Phototransformations of azetidine radical cations stabilized in freonic matrices

It has been established that transformations of azetidine radical cations observed in freonic matrices under the action of light with λ = 436 nm (T = 77 K) are associated with C-N bond cleavage which corresponds to the cyclic form yielding a mixture of open distonic C-centered radical cations of the following structure: ·CH₂CH₂CH=NH ₂ ⁺      

CH2 + transfer to pyridine nucleophiles: a means of producing α-distonic ions

The distonic radical cation C₅H₅N⁺?^·CH₂ can be generated by the reactions of neutral pyridine with the radical cations of cyclopropane, ethylene oxide, and ketene, as well as with the [C₃H₆]⁺ ion from fragmentation of tetrahydrofuran. The distonic product ion can be distinguished from isomeric methylpyridine radical cations because the former gives characteristic [M?CH₂]⁺, [M ? CH₂NCH]⁺, and a doubly charged ion, all of which are produced on collisional activation. Furthermore, the distonic species completely transfers CH₂ ⁺ to more nucleophilic, substituted pyridines. These properties are all consistent with the assigned distonic structure. Another distonic isomer, the (3-methylene) pyridinium ion, can be distinguished from the (1-methylene)pyridinium ion on the basis of their different fragmentation behaviors. The latter ion exhibits higher stability (lower reactivity) than the prototypal [·CH₂NH₃ ⁺], making available a distonic species whose bimolecular reactivity can be readily investigated.     

Distonic radical cations : Guidelines for the assessment of their stability

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations on the distonic radical cations CH₂(CH₂)_nN⁺H₃ and their conventional isomers CH₃(CH₂)_nNH₂+ (n = 0,1, 2 and 3) indicate a preference in each case for the distonic isomer. The energy difference appears to converge with increasing n towards a limit which is close to the energy difference between the component systems CH₃·H₂+CH₃^+NH₃ (representing the distonic isomer) and CH₃CH₃+CH₃NH₂+ (representing the conventional isomer). The generality of this result is assessed by using results for the component systems CH₃·Y+CH₃X⁺H and CH₃YH+CH₃X^+. (or CH₃YH^+. + CH₃X) to predict the relative energies of the distonic ions ·Y(CH₂)_nX⁺H and their conventional isomers HY(CH₂)nX^+. (X = NH₂, OH, F, PH₂, SH, Cl; Y = CH₂, NH, O) and testing the predictions through explicit calculations for systems with n = 0,1 and 2. Although the predictions based on component systems are often close to the results of direct calculations, there are substantial discrepancies in a number of cases; the reasons for such discrepancies are discussed. Caution must be exercised in applying this and related predictive schemes. For the systems examined in the present study, the conventional radical cation is predicted in most cases to lie lower in energy than its distonic isomer. It is found that the more important factors contributing to a preference for distonic over conventional radical cations are the presence in the system of a group(X) with high proton affinity and the absence of a group (X, Y or perturbed (C—C) with low ionization energy.     

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.     

Methyl propionate radical cation

Examination of the reactions of the long-lived (>0.5-s) radical cations of CD₃CH₂COOCH₃ and CH₃CH₂COOCD₃ indicates that the long-lived, nondecomposing methyl propionate radical cation CH₃CH₂C(O)OCH ₃ ^+· isomerizes to its enol form CH₃CH=C(OH)OCH ₃ ^+· (ΔH _{isomerization} ? ?32 kcal/mol) via two different pathways in the gas phase in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. A 1,4-shift of a β-hydrogen of the acid moiety to the carbonyl oxygen yields the distonic ion ^·CH₂CH₂C⁺ (OH)OCH₃ that then rearranges to CH₃CH=C(OH)OCH ₃ ^+· probably by consecutive 1,5- and 1,4-hydrogen shifts. This process is in competition with a 1,4-hydrogen transfer from the alcohol moiety to form another distonic ion, CH₃CH₂C⁺(OH)OCH ₂ ^· , that can undergo a 1,4-hydrogen shift to form CH₃CH=C(OH)OCH ₃ ^+· . Ab initio molecular orbital calculations carried out at the UMP2/6-31G** + ZPVE level of theory show that the two distonic ions lie more than 16 kcal/mol lower in energy than CH₃CH₂C(O)OCH ₃ ^+· . Hence, the first step of both rearrangement processes has a great driving force. The 1,4-hydrogen shift that involves the acid moiety is 3 kcal/mol more exothermic (ΔH _{isomerization}=?16 kcal/mol) and is associated with a 4-kcal/mol lower barrier (10 kcal/mol) than the shift that involves the alcohol moiety. Indeed, experimental findings suggest that the hydrogen shift from the acid moiety is likely to be the favored channel.     

