ESR and spin trapping of free radicals produced in poly U and poly A using the boron-neutron capture reaction

Powdered samples of poly U and poly A containing sodium tetraborate and controls without tetraborate were irradiated at room temperature with thermal neutrons. Radical formation occurred only in the samples containing tetraborate. Thermal neutrons interact with ¹⁰B (10% naturally occurring in tetraborate) via the boron-neutron capture reaction. This reaction generates α particles and ⁷Li ions with mean kinetic energies of 1.48 and 0.85 MeV, respectively. The identification and location of the free radicals produced by the interaction of these particles with poly U and poly A, was determined by ESR and spin trapping using the spin trap 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (MNP). Following dissolution of irradiated poly U in an MNP solution, the spin trapped poly U was hydrolyzed with base (NaOH, pH 12.6). On readjusting the pH to pH 7.5 the spin adduct ESR spectrum showed that in poly U, radical formation occurs at the C(6) carbon of the uracil residues. For poly A the solid state ESR spectrum suggests that radicals are formed at the N(3) and/or N(7) nitrogens and at the C(4) and/or C(5) carbons. However, only the C(5) carbon-centered radicals were spin trapped. In addition, the results for poly A indicate that sugar-phosphate backbone is disrupted by the α particles and ⁷Li ions. The nature of this interactions is still unclear.     

Spin trapping by 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-N-oxide in Fenton media in the presence of Nafion perfluorinated membranes: limitations and potential

Spin trapping by 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) was used for the detection of radicals in Fenton media in the presence and absence of Nafion perfluorinated ionomers. For ethanol as solvent, the same types of spin adducts were detected in the presence or absence of Nafion. Solvent-derived adducts, DMPO/*OC2H5 and DMPO/*CH(OH)CH3, were identified, and their presence was rationalized by Fe(III)-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of ethanol to the spin trap and hydrogen abstraction by *OH radicals; oxygen radical adducts, DMPO/*O2(-) and DMPO/*OOH, were also detected. In Fenton media with methanol as solvent (and no Nafion), the DMPO/*O2(-) adduct dominated immediately after sample preparation, and a mixture consisting of DMPO/*OCH3, DMPO/*CH3, DMPO/*O2(-), and DMPO/*OOH adducts was detected after 30 min. In the presence of Nafion, only the adduct DMPO/*OH was detected. For water as solvent, only the DMPO/*OH adduct was detected, in both the absence and the presence of Nafion. The full hyperfine tensor components of this adduct were determined in Fenton media in the presence of Nafion with water and methanol as solvents. In Nafion/water exposed to the Fenton reagent at 358 K for 3 h, a DMPO adduct of a carbon-centered radical was also identified and assigned to a Nafion-derived fragment; its exact nature is under investigation. Variations of the 14N and Hbeta hyperfine splittings of a given adduct with the local polarity were key to the identification of some DMPO adducts, in particular DMPO/*O2(-). Both *OOH and O2*- adducts, with different 14N and Hbeta splittings, were detected simultaneously in some samples, for the first time in the spin trapping literature. Comparison with the results of a direct electron spin resonance study of Nafion exposed to the Fenton reagent indicated that spin trapping by DMPO can provide complementary information on the type of radicals present during Nafion degradation. The spin trapping approach described in this paper is limited, however, to systems that do not contain organic solvents.     

Separation and identification of DMPO adducts of oxygen-centered radicals formed from organic hydroperoxides by HPLC-ESR,ESI-MS and MS/MS

