Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of pentynes. III. Pent-2-yne. Heat of formation and resonance stabilization energy of the 3-methylpropargyl radical

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of pent-2-yne has been studied over the temperature range of 988–1234 K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). The main reaction pathway is C₄? C₅ bond fission producing the resonance-stabilized 3-methylpropargyl radical. There is a concurrent process producing molecular hydrogen and penta-1,2,4-triene presumably via the intermediate formation of cis-penta-1,3-diene. The 1,4-hydrogen elimination from cis-penta-1,3-diene is the rate-determining step in the molecular pathway. This is supported by an independent VLPP study of cis- and trans-penta-1,3-diene. RRKM calculations show that the experimental rate constants for C? C bond fission are consistent with the following high-pressure rate expression at 1100 K: where θ = 2.303RT kcal/mol and the A factor was assigned from the results of shock-tube studies of related alkynes. The activation energy leads to ΔH[CH₃C?C?H₂] = 70.3 and DH[CH₃CCCH₂? H] = 87.4 kcal/mol. The resonance stabilization energy of the 3-methylpropargyl radical is 10.6 ± 2.5 kcal/mol, which is consistent with previous results for this and other propargylic radicals.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of but-1-yne the heat of formation and stabilization energy of the propargyl radical

The unimolecular decomposition of but-1-yne has been investigated over the temperature range of 1052° – 1152°K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). The primary process is C? C bond fission yielding methyl and propargyl radicals. Application of RRKM theory shows that the experimental rate constants are consistent with the highpressure Arrhenius parameters given by where θ = 2.303 RT kcal/mol. The parameters are in good agreement with estimates based on shock-tube studies. The activation energy, combined with thermochemical data, leads to DH°[HCCCH₂? CH₃] = 76.0, ΔH(HCC?CH_2,g) = 81.4, and DH° [HCCCH₂? H] = 89.2, all in kcal/mol at 300°K. The stabilization energy of the propargyl radical SE° (HCC?CH₂) has been found to be 8.8 kcal/mol. Recent result for the shock-tube pyrolysis of some alkynes have been analyzed and shown to yield values for the heat of formation and stabilization energy of the propargyl radical in excellent agreement with the present work. From a consideration of all results it is recommended that ΔH(HCC?CH_2,g) = 81.5±1.0, DH[HCCCH₂? H] = 89.3 ± 1.0, and SE° (HCC?CH₂) = 8.7±1.0 kcal/mol.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of pentynes. I. Kinetics of the retro-ene decomposition of pent-1-yne

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of pent-1-yne has been investigated over the temperature range of 923–1154 K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). Under the experimental conditions the reaction proceeds predominantly via a molecular retro-ene pathway to yield allene and ethylene. There was some evidence for the occurrence of the higher energy C₃? C₄ bond fission pathway at the high end of the temperature range. Interpretation of the data with the aid of RRKM theory and taking into account a decrease in gas-wall collision efficiency with temperature yields the following high-pressure rate constant expression for the retro-ene pathway: at 1100 K where θ = 2.303 RT kcal/mol and the A factor was assigned from the results of shock-tube studies of similar molecules. These rate parameters are independent of the inclusion of the bond fission pathway in the RRKM calculations. The results are compared with previous data on the retro-ene decomposition of alkynes.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of cyclopentene

The unimolecularity of the thermal dehydrogenation of cyclopentene has been confirmed using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). Application of RRKM theory shows that the experimental unimolecular rate constants obtained over the temperature range of 942°–1152°K are consistent with the high-pressure Arrhenius parameters given by where θ = 2.303 RT kcal/mol. These parameters are in good agreement with static and shock tube studies. No firm evidence could be found for any side reactions or reversibility under the experimental conditions used.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of t-butylmethyl ether