Multiple stage pentaquadrupole mass spectrometry for generation and characterization of gas-phase ionic species. The case of the PyC2H 5 +· isomers

Eleven isomers with the PyC₂H ₅ ^+· composition, which include three conventional (1–3) and eight distonic radical cations (4–11), have been generated and in most cases successfully characterized in the gas phase via tandem-in-space multiple-stage pentaquadrupole MS² and MS³ experiments. The three conventional radical cations, that is, the ionized ethylpyridines C₂H₅-C₅H₄N^+· (1–3), were generated via direct 70-eV electron ionization of the neutrals, whereas sequences of chemical ionization and collision-induced dissociation (CID) or mass-selected ion-molecule reactions were used to generate the distonic ions H₂C^·?C₅H₄N⁺?CH₃ (4–6), CH₃?C₅H₄N⁺?CH ₂ ^· (7–9), C₅H₅N⁺?CH₂CH ₂ ^· (10), and C₅H₅N⁺?CH^·?CH₃ (11). Unique features of the low-energy (15-eV) CID and ion-molecule reaction chemistry with the diradical oxygen molecule of the isomers were used for their structural characterization. All the ion-molecule reaction products of a mass-selected ion, each associated with its corresponding CID fragments, were collected in a single three-dimensional mass spectrum. Ab initio calculations at the ROMP2/6–31G(d, p)//6–31G(d, p)+ZPE level of theory were performed to estimate the energetics involved in interconversions within the PyC₂H₅ ^+· system, which provided theoretical support for facile 4?7 interconversion evidenced in both CID and ion-molecule reaction experiments. The ab initio spin densities for the a-distonic ions 4–9 and 11 were found to be largely on the methylene or methyne formal radical sites, which thus ruled out substantial odd-spin derealization throughout the neighboring pyridine ring. However, only 8 and 9 (and 10) react extensively with oxygen by radical coupling, hence high spin densities on the radical site of the distonic ions do not necessarily lead to radical coupling reaction with oxygen. The very typical “spatially separated” ab initio charge and spin densities of 4–11 were used to classify them as distonic ions, whereas 1–3 show, as expected, “localized” electronic structures characteristic of conventional radical ions.     

Experimental and theoretical study on the structure and reactions of 1-methoxypropane radical cations

Structure and mechanism of thermal and photochemical reactions of radical cations of methyl n-propyl ether (MPE) were studied in irradiated freonic matrices CFCl₃, CF₂ClCFCl₂, and CF₃CCl₃ at 77 K. The quantum chemical calculations of the structure of radical cations and products of their transformations were carried out with methods based on the density functional theory (DFT). Experimental and calculation results show that the MPE radical cations are characterized by substantial delocalization of spin density to the propyl group. The action of light on the MPE radical cations in a CF₃CCl₃ matrix at 77 K results in intramolecular rearrangement yielding the distonic radical cation ^.CH₂CH₂CH₂(OH⁺)CH₃. It was found that the primary MPE radical cations underwent irreversible transformation to CH₃CH₂CH₂OCH ₂ ^. radical as a result of an ion-molecule reaction that occurred in a CF₂ClCFCl₂ matrix upon heating the sample to 110–120 K or in a CFCl₃ matrix upon increasing the solute concentration.Translated from Khimiya Vysokikh Energii, Vol. 39, No. 2, 2005, pp. 105–113.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Belevskii, Feldman, Tyurin.This revised version was published online in April 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Nongeneral Character of the Resonance Parameters Σ<Stack><Subscript>R</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> of Silicon-, Germanium-, and Tin-Containing Substituents in Radical Cations

The resonance parameters σ _R ⁺ of substituents Y in radical cations YD^+· [where D is a π- or n-type center, and Y = MMe₃, CH₂MMe₃ (M = Si, Ge, Sn), C(SiMe₃)₃] depend on the nature of both Y and D. Using radical cations YD^+· (Y = CH₂SiMe₃, SnMe₃) as examples, it was found that the two conjugation parameters, constants σ _R ⁺ of substituents Y and perturbation energy calculated by the modified molecular orbital perturbation method, are linearly related to each other. The energies of donor and acceptor components of the overall resonance effect of CH₂SiMe₃ and SnMe₃ with respect to radical cation centers D^+· were estimated for the first time. The donor energy constituent in YD^+· is considerably greater than in neutral DY molecules.     

