Stepwise photocleavage of C-O bonds of bis(substituted-methyl)naphthalenes with stepwise excitation by two-color two-laser and three-color three-laser irradiations

Stepwise photocleavage of naphthylmethyl-oxygen (C-O) bonds of mono(substituted-methyl)naphthalenes [1- and 2-ROCH2Np, R = 4-benzoylphenyl (BP), phenyl (Ph), and methyl (CH3)] and bis(substituted-methyl)naphthalenes [1,8-(ROCH2)2Np and 1,4-(ROCH2)2Np, R = BP and Ph] was observed to give the naphthylmethyl radicals (NpCH2* or ROCH2NpCH2*) in almost 100% yield with two-step or three-step excitation by the two-color two-laser or three-color three-laser irradiation, respectively, at room temperature. The C-O bond cleavage quantum yields of 1-PhOCH2Np, 2-PhOCH2Np, 1,8-(PhOCH2)2Np, and 1,4-(PhOCH2)2Np were higher than those of 1-BPOCH2Np, 2-BPOCH2Np, 1,8-(BPOCH2)2Np, and 1,4-(BPOCH2)2Np. No C-O bond cleavage occurred from 1,8-(HOCH2)2Np and 2-CH3OCH2Np in the higher triplet excited state (T(n)). The experimental results show that the C-O bond cleavage was determined not only by the position of the substituents on Np but also by the type of the substituents. The C-O bond cleavage of 1-ROCH2Np was more efficient than that of 2-ROCH2Np. In the case of 1,8-(ROCH2)2Np and 1,4-(ROCH2)2Np (R = BP and Ph), the first C-O bond cleavage from the T(n) states occurred to give ROCH2-substituted naphthylmethyl radicals (1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2*) when the T1 states, generated with the 308-nm first laser irradiation, were excited using the 430-nm second laser. The second C-O bond cleavage occurred when 1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2* in the ground state [1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2*(D0)] were excited to the excited states [1,8- and 1,4-ROCH2NpCH2*(D(n))] using the third 355-nm laser during the three-color three-laser flash photolysis at room temperature. It was revealed that acenaphthene was produced as the final product during the stepwise C-O bond cleavages of 1,8-(BPOCH2)2Np and 1,8-(PhOCH2)2Np. This is a successful example of stepwise cleavage of two equivalent C-O bonds in a molecule using the three-color three-laser photolysis method.     

Photodecomposition profiles of beta-bond cleavage of phenylphenacyl derivatives in the higher triplet excited states during stepwise two-color two-laser flash photolysis

Photochemical properties of p-phenylphenacyl derivatives (PP-X) having C-halide, C-S, and C-O bonds in the lowest (T 1) and higher (T n ) triplet excited states were investigated in solution by using single-color and stepwise two-color two-laser flash photolysis techniques. PP-Xs (X = Br, SH, and SPh) undergo beta-bond dissociation in the lowest singlet excited states (S 1) while the C-X bonds of other PP-Xs are stable upon 266-nm laser photolysis. The T 1(pi,pi*) states of PP-X were efficiently produced during 355-nm laser photolysis of benzophenone as a triplet sensitizer. Triplet PP-Xs deactivate to the ground state without photochemical reactions. Upon 430-nm laser photolysis of the T 1 states of PP-X (X = Br, Cl, SH, SPh, OH, OMe, and OPh), decomposition of PP-X in the T n states was found. On the basis of the changes in the transient absorption, quantum yields (Phi dec) of the decomposition of PP-X in the T n states were determined, while bond dissociation energies (BDE) of the C-X bonds were calculated by computations. According to the relationship between the Phi dec and BDE values, it was shown that the decomposition of PP-X in the T n state is due to beta-cleavage of the corresponding C-X bond, and that the state energy of the reactive T n for the C-O bond cleavage differs from that for the C-halide and C-S bond cleavage. The reaction profiles of the C-X bond cleavage of PP-X in the T n states were discussed.     

