Effect of ortho substitution on the charge localization of dinitrobenzene radical anions

Optical and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies were used to study the radical anions of several m-dinitrobenzenes and p-dinitrobenzenes with substituents on ortho positions relative to the nitro groups. 1,4-Dinitrobenzene, 1,4-dimethyl-2,5-dinitrobenzene, and 2,5-dinitrobenzene-1,4-diamine radical anions are delocalized (class III) mixed valence species, but in the dinitrodurene radical anion the nitro groups are forced out of the ring plane due to the steric hindrance, which results in localization of the charge. The radical anions m-dinitrobenzene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and dinitromesitylene are all localized (class II) mixed valence species, as is common for m-dinitrobenzenes, and the rate of intramolecular electron transfer reaction strongly decreases with the number of methyl substituents. The same mechanism of rotation of the nitro groups out of the ring plane due to steric hindrance caused by neighboring methyl groups is also responsible for slowing the reaction. However, 2,6-dinitroaniline radical anion and 2,6-dinitrophenoxide radical dianion are charge-delocalized because the strong electron releasing amino and oxido groups increase the conjugation between the two charge-bearing units.     

Vibrational and Thermodynamic Properties of 2,2',4,4',6,6'-Hexanitroazobenzene and Its Derivatives: A Density Functional Theory Study

HNAB (2,2′,4,4′,6,6′‐hexanitroazobenzene) and its derivatives have been optimized to obtain their molecular geometries and electronic structures by using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6‐31G* level. Their IR spectra have been computed and assigned by vibrational analysis. The strongest peaks are attributed to the N? O asymmetric stretching of nitro groups. Its central position moves towards higher frequency as the number of nitro groups increases. It is obvious that there is hydrogen‐bonding between amino and nitro groups in amino derivatives. Based on the frequencies scaled by 0.96 and the principle of statistical thermodynamics, the thermodynamic properties have been evaluated, which are linearly related with the temperature, as well as the number of nitro and amino groups, respectively, obviously showing good group additivity. And the thermodynamic functions for the nitro derivatives increase much more than those for the amino derivatives with the increase of the number of substituents. The values of heat of formation (HOF) for the nitro derivatives increase gradually with n, while those of the amino derivatives decrease smoothly with n.     

Stereoselective alkylations of chiral nitro imine and nitro hydrazone dianions. Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched 3-substituted 1-nitrocyclohexenes

Dianions of chiral nitro imines (generated by a combination of LDA and s-BuLi) underwent diastereoselective alkylation with methyl, butyl, isopropyl, allyl, and methallyl iodides. In contrast to the behavior of simple metalloenamines, the most selective auxiliary contained no coordinating groups but did possess a large steric difference between the two substituents. The yield and selectivity of the alkylations were improved by the addition of HMPA or DMPU. The use of (S)-1-naphthylethylamine as the auxiliary afforded the R absolute configuration of the alkylation products. This stereochemical outcome could be rationalized by simple steric approach controlled alkylation in a conformationally fixed, internally coordinated dianion. A SAMP nitro hydrazone gave poorer yields and selectivities.     

Determination of UO2(II), Th(IV) and Ce(III) Complexes Formed with Halogen and Nitro Derivatives of 8-Hydroxyquinoline

Proton-ligand stability constants for some iodo and nitro derivatives of 8-hydroxyquinoline were determined by Calvin Bjerrum potantiometric method. The stability constants of the corresponding chelates with UO₂ (II), Th(IV) and Co(III) were studied potentiometrically at 25 °C by applying Irving-Rossotti computing method. The complexes of the nitro-substituted ligands were less stable than the corresponding complexes of the unsubstituted ligands. The stability constants of metal-ligands depend on the ionic radii and ionic charge of metals and also they decrease with steric repulsions of the nitro groups.     

