Electrochemical approach to concerted proton and electron transfers. Reduction of the water-superoxide ion complex

Concerted proton and electron transfers (CPET) currently attract considerable theoretical and experimental attention, notably in view of their likely involvement in many enzymatic reactions. Electrochemistry, through techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, can provide a quite effective access to CPET in terms of diagnosis and quantitative kinetic characterization. The relationships expressing the rate constant of an electrochemical CPET are given. Besides the CPET standard potential, it depends on two main factors. One is the reorganization energy, which appears as the sum of an intramolecular contribution and two solvent reorganization energies corresponding to proton and electron transfers, respectively. The other is the pre-exponential factor that mainly depends on proton tunneling through the activation barrier. Procedures for estimating these various factors as well as the H/D kinetic isotope effect are described. Application of the theory is illustrated by the experimental results obtained for the cyclic voltammetric reduction of the water-superoxide ion complex in dimethylformamide and acetonitrile.     

Carboxylates as proton-accepting groups in concerted proton-electron transfers. Electrochemistry of the 2,5-dicarboxylate 1,4-hydrobenzoquinone/2,5-dicarboxy 1,4-benzoquinone couple

Concerted proton and electron transfers (CPET) currently attract considerable theoretical and experimental attention, notably in view of their likely involvement in many enzymatic reactions. The role of carboxylate groups as proton-accepting sites in CPET reactions is explored by means of a cyclic voltammetric investigation of the 2,5-dicarboxy 1,4-benzoquinone/2,5-dicarboxylate 1,4-hydrobenzoquinone couple in a nonaqueous medium. The presence of carboxylate groups ortho to the phenol groups induces the removal of an electron to be coupled with the transfer of the phenolic proton to a carboxylate oxygen. The kinetics of the electrochemical reaction and the observation of a significant hydrogen/deuterium kinetic isotope effect unambiguously indicate that electron transfer and proton transfer are concerted, thus providing an additional demonstration of the role of carboxylate groups as proton-accepting sites in concerted proton-electron transfer reactions.     

Kinetics of the interaction of ketyl and semiquinone radicals with dioxygen. Concerted electron and proton transfer involving ketyl and semiquinone radicals

Kinetics of the interaction of ketyl and neutral semiquinone radicals with dioxygen was studied by the flash photolysis technique. The reactivity of neutral semiquinone radicals in the transfer of a hydrogen atom to O₂ is lower than that of ketyl radicals and increases as the reduction ability of the radicals increases, which give evidence for the charge transfer from the radicals to O₂ in the transition state of the reaction. The deuterium kinetic isotope effect of the reaction (up to 2.6) suggests considerable weakening of the O−H bond of the seminquinone radical in the transition state. A cyclic structure of the transition state similar to that in the reactions of ketyl radicals with hydrogen atom acceptors is proposed. In aprotic volvents, solvation has essentially no effect on the reactivity of neutral anthrasemiquinone radicals up to solvent nucleophilicityB≈240. In solvents with higher nucleophilicity and in protic solvents, their reactivity drops sharply. Hydrogen atom transfer reactions involving ketyl and neutral semiquinone radicals are shown to involve concerted electron and proton transfers, and to have transition states in which the partial transfer of an electron and a proton from the ketyl or semiquinone radical to an acceptor occurs. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1131–1137, June, 1997.     

Investigations on the current oscillations during the electrolytic reduction of dichromates in acetic solutions

The reduction mechanism at a mercury electrode of Eriochrome Cyanine R, in a 0.9 M NaClO₄+0.1 M HClO₄ supporting electrolyte, has been investigated by several electrochemical techniques. By means of coulometry at constant potential and cyclic voltammetry it was demonstrated that a radical is formed, which suffers disproportionation, after the first electron transfer. The results of the cyclic voltammetric investigation and the impedance measurements evidenced the intrinsic reversible nature of the electron transfers. Apparent irreversible polarographic behaviour is a consequence of the existence of chemical reactions following the electron transfers. The impedance measurements demonstrated the strong adsorption of the Ox and Red form of Eriochrome Cyanine R as well as of the radical formed. On the basis of the experimental data a reduction mechanism is proposed.     