Many electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) radical adducts from the reaction of organic hydroperoxides with heme proteins or Fe(2+) were assigned to the adducts of DMPO with peroxyl, alkoxyl, and alkyl radicals. In particular, the controversial assignment of DMPO/peroxyl radical adducts was based on the close similarity of their ESR spectra to that of the DMPO/superoxide radical adduct in conjunction with their insensitivity to superoxide dismutase, which distinguishes the peroxyl adducts from the DMPO/superoxide adduct. Although recent reports assigned the spectra suggested to be DMPO/peroxyl radical adducts to the DMPO/methoxyl adduct based on independent synthesis of the adduct and/or (17)O-labeling, (17)O-labeling is extremely expensive, and both of these assignments were still based on hyperfine coupling constants, which have not been confirmed by independent techniques. In this study, we have used online high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC or LC)/ESR, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to separate and directly characterize DMPO oxygen-centered radical adducts formed from the reaction of Fe(2+) with t-butyl or cumene hydroperoxide. In each reaction system, two DMPO oxygen-centered radical adducts were separated and detected by online LC/ESR. The first DMPO radical adduct from both systems showed identical chromatographic retention times (t(R) = 9.6 min) and hyperfine coupling constants (a(N) = 14.51 G, a(H)(beta) = 10.71 G, and a(H)(gamma) = 1.32 G). The ESI-MS and MS/MS spectra demonstrated that this radical was the DMPO/methoxyl radical adduct, not the peroxyl radical adduct as was thought at one time, although its ESR spectrum is nearly identical to that of the DMPO/superoxide radical adduct. Similarly, based on their MS/MS spectra, we verified that the second adducts (a(N) = 14.86 G and a(H)(beta) = 16.06 G in the reaction system containing t-butyl hydroperoxide and a(N) = 14.60 G and a(H)(beta) = 15.61 G in the reaction mixture containing cumene hydroperoxide), previously assigned as DMPO adducts of t-butyloxyl and cumyloxyl radical, were indeed from trapping t-butyloxyl and cumyloxyl radicals, respectively.     

Synthesis and reactivity of fluorinated ferracarborane anions

The ferracarborane [N(PPh3)2][6,6,6,10,10,10-(CO)6-closo-6,10,1-Fe2CB7H8] reacts in CH2Cl2 with 3 molar equivalents of Ag[PF6] to yield the trifluoro-substituted species [N(PPh3)2][7,8,9-F3-6,6,6,10,10,10-(CO)6-closo-6,10,1-Fe2CB7H5]. Compound undergoes structural rearrangement in toluene at reflux temperatures, forming [N(PPh3)2][8,9,10-F3-6,6,6,7,7,7-(CO)6-closo-6,7,1-Fe2CB7H5]. Alternatively, reaction of either or with a 10-fold excess of Ag[PF6] in CH2Cl2 forms two species: namely, [N(PPh3)2][2,7,9,10-F4-6,6,6,8,8,8-(CO)6-closo-6,8,1-Fe2CB7H4], in which one further B-F substitution has occurred and the {Fe2CB7} cluster core has rearranged, plus a mono-iron co-product, [N(PPh3)2][3,8,9-F3-7,7,7-(CO)3-closo-7,1-FeCB7H5] that is formed by polyhedral contraction. Treatment of with [NO][BF4] in CH2Cl2 results in CO substitution at the 4-connected iron vertex [Fe10], producing the zwitterionic complex [7,8,9-F3-6,6,6,10,10-(CO)5-10-NO-closo-6,10,1-Fe2CB7H5]. Addition of Me3NO to a mixture of and PEt3 in CH2Cl2 also results in CO substitution, forming the isomeric species [N(PPh3)2][7,8,9-F3-6,6,m,10,10-(CO)5-n-PEt3-closo-6,10,1-Fe2CB7H5] [m=6, n=10; m=10, n=6] in a 5:1 ratio. Treatment of with [NO][BF4] and then CNBut in CH2Cl2 allows further, successive CO substitution at Fe10 to yield first a neutral, zwitterionic complex [7,8,9-F3-6,6,6,10-(CO)4-10-NO-10-PEt3-closo-6,10,1-Fe2CB7H5] and then [7,8,9-F3-6,6,6-(CO)3-10-CNBut-10-NO-10-PEt3-closo-6,10,1-Fe2CB7H5]. The molecular structures of compounds and have been established by X-ray diffraction.     