A structural study of carbosilane dendrimers versus polyamidoamine

Several types of substituted carbosilane-based dendrimers are studied in comparison with polyamidoamine (PAMAM), using molecular mechanics approach, to evaluate the shape and steric interactions when the generation number (G) increases. A scaled van der Waals energy parameter: the scaled steric energy, is defined, and used, to compare the steric repulsion in these dendrimers. Our calculations indicate that the steric repulsions, between the end groups at the surface of dendrimers, do not increase for higher generations of such macromolecules. Density calculations show that this property decreases with the increase of G. The moment of inertia calculations show that the shape of the considered dendrimers is asymmetrical for lower generations and becomes spherical at higher generations. The shape of the carbosilane dendrimers is more spherical than PAMAM. The results show that higher generations can afford the increased number of terminal groups at the surface of the macromolecules, without increase of the density in this region, therefor these factors (steric repulsion between the end groups at the surface, or high density) would not impede the chemistry to build higher generations of completely branched dendrimers.     

Theoretical studies on polynitrobicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes in search of novel high energy density materials

Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane is a highly strained hydrocarbon system due to close proximity of nonbonded bridge head carbons. Based on fully optimized molecular geometries at the density functional theory using the B3LYP/6-31G* level, densities, detonation velocities, and pressures for a series of polynitrobicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes, as well as their thermal stabilities were investigated in search for high energy density materials (HEDMs). The designed compounds with more than two nitro groups are characterized by high heat of formation and magnitude correlative with the number and space distance of nitro groups. Density was calculated using the crystal packing calculations and an increase in the number of nitro groups increases the density. The increase in density shows a linear increase in the detonation characteristics. Bond dissociation energy was analyzed to determine thermal stability. Calculations of the bond length and bond dissociation energies of the C-NO₂ bond indicate that this may be the possible trigger bond in the pyrolysis mechanism. 1,2,3-Trinitrobicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (S3), 1,2,3,4-tetranitrobicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (S4), and 1,2,3,4,5-pentanitrobicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (S5) have better energetic characteristics with better stability and insensitivity, and as such may be explored in defense applications as promising candidates of the HEDMs series.     

Solution NMR determination of the seating(s) of meso-nitro-etioheme-1 in myoglobin: implications for steric constraints to meso position access in heme degradation by coupled oxidation

The highly stereoselective cleavage of hemin in myoglobin by coupled oxidation has been attributed to steric barriers that leave more space near the alpha- than the other meso-positions. The steric barriers near meso positions in myoglobin have been investigated by establishing the thermodynamics and dynamics of possible seatings in the pocket of horse myoglobin of a four-fold symmetric etioheme I modified with a bulky nitro group at a single meso position. The cyanomet complex of this reconstituted myoglobin exhibits three sets of (1)H NMR resonances that are linked dynamically and occur in approximate populations ratios of 0.82:0.10:0.08. Two dimensional (1)H NMR has been used to assign the hemin and heme pocket resonances in the major isomer in solution and to determine that the hemin is oriented with the nitro group at the canonical gamma-meso position of native hemin. The dominance of this isomer is attributed to the solvent exposure of this portion of the hemin which stabilizes the highly polar nitro group. Using a combination of magnetization transfer among methyl groups of the three isomers due to "hopping" of the hemin about its normal, the assigned resonances of an isoelectronic, bis-cyano complex of meso-nitro-etioheme I, and the known essentially constant rhombic perturbation of heme pocket sites on the hyperfine shifts of heme methyl (Kolczak, U.; Hauksson, J. B.; Davis, N. L.; Pande, U.; de Ropp, J. S.; Langry, K. C.; Smith, K. M.; LaMar, G. N. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 835-843); the two minor isomers are shown to place their bulky nitro group at the canonical delta-meso (8%) and alpha-meso positions (10%). The comparable population of the isomers with nitro groups at the hydrophobic alpha- and delta-meso positions dictates that, while the static crystal structure finds more room near the alpha-meso position, the deformation at minimal energetic expense near the alpha- and delta-meso positions is comparable. These results argue that factors other than simple steric influences control the selectivity of the ring cleavage in myoglobin.     

Nucleophilic substitution in nitrofluorenones

The reaction of 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorenone with amines, thiols, and phenol in a polar aprotic solvent led to the preferable substitution of the nitro group in the position 2, and in the reaction of 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone first the nitro group in the position 4 was replaced. The different regioselectivity is due evidently to the steric hindrances to the nucleophilic attack on the atom C⁴ caused by the nitro group in the position 5 of tetranitrofluorenone.     

