Isomerization and fragmentation of aliphatic ether radical cations: Interconversion of distonic ions and cyclopropane intermediates

The reactions of propyl ether radical cations close to threshold are initiated by (reversible) formation of γ-disitonic isomers, R$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $ (H)CH₂CH₂CH₂^·. The three methylene groups in these ions lose their positional identity by ring closure/ring opening via [cyclopropane + alcohol]^+· intermediates. Extensive hydrogen exchange occurs within the C₃-chain. When R is not methyl the γ-distonic isomer undergoes further intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer reactions that lead to formation of α- and β-distonic ions. The α-distonic isomers expel ethyl and propyl radicals by C? O bond cleavage.     

Mass spectra of some (Z)-α-Phenyl-β-(2-thienyl)acrylonitriles

The mass spectra of some (Z)α-(4-R′-phenyl)-β-(2-thienyl-5-R)acrylonitriles (R = H, CH₃, Br; R′ = H, CH₃O, CH₃, Cl, NO₂) at 70 eV are reported. Mass spectra exhibit pronounced molecular ions. The compound's where R = H, and CH₃ are characterized by the occurrence of a strong [M - H]⁺ peak. Moreover, in all the compounds a m/z 177 peak occurs. In the compounds where R = H, [M - HS]* and [M - CHS]* ions are present except the nitroderivatives. Where R = CH₃, [M - HS]⁺ ion occurs.     

Methylene radical cation transfer from ionized oxirane to CH3SCH3 and C6H5SCH3 in the gas phase: Formation of sulphur distonic ions and/or insertion in a carbon–sulphur bond

The α-distonic sulphur-containing ion $ {}^ \cdot {\rm CH}_2 \mathop {\rm S}\limits^ + \left({{\rm CH}_3 } \right)_2 $ has been generated by transfer of CH from ionized oxirane to dimethyl thioether and distinguished from the molecular ion of ethyl methyl thioether by collision induced dissociation (CID) experiments. In particular, the α-distonic ion expels CH₂ to a minor extent following collision, whereas the molecular ion of ethyl methyl thioether does not undergo this reaction. The metastable C₃H₈S^+˙ ions formed by CH transfer to dimethyl thioether and ionization of ethyl methyl thioether decompose by competing losses of CH₃R˙, CH₄ and C₂H₄. The elimination of ethene is taken as evidence for isomerization of the α-distonic ion to the molecular ion of ethyl methyl thioether prior to spontaneous dissociation. Evidence for the formation of stable α-distonic sulphur-containing ions by transfer of CH from ionized oxirane to methyl phenyl thioether has not been obtained. The collision-induced and spontaneous reactions of the ions formed by CH transfer to methyl phenyl thioether indicate that a mixture of the radical cations of CH₃C₆H₄SCH₃, C₆H₅SCH₂CH₃ and C₆H₅CH₂SCH₃ is generated implying that attack on the phenyl group occurs in addition to a formal insertion of a methylene entity in a C? S bond.     

The mass spectral fragmentation of 2,2′-bis-trimethylsilylbenzhydrylethers. An indication for transannular hydrogen/deuterium rearrangements and transannular elimination reactions

The mass spectra of the methyl-, trideuteromethyl-, ethyl- and pentadeuteroethylethers of 2,2′-bis-trimethylsilylbenzhydrol are reported. The most significant ions arise from the [M – CH₃]⁺ ion, formed by loss of a methyl radical from one of the trimethylsilyl groups. After ring formation by interaction of the siliconium ion centre with an aromatic nucleus, the ion loses (CH₃)₃Si? OR (R = CH₃, C₂H₅, CD₃ and C₂D₅), giving ion m/e 223. The fragment (CH₃)₃Si? OCH₃ is also eliminated in the four ethers investigated from the ion [M – R]⁺. Attack of the siliconium ion. Indications are found for a transannular hydrogen/deuterium rearrangement and a transannular elimination reaction. The intensity of some peaks in the spectra are discussed in relation to group R.     

Reactions unimoleculaires des cations radicaux [CH3(CH2)n-1-NH2]+ en phase gazeuse

In the gas phase [CH₃-(CH₂)_n-1-NH₂]^+. radical cations isomerize prior to the dissociation. The reaction begins with a reversible transfer of one hydrogen in position 4, 5 or 6 to the nitrogen ; one of the C(2) hydrogens migrates to the radical site so formed to give [1-alkene, NH₃]^+. adduct ion. This latter also can be formed by an ion-molecu1e reaction. An abundant formation of CH₃-C⁺H-NH₂ ions is observed after 1–5 and 1–6 hydrogen transfers.Each step of this process is compared with the behaviour of aminium radical cations in condensed phase.     

