α-取代甲苯定向硝化的理论研究

运用密度泛函理论(DFT), 研究了吸电子氟基和供电子羟基在取代甲苯的α-H以后, 其邻、间、对各位次进行硝化反应的速控步骤, 在B3LYP/6-311G**水平上, 计算了该速控步骤基元反应各反应驻点(反应物、过渡态和中间体)的优化几何、电子结构和能量性质, 并首次给出了目标硝化反应速控步骤的IR谱学的动态特征及解析, 从微观层面上验证了反应坐标C—N的形成和C—H的断裂是非协同的, 从而无一级动力学同位素效应的实验事实. 通过对目标硝化反应速控步骤的微观动态计算, 验证了氟基对甲基定位的影响. 氟基的电负性大, 吸电子能力强, 取代甲苯的α-H以后对硝酰阳离子的进攻有抑制作用, 活化能较取代前高, 但比较苄基氟各位次硝化活化能的相对大小得知, －CH₂F仍为邻、对位定向基团. 而供电子羟基取代甲苯的α-H以后, 则对硝酰阳离子的进攻有促进作用, 因而各反应驻点络合物的稳定化能较α-H取代前甲苯的有所增大, 且邻、对位硝化的活化能较间位低, 故－CH₂OH为邻、对位定位基. 但对位因硝化活化能低, 反应放热多, 空间位阻小, 为亲电试剂NO₂⁺最有利的进攻位; 而邻位则因羟基取代甲苯α-H后多了一个氧原子, 增大了邻位进攻的空间位阻, 使得其络合物的能量比相应对位的高.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed C−H Nitration of Indoles by Employing a Removable Directing Group

A mild and efficient C(sp²)?H nitration of 3‐substituted indoles, by using the economical and non‐toxic cobalt nitrate hexahydrate [Co(NO₃)₂ ? 6 H₂O] as a catalyst and tert‐butyl nitrite (TBN) as the nitro source, is reported. This approach provides a unique methodology involving a site‐selective C?N bond formation for preparation of C‐2 substituted nitro indoles. Utilization of the tBoc as the removable directing group enhances the synthetic utility of the method.     

Halogen bonding between substituted chlorobenzene and trimethylamine: Decisive role of σ–hole and C?Cl bond breaking energy

Theoretical studies have been carried out on the halogen bonding interaction between para substituted chlorobenzene (Y C₆H₄Cl, Y = H, NH₂, CH₃, F, CN, NO₂) and N(CH₃)₃ using ab initio MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ and DFT based wB97XD/6‐311++G(d,p) methods. The positive electrostatic potential (V_S,max) on the Cl atom and the heterolytic bond breaking enthalpy of the C Cl bond have been calculated and their role on halogen bonding is discussed. The heterolytic bond breaking enthalpy of the C Cl bond is proposed as a measure of the strength of the σ‐hole on Cl atom. The binding strength of the complexes ranging between −6.13 kJ mol⁻¹ and −9.29 kJ mol⁻¹ are linearly related to the V_S,max of the Cl atom and the bond breaking enthalpy of the C Cl bond. In addition, energy decomposition analysis was performed on the halogen bonded complexes via symmetry adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) to predict the dominant energy component and the nature of the N···Cl interaction.     

Nitro‐substituted iron(II) tridentate bis(imino)pyridine complexes as high‐temperature catalysts for the production of α‐olefins

