its asymmetric unit (Z′ = 2). These molecules associate into centrosymmetric tetramers through N—H...N hydrogen bonding, including a cyclic dimerization of one of the two unique pyrazole rings. These tetramers are linked further by two weaker N—H...π contacts to give a novel two‐dimensional (3,4)‐connected net with a (3².8)₂(3.8²)₂ topology.     

An unusual conformation of gabapentin (Gpn) in Pyr‐Gpn‐NH‐NH‐Pyr stabilized by weak interactions

The crystal structure of N‐[(1‐{2‐oxo‐2‐[2‐(pyrazin‐2‐ylcarbonyl)hydrazin‐1‐yl]ethyl}cyclohexyl)methyl]pyrazine‐2‐carboxamide monohydrate (Pyr‐Gpn‐NN‐NH‐Pyr·H₂O), C₁₉H₂₃N₇O₃·H₂O, reveals an unusual trans–gauche (tg⁻) conformation for the gabapentin (Gpn) residue around the C^γ—C^β (θ₁) and C^β—C^α (θ₂) bonds. The molecular conformation is stabilized by intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...O interactions. The packing of the molecules in the crystal lattice shows a network of strong N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds together with weak C—H...O and π–π inteactions.     

Two similarly substituted benzo[h]pyrazolo[3,4‐b]quinoline‐5,6(10H)‐diones: supramolecular structures in two and three dimensions

The molecules of 8‐methyl‐7,10‐diphenyl‐5H‐benzo[h]pyrazolo[3,4‐b]quinoline‐5,6(10H)‐dione, C₂₇H₁₇N₃O₂, (I), are weakly linked into chains by a single C—H...O hydrogen bond, and these chains are linked into sheets by a π–π stacking interaction involving pyridyl and aryl rings. In 8‐methyl‐7‐(4‐methylphenyl)‐10‐phenyl‐5H‐benzo[h]pyrazolo[3,4‐b]quinoline‐5,6(10H)‐dione, C₂₈H₁₉N₃O₂, (II), the molecules are linked into a three‐dimensional framework structure by a combination of C—H...N, C—H...O and C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds, together with a π–π stacking interaction analogous to that in (I).     

Six two‐ and three‐component ammonium carboxylate salt structures with a ladder‐type hydrogen‐bonding motif,three incorporating neutral carboxylic acid molecules

Six ammonium carboxylate salts are synthesized and reported, namely 2‐propylammonium benzoate, C₃H₁₀N⁺·C₇H₅O₂⁻, (I), benzylammonium (R)‐2‐phenylpropionate, C₆H₁₀N⁺·C₉H₉O₂⁻, (II), (RS)‐1‐phenylethylammonium naphthalene‐1‐carboxylate, C₈H₁₂N⁺·C₁₁H₇O₂⁻, (III), benzylammonium–benzoate–benzoic acid (1/1/1), C₆H₁₀N⁺·C₇H₅O₂⁻·C₇H₆O₂, (IV), cyclopropylammonium–benzoate–benzoic acid (1/1/1), C₃H₈N⁺·C₇H₅O₂⁻·C₇H₆O₂, (V), and cyclopropylammonium–ea‐cis‐cyclohexane‐1,4‐dicarboxylate–ee‐trans‐cyclohexane‐1,4‐dicarboxylic acid (2/1/1), 2C₃H₈N⁺·C₈H₁₀O₄²⁻·C₈H₁₂O₄, (VI). Salts (I)–(III) all have a 1:1 ratio of cation to anion and feature three N⁺—H...O⁻ hydrogen bonds which form one‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded ladders. Salts (I) and (II) have type II ladders, consisting of repeating R₄³(10) rings, while (III) has type III ladders, in this case consisting of alternating R₄²(8) and R₄⁴(12) rings. Salts (IV) and (V) have a 1:1:1 ratio of cation to anion to benzoic acid. They have type III ladders formed by three N⁺—H...O⁻ hydrogen bonds, while the benzoic acid molecules are pendant to the ladders and hydrogen bond to them via O—H...O⁻ hydrogen bonds. Salt (VI) has a 2:1:1 ratio of cation to anion to acid and does not feature any hydrogen‐bonded ladders; instead, the ionized and un‐ionized components form a three‐dimensional network of hydrogen‐bonded rings. The two‐component 1:1 salts are formed from a 1:1 ratio of amine to acid. To create the three‐component salts (IV)–(VI), the ratio of amine to acid was reduced so as to deprotonate only half of the acid molecules, and then to observe how the un‐ionized acid molecules are incorporated into the ladder motif. For (IV) and (V), the ratio of amine to acid was reduced to 1:2, while for (VI) the ratio of amine to acid required to deprotonate only half the diacid molecules was 1:1.     