Stepwise laser photolysis studies of beta-bond cleavage in highly excited triplet states of biphenyl derivatives having C-O bonds

Photochemical profiles of beta-bond dissociation in highly excited triplet states (Tn) of biphenyl derivatives having C-O bonds were investigated in solution, using stepwise laser photolysis techniques. The lowest triplet states (T1) were produced by triplet sensitization of acetone (Ac) upon 308-nm laser photolysis. The molar absorption coefficients of the T1 states were determined using triplet sensitization techniques. Any photochemical reactions were absent in the T1 states. Upon 355-nm laser flash photolysis of the T1 states, they underwent fragmentation, because of homolysis of the C-O bond in the Tn states from the observations of the transient absorption of the corresponding radicals. The quantum yields (Phidec) for the decomposition of the T1 states upon the second 355-nm laser excitation were determined. Based on the Phidec values and the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for the C-O bond fission, the state energies (ERT) of the reactive highly excited triplet states (TR) were determined. It was revealed that (i) the Phidec was related to the energy difference (DeltaE) between the BDE and the ERT, and (ii) the rate (kdis) of beta-cleavage in the TR state was formulated as being simply proportional to DeltaE. The reaction mechanism for beta-bond cleavage in the TR states was discussed.     

C-O bond cleavage of benzophenone substituted by 4-CH2OR (R = C6H5 and CH3) with stepwise two-photon excitation

The C-O bond cleavage from benzophenone substituted with 4-CH2OR (p-BPCH2OR, 1-3), such as p-phenoxymethylbenzophenone (1, R= C6H5) and p-methoxymethylbenzophenone (2, R= CH3), occurred by a stepwise two-photon excitation during two-color, two-laser flash photolysis. On the other hand, no C-O bond cleavage occurred from p-hydroxymethylbenzophenone (3, R = H). The first 355-nm laser excitation of 1-3 generates p-BPCH2OR in the lowest triplet excited state (T1) which has an absorption at 532 nm. When p-BPCH2OR(T1) is excited with the second 532-nm laser to p-BPCH2OR in the higher triplet excited state (T(n)), the C-O bond cleavage occurred within the laser flash duration of 5 ns. The quantum yields of the C-O bond cleavage during the second 532-nm laser irradiation were found to be 0.015 +/- 0.007 and 0.007 +/- 0.003 for 1 and 2, respectively. Although these values are low, the diminishing 1(T1) or 2(T1) was found to convert, in almost 100% yield, to phenoxyl (C6H5O*) and p-benzoylbenzyl (BPCH2*) radicals or methoxyl (CH3O*) and BPCH2* radicals, respectively. The T(n) excitation energy, the energy barrier along the potential surface between the T(n) states and product radicals, and delocalization of the T(n) state molecular orbital including BP and CH2OR (R = C6H5, CH3, H) moieties are important factors for the occurrence of the C-O bond cleavage. It is found that the C-O bond cleavage and production of free radicals, such as BPCH2*, C6H5O*, and CH3O*, can be performed by a stepwise two-photon excitation. The present study is an example in which the chemical reactions can be selectively initiated from the T(n) state but not from the S1 and T1 states.     

Photoinduced omega-bond dissociation of m-halomethylbenzophenones studied by laser photolysis techniques and DFT calculations. Substituted position effects

Photochemical profiles of omega-cleavage of carbon-X (X = Br and Cl) bonds in m-bromo- and m-chloromethylbenzophenones (m-BMBP and m-CMBP) were investigated by laser photolysis techniques and DFT calculations. m-BMBP and m-CMBP were found to undergo omega-bond cleavage to yield the m-benzoylbenzyl radical (m-BBR) at 295 K, and the quantum yields were determined. No CIDEP signal was detected upon 308 nm laser photolysis of both the compounds. From these observations, it was inferred that the omega-bond of these m-halomethylbenzophenones (m-HMBP) cleaves in the lowest excited singlet state (S(1)(n,pi(*))) upon direct excitation. Upon triplet sensitization of acetone (Ac), the m-BBR formation was observed in transient absorption for an Ac-m-BMBP system, and an efficiency of the C-Br bond cleavage in the lowest triplet state (T(1)(n,pi(*))) of m-BMBP was determined. In contrast, formation of triplet m-CMBP was seen for an Ac-m-CMBP system. Absence of C-Cl bond cleavage in the triplet state of m-CMBP indicated the reactive state of m-CMBP for omega-cleavage is only the S(1)(n,pi(*)) state. Based on the efficiencies and DFT calculations for excited state energies, photoinduced omega-bond dissociation of m- and p-HMBPs was characterized.     

