Transmission of polar substituent effects across the cubane ring system: 19F substituent chemical shifts (SCS) of 4‐substituted (X) cub‐1‐yl fluorides revisited

¹⁹F NMR shieldings of 4‐substituted (X) cub‐1‐yl fluorides ( 4 ) for a set of substituents (X?H, NO₂, CN, NC, CF₃, COOH, F, Cl, HO, NH₂, CH₃, Si(CH₃)₃, Li, O^? and NH) covering a wide range of electronic substituent effects were calculated using the DFT‐GIAO theoretical model. The level of theory, B3LYP/6‐311+G(2d,p), provided ¹⁹F substituent chemical shifts (SCS) in good agreement with experimental values where known. By means of NBO analysis, various molecular parameters were obtained from the optimized geometries. Linear regression analysis was employed to explore the relationship between the calculated ¹⁹F SCS and polar field, resonance and group electronegativity substituent constants (σ_F, σ_R and σ_x, respectively) and also the NBO derived molecular parameters (fluorine natural charges (Q_n), electron occupancies on fluorine of lone pairs (n_F) and occupation number of the C? F antibonding orbital (σ_CF*)). The key determining parameters appear to be n_F and σ_CF*(occup). Both factors are a function of the electrostatic field influence of the substituent (σ_F effect) but are counteractive in their influence on the shifts. No evidence for a significant resonance effect influence on the shifts could be identified. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calculated polar substituent effects on the stability of 4‐substituted(X) ‐ cub‐1‐yl and ‐bicyclo[2.2.2]oct‐1‐yl cations: a DFT study

The effects of substituents on the stability of 4‐substituted(X) cub‐1‐yl cations ( 2 ), as well as the benchmark 4‐substituted(X) bicyclo[2.2.2]oct‐1‐yl cation systems ( 7 ), for a set of substituents (X = H, NO₂, CN, NC, CF₃, COOH , F, Cl, HO, NH₂, CH₃, SiH₃, Si(CH₃)₃, Li, O^?, and NH) covering a wide range of electronic substituent effects were calculated using the DFT theoretical model at the B3LYP/6‐311 + G(2d,p) level of theory. Linear regression analysis was employed to explore the relationship between the calculated relative hydride affinities (ΔE, kcal/mol) of the appropriate isodesmic reactions for 2 / 7 and polar field/group electronegativity substituent constants (σ_F and σ_χ, respectively). The analysis reveals that the ΔE values of both systems are best described by a combination of both substituent constants. This highlights the distinction between through‐space and through‐bond electronic influences characterized by σ_F and σ_χ, respectively. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of ortho substituents on carbonyl carbon 13C NMR chemical shifts in substituted phenyl benzoates

¹³C NMR spectra of 37 ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐substituted phenyl benzoates, containing substituents in benzoyl and phenyl moiety, 4 ortho‐substituted methyl and 5 ethyl benzoates as well as 9 R‐substituted alkyl benzoates have been recorded. The influence of the ortho substituents on the carbonyl carbon ¹³C NMR chemical shift, δ_CO, was found to be described by a linear multiple regression equation containing the inductive, σ_I, resonance, σ°_R, and steric, E, or υ substituent constants. For all the ortho‐substituted esters containing substituents in the acyl part as well as the phenyl part, the substituent‐induced reverse inductive effect (ρ_I < 0), the normal resonance effect (ρ_R > 0), and the negative steric effect (δ_ortho < 0) with the E were observed. In the case of ortho substituents in the phenyl part, the resonance effect was negligible. Due to inductive effect, the ortho electron‐withdrawing substituents showed an upfield shift or shielding of the carbonyl carbon, while the electron‐donating substituents had an opposite effect. Because of the sterical consequences, ortho substituents revealed a deshielding effect on the ¹³C NMR chemical shift of the carbonyl carbon. For all the meta‐ and para‐substituted esters, the reverse substituent‐induced inductive and resonance effects (ρ_I < 0, ρ_R < 0) were found to be significant. In alkyl benzoates, the alkyl substituents showed the reverse inductive and steric effects. The log k values for the alkaline hydrolysis in water, aqueous 0.5 M Bu₄NBr and 2.25 M Bu₄NBr, and the IR frequencies, ν_CO, for the ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐substituted phenyl benzoates and alkyl benzoates were correlated nicely with the corresponding ¹³C NMR substituent chemical shifts, Δδ_CO. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A non‐enzymatic model based on an acyl transfer reaction for the formation of energy‐rich acetyl phosphate in organic solvents and in a biphasic system