The thermal decomposition of t-butylmethyl ether has been studied using the VLPP technique. The recommended Arrhenius parameters for the molecular elimination, reaction (1), are A(800°K) = 10^{1 3, 9} sec^?1 and E_a (800°K) = 59.0 ± 1.0 kcal/mole. No radical reactions occur under the conditions used. These parameters are in good agreement with earlier experimental work and with theoretical estimates of both A and E.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of 3,3-dimethylbut-1-yne (tert-butyl acetylene). The heat of formation and stabilization energy of the dimethylpropargyl radical

The unimolecular decomposition of 3,3-dimethylbut-1-yne has been investigated over the temperature range of 933°-1182°K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). The primary process is C? C bond fission yielding the resonance stabilized dimethylpropargyl radical. Application of RRKM theory shows that the experimental unimolecular rate constants are consistent with the high-pressure Arrhenius parameters given by log (k/sec^?1) = (15.8 ± 0.3) - (70.8 ± 1.5)/θ where θ = 2.303RT kcal/mol. The activation energy leads to DH⁰[(CH₃)₂C(CCH)? CH₃] = 70.7 ± 1.5, θH⁰_f((CH₃)₂?CCH,g) = 61.5 ± 2.0, and DH⁰[(CH₃)₂C(CCH)? H] = 81.0 ± 2.3, all in kcal/mol at 298°K. The stabilization energy of the dimethylpropargyl radical has been found to be 11.0±2.5 kcal/mol.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of methyl- and ethynyl-cyclopentanes and cyclohexanes

Studies of the kinetics of thermal unimolecular decomposition of methylcyclopentane, methylcyclohexane, ethynylcyclopentane, and ethynylcyclohexane have been carried out at temperatures in the range 861–1218 K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). Multiple reaction pathways and secondary decomposition of primary products results in a complex array of reaction products. VLPP rate data (fall-off regime) were obtained for the overall decompositions and interpreted via the application of RRKM theory. The data for methylcyclopentane and methylcyclohexane were interpreted in terms of ring-opening bond fission pathways and bond fission to methyl and cycloalkyl radicals. By selecting Arrhenius parameters consistent with the analogous pathways in open-chain alkanes, a good fit to the overall decomposition is obtained. The data for ethynylcyclopentane and ethynylcyclohexane were interpreted in terms of ring-opening bond fission and alkyne to allene isomerization. The A factors for ring opening were based on known values for C-C fission in open-chain alkynes and the Arrhenius parameters for isomerization were chosen to be consistent with previously reported alkyne to allene isomerizations. The VLPP data are consistent with the following high-pressure rate expressions (at < T > = 1100 K) for the dominant primary reaction channel of ring opening adjacent to the substitutent group: where θ = 2.303RT kJ mol^?. Comparison of the activation energies for the ethynyl-cycloalkanes with those for the methyl-cycloalkanes shows that the effect of the ethynyl substituent is consistent with the propargyl resonance energy. This evidence supports the assumption of a biradical mechanism for ring opening in these cycloalkanes.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of alkyl cyanides. II. n-propyl cyanide and isobutyl cyanide. The heat of formation and stabilization energy of the cyanomethyl radical