PREPARATION AND CATALYTIC BEHAVIOUR OF POLYMER-BOUND METALLOPORPHYRIN IN HYDROGENATION OF OLEFIN

The meso- tetraarylporphyrin has been anchored to styrene- divinylbenzenecopolymers by reaction of meso- tetra (4-hydroxylphenyl ) porphyrin with chloromethylatedresin under mild condition. A number of polymer transition metal complexes have beenprepared with the polymer ligand and metal salts. The polymeric ligand and its complexeshave been characterized by electronic spectra, and vibrational spectra. Cyclohexene can behydrogenated with the polymeric porphyrin palladium complex(P-THPPPd) as catalyst,and its catalytic activity was influenced by the polarity of solvents, the contents of water inethanol or reaction temperature. However, its catalytic activity was lower for nitro groups,carbonyl groups and olefins with steric hindrance substituents, and showed no activity foraromatic rings under these conditions.     

SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF CUTANEOUS PHOTOSENSITIZING AGENTS—VI. IDENTIFICATION OF THE FREE RADICALS GENERATED DURING THE PHOTOLYSIS OF MUSK AMBRETTE, MUSK XYLENE AND MUSK KETONE

Musk ambrette (4-tert-butyl-3-methoxy-2,5-dinitrotoluene), a common component of perfumes, soaps, and some food flavorings, can cause cutaneous photosensitization reactions including photoallergy. These may be mediated through free radicals formed during photolysis. When musk ambrette was photolyzed under nitrogen in basic methanol, two distinct nitro anion radicals were identified by electron spin resonance. One radical was centered on a nitro group in the plane of the aromatic ring, while the other was centered on a nitro group twisted out of the plane of the ring due to steric hindrance by bulky substituents on either side of the group: the two radicals appeared to interconvert and maintain an equilibrium concentration ratio. Two closely related compounds which are also used in perfumes, but have not been reported to cause photosensitizing reactions, also produced free radicals during photolysis. Musk xylene (2,4,6-trinitro-1,3-dimethyl-5-tert-butylbenzene) generated two nitro anion radicals, both of which were centered on twisted nitro groups, while musk ketone (3,5-dinitro-2,6-dimethyl-4-tert-butylacetophenone) produced only one nitro anion radical, which is also twisted. Athough these nitro anion radicals are probably the first step in the photolysis of these nitroarornatic molecules, it seems likely that in vivo they will undergo further reduction to produce more reactive species including the corresponding nitroso and hydroxylamine derivatives. In addition, autoxidation of the nitro anion radical intermediate forms superoxide.     

Cautions regarding the physical interpretation of statistically based separation of the ortho substituent effect into inductive,mesomeric, and steric components—III : Some remarks concerning the significance of steric effects in acidic and alkaline ester hydrolyses

It is demonstrated that acidic and alkaline hydrolyses of o-substituted benzoates and acidic esterification of o-substituted benzoic acids depend upon inductive, “mesomeric”, and steric effects. The “mesomeric” contribution is essentially connected with the nitro and the methoxy groups exerting special effects. The rate data of some acidic and alkaline reactions which may be regarded as being comparable yielded regression equations indicating that steric effects are the same in both reactions. The Taft-Ingold assumption seems to be correct for these reactions, whereas the averaging procedure applied by Taft is questionable. The results taken as a whole lend strong support to the hypothesis that the so-called ortho effect is essentially connected with the size of the substituents and not strictly electrical in nature.     

Synthetic utilization of polynitroaromatic compounds. 3. Preparation of substituted dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine-11(10H)-ones from 2,4,6-trinitrobenzoic acid via nucleophilic displacement of nitro groups

[Reaction: see text]. 1,3-dinitrodibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepin-11(10H)-one, prepared by intramolecular displacement of nitro group in N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2,4,6-trinitrobenzamide, reacts with O- and S-nucleophiles to yield the products of mono- or bis-substitution of the nitro groups. The nitro group in position 3 is displaced first. This observation is in contrast with earlier results for the nitro-substituted benzoannulated five-membered heterocycles. This difference in reactivity is likely due to the increased steric hindrance for peri-nitro group displacement in the case of the benzoannulated seven-membered heterocycle. N-Alkylation of the nitro-substituted dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepin-11(10H)-ones yields analogues of a known antidepressant drug Sintamil. The structure of the products is confirmed by NOE experiments and alternative synthesis.     

