Dynamic NMR study of the mechanisms of double, triple, and quadruple proton and deuteron transfer in cyclic hydrogen bonded solids of pyrazole derivatives

Using dynamic solid state (15)N CPMAS NMR spectroscopy (CP = cross polarization, MAS = magic angle spinning), the kinetics of the degenerate intermolecular double and quadruple proton and deuteron transfers in the cyclic dimer of (15)N labeled polycrystalline 3,5-diphenyl-4-bromopyrazole (DPBrP) and in the cyclic tetramer of (15)N labeled polycrystalline 3,5-diphenylpyrazole (DPP) have been studied in a wide temperature range at different deuterium fractions in the mobile proton sites. Rate constants were measured on a millisecond time scale by line shape analysis of the doubly (15)N labeled compounds, and by magnetization transfer experiments on a second timescale of the singly (15)N labeled compounds in order to minimize the effects of proton-driven (15)N spin diffusion. For DPBrP the multiple kinetic HH/HD/DD isotope effects could be directly obtained. By contrast, four rate constants k(1) to k(4) were obtained for DPP at different deuterium fractions. Whereas k(1) corresponds to the rate constant k(HHHH) of the HHHH isotopolog, an appropriate kinetic reaction model was needed for the kinetic assignment of the other rate constants. Using the model described by Limbach, H. H.; Klein, O.; Lopez Del Amo, J. M.; Elguero, J. Z. Phys. Chem. 2004,218, 17, a concerted quadruple proton-transfer mechanism as well as a stepwise consecutive single transfer mechanism could be excluded. By contrast, using the kinetic assignment k(2) approximately k(3) approximately k(HHHD) approximately k(HDHD) and k(3) approximately k(HDDD) approximately k(DDDD), the results could be explained in terms of a two-step process involving a zwitterionic intermediate. In this mechanism, each reaction step involves the concerted transfer of two hydrons, giving rise to primary kinetic HH/HD/DD isotope effects, whereas the nontransferred hydrons only contribute small secondary effects, which are not resolved experimentally. By contrast, the multiple kinetic isotope effects of the double proton transfer in DPBrP and of the triple proton proton transfer in cyclic pyrazole trimers studied previously indicate concerted transfer processes. Thus, between n = 3 and 4 a switch of the reaction mechanism takes place. This switch is rationalized in terms of hydrogen bond compression effects associated with the multiple proton transfers. The Arrhenius curves of all processes are nonlinear and indicate tunneling processes at low temperatures. In a preliminary analysis, they are modeled in terms of the Bell-Limbach tunneling model.     

Double Proton Tautomerism via Intra- or Intermolecular Pathways? The Case of Tetramethyl Reductic Acid Studied by Dynamic NMR: Hydrogen Bond Association,Solvent and Kinetic H/D Isotope Effects

Using dynamic liquid-state NMR spectroscopy a degenerate double proton tautomerism was detected in tetramethyl reductic acid (TMRA) dissolved in toluene-d₈ and in CD₂Cl₂. Similar to vitamin C, TMRA belongs to the class of reductones of biologically important compounds. The tautomerism involves an intramolecular HH transfer that interconverts the peripheric and the central positions of the two OH groups. It is slow in the NMR time scale around 200 K and fast at room temperature. Pseudo-first-order rate constants of the HH transfer and of the HD transfer after suitable deuteration were obtained by line shape analyses. Interestingly, the chemical shifts were found to be temperature dependent carrying information about an equilibrium between a hydrogen bonded dimer and a monomer forming two weak intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The structures of the monomer and the dimer are discussed. The latter may consist of several rapidly interconverting hydrogen-bonded associates. A way was found to obtain the enthalpies and entropies of dissociation, which allowed us to convert the pseudo-first-order rate constants of the reaction mixture into first-order rate constants of the tautomerization of the monomer. Surprisingly, these intrinsic rate constants were the same for toluene-d₈ and CD₂Cl₂, but in the latter solvent more monomer is formed. This finding is attributed to the dipole moment of the TMRA monomer, compensated in the dimer, and to the larger dielectric constant of CD₂Cl₂. Within the margin of error, the kinetic HH/HD isotope effects were found to be of the order of 3 but independent of temperature. That finding indicates a stepwise HH transfer involving a tunnel mechanism along a double barrier pathway. The Arrhenius curves were described in terms of the Bell–Limbach tunneling model.     

