Diels-Alder reaction of acenes with singlet and triplet oxygen -- theoretical study of two-state reactivity

An interesting change in mechanism (from concerted to biradical) is described for the reaction of acenes (benzene through pentacene) with molecular oxygen (either singlet oxygen, 1Deltag-O2, or triplet oxygen, 3Sigmag-O2).     

Energy transfer between singlet (1Delta(g)) and triplet (3Sigma(g)-) molecular oxygen in aqueous solution

We clearly demonstrate the occurrence of energy transfer between 18O2 (1Deltag) and 16O2 in the ground state (3Sigmag-) with subsequent conversion of the latter species into its singlet excited state (1Deltag) in aqueous solution. This was inferred from the results of incubation experiments involving DHPN18O2 as a chemical generator of 18O2 (1Deltag) and the water-soluble disodium salt of anthracene (EAS) used as a chemical trap of singlet oxygen. The products of the reaction were accurately analyzed by HPLC-ESI-MS.     

Relationship between symmetry of porphyrinic pi-conjugated systems and singlet oxygen (1Delta g) yields: low-symmetry tetraazaporphyrin derivatives

We have investigated the excited-state properties and singlet oxygen ((1)Delta(g)) generation mechanism in phthalocyanines (4M; M = H(2), Mg, or Zn) and in low-symmetry metal-free, magnesium, and zinc tetraazaporphyrins (TAPs), that is, monobenzo-substituted (1M), adjacently dibenzo-substituted (2AdM), oppositely dibenzo-substituted (2OpM), and tribenzo-substituted (3M) TAP derivatives, whose pi conjugated systems were altered by fusing benzo rings. The S(1)(x) and S(1)(y) states (these lowest excited singlet states are degenerate in D(4)(h) symmetry) split in the low-symmetry TAP derivatives. The excited-state energies were quantitatively determined from the electronic absorption spectra. The lowest excited triplet (T(1)(x)) energies were also determined from phosphorescence spectra, while the second lowest excited triplet (T(1)(y)) states were evaluated by using the energy splitting between the T(1)(x) and T(1)(y) states previously reported (Miwa, H.; Ishii, K.; Kobayashi, N. Chem. Eur. J. 2004, 10, 4422-4435). The singlet oxygen quantum yields (Phi(Delta)) are strongly dependent on the pi conjugated system. In particular, while the Phi(Delta) value of 2AdH(2) is smallest in our system, that of 2OpH(2), an isomer of 2AdH(2), is larger than that of 4Zn, in contrast to the heavy atom effect. The relationship between the molecular structure and Phi(Delta) values can be transformed into a relationship between the S(1)(x) --> T(1)(y) intersystem crossing rate constant (k(ISC)) and the energy difference between the S(1)(x) and T(1)(y) states (DeltaE(S)(x)(T)(y)). In each of the Zn, Mg, and metal-free compounds, the Phi(Delta)/tau(F) values (tau(F): fluorescence lifetime), which are related to the k(ISC) values, are proportional to exp(-DeltaE(S)(x)(T)(y)), indicating that singlet oxygen ((1)Delta(g)) is produced via the T(1)(y) state and that the S(1)(x) --> T(1)(y) ISC process follows the energy-gap law. From the viewpoint of photodynamic therapy, our methodology, where the Phi(Delta) value can be controlled by changing the symmetry of pi conjugated systems without heavy elements, appears useful for preparing novel photosensitizers.     

Theoretical study of Diels-Alder reactions between cyclopentadiene and 2-aryl-4,6-dinitrobenzotriazole 1-oxides

This work deals with the theoretical study of Diels-Alder inverse and normal electron demand reactions. Based on various calculation methods such as SCF/6-31G and DFT/B3LYP with the standard basis set 6-31G, we discuss the possibility of reactions between cyclopentadiene with a series of 2-aryl-4,6-dinitrobenzotriazole 1-oxides from a thermodynamic perspective.     

A concept for controlling singlet oxygen (1 Delta g) yields using nitroxide radicals: phthalocyaninatosilicon covalently linked to nitroxide radicals

In this study, we have investigated the singlet oxygen ((1)Delta(g)) generation mechanism using phthalocyaninatosilicon (SiPc) covalently linked to nitroxide radicals (NRs), and we succeeded in increasing the singlet oxygen quantum yield (Phi(Delta)) by linking the NRs. This originates from both an increase in the triplet quantum yield and excited-state lifetimes long enough to utilize photochemical reactions. Because the electron exchange interactions with paramagnetic species were known to result only in very fast excited-state relaxation, leading to a decrease in photochemical reaction yields, this increase in Phi(Delta) is an unusual and precious example for increasing photochemical reaction yields by electron exchange interactions with paramagnetic species. In addition, our experiments and theoretical analyses show that the spin-selective energy transfer rate constant is not influenced by linking the NRs and can be evaluated by the product of spin-statistical factors and matrix elements between the initial and final states.     

