The average structures of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene and 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene

The average molecular structures of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene and 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2] oct-2-ene have been determined by electron diffraction in the gas phase. The structural parameters were obtained by applying a least squares analysis on the molecular scattering intensity functions. For 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene, C_s symmetry was assumed in calculating the geometry of the molecule. The parameters thus determined are: N₃=N₂ = 1.221 Å, N₃- C₄ = 1.445 Å, C₄-C₅ = 1.538 Å, C-H_(ave.) = 1.112 Å, < C₁N₂N₃ = 116.3°, < N₃C₄C₅ = 105.2°, < C₁C₄C₅ = 71.5°, C₄-C₇ = 1.547 Å, C₅-C₆ = 1.530 Å, < C₁C₇C₄ = 108.0°. For 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene, C_2vsymmetry was assumed. The geometrical parameters are: N₃ = N₂ = 1.243 Å, N₃-C₄ = 1.473 Å, C₄-C₅ = 1.550 Å, C₅-C₆ = 1.516 Å, C-H_(ave.) = 1.119 Å,< C₁N₂N₃ = 115.1°, < N₃C₄C₅ = 109.1°, < C₆C₁C₄ = 71.6°.     

Selective fluorescence quenching of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene by nucleotides

[reaction: see text] The fluorescence quenching of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) by nucleotides has been studied. The quenching mechanism was analyzed on the basis of deuterium isotope effects, tendencies for exciplex formation, and the quenching efficiency in the presence of a molecular container (cucurbit[7]uril). Exciplex-induced quenching appears to prevail for adenosine, cytidine, and uridine, while hydrogen abstraction becomes competitive for thymidine and guanosine. Compared to other fluorescent probes, DBO responds very selectively to the type of nucleotide.     

The Non-planarity of the Bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene Double bond. Crystal Structures of Bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene,Bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene,and Bicyclo[2.1.1]hex-2-ene Systems

The crystal structures of (1R,4R,5S,8S)-9,10-dimethylidentricyclo[6.2.1.0^2,7]undec2(7)-ene-4,5-dicarboxylic anhydride ( 3 ), (1R,4R,5S,8S)11-isopropylidene-9,10-dimethylidenetricyclo[6.2.1.m^2,7]undec-2(7)-ene-4,5-dicarboxylic anhydride ( 6 ), (1R,4R,5S8S)-9,10-dimethylidenetricyclo[6.2.2.0^2,7]dodec-2(7)-ene-4,5-dicarboxylic anhydride ( 9 ), (1R4R5S8S)-TRICYCLO[6.2.2.0^2,7]dodeca-2(7), 9-diene-4,5-dicarboxylic anhydride ( 12 ) and (4R,5S)-tricyclo[6.1.1.0^2.7]dec-2(7)-ene-4,5-dicarboxylic acid ( 16 ) were established by X-ray diffraction. The alkyl substituents onto the endocyclic bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene double bond deviate from the C(1), C(2), C(3), C(4), plane by 13.5°4 in 3 and by 13.9° in 6 , leaning toward the endo-face. No such out-of-plane deformations were observed with the bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene derivatives 9 and 12 . The exocyclic s-cis-butadiene moieties in 3, 6 and 9 do not deviate significantly from planarity. The deviation from planarity of the double bond n bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene derivatives and planarity in bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene analogues is shown to be general by analysis of all known structures in the Cambridge Crystallographic Data File. The non-planarity of the bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene double bond cannot be attributed only to bond-angle deformations which would favour rehybridizatoin of the olefinic C-atoms since the double bond in the more strained bicyclo[2.1.1]hex-2-ene drivative 16 deviates from planarity by less than 4°.     

Theoretical study on the photolysis mechanism of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene

A CASPT2/CASSCF study has been carried out to investigate the mechanism of the photolysis of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) under direct and triplet-sensitized irradiation. By exploring the detailed potential energy surfaces including intermediates, transition states, conical intersections, and singlet/triplet crossing points, for the first excited singlet (S(1)) and the low-lying triplet states (T(1), T(2), and T(3)), we provide satisfactory explanations of many experimental findings associated with the photophysical and photochemical processes of DBO. A key finding of this work is the existence of a significantly twisted S(1) minimum, which can satisfactorily explain the envelope of the broad emission band of DBO. It is demonstrated that the S(1) (n-pi*) intermediate can decay to the T(1) (n-pi*) state by undergoing intersystem crossing (rather inefficient) to the T(2) (pi-pi*) state followed by internal conversion to the T(1) state. The high fluorescence yield and the extraordinarily long lifetime of the singlet excited DBO are due to the presence of relatively high barriers, both for intersystem crossing and for C-N cleavage. The short lifetime of the triplet DBO is caused by fast radiationless decay to the ground state.     

Reaction of singlet-excited 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene and tert-butoxyl radicals with aryl-substituted benzofuranones

5,7-Di-tert-butyl-3-aryl-3H-benzofuran-2-ones are lactones with potential antioxidant activity, owing to their abstractable benzylic C-H hydrogens. The fluorescence quenching of the azoalkane 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO), an established probe for the hydrogen-donor propensity of chain-breaking antioxidants, was investigated for 16 aryl-substituted benzofuranone derivatives [m,m-(CF3)2, p-CN, m-CN, p-CF3, p-COOCH3, m-CF3, p-Cl, p-F, H, m-CH3, p-CH3, m,p-(CH3)2, p-OCH3, o-CH3, o-CF3, o,m-(CH3)2]. Analysis of the rate data in terms of a linear free energy relationship yielded a reaction constant of rho = +0.35. This implies that n,pi*-excited DBO acts as nucleophilic species. In contrast, hydrogen abstraction of tert-butoxyl radicals from the benzofuranones was accelerated by electron-donating substituents (rho = -0.23), in conformity with the electrophilic character of oxygen-centered alkoxyl radicals. Possible implications for the optimization of the hydrogen-donor propensity of antioxidants through structural variation are discussed.     