A new series of nitro‐substituted bis(imino)pyridine ligands {2,6‐bis[1‐(2‐methyl‐4‐nitrophenylimino)ethyl]pyridine, 2,6‐bis[1‐(4‐nitrophenylimino)ethyl]pyridine, (1‐{6‐[1‐(4‐nitro‐phenylimino)‐ethyl]‐pyridin‐2‐yl}‐ethylidene)‐(2,4,6‐trimethyl‐phenyl)‐amine, and 2,6‐bis[1‐(2‐methyl‐3‐nitrophenylimino)ethyl]pyridine} and their corresponding Fe(II) complexes [{p‐NO₂? o‐Me? Ph? N?C(Me)? Py? C(Me)?N? Ph? o‐ Me? p‐NO₂}FeCl₂ ( 10 ), L₂FeCl₂ ( 11 ), {m‐NO₂? o‐Me? Ph? N?C(Me)? Py? C(Me)?N? Ph? o‐Me? m‐NO₂}FeCl₂ ( 12 ), and {p‐NO₂? Ph? N?C(Me)? Py? C(Me)?N? Mes}FeCl₂ ( 14 )] were synthesized. According to X‐ray analysis, there were shortenings of the axial Fe? N bond lengths (up to 0.014 Å) in para‐nitro‐substituted complex 10 and (up to 0.015 Å) in meta‐nitro‐substituted complex 12 versus the Fe(II) complex without nitro groups [{o‐Me? Ph? N?C(Me)? Py? C(Me)?N? Ph? o‐Me}FeCl₂ ( 1 )]. Complexes 10 , 12 , and 14 afforded very active catalysts for the production of α‐olefins and were more temperature‐stable and had longer lifetimes than parent non‐nitro‐substituted Fe(II) complex 1 . The reaction between FeCl₂ and a sterically less hindered ligand [p‐NO₂? Ph? N?C(Me)? Py? C(Me)?N? Ph? p‐NO₂] resulted in the formation of octahedral complex 11 . A para‐dialkylamino‐substituted bis(imino)pyridine ligand [p‐NEt₂? o‐Me? Ph? N?C(Me)? Py? C(Me)?N? Ph? o‐Me? p‐NEt₂] and the corresponding Fe(II) complex [{p‐NEt₂? o‐Me? Ph? N?C(Me)? Py? C(Me)?N? Ph? o‐Me? p‐NEt₂}FeCl₂ ( 16 )] were synthesized to evaluate the effect of enhanced electron donation of the ligand on the catalytic performance. According to X‐ray analysis, there was a shortening (up to 0.043 Å) of the axial Fe? N bond lengths in para‐diethylamino‐substituted complex 16 in comparison with parent Fe(II) complex 1 . © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2615–2635, 2006     

Photoisomerization of Trans Ortho‐, Meta‐, Para‐Nitro Diarylbutadienes: A Case of Regioselectivity

A series of ortho‐, meta‐ and para‐substituted trans‐nitro aryl (phenyl and pyridyl) butadienes have been synthesized and characterized. The effect of substitution and positional selectivity on their fluorescence and photoisomerization were systematically investigated. Among all dienes, meta‐ and para‐nitro phenyl‐substituted derivatives exhibit remarkable solvatochromic emission shifts due to intramolecular charge transfer. On the other hand, ortho derivatives undergo regioselective isomerization upon photoexcitation in contrast to inefficient isomerization of para and meta nitro‐substituted dienes. Single crystal X‐ray analysis revealed existence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the nitro group and the hydrogen of the proximal double bond. This restricts the rotation of the proximal double bond thereby allowing regioselective isomerization. The observations were also supported by NMR spectroscopic studies.     

Substituent Effect on the Electronic Properties and Nature of the W≡C Bond in trans‐Cl(OC)(H3P)3W(≡C‐para‐C6H4X) (X = H,F, SiH3, CN,NO2, SiMe3, CMe3, NH2, NMe2) Complexes: A Computational Quantum Chemistry Study

In this investigation, we describe substituent effect on the dipole moment, ionization potential, electron affinity, structure, frontier orbitals energy, in the trans‐Cl(OC)(H₃P)₃W(≡C‐para‐C₆H₄X) (X = H, F, SiH₃, CN, NO₂, SiMe₃, CMe₃, NH₂, NMe₂) complexes using MPW1PW91 quantum chemical calculations. The nature of chemical bond between the [Cl(OC)(H₃P)₃W]⁻ and [C‐para‐C₆H₄X]⁺ fragments was illustrated with energy decomposition analysis (EDA). Percentage composition in terms of the defined groups of frontier orbitals for these complexes was inspected to investigate the character in metal–ligand bonds. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) was used for illustration of metal–ligand bonds in these complexes.     

Azole. 45.

The three title compounds, namely (Z)‐1‐(4,5‐di­nitro­imidazol‐1‐yl)‐3‐morpholinopropan‐2‐one 2,4‐di­nitro­phenyl­hydrazone, C₁₆H₁₇N₉O₉, (IV), (Z)‐3‐morpholino‐1‐(4‐morpholino‐5‐nitro­imidazol‐1‐yl)propan‐2‐one 2,4‐di­nitro­phenyl­hydrazone, C₂₀H₂₅N₉O₈, (Va), and (E)‐3‐morpholino‐1‐(4‐morpholino‐5‐nitro­imidazol‐1‐yl)propan‐2‐one 2,4‐di­nitro­phenylhydra­zone tetra­hydro­furan solvate, C₂₀H₂₅N₉O₈·C₄H₈O, (Vb), have been prepared and their structures determined. In (IV), the C‐4 nitro group is nearly perpendicular to the imidazole ring and the C‐4—NO₂ bond length is comparable to the value for a normal single Csp²—NO₂ bond. In (IV), (Va) and (Vb), the C‐­5 nitro group deviates insignificantly from the imidazole plane and the C‐5—NO₂ bond length is far shorter in all three compounds than C‐4—NO₂ in (IV). In consequence, the C‐4 nitro group in (IV) is easily replaced by morpholine, while the C‐5 nitro group in (IV), (Va) and (Vb) shows an extraordinary stability on treatment with the amine. The E configuration in (Vb) is stabilized by a three‐centre hydrogen bond.     