Theoretical study of the oxidation of histidine by singlet oxygen

Herein we present a theoretical study of the reaction of singlet oxygen with histidine performed both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution. The potential energy surface of the reactive system was explored at the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ level of theory and the electronic energies were refined by means of single-point CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ(-f) calculations. Solvent effects were taken into account by using a solvent continuum model (COSMO) and by adding explicit water molecules. The results show that the first step in the reaction mechanism corresponds to a nearly symmetric Diels-Alder addition of the singlet oxygen molecule to the imidazole ring to yield an endoperoxide, in agreement with experimental evidence. The intermediate formed can evolve along two different reaction paths leading to two isomeric hydroperoxides and, eventually, to open-chain or internally cyclised oxidised products. Water plays a significant role in stabilising the reaction structures by solvation and by acting as a bifunctional catalyst in the elimination/addition reaction steps. Our results explain why substituents at the N1-imidazole ring can hamper the evolution of the initial endoperoxide and result in Gibbs energy barriers in solution similar to those experimentally measured and suggest a likely route to the formation of peptide aggregates during the oxidation of histidine by singlet molecular oxygen.     

Merbromin (mercurochrome)--a photosensitizer for singlet oxygen reactions.

Merbromin, produced in many countries and used world wide as an antiseptic under the trademark "mercurochrome", is shown to be an efficient sensitizer for type II (singlet oxygen) photo-oxygenations by using 2-methyl-2-butene, (+)-limonene, (+)-alpha-pinene, alpha,alpha'-dimethylstilbenes and (--)-L-methionine as oxygen acceptors. Type I photo-oxygenations are negligible. An estimate of the quantum yield of singlet oxygen formation by merbromin in methanol gives a value of about 0.1.     

Kinetics of the reactions of singlet molecular oxygen (O21Δg) with organic compounds in the gas phase

The reactions of singlet molecular oxygen (O₂¹Δ_g) with a series of organic compounds have been studied in the gas phase at 298°K. The concentration of singlet molecular oxygen was determined by titration with 2,5-dimethylfuran. The titration technique was checked using a photoionization technique. Absolute rate constants were measured on the basis of the loss of organic reactant and, in some cases, of singlet molecular oxygen. It was found that the usual method of producing singlet molecular oxygen in the gas phase can also, under some conditions, allow reactive species other than singlet molecular oxygen to enter the reactor, leading to serious errors in the determination of rate constants. This problem was eliminated by carrying out the rate measurements in the presence of a small amount of nitrogen dioxide a radical scavenger.     

Mechanism of the cooperative vibronic emission of1δg singlet oxygen in solutions

The mechanism for inducing the probability of the ¹_g-X³_g ^– transition in an oxygen molecule with the simultaneous excitation of a vibration state of the solvent has been considered. The intensification of the 0-0 band of this transition under the influence of the solvent is attributed to the induction of the electric dipole moment of the b¹_g ⁺- ¹_g (m_ba) transition during a collision between O₂ and solvent molecules. It has been shown that m_ba is strongly dependent on the intermolecular distance and, consequently, on the normal coordinate of the vibrations of the solvent (Q) at a given collision parameter. Calculation of the derivative m_ba/Q (with consideration of the strong spin-orbit coupling of the b¹_g ⁺ and X³_g ^– states) makes it possible to account for the intensity of the new luminescence band of¹_g singlet oxygen, which is shifted toward longer wavelengths relative to the 0-0 band of the ¹_g-X³_g ^– by the value of the vibrational quantum of the solvent.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 594–596, September–October, 1985.     

Diels-Alder and ene reactions of singlet oxygen,nitroso compounds and triazolinediones: transition states and mechanisms from contemporary theory

Singlet oxygen, nitroso compounds and triazolinediones have similar electronic structures: they share a low lying LUMO, making them powerful electrophiles, and a high lying HOMO, orthogonal to the LUMO and consisting of an antibonding combination of lone paris. This bestows some nucleophilic character on these species. We describe a number of studies employing the best levels of theory currently available for systems of this size and demonstrate that the Diels-Alder and ene reactions of these three species are calculated to show subtle changes in mechanism. The calculations have been calibrated, wherever possible, by comparison to experimental observations including measured activation and reaction energies, regio- and stereo-selectivities, intermediates observed either spectroscopically or by trapping, and kinetic isotope effects.     