Ethene loss kinetics of methyl 2-methyl butanoate ions studied by threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence: The enol ion of methyl propionate heat of formation

Threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) spectroscopy has been used to investigate the unimolecular chemistry of gas-phase methyl 2-methyl butanoate ions [CH₃CH₂CH(CH₃)COOCH₃^·+]. This ester ion isomerizes to a lower energy distonic ion [CH₂CH₂CH(CH₃)COHOCH₃^·+] prior to dissociating by the loss of C₂H₄. The asymmetric time of flight distributions, which arise from the slow rate of dissociation at low ion energies, provide information about the ion dissociation rates. By modeling these rates with assumed k(E) functions, the thermal energy distribution for room temperature sample, and the analyzer function for threshold electrons, it was possible to extract the dissociative photoionization threshold for methyl 2-methyl butanoate which at 0 K is 9.80 ± 0.01 eV as well as the dissociation barrier of the distonic ion of 0.86 ± 0.01 eV. By combining these with an estimated heat of formation of methyl 2-methyl butanoate, we derive a 0 K heat of formation of the distonic ion CH₂CH₂CH(CH₃)COHOCH₃^·+ of 101.0 ± 2.0 kcal/mol. The product ion is the enol of methyl propionate, CH₃CHCOHOCH₃^·+, which has a derived heat of formation at 0 K of 106.0 ± 2.0 kcal/mol.     

Characterization of the C3H6O+· ion from 2-methoxyethanol. Mixture analysis by dissociation and neutralization—reionization

The C₃H₆O^+· ion formed upon the dissociative ionization of 2-methoxyethanol is identified by a combination of several tandem mass spectrometry methods, including metastable ion (MI) characteristics, collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), and neutralization—reionization mass spectrometry (NRMS). The experimental data conclusively show that 2-methoxyethanol molecular ion, namely, HOCH₂CH₂OCH ₃ ^+· , loses H₂O to yield mainly the distonic radical ion ·CH₂CH₂OCH ₂ ⁺ along with a smaller amount of ionized methyl vinyl ether, namely, CH₂=CHOCH ₃ ^+· . Ring-closed products, such as the oxetane or the propylene oxide ion are not observed. The proportion of ·CH₂CH₂OCH ₂ ⁺ increases with decreasing internal energy of the 2-methoxyethanol ion, which indicates a lower critical energy for the pathway leading to this product than for the competitive generation of CH₂=CHOCH ₃ ^+· . The present study also uses MI, CAD, and NRMS data to assess the structure of the distonic ion⁺ (CH₃)CHOCH₂· (ring-opened ionized propylene oxide) and evaluate its isomerization proclivity toward the methyl vinyl ether ion.     

Structures of decomposing and non-decomposing gas-phase [C4H6O]+· radical cations,and their [C2H2O]+· and [C3H6]+· product ions

The structures of gas-phase [C₄H₆O]^+· radical cations and their daughter ions of composition [C₂H₂O]^+· and [C₃H₆]^+· were investigated by using collisionally activated dissociation, metastable ion measurement, kinetic energy release and collisional ionization tandem mass spectrometric techniques. Electron ionization (70 eV) of ethoxyacetylene, methyl vinyl ketone, crotonaldehyde and 1-methoxyallene yields stable [C₄H₆O]^+· ions, whereas the cyclic C₄H₆O compounds undergo ring opening to stable distonic ions. The structures of [C₂H₃O]^+· ions produced by 70-eV ionization of several C₄H₆O compounds are identical with that of the ketene radical cation. The [C₃H₆]^+· ions generated from crotonaldehyde, methacrylaldehyde, and cyclopropanecarboxaldehyde have structures similar to that of the propene radical cations, whereas those ions generated from the remainder of the [C₄H₆O]^+· ions studied here produced a mixed population of cyclopropane and propene radical cations.     