Assignment of the EPR spectrum of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) superoxide spin adduct

[structure: see text] Spin trapping consists of using a nitrone or a nitroso compound to "trap" an unstable free radical as a long-lived nitroxide that can be characterized by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The formation of DMPO-OOH, the spin adduct resulting from trapping superoxide (O(2)(*)(-)) with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO), has been exploited to detect the generation of superoxide in a wide variety of biological and chemical systems. The 12-line EPR spectrum of DMPO-OOH has been either reported or mentioned in more than a thousand papers. It has been interpreted as resulting from the following couplings: A(N) approximately 1.42 mT, A(H)beta approximately 1.134 mT, and A(H)gamma(1H) approximately 0.125 mT. However, the DMPO-OOH EPR spectrum has an asymmetry that cannot be reproduced when the spectrum is calculated considering a single species. Recently, it was proposed that the 0.125 mT splitting was misassigned and actually results from the superimposition of two individual EPR spectra associated with different conformers of DMPO-OOH. We have prepared 5,5-dimethyl-[3,3-(2)H(2)]-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO-d(2)), and we showed that the EPR spectrum of the corresponding superoxide spin adduct is composed of only six lines, in agreement with the assignment of the 0.125 mT splitting to a gamma-splitting from a hydrogen atom bonded to carbon 3 of DMPO. This result was supported by DFT calculations including water solvation, and the asymmetry of the DMPO-OOH EPR spectrum was nicely reproduced assuming a chemical exchange between two conformers.     

Complexation of ferrocene derivatives by the cucurbit[7]uril host: a comparative study of the cucurbituril and cyclodextrin host families

The formation of inclusion complexes between cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and ferrocene and its derivatives has been investigated. The X-ray crystal structure of the 1:1 inclusion complex between ferrocene and CB[7] revealed that the guest molecule resides in the host cavity with two different orientations. Inclusion of a set of five water-soluble ferrocene derivatives in CB[7] was investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy and calorimetric and voltammetric techniques. Our data indicate that all neutral and cationic guests form highly stable inclusion complexes with CB[7], with binding constants in the 10(9)-10(10) M(-)(1) and 10(12)-10(13) M(-1) ranges, respectively. However, the anionic ferrocenecarboxylate, the only negatively charged guest among those surveyed, was not bound by CB[7] at all. These results are in sharp contrast to the known binding behavior of the same guests to beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), since all the guests form stable inclusion complexes with beta-CD, with binding constants in the range 10(3)-10(4) M(-1). The electrostatic surface potentials of CB[6], CB[7], and CB[8] and their size-equivalent CDs were calculated and compared. The CD portals and cavities exhibit low surface potential values, whereas the regions around the carbonyl oxygens in CBs are significantly negative, which explains the strong affinity of CBs for positively charged guests and also provides a rationalization for the rejection of anionic guests. Taken together, our data suggest that cucurbiturils may form very stable complexes. However, the host-guest interactions are very sensitive to some structural features, such as a negatively charged carboxylate group attached to the ferrocene residue, which may completely disrupt the stability of the complexes.     

The fidelity of spin trapping with DMPO in biological systems

Unlike direct ESR, spin trap methodology depends on the absolute fidelity of the spin trap reaction. Two alternative reactions of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) leading to radical adduct artifacts have been discovered and investigated: inverted spin trapping and the Forrester-Hepburn nucleophilic mechanism. These two alternate pathways to radical adducts are a combination of one-electron oxidation and nucleophilic addition, in either order. In biological systems, serious artifacts have been reported due to the Forrester-Hepburn mechanism, which is initiated by the addition of a nucleophile to DMPO. It has recently been demonstrated that (bi)sulfite (hydrated sulfur dioxide) can react with DMPO via a nonradical, nucleophilic reaction, and it has been further proposed that DMPO/(?)SO(3)(-) formation in biological systems is an artifact and not the result of spin trapping of sulfur trioxide anion radical ((?)SO(3)(-)). The one-electron oxidation of (bi)sulfite catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) has been reinvestigated by ESR spin trapping with DMPO and oxygen uptake studies to obtain further evidence for the radical reaction mechanism. In the absence of DMPO, the initial rate of (bi)sulfite-dependent oxygen and H(2)O(2) consumption was determined to be half of the initial rate of DMPO/(?)SO(3)(-) radical adduct formation as determined by ESR, demonstrating that, under our experimental conditions, DMPO exclusively forms the radical adduct by trapping the (?)SO(3)(-).     