NMR studies of ultrafast intramolecular proton tautomerism in crystalline and amorphous n,n'-diphenyl-6-aminofulvene-1-aldimine: solid-state, kinetic isotope, and tunneling effects

Using solid-state NMR spectroscopy, we have detected and characterized ultrafast intramolecular proton tautomerism in the N-H-N hydrogen bonds of solid N, N'-diphenyl-6-aminofulvene-1-aldimine ( I) on the microsecond-to-picosecond time scale. (15)N cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR experiments using (1)H decoupling performed on polycrystalline I- (15)N 2 and the related compound N-phenyl- N'-(1,3,4-triazole)-6-aminofulvene-1-aldimine ( II) provided information about the thermodynamics of the tautomeric processes. We found that II forms only a single tautomer but that the gas-phase degeneracy of the two tautomers of I is lifted by solid-state interactions. Rate constants, including H/D kinetic isotope effects (KIEs), on the microsecond-to-picosecond time scale were obtained by measuring and analyzing the longitudinal (15)N and (2)H relaxation times of I- (15)N 2, I- (15)N 2- d 10, and I- (15)N 2- d 1 over a wide temperature range. In addition to the microcrystalline modification, a novel amorphous modification of I was found and studied. In this modification, proton transfer is much faster than in the crystalline form. For both modifications, we observed large H/D KIEs that were temperature-dependent at high temperatures and temperature-independent at low temperatures. These findings are interpreted in terms of a simple quasiclassical tunneling model proposed by Bell and modified by Limbach. We obtained evidence that a reorganization energy is necessary in order to compress the N-H-N hydrogen bond and achieve a molecular configuration in which the barrier for H transfer is reduced and tunneling or an over-barrier reaction can occur.     

Nonadiabatic proton/deuteron transfer within the benzophenone-triethylamine triplet contact radical ion pair: exploration of the influence of structure upon reaction

The dynamics of proton transfer within a variety of substituted benzophenone-triethylamine triplet contact radical ion pairs are examined in the solvents acetonitrile and dimethylformamide. The correlation of the proton-transfer rate constants with DeltaG reveals an inverted region. The kinetic deuterium isotope effects are also examined. The solvent and isotope dependence of the transfer processes are analyzed within the context of the Lee-Hynes model for nonadiabatic proton transfer. Theoretical analysis of the experimental data suggests that the reaction path for proton/deuteron transfer involves tunneling, and the origin of the inverted region is attributed to a curved tunneling path.     

Mechanism of hydrogen transfer to imines from a hydroxycyclopentadienyl ruthenium hydride. Support for a stepwise mechanism

The negligible double kinetic deuterium isotope effect (k(HH)/k(DD)= 1.05) in the reaction where [2,3,4,5-Ph4(eta5-C4COH)Ru(CO)2H (2) transfers a hydride and a proton to N-phenyl-[1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethylidene]amine (4) indicates that no bond to hydrogen is broken or formed in the rate-determining step.     

Proton transfer reactions of methylanthracene radical cations with pyridine bases under non-steady-state conditions. Real kinetic isotope effect evidence for extensive tunneling.

The kinetics of the proton transfer reactions between the 9-methyl-10-phenylanthracene radical cation (MPA(+)(.)) with 2,6-lutidine were studied in acetonitrile-Bu(4)NBF(4) (0.1 M) using derivative cyclic voltammetry. Comparisons of extent of reaction-time profiles with theoretical data for both the simple single-step proton transfer and a mechanism involving the formation of a donor-acceptor complex prior to unimolecular proton transfer were made. The experimental extent of reaction-time profiles deviated significantly from those simulated for the single-step mechanism, while excellent fits of experimental to theoretical data, in the pre-steady-state period, for the complex mechanism were observed. In this time period, the apparent deuterium kinetic isotope effects (KIE(app)) were observed to vary significantly with the extent of reaction as predicted by the complex mechanism. Resolution of the apparent rate constants into the microscopic rate constants for the complex mechanism resulted in a real kinetic isotope effect (KIE(real)) equal to 82 at 291 K. Arrhenius activation parameters (252-312 K) for the reactions of MPA(+)(*) with 2,6-lutidine in acetonitrile-Bu(4)NBF(4) (0.1 M) revealed E(a)(D) - E(a)(H) equal to 2.89 kcal/mol and A(D)/A(H) equal to 2.09. In this temperature range, KIE(real) varied from 46 at the highest temperature to 134 at the lowest. The large KIE(real), along with the Arrhenius parameters, are indicative of extensive tunneling for the proton transfer steps.     