The formation of acetyl phosphate (AcP), an energy‐rich phosphate compound, was studied through the reaction of 2,4‐dinitrophenyl acetate with H₂PO solubilized with Kryptofix® 222 or as a tetra‐n‐butylammonium ((n‐C₄H₉)₄N⁺) salt in organic media. The results indicated that the rate of the reaction in acetonitrile is strongly inhibited by the addition of water, suggesting that the water added to the medium preferentially solvates the H₂PO anion, inhibiting its action as a nucleophile and allowing it to act as a general base catalyst, which leads to the hydrolysis of the ester. The utilization of various organic solvents in the acetyl transfer process demonstrated that the specific interaction of the solvent with water accelerates the process, by desolvation of H₂PO, which can act as a nucleophile. Finally, a formation/transformation cycle of AcP was studied in a biphasic system (water/CH₂Cl₂) using Kryptofix® 222 and (n‐C₄H₉)₄N⁺BF as both the carrier and solubilizing agent for KH₂PO₄. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of ortho‐substituents in SE1 protonolysis of phenylmercuric chloride

The kinetics of the reactions of o‐substituted phenylmercuric chlorides, o‐RC₆H₄HgCl (R = CH₃, H, C₂H₅O, CH₃O, C₆H₅, F, COOC₂H₅, Cl, Br, CF₃, NO₂), with hydrochloric acid in 80% aqueous dioxane in the presence of NaI were studied. The reactions are of the first order. The rate constant at 40°C decreases in the order of R: CH₃ > H > C₂H₅O > CH₃O > C₆H₅ > F > COOC₂H₅ > Cl > Br > CF₃ > NO₂. The analysis of effects of those o‐substitutes is carried out through multiple regression of log k/k_H with the corresponding inductive substituent constants σ_I and the various resonance substituent constants σ, σ_R(BA), σ, σ and σ_x, and the corresponding Swain–Lupton field effect constant and resonance effect constant . The results showed that o‐substituent intramolecular coordination with the neighbor mercury (field effect) is the main effect in effects of o‐substituents on rate of the S_E1 protonolysis. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reaction pathway of aliphatic pinacol‐type rearrangement reexamined

Pinacol rearrangement is often written to proceed via 1,2‐Me migration to the tertiary cationic center, followed by deprotonation to give pinacolone. Computational study was carried out for model reactions to clarify why the migration of the OH group is not involved in the mechanistic scheme despite the fact that OH is a better migrating group than Me. It was found that the migratory aptitude of X in both XCMe₂‐CH₂Cl and XCMe₂‐CMe₂Cl is in the order, NH₂ > OMe > Ph > Me, indicating that a migrating group with n‐electrons has a larger aptitude than a π‐ or σ‐electron group. However, the reactivity differences became much smaller for XCMe₂‐CMe₂OMe, a model compound for aliphatic pinacol rearrangement. Calculations of MeOCMe₂‐CMe₂OMe revealed that three initial ionization steps, C? O heterolysis, concerted OMe migration and concerted Me migration, compete with each other. On the other hand, the ring‐opening step of the epoxide‐type intermediate formed via OMe migration was shown to have quite a large activation barrier. It was suggested that aliphatic pinacol rearrangement proceeds via the concerted Me migration route or the C? O heterolysis‐Me migration‐deprotonation route. Epoxide may form by the concerted MeO migration, but it would not be an important intermediate of pinacol rearrangement. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Alkane oxidation by the system ‘tert‐butyl hydroperoxide–[Mn2L2O3][PF6]2 (L = 1,4,7‐trimethyl‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane)–carboxylic acid’