Stable γ-distonic oxonium ions: R\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $\end{document}HCHR′ĊH2CHR″ and their characteristic reaction

The γ-distonic radical ions R$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $CHR′CH₂?HR″ and their molecular ion counterparts R$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^{{\rm + } \cdot } $CHR′CH₂CH₂R″ have been studied by isotopic labelling and collision-induced dissociation, applying a potential to the collision cell in order to separate activated from spontaneous decompositions. The stability of CH₃$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH(CH₃)CH₂?HCH₃, C₂H₅$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH(CH₃)CH₂?HCH₃, CH₃$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH(CH₃)CH₂?H₂, CH₃$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH₂CH₂?HCH₃ and C₂H₅$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH₂CH₂?HCH₃, has been demonstrated and their characteristic decomposition, alcohol loss, identified. For all these γ-distonic ions, the 1,4-H abstraction leading to their molecular ion counterpart exhibits a primary isotope effect.     

Mass spectra of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and their dimethyl esters: Cyclic structures for the [M − H2O]+˙ ions from the diacids and [M − MeOH]+˙ ions from the dimethyl esters

Methyl 2-oxocycIoalkane carboxylate structures are proposed lor the [M ? MeOH]^+˙ ions from dimethyl adipate, pimelate, suberate and azelate. This proposal is based on a comparison of the metastable ion mass spectra and the kinetic energy releases for the major fragmentation reaction of these species with the same data for the molecular ions of authentic cyclic β-keto esters. The mass spectra of α,α,α′,α′-d₄-pimelic acid and its dimethyl ester indicate that the α-hydrogens are involved only to a minor extent in the formation of [M ? ROH]^+˙ and [M ? 2ROH]^+˙ ions, while these α-hydrogens are involved almost exclusively in the loss of ROH from the [M ? RO˙]⁺ ions (R = H or CH₃). The molecules XCO(CH₂)₇COOMe (X = OH, Cl) form abundant ions in their mass spectra with the same structure as the [M ? 2MeOH]^+˙ ions from dimethyl azelate.     

The ionized methylene transfer from the distonic radical cation +CH2-O-CH2 to heterocyclic compounds. A pentaquadrupole mass spectrometric study

Ion-molecule reactions of the mass-selected distonic radical cation ⁺CH₂-O-CH ₂ ^· (1) with several heterocyclic compounds have been investigated by multiple stage mass spectro- metric experiments performed in a pentaquadrupole mass spectrometer. Reactions with pyridine, 2-, 3-, and 4-ethyl, 2-methoxy, and 2-n-propyl pyridine occur mainly by transfer of CH ₂ ^+· to the nitrogen, which yields distonic N-methylene-pyridinium radical cations. The MS³ spectra of these products display very characteristic collision-induced dissociation chemistry, which is greatly affected by the position of the substituent in the pyridine ring. Ortho isomers undergo a δ-cleavage cyclization process induced by the free-radical character of the N-methylene group that yields bicyclic pyridinium cations. On the other hand, extensive CH ₂ ^+· transfer followed by rapid hydrogen atom loss, that is, a net CH⁺ transfer, occurs not to the heteroatoms, but to the aromatic ring of furan, thiophene, pyrrole, and N-methyl pyrrole. The reaction proceeds through five- to six-membered ring expansion, which yields the pyrilium, thiapyrilium, N-protonated, and N-methylated pyridine cations, respectively, as indicated by MS³ scans. Ion 1 fails to transfer CH ₂ ^+· to tetrahydrofuran, whereas a new α-distonic sulfur ion is formed in reactions with tetrahydrothiophene. Unstable N-methylene distonic ions, likely formed by transfer of CH ₂ ^+· to the nitrogen of piperidine and pyrrolidine, undergo rapid fragmentation by loss of the α-NH hydrogen to yield closed-shell immonium cations. The most thermodynamically favorable products are formed in these reactions, as estimated by ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-31G(d,p)//6-31G(d,p) + ZPE level of theory.     