Excited-state double proton transfer dynamics of model DNA base pairs: 7-hydroxyquinoline dimers

The excited-state double proton transfer of model DNA base pairs, 7-hydroxyquinoline dimers, in benzene has been investigated using picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Upon excitation, whereas singly hydrogen-bonded noncyclic dimers do not go through tautomerization within the relaxation time of 1400 ps, doubly hydrogen-bonded cyclic dimers undergo excited-state double proton transfer on the time scale of 25 ps to form tautomeric dimers, which subsequently undergo a conformational change in 180 ps to produce singly hydrogen-bonded tautomers. The rate constant of the double proton transfer reaction is temperature-independent, showing a large kinetic isotope effect of 5.2, suggesting that the rate is governed mostly by tunneling.     

Effect on kinetics by deuterium in the 1,5-hydrogen shift of a cisoid-locked 1,3(Z)-pentadiene, 2-methyl-10-methylenebicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-ene: evidence for tunneling?

Prompted by extensive theoretical interest in the role of tunneling in the intramolecular 1,5-hydrogen shift in 1,3(Z)-pentadienes and the large uncertainty in the published values of the theoretically relevant kinetic deuterium-isotope effect and its dependence on temperature, we have examined a degenerate bicyclic version, 2-methyl-10-methylenebicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-ene, which is locked into the rearrangement-competent cisoid conformation, in the hope of obtaining more precise and accurate values. From rate constants determined over a range of 33 degrees C from 167.7 to 201.6 degrees C, Arrhenius parameters, Ea = 32.8 +/- 0.4 kcal mol(-1) and log A = 11.1 +/- 0.2, were obtained. An average kinetic isotope effect of 4.2 +/- 0.5 obtained from all values for kH/kD and k-H/k-D may be compared with a value of 5.0 +/- 0.3, recalculated from data in the pioneering publication of Roth and K?nig. From a highly problematic extrapolation of the temperature dependence, a value of kH/kD of 16.6 (standard error between 6.5 and 43) is calculated for the kinetic isotope effect at 25 degrees C (Roth and K?nig: 12.2). With curvature in Arrhenius plots being one of the three types of experimental evidence considered indicative of tunneling, the kinetic study of the previously published rearrangement of 1-phenyl-5-p-tolyl-1,3(Z)-pentadiene has been extended over a period of 339 days to a range of 108 degrees C (77-185 degrees C) without discerning any deviation from a straight-line Arrhenius plot: Ea = 28.7 +/- 0.5 (kcal mol(-1)) and log A = 9.41 +/- 0.30.     

Kinetic effects of increased proton transfer distance on proton-coupled oxidations of phenol-amines

