On the Oxidation of the Three‐Dimensional Aromatics [B12X12]2− (X=F,Cl, Br,I)

The perhalogenated closo‐dodecaborate dianions [B₁₂X₁₂]^2? (X=H, F, Cl, Br, I) are three‐dimensional counterparts to the two‐dimensional aromatics C₆X₆ (X=H, F, Cl, Br, I). Whereas oxidation of the parent compounds [B₁₂H₁₂]^2? and benzene does not lead to isolable radicals, the perhalogenated analogues can be oxidized by chemical or electrochemical methods to give stable radicals. The chemical oxidation of the closo‐dodecaborate dianions [B₁₂X₁₂]^2? with the strong oxidizer AsF₅ in liquid sulfur dioxide (lSO₂) yielded the corresponding radical anions [B₁₂X₁₂] ^{? ?} (X=F, Cl, Br). The presence of radical ions was proven by EPR and UV/Vis spectroscopy and supported by quantum chemical calculations. Use of an excess amount of the oxidizing agent allowed the synthesis of the neutral perhalogenated hypercloso‐boranes B₁₂X₁₂ (X=Cl, Br). These compounds were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction of dark blue B₁₂Cl₁₂ and [Na(SO₂)₆][B₁₂Br₁₂] ? B₁₂Br₁₂. Sublimation of the crude reaction products that contained B₁₂X₁₂ (X=Cl, Br) resulted in pure dark blue B₁₂Cl₁₂ or decomposition to red B₉Br₉, respectively. The energetics of the oxidation processes in the gas phase were calculated by DFT methods at the PBE0/def2‐TZVPP level of theory. They revealed the trend of increasing ionization potentials of the [B₁₂X₁₂]^2? dianions by going from fluorine to bromine as halogen substituent. The oxidation of all [B₁₂X₁₂]^2? dianions was also studied in the gas phase by mass spectrometry in an ion trap. The electrochemical oxidation of the closo‐dodecaborate dianions [B₁₂X₁₂]^2? (X=F, Cl, Br, I) by cyclic and Osteryoung square‐wave voltammetry in liquid sulfur dioxide or acetonitrile showed very good agreement with quantum chemical calculations in the gas phase. For [B₁₂X₁₂]^2? (X=F, Cl, Br) the first and second oxidation processes are detected. Whereas the first process is quasi‐reversible (with oxidation potentials in the range between +1.68 and +2.29 V (lSO₂, versus ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc^0/+))), the second process is irreversible (with oxidation potentials ranging from +2.63 to +2.71 V (lSO₂, versus Fc^0/+)). [B₁₂I₁₂]^2? showed a complex oxidation behavior in cyclic voltammetry experiments, presumably owing to decomposition of the cluster anion under release of iodide, which also explains the failure to isolate the respective radical by chemical oxidation.     

The Jahn-Teller and pseudo-Jahn-Teller effects in the anion photoelectron spectroscopy of B3 cluster

The photodetachment spectroscopy of B3- anion is theoretically studied with the aid of a quantum dynamical approach. The theoretical results are compared with the available experimental photoelectron spectra of B3-. Both B3- and B3 possess D(3h) symmetry at the equilibrium configuration of their electronic ground state. Distortion of B3 along its degenerate vibrational mode nu2 splits the degeneracy of its excited C2E' electronic manifold and exhibits (E [symbol: see text] e)-Jahn-Teller (JT) activity. The components of the JT split potential energy surface form conical intersections, and they can also undergo pseudo-Jahn-Teller (PJT) crossings with the X2A1' electronic ground state of B3 via the degenerate nu2 vibrational mode. The impact of the JT and PJT interactions on the nuclear dynamics of B3 in its X2A1'-C2E' electronic states is examined here by establishing a diabatic model Hamiltonian. The parameters of the electronic part of this Hamiltonian are calculated by performing electronic structure calculations and the nuclear dynamics on it is simulated by solving quantum eigenvalue equation. The theoretical results are in good accord with the experimental data.     

