A ‘meta effect’ in the fragmentation reactions of ionised alkyl phenols and alkyl anisoles

The competition between benzylic cleavage (simple bond fission [SBF]) and retro‐ene rearrangement (RER) from ionised ortho, meta and para RC₆H₄OH and RC₆H₄OCH₃ (R = n‐C₃H₇, n‐C₄H₉, n‐C₅H₁₁, n‐C₇H₁₅, n‐C₉H₁₉, n‐C₁₅H₃₁) is examined. It is observed that the SBF/RER ratio is significantly influenced by the position of the substituent on the aromatic ring. As a rule, phenols and anisoles substituted by an alkyl group in meta position lead to more abundant methylene‐2,4‐cyclohexadiene cations (RER fragmentation) than their ortho and para homologues. This ‘meta effect’ is explained on the basis of energetic and kinetic of the two reaction channels. Quantum chemistry computations have been used to provide estimate of the thermochemistry associated with these two fragmentation routes. G3B3 calculation shows that a hydroxy or a methoxy group in the meta position destabilises the SBF and stabilises the RER product ions. Modelling of the SBF/RER intensities ratio has been performed assuming two single reaction rates for both fragmentation processes and computing them within the statistical RRKM formalism in the case of ortho, meta and para butyl phenols. It is clearly demonstrated that, combining thermochemistry and kinetics, the inequality (SBF/RER)_meta < (SBF/RER)_ortho < (SBF/RER)_para holds for the butyl phenols series. It is expected that the ‘meta effect’ described in this study enables unequivocal identification of meta isomers from ortho and para isomers not only of alkyl phenols and alkyl anisoles but also in other alkyl benzene series. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photoinduced Oxidation Reaction of Benzotrifluoride with OH Radical by the Laser Flash Method

The optical transient and kinetics characterizations of the transients formed in the reaction of OH with benzotrifluoride (BTF) were performed by a laser flash photolysis technique. The results indicated that the formation of π‐type adduct of C₆H₅(OH)CF₃ was the major reaction channel, and the δ‐type adduct of C₆H₅CF₃OH formation was an additional minor process in the oxidation reaction of BTF attacked by OH radicals yielded from the photolysis of H₂O₂. Addition of OH to the CF₃ group led to the fluoride ion elimination to yield α,α‐difluorophenylcarbinol (C₆H₅CF₂OH). Trifluoromethylphenol (HOC₆H₄CF₃) of meta‐, para‐ and ortho‐substituted isomers resulted from the addition of OH to the BTF aromatic ring.     

Mesomeric effect on the structural and electronic properties of 4-(2-<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)phthalonitrile

The molecular and crystal structures of the title compound, C₁₉H₁₈N₂O, were determined and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods. Details of the molecular geometry imply that there is a mesomeric effect between the electron-withdrawing N atoms of nitrile substituents and electron-donating O atom. Formally, single central O–C_ar bond lengths are considerably different from each other. O–C_ar distance to phthalonitrile ring is shorter than the other O–C_ar distance due to mesomeric effect under discussion. In addition to structural and spectral evidences, possible results from mesomerism of the compound were investigated by topological analysis on the electronic properties using quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) approach. It is inferred from topological analysis that the nitrile group in para position has slightly stronger mesomeric effect than that in meta position due to diffusive double charge separation property during meta mesomerism of the compound. Mesomeric effect revealing itself by differences in delocalization indices between certain bonded atom pairs results in considerable decrease in aromaticity of phthalonitrile ring.     

A new biologically active molecular scaffold: crystal structure of 7‐(3‐hydroxyphenyl)‐4‐methyl‐2H‐[1,2,4]triazolo[3,2‐c][1,2,4]triazole and selective antiproliferative activity of three isomeric triazolo–triazoles

A study of three isomeric compounds containing a phenolic moiety attached to the nitrogen‐rich triazolo–triazole bicycle is presented. In the three isomers, the phenolic OH group is in the ortho, meta and para positions. The crystal structure analysis of the meta isomer (C₁₀H₉N₅O) shows that the 2H‐tautomer is present in the crystal and that the molecule adopts a substantially planar geometry. However, the conformation found in the crystal is different compared to the monoprotonated cation of the same compound previously investigated in several salts. The packing of the meta isomer is driven by the formation of strong hydrogen bonds and shows the formation of infinite planar ribbons, parallel to a, formed around 2₁ crystallographic axes. The three isomers were tested against some cancer cell lines and also against normal cell lines. The ortho isomer shows a weak antiproliferative activity, the meta isomer shows significant antiproliferative activity against some cancer lines and no activity against healthy cell lines, and the para isomer is active against all the tested cell lines.     