The kinetics of cyclohexane (CyH) oxygenation with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in acetonitrile at 50 °C catalysed by a dinuclear manganese(IV) complex 1 containing 1,4,7‐trimethyl‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane and co‐catalysed by oxalic acid have been studied. It has been shown that an active form of the catalyst (mixed‐valent dimeric species ‘Mn^IIIMn^IV’) is generated only in the interaction between complex 1 and TBHP and oxalic acid in the presence of water. The formation of this active form is assumed to be due to the hydrolysis of the Mn? O? Mn bonds in starting compound 1 and reduction of one Mn^IV to Mn^III. A species which induces the CyH oxidation is radical tert‐BuO ^. generated by the decomposition of a monoperoxo derivative of the active form. The constants of the equilibrium formation and the decomposition of the intermediate adduct between TBHP and 1 have been measured: K = 7.4 mol^?1 dm³ and k = 8.4 × 10^?2 s^?1, respectively, at [H₂O] = 1.5 mol dm^?3 and [oxalic acid] = 10^?2 mol dm^?3. The constant ratio for reactions of the monomolecular decomposition of tert‐butoxy radical (tert‐BuO ^. → CH₃COCH₃ + CH) and its interaction with the CyH (tert‐BuO ^. + CyH → tert‐BuOH + Cy ^. ) was calculated: 0.26 mol dm^?3. One of the reasons why oxalic acid accelerates the oxidation is due to the formation of an adduct between oxalic acid and 1 (K ≈ 10³ mol^?1 dm³). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Remarkable emissions in diprotonated 2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine derivatives

A series of new metal‐free blue emission compounds, i.e., diprotonated terpyH₂ClPF₆ ( 1 ), tterpyH₂ClPF₆ ( 2 ), ClterpyH₂ClPF₆ ( 3 ), and BterpyH₂(PF₆)₂ ( 4 ), were prepared and characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, UV–vis spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Abbreviations used are terpy = 2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine, tterpy = 4′‐(4‐tolyl)‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine, Clterpy = 4′‐chloro‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine, and Bterpy = 4,4′,4″‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine. The X‐ray crystal structures of the three new compounds 1, 2, and 4 were determined. Both protonated pyridine rings of the terpyridine derivatives are hydrogen bonded intermolecularly to the adjacent Cl^? ion in compounds 1 , 2, and 3 . The π–π* absorption bands in the UV region for 1, 2, 3, and 4 in acetonitrile were red‐shifted relative to those of the corresponding neutral compounds. All the compounds exhibited stronger emissions (around 400 nm) than their neutral counterparts. All the CVs for the diprotonated species, terpyH, tterpyH, ClterpyH, and BterpyH, showed the first reduction waves around ?0.6 V, which were more positive than those of the neutral ones. Density functional theory was applied to interpret the remarkable differences in the interaction of the Cl^? ion. The attachment of two protons to the two terminal Bterpy nitrogens in 4 elicits remarkable characteristics. Both positive charges on the nitrogens are delocalized over the conjugated pyridine systems and the tertiary carbonium ions are stabilized to lead to stronger emission (Φ = 0.35) than the corresponding neutral Bterpy (Φ = 0.045). CCDC 732045–732047 contains the supplementary crystallographic data for this paper. These data can be obtained free of charge from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre via www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/data_request/cif Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A DFT‐GIAO and DFT‐NBO study of polar substituent effects on NMR 17O chemical shifts in some rigid polycyclic alkanes

¹⁷O NMR shieldings of 3‐substituted(X)bicyclo[1.1.1]pentan‐1‐ols ( 1 , Y = OH), 4‐substituted(X)bicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐1‐ols ( 2 , Y = OH), 4‐substituted(X)‐bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan‐1‐ols ( 3 , Y = OH), 4‐substituted(X)‐cuban‐1‐ols ( 4 , Y = OH) and exo‐ and endo‐ 6‐substituted(X)exo‐bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan‐2‐ols ( 5 and 6 , Y = OH, respectively), as well as their conjugate bases ( 1 – 6 , Y = O^?), for a set of substituents (X = H, NO₂, CN, NC, CF₃, COOH, F, Cl, OH, NH₂, CH₃, SiMe₃, Li, O^?, and NH) covering a wide range of electronic substituent effects were calculated using the DFT‐GIAO theoretical model at the B3LYP/6‐311 + G(2d, p) level of theory. By means of natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis various molecular parameters were obtained from the optimized geometries. Linear regression analysis was employed to explore the relationship between the calculated ¹⁷O SCS and polar field and group electronegativity substituent constants (σ_F and σ_χ, respectively) and also the NBO derived molecular parameters (oxygen natural charge, Q_n, occupation numbers of the oxygen lone pairs, n_o, and occupancy of the C? O antibonding orbital, σ*_CO(occup)). In the case of the alcohols ( 1 – 6 , Y = OH) the ¹⁷O SCS appear to be governed predominantly by the σ_χ effect of the substituent. Furthermore, the key determining NBO parameters appear to be n_o and σ*_CO(occup). Unlike the alcohols, the calculated ¹⁷O SCS of the conjugate bases ( 1 – 6 , Y = O^?), except for system 1 , do not respond systematically to the electronic effects of the substituents. An analysis of the SCS of 1 (Y = O^?) raises a significant conundrum with respect to their origin. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the anilinolysis of aryl 4‐nitrophenyl thionocarbonates in aqueous ethanol