Rapid cleavage of the naphthylmethyl-oxygen bond in higher triplet excited states

Rapid cleavage of the naphthylmethyl-oxygen bond of 1- and 2-[(4-benzoylphenoxy)methyl]naphthalenes in higher triplet excited states occurred within a laser flash of 5 ns to give 1- and 2-naphthylmethyl radicals with formation quantum yields of 0.042 +/- 0.004 and 0.020 +/- 0.002, respectively, during two-colour two-laser flash photolysis.     

A new-type photoreaction of a carbonyl compound: Part 2. Photoinduced ω-bond dissociation in p-halomethylbenzophenone studied by time-resolved EPR technique and laser flash photolysis

Photodissociation of the carbon-X (X = Br and Cl) bonds in p-bromo- and p-chloromethylbenzophenone (BMBP and CMBP) in solution were investigated by time-resolved EPR and laser flash photolysis techniques. BMBP and CMBP were found to undergo ω-bond cleavage to yield the p-benzoylbenzyl radical (BBR) at 295 K, and the quantum yields (Φ_BBR) were determined. The CIDEP signal originated from BBR formed upon decomposition of CMBP was obtained while that for BMBP was absent. By using triplet sensitization of acetone, the efficiencies (_BBR) of the CX bond fission in the triplet states of BMBP and CMBP were determined. The agreement between the Φ_BBR and _BBR values for CMBP indicates that the CCl bond dissociation occurs only in the triplet state. In contrast to CMBP, the cleavage of the CBr bond in BMBP upon direct excitation was concluded to be the event only in the excited singlet state without triplet formation, whereas the triplet state was also reactive for ω-bond dissociation. The rate of CBr bond dissociation seemed to be greater than that of intersystem crossing from the S₁ to the T₁ state. Schematic energy diagrams of the excited states of BMBP and CMBP were shown, and the reaction profiles were discussed from the viewpoint of the CX bond enthalpies.     

Reactivities of carboxyalkyl-substituted 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimides in aqueous solution

A series of water-soluble 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide derivatives has been prepared and their redox and photophysical properties characterized. From laser flash photolysis studies, the triplet excited state of N,N'-bis[2-(N-pyridinium)ethyl]-1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide (NDI-pyr) was found to undergo oxidative quenching with the electron donors DABCO, tyrosine, and tryptophan as expected from thermodynamics. Interestingly, the reactivities of naphthalene diimides (NDI) possessing alpha- and beta-carboxylic acid substituents (R = -CH2COO-, -C(CH3)2COO-, and -CH2CH2COO-) were strikingly different. In these compounds, the transient produced upon 355 nm excitation did not react with the electron donors. Instead, this transient reacted rapidly (k > 10(8)-10(9) M-1 s-1) with known electron acceptors, benzyl viologen and ferricyanide. The transient spectrum of the carboxyalkyl-substituted naphthalimides observed immediately after the laser pulse was nearly identical to the one-electron-reduced form of 1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide (produced independently using the bis-pyridinium-substituted naphthaldiimide). From our studies, we conclude that the transient produced upon nanosecond laser flash photolysis of NDI-(CH2)nCOO- is the species produced upon intramolecular electron transfer from the carboxylate moiety to the singlet excited state of NDI. In separate experiments, we verified that the singlet excited state of NDI-pyr does, indeed, react intermolecularly with acetate, alanine, and glycine. The process is further substantiated using thermodynamic driving force calculations. The results offer new prospects of the efficient photochemical production of reactive carbon-centered radicals.     