Electron Impact Induced Fragmentation of Aromatic Alkoxyimines II [5]. Formation and Transformation of Heterocyclic Radical Cations in the Gas Phase<Superscript>a</Superscript>

Summary.  The molecular ion 1 of N-(n-propoxy)benzaldimine I rearranges by an 1,5-H-shift to the δ-distonic ion 2 which subsequently cyclizes to the α-distonic ion 3. Homolytic cleavage of the N–O bond in 3 results in the δ-distonic ion 4 which expels CH₂O leading to the β-distonic ion 5. Ion 5 is also formed from the molecular ions of tetrahydrooxazines II and III and from M^+• of phenylazetidine IVa. In a subsequent step, ion 5 cyclizes to the N-protonated 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium ion 6. The syntheses of II–IV and their derivatives are described. Corresponding author. E-mail: wolfgang.wiegrebe@chemie.uni-regensburg.de Received February 12, 2002; accepted (revised) April 9, 2002 RID="a" ID="a" Dedicated to Prof. Dr. J. Knabe, Saarbrücken, Germany     

Mass spectra of alkenyl methyl ethers

Electron impact ionization mass spectra of numerous alkenyl methyl ethers C_nH_2n-1OCH₃ (n = 3–6) recorded under normal (4 kV, 70 eV, 175°C) and low-energy, low-temperature (8 kV, 12 eV, 75 °C) conditions are reported. The influence of the position and stereochemistry of the double bond on the dissociation of ionized alkenyl methyl ethers is discussed. The mechanisms by which these ethers fragment after ionization have been further investigated using extensive ²H-labelling experiments and by studying the energy dependence of the reactions. Ethers of allylic alcohols show spectra that are distinct from those of the isomeric species in which the double bond is separated by one or more sp³ carbon atoms from the carbon atom carrying the methoxy group. Three principal primary fragmentations are observed. The most common process, especially for ionized ethers of allylic alcohols, is loss of an alkyl group. This reaction often occurs by simple α-cleavage of radical-cations of the appropriate structure; however, alkyl groups attached to either end of the double bond are also readily lost. These formal β- and γ-cleavages are explained in terms of rearrangements via distonic ions and, at least in the case of γ-cleavages, ionized methoxycyclopropanes. Ionized homoallyl methyl ethers tend to eliminate an allylic radical, particularly at high internal energies, with formation of an oxonium ion (CH₃ ⁺O?CH₂ or CH₃ ⁺O?CHCH₃). The ethers of linear pentenols and hexenols show abundant [M - CH₃OH]⁺? ions in their spectra, especially when a terminal methoxy group is present Methanol loss also takes place from ionized ethers of allylic alcohols in which there is a Δ-hydrogen atom; this process is significantly favoured by cis, rather than trans, stereochemistry of the double bond.     

Electron Impact Induced Fragmentation of Aromatic Alkoxyimines II [5]. Formation and Transformation of Heterocyclic Radical Cations in the Gas Phasea

 The molecular ion 1 of N-(n-propoxy)benzaldimine I rearranges by an 1,5-H-shift to the δ-distonic ion 2 which subsequently cyclizes to the α-distonic ion 3. Homolytic cleavage of the N–O bond in 3 results in the δ-distonic ion 4 which expels CH₂O leading to the β-distonic ion 5. Ion 5 is also formed from the molecular ions of tetrahydrooxazines II and III and from M^+• of phenylazetidine IVa. In a subsequent step, ion 5 cyclizes to the N-protonated 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium ion 6. The syntheses of II–IV and their derivatives are described.     

α-Distonic ions as transient species in the reactions of metastable alkyl benzoate radical cations

The key intermediates to the fragmentation of metastable methyl and ethyl benzoate radical cations are α- and β-distonic isomers of the molecular ions. The α-distocic isomers are also formed by fragmentation of longer chain alkyl benzoates, but may not be long-lived, stable species. Rearrangement of the α-distonic ions prior to fragmentation can take place, but (re)formation of the benzoate molecular ions does not occur.     

Some mixed cyclopentadienyl–indenyl zirconium complexes with PhCH2 or PhCH2CH2 substituents in ethylene polymerization

(RCp)(R′Ind)ZrCl₂ complexes 1 – 6 (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; Ind = indenyl; 1 , R = PhCH₂ and R′ = H; 2 , R = PhCH₂ and R′ = PhCH₂; 3 , R = PhCH₂CH₂ and R′ = H; 4 , R = PhCH₂CH₂ and R′ = PhCH₂; 5 , R = o‐Me? PhCH₂CH₂ and R′ = H; 6 , R = o‐Me? PhCH₂ and R′ = H) were synthesized and characterized with ¹H NMR, elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy. Their catalytic behaviors were compared with those of (Et₃SiCp)(PhCH₂CH₂Cp)ZrCl₂, (PhCH₂Cp)₂ZrCl₂, (PhCH₂‐ CH₂Cp)₂ZrCl₂, (o‐Me? PhCH₂CH₂Cp)₂ZrCl₂, and (Ind)₂ZrCl₂ in ethylene polymerization in the presence of methylaluminoxane. Complex 5 showed high activity up to 2.43 × 10⁶ g of polyethylene (PE)/mol of Zr h, and complex 4 produced PE with bimodal molecular weight distributions. The methyl group at the 2‐position of phenyl in complex 5 increased the activity greatly. The relationships between the polymerization results and the structures were analyzed with NMR spectral data. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 1261–1269, 2005     