The reactions of bis(4‐nitrophenyl), 3‐chlorophenyl 4‐nitrophenyl, and 3‐methoxyphenyl 4‐nitrophenyl thionocarbonates ( 1 , 2 , and 3 , respectively) with a series of anilines are subjected to a kinetic investigation in 44 wt.% ethanol–water, at 25.0 °C and an ionic strength of 0.2 M. Under aniline excess, pseudo‐first‐order rate coefficients (k_obs) are found. Plots of k_obs versus aniline concentration are linear, with the slopes (k_N) pH independent, k_N being the rate coefficient for the anilinolysis of the thionocarbonates. The Brønsted plot (log k_N vs. pK_a of anilinium ions) for thionocarbonate 1 is linear, with slope (β) 0.62, which is consistent with a concerted mechanism. The Brønsted plots for thionocarbonates 2 and 3 are curved, with slopes 0.1 at high pK_a for both reaction series and slopes 0.84 and 0.79 at low pK_a for the reactions of 2 and 3 , respectively. The latter plots are in accordance to stepwise mechanisms, through a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T^±) and its anionic analogue (T^?), the latter being formed by deprotonation of T^± by the basic form of the buffer (HPO). The Brønsted curves are explained by a change in the rate‐limiting step, from deprotonation of T^± at low pK_a, to its formation at high pK_a. The influence of the amine nature and the non‐leaving and electrophilic groups of the substrate on the kinetics and mechanism is also discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conformational analysis of 4,4‐dimethyl‐1‐(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)‐1,4‐azasilinane and 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐4‐(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)‐1,4,2,6‐oxazadisilinane

4,4‐Dimethyl‐1‐(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)‐1,4‐azasilinane 1 and 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐4‐(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)‐1,4,2,6‐oxazadisilinane 2 were studied by variable temperature dynamic ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy and theoretical calculations at the DFT (density functional theory) and MP2 (Møller‐Plesset 2) levels of theory. Both kinetic (barriers to ring inversion) and thermodynamic data (frozen conformational equilibria) could be obtained for the two compounds. The computations revealed two minima on the potential energy surface for molecules 1 and 2 corresponding to the rotamers with the CF₃SO₂ group directed ‘inward’ and ‘outward’ the ring, the latter being 0.2–0.4 kcal/mol (for 1 ) and 1.1 kcal/mol (for 2 ) more stable than the former. The vibrational calculations at the DFT and MP2 levels of theory give the values of the free energy difference ΔG^o for the ‘inward’ ‘outward’ equilibrium consistent with those determined from the experimentally measured ratio of the rotamers. The structure of crystalline compound 2 was ascertained by X‐ray diffraction analysis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gas‐phase basicities of acetophenones toward lanthanum cation [La(OMe)]