Decomposition of di-tert-butyl nitroxide in aqueous solutions

Di-tert-butyl nitroxide (DTBN) decomposes in aqueous solutions producing 2-methyl-2-nitroso propane (MNP) and tert-butanol. The process is acid catalyzed, it is of second order in DTBN, and takes place with a rate constant of (1.0 ± 0.1) M^?2 s^?1. The reaction is also catalyzed by the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate and by Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions. The catalysis by Fe(III) involves a very fast reduction of Fe(III) ions with concomitant formation of 2-methyl-2-nitroso propane. The reaction catalyzed by Fe(II) also produces 2-methyl-2-nitroso propane with a formation rate given by: d[MNP]/dt = (0.25 ± 0.10) [Fe(II)] [DTBN]. This reaction rate is nearly pH independent.     

Controlling the extent of spin exchange coupling in 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) biradicals via molecular recognition with cucurbit[n]uril hosts

The binding interactions between two paramagnetic cobaltocenium guests and the hosts cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) and cucurbit[8]uril (CB8) were investigated using a combination of electronic absorption, NMR, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography. Guest 1, (4-amido-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl)cobaltocenium, forms very stable inclusion complexes with CB7 and CB8. However, CB7 interacts with 1 by including the organometallic cobaltocenium unit, while CB8 engulfs the TEMPO residue. The corresponding equilibrium association constant (K) values are 2.8 ± 0.3 × 10(6) M(-1) for CB7?1 and 2.1 ± 1.0 × 10(8) M(-1) for CB8?1. Biradical guest 2, 1,1'-bis(4-amido-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl)cobaltocenium, forms a very stable ternary complex with two CB8 hosts, in which each 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) residue is encircled by a host molecule. The structure of this ternary complex was confirmed in the solid state using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Binding of the TEMPO side arms by the CB8 hosts gradually decreases the observed level of spin exchange coupling between the two nitroxide groups. In the final 2:1 complex, no spin exchange coupling was observed, but the initial levels of spin exchange coupling could be regenerated in a reversible fashion by adding a competing guest, adamantyltrimethylammonium (AdTMA), to the solution. The binding interactions between 2 and CB7 are similar but the stabilities of the 1:1 and 2:1 complexes are much lower than those of the corresponding CB8 complexes.     

Specific binding effects for cucurbit[8]uril in 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium-cucurbit[8]uril host-guest complexes: observation of room-temperature phosphorescence and their application in electroluminescence

2,4,6-Triphenylpyrylium (TP(+)) forms host-guest complexes with cucurbiturils (CBs) in acidic aqueous solutions. (1)H NMR spectroscopic data indicates that complexation takes place by encapsulation of the phenyl ring at the four position within CB. Formation of the complex with CB[6] and CB[7] leads to minor shifts in the fluorescence wavelength maximum (lambda(fl)) or quantum yield (Phi(fl)). In sharp contrast, for complexes with CB[8], the emission results in the simultaneous observation of fluorescence (lambda(fl)=480 nm, Phi(fl)=0.05) and room-temperature phosphorescence (lambda(ph)=590 nm, Phi(ph)=0.15). The occurrence of room-temperature phosphorescence can be used to detect the presence of CB[8] visually in solution. Molecular modeling and MM2 molecular mechanics calculations suggest that this effect arises from locking the conformational mobility of the 2- and 6-phenyl rings as a result of CB[8] encapsulation. The remarkably high room-temperature phosphorescence quantum yield of the TP(+)@CB[8] complex has been advantageously applied to develop an electroluminescent cell that contains this host-guest complex. In contrast, analogous cells prepared with TP(+) or TP(+)@CB[7] fail to exhibit electroluminescence.     

Host-guest chemistry and light driven molecular lock of Ru(bpy)(3)-viologen with cucurbit[7-8]urils