The carbenium ion - oxonium ion exchange processes related to vinyl and ring-opening polymerization

It has previously been proposed (Ref. 1) that in the cationic vinyl polymerizations, proceeding with termination due to the collapse of ion pairs, addition of bases increases “livingness”, because of the fast convertion of the otherwise dead (within the time of polymerization) covalent species into the onium ions; these, in turn, fast convert into carbenium ions, the actually propagating species. Equilibria between carbenium ions (CH₃OCH₂⁺A⁻ has been used as a model) and their onium counterparts ((CH₃)₂O taken as a model base) as well as between covalent species (CH₃OCH₂OSO₂CF₃) and the corresponding oxonium ion (with a (CH₃)₂O ligand) have been studied by dynamic ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR. Total ionization of methoxymethyl triflate (CH₃OCH₂OSO₂CF₃) has been shown to increase indeed from 10⁴ (-10°C) to 10⁶ (-70°C) times when 1,0 mol·L⁻¹ of (CH₃)₂O is added. Although this model system better describes polymerization of cyclic acetals than that of vinyl ethers, it shows at least qualitatively the importance of bases in ionization of covalent species, which may be responsible for reinitiation in the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers.     

Distonic ions of the “ate” class

The gas phase synthesis, structure, and reactivity of distonic negative ions of the “ate” class are described. “Ate”-class negative ions are readily prepared in the gas phase by addition of neutral Lewis acids, such as BF₃, BH₃, and AlMe₃, to molecular anions, carbene negative ions, and radical anions of biradicals. The ions contain either localized σ- or delocalized π-type radical moieties remote from relatively inert borate and aluminate charge sites. The free radical reactivity displayed by these ions appears to be independent of the charge site. As an example, the distonic alkynyl radical (·C≡CBF₃⁻) is highly reactive and undergoes radical coupling reactions with NO₂, NO, H₂C=CH-CN, and H₂C=CH-CH₃. Radical-mediated group and atom transfers are observed with O₂, CS₂, and CH₃SSCH₃. Furthermore, H-atom abstraction reactions are observed, in accordance with the predicted high C-H bond strength of this species [DH₂₉₈(H-C₂BF₃⁻)=130.8 kcal mol⁻¹]. High level ab initio molecular orbital calculations on the prototype “ate”-class distonic ion · CH₂BH₃⁻ and its conventional isomer CH₃BH₂^·− reveal that CH₃BH₂^·− is 3.2 kcal/mol more stable than the α-distonic form. However, the calculations also show that CH₃BH₂^·− is unstable with respect to electron detachment, and only the α-distonic form ·CH₂BH₃⁻ should be experimentally observed in the gas phase.     

Synthesis of β‐monosubstituted α,β‐unsaturated amides with Z‐selectivity using diphenylphosphonoacetamides

The utility of diphenylphosphonoacetamides [(PhO)₂P(O)CH₂CONRR′] as Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reagents was examined with five different patterns of substitution upon the amide nitrogen atom ( 2a : R, R′ = CH₂Ph; 2b : R = CH₂Ph, R′ = H; 2c : R = Me, R′ = OMe; 2d : R, R′ = Ph; 2e : R, R′ = (CH₂)₄). The reaction of 2a was found to be Z‐selective for aromatic aldehydes with selectivities up to 95:5. Reagent 2b led to reasonable selectivity for both benzaldehyde (85:15) and 3‐phenylpropionaldehyde (87:13), while 2c was somewhat effective for only the latter alkyl aldehyde (83:17). Compounds 2d and 2e exhibited slightly lower selectivities compared with 2a . © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 15:515–523, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20054     

Characterization of isomeric [CH5P]+˙ and [C2H7P]+˙ radical cations and some [C2H6P]+ phosphonium ions in the gas phase by their collisional activation spectra

Collisional activation spectra were used to characterize isomeric ion structures for [CH₅P]^+˙ and [C₂H₇P]^+˙ radical cations and [C₂H₆P]⁺ even-electron ions. Apart from ionized methylphosphane, [CH₃PH₂]^+˙, ions of structure [CH₂PH₃]^+˙ appear to be stable in the gas phase. Among the isomeric [C₂H₇P]^+˙ ions stable ion structures [CH₂PH₂CH₃]^+˙ and [CH₂CH₂PH₃]^+˙/[CH₃CHPH₃]^+˙ are proposed as being generated by appropriate dissociative ionization reactions of alkyl phosphanes. At least three isomeric [C₂H₆]⁺ ions appear to exist, of which \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm CH}_{\rm 3} - \mathop {\rm P}\limits^{\rm + } {\rm H = CH}_{\rm 2} $\end{document} could be identified positively.     