The relative free energy changes (lanthanum cation basicity, LaCB[L₂]) for the reaction [La(OMe)₂]L ? La(OMe) + 2L were determined in the gas phase for m‐ and p‐substituted acetophenones based on the measurement of ligand exchange equilibria using an FT‐ICR mass spectrometer. The substituent effect on ΔLaCB[L₂] of acetophenone is described in terms of the Yukawa–Tsuno equation, ΔG = ρ(σ° + r⁺ Δ σ ), with a ρ value of ?11.2 and an r⁺ value of 0.49. From this result, a ρ value of ?7.0 and an r⁺ value of 0.49 were estimated for the monomeric complex [LLa(OMe)] with the aid of theoretical calculations. This ρ value was found to be significantly smaller than that for protonation, and even smaller than Li⁺ basicity. Such a small ρ value has been attributed to the largely ionic (ion–dipole interaction) nature of the bonding interaction between La(OMe) and the carbonyl oxygen atom and, in part, to the long distance between La(OMe) and the substituent. Contrary to the ρ value, the r⁺ value is identical in both La(OMe) and Li⁺ basicities, suggesting that the r⁺ value of 0.49 can be regarded as a limiting one in a series of Lewis cation basicities of the acetophenone system, H⁺ (0.86) > Me₃Si⁺ (0.75) > Me₃Ge⁺ (0.71) > Cu⁺ (0.60) > Li⁺ = La(OMe) (0.49). Since the binding interaction between La(OMe) or Li⁺ and a neutral ligand is mostly electrostatic, the moderate r⁺ was interpreted to result from the redistribution of the induced positive charge within the acetophenone moiety upon binding with a metal ion rather than transfer of positive charge from a metal ion to the aromatic moiety. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unimolecular Decay of Metastable Cluster Anions: (O2)N−* → (O2) + O2

Unimolecular dissociation of metastable excited states of (O₂)_n^?* into (O₂) cluster anions has been detected and studied quantitatively for n in the range of 13 to 22. The apparent metastable (decay rates determined increase with cluster size in from ～ 5000 s^?1 (for n = 13) up to ～ 8500 s^?1 for n = 22).     

Pulse radiolysis studies of 2‐ and 3‐hydroxybenzyl alcohols: inhibition of dehydration of ·OH‐(hydroxybenzyl alcohols) adducts by H2PO4− ions

Reactions of ·OH/O ^.? radicals and H‐atoms as well as specific oxidants such as Cl₂^.? and N₃· radicals have been studied with 2‐ and 3‐hydroxybenzyl alcohols (2‐ and 3‐HBA) at various pH using pulse radiolysis technique. At pH 6.8, ·OH radicals were found to react quite fast with both the HBAs (k = 7.8 × 10⁹ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 with 2‐HBA and 2 × 10⁹ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 with 3‐HBA) mainly by adduct formation and to a minor extent by H‐abstraction from ? CH₂OH groups. ·OH‐(HBA) adduct were found to undergo decay to give phenoxyl type radicals in a pH dependent way and it was also very much dependent on buffer‐ion concentrations. It was seen that ·OH‐(2‐HBA) and ·OH‐(3‐HBA) adducts react with HPO₄^2? ions (k = 2.1 × 10⁷ and 2.8 × 10⁷ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 at pH 6.8, respectively) giving the phenoxyl type radicals of HBAs. At the same time, this reaction is very much hindered in the presence of H₂PO ions indicating the role of phosphate ion concentration in determining the reaction pathway of ·OH adduct decay to final stable product. In the acidic region adducts were found to react with H⁺ ions. At pH 1, reaction of ·OH radicals with HBAs gave exclusively phenoxyl type radicals. Proportion of the reducing radicals formed by H‐abstraction pathway in ·OH/O ^.? reactions with HBAs was determined following electron transfer to methyl viologen. H‐atom abstraction is the major pathway in O ^.? reaction with HBAs compared to ·OH radical reaction. H‐atom reaction with 2‐ and 3‐HBA gave transient species which were found to transfer electron to methyl viologen quantitatively. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An ab initio study of CX3‐substitution (X = H,F, Cl,Br, I) effects on the static electric polarizability and hyperpolarizability of diacetylene

