Effect of charged and excited states on the decomposition of 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene molecules

The authors have calculated the electronic structure of individual 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene molecules (FOX-7) in the gas phase by means of density functional theory with the hybrid B3LYP functional and 6-31+G(d,p) basis set and considered their dissociation pathways. Positively and negatively charged states as well as the lowest excited states of the molecule were simulated. They found that charging and excitation can not only reduce the activation barriers for decomposition reactions but also change the dominating chemistry from endo- to exothermic type. In particular, they found that there are two competing primary initiation mechanisms of FOX-7 decomposition: C-NO2 bond fission and C-NO2 to CONO isomerization. Electronic excitation or charging of FOX-7 disfavors CONO formation and, thus, terminates this channel of decomposition. However, if CONO is formed from the neutral FOX-7 molecule, charge trapping and/or excitation results in spontaneous splitting of an NO group accompanied by the energy release. Intramolecular hydrogen transfer is found to be a rare event in FOX-7 unless free electrons are available in the vicinity of the molecule, in which case HONO formation is a feasible exothermic reaction with a relatively low energy barrier. The effect of charged and excited states on other possible reactions is also studied. Implications of the obtained results to FOX-7 decomposition in condensed state are discussed.     

Chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diammonium salt catalysts for the enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction with alpha-acyloxyacroleins

[reaction: see text] A diammonium salt of chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine and trifluoromethanesulfonimide (Tf(2)NH) shows excellent catalytic activity and enantioselectivity for the Diels-Alder reaction of alpha-acyloxyacroleins with cyclic dienes. For example, in the presence of 5 mol % of the ammonium catalyst, the Diels-Alder reaction of alpha-(cyclohexanecarbonyloxy)acrolein with cyclopentadiene proceeded in EtCN at -75 degrees C to give the adducts in 88% yield with 92% exo and 91% ee. This catalyst can be easily prepared in situ by mixing the commercially available chiral diamine and Tf(2)NH.     

Evidence of a 1,4-dipole intermediate in the reaction of 1-phenyl-4-vinylpyrazole with ptad

1-Phenyl-4-vinylpyrazole reacts with 1-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione in methylene chloride to form an unstable azetidine (4). An intermediate 1,4-dipole is probably involved since, when the reaction is conducted in acetone, a 1:1:1 adduct (3) is isolated.     

Mechanistic studies of the ethylene trimerization reaction with chromium-diphosphine catalysts: experimental evidence for a mechanism involving metallacyclic intermediates

A system for catalytic trimerization of ethylene utilizing CrCl3(THF)3 and a diphosphine ligand PNPOMe [= (o-MeO-C6H4)2PN(Me)P(o-MeO-C6H4)2] has been investigated. The coordination chemistry of chromium with PNPOMe has been explored, and (PNPOMe)CrCl3 and (PNPOMe)CrPh3 (3) have been synthesized by ether displacement from chromium(III) precursors. Salt metathesis of (PNPOMe)CrCl3 with o,o'-biphenyldiyl Grignard affords (PNPOMe)Cr(o,o'-biphenyldiyl)Br (4). Activation of 3 with H(Et2O)2B[C6H3(CF3)2]4 or 4 with NaB[C6H3(CF3)2]4 generates a catalytic system and trimerizes a 1:1 mixture of C2D4 and C2H4 to give isotopomers of 1-hexene without H/D scrambling (C6D12, C6D8H4, C6D4H8, and C6H12 in a 1:3:3:1 ratio). The lack of crossover supports a mechanism involving metallacyclic intermediates. The mechanism of the ethylene trimerization reaction has also been studied by the reaction of trans-, cis-, and gem-ethylene-d2 with 4 upon activation with NaB[C6H3(CF3)2]4.     

Presumptive evidence for an intermediate oxirane in the reaction of phenylfluorocarbene with cyclohexenone

Reaction of phenylfluorocarbene with 2-cyclohexen-1-one affords cyclopropane isomers 2a and 2b via CC addition, as well as the fluoroketone isomers 1a and 1b, apparent rearrangement products of oxiranes 3 formed by carbene addition at CO.     