To test the effect of varying the proton donor-acceptor distance in proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions, the oxidation of a bicyclic amino-indanol (2) is compared with that of a closely related phenol with an ortho CPh(2)NH(2) substituent (1). Spectroscopic, structural, thermochemical, and computational studies show that the two amino-phenols are very similar, except that the O···N distance (d(ON)) is >0.1 ? longer in 2 than in 1. The difference in d(ON) is 0.13 ± 0.03 ? from X-ray crystallography and 0.165 ? from DFT calculations. Oxidations of these phenols by outer-sphere oxidants yield distonic radical cations (?)OAr-NH(3)(+) by concerted proton-electron transfer (CPET). Simple tunneling and classical kinetic models both predict that the longer donor-acceptor distance in 2 should lead to slower reactions, by ca. 2 orders of magnitude, as well as larger H/D kinetic isotope effects (KIEs). However, kinetic studies show that the compound with the longer proton-transfer distance, 2, exhibits smaller KIEs and has rate constants that are quite close to those of 1. For example, the oxidation of 2 by the triarylamminium radical cation N(C(6)H(4)OMe)(3)(?+) (3a(+)) occurs at (1.4 ± 0.1) × 10(4) M(-1) s(-1), only a factor of 2 slower than the closely related reaction of 1 with N(C(6)H(4)OMe)(2)(C(6)H(4)Br)(?+) (3b(+)). This difference in rate constants is well accounted for by the slightly different free energies of reaction: ΔG° (2 + 3a(+)) = +0.078 V versus ΔG° (1 + 3b(+)) = +0.04 V. The two phenol-amines do display some subtle kinetic differences: for instance, compound 2 has a shallower dependence of CPET rate constants on driving force (Br?nsted α, Δ ln(k)/Δ ln(K(eq))). These results show that the simple tunneling model is not a good predictor of the effect of proton donor-acceptor distance on concerted-electron transfer reactions involving strongly hydrogen-bonded systems. Computational analysis of the observed similarity of the two phenols emphasizes the importance of the highly anharmonic O···H···N potential energy surface and the influence of proton vibrational excited states.     

On the theory of the CO+OH reaction, including H and C kinetic isotope effects

The effect of pressure, temperature, HD isotopes, and C isotopes on the kinetics of the OH+CO reaction are investigated using Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory. Pressure effects are treated with a step-ladder plus steady-state model and tunneling effects are included. New features include a treatment of the C isotope effect and a proposed nonstatistical effect in the reaction. The latter was prompted by existing kinetic results and molecular-beam data of Simons and co-workers on incomplete intramolecular energy transfer to the highest vibrational frequency mode in HOCO(*). In treating the many kinetic properties two small customary vertical adjustments of the barriers of the two transition states were made. The resulting calculations show reasonable agreement with the experimental data on (1) the pressure and temperature dependence of the HD effect, (2) the pressure-dependent (12)C(13)C isotope effect, (3) the strong non-Arrhenius behavior observed at low temperatures, (4) the high-temperature data, and (5) the pressure dependence of rate constants in various bath gases. The kinetic carbon isotopic effect is usually less than 10 per mil. A striking consequence of the nonstatistical assumption is the removal of a major discrepancy in a plot of the k(OH+CO)k(OD+CO) ratio versus pressure. A prediction is made for the temperature dependence of the OD+CO reaction in the low-pressure limit at low temperatures.     

Electrochemical proton relay at the single-molecule level

A scheme for the experimental study of single-proton transfer events, based on proton-coupled two-electron transfer between a proton donor and a proton acceptor molecule confined in the tunneling gap between two metal leads in electrolyte solution is suggested. Expressions for the electric current are derived and compared with formalism for electron tunneling through redox molecules. The scheme allows studying the kinetics of proton and hydrogen atom transfer as well as kinetic isotope effects at the single-molecule level under electrochemical potential control.     

A review of proton transfer reactions between various carbon-acids and amine bases in aprotic solvents

The subject of proton transfer between carbon acids and nitrogen bases in aprotic solvents is reviewed. Equilibrium and rate constants that characterize such reactions are most often determined utilizing UV-visible spectrophotometry. At ambient temperature reaction rates are sufficiently rapid that fast reaction methods, for example, the stopped-flow and temperature-jump techniques are required in many cases. Variation of the properties of the donor and acceptor reaction pairs enables electronic and steric effects upon thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of proton transfer to be assessed. Determination of the kinetic isotope effect (KIE), i.e. k(protium)/k(deuterium) led to the conclusion that, under certain circumstances and when the KIE is greater than seven, the proton undergoes reaction with a significant degree of quantum mechanical tunneling, consistent with a theoretical prediction advanced several decades earlier. In fact this aspect may be one of the most significant outgrowths of these studies. Many reactions have been characterized (by tunneling) but rarely are the reacting systems experimentally amenable to obtaining all the experimental criteria that support tunneling. Controversy that has arisen regarding treatment of experimental data and resulting conclusions from them is visited in this review. The structural nature of the product state of reaction is formulated based on spectroscopic evidence, in favorable cases, and probable structures of the transition state can be inferred.     