DFT Study of the Group Interactions in 1,3,5‐Triamino‐2,4,6‐Trinitrobenzene and 1,3,5‐Triamino‐2,4,6‐Tridifluoroaminobenzene

Density functional calculations on isodesmic disproportionation reactions of 1,3,5‐triamino‐2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene (TATB) and 1,3,5‐triamino‐2,4,6‐tridifluoroaminobenzene (TATDB) indicate that the interaction between nitro groups on meta carbons of TATB, which brings about unstability to the molecule, is surprisingly larger than that between difluroamino groups in TATDB. The electron‐withdrawing and electron‐donating groups generate large positive and very small negative values of E_{disproportion}, respectively. When both electron‐withdrawing and electron‐donating groups are attached to the benzene skeleton at the same time, large negative disproportionation energy is produced, which stabilizes the derivatives. The values of E_{disproportion} for TATB and TATDB are predicted to be ‐48.03 kJ/mol and ‐63.54 kJ/mol, respectively, indicating that the total interaction among groups with stabilization effects in TATDB is larger than that in TATB. The large difference of the E_{disproportion} values between TATB and TATDB is derived from the large difference between the interactions of the meta‐nitro group and those of meta‐difluoroamino groups. The energy barriers for the C‐N internal rotation of NO₂ group and NF₂ groups are 74.7 kJ/mol and 185.8 kJ/mol for TATB and TATDB, respectively. The large energy barrier for the rotation of the NF₂ group is caused by its stabilization interaction with neighbor amino groups, instead of steric effects. When the number of pairs of amino‐nitro or amino‐difluoroamino groups increases, there are more negative charges on the NO₂/NF₂ groups and on the O/F atoms.     

A theoretical study of the structure and vibrations of 2,4,6-trinitrotolune

Theoretical calculations of the structure, internal rotations and vibrations of 2,4,6-trinitrotolune, TNT, in the gas phase were performed at the B3LYP/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-311+G** levels of theory. Two genuine energy minimum structures were found. In both structures the 4-nitro group is planar to the phenyl ring, while the 2,6-nitro groups are slightly out of plane with the phenyl ring due to steric interaction with the methyl group. The two structures are related by internal rotations of the methyl and 2, or 6-nitro group. The lowest energy route for interconversion between them is a concerted motion of the methyl group and 2 or 6 nitro group in a ‘cog wheel’ type of mechanism. The geometry of the low energy structure A is closest to that observed in the crystal structures of TNT, where all three nitro groups are out of plane with the phenyl ring. FTIR and Raman spectra of solid TNT and ¹³C, ¹⁵N enriched TNT are presented and assigned with the help of the B3LYP/6-311+G** calculations on A. The lower level B3LYP/6-31G* calculation fails to predict the correct vibrational coupling between the nitro and phenyl groups. The B3LYP/6-311+G** calculation gives a good prediction of the nitro vibrations and the isotopic shifts observed for TNT isotopomers.     

Cage strain in nitro-substituted 1,3,5,7-tetraazacubanes

Homodesmotic reactions were designed for the computation of strain energies (SE) for four nitro-substituted 1,3,5,7-tetraazacubane derivatives. Total energies of the optimized geometric structures at the DFT-B3LYP/6-31G* and DFT-B3LYP/6-311G** levels were used to derive the SE. The variation of SE with respect to the number of substituents is similar with both basis sets. The SE value is 237.32 kcal/mol at the B3LYP/6-311G** level for 2,4,6,8-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacubane, which is unexpectedly much larger than that of its cubane analogue. The SE increases remarkably with more nitro groups being attached to the cage skeleton of tetraazacubane. The ‘bending’ of the bonds within the cubic skeleton attributes to the increase of strains as the attached number of nitro groups increases.     