Cationic,neutral and anionic metal(II) complexes derived from 4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid (chelidonic acid)

The structures of five metal complexes containing the 4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylate dianion illustrate the remarkable coordinating versatility of this ligand and the great structural diversity of its complexes. In tetraaquaberyllium 4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylate, [Be(H₂O)₄](C₇H₂O₆), (I), the ions are linked by eight independent O—H...O hydrogen bonds to form a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded framework structure. Each of the ions in hydrazinium(2+) diaqua(4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)calcate, (N₂H₆)[Ca(C₇H₂O₆)₂(H₂O)₂], (II), lies on a twofold rotation axis in the space group P2/c; the anions form hydrogen‐bonded sheets which are linked into a three‐dimensional framework by the cations. In bis(μ‐4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)bis[tetraaquamanganese(II)] tetrahydrate, [Mn₂(C₇H₂O₆)₂(H₂O)₈]·4H₂O, (III), the metal ions and the organic ligands form a cyclic centrosymmetric Mn₂(C₇H₂O₆)₂ unit, and these units are linked into a complex three‐dimensional framework structure containing 12 independent O—H...O hydrogen bonds. There are two independent Cu^II ions in tetraaqua(4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)copper(II), [Cu(C₇H₂O₆)(H₂O)₄], (IV), and both lie on centres of inversion in the space group P; the metal ions and the organic ligands form a one‐dimensional coordination polymer, and the polymer chains are linked into a three‐dimensional framework containing eight independent O—H...O hydrogen bonds. Diaqua(4‐oxo‐4H‐pyran‐2,6‐dicarboxylato)cadmium monohydrate, [Cd(C₇H₂O₆)(H₂O)₂]·H₂O, (V), forms a three‐dimensional coordination polymer in which the organic ligand is coordinated to four different Cd sites, and this polymer is interwoven with a complex three‐dimensional framework built from O—H...O hydrogen bonds.     

4‐Styrylquinolines from cyclocondensation reactions between (2‐aminophenyl)chalcones and 1,3‐diketones: crystal structures and regiochemistry

Structures are reported for two matched sets of substituted 4‐styrylquinolines which were prepared by the formation of the heterocyclic ring in cyclocondensation reactions between 1‐(2‐aminophenyl)‐3‐arylprop‐2‐en‐1‐ones with 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds. (E)‐3‐Acetyl‐4‐[2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]‐2‐methylquinoline, C₂₁H₁₉NO₂, (I), (E)‐3‐acetyl‐4‐[2‐(4‐bromophenyl)ethenyl]‐2‐methylquinoline, C₂₀H₁₆BrNO, (II), and (E)‐3‐acetyl‐2‐methyl‐4‐{2‐[4‐(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethenyl}quinoline, C₂₁H₁₆F₃NO, (III), are isomorphous and in each structure the molecules are linked by a single C—H…O hydrogen bond to form C(6) chains. In (I), but not in (II) or (III), this is augmented by a C—H…π(arene) hydrogen bond to form a chain of rings; hence, (I)–(III) are not strictly isostructural. By contrast with (I)–(III), no two of ethyl (E)‐4‐[2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]‐2‐methylquinoline‐3‐carboxylate, C₂₂H₂₁NO₃, (IV), ethyl (E)‐4‐[2‐(4‐bromophenyl)ethenyl]‐2‐methylquinoline‐3‐carboxylate, C₂₁H₁₈BrNO₂, (V), and ethyl (E)‐2‐methyl‐4‐{2‐[4‐(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethenyl}quinoline‐3‐carboxylate, C₂₂H₁₈F₃NO₂, (VI), are isomorphous. The molecules of (IV) are linked by a single C—H…O hydrogen bond to form C(13) chains, but cyclic centrosymmetric dimers are formed in both (V) and (VI). The dimer in (V) contains a C—H…π(pyridyl) hydrogen bond, while that in (VI) contains two independent C—H…O hydrogen bonds. Comparisons are made with some related structures, and both the regiochemistry and the mechanism of the heterocyclic ring formation are discussed.     