The very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) technique has been used to study the pyrolysis of n-propyl cyanide over the temperature range of 1090–1250°K. Decomposition proceeds via two pathways, C₂? C₃ bond fission and C₃? C₄ bond fission, with the former accounting for >90% of the overall decomposition. Application of unimolecular reaction rate theory shows that the experimental unimolecular rate constants for C₂? C₃ fission are consistent with the high-pressure Arrhenius parameters given by where θ=2.303RT kcal/mole. The activation energy leads to DH₂₉₈⁰[C₂H₅? CH₂CN]=76.9±1.7 kcal/mole and ΔH(?H₂CN, g)=58.5±2.2 kcal/mole. The stabilization energy of the cyanomethyl radical has been found to be 5.1±2.6 kcal/mole, which is the same as the value for the α-cyanoethyl radical. This result suggests that DH[CH₂(CN)? H] ～ 93 kcal/mole, which is considerably higher than previously reported. The value obtained for ΔH_?⁰(?H₂CN) should be usable for prediction of the activation energy for C₂? C₃ fission in primary alkyl cyanides, and this has been confirmed by a study of the VLPP of isobutyl cyanide over the temperature range of 1011–1123°K. The decomposition reactions parallel those for n-propyl cyanide, and the experimental data for C₂? C₃ fission are compatible with the Arrhenius expression A significant finding of this work is that HCN elimination from either compound is practically nonexistent under the experimental conditions. Decomposition of the radical, CH₃CHCH₂CN, generated by C₃? C₄ fission in isobutyl cyanide, yields vinyl cyanide and not the expected product, crotonitrile. This may be explained by a radical isomerization involving either a 1,2-CN shift or a 1,2-H shift.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of hex-1-ene. Kinetics of the retro-ene decomposition of a mono-olefin

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of hex-1-ene has been investigated over the temperature range of 915–1153 K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). The reaction proceeds via the competitive pathways of C₃?C₄ fission and retro-ene elimination, with the latter dominant at low temperatures and the former at high temperatures. This behavior results in an isokinetic temperature of 1035 K under VLPP conditions (both reactions in the unimolecular falloff regime). RRKM calculations, generalized to take into account two competing pathways, show that the experimental unimolecular rate constants are consistent with the high-pressure Arrhenius parameters given by log k₁ (sec^?1) = (12.6 ± 0.2) -(57.7 ± 1.5)/θ for retro-ene reaction, and log k₂ (sec^?1) = (15.9 ± 0.2) - (70.8 ± 1.0)/θ for C-C fission, where θ = 2.303 RT kcal/mol. The A factors were assigned from the results of a recent shock-tube study of the decomposition in the high-pressure regime, and the activation energies were found by matching the RRKM calculations to the VLPP data. The parameters for C-C fission are consistent with the known thermochemistry of n-propyl and allyl radicals. A clear measure of the importance of the molecular pathway in the decomposition of a mono-olefin has been obtained.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of penta-1,3-dienes. Kinetics of the unimolecular 1,4-hydrogen elimination from cis-penta-1,3-diene

The thermal unimolecular reactions of cis- and trans-penta-1,3-diene (c-PTD and t-PTD) have been studied over the temperature range of 1002–1235 K using the technique of very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP). c-PTD decomposes via 1,4-hydrogen elimination analogous to that previously reported for cis-but-2-ene. RRKM calculations incorporating a six-center transition state show that the experimental rate constants are consistent with the following high-pressure rate expression at 1100 K: where θ = 2.303RT kcal/mol, and the A factor was assumed to be the same as that for cis-but-2-ene. The activation energy is in excellent agreement with that obtained for cis-but-2-ene. t-PTD also undergoes decomposition by H₂ elimination presumably via the prior rapid isomerization to c-PTD the results are in exact agreement with those for c-PTD.     

The Very low-pressure pyrolysis of 2-phenylethylamine. The enthalpy of formation of the aminomethyl radical

The thermal unimolecular decomposition of 2-phenylethylamine (PhCH₂CH₂NH₂) into benzyl and aminomethyl radicals has been studied under very-low-pressure conditions, and the enthalpy of formation of the aminomethyl radicals, ΔH°_{f, 298K} (H₂NCH₂·) = 37.0 ± 2.0 kcal/mol, has been derived from the kinetic data. This result leads to a value for the C—H bond dissociation energy in methylamine, BDE(H₂NCH₂—H) = 94.6 ± 2.0 kcal/mol, which is about 3.4 kcal/mol lower than in C₂H₆ (98 kcal/mol), indicating a sizable stabilization in α-aminoalkyl radicals.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis (VLPP) of alkanes: n-butane, 2,3-dimethylbutane, 2,2′,3,3′ -tetramethylbutane,and isobutane

The four species in the title were decomposed under VLPP conditions at temperatures in the vicinity of 1100°K. Three model transition states were constructed that fit the low-pressure data thus obtained and that also yield (1) E₂₉₈ = ΔE₂₉₈; (2) E₁₁₀₀ = ΔE₁₁₀₀; (3) log A₁₁₀₀ = 16.4 per C–C bond broken. The predictions of these models as to values of the high-pressure rate constants for bond scission and the reverse rate constants (radical combination) are compared with existing data.     