The Radical Anion of 2,7-Diazapyrene,a Change in Orbital Sequence on Protonation

ESR.-spectra are reported for the radical anion I · Θ of 2,7-diazapyrene (I), along with those for the radical cations I(2H) · ⊕ and I(2 CH₃) · ⊕ of 2,7-dihydro-2,7-diazapyrene and its 2,7-dimethyl-derivative, respectively. In contrast to the analogous radical ions of 4,4′-bipyridyl (II) and other previously studied diazaaromatic compounds, there is a striking change in the ¹⁴N and proton coupling constants on going from the radical anion I · Θ to the radical cations I(2H) · ⊕ and I(2 CH₃) · ⊕. This change can be rationalized in terms of the HMO model of the pyrene π-system. A reversal in the energy sequence of the lowest antibonding orbitals is predicted upon an increase in the absolute value of the Coulomb integral for the azasubstituted π-centres, such an increase simulating the enhanced electronegativity of the azanitrogen atoms 2 and 7 on protonation.     

Chemically-derivatized nickel surfaces: Synthesis of a new class of stable electrode interfaces

The interactions of protonic acids (HClO₄ and CF₃SO₃H) and of alkylating agents (CF₃SO₃Et and Et₃O⁺BF₄^?) with cyclic ethers and 1,3-dioxacycloalkane s (DCA) in CH₂Cl₂ have been studied by dc polarography (DCP) and differential pulse polarography (DPP). All the reductions were irreversible and kinetically controlled. There is no indication that HClO₄ reacts with THF or OXP; with CF₃SO₃H the decrease of the signals due to the acid may indicate the formation of a product (sec. oxonium ion or ester) or it may be due merely to a modification of the mercury surface by the oxacyclic compound which produces a reduction in the kinetic current; no new signals appear.For the various DCAs with CF₃SO₃Et, 1,3-dioxepan (DXP) gave the clearest indication of reactions occurring and the signals have been assigned (tentatively) to EtDXP⁺ and to the hemiformal ester EtO(CH₂)₄OCH₂OSO₂CF₃. For 1,3-dioxolan (DXL) the picture was less clear, and there was no evidence that 1,3,6-trioxan (TXA) was alkylated.Our study of the DCA with acids gave no evidence that DXL interacts with HClO₄ or CF₃SO₃H, which is due to the exceptionally low basicity of DXL. The signals obtained with DXP and 1,3,6-trioxocan (TXC) are assigned to a molecular complex H₂A⁺-DCA, to the sec-oxonium ion HDCA⁺, and to the hemiformal ester HO(CH₂)₄OCH₂OA.It is concluded that the polarographic behaviour of all the species involved is so complicated that our original aim of distinguishing by this technique between sec. and tert. oxonium ions is not feasible.The sec. oxonium ions formed from cyclic ethers or DCA in conc. H₂SO₄, whose existence was indicated by the PMR spectra, could not be detected polarographically as their reduction potentials were outside the “potential window”.     

β-Alkoxycarbonyl Alkyl Tin Chelates 2. Dithizonates – Preparation and Spectroscopic Studies

Dithizone forms stable complexes with β-alkoxycarbonyl ethyl tin chlorides (the so called “Estertins” – a unique class of PVC stabilizer). Reduction of Lewis acidity of the resulting organotin chloride can improve the efficiency of a stabilizer and therefore the β-alkoxycarbonyl ethyl tin dithizonates are likely to show PVC stabilization property. A number of β-alkoxycarbonyl ethyl tin dithizonates of the types R₂SnL₂, R₂SnLX, and RSnL₂X where R = CH₃OCOCH₂CH₂–, C₄H₉OCOCH₂CH₂–, and CH₃OCOCH(CH₃)CH₂–; X = Cl, SCN and L = Dithizone (i. e. 1,5-diphenyl thiocarbazone) and one complex (CH₃OCOCH₂CH₂)₂SnL′Cl where L′ = Diphenylcarbazone have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, electronic, IR and PMR spectral data. Possible structural features of the isolated complexes have also been discussed. Preliminary evaluation of the complex (CH₃OCOCH₂CH₂)₂Sn(HDz)₂ as a PVC stabilizer has also been reported.