Quantitative conformational study of redox-active [2]rotaxanes, part 1: Methodology and application to a model [2]rotaxane

This paper reports a novel methodology for the conformational analysis of [2]rotaxanes. It combines NMR spectroscopic (COSY, NOESY and the recently reported paramagnetic line-broadening and suppression technique) and electrochemical techniques to enable a quantitative analysis of the co-conformations of interlocked molecules and the conformations of their components. This methodology was used to study a model [2]rotaxane in solution. This [2]rotaxane consists of an axle that incorporates an electron-poor, doubly positively charged viologen that threads an electron-rich crown ether. It has been shown that the axle of the [2]rotaxane in its dicationic state adopts a folded conformation in solution and the crown ether is localised at the viologen moiety. Following a one-electron reduction of viologen, the paramagnetic radical cation of the [2]rotaxane retains its folded conformation in solution. The data also demonstrate that in the radical cation the crown ether remains localised at the viologen, despite its reduced affinity for the singly reduced viologen. The combined quantitative NMR spectroscopic and electrochemical characterisation of the electromechanical function of the model [2]rotaxane in solution provides an important reference point for the study of switching in structurally related bistable [2]rotaxanes, which is the subject of the second part of this work.     

Size Dependence of [n]Cycloparaphenylenes (n=5–12) in Electrochemical Oxidation

The oxidation processes of [n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs) (n=5–12) were systematically investigated by cyclic and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. All CPPs underwent pseudo‐reversible two‐electron oxidation irrespective of ring size, forming the corresponding radical cations and then dications. The results were in sharp contrast to those observed for linear oligoparaphenylenes, which only undergo one‐electron oxidation. The difference in the first and second oxidation potentials in the CPP oxidation was affected by the ring size and became more significant as the decrease of CPP size. In other words, while the first oxidation from neutral CPP to the radical cation occurred faster as the size of CPP becomes smaller, the second oxidation from the radical cation to dication exhibited opposite size dependence.     

Crown compounds for anions: sandwich and half-sandwich complexes of cyclic trimetric perfluoro-o-phenylenemercury with polyhedral closo-[B10H10]2- and closo-[B12H12]2- anions

It has been shown by IR and NMR spectroscopy that cyclic trimeric perfluoro-o-phenylenemercury (o-C6F4-Hg)3 (1) is capable of binding closo-[B10H10]2- and closo-[B12H12]2- anions to form complexes [[(o-C6F4Hg)3](B10-H10)]2- (2), [[(o-C6F4Hg)3]2(B10H10)]2-(3), [[(o-C6F4Hg)3](B12H12)]2- (4), and [[(o-C6F4Hg)3]2(B12H12)]2- (5). According to IR data, the bonding of the [B10H10]2- and [B12H12]2- ions to the macrocycle in these complexes is accomplished through the formation of B-H-Hg bridges. Complexes 2, 3, and 5 have been isolated in analytically pure form and have been characterized by spectroscopic means. X-ray diffraction studies of 3 and 5 have revealed that these compounds have unusual sandwich structures, in which the polyhedral di-anion is located between the planes of two molecules of 1 and is bonded to each of them through two types of B-H-Hg bridges. One type is the simultaneous coordination of a B-H group to all three Hg atoms of the macrocycle. The other type is the coordination of a B-H group to a single Hg atom of the cycle. According to X-ray diffraction data, complex 2 has an analogous but half-sandwich structure. The obtained complexes 2-5 are quite stable; their stability constants in THF/acetone (1:1) at 20 degrees C have been determined as 1.0 x 10(2)Lmol(-1), 2.6 x 10(3)L(2)mol(2), 0.7 x 10(2)Lmol(-1), and 0.98 x 10(3)L(2)mol(-2), respectively.     

Exhaustive chlorination of [B12H12]2- without chlorine gas and the use of [B12Cl12]2- as a Supporting anion in catalytic hydrodefluorination of aliphatic C-F bonds

The fully chlorinated closo-dodecaborate salt Cs(2)[B(12)Cl(12)] was prepared in high yield from Cs(2)[B(12)H(12)] and SO(2)Cl(2) in acetonitrile at refluxing temperature. [Ph(3)C](2)[B(12)Cl(12)] was obtained by simple metathesis reactions. Catalytic hydrodefluorination of benzotrifluoride sp(3) C-F bonds was accomplished using [Ph(3)C](2)[B(12)Cl(12)] as a precatalyst and Et(3)SiH as a stoichiometric reagent. Full consumption of the sp(3) C-F bonds in p-FC(6)H(4)CF(3) and C(6)F(5)CF(3) with a turnover number up to 2000 was achieved.     