Host-guest chemistry and photoinduced electron-transfer processes have been studied in the systems containing Ru(bpy)3 complex covalently linked to viologen as a guest molecule and cucurbit[n]urils (n = 7, 8) as host molecules in aqueous solution. The Ru(bpy)3-viologen complex, [Ru(2,2'-bipyridine)2(4-(4-(1'-methyl-4,4'-bipyridinediium-1-yl)butyl)-4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine)]Cl4 (denoted as Ru2+-MV2+, 1) was shown to form stable 1:1 inclusion complexes with cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]). The binding modes are slightly different with CB[7] and CB[8]. CB[7] preferentially binds to part of the viologen residue in 1 together with the butyl chain, whereas CB[8] preferentially encloses the whole viologen residue. Photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer from the excited-state of the Ru moiety to MV2(+) which is inserted into the cavity of the CBs occurred. Long-lived charge-separated states Ru3(+)-MV(+*) were generated with the lifetimes of 280 ns with CB[7] and 2060 ns with CB[8]. This shows that CBs can slow down the charge recombination within supramolecular systems, and the difference in lifetimes seems to be due to the difference in binding modes. In the presence of a sacrificial electron donor triethanolamine, light-driven formation of a dimer of MV(+*) inside the CB[8] cavity was observed. This "locked" molecular dimer can be "unlocked" by molecular oxygen to give back the original form of the molecular dyad 1 with the MV2(+) moiety inserted in the cavity of CB[8]. The processes could be repeated several times and showed nice reversibility.     

在光动力光疗中类卟啉稀土配合物光敏作用原初反应的特征: 产生自由基I型机制的ESR研究

本文用ESR方法研究了类卟啉稀土配合物[(CO2H-APPC)Gd]Cl2的光敏反应。用4-hydro-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide radical(4-hydro-TEMPO)作探针, 通过对其消自旋的作用, 证实[(CO2H-APPC)Gd]Cl2光敏反应中有阳离子自由基[(CO2H-APPC)Gd]^+产生, 加入还原剂可促使[(CO2H-APPC)Gd]^+生成。经由5, 5-Dimethyl-1-pyrrolineN-oxide(DMPO)对超氧阴离子(O2^-)和羟基自由基(.OH)的自旋捕捉及对该自旋加合物[DMPO-O2^-]和[DMPO-OH]的ESR测定, 证实有O2^-和.OH产生, 并用SOD清除O2^-和甲酸钠清除.OH的实验, 进一步证实O2^-和.OH的产生。上述结果说明[(CO2H-APPC)Gd]Cl2光敏反应存在着产生[(CO2H-APPC)Gd]^+和活性氧自由基的I型机制。     

Cucurbit[n]uril analogues: synthetic and mechanistic studies

[reaction: see text] The synthesis of cucurbit[n]uril analogues (18, 19, (+/-)-20, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37) is presented. These CB[5], CB[6], and CB[7] analogues all contain bis(phthalhydrazide) walls that are incorporated into the macrocycle. The tailor-made synthesis of these CB[n] analogues proceeds by the condensation of the appropriate bis(electrophile) (4, 7, or 9) with bis(phthalhydrazide) (17), which delivers the CB[6] and CB[7] analogues in good yield, whereas the CB[5] analogue is formed in low yield. To improve the solubility characteristics of the CB[n] analogues for recognition studies in water or organic solution, the CO2Et groups were transformed to CO2H and CO2(CH2)9CH3 groups. On the basis of the results of product resubmission experiments, we conclude that these macrocycles are kinetic products. To help rationalize the good yields obtained in the CB[6] and CB[7] analogue macrocyclization reactions, we performed mechanistic studies of model methylene bridged glycoluril dimers, which suggest an intramolecular isomerization during CB[n] analogue formation.     

Structure and molecular dynamics of host–guest complexes of TEMPO with cucurbituryl: An ESR and DFT study

Host–guest complexes are of interest as promising nanodevices for molecular recognition and chemosensors. In this work, the structure and molecular dynamics of complexes of the nitroxyl radical TEMPO (I), as models of indicator and analyte, with cucurbituril CB[7] in solution and in the solid phase have been studied by ESR and DFT methods. The kinetic accessibility of the NO group of I for water-soluble reagents has been determined. By simulation of the ESR spectra of the complex, the rotational diffusion coefficients and the anisotropy of its rotation have been determined. To study the rotational mobility of the guest in the CB[7] cavity, solid solutions of I@CB[7] in the CB[7] matrix have been obtained. The ESR spectra indicate rapid jump-like rotation of I about an axis oriented along the normal to the CB[7] portals. The formation energy and the spatial structure of the complex have been calculated by the DFT method; a change in the spin density on the NO group with changing the orientation of I in the CB[7] cavity has been found.     