Five (1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)­pyridines

The title (1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)­pyridines, C₉H₈N₂, substituted at the ortho, meta, and para positions of the pyridine ring all have hydrogen‐bonded arrangements with geometrically similar, nearly linear, N(pyrrole)—H⋯N(pyridine) hydrogen bonds of average length. The graph sets for the ortho, meta, and three para polymorphs are R(10), C(6), C(7), C(7), and R(28), respectively.     

The fragmentations of substituted cinnamic acids after electron impact

The fragmentations of a number of cinnamic acids substituted at the phenyl ring have been studied with the aid of 70 eV mass spectra and mass analysed ion kinetic energy spectra. Evidence is presented that the formation of [C₉H₇O₂]⁺ ions occurs by intramolecular aromatic substitution reactions. A mechanism is proposed for the energetically favourable loss of the substituents from meta and para positions of the phenyl ring. The analytical use of intramolecular aromatic substitution reactions is briefly discussed.     

Susbstituent effects in mass spectrometry IV—an evaluation of empirical methods for calculating the ionisation potentials of para and meta disubstituted benzenes

Three empirical equation which have been used to calculate ionisation potentials of para and meta disubstituted benzenes are evalyated according to their ability to predict the IP's of para and meta YC₆H₄COX, (where x ? OH, NH₂, CL).     

Mass spectra of some isopropyl benzene derivatives. A study of the ortho effect

The mass spectra of a series of ortho, meta and para substituted isopropyl benzene derivatives have been determined where the second substituent is ? COOH, ? C(O)NH₂, ? C(O)C₆H₅, ? C(Ph)(=NPh) or ? CH(Ph)(NHPh). Two bis-isopropylbenzophenones have also been studied. The spectra are characterized by prominent ortho effects which distinguish the ortho derivatives from the meta and para.     

Origin of the Regioselectivity in the Gas‐Phase Aniline+CH3+ Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution

Nonadiabatic ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are carried out to monitor the attack of CH₃⁺ on aniline in the gas phase to form the corresponding σ complexes. The reaction is ultrafast and is governed by a single electron transfer within 30 fs, which involves two sequential conical intersections and finally produces a radical pair. Positive‐charge allocation in the aromatic compound is found to govern the substitution pattern in ortho, meta, or para position. Although the major products in the first step of the electrophilic aromatic substitution are the ortho and para σ complexes, initially 26 % of the simulated trajectories also form meta complexes, which then undergo H shifts, mainly to the para position.     

Haloaza‐closo‐dodecaboranes

The bromo‐ and iodoaza‐closo‐dodecaboranes HNB₁₁H₁₀Hal (Hal = Br, I), MeNB₁₁H₉Br₂, and MeNB₁₁H₈Br₃ are formed from [NB₁₁H₁₁]^– and MeNB₁₁H₁₁, respectively, by electrophilic halogenation with elementary halogen in the presence of acidic catalysts. Hydrogen in para‐ or in para‐ and meta‐position with respect to the cluster‐N atom is substituted by halogen. With iodine chloride as halogenation agent, all the 11 boron bound H atoms of MeNB₁₁H₁₁ are substituted to give HNB₁₁Cl₅I₆ with iodine in the para‐ and meta‐ and chlorine in the ortho‐positions, presumably via electrophilic (I) and nucleophilic substitution (Cl). The products are characterized by their NMR spectra, the product HNB₁₁Cl₅I₆ also by crystal structure analysis.     

Electronic Coupling and Electron Transfer between Two Mo2 Units through meta- and para-Phenylene Bridges

A series of three Mo₂ dimers bridged by a meta-phenylene group has been studied in terms of electronic coupling (EC) and electron transfer (ET) in comparison with the para isomers. Optical analyses on the mixed-valence complexes indicate that by replacing a para-phenylene bridge with a meta one, the EC between the two Mo₂ centers is dramatically weakened; consequently, the ET rates (k_et) are lowered by two to three orders of magnitude. In the para series, the EC parameters (H_ab) and ET rates (k_et) are greatly affected by O/S atomic alternation of the bridging ligand. However, for the meta analogues, similar EC and ET parameters are obtained, that is, H_ab=300–400 cm⁻¹ and k_et≈10⁹ s⁻¹. These results suggest that through-σ-bond and/or through-space coupling channels become operative as the π conjugation is disabled. DFT calculations reveal that destructive quantum interference features seen for the meta series arise from the cancellation of two π-conjugated coupling pathways.     