Hydrated electron production by reaction of hydrogen atoms with hydroxide ions: a first-principles molecular dynamics study

The solvated electron production by reaction between the H atom and the hydroxide anion was studied using Density Functional Theory based first-principles molecular dynamics. The simulation reveals a complex mechanism, controlled by proton transfers in the coordination sphere of the hydroxide and by the diffusion of the H atom in its solvent cavity. We formulate the hypothesis, based on a coupling between classical and first-principles molecular dynamics, that these two processes give rise to a lag time for the reaction that would explain the H atom extremely small reactivity compared to other radical species. Furthermore, the reaction observed gives an original insight in excess electron solvation.     

Ramifications of C-centering rather than N-centering of the active site FeMo-co of the enzyme nitrogenase

Nitrogenase catalyses the hydrogenation of N(2) to NH(3), and of CO to hydrocarbons. The active site is FeMo-co, an Fe(7)MoS(9) cluster with an atom (X(c)) at the centre of the inner trigonal prism of six Fe atoms. Calculations extending over almost a decade yielded consensus that this atom was nitrogen. The first strong experimental data, reported very recently, indicate that the central atom is carbon. This paper evaluates differences between C-centered and N-centered FeMo-co, and addresses the questions: (a) does the finding of C(c) diminish the validity of the many previous theoretical simulations (with N(c)) of the reactivity and reactions of FeMo-co? and (b) does the published 21-step mechanism for N(2) + 6H → 2NH(3) need major revision? Accordingly, this paper first reports comparative (C(c)/N(c)) calculations of the electronic structure of FeMo-co, describing the ground and low-lying electronic states, and the distribution of electron spin density and of partial charge. The differences are clear, but minor. Then, reaction profiles and structures of intermediates and transition states are reported for the C-centered and N-centered versions of the four key types of reaction step involved in the overall mechanism: (i) binding of N(2), (ii) conformational preparation of H on FeMo-co, (iii) H transfers to N, and (iv) N-N breaking. Again the differences are small, and the calculated activation energies for the previous complete mechanism appear to be essentially transferable to C-centered FeMo-co.     

Electrochemical studies of biologically active indolizines

The electrochemical behavior of indolizine ethers, esters, tosylates, sulfonates and other indolizine and azaindolizine derivatives has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and preparative electrolysis. The cyclic voltammetric data show that the E° values, taken as the midpoints between the anodic and cathodic peak potentials, are sensitive to the identities of the substituents at C-1, C-2 and C-7 positions. The E° values have been correlated with the Hammett substituent parameters. As expected, low E° values are seen for electron donating substituents and higher E° values are seen for electron withdrawing substituents. The cyclic voltammograms of indolizine derivatives with an oxygen atom connected to the C-1 position exhibit a one-electron reversible oxidation and a further, less well-defined, one-electron irreversible oxidation at higher E° values. The cyclic voltammograms of indolizines with hydrogen atom or thienyl substituents connected to the C-1 position exhibit only a one-electron irreversible oxidation. Electrochemical bulk oxidations of indolizines with an oxygen atom at the C-1 position afforded oxoindolizinium salts in decent yields, whereas indolizines with a hydrogen atom at C-1 afforded 1,1′ dimers of indolizines as products in good yields. Bulk oxidation of 1-(α-hydroxybenzyl)-2,3-diphenylindolizine-7-carbonitrile afforded an unexpected ketone product in which the carbonyl group of the indolizine is connected at C-8 instead of at the C-1 position of the starting material. The findings described herein support our hypothesis that certain indolizine derivatives may inhibit lipid peroxidation by an electron transfer mechanism.     