Heats of formation of iodo-complexes of zinc(II), cadmium(II) and mercury(II) in aqueous solutions

Heats of formation of MeI⁺, MeI₂, MeI₃^? and MeI₄^2? where Me²⁺, Cd²⁺ or Hg²⁺ were determined in acidic solutions by flow microcalorimetry. Some gaps in the literature data were filled. In particular, ΔH₃ for the mercury(II) complex was determined and the ΔH₁, ΔH₂ + ΔH₃, ΔH₄ for zinc(II) complexes were measured in sodium free solutions to avoid ionic couple formation. For cadmium(II) complexes, existing data were confirmed. Thermodynamic functions are discussed in term of hard/soft interactions.     

Spontaneous generation and stereoselective coupling of Co2(CO)6-complexed propargyl radicals

[reaction: see text] The spontaneous generation and stereoselective coupling of Co(2)(CO)(6)-complexed propargyl radicals have been discovered. One- and two-step complementary methods (Method A: (1) HBF(4); (2) CH(2)Cl(2), 20 degrees C; Method B: Tf(2)O, CH(2)Cl(2), 20 degrees C) provided an easy access to synthetically useful d,l-3,4-diaryl-1,5-alkadiynes (de 74-98%).     

The very low-pressure pyrolysis of phenyl methyl sulfide and benzyl methyl sulfide. The enthalpy of formation of the methylthio and phenylthio radicals

The kinetics and mechanisms of the unimolecular decompositions of phenyl methyl sulfide (PhSCH₃) and benzyl methyl sulfide (PhCH₂SCH₃) have been studied at very low pressures (VLPP). Both reactions essentially proceed by simple carbon-sulfur bond fission into the stabilized phenylthio (PhS·) and benzyl (PhCH₂·) radicals, respectively. The bond dissociation energies BDE(PhS-CH₃) = 67.5 ± 2.0 kcal/mol and BDE(PhCH₂-SCH₃) = 59.4 ± 2 kcal/mol, and the enthalpies of formation of the phenylthio and methylthio radicals ΔH° _,298K(PhS·, g) = 56.8 ± 2.0 kcal/mol and ΔH°_{f, 298K}(CH₃S·, g) = 34.2 ± 2.0 kcal/mol have been derived from the kinetic data, and the results are compared with earlier work on the same systems. The present values reveal that the stabilization energy of the phenylthio radical (9.6 kcal/mol) is considerably smaller than that observed for the related benzyl (13.2 kcal/mol) and phenoxy (17.5 kcal/mol) radicals.     

Heats of formation of C1?C4 alkyl nitrites (RONO) and their RO-NO bond dissociation energies

The heats of formation of C₃ and C₄ alkyl nitrites (RONO) have been determined via their heats of combustion by bomb calorimetry, thereby providing a complete set of values of ΔHº_f for C₁-C₄ alkyl nitrites. The experimental values are in excellent agreement with values derived from group additivity rules. For branched compounds these calculations involve corrections for gauche interactions. In these cases, the gauche interactions are reflected in the activation energies E₁ determined by recent kinetic studies, required for breaking the RO-NO bond. The heats of formation of the alkoxy radicals involved together with ΔHº_f(NO) = 21.6 kcal/mole leads to the result D(RO-NO) = 41.5 ± 1 kcal/mole. The concordance between D(thermochemical) and D(kinetic), unlike previous kinetic studies, implies that E₂ = 0 ± 1 kcal/mole.     