Aromatic polyamides. XII. Effect of the polymeric unit linkage position on the thermal decomposition and flammability of the unsubstituted and halogen-substituted aromatic polyamides

The synthesis, thermal characterization, and oxygen index of aromatic polyamides varying with polymeric unit linkage positions (meta and/or para units) and halogen substitution have been reported. It has been found that polyamides containing para units are more thermal stable than those containing meta units. There is no significant effect of the main chain structure studied here on either the pyrolysis pathways or flammability of similarly halogen substituted polyamides.     

4‐(Trifluoromethyl)benzonitrile

4‐(Tri­fluoro­methyl)­benzo­nitrile, C₈H₄F₃N, at 123 K contains mol­ecules linked together through one C—H?F bond and two C—H?N hydrogen bonds into sheets that are further crosslinked to form a dense two‐dimensional network without π?π ring interactions. The aromatic ring is slightly deformed due to the two para‐related electronegative groups.     

Synthesis of [m.n]Cyclophanes: Regiochemistry Transfer from Vinyl Halides to Cyclophanes via Fischer Carbene Complexes

The double benzannulation of bis‐carbene complexes of chromium with α,ω‐diynes generates [m.n]cyclophanes in which all three rings are generated in a single reaction. This triple annulation process is very flexible allowing for the construction of symmetrical [n.n]cyclophanes and unsymmetrical [m.n]cyclophanes as well as isomers in which the two benzene rings are both meta bridged or both para bridged, and isomers that contain both meta and para bridges. The connectivity patterns of the bridges in the cyclophanes can be controlled by regioselectivity transfer from the bis‐vinyl carbene complexes in which the substitution pattern of the vinyl groups in the carbene complexes dictate the connectivity pattern in the [m.n]cyclophanes. This synthesis of [n.n]cyclophanes is quite flexible with regard to ring size and can be used with tether lengths ranging from n=2 to n=16 and thus to ring sizes with up to 40 member rings. The only limitation to regioselectivity transfer from the carbene complexes to the [m.n]cyclophanes was found in the synthesis of para,para‐cyclophanes with four carbon tethers for which the loss of fidelity occurred with the unexpected formation of meta,para‐cyclophanes.     

Ethyl 2‐form­amido‐2‐(4‐iodo­benzyl)‐3‐(4‐iodo­phenyl)­propionate and ethyl 2‐(3‐bromo­benzyl)‐3‐(3‐bromo­phenyl)‐2‐form­amidopropionate

The title compounds, C₁₉H₁₉I₂NO₃ and C₁₉H₁₉Br₂NO₃, are derivatives of α‐amino­isobutyric acid with halogen substituents at the para and meta positions, respectively. The ethoxycarbonyl and formamide side chains attached to the C_α atom of the mol­ecule adopt extended and folded conformations, respectively. The crystal structures are stabilized by N—H⃛O, C—H⃛O, C—Br⃛O and C—I⃛O interactions.     

Alkali‐Metal meta‐Hydroxyphenolates: Syntheses and Crystal Structures from Powder X‐Ray Diffraction

M[m‐C₆H₄O(OH)] (M = Li—Cs) have been obtained as highly air‐ and moisture‐sensitive powders from reaction mixtures of the appropriate alkali metals and resorcinol in thf. Both the potassium and rubidium compounds were structurally characterized by means of powder X‐ray diffraction using the Simulated Annealing method and the Rietveld profile refinement technique including C—C/C—O bond distance and C—C—C angle restraints. K[m‐C₆H₄O(OH)] (orthorhombic P2₁2₁2₁) forms infinite alternating chains of meta‐hydroxyphenolate anions connected by K—O bonds and short charge‐assisted hydrogen bonds, thereby generating a three‐dimensional network of corrugated layers similar to the structure of pure resorcinol. The potassium cations are surrounded by a triangle of oxygen and, moreover, coordinated by six adjacent phenylene rings to form a distorted octahedron. The complex crystal structure of Rb[m‐C₆H₄O(OH)] (monoclinic Pa) is characterized by layers of hydrogen‐bonded meta‐hydroxyphenolate triple units separated by corrugated rubidium layers. The three crystallographically different Rb atoms are coordinated by three, four, and five oxygens with irregular polyhedra, and the rubidiums are also involved in further electrostatic interactions by up to eight phenylene rings.     