Spektroskopische Untersuchungen über die Rolle des Käfig-Effektes bei der Prädissoziation aromatischer Nitroverbindungen

Photolysis of the bond R_ar–NO₂ contributes to quenching of the fluorescence of aromatic nitro compounds. Since no nitro compound is known which fluoresces above 20,000 cm^?1 photolysis must occur via a predissociation process. Either a fluorine-substituted nitro compound or fluorobenzene as the solvent was used for the irradiation experiments so that ¹⁹F-NMR. spectroscopy could be used to analyse the reaction products. Cage effects play an important role. With a large distance between the radicals R _ar and NO ₂, the phenyl radical forms a diphenyl compound with a benzenetype solvent molecule, and with small distance recombination will occur. For medium to long distances geminal recombination will also occur, not to the initial nitro compound, but to the corresponding nitrite, which in the presence of oxygen forms o-nitrophenol. Mass spectrometry showed that the added oxygen atom is located in the nitro group.     

Nickel(II)‐Complexes of Aliphatic and Aromatic Nitro Compounds: Preparation and Crystal Structures of [Ni2L(μ1,3‐O2NC6H4O)][ClO4] and [Ni2L(μ1,3‐O2P(OC6H4NO2)2)][BPh4] (L = macrocyclic hexaamine‐dithiophenolate ligand)

The dinuclear Ni^II complex [Ni₂LCl][ClO₄] ( 1 [ClO₄]), where L^2? is a 24‐membered macrocyclic hexaamine‐dithiophenolate ligand, has been examined regarding its ability to coordinate organic nitro compounds (i.e. para‐nitrophenolate, nitromethane, and bis(para‐nitrophenyl)phosphate). Complex 1 [ClO₄] reacts with para‐nitrophenolate in methanol to produce [Ni₂L(μ_1,3‐O₂NC₆H₄O)][ClO₄] ( 2 [ClO₄]), the crystal structure determination of which reveals a bridging para‐nitrophenolate ligand in its aci‐nitro resonance form. The reaction of 1 [ClO₄] with nitromethane in basic solution affords the known nitrite complex [Ni₂L(μ_1,2‐NO₂)][ClO₄] ( 3 [ClO₄]), rather than an aci‐nitromethanid complex [Ni₂L(μ_1,2‐O₂N=CH₂)]⁺ ( 4 ). The reaction of 1 [ClO₄] with bis(para‐nitrophenyl)phosphate yielded [Ni₂L(μ_1,3‐O₂P(OC₆H₄NO₂)₂)]⁺ ( 5 ), which reveals a μ_1,3‐bridging bis(para‐nitrophenyl)phosphate‐ligand.     

Kinetics of the Anaerobic Reaction of para‐Substituted Phenols with Nitrogen Dioxide

para‐Substituted phenols in aqueous solution under anaerobic conditions readily react with nitrogen dioxide (NO₂^●) over a wide range of experimental conditions. The rate and rate law of the process were dependent on phenol concentration and solution pH. The kinetic order in phenol changed from one (low concentration) to zero (high concentration), a result attributable to total NO₂^● capture. Initial consumption rate (r ₀) of phenols versus pH plots showed parabolic behavior with a minimum rate at pH ca. 5. On the other hand, the maximum rate took place at high pH (pH>10) and involved the protonated phenols. The reaction rate of para‐substituted phenols with NO₂^● correlated with the bond dissociation energy and with Hammett's parameter. Based on such results and also supported by analysis of products carried out by HPLC‐MS/MS, our data conclusively show that, in spite of the fast acid–base interchanges of phenols and the interconversion of the different nitrogen oxides, the mechanisms of phenols nitration mediated by NO₂^● or HONO are clearly different.     