Asymmetric Dearomatization of Phenols via Ligand-Enabled Cooperative Gold Catalysis

By employing a chiral bifunctional phosphine ligand, a gold(I)-catalyzed efficient and highly enantioselective dearomatization of phenols is achieved via versatile metal-ligand cooperation. The reaction is proven to be remarkably general in scope, permitting substitutions at all four remaining benzene positions, accommodating electron-withdrawing groups including strongly deactivating nitro, and allowing carbon-based groups of varying steric bulk including tert-butyl at the alkyne terminus. Moreover, besides N-(o-hydroxyphenyl)alkynamides, the corresponding ynoates and ynones are all suitable substrates. Spirocyclohexadienone-pyrrol-2-ones, spirocyclohexadienone-butenolides, and spirocyclohexadenone-cyclopentenones are formed in yields up to 99 % and with ee up to 99 %.     

Heterocyclic nitro compounds

The IR and Raman spectra of a number of anions of the nitro derivatives of 1,2,4-triazole were investigated. On the basis of the position of the absorption maxima of the asymmetric and symmetric t vibrations of the nitro group, it is assumed that the nitro groups in the 3 and 5 positions of the triazole ring are coplanar, which should lead to an increase in the participation of the nitro group in the de localization of the negative charge of the anion. Shifts of the frequencies as a function of the nature of the cation (NH₄, Na, K, Cs) were not detected in the IR spectra of the crystalline salts. In addition, the IR spectra of the crystalline salts are similar (with respect to the frequencies) to the spectra of aqueous solutions of the salts, which may serve as proof of the identical structure of the anions in crystals and aqueous solutions.See [1] for communication XII.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 120–123, January, 1972.     

Selective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds affording aromatic amines under CO/H2O conditions catalyzed by phosphine-added rhodium and ruthenium carbonyl complexes

High catalytic activities for the selective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to the corresponding amines under the mild reaction conditions of room temperature and 1 atm of CO were found to be exhibited by chelatephosphine (dppe, dppm, etc.; dppe: 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, dppm: bis(diphenylphosphino)methane)-added rhodium and ruthenium carbonyl complexes in a 5 N NAOH aqueous solution. The reduction proceeded not only with high catalytic activities, but also with remarkably high nitro group selectivities; for example, 1-nitroanthraquinone afforded 1-aminoanthraquinone without other unsaturated groups (such as CO) being reduced. PR₃-added Rh(CO)₂(acac) complexes (PR₃: PEtPh₂, PEt₂Ph, PEt₃, etc.; acac: acetylacetonato) in diglyme in a 5 N NaOH aqueous solution were also found to show significant catalytic activities for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds under mild CO/H₂O conditions. Both electronic and steric factors of phosphine ligands are important in making this reaction proceed at such remarkable rates.     

Substitution Reactions Which Proceed via Radical Anion Intermediates

A new type of substition process at a saturated carbon atom is described. These reactions, which proceed via a chain sequence in which radical anions and free radicals are intermediates, are noteworthy for providing novel and powerful means of synthesis: they occur readily under mild conditions, they give excellent yields of pure products, and, in contrast to S_N2 displacements, they are rather insensitive to steric hindrance. As a consequence, radical anion processes are especially valuable for the preparation of highly branched structures. Many inorganic and organic anions readily enter into these displacements and, indeed, amines are also effective. Systems which undergo substitutions via this electron transfer mechanism include benzylic, cumylic, strictly aliphatic, and heterocyclic molecules. It is of interest that a number of groups which do not behave as leaving groups in S_N2 displacements are readily displaced at room temperature from a satureted carbon atom via the radical anion-free radical pathway, e.g., nitro, azide, sulfone, and ether groups.     

A Convenient Deoxygenation of Sulfoxides with CO(II) and NaBH4

Complex species, presumably transition metal hydrides, prepared from NaBH₄ and transition metal salts have been used in the reduction of nitro, cyano, halo and amido functional groups.¹ We recently reported that Co (II) and NaBH₄ in ethanol reduced alkenes and alkynes in high yields, and that the regent displayed remarkable steric selectivity in the reduction of alkenes: mono>di>tri- and tetra-substituted alkenes.² We now report that the same reagent could be conveniently employed for the efficient reduction of sulfoxides to sulfides. A number of conditions have previously been reported to deoxygenate sulfoxides to sulfides in varying yields: for example, SO⁹ ₃, etc.