We report a systematic ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) study of the electric properties of the X₃C? C≡C? C≡C? H (X = H, F, Cl, Br, and I) sequence of substituted diacetylenes. We rely on finite‐field Møller–Plesset perturbation theory and coupled‐cluster calculations with large, flexible basis sets. Our best values at the second‐order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory level for the mean dipole polarizability and second hyperpolarizability are $\overline {{\alpha} } $ /e²aE = 64.46 (? CH₃), 65.59 (? CF₃), 110.11 (? CCl₃), 138.90 (? CBr₃), 184.98 (? CI₃) and $\overline {{\gamma} } $ /e⁴aE = 21020 (? CH₃), 13469 (? CF₃), 32708 (? CCl₃), 57599 (? CBr₃), and 105251 (? CI₃). For comparison, the analogous MP2 values for diacetylene [P.Karamanis and G.Maroulis, Chem. Phys. Lett. 2003 , 376, 403.] are $\overline {{\alpha} } $ /e²aE = 49.17, and $\overline {{\gamma} } $ /e⁴aE = 16227. For the mean first hyperpolarizability we report $\overline {{\beta} } $ /e³aE = ?205.8 (? CH₃), ?55.7 (? CF₃), 120.8 (? CCl₃), 443.8 (? CBr₃), and 725.4 (? CI₃). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trends in properties of para‐substituted 3‐(phenylhydrazo)pentane‐2,4‐diones

Trends between the Hammett's σ_p and related normal , inductive σ_I, resonance σ_R, negative and positive polar conjugation and Taft's σ_p° substituent constants and the distance, δ_{N? H} NMR chemical shift, oxidation potential (E_p/2°x, measured in this study by cyclic voltammetry (CV)) and thermodynamic parameters (pK, ΔG⁰, ΔH⁰ and ΔS⁰) of the dissociation process of unsubstituted 3‐(phenylhydrazo)pentane‐2,4‐dione (HL₁) and its para‐substituted chloro (HL₂), carboxy (HL₃), fluoro (HL₄) and nitro (HL₅) derivatives were recognized. The best fits were found for σ_p and/or in the cases of , δ_{N? H} and E_p/2°x, showing the importance of resonance and conjugation effects in such properties, whereas for the above thermodynamic properties the inductive effects (σ_I) are dominant. HL₂ exists in the hydrazo form in DMSO solution and in the solid state and contains an intramolecular H‐bond with the distance of 2.588(3) Å. It was also established that the dissociation process of HL_1–5 is non‐spontaneous, endothermic and entropically unfavourable, and that the increase in the inductive effect (σ_I) of para‐substitutents (? H < ? Cl < ? COOH < ? F < ? NO₂) leads to the corresponding growth of the distance and decrease of the pK and of the changes of Gibbs free energy, of enthalpy and of entropy for the HL_1–5 acid dissociation process. The electrochemical behaviour of HL_1–5 was interpreted using theoretical calculations at the DFT/HF hybrid level, namely in terms of HOMO and LUMO compositions, and of reactivities induced by anodic and cathodic electron‐transfers. Copyright © 2010 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.     

The reaction of •OH with O2, the decay of O and the pKa of HO – interrelated questions in aqueous free‐radical chemistry

In the reactions of ozone with organic compounds in aqueous solution, O is an abundant intermediate. A basic aspect of its conversion into ^?OH is addressed here. The reactions O^?? + O₂ ? O (1), H⁺ + O^?? ? ^?OH (8), ^?OH + O₂ ? HO (6), and H⁺ + O ? HO (5) are interconnected by a thermodynamic cycle. For equilibria (1) and (8) reliable equilibrium constants, and hence Gibbs energies are available (ΔG⁰(1) = ?32 kJ mol^?1, ΔG⁰(8) = 67 kJ mol^?1). For reaction (6), a Gibbs energy of ΔG⁰(6) = 47 kJ mol^?1 (K₆ = 10^?8.2 M) has now been calculated by G1. From the thermodynamic cycle one hence arrives at ΔG⁰(5) = ?12 kJ mol^?1. This relates to pK_a(HO) = ?2.1. Thus, the HO radical is a very strong acid. This value agrees with a value of ?2.0 obtained from the Bielski and Schwarz relationship for pK_a values of O_xH_y compounds. Reaction (6) must be very slow, 0.1 < k₆ < 10⁴ M^?1 s^?1. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nature of the transient species formed in the pulse radiolysis of 4‐hydroxybenzyl alcohol in aqueous solutions: observation of equilibrium in the reaction of OH‐adducts with HPO ions