Photochemistry of naphthalene diimides: EPR study of free radical formation via photoredox process

Earlier studies have shown that on exposure to UVA, hydroperoxynaphthalene diimide (IA) generates hydroxyl radicals, induces DNA strand scission, and kills cells.Here we employed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and spin trapping to investigate the free radical photochemistry of IA and that of related naphthalene diimides, which are devoid of the hydroperoxyl moiety (N,N'-bis[2-methyl]-1,4,5,8-naphthaldiimide [IB], N,N'-bis[2-thiomethyl-2-methoxyethyl]-1,4,5,8-naphthaldiimide [IC]) and therefore are unable to generate hydroxyl radicals. It is shown that on UV irradiation (>300 nm) in air-free methanol or ethanol solutions all these naphthalene diimides undergo one-electron reduction to corresponding anion radicals, positively identified by EPR. With EPR and a spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO), we found that the photogeneration of the naphthalene diimide radicals is concomitant with the formation of radicals from the solvents, presumably through electron/hydrogen atom abstraction by photoactivated diimides. Irradiation of IA, IB or IC in the presence of oxygen generates superoxide, which was detected as a DMPO adduct. The high photoreactivity of IB and IC supports the notion that hydroperoxide IA can induce oxidative damage via photoprocesses that are independent of *OH generation. These observations could be pertinent to the application of naphthalene diimides as selective photonucleases, PDT anticancer agents or both.     

Mechanochemical preparation of hydrogen-bonded adducts between the diamine 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and dicarboxylic acids of variable chain length: an X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR study

Mechanical mixing of solid dicarboxylic acids of variable chain length HOOC(CH(2))(n)COOH (n = 1-7) with solid 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane generates the corresponding salts or co-crystals of the formula [N(CH(2)CH(2))(3)N]-H-[OOC(CH(2))(n)COOH] (n=1-7). Preparation of the same systems from solution has been instrumental for a full characterization of the mechanochemical products by means of single-crystal and powder-diffraction X-ray analyses, as well as by solid-state NMR. The acid-base adducts, whether involving proton transfer from the COOH group to the N-acceptor, that is having ((-))O...H-N((+)) interactions, or the formation of neutral O-H...N hydrogen bonds, show a melting point alternation phenomenon analogous to that shown by the neutral carboxylic acids. The carbon chemical shift tensors of the COOH group obtained from the sideband intensity of low speed spinning NMR spectra provide a reliable criterion for assigning the protonation state of the adducts.     

Assessing the accuracy of a QM/MM//MD combined protocol to compute spectromagnetic properties of polyfunctional nitroxides in solution

In the field of spin trapping chemistry, we proposed a promising new theoretical QM/MM//MD combined protocol to assist the development of new nitrone-based spin traps (Houriez et?al. in J Phys Chem B 114:11793–11803, 2010). In the present study, we test its accuracy and its transferability by investigating the spectromagnetic properties in water of DMPO–OH, the nitroxide spin adduct of the 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide nitrone (DMPO) with the OH^· radical. Thanks to our theoretical method, we obtain quantitative estimates of the DMPO–OH hyperfine coupling constants (hcc’s) in very good agreement with experiment. Moreover, our study reveals that the DMPO–OH hcc values are related to the main features of an equilibrium between two major conformations of the nitroxide five-membered ring. Together with our earlier results, the present study clearly establishes the reliability of our theoretical protocol to investigate in condensed phase the behavior of flexible and large nitroxides. Particularly, note that with our method, it is possible to point out clearly fundamental differences in spectromagnetic properties even for two molecules very similar in geometrical structure.     

Initiation Mechanism of Alternating Copolymerization of Styrene with Some Electron-Accepting Monomers in the Presence of Zinc Chloride by Means of Spin Trapping Technique

Abstract

The initiation mechanism of spontaneous alternating copolymerizations of styrene (St) and some electron-accepting monomers such as methyl methacrylate (MMA), methyl acrylate (MA), methacrylonitrile (MAN), and acrylonitrile (AN) in the presence of ZnCl₂ was studied by the spin trapping technique, in which 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (BNO) was used as a spin trapping reagent. When this technique was applied to the alternating copolymerization systems of St-MMA-ZnCl₂, St-MA-ZnCl₂, and St-MAN-ZnCl₂, the 2-phenylvinyl radical (·CH[dbnd]CH[sbnd]C₆H₅) was trapped as nitroxide. The structure of this nitroxide, which showed a large coupling constant (19～20 G) by β-hydrogen, was confirmed by comparison with the result of authentic experiment Accordingly it was concluded that this nitroxide was formed through proton migration from the St cation radical to the acceptor monomer anion radical in the charge- or electron-transfer complex, followed by reaction with BNO.