FMO-MD simulations on the hydration of formaldehyde in water solution with constraint dynamics

Full-quantum mechanical fragment molecular orbital-based molecular dynamics (FMO-MD) simulations were applied to the hydration reaction of formaldehyde in water solution under neutral conditions. Two mechanisms, a concerted and a stepwise one, were considered with respect to the nucleophilic addition and the proton transfer. Preliminary molecular orbital calculations by means of polarized continuum model reaction field predicted that the hydration prefers a concerted mechanism. Because the calculated activation barriers were too high for free FMO-MD simulations to give reactive trajectories spontaneously, a More O'Ferrall-Jencks-type diagram was constructed from the statistical analysis of the FMO-MD simulations with constraint dynamics. The diagram showed that the hydration proceeds through a zwitterionic-like (ZW-like) structure. The free energy changes along the reaction coordinate calculated by means of the blue moon ensemble for the hydration and the amination of formaldehyde indicated that the hydration proceeds through a concerted process through the ZW-like structure, whereas the amination goes through a stepwise mechanism with a ZW intermediate. In inspection of the FMO-MD trajectories, water-mediated cyclic proton transfers were observed in both reactions on the way from the ZW-like structure to the product. These proton transfers also have an asynchronous character, in which deprotonation from the nucleophilic oxygen atom (or nitrogen atom for amination) precedes the protonation of the carbonyl oxygen atom. The results showed the strong advantage of the FMO-MD simulations to obtain detailed information at a molecular level for solution reactions.     

α-乙酰基二硫缩烯酮α碳原子的酰化反应

进行了α-乙酰基二硫缩烯酮与酰氯的酰化反应. 以干燥的二氯甲烷为溶剂, 在四氯化钛催化下, α-乙酰基环二硫缩烯酮(1)可与脂肪及芳酰氯(2)反应, 在化合物1的α-碳原子上发生酰化反应, 以较高的产率生成各种α-乙酰基-α-酰基二硫缩烯酮(3).     

自然轨道福井函数和成键活性描述符应用于解释苯硫醌和1, 3-二烯的[2+4]和[4+2]环加成反应中的成键机理

苯硫醌与脂肪族烯烃可以发生[2+4]和[4+2]环加成反应。为了解释这些环加成反应中的成键过程,本文使用了自然轨道福井函数(NOFF)与成键活性描述符。自然轨道福井函数揭示了苯硫醌和脂肪族烯烃的键或轨道的亲电性,表明电子供体的成键轨道和电子受体的反键/成键轨道之间发生了电子转移,然后成环,在这一过程中有两个共价键形成,得到了环状产物。成键活性描述符表明共价键比较容易在一个分子中具有较大f_k1⁺值的k1原子与另一个分子中具有较大f_k2^-值的k2原子之间形成。自然轨道福井函数与成键活性描述符都可以有效解释苯硫醌与1, 3-二烯之间的[2+4]与[4+2]环加成反应的机理。     

Reaction dynamics following electron capture of chlorofluorocarbon adsorbed on water cluster: a direct density functional theory molecular dynamics study

The electron capture dynamics of halocarbon and its water complex have been investigated by means of the full dimensional direct density functional theory molecular dynamics method in order to shed light on the mechanism of electron capture of a halocarbon adsorbed on the ice surface. The CF(2)Cl(2) molecule and a cyclic water trimer (H(2)O)(3) were used as halocarbon and water cluster, respectively. The dynamics calculation of CF(2)Cl(2) showed that both C-Cl bonds are largely elongated after the electron capture, while one of the Cl atoms is dissociated from CF(2)Cl(2) (-) as a Cl(-) ion. Almost all total available energy was transferred into the internal modes of the parent CF(2)Cl radical on the product state, while the relative translational energy of Cl(-) was significantly low due to the elongation of two C-Cl bonds. In the case of a halocarbon-water cluster system, the geometry optimization of neutral complex CF(2)Cl(2)(H(2)O)(3) showed that one of the Cl atoms interacts with n orbital of water molecules of trimer and the other Cl atom existed as a dangling Cl atom. After the electron capture, only one C-Cl bond (dangling Cl atom) was rapidly elongated, whereas the other C-Cl bond is silent during the reaction. The dangling Cl atom was directly dissociated from CF(2)Cl(2) (-)(H(2)O)(3) as Cl(-). The fast Cl(-) ion was generated from CF(2)Cl(2) (-)(H(2)O)(3) on the water cluster. The mechanism of the electron capture of halocarbon on water ice was discussed on the basis of the theoretical results.     