Double hydrogen tunneling revisited: the breakdown of experimental tunneling criteria

Formic acid dimer was chosen as a model system to investigate synchronous double proton transfer by means of variational transition state theory (VTST) for various isotopically modified hydrogen species. The electronic barrier for the double proton transfer was evaluated to be 7.9 kcal/mol, thus being significantly lower than it was determined in previous studies. The tunneling probabilities were evaluated at temperatures from 100 up to 400 K and typical Arrhenius behavior with enhancement by tunneling is observed. When comparing the transmission factors kappa in dependence of the mass of the tunneling hydrogen, it was found that there are two maxima, one at very low masses (e.g., 0.114 amu, corresponding to the muonium entity) and one maximum at around 2 amu (corresponding to deuterium). With the knowledge of the VTST-hydrogen transfer rates and the corresponding tunneling corrections, various tunneling criteria were tested (e.g., Swain-Schaad exponents) and were shown to fail in this reaction in predicting the extent of tunneling. This finding adds another aspect in the ongoing "Tunneling-Enhancement by Enzymes" discussion, as the used tunneling criteria based on experimental reaction rates may fail to predict tunneling behavior correctly.     

Theoretical analysis of proton relays in electrochemical proton-coupled electron transfer

The coupling of long-range electron transfer to proton transport over multiple sites plays a vital role in many biological and chemical processes. Recently the concerted proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reaction in a molecule with a hydrogen-bond relay inserted between the proton donor and acceptor sites was studied electrochemically. The standard rate constants and kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) were measured experimentally for this double proton transfer system and a related single proton transfer system. In the present paper, these systems are studied theoretically using vibronically nonadiabatic rate constant expressions for electrochemical PCET. Application of this approach to proton relays requires the calculation of multidimensional proton vibrational wave functions and the incorporation of multiple proton donor-acceptor motions. The decrease in proton donor-acceptor distances due to thermal fluctuations and the contributions from excited electron-proton vibronic states play important roles in these systems. The calculated KIEs and the ratio of the standard rate constants for the single and double proton transfer systems are in agreement with the experimental data. The calculations indicate that the standard PCET rate constant is lower for the double proton transfer system because of the smaller overlap integral between the ground state reduced and oxidized proton vibrational wave functions, resulting in greater contributions from excited electron-proton vibronic states with higher free energy barriers. The theory predicts that this rate constant may be increased by modifying the molecule in a manner that decreases the equilibrium proton donor-acceptor distances or alters the molecular thermal motions to facilitate the concurrent decrease of these distances. These insights may guide the design of more efficient catalysts for energy conversion devices.     

Thermochemistry and accurate quantum reaction rate calculations for H2/HD/D2 + CH3

Accurate quantum-mechanical results for thermodynamic data, cumulative reaction probabilities (for J = 0), thermal rate constants, and kinetic isotope effects for the three isotopic reactions H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H, HD + CH3 --> CH4 + D, and D2 + CH3 --> CH(3)D + D are presented. The calculations are performed using flux correlation functions and the multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) method to propagate wave packets employing a Shephard interpolated potential energy surface based on high-level ab initio calculations. The calculated exothermicity for the H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H reaction agrees to within 0.2 kcal/mol with experimentally deduced values. For the H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H and D2 + CH3 --> CH(3)D + D reactions, experimental rate constants from several groups are available. In comparing to these, we typically find agreement to within a factor of 2 or better. The kinetic isotope effect for the rate of the H2 + CH3 --> CH4 + H reaction compared to those for the HD + CH3 --> CH4 + D and D2 + CH3 --> CH(3)D + D reactions agree with experimental results to within 25% for all data points. Transition state theory is found to predict the kinetic isotope effect accurately when the mass of the transferred atom is unchanged. On the other hand, if the mass of the transferred atom differs between the isotopic reactions, transition state theory fails in the low-temperature regime (T < 400 K), due to the neglect of the tunneling effect.     