Steric factors in the kinetically controlled direction of elimination of secondary and tertiary esters in the gas phase. The pyrolysis of 4,4-dimethylpent-2-yl acetate

The pyrolysis kinetics of 4,4-dimethylpent-2-yl acetate, in a static system and in a vessel seasoned with allyl bromide, have been studied in the temperature range of 300–350°C and the pressure range of 48–211 torr. The olefin products were 4,4-dimethylpent-1-ene, cis-4,4-dimethylpent-2-ene, and trans-4,4-dimethylpent-2-ene. The rate coefficient for the homogeneous unimolecular elimination of this ester is given by the following Arrhenius equation: log k(sec^?1) = (12.87 ± 0.31) ? (181.2 ± 3.4)kJ/mol/2.303RT. The direction of elimination of this acetate has been found to proceed to the formation of the corresponding olefin by kinetic control. The present data, together with other pyrolysis work subject to kinetic control, imply that the direction of elimination of bulky alkyl esters is determined by steric hindrance in the eclipsed cis conformation. However, further analyses reveal that if a series of esters are compared, in the case of a gradual increase of alkyl branching when adjacent to a hydrogen atom (alkyl–H interactions), the rate was determined by steric acceleration, owing to the crowding effect at the highly substituted carbon atom. Otherwise if this gradual alkyl increase in size happened to be adjacent to another alkyl substituent (alkyl–alkyl interactions), the rate was affected by steric hindrance of the eclipsed cis conformation.     

Generalized valence bond orbital interactions and stabilization (resonance) energies. Part IV. Fullerene-C70

For the molecule fullerene-C₇₀ (one of the higher fullerenes) the stabilization energy (SE)/resonance energy (RE) has been determined in a generalized valence bond (GVB) set-up from the minimization (stabilization) energy associated with Pauli's orbital interactions (POIs) involving all its 70 2p_z GVB carbon orbitals. For this purpose, fullerene-C₇₀ has been considered to contain, at any one time, a unit of four independent carbon skeletons of phenanthrene/anthracene on its spheroidal surface, which have been selected from 25 hexagonal carbon rings present within it in 14 different ways. POIs have been considered in all the phenanthrene/anthracene skeletons and the SE/RE for the molecule has been calculated on the basis of the average contribution of each hexagonal carbon ring in the overall POI process.     

Very low-pressure pyrolysis. IX. The decomposition of azoethane,azoisopropane, and 2,2′-azoisobutane

The very low-pressure (VLPP) technique was used to study the pyrolysis of azoethane (AE), azoisopropane (AIP), and 2,2′-azoisobutane (AIB). The low pressure rate constants were related to the high-pressure Arrhenius parameters by means of the RRKM theory. This procedure in itself does not yield an unambiguous set of parameters. However, thermochemical and kinetic arguments are given which support the following values of log k∞ for the pyrolysis of AE, AIP, and AIB, respectively: 16.4–49.7/θ 16.6–47.9/θ, and 16.4–42.8/θ, where θ = 2.303RT in kcal/mole. The flow dependence of k_uni was used to estimate the collisional efficiencies of the azo compounds relative to the wall.     

Novel stereoselective syntheses of (2E,4E)-4-(4,4-dimethylpent-2-ynylidene)-N1,N5-dimethyl-N1,N5-bis(naphthalen-1-ylmethyl)pent-2-ene-1,5-diamine

We report two different synthetic approaches for the stereoselective synthesis of (2E,4E)-4-(4,4-dimethylpent-2-ynylidene)-N¹,N⁵-dimethyl-N¹,N⁵-bis(naphthalen-1-ylmethyl)pent-2-ene-1,5-diamine 1, an important impurity-reference standard for the chemical characterization of terbinafine. The diamine 1 was obtained in only six steps with a good overall yield starting from commercially available glutaconic acid.