Surface activation of air oxidation of hydrazine on kaolinite. 2. Consideration of oxidizing/reducing entities in relationship to other compositional, structural, and energetic factors

The rates (previously reported) for the air oxidation of hydrazine on kaolinite and substituent oxides of kaolinite showed a complex dependence on the relative amounts of several structural oxidizing/reducing entities within the reaction-promoting solids. The rates indicated an important role of the clay but no dominant role of any one of the oxidizing/reducing entities. In this paper we review (a) the reaction-promoting activity of these centers as studied in other systems, (b) various spectroscopic results showing interaction between these entities in clays, and (c) reported spectroscopic studies of the complexation between hydrazine and aluminosilicate surfaces as a whole, in an effort to propose a mechanism for the reaction. Whereas some uncertainties remain, the present synthesis concludes that a mechanism operating through single electron/hole transfers and hydrogen atom transfers by discrete centers is adequate to explain the observed rate behaviors including the observed second order dependence of the oxidation rate on catalyst amount. The effects of these operations on the catalyst can result in no alteration of, or complete or partial electronic relaxation of its contingent of trapped separated charge pairs. The degree to which surface complexation as a whole, intercalation, or luminescent processes may also be associated with the reaction cannot be adequately assessed with the information in hand.     

Mass spectra and structure of imines of 2-aroylbenzamides

The electron impact mass spectra and DADI spectra of anils of N-alkyl-2-benzoylbenzamides and 2-alkyl-3-arylamino-3-phenylisoindolinones isomeric to them, as well as certain 2-substituted 3-alkyl(aryl)amino-3-phenylisoindolinones, were studied. The main direction of the decomposition were described. It was established that transition from 2-aroylbenzamides to their imines leads to a substantial stabilization of the cyclic isomeric form. A stabilization of the cyclic form with increasing steric volume of the alkyl substituent at the azomethine nitrogen atom was noted. The presence of a phenyl substituent at the nitrogen atom of the amide group destabilizes the cyclic form. A mechanism of isomerization explaining these phenomena is proposed.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1080–1085, August, 1984.     

Single-step versus stepwise two-electron reduction of polyarylpyridiniums: insights from the steric switching of redox potential compression