Study of photoinduced electron transfer between [60]fullerene and proton-sponge by laser flash photolysis: addition effects of organic acid

Photoinduced electron-transfer processes between fullerene (C60) and 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene, which is called a proton-sponge (PS), have been investigated by means of laser flash photolysis in the presence and absence of CF3CO2H. For a mixture of C60 and PS, the transient absorption spectra showed the rise of the C60 radical anion with concomitant decay of the C60 triplet (3C60), suggesting that photoinduced intermolecular electron transfer occurs via 3C60 in high efficiency in polar solvent. For a covalently bonded C60-PS dyad, photoinduced intramolecular charge-separation process takes place via the excited singlet state of the C60 moiety, although charge recombination occurs within 10 ns. For both systems, electron-transfer rates were largely decelerated by addition of a small amount of CF3CO2H, leaving the long-lived 3C60. These observations indicate that the energy levels for charge-separated states of the protonated PS and C60 become higher than the energy level of the 3C60 moiety, showing low donor ability of the protonated PS. Thus, intermolecular electron-transfer process via 3C60 for C60-PS mixture and intramolecular charge-separation process via 1C60-PS for C60-PS dyad were successfully controlled by the combination of the light irradiation with a small amount of acid.     

Photofragmentation of a benzophenone derivative having benzylic C–O bond studied by laser flash photolysis in solution

Photochemical profiles of p-(4-phenylphenoxy)methylbenzophenone (PPMeBP) in solution were investigated by means of emission and transient absorption measurements. PPMeBP showed that fluorescence originating from the corresponding p-phenylphenoxy (PP) moiety at 295 K, and dual phosphorescence originating from the corresponding p-benzoylbenzyl (BB) and PP moieties at 77 K was observed. These observations indicated that the BB and PP moieties of PPMeBP have very little electronic conjugation. 266- and 308-nm laser flash photolyses of PPMeBP showed the formation of the p-phenylphenoxy radical, indicating that photoexcited PPMeBP undergoes C–O bond cleavage. Upon 355-nm laser photolysis of PPMeBP, the C–O bond did not dissociate, and formation of the triplet state of the PP moiety was observed. The apparent quantum yields of fragmentation of PPMeBP were found to depend on the excitation wavelength. Triplet sensitization of PPMeBP using benzophenone revealed that the C–O bond does not cleave in the triplet state of the PP moiety. Based on the schematic energy diagram for excited PPMeBP, the mechanism of the C–O bond was discussed.     

Spectral and kinetic parameters of transient species in the photolysis of naphthylmethylideneiminospironaphthopyran by excitation at different wavelengths: Nano- and femtosecond laser photolysis

Intramolecular processes occurring in a photobifunctional compound (PBC) comprising the spironaphthopyran and hydroxyazomethine moieties have been studied in methanol solutions by femtosecond laser photolysis using light with wavelengths of 340 and 490 nm. At the excitation wavelength of 490 nm, the cis-trans photoisomerization in the azomethine moiety occurs in the S₁ state. In the case of PBC photolysis with 340-nm light, the opening of the spiro bond of the spiropyran moiety (formation of the X form) also takes place during relaxation of the S_n state to the S₁ state followed by isomerization to the merocyanine form. The spectral and kinetic characteristics of different electronically excited have been were determined. The data have been compared with those of nanosecond laser photolysis.     

Selective formation of triplet alkyl nitrenes from photolysis of beta-azido-propiophenone and their reactivity

Photolysis of beta-azido propiophenone derivatives, 1, with built-in sensitizer units, leads to selective formation of triplet alkyl nitrenes 2 that were detected directly with laser flash photolysis (lambdamax = 325 nm, tau = 27 ms) and ESR spectroscopy (|D/hc| = 1.64 cm-1, |E/hc| = 0.004 cm-1). Nitrenes 2 were further characterized with argon matrix isolation, isotope labeling, and molecular modeling. The triplet alkyl nitrenes are persistent intermediates that do not abstract H-atoms from the solvent but do decay by dimerizing with another triplet nitrene to form azo products, rather than reacting with an azide precursor. The azo dimer tautomerizes and rearranges to form heterocyclic compound 3. Nitrene 2a, with an n,pi* configuration as the lowest triplet excited state of the its ketone sensitizer moiety, undergoes intramolecular 1,4-H-atom abstraction to form biradical 6, which was identified by argon matrix isolation, isotope labeling, and molecular modeling. beta-Azido-p-methoxy-propiophenone, with a pi,pi* lowest excited state of its triplet sensitizer moiety, does not undergo any secondary photoreactions but selectively yields only triplet alkyl nitrene intermediates that dimerize to form 3b.     