In the St-AN-ZnCl₂ system, however, a nitroxide derived from a cyclic radical was observed together with the nitroxide from 2-phenylvinyl radical. This cyclic radical seemed to be produced via the Diels-Alder adduct between St and AN.     

Characteristics of the spin-trapping reaction of a free radical derived from AAPH: further development of the ORAC-ESR assay

The characteristics of the spin-trapping reaction in the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)-electron spin resonance (ESR) assay were examined, focusing on the kind of spin traps. 2,2-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) was used as a free radical initiator. The spin adducts of the AAPH-derived free radical were assigned as those of the alkoxyl radical, RO· (R=H(2)N(HN)C-C(CH(3))(2)). Among the spin traps tested, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO), 5,5-dimethyl-4-phenyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (4PDMPO), 5-(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propoxycyclophosphoryl)-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (CYPMPO), and 5-diethoxyphosphoryl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DEPMPO) were applicable to the ORAC-ESR assay. Optimal formation of spin-trapped radical adduct was observed with 1 mM AAPH, 10 mM spin trap, and 5 s UV irradiation. The calibration curve (the Stern-Volmer's plot) for each spin trap showed good linearity, and their slopes, k (SB)/k (ST), were estimated to be 87.7±2.3, 267±15, 228±9, and 213±16 for DMPO, 4PDMPO, CYPMPO, and DEPMPO, respectively. Though the k (SB)/k (ST) values for selected biosubstances varied with various spin traps, their ratios to Trolox (the relative ORAC values) were almost the same for all spin traps tested. The ORAC-ESR assay also had a very good reproducibility. The ORAC-ESR assay was conducted under stoichiometric experimental conditions. The present results demonstrate the superiority of the ORAC-ESR assay.     

High-spin diimine complexes of iron(II) reject binding of carbon monoxide: theoretical analysis of thermodynamic factors inhibiting or favoring spin-crossover

A new series of Fe(II) complexes, FeCl2[N(R)=C(Me)C(Me)=N(R)], containing diimine ligands with hemilabile sidearms R (R = CH2(CH2)2NMe2, 1, CH2(CH2)2OMe, 2, CH2(CH2)2SMe), 3) were synthesized. The crystal structure of 1 showed 6-coordination where both amine arms were attached, whereas 2 was a 5-coordinate 16e species with one methoxy arm dangling free. Extensive attempts were made to bind CO to these species to synthesize precursors for dihydrogen complexes but were unsuccessful. Reaction of 1 with 1 or 2 equiv of AgOTf under CO atmosphere resulted in isolation of only a 6-coordinate bis(triflate)-containing product [Fe[N(R)=C(Me)C(Me)=N(R)](OTf)2] (R = CH2(CH2)2NMe2), 5. Reaction of 5-coordinate 2 with AgSbF6 under CO did not give a CO adduct but afforded instead a dicationic dinuclear complex [Fe[N(R)=C(Me)C(Me)=N(R)](mu-Cl)]2[SbF6]2 (R = CH2(CH2)2OMe), 4, containing a weakly bound SbF6. Thus coordination of hard-donor anions to iron was favored over CO binding. The unexpected rejection of binding of CO is rationalized by the iron being in a high-spin state in this system and energetically incapable of spin crossover to a low-spin state. Theoretical calculations on CO interaction with Fe(II) centers in spin states S = 0, 1, and 2 for both the 16e complexes and their CO adducts aid further understanding of this problem. They show that interaction of CO with a high-spin 5-coordinate Fe model diimine complex is essentially thermoneutral but is exergonic by about 48 kcal/mol to a comparable but low-spin diphosphine fragment. Spin crossover is thus disfavored thermodynamically rather than kinetically (e.g. a "spin block" effect); i.e., the ligand field strengths of the primarily N-donor groups are apparently insufficient to give a low-spin CO adduct.