Mechanistic studies of the biosynthesis of 2-thiosugar: evidence for the formation of an enzyme-bound 2-ketohexose intermediate in BexX-catalyzed reaction

The first mechanistic insight into 2-thiosugar production in an angucycline-type antibiotic, BE-7585A, is reported. d-Glucose 6-phosphate was identified as the substrate for the putative thiosugar biosynthetic protein, BexX, by trapping the covalently bonded enzyme-substrate intermediate. The site-specific modification at K110 residue was determined by mutagenesis studies and LC-MS/MS analysis. A key intermediate carrying a keto functionality was confirmed to exist in the enzyme-substrate complex. These results suggest that the sulfur insertion mechanism in 2-thiosugar biosynthesis shares similarities with that for thiamin biosynthesis.     

Interaction between dyes and polyelectrolytes. I. Effect of polyelectrolytes on the reaction of methylene blue with 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide

The effect of polyelectrolytes on the reaction of methylene blue with 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide was investigated. An accelerating effect was observed on addition of sodium polystyrenesulfonate of poly(potassium p-styrenesulfonate). On the other hand, deceleration was observed on addition of potassium polyvinylsulfate. No appreciable effect was observed when sodium p-toluenesulfonate or potassium chloride was used as an electrolyte. An obvious color change was observed when methylene blue is bound to these anionic polyelectrolytes. Some correlations with spectral change of methylene blue and acceleration or deceleration effect are discussed.     

Computational Investigation on the Surface Electronic Density, Morphology and Detonation Property of 1,1-Diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene （FOX-7） Crystal

The present study constructed and optimized FOX-7 crystal using a novel technique including grand canonical monte carlo (GCMC), density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) methods. Therein, the crystal density, atomic and electronic actions were considered. The results showed that the 1.96 g?cm-3 FOX-7 crystal has the highest stability and detonation properties, such as the total crystal energy, surface electronic density, friction sensitivity, detonation pressure, and so on. These results are close to the experimental data.     

1,1′-联萘-2,2′-二胺的结构和外消旋机理的DFT研究

运用电子密度泛函理论(DFT)研究了1,1′-联萘-2,2′-二胺光学构象的稳定性、消旋异构化过程及机理。研究表明:2,2′-BINAM有三种稳定构型,每一种构型都有两个镜面对映异构体。2,2′-BINAM的异构化有两种类型:一是氨基围绕离域大π键所在平面进行翻转;另一是两个萘环围绕C1-C1′键进行旋转。     

Facile synthesis of 6-iodo-2,2′-dipivaloyloxy-1,1′-binaphthyl, a key intermediate of high reactivity for selective palladium-catalyzed monofunctionalization of the 1,1′-binaphthalene core

A high-yielding procedure for selective monoiodination of 2,2′-dihydroxy-1,1′-binaphthyl (BINOL) is reported. 6-Iodo-2,2′-dipivaloyloxy-1,1′-binaphthyl, obtained in three steps starting from BINOL in 88% overall yield, proved to be a highly efficient substrate in various palladium-catalyzed coupling (Stille, Heck, Sonogashira, and Suzuki coupling) and carbonylation reactions compared to the analogous 6-bromo derivative.     

Superoxide anion is the intermediate in the oxygen reduction reaction on platinum electrodes

We identified the superoxide anion as the intermediate in the oxygen (O2) reduction reaction on a platinum (Pt) electrode in alkaline solution (pH = 11) using a surface-enhanced infrared spectroscopy technique with an attenuated total reflection mode. Spectral and voltammetry data, together with the vibrational frequencies calculated using the density functional theory, provide evidence for the formation of O2-. The supporting evidence includes similar spectra that we obtained for O2 reduction on Pt in acetonitrile solutions and a lack of spectra in the absence of O2 or its reduction. The appearance of O2- means that the series reaction pathway operates during O2 reduction on Pt electrodes in alkaline solutions and very likely also in acid solutions. This finding opens up the possibility of formulating a detailed reaction mechanism on surfaces supporting a four-electron reduction, which is critical in completely understanding the kinetics of O2 reduction, thus resolving dilemmas in the theoretical treatment of its kinetics and the design of new electrocatalysts.     