Investigations on the fluorescence quenching of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene by certain flavonoids

The fluorescence quenching of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) by seven flavonoids namely flavone, flavanone, quercetin, rutin, genistein, diadzein and chrysin has been investigated in acetonitrile and dichloromethane solvents. The bimolecular quenching rate constants lie in the range of 0.09-5.75 x 10(9)M(-1)s(-1) and are explained in terms of structure of the flavonoids studied. The reactivity of flavonoids are in the order: quercetin>rutin>genistein>diadzein>chrysin>flavone>flavanone. The quenching rate constants (k(q)) increase with increase in the number of -OH groups. The endergonic thermodynamic values of DeltaG(et) reveal that electron transfer quenching mechanism can be ruled out. Bond dissociation enthalpy calculations reveal that the position of -OH is important. Further in vitro-antioxidant activities of flavonoids were evaluated with rat liver catalase by gel electrophoresis. The deuterium isotope effect thus observed in this work provides evidence for hydrogen abstraction involved in the quenching process of singlet excited DBO by flavonoids. The data suggest the involvement of direct hydrogen atom transfer (radical scavenging) in the fluorescence quenching of DBO. Bond dissociation enthalpy calculation performed at B3LYP/6-31G(p')//B3LYP/3-21G level are in excellent agreement with the above observations and further reveal that the number OH groups and position of them decide the quenching ability of the flavonoids.     

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of novel dimeric fullerenes incorporated in a 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene framework

Novel dimeric fullerenes incorporated in a 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene framework, with and without direct inter-fullerene-cage bonds, were synthesized and fully characterized spectroscopically; the electronic communication between the two fullerene cages was clarified by differential pulse voltammetry.     

Novel substituent effects on the mechanism of the thermal denitrogenation of 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene derivatives, stepwise versus concerted

The substituent effect on the thermal denitrogenation mechanism of 7,7-disubstituted 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-enes, concerted versus stepwise, has been investigated in detail. Unrestricted DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory suggest that azoalkanes that possess electron-withdrawing substituents at C(7) prefer to expel the nitrogen molecule in a stepwise manner. The activation energy is calculated to be ca. 36 kcal/mol for the dihydroxy-substituted azoalkane. In contrast, the preferred mechanism of the concerted denitrogenation is predicted for azoalkanes that possess electron-donating substituents at C(7). The activation energy is computed to be ca. 28 kcal/mol for the silyl-substituted azoalkane. The theoretical prediction of the substituent effects on the mechanistic change is supported by analyzing the activation parameters of the azoalkane decompositions. The activation enthalpy for the decomposition of the 7,7-diethoxy-substituted azoalkane is determined to be 39.1 kcal/mol, which is 13.1 kcal/mol higher in energy for the denitrogenation of the 7-silyl-substituted azoalkane. These dramatic substituent effects can be reasonably explained by the preferred electronic configuration of the lowest singlet state of the cyclopentane-1,3-diyls produced during the denitrogenation of the azoalkanes.     

One-pot palladium-catalyzed synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted bicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes and bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-enes

A new and highly stereoselective palladium-catalyzed synthesis is reported, based on two subsequent insertions of the bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene system into an aryl or vinylpalladium bond, formed in situ from aryl or vinyl bromides.     

Photoreaction of 5-dicyanomethylenebicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene

Irradiation of 5-dicyanomethylenebicyclo[2.2.1lhept-2-ene induces new types of photoreactions, i.e., unprecedented skeletal rearrangement leading to 7,7-dicyano-6-methylenebicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene, and novel 1,3-carbon shifts to bicyclo[3.2.0]- and bicyclo[4.1.0]heptene.     

Double bond isomerization of 5-vinylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene to 5-ethylidenebicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene over alkaline earth oxides

All the alkaline earth oxides exhibit activities for double, bond isomerization of 5-vinylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (VBH) to 5-ethylidenebicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (EBH) at a reaction temperature of 273 K. The order of the activity on the basis of unit weight of catalyst was CaO>MgO>SrO>BaO when compared under optimum pretreatment conditions. The E/Z ratio in the products is determined by the reaction temperature regardless of the type of catalyst; the ratios were 82/18 and 88/12 for the reaction temperatures of 323 and 273 K, respectively.     

Poly-2,3- and 2,7-Bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-enes: Preparation and Structures of Polynorbornenes

The polymerization of norbornene in the presence of either radical catalysts having a short half-life at the polymerization temperature or ethylaluminum dichloride yields a saturated polymer having a rearranged structure with 2,7 linkages. Polymerization in the presence of either Pd(C₆H₅CN)₂Cl₂ or Ziegler-Natta catalysts containing TiCI₄ and A1R₃ or R₂ A1C1 yields a saturated polymer with 2,3 linkages.     

Absolute Configuration of 2-Substituted 2-Azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-enes

The diastereoisomeric 2-substituted 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-enes 2 – 4 were prepared by aza-Diels-Alder reaction of cyclopentadiene with the corresponding methaniminium ions. Their relative configurations were deduced using ¹H, ¹H-ROESY experiments, and their absolute configurations were assigned from the crystal structure of the aziridinium derivative (?)- 5 . The absolute configuration of (+)- 1 , i.e. (1R), was assigned by CD spectroscopy.