Luminescence Properties of C‐Diazaborolyl‐ortho‐Carboranes as Donor–Acceptor Systems

Seven derivatives of 1,2‐dicarbadodecaborane (ortho‐carborane, 1,2‐C₂B₁₀H₁₂) with a 1,3‐diethyl‐ or 1,3‐diphenyl‐1,3,2‐benzodiazaborolyl group on one cage carbon atom were synthesized and structurally characterized. Six of these compounds showed remarkable low‐energy fluorescence emissions with large Stokes shifts of 15100–20260 cm^?1 and quantum yields (Φ_F) of up to 65 % in the solid state. The low‐energy fluorescence emission, which was assigned to a charge‐transfer (CT) transition between the cage and the heterocyclic unit, depended on the orientation (torsion angle, ψ) of the diazaborolyl group with respect to the cage C? C bond. In cyclohexane, two compounds exhibited very weak dual fluorescence emissions with Stokes shifts of 15660–18090 cm^?1 for the CT bands and 1960–5540 cm^?1 for the high‐energy bands, which were assigned to local transitions within the benzodiazaborole units (local excitation, LE), whereas four compounds showed only CT bands with Φ_F values between 8–32 %. Two distinct excited singlet‐state (S₁) geometries, denoted S₁(LE) and S₁(CT), were observed computationally for the benzodiazaborolyl‐ortho‐carboranes, the population of which depended on their orientation (ψ). TD‐DFT calculations on these excited state geometries were in accord with their CT and LE emissions. These C‐diazaborolyl‐ortho‐carboranes were viewed as donor–acceptor systems with the diazaborolyl group as the donor and the ortho‐carboranyl group as the acceptor.     

Solid‐State Interconversions: Unique 100 % Reversible Transformations between the Ground and Metastable States in Single‐Crystals of a Series of Nickel(II) Nitro Complexes

The solid‐state, low‐temperature linkage isomerism in a series of five square planar group 10 phosphino nitro complexes have been investigated by a combination of photocrystallographic experiments, Raman spectroscopy and computer modelling. The factors influencing the reversible solid‐state interconversion between the nitro and nitrito structural isomers have also been investigated, providing insight into the dynamics of this process. The cis‐[Ni(dcpe)(NO₂)₂] ( 1 ) and cis‐[Ni(dppe)(NO₂)₂] ( 2 ) complexes show reversible 100 % interconversion between the η¹‐NO₂ nitro isomer and the η¹‐ONO nitrito form when single‐crystals are irradiated with 400 nm light at 100 K. Variable temperature photocrystallographic studies for these complexes established that the metastable nitrito isomer reverted to the ground‐state nitro isomer at temperatures above 180 K. By comparison, the related trans complex [Ni(PCy₃)₂(NO₂)₂] ( 3 ) showed 82 % conversion under the same experimental conditions at 100 K. The level of conversion to the metastable nitrito isomers is further reduced when the nickel centre is replaced by palladium or platinum. Prolonged irradiation of the trans‐[Pd(PCy₃)₂(NO₂)₂] ( 4 ) and trans‐[Pt(PCy₃)₂(NO₂)₂] ( 5 ) with 400 nm light gives reversible conversions of 44 and 27 %, respectively, consistent with the slower kinetics associated with the heavier members of group 10. The mechanism of the interconversion has been investigated by theoretical calculations based on the model complex [Ni(dmpe)Cl(NO₂)].     

Fine‐Tuning of Saponification‐Triggered Gelation by Strategic Modification of Peripheral Substituents: Gelation Regulators

A pioneering approach towards controlling the efficiency of saponification assisted gelation in ethyl ester based Zn^II‐complexes have been described. Using four new ester containing bis‐salen Zn^II complexes ( C1–C4 ) involving different para‐azo phenyl substituted ligands it has been clearly shown that gelation efficiency is greatly influenced by the electronic effects of the substituents (‐H ( C1 ), ‐CH₃ ( C2 ), ‐NO₂ ( C3 ), and ‐OCH₃ ( C4 )). Morphological, photophysical, and rheological investigations corroborated the experimental observations well and established that gelation efficiency was enhanced with electron‐withdrawing characteristics of substituents ( C4 < C2 < C1 < C3 ). This conclusion was also supported by DFT studies.     