DFT evidence for a stepwise mechanism in the O-neophyl rearrangement of 1,1-diarylalkoxyl radicals

Hybrid DFT calculations of the potential energy surface (PES) relative to the O-neophyl rearrangement of a series of ring-substituted 1,1-diarylalkoxyl radicals have been carried out at the UB3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. On the basis of the computational data, the rearrangement can be described as a consecutive reaction of the type a <--/--> b --> c (see above graphic), and the steady-state approximation could be applied in all cases to the intermediate b. The first-order rearrangement rate constants [kobs = k1k2/(k-1 + k2)] were thus obtained from the computed activation free-energies and were compared with the experimental rate constants measured previously in MeCN solution by laser flash photolysis. An excellent agreement is observed along the two series, which strongly supports the hypothesis that the O-neophyl rearrangement of 1,1-diarylalkoxyl radicals proceeds through the formation of the reactive 1-oxaspiro [2,5]octadienyl radical intermediate. This is in contrast to previous hypotheses that involve either a long-lived intermediate or the absence of this intermediate along the reaction path. The calculated rearrangement free-energies decrease upon going from the methoxy-substituted radical (Delta G degrees = -16.4 kcal x mol-1) to the nitro-substituted one (Delta G degrees = -21.8 kcal x mol-1), which follows a trend that is similar to the one observed for the CAr-O bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) of ring-substituted anisoles. This evidence indicates that in the O-neophyl rearrangement the effect of ring substituents on the strength of the newly formed CAr-O bond plays an important role.     

Mechanistic study on the reaction of pinB-BMes2 with alkynes based on experimental investigation and DFT calculations: gradual change of mechanism depending on the substituent

Transition metal-free direct and base-catalyzed 1,2-diborations of arylacetylenes using pinB-BMes₂ provided a syn/anti-isomeric mixture of diborylalkenes. The kinetic analysis showed that the reaction rate and isomer ratio were affected by reaction conditions and substituents on the aryl ring. DFT calculations indicated that direct addition proceeded via the interaction of acetylene-π with the BMes₂ fragment. In contrast, for the base-catalyzed diboration, the previously isolated sp²–sp³ diborane and borataallene were confirmed as stable intermediates by calculations. The whole reaction pathways can be divided into the Bpin-migration and deprotonation steps, where the borataallene should be considered as a common intermediate. It should be noted that the deprotonation step is reversible and affords the kinetically less favoured isomer under the thermodynamic conditions. As a result, the composition of isomeric products, in the base-catalyzed diboration, is attributed to the small difference of activation barriers between direct and base-catalyzed systems.

Combination of kinetic and DFT studies revealed a subtle balance for substituent effect toward the regioselectivity of the product in metal-free and base-catalyzed diboration of arylacetylenes.     

Theoretical prediction of a perepoxide intermediate for the reaction of singlet oxygen with trans-cyclooctene contrasts with the two-step no-intermediate ene reaction for acyclic alkenes

B3LYP/6-31G* and CASMP2 calculations have been employed to study the ene reaction of singlet oxygen with trans-cyclooctene. These methods predict that the reaction involves a perepoxide intermediate, whereas alkenes such as tetramethylethylene are predicted by the same methods to occur by a two-step no-intermediate mechanism, with no perepoxide intermediate. The change in mechanism arises because the trans-cyclooctene imposes a substantial strain in the transition state for hydrogen abstraction. The perepoxide is formed through a polarized diradical intermediate that can lead to the observation of alkene isomerization. The polarized diradical also becomes a minimum because of the barrier to abstraction.     

2 - 芳基 -4- 苯基 -2, 3- 二氢 -1, 5- 苯并二氮杂卓与重氮乙酸乙酯反应机 理和 立体化学的研究

2-芳基-4-苯基-2,3-二氢-1,5-苯并二氮杂卓与重氮乙酸乙酯在铜粉催化下反应,得到环加成产物吖丙啶并苯并二氮杂卓I外,还得到一个非预期的五员环产物吡咯并苯并二氮杂卓II。改变反应条件可以使化合物II的收率达到50%。通过研究反应过程中分离出的副产物反丁烯酸二乙酯III和4,5-二氢吡唑-3,4,5-三羧酸乙酯IV,初步提出了反应经过乙氧羰基甲基化苯并二氮杂卓翁中间体V再发生环加成反应的机制。通过X-射线单晶衍射分析和NMR分析研究了它们的立体化学,发现为立体专一性反应。