Photochemistry of naphthalimide photoacid generators

The photophysical properties of a series of 1,8-naphthalimide photoacid generators were studied by steady state fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy. Emission and excitation anisotropies, triplet quantum yields in polar and nonpolar solvent and photoacid generation were evaluated. The singlet excited state exhibits a low polarity and is strongly deactivated by an efficient intersystem crossing process. In protic solvent, a homolytic singlet cleavage of the N-O bond occurs and leads to the acid production. The existence of a triplet state close to the singlet state was clearly evidenced. The presence of close singlet excited states is supported by fluorescence anisotropy and picosecond laser spectroscopy experiments. Results of DFT calculations well confirm the experimental contentions and yield important information about the cleavage process involved in such compounds.     

Photoinduced omega-bond dissociation in the higher excited singlet (S2) and lowest triplet (T1) states of a benzophenone derivative in solution

Photochemical properties of photoinduced omega-bond dissociation in p-benzoylbenzyl phenyl sulfide (BBPS) in solution were investigated by time-resolved EPR and laser flash photolysis techniques. BBPS was shown to undergo photoinduced omega-bond cleavage to yield the p-benzoylbenzyl radical (BBR) and phenyl thiyl radical (PTR) at room temperature. The quantum yield (phi(rad)) for the radical formation was found to depend on the excitation wavelength, i.e., on the excitation to the excited singlet states, S2 and S1 of BBPS; phi(rad)(S2) = 0.65 and phi(rad)(S1) = 1.0. Based on the CIDEP data, these radicals were found to be produced via the triplet state independent of excitation wavelength. By using triplet sensitization of xanthone, the efficiency (alpha(rad)) of the C-S bond fission in the lowest triplet state (T1) of BBPS was determined to be unity. The agreement between phi(rad)(S1) and alpha(rad) values indicates that the C-S bond dissociation occurs in the T1 state via the S1 state due to a fast intersystem crossing from the S1 to the T1 state. In contrast, the wavelength dependence of the radical yields was interpreted in terms of the C-S bond cleavage in the S2 state competing with internal conversion from the S2 to the S1 state. The smaller value of phi(rad)(S2) than that of phi(rad)(S1) was proposed to originate from the geminate recombination of singlet radical pairs produced by the bond dissociation via the S2 state. Considering the electronic character of the excited and dissociative states in BBPS showed a schematic energy diagram for the omega-bond dissociation of BBPS.     

Fast processes and intermediates in photochemistry of 7-dimethyl-germanorbornadiene

Laser pulse photolysis experiments have shown that the triplet excited-state of 1,2,3,4-tetraphenylnaphthalene (TPN) is one of the primary intermediates of the photochemical transformation of 7,7'-dimethylgerma-1,4,5,6-tetraphenyl-2,3-benzo-norbornadiene (GNB) in hexane solution. The molar absorption of T-T absorption and the quantum yield of the intersystem crossing of TPN were determined from the triplet-triplet energy transfer. The scheme of GNB photocleavage has been suggested where the triplet excited TPN originated from the triplet state of biradical through cleavage of the second C-Ge bond, the latter being generated from the excited singlet state of the initial GNB after the cleavage of the first C-Ge bond and the intersystem crossing. Other channels of GNB's chemical transformation have been discussed.     