Small temperature dependence of the kinetic isotope effect for the hydride transfer reaction catalyzed by Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase

The H/D primary kinetic isotope effect (KIE) for the hydride transfer reaction catalyzed by Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR) is calculated as a function of temperature employing ensemble-averaged variational transition-state theory with multidimensional tunneling. The calculated KIEs display only a small temperature dependence over the temperature range of 5 to 45 degrees C. We identify two key features that contribute to canceling most of the temperature dependence of the KIE that would be expected on the basis of simpler models. Related issues such as the isotope effects on Arrhenius preexponential factors, large differences between free energies of activation and Arrhenius activation energy, and fluctuations of effective barriers are also discussed.     

Proton-transfer reactions between nitroalkanes and hydroxide ion under non-steady-state conditions. Apparent and real kinetic isotope effects.

The kinetics of the proton-transfer reactions between 1-nitro-1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethane (NNPE(H(D))) and hydroxide ion in water/acetonitrile (50/50 vol %) were studied at temperatures ranging from 289 to 319 K. The equilibrium constants for the reactions are large under these conditions, ensuring that the back reaction is not significant. The extent of reaction/time profiles during the first half-lives are compared with theoretical data for the simple single-step mechanism and a 2-step mechanism involving initial donor/acceptor complex formation followed by unimolecular proton transfer and dissociation of ions. In all cases, the profiles for the reactions of both NNPE(H) and NNPE(D) deviate significantly from those expected for the simple single-step mechanism. Excellent fits of experimental data with theoretical data for the complex mechanism, in the pre-steady-state time period, were observed in all cases. At all base concentrations (0.5 to 5.0 mM) and at all temperatures the apparent kinetic isotope effects (KIE(app)) were observed to increase with increasing extent of reaction. Resolution of the kinetics into microscopic rate constants at 298 K resulted in a real kinetic isotope effect (KIE(real)) for the proton-transfer step equal to 22. Significant proton tunneling was further indicated by the temperature dependence of the rate constants for proton and deuteron transfers: KIE(real) ranging from 17 to 26, E(a)(D) -- E(a)(H) equal 2.8 kcal/mol, and A(D)/A(H) equal to 4.95.     

Excited-state double proton transfer of 7-azaindole dimers in a low-temperature organic glass

The excited-state double proton transfer of model DNA base pairs, 7-azaindole (7AI) dimers, is explored in a low-temperature organic glass of n-dodecane using picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Reaction mechanisms are found to depend on the conformations of 7AI dimers at the moment of excitation; whereas planar conformers tautomerize rapidly (<10 ps), twisted conformers undergo double proton transfer to form tautomeric dimers on the time scale of 250 ps at 8 K. The proton transfer is found to consist of two orthogonal steps: precursor-configurational optimization and intrinsic proton transfer via tunneling. The rate is almost isotope independent at cryogenic temperatures because configurational optimization is the rate-determining step of the overall proton transfer. This optimization is assisted by lattice vibrations below 150 K or by librational motions above 150 K.     

配合物[M(CO)3(PPh2py)2](M=Fe,Ru)异构体的理论研究

对PPh2py配合物[M(CO)3(PPh2py)2](M=Fe, Ru)的三种构型的异构体1-6进行了研究. 其中PPh2py以两个P原子与M配位形成HH构型1(Fe)和4(Ru), 以一个P和一个N原子与M配位形成HT构型2(Fe)和5(Ru), 以两个N原子与M配位形成HH’构型3(Fe)和6(Ru). 结果表明, (1) PPh2py中P原子对HOMO轨道的贡献最大, PPh2py作为电子给体时易以P原子与金属原子结合. (2)从分子能量和相互作用能数据表明, 配合物中HH构型最稳定, HH'构型最不稳定, 这与合成产物为HH构型的结果一致. (3) 键长和Wiberg键级均表明P—M键比N—M键结合力强. P、M原子间存在σ键, 而N、Fe原子间仅存在nN→n*M或nN→σ*M-P的电荷转移作用. (4) HH构型中M对HOMO的贡献最大, PPh2py向M的电荷转移最强, 使M的负电荷最大, 故HH构型最易作为电子给体以M原子与第二个金属配位形成双核配合物.