Contrary to 4,4'-dipyridinium (i.e., archetypal methyl viologen), which is reduced by two single-electron transfers (stepwise reduction), the 4,1'-dipyridinium isomer (so-called "head-to-tail" isomer) undergoes two electron transfers at apparently the same potential (single-step reduction). A combined theoretical and experimental study has been undertaken to establish that the latter electrochemical behavior, also observed for other polyarylpyridinium electrophores, is due to potential compression originating in a large structural rearrangement. Three series of branched expanded pyridiniums (EPs) were prepared: N-aryl-2,4,6-triphenylpyridiniums (Ar-TP), N-aryl-2,3,4,5,6-pentaphenylpyridiniums (Ar-XP), and N-aryl-3,5-dimethyl-2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium (Ar-DMTP). The intramolecular steric strain was tuned via N-pyridinio aryl group (Ar) phenyl (Ph), 4-pyridyl (Py), and 4-pyridylium (qPy) and their bulky 3,5-dimethyl counterparts, xylyl (Xy), lutidyl (Lu), and lutidylium (qLu), respectively. Ferrocenyl subunits as internal redox references were covalently appended to representative electrophores in order to count the electrons involved in EP-centered reduction processes. Depending on the steric constraint around the N-pyridinio site, the two-electron reduction is single-step (Ar = Ph, Py, qPy) or stepwise (Ar = Xy, Lu, qLu). This steric switching of the potential compression is accurately accounted for by ab initio modeling (Density Functional Theory, DFT) that proposes a mechanism for pyramidalization of the N(pyridinio) atom coupled with reduction. When the hybridization change of this atom is hindered (Ar = Xy, Lu, qLu), the first reduction is a one-electron process. Theory also reveals that the single-step two-electron reduction involves couples of redox isomers (electromers) displaying both the axial geometry of native EPs and the pyramidalized geometry of doubly reduced EPs. This picture is confirmed by a combined UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemical and time-dependent DFT study: comparison of in situ spectroelectrochemical data with the calculated electronic transitions makes it possible to both evidence the distortion and identify the predicted electromers, which play decisive roles in the electron-transfer mechanism. Last, this mechanism is further supported by in-depth analysis of the electronic structures of electrophores in their various reduction states (including electromeric forms).     

FMO‐MD Simulations on the Hydration of Formaldehyde in Water Solution with Constraint Dynamics

Full‐quantum mechanical fragment molecular orbital‐based molecular dynamics (FMO‐MD) simulations were applied to the hydration reaction of formaldehyde in water solution under neutral conditions. Two mechanisms, a concerted and a stepwise one, were considered with respect to the nucleophilic addition and the proton transfer. Preliminary molecular orbital calculations by means of polarized continuum model reaction field predicted that the hydration prefers a concerted mechanism. Because the calculated activation barriers were too high for free FMO‐MD simulations to give reactive trajectories spontaneously, a More O’Ferrall–Jencks‐type diagram was constructed from the statistical analysis of the FMO‐MD simulations with constraint dynamics. The diagram showed that the hydration proceeds through a zwitterionic‐like (ZW‐like) structure. The free energy changes along the reaction coordinate calculated by means of the blue moon ensemble for the hydration and the amination of formaldehyde indicated that the hydration proceeds through a concerted process through the ZW‐like structure, whereas the amination goes through a stepwise mechanism with a ZW intermediate. In inspection of the FMO‐MD trajectories, water‐mediated cyclic proton transfers were observed in both reactions on the way from the ZW‐like structure to the product. These proton transfers also have an asynchronous character, in which deprotonation from the nucleophilic oxygen atom (or nitrogen atom for amination) precedes the protonation of the carbonyl oxygen atom. The results showed the strong advantage of the FMO‐MD simulations to obtain detailed information at a molecular level for solution reactions.     

Effets polaires dans les reactions de transfert homolytique intramoleculaire d'hydrogene

In this paper we analyse the influence of a phenyl substituent on the relative rates of the 1–5 and 1–6 intramolecular hydrogen transfers. Compared to the abstraction of an aliphatic H atom, the activation energy for the abstraction of a benzylic H atom is smaller. The effect is nevertheless more important with a primary alkyl radical (1,3 kcal/mole) than with an alkoxy radical (0,9 kcal/mole. This can be analysed in terms of a polar effect. In addition, the size of the effect is too small to make a short distance transfer of a H-atom feasible; this is in keeping with the statement that H atom migration requires a linear transition state.     