Reactions of ^. OH/O ^.? radicals, H‐atoms as well as specific oxidants such as N and Cl radicals with 4‐hydroxybenzyl alcohol (4‐HBA) in aqueous solutions have been investigated at various pH values using the pulse radiolysis technique. At pH 6.8, ^. OH radicals were found to react with 4‐HBA (k = 6 × 10⁹ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1) mainly by contributing to the phenyl moiety and to a minor extent by H‐abstraction from the ? CH₂OH group. ^. OH radical adduct species of 4‐HBA, i.e., ^. OH‐(4‐HBA) formed in the addition reaction were found to undergo dehydration to give phenoxyl radicals of 4‐HBA. Decay rate of the adduct species was found to vary with pH. At pH 6.8, decay was very much dependent on phosphate buffer ion concentrations. Formation rate of phenoxyl radicals was found to increase with phosphate buffer ion concentration and reached a plateau value of 1.6 × 10⁵ s^?1 at a concentration of 0.04 mol dm^?3 of each buffering ion. It was also seen that ^. OH‐(4‐HBA) adduct species react with HPO ions with a rate constant of 3.7 × 10⁷ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1 and there was no such reaction with H₂PO ions. However, the rate of reaction of ^. OH‐(4‐HBA) adduct species with HPO ions decreased on adding KH₂PO₄ to the solution containing a fixed concentration of Na₂HPO₄ which indicated an equilibrium in the H⁺ removal from ^. OH‐(4‐HBA) adduct species in the presence of phosphate ions. In the acidic region, the ^. OH‐(4‐HBA) adduct species were found to react with H⁺ ions with a rate constant of 2.5 × 10⁷ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1. At pH 1, in the reaction of ^. OH radicals with 4‐HBA (k = 8.8 × 10⁹ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1), the spectrum of the transient species formed was similar to that of phenoxyl radicals formed in the reaction of Cl radicals with 4‐HBA at pH 1 (k = 2.3 × 10⁸ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1) showing that ^. OH radicals quantitatively bring about one electron oxidation of 4‐HBA. Reaction of ^. OH/O ^.? radicals with 4‐HBA by H‐abstraction mechanism at neutral and alkaline pH values gave reducing radicals and the proportion of the same was determined by following the extent of electron transfer to methyl viologen. H‐atom abstraction is the major pathway in the reaction of O ^.? radicals with 4‐HBA compared to the reaction of ^. OH radicals with 4‐HBA. At pH 1, transient species formed in the reactions of H‐atoms with 4‐HBA (k = 2.1 × 10⁹ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1) were found to transfer electrons to methyl viologen quantitatively. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel probe for determination of electrical surface potential of surfactant micelles: N,N'‐di‐n‐octadecylrhodamine

The peculiarities of the structure of the fluorescent dye N,N'‐di‐n‐octadecylrhodamine advantage its using as an interfacial acid–base probe in aqueous micellar solution of colloidal surfactants. Two long hydrocarbon tails of the dye provide similar orientation of both cation and zwitterion on the micelle/water interface, with the ionizing group COOH exposed to the Stern region in all the systems studied. Further, the charge type of the acid–base couple, A⁺B^±, ensures similar values of the ‘intrinsic’ contribution, pK, to the ‘apparent’ pK value in micelles of different surfactants. This makes the indicator suitable for determination of electrical surface potentials, Ψ. The pKs have been obtained in cationic, anionic, zwitterionic, and nonionic surfactant systems, at various salt background. In total 17 systems were studied. At bulk counterion concentration of ca. 0.05 M, the pK values vary from 2.14 ± 0.07 in n–C₁₈H₃₇N(CH₃)Cl^– micelles to 5.48 ± 0.06 in n–C₁₆H₃₃OSONa⁺ micelles. The Ψ values, corresponding to the Stern region of micelles, have been evaluated as Ψ = 59.16 pK–pK for T = 298.15 K. The pK parameter was equated to the average value of 4.23 in nonionic surfactants (4.12–4.32, depending on the surfactant type). For cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium n‐dodecylsulfate micelles, the Ψ values (±(7–11) mV) appeared to be +118 mV and at bulk Br^? concentration 0.019 M and ?76 mV at bulk Na⁺ concentration 0.020 M, respectively. This satisfactorily agrees with the theoretical values +111 and ?84 mV, estimated using the Oshima, Healy, and White equation for these well‐defined colloidal systems. Finally, not only absorption, but also fluorescence spectra display the same response to changes in bulk pH. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.