The distonic ion ·CH2CH2CH+OH,keto ion CH3CH2CH=O +·, enol ion CH3CH=CHOH+·, and related C3H6O+· radical cations. Stabilities and isomerization proclivities studied by dissociation and neutralization-reionization

Metastable ion decompositions, collision-activated dissociation (CAD), and neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry are utilized to study the unimolecular chemistry of distonic ion ^·CH₂CH₂CH^?OH (2^+·) and its enol-keto tautomers CH₃CH=CHOH^?· (1 ^+·) and CH₃CH₂CH=O ^+· (3^+·). The major fragmentation of metastable 1^+·–3^+· is H^· loss to yield the propanoyl cation, CH₃CH₂C≡O⁺. This reaction remains dominant upon collisional activation, although now some isomeric CH₂=CH-CH⁺ OH is coproduced from all three precursors. The CAD and neutralization-reionization (⁺NR⁺) spectra of keto ion 3 ^+· are substantially different from those of tautomers 2^+· and 1^+·. Hence, 3^+· without sufficient energy for decomposition (i. e. , “stable” 3^+·) does not isomerize to the ther-modynamically more stable ions 2^+· or 1^+·, and the 1,4-H rearrangement H-CH₂CH₂CH=O^+·(3 ^+·) → CH₂CH₂CH⁺ O-H (2 ^+·) must require an appreciable critical energy. Although the fragment ion abundances in the ⁺ NR ⁺ (and CAD) spectra of 1 ^+· and 2 ^+· are similar, the relative and absolute intensities of the survivor ions (recovered C₃H₆O^+· ions in the ⁺NR⁺ spectra) are markedly distinct and independent of the internal energy of 1 ^+· and 2 ^+·. Furthermore, 1 ^+· and 2 ^+· show different MI spectra. Based on these data, distonic ion 2 ^+· does not spontaneously rearrange to enol ion 1 ^+· (which is the most stable C₃H₆O^+· of CCCO connectivity) and, therefore, is separated from it by an appreciable barrier. In contrast, the molecular ions of cyclopropanol (4 ^+·) and allyl alcohol (5 ^+·) isomerize readily to 2 ^+·, via ring opening and 1,2-H^? shift, respectively. The sample found to generate the purest 2 ^+· is α-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone. Several other precursors that would yield 2 ^+· by a least-motion reaction cogenerate detectable quantities of enol ion 1 ^+·, or the enol ion of acetone (CH₂=C(CH₃)OH^+·, 6 ^+·), or methyl vinyl ether ion (CH₃OCH=CH ₂ ^+· , 7 ^+·). Ion 6 ^+· is coproduced from samples that contain the —CH₂—CH(OH)—CH₂— substructure, whereas 7 ^+· is coproduced from compounds with methoxy substituents. Compared to CAD, metastable ion characteristics combined with neutralization-reionization allow for a superior differentiation of the ions studied.     

How do dimethyl oxalate ions CH3O-C(=O)-C(=O)-OCH 3 ·+ break in half? Loss of CH 3 · + CO2 versus CH3O-C-O·

The interesting unimolecular dissociation chemistry of dimethyl oxalate (DMO) ions, CH₃O-C(=O)-C(=O)-OCH ₃ ^·+ , has been studied by vacuum ultraviolet photoionization and tandem mass spectrometry based experiments. The measured appearance energy (AE) for the generation of CH₃O-C=O⁺ (10. 5 eV) is not compatible with a simple bond cleavage involving the cogeneration of the radical CH₃O-C=O^· whose calculated AE is 11 kcal/mol higher. However, because the CH₃O-C=O^· radical is thermodynamically less stable than its dissociation products CH₃ ^· and CO₂, by 19 kcal/mol, a two-step dissociation of ionized DMO into CH₃O-C=O⁺ + CH ₃ ^· + CO₂ is energetically feasible. Collision induced dissociative ionization experiments clearly show that low energy DMO ions dissociate into CH₃ ^· + CO₂ without the intermediacy of CH₃O-C=O^·. Experiments using a charged collision chamber further indicate that CO₂ is released first, followed by loss of CH₃ ^· and not vice versa and a mechanism is proposed. The measured AE, which we assign to the two-step process, is 8 kcal/mol higher than the calculated value. This could be due to a competitive shift caused by a prominent low energy decarbonylation reaction yielding the hydrogen bridged radical cation CH₂=O … H … O=C-OCH₃ ^·+. However, from metastable ion observations and AE measurements on deuterium labeled DMO ions, it follows that there is no competitive shift and that the elevated AE for the two-step process corresponds to the barrier for the first step, loss of CO₂. Finally, neutralization-reionization experiments on ionized DMO and CH₃O-C=O⁺ provide evidence for the existence of CH₃O-C=O^· as a kinetically stable radical.     