Alpha-carbonyl substituent effect on the lifetimes of triplet 1,4-biradicals from Norrish-Type-II reactions

Triplet 1,4-biradicals were generated by Norrish-Type-II hydrogen transfer from alpha-heteroatom-substituted beta-branched butyrophenones 1-6 and detected by laser flash absorption measurements. For three oxy-substituted compounds 2-4 (R(alpha)=OH, OCOMe, OCOOEt) comparable lifetimes were determined in acetonitrile (roughly 1.5 micros). In benzene, divergent trends were observed: for the hydroxy compound 2 a lower lifetime of 790 ns was determined, whereas for 3 and 4 the lifetimes increased to 4.9 micros. Photolyses of the alpha-amino-substituted compounds 1 and 6 resulted in transient species with significant lower lifetimes (for 1 160 ns in benzene and 450 ns in acetonitrile; for 6 <100 ns in both solvents). The mesyloxy substrate 5 undergoes rapid C-O bond cleavage upon photolysis and no transient triplet species were detected. Computational (UB3 LYP/6-31G* and natural don orbital (NBO) analyses) results supported the assumption of a negative hyperconjugative interaction strongly stabilizing alpha-oxy-substituted over alpha-amino-substituted radicals.     

萘基衍生物的光敏化瞬态吸收光谱

本文利用激光闪光光解技术对二苯甲酮光敏化一系列萘基烷烃衍生物的三重态—三重态吸光光谱及他们之间的三重态能量传递进行了研究. 计算了三重态能量传递速度常数和传递效率, 二苯甲酮在不同体系中的三重态寿命, 探讨了分子结构对光敏化能量传递的影响.     

Reactivity of aromatic amines with triplet 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone: a laser flash photolysis study

The property of the lowest excited triplet states of 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone (DHAQ) was investigated by using time-resolved laser flash photolysis at 355nm in organic solvents, i.e. acetonitrile and cyclohexane. The transient absorption spectra of the excited triplet DHAQ were obtained in acetonitrile, which have an absorption maximum at 480nm and two broad absorption bands around 350 and 650nm. 3DHAQ(*) is efficiently quenched by triphenylamine (TPA) via photoinduced electron transfer pathway, which was testified by the finding of TPA radical cation. In addition, aniline derivatives such as N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA), 3,5,N,N-tetramethylaniline (TMA), 4-dimethylaminobenzoic acid (DMABA) and dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMT) could also quench 3DHAQ(*) rapidly. Evidence for electron transfer interaction with anilines in acetonitrile was obtained from transient spectral characterization of formed radicals. Experimental k(q) values approach the diffusion-controlled rate limit, and decrease significantly from DMT (1.85x10(10)M-1s-1) to DMABA (1.95x10(9)M-1s-1). These k(q) values depend on the charge density on the "N" atom of anilines, which could be quantified by Hammett sigma constant.     

Intermolecular electron transfer from naphthalene derivatives in the higher triplet excited states

Intermolecular electron transfer (ELT) from a series of naphthalene derivatives (NpD) in the higher triplet excited states (T(n)) to carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in Ar-saturated acetonitrile was observed using the two-color two-laser flash photolysis method. The ELT efficiency depended on the driving force of ELT. Since the ELT from the T(n) state occurred competitively with the internal conversion (IC, T(n) --> T(1)) and the triplet energy transfer (ENT), the ELT became apparent only when sufficient free energy change of ELT was attained. On the other hand, ELT from the T(1) state was not observed, although ELT from the T(1) state with sufficiently long lifetime has a slightly exothermic driving force. The fast ELT from the T(n) state and lack of the reactivity of the T(1) state were explained well by the "sticky" dissociative electron-transfer model based on one-electron reductive attachment to CCl(4) leading to the C-Cl bond cleavage.     

Collision-free photochemistry of methylazide: observation of unimolecular decomposition of singlet methylnitrene

Methylazide photolysis at 248 nm has been investigated by ionizing photofragments with synchrotron radiation in a photofragmentation translational spectroscopy study. CH3N and N2 were the only observed primary products. The translational energy release suggests a simple bond rupture mechanism forming singlet methylnitrene, 1CH3N, and N2. Thus, these experiments reveal the unimolecular decomposition of this highly unstable species. We explain our observations through a mechanism which is initiated by the isomerization of 1CH3N to a highly internally excited methanimine H2C=NH isomer, which decomposes by 1,1-H2 elimination forming HNC+H2 as well as sequential H-atom loss (N-H followed by C-H bond cleavage), to form HCN. No evidence for dynamics on the triplet manifold of surfaces is found.