2,3,4,5,6‐Penta­nitro­aniline 1,2‐dichloro­ethane disolvate: `push–pull' deformation of aromatic rings by intra­molecular charge transfer

The title compound, C₆H₂N₆O₁₀·2C₂H₄Cl₂, forms layered stacks of penta­nitro­aniline mol­ecules, which possess twofold symmetry. The voids between these stacks are occupied by dichloro­ethane mol­ecules, which reside near a 2/m symmetry element and display pseudo‐inversion symmetry. The C atoms in one of the two solvent mol­ecules are threefold disordered. In the penta­nitro­aniline mol­ecule, considerable distortion of the benzenoid ring, coupled with the short C—N(H₂) bond and out‐of‐plane NO₂ twistings, point to significant intra­molecular `push–pull' charge transfer at the amino‐ and nitro‐substituted (ortho and para) positions, as theoretically quantified by natural bond orbital analysis of the π‐electron density.     

The Forgotten Nitroaromatic Phosphines as Weakly Donating P‐ligands: An N‐Aryl‐benzimidazolyl Series in RhCl(CO) Complexes

The coordination chemistry of a priori weakly σ ‐donating nitroaromatic phosphines is addressed through a series of nitro‐substituted (N ‐phenyl‐benzimidazol‐1‐yl)diphenylphosphines in Rh^I complexes. From a set of seven such phosphines L=L_xyz^(′) (x , y , z =0 or 1=number of NO₂ substituents at the 5, 6 and N‐Ph para positions, respectively), including the non‐nitrated parent L₀₀₀ and its dicationic N‐methyl counterpart L₀₀₀′, three LRhCl(COD) and seven L₂RhCl(CO) complexes have been obtained in 72–95 % yield. Despite of a cis orientation of the L and CO ligands, the C=O IR stretching frequency ν _CO varies in the expected sense, from 1967±1 cm⁻¹ for L_xy0 to 1978±1 cm⁻¹ for L_xy1, and 2005 cm⁻¹ for L₀₀₀′. The ¹⁰³Rh NMR chemical shift δ _Rh varies from −288 ppm for L₀₀₀ to −316±1 ppm for L_10z or L_01z, and −436 ppm for L₀₀₀′. The ν _CO and δ _Rh probes thus reveal moderate but systematic variations, and act as “orthogonal” spectroscopic indicators of the presence of nitro groups on the N‐Ph group and the benzimidazole core, respectively. For the dicationic ligand L₀₀₀′, a tight electrostatic sandwiching of the Rh‐Cl bond by the benzimidazole moities is evidenced by X‐ray crystallography (RhCl^{δ −}⋅⋅⋅CN₂⁺ ≈3.01 Å). Along with the LRhCl(CO) complexes, dinuclear side‐products (μ‐CO)(RhClL)₂ were also obtained in low spectroscopic yield: for the dinitro ligand L=L₀₁₁, a unique 1:6.7 clathrate structure, with dichloromethane as solvate, is also revealed by X‐ray crystallography.     

CH⋅⋅⋅N Hydrogen‐Bonding Interaction in 7‐Azaindole:CHX3 (X=F,Cl) Complexes

The C?H???Y (Y=hydrogen‐bond acceptor) interactions are somewhat unconventional in the context of hydrogen‐bonding interactions. Typical C?H stretching frequency shifts in the hydrogen‐bond donor C?H group are not only small, that is, of the order of a few tens of cm^?1, but also bidirectional, that is, they can be red or blue shifted depending on the hydrogen‐bond acceptor. In this work we examine the C?H???N interaction in complexes of 7‐azaindole with CHCl₃ and CHF₃ that are prepared in the gas phase through supersonic jet expansion using the fluorescence depletion by infra‐red (FDIR) method. Although the hydrogen‐bond acceptor, 7‐azaindole, has multiple sites of interaction, it is found that the C?H???N hydrogen‐bonding interaction prevails over the others. The electronic excitation spectra suggest that both complexes are more stabilized in the S₁ state than in the S₀ state. The C?H stretching frequency is found to be red shifted by 82 cm^?1 in the CHCl₃ complex, which is the largest redshift reported so far in gas‐phase investigations of 1:1 haloform complexes with various substrates. In the CHF₃ complex the observed C?H frequency is blue shifted by 4 cm^?1. This is at variance with the frequency shifts that are predicted using several computational methods; these predict at best a redshift of 8.5 cm^?1. This discrepancy is analogous to that reported for the pyridine‐CHF₃ complex [W. A. Herrebout, S. M. Melikova, S. N. Delanoye, K. S. Rutkowski, D. N. Shchepkin, B. J. van der Veken, J. Phys. Chem. A­ 2005 , 109, 3038], in which the blueshift is termed a pseudo blueshift and is shown to be due to the shifting of levels caused by Fermi resonance between the overtones of the C?H bending and stretching modes. The dissociation energies, (D₀), of the CHCl₃ and CHF₃ complexes are computed (MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ level) as 6.46 and 5.06 kcal mol^?1, respectively.     