Electrochemical Oxidation of Catechols in the Presence of Pyrimidine-2-thiol: Application to Electrosynthesis

The electrooxidation of catechols (1a–d) in the presence of pyrimidine-2-thiol (3) as a nucleophile in aqueous solution is described. The mechanistic investigations using cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential coulometry indicate that the quinone derived from catechols participates in a Michael addition reaction with pyrimidine-2-thiol to form corresponding catechol derivatives of 6a–d (ECEC). The efficient electrosynthesis of 6a–d has been performed at carbon rod electrodes in an undivided cell in good yield and purity.     

2-(2,5-二羟基苯基)-5-甲基-2,5-二氢吡咯并[3,4]富勒烯的合成和电子光谱的理论研究

利用丙氨酸和2,5-二羟基苯甲醛所形成的亚胺叶立德与C₆₀发生1,3-偶极环加成反应, 合成并分离、纯化制备了一种新的C₆₀吡咯烷衍生物: 2-(2-5-二羟基苯基)-5-甲基-2,5-二氢吡咯并[3,4]富勒烯. 通过¹H NMR, FT-IR, UV-vis和元素分析确定了其结构, 研究了体系的电化学和荧光性质. 采用密度泛函的方法, 在B3LYP/6-31G水平上对分子的几何构型进行了优化, 得到稳定的几何构型; 运用INDO/S方法计算了化合物的电子光谱, 计算结果434.2 nm与实验值432.0 nm基本一致.     

Electrochemical Studies of 1,4-Bis[2-(2-pyridyl)-vinyl] Benzene and 1,4-Bis[2-(4-pyridyl) vinyl] Benzene Laser Dyes via Cyclic Voltammetry, Convolutive Voltammetry and Digital Simulation Methods

Electrochemical properties of two diolefinic laser dyes namely 1,4-bis[2-(2-pyridyl)-vinyl] benzene (2PVB) and 1,4-bis[2-(4-pyridyl) vinyl] benzene (4PVB) have been investigated using cyclic voltammetry and convolutive voltammetry combined with digital simulation at a platinum electrode in 0.1 mol/L tetrabutyl ammonium perchlorate (TBAP) in the two different solvents acetonitrile (CH3CN) and dimethylformamide (DMF). The species were reduced via consumption of two sequential electrons to form radical anion and dianion. In switching the potential to positive direction, the two compounds were oxidized by loss of one electron, which was followed by a fast isomerisation process. The electrode reaction pathway and the electrochemical parameters of the investigated compounds were determined using cyclic voltammetry. The extracted electrochemical parameters were verified and confirmed via digital simulation and convolutive voltammetry methods.     

Diazotization of the amino acid [closo-1-CB9H8-1-COOH-6-NH3] and reactivity of the [closo-1-CB9H8-1-COO-6-N2]- anion

A comparative study of the reactivity of dinitrogen acids [closo-1-CB(9)H(8)-1-COOH-10-N(2)] (3[10]) and [closo-1-CB(9)H(8)-1-COOH-6-N(2)] (3[6]) was conducted by diazotization of a mixture of amino acids [closo-1-CB(9)H(8)-1-COOH-6-NH(3)] (1[6]) and [closo-1-CB(9)H(8)-1-COOH-10-NH(3)] (1[10]) with NO(+)BF(4)(-) in the presence of a heterocyclic base (pyridine, 4-methoxypyridine, 2-picoline, or quinoline). The 10-amino acid 1[10] formed an isolable stable 10-dinitrogen acid 3[10], while the 6-dinitrogen carboxylate 3[6](-) reacted in situ, giving products of N-substitution at the B6 position with the heterocyclic solvent (4[6]). The molecular and crystal structures for pyridinium acid 4[6]a were determined by X-ray crystallography. The electronic structures and reactivity of the 6-dinitrogen derivatives of the {1-CB(9)} cluster were assessed computationally at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and MP2/6-31G(d,p) levels of theory and compared to those of the 10-dinitrogen, 2-dinitrogen, and 1-dinitrogen analogues.