Theoretical study of reactions between AlH(1Σ) and HF molecule

Reaction mechanisms between AlH (¹Σ) and HF molecule are theoretically investigated. Ab initio calculations demonstrate that there are two parallel reaction channels: one is an addition reaction to give H₂AlF via the three‐membered ring transition state (TS) and the other is a dehydrogenation reaction to give AlF+H₂ via the four‐membered ring TS. The addition reaction is thermodynamically favorable and the dehydrogenation reaction is kinetically favorable. Thermodynamics and Eyring transition state theory (TST) with the Wigner correction are also used to compute the thermodynamic functions, the equilibrium constants, A factors, and the rate constants of these reaction channels at 200–1000 K. From the thermodynamics and TST calculations, it is valuable to point out that consideration on the entropy and thermal enthalpy is quite important in the study of chemical reactions on the basis of ab initio method. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 73: 417–424, 1999     

Theoretical study of the Diels-Alder reaction

The cycloaddition of ethylene to butadiene has been studied by theab initio LCAO-SCF-MO method of Roothaan using STO-3G and 7s-3p basis sets. The potential energy hypersurface of the supersystem formed by the reactants has been calculated in order to determine the reaction path. It was found that, during the approach of the partners, the planes of the molecules form an angle around 70 °. The activated complex has a geometry which prefigures the half-chair conformation of cyclohexene and exhibits no biradical character. Our theoretical results are in reasonable agreement with the corresponding experimental ones.     

Theoretical study on the mechanism of the [2+1] thermal cycloaddition between alkenes and stable singlet (phosphino)(silyl)carbenes

The mechanism and the origins of the stereocontrol observed in the reaction between differently substituted alkenes and stable (phosphino)(silyl)carbenes giving cyclopropanes have been studied computationally. These cyclopropanation reactions proceed via asynchronous concerted mechanisms involving early transition structures with a significant charge transfer from the carbene to the alkene moiety. The geometric features of these transition structures preclude a significant overlap between the orbitals required for secondary orbital interactions between the reactants. The stereoselectivity observed experimentally stems from favorable electrostatic and steric interactions between the reactants leading to the stereoisomers in which the phosphanyl and carbonyl or aryl groups are cis to each other.     

Synthesis of Delta(1)-1,2-diazetines via a Diels-Alder cycloaddition approach

[reaction: see text] A novel method for the synthesis of Delta(1)-1,2-diazetines is presented. Diels-Alder cycloaddition of dienophile 4 with five dienes afforded cycloadducts in good to excellent yields. Four of the obtained cycloadducts were converted to the corresponding diazetines.     

Theoretical study on singlet oxygen adsorption onto surface of graphene-like aromatic hydrocarbon molecules

Recently, graphene sheet is one of interesting systems to realize novel electronic properties. Especially, interaction between graphene and adsorbed oxygen molecule is very important to control electronic condition. In this paper, we employed some aromatic hydrocarbons as simple systems of graphene sheet and ab initio MO calculations were carried out to investigate inter-molecular interaction. It is found that not triplet but singlet O₂ molecule have potential of chemisorption onto graphene surface. From the calculated potential energy surface (PES) for distance between benzene and O₂ molecules, meta-stable structure is found at about 1.5 Å with potential barrier. In the optimized structure of its meta-stable state, structural strain can be relaxed through bending of planer benzene ring. Its energy is estimated at 70.10 kcal/mol for benzene. We also estimated the strain effects for naphthalene and pyrene molecules as larger case of graphene and they were 80.85 and 72.45 kcal/mol, respectively.     

Ergosterol (provitamin D2) triplet state: an efficient sensitiser of singlet oxygen, O2(1 delta g), formation

The triplet state of ergosterol (provitamin D2) has been produced in benzene by pulse radiolysis and characterised in terms of absorption spectrum, lifetime, self-quenching properties and relaxed triplet energy. The amount of singlet oxygen, O₂(¹Δ_g), produced as a consequence of the oxygen quenching of this species has been determined by kinetic infrared emission spectroscopy. Ergosterol is significantly more efficient as a singlet oxygen sensitiser in benzene than is naphthalene, the absolute standard employed in this work.     

Heterogeneous reactions of singlet molecular oxygen with solid polymers

The effect of gas-phase singlet molecular oxygen (¹ΔO₂) upon several solid polymers was investigated by using electron paramagnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and chemical detection techniques. The study was performed by use of ¹ΔO₂ produced by microwave discharge. The application of this method to polymer studies was closely examined. The saturated-chain polymers polystyrene, polyurethane, and polyethylene were found to be inert within the experimental conditions to reaction with ¹ΔO₂, while the unsaturated polymers cis-polybutadiene, trans-polybutadiene, and trans-polyisoprene were found to react quite readily in an apparently surface or near-surface limited reaction to produce hydroperoxide and/or peroxide groups. The introduction by homogeneous mixing of some known metal-chelate ¹ΔO₂ quenchers into the polymer trans-polyisoprene appeared to significantly decrease the rate of oxidation observed.