Theoretical and experimental interpretations of phenol oxidation by the hydroxyl radical

Phenol oxidation by OH radicals produced by the Fenton reaction was studied and the oxidation process was monitored by the UV–visible, ¹³C NMR and LC techniques. The results show that benzoquinone is formed. In the NMR and LC experiments, since the peaks corresponding to isomers ortho and para- benzoquinones are unresolved, DFT was used to determine the branching ratios of the isomers formation that coincides with their ΔG values (ortho > para > meta): 72% for ortho, 23% for para and 5.0% for meta. Furthermore, the energy profile of the OH attack at ortho is quite similar to that at the para position while the meta position attack is less favored by 2.0 kcal/mol.     

Hydrogen rearrangement in molecular ions of alkyl benzenes: Appearance potentials and substituent effects on the formation of [C7H8]+ ions

The mechanism of the formation of [C₇H₈]⁺ ions by hydrogen rearrangement in the molecular ions of 1-phenylpropane and 1,3-diphenylpropane has been investigated by looking at the effects of CH₃O and CF₃ substituents in the meta and para positions on the relative abundances of the corresponding ions and on the appearance energies. The formation of [C₇H₈]⁺ ions from 1,3-diphenylpropane is much enhanced at the expense of the formation of [C₇H₇]⁺ ions by benzylic cleavage, due to the localized activation of the migrating hydrogen atom by the γ phenyl group. A methoxy substituent in the 1,3-diphenylpropane, exerts a site-specific influence on the hydrogen rearrangement, which is much more distinct than in 1-phenylpropane and related 1-phenylalkanes, the rearrangement reaction being favoured by a meta methoxy group. The mass spectrum of 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(4-trideuteromethoxyphenyl)-propane shows that this effect is even stronger than the effect of para methoxy groups on the benzylic cleavage. From measurements of appearance potentials it is concluded that the substituent effect is not due to a stabilization of the [C₇H₇X]⁺ product ions. Whereas the [C₇H₇]⁺ ions are formed directly from molecular ions of 1-phenylpropane and 1,3-diphenylpropane, the [C₇H₈]⁺ ions arise by a two-step mechanism in which the s? complex type ion intermediate can either return to the molecular ion or fragment to [C₇H₈]⁺ by allylic bond cleavage. Obviously the formation of this s? complex type ion, is influenced by electron donating substituents in specific positions at the phenyl group. This is borne out by a calculation of the ΔH_f values of the various species by thermochemical data. Thus, the relative abundances of the fragment ions are determined by an isomerization equilibrium of the molecular ions, preceding the fragmentation reaction.     

An “Ortho Effect” in Electrophilic Aromatic Nitrations: Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Validation

Usually, a π‐donor substituent acts as an ortho/para directing group in an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction, and a π‐acceptor substituent acts as a meta directing group. Interestingly, when a π‐acceptor substituent is meta to a π‐donor substituent, certain electrophilic aromatic nitration occurs ortho to the acceptor substituent rather than para. The “ortho effect”, highlighted in various text books, has been tentatively analyzed here based on ab initio calculations. The reliability of the calculations was verified by the corresponding experimental data, including a new‐designed electrophilic aromatic nitration that also gave reasonable product distributions.     

Thiomethylation of aromatic amines: efficient method for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds

Primary aromatic amines were thiomethylated by formaldehyde and hydrogen sulfide. N-Substituted 1,3-thiazetidines, 4,5-dihydro-1,3,5-dithiazines, 3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-1,3,5-thiadiazines, and 4,5-dihydro-1,3,5-oxathiazines were prepared for the first time starting from meta- and para-toluidines, meta-, para-, and ortho-anisidines, and para-xylidine. Amines characterized by higher mobility of hydrogen atoms produced previously unknown four-membered thiazetidines, whereas amines characterized by lower mobility of hydrogen atoms gave six-membered thiadiazines. The sorption properties with respect to silver were studied for the compounds, which were prepared from p-toluidine and p-anisidine.