Synthesis and studies on spectroscopic as well as electron donating properties of the two alkoxy benzo[b]thiophenes

Synthesis, characterization, steady state and time resolved, using time correlated single photon counting as well as laser flash photolysis techniques, spectroscopic investigations were made for two alkoxy benzo[b]thiophene molecules: 5-methoxy benzo[b]thiophene (5MBT) and 5-methoxymethyl benzo[b]thiophene (5MMBT). In both non-polar n-heptane (NH) and polar acetonitrile (ACN) solvents and at ambient temperature the electronic absorption spectra of these thiophenes exhibit different band systems whose assignments were made from the measurements of the steady state excitation polarization spectra. Steady state fluorescence spectra of these molecules in the different polarity solvents show the presence of non-specific interactions. From the redox properties of the benzothiophenes, measured by cyclic voltammetry, their electron donating properties were observed in the presence of the well-known electron acceptor 9cyanoanthracene (9CNA). Further, detailed studies by laser flash photolysis techniques show that ion-recombination mechanism predominates after the initial excitation of the acceptor moiety using the third harmonic of Nd:YAG laser. This recombination together with the external heavy atom effect (the donor containing 'sulphur' atom) appears to be responsible for the formation of the triplet of the monomeric acceptor 9CNA. From the steady state experiments it is shown that both in non-polar NH and highly polar ACN the quenching in the fluorescence emission of 9CNA in the presence of the benzothiophene donors is brought about primarily by the external heavy atom effect and in ACN, although the presence of the photoinduced ET reaction is confirmed, this process seems, from the observed bimolecular dynamic quenching rate, kq to be significantly masked by the external heavy atom effect.     

Theoretical study of ammonia nucleophilic addition to nitriles in platinum complexes

The mechanism of the reaction of the ammonia nucleophilic addition to nitriles RC≡N, both free and activated in the platinum complex trans-[PtCl₂(N≡CCH₃)₂], was studied in detail by theoretical quantumchemical methods. The reaction resulting in the formation of free or coordinated amidines proceeds through consecutive formation of an orientation complex, a six-membered cyclic transition state, and a final reaction product, in which an amidine is in the E-configuration. Water containing in a solvent plays a role of a promoter of this process. The activation effect is interpreted from the viewpoint of both kinetic and thermodynamic factors. It was shown that the mechanism of the reaction product E-Z-isomerization includes the deprotonation of the amino-group nitrogen atom, the change of the coordinated ligand conformation, and the protonation of the nitrogen atom.     

金属单原子催化剂增强硫正极动力学的研究进展

单质硫具有理论能量密度高(2600 Wh·kg-1)、放电比容量高(1672mAh·g-1)、成本低等优势,是锂硫电池的理想正极材料。然而,在充放电过程中硫正极迟缓的反应动力学显著地限制了锂硫电池的性能。金属单原子催化剂(SMACs)具有独特的电子结构、金属含量低、理论上100%的原子利用率、催化活性高等优势,其不仅有效地促进了不同中间相的转化反应,而且可为含硫物质提供丰富的锚定位点,从而显著优化硫正极氧化还原反应动力学、多硫化物的穿梭行为和锂硫电池电化学性能。本文以剖析金属单原子催化剂与硫正极间的相互作用为出发点,结合其催化效应表征技术,重点解析了不同类型单原子催化剂的构筑策略、活性调控及其优化硫正极氧化还原行为的机制,展望了金属单原子催化剂在锂硫电池领域面临的挑战和未来发展方向。     

The reduction mechanism at the mercury electrode in neutral and alkaline aqueous media of an hydroxytriphenylmethane dye: Eriochrome Azurol B

The reduction mechanism at a mercury electrode of Eriochrome Azurol B, in neutral, weakly and strongly alkaline supporting electrolytes, has been investigated by several electrochemical techniques. The radical, formed after the first one-electron uptake, dimerizes. The results of the cyclic voltammetric investigation give evidence for the intrinsically reversible nature of the electron transfers. The apparently irreversible polarographic behaviour of the second wave is a consequence of the existence of a fast protonation following the second electron transfer. Adsorption of the Ox and Red form of Eriochrome Azurol B, as well as of the radical formed, was demonstrated by the ac polarographic measurements. On the basis of the experimental data a reduction mechanism is proposed.