Mechanistic Aspects of the Gas‐Phase Reactions of Halobenzenes with Bare Lanthanide Cations: A Combined Experimental/Theoretical Investigation

The gas‐phase reactions of chlorobenzene with all atomic lanthanide cations Ln⁺ (except Pm⁺) have been investigated by using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry in conjunction with density functional theory calculations. According to the latter, a direct chlorine transfer to the lanthanide cation, which has been observed previously for fluorine abstraction from fluorobenzene, is not operative for the C₆H₅Cl/Ln⁺ couples; rather, chlorine transfer proceeds through an initial coordination of the lanthanide cation to the aromatic ring of the substrate. Both, the product distribution and the chlorine abstraction efficiencies are affected by the bond dissociation energy (BDE(Ln⁺?Cl)) as well as the promotion energies of Ln⁺ to attain a 4fⁿ 5d¹ 6s¹ configuration. In addition, mechanistic aspects of some C?H and C?C bond activations are presented. Where appropriate, comparison with the previously studied C₆H₅F/Ln⁺ systems is made.     

Variational RRKM theory calculation of thermal rate constant for carbon—hydrogen bond fission reaction of nitro benzene

The present work provides quantitative results for the rate of unimolecular carbon-hydrogen bond fission reaction of benzene and nitro benzene at elevated temperatures up to 2000 K. The potential energy surface for each C-H (in the ortho, meta, and para sites) bond fission reaction of nitro benzene was investigated by ab initio calculations. The geometry and vibrational frequencies of the species involved in this process were optimized at the MP2 level of theory, using the cc-pvdz basis set. Since C-H bond fission channel is barrier less reaction, we have used variational RRKM theory to predict rate constants. By means of calculated rate constant at the different temperatures, the activation energy and exponential factor were determined. The Arrhenius expression for C-H bond fission reaction of nitro benzene on the ortho, meta and para sites are k(T) = 2.1 × 10¹⁷exp(?56575.98/T), k(T) = 2.1 × 10¹⁷exp(?57587.45/T), and k(T) = 3.3 × 10¹⁶exp(?57594.79/T) respectively. The Arrhenius expression for C-H bond fission reaction of benzene is k(T) = 2 × 10¹⁸exp(?59343.48.18/T). The effect of NO₂ group, location of hydrogen atoms on the substituted benzene ring, reaction degeneracy, benzene ring resonance and tunneling effect on the rate expression have been discussed.     

DFT Studies on Detonation Properties,Pyrolysis Mechanism,and Stability of the Nitro and Hydroxyl Derivatives of Benzene

Ninety‐one nitro and hydroxyl derivatives of benzene were studied at the B3LYP/6‐31G?? level of density functional theory. Detonation properties were calculated using the Kamlet‐Jacobs equation. Three candidates (pentanitrophenol, pentanitrobenzene, and hexanitrobenzene) were recommended as potential high energy density compounds for their perfect detonation performances and reasonable stability. The pyrolysis mechanism was studied by analyzing the bond dissociation energy (BDE) and the activation energy (E_a) of hydrogen transfer (H–T) reaction for those with adjacent nitro and hydroxyl groups. The results show that E_a is much lower than BDEs of all bonds, so when there are adjacent nitro and hydroxyl groups in a molecule, the stability of the compound will decrease and the pyrolysis will be initiated by the H–T process. Otherwise, the pyrolysis will start from the breaking of the weakest C–NO₂ bond, and only under such condition, the Mulliken population or BDE of the C–NO₂ bond can be used to assess the relative stability of the compound.     

Alternative Approach to an AB2 Monomer for Hyperbranched Poly(Arylene Ether Ketone Imide)s

An alternative approach to an AB₂ monomer, N‐[3,5‐bis(4‐hydroxybenzoyl)benzene]‐4‐fluorophthalimde, 4, for hyperbranched poly(arylene ether ketone imide)s has been developed. The key steps were a para‐position selective electrophilic aromatic substitution of fluorobenzene with 5‐nitroisophthaloyl dichloride and a subsequent clean conversion of the aryl fluorides to phenol groups using potassium hydroxide as the nucleophile. The overall yield for the synthesis of 4 was 51.6%.