A Free‐Radical Prompted Barrierless Gas‐Phase Synthesis of Pentacene

A representative, low‐temperature gas‐phase reaction mechanism synthesizing polyacenes via ring annulation exemplified by the formation of pentacene (C₂₂H₁₄) along with its benzo[a]tetracene isomer (C₂₂H₁₄) is unraveled by probing the elementary reaction of the 2‐tetracenyl radical (C₁₈H₁₁^.) with vinylacetylene (C₄H₄). The pathway to pentacene—a prototype polyacene and a fundamental molecular building block in graphenes, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes—is facilitated by a barrierless, vinylacetylene mediated gas‐phase process thus disputing conventional hypotheses that synthesis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) solely proceeds at elevated temperatures. This low‐temperature pathway can launch isomer‐selective routes to aromatic structures through submerged reaction barriers, resonantly stabilized free‐radical intermediates, and methodical ring annulation in deep space eventually changing our perception about the chemistry of carbon in our universe.     

Biphenyl‐ and phenylnaphthalenyl‐substituted 1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarbonitrile catalysts for the coupling reaction of nucleoside methyl phosphonamidites

Crystal structures are reported for three substituted 1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarbonitrile compounds used as catalysts for the coupling reaction of nucleoside methyl phosphonamidites, namely 2‐(3′,5′‐dimethylbiphenyl‐2‐yl)‐1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarbonitrile, C₁₉H₁₄N₄, (I), 2‐(2′,4′,6′‐trimethylbiphenyl‐2‐yl)‐1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarbonitrile, C₂₀H₁₆N₄, (II), and 2‐[8‐(3,5‐dimethylphenyl)naphthalen‐1‐yl]‐1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarbonitrile, C₂₃H₁₆N₄, (III). The asymmetric unit of (I) contains two independent molecules with similar conformations. There is steric repulsion between the imidazole group and the terminal phenyl group in all three compounds, resulting in the nonplanarity of the molecules. The naphthalene group of (III) shows significant deviation from planarity. The C—N bond lengths in the imidazole rings range from 1.325 (2) to 1.377 (2) Å. The molecules are connected into zigzag chains by intermolecular N—H...N_imidazole [for (I)] or N—H...·N_cyano [for (II) and (III)] hydrogen bonds.     

Adducts of nickel(II) acetylacetonate chelating with heterocyclic bases: 3‐­cyanopyridine and 4‐cyanopyridine

In both title compounds, (acetyl­acetonato‐O,O′)­bis(3‐cyano­pyridine‐N)­nickel(II), (I), and (acetyl­acetonato‐O,O′)­bis(4‐cyanopyridine‐N)­nickel(II), (II), both [Ni(C₅­H₇O₂)₂(C₆H₄N₂)₂], the Ni^II atom, which is situated on a centre of symmetry, is octahedrally coordinated. Distances and angles for (I) and (II), respectively, are: Ni—O 2.009 (2)/2.016 (2) and 2.0110 (16)/2.0238 (18) Å, Ni—N 2.116 (3) and 2.179 (2) Å, O—Ni—O 91.86 (10) and 90.19 (7)°, and O—Ni—N 91.27 (11)/90.19 (11) and 89.65 (8)/90.79 (7)°.