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.     

ESR study on photoreaction of formato complex of europium(III) in HCOOH-HCOONa buffer solution

Matrix isolation ESR study showed that the ligated HCCO^? ion was decomposed into H⁺ and ·COO^? radical anion through CTTM process at λ = 254 nm, by contrast, ·CH₃ radical and CO₂ were produced from CH₃COO^? ligand. In order to explain the photo- and related reactions in the liquid solution, a proposal is made for a cyclic scheme conjugated with the photo-decomposition of the complex. The cycle consists of three steps; photo-reduction of H⁺ by Eu²⁺, radical alternation from ·H to ·COO^?, and oxidation of ·COO^? by Eu³⁺.     

Phototransformations of methylsubstituted oxiranes’ radical cations in freonic matrices at 77 K

It has been established that, upon X-ray irradiation of various methyloxiranes in freonic matrices at 77 K, both open and cyclic (with the elongated C-C bond) forms of radical cations are stabilized. It has been shown that observed reversible photoinduced transformations of 2,3-dimethyloxirane and methyloxirane radical cations are related to the conversion between the open and cyclic forms of the radical cations with high quantum yields (0.02?C0.39, depending on the oxirane and the matrix). For the trimethyloxirane radical cation the action of light on the trans-isomer of the open form results in its photoinduced transformation into a C-centered radical with low quantum efficiency (??4 × 10^?3). Tetramethyloxirane radical cations, stabilized in their open form, are resistant to the action of light. Probable causes of the observed effects are discussed. Upon the X-ray irradiation of 2,2-dimethyloxirane in freonic matrices at 77 K, a cyclic form of the radical cation is stabilized (presumably, as part of a complex with matrix molecules) which transforms into a distonic C-centered radical cation under the action of light with the quantum yield of ??10^?3.     

Photochemical reactions of radical cations of dimethylformamide in freon matrices at 77 K

Spectral characteristics of the radical cations (RC) of DMF (λ_max = 415 nm, ε_max = (2.6±0.8)·10³ L mol^?2 cm^?2) stabilized in an irradiated glassy freon mixture (CFCl₃ and CF₂BrCF₂Br) at 77 K were determined. Amide type radicals and RC of the matrix were shown to be formed by irradiation (λ=365–436 nm) of the radical cations of DMF in freon matrices using ESR and UV spectroscopy. The quantum yields of photoconversion of the DMF radical cations are independent of the wavelength of exciting light. It was found that the matrix structure affects the processes stabilizing the products of photoconversion of the DMF radical cations.     

Ionization and Photofragmentation of Isolated Metalloporphyrin Cations Investigated by VUV Action Spectroscopy**

We investigated the photoionization and fragmentation of isolated metal protoporphyrin IX cations (MPPIX⁺ with M=Fe, Co, Zn) by means of vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) action spectroscopy in the energy range of 8.5–35 eV. Experiments were carried out in the gas phase by interfacing an electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer with a synchrotron beamline. The mass spectra and partial ion yields show that photoexcitation of the precursor ions predominantly leads to ^.CH₂COOH radical side-chain losses of the macrocycle with additional methyl radical (^.CH₃) side-chain losses. Ionization, in contrast, leads to the formation of the intact ionized precursor and various doubly charged fragments which are mostly due to side-chain cleavages. Although statistical fragmentation dominates, we found evidence for non-statistical processes such as new fragments involving for example single and double H₂O losses, indicating that different relaxation mechanisms are at play upon photoionization compared to photoexcitation. The measured ionization energies were 9.6±0.2 eV, 9.4±0.2 eV and 9.6±0.2 eV for FePPIX⁺, CoPPIX⁺ and ZnPPIX⁺, respectively.     

Ab initio calculations on the isomerization of alkene radical cations

Ab initio calculations on the isomerization of butene and pentene radical cations indicate that, for all classical ion structures, the lowest barrier for a rearrangement to the most stable ion structure is below the dissociation limit. Isomerizations of linear butene radical cations to the isobutene structure take place via the CH₃CC₂H₅^·+ structure, whereas in the pentene case the connection between linear and branched ion structures proceeds via the 1,2-dimethylcyclopropane radical cation. From the results a qualitative model is derived which suggests that for larger alkene radical cations an isomerization to structures with four alkyl substituents on the double bond may be in close competition with dissociation.