Carotenoid radical anions and their protonated derivatives

In this study, we report the protonation reactions for astaxanthin and canthaxanthin radical anions in methanol, alkaline methanol, and aqueous 2% Triton X-100 at different pH values. The pKa values for the corresponding alpha-hydroxy radical derivatives of astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and beta-apo-8'-carotenal were estimated in 2% Triton X-100. Also, the effects of the microenvironment and the structure of the carotenoids on the protonation rate constant are discussed.     

Electrochemical reduction of organic and organometallic compounds. Polarization effect in radical anions

Half-wave potentials of electrochemical reduction and electron affinities of X-B-R_C compounds belonging to 23 reaction series depend not only on the inductive and resonance effects but also on the polarization effect of the X substituent, which was not taken into account previously. In some cases, the contribution of the polarization effect reaches 50% of the overall substituent effect. The main factors responsible for the magnitude of polarization effect in X-B-R _C ^? radical anions are the natures of reaction center R_C and bridging moiety B and the distance between the substituent X and reaction center R_C.     

Germanium and tin analogues of alkynes and their reduction products

The reduction of terphenylgermanium(II) or terphenyltin(II) chlorides with alkali metals was investigated. Treatment of Ar'GeCl or ArGeCl (Ar' = C(6)H(3)-2,6-Dipp(2), Dipp = C(6)H(3)-2,6-Pr(i)(2); Ar = C(6)H(3)-2,6-Trip(2), Trip = C(6)H(2)-2,4,6-Pr(i)(3)) with lithium, sodium, or potassium afforded the neutral alkyne analogues Ar'GeGeAr', 1, ArGeGeAr, 2, the singly reduced radical species NaArGeGeAr, 3, or KAr'GeGeAr', 4, or the doubly reduced compounds Li(2)Ar'GeGeAr', 5, Na(2)ArGeGeAr, 6, or K(2)ArGeGeAr, 7. Similarly, reduction of Ar'SnCl or ArSnCl afforded the neutral Ar'SnSnAr', 8, or ArSnSnAr, 9, the radical anions [(THF)(3)Na[rSnSnAr]], 10, [K(THF)(6)][Ar'SnSnAr'], 11, [K(THF)(6)][ArSnSnAr], 12, [K(18-crown-6)(THF)(2)] [ArSnSnAr], 13, or the doubly reduced Na(2)ArSnSnAr, 14, K(2)Ar'SnSnAr', 15, or K(2)ArSnSnAr, 16. The compounds were characterized by UV-vis, (1)H and (13)C NMR or EPR spectroscopy. The X-ray crystal structures of all compounds were determined except those of 2 and 9. The neutral 1 and 8 displayed planar, trans-bent CMMC (M = Ge and Sn) cores with M-M-C angles of 128.67(8) and 125.24(7) degrees, respectively. The M-M bond lengths, 2.2850(6) and 2.6675(4)A, indicated considerable multiple character and a bond order approaching two. Single and double reduction of the neutral species resulted in the narrowing of the M-M-C angles by ca. 12-32 degrees and changes in the Ge-Ge and Sn-Sn bond lengths. One-electron reduction afforded a slight (ca. 0.03-0.05A) lengthening of the Ge-Ge bonds in the case of germanium species 3 and 4 and a greater lengthening (ca. 0.13-0.15A) for the Sn-Sn bonds in the tin compounds 10-13. The addition of another electron yielded salts of the formal dianions [Ar'MMAr'](2)(-) and [ArMMAr](2)(-) which are isoelectronic to the corresponding doubly bonded, neutral arsenic and antimony derivatives. All the dianion salts were obtained as contact ion triples with two alkali metal cations complexed between aryl rings. The Ge-Ge bonds in the dianions of 5-7 were longer, whereas the Sn-Sn distances in the dianions in 14, 15, and 16 were shorter than those in the monoanions. Unusually, the Li(2)Ar'GeGeAr' salt, 5, displayed a longer Ge-Ge bond (by ca. 0.06A) than those of its Na(+) or K(+) analogue salts which was attributed to the greater polarizing power of Li(+). It was concluded that the M-M bond lengths in 3-7 and 10-16 are dependent on several factors that include M-M-C angle, Coulombic repulsion, alkali metal cation size, and the character of the molecular energy levels. The M-M bonding in the neutral compounds was accounted for in terms of a second-order Jahn-Teller mixing of sigma- and a pi-orbital which afforded bond orders near two for the neutral compounds, 1, 2, 8, and 9. Calculations on MeMMMe (M = Ge or Sn) model species showed that the LUMO corresponded to an orbital that had n(+) lone pair character. The slight Ge-Ge bond length increase upon one-electron reduction is consistent with these results, and the further bond lengthening upon double reduction is consistent with increased Coulombic repulsion. The greater Sn-Sn bond length increase seen for one-electron reduction of the tin species is probably due to the increased p-character of orbitals comprising the Sn-Sn sigma-bond when the Sn-Sn-C angle is decreased by ca. 30 degrees. Upon further reduction, the slight decrease in the Sn-Sn bond is probably a result of the reduced importance of Coulombic repulsion due to the larger size of tin and a widening of the Sn-Sn-C angles which may shorten the Sn-Sn sigma-bond.     

A quantum chemical study of small beryllium hydrides and their radical anions

Molecular structures of neutral and anionic beryllium hydrides have been investigated using ab initio calculations at the MP 2 (geometries) and MP 4 (energies)/6 – 31⁺⁺G** levels. ZPE and (if possible) BSSE correction have been included. While BeH₂^? is not stable, the radical anion of the beryllium hydride dimer is significantly stabilized with respect to the neutral Be₂H₄ system. Moreover, this anion can appear in two isomeric forms with comparable stability. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

DNA nucleosides and their radical anions: molecular structures and electron affinities

The deoxyribonucleosides have been studied to determine the properties of combinations of 2-deoxyribose with each of the isolated DNA bases for both neutral and anionic species. We have used a carefully calibrated theoretical method [Chem. Rev. 2002, 102, 231], employing the B3LYP hybrid Hartree-Fock/DFT functional with the DZP++ basis set. Predictions are made of the geometric parameters, adiabatic electron affinities, charge distributions based on natural population analysis, and decomposition enthalpy for the neutral and anionic forms of the four 2'-deoxyribonucleosides in DNA: 2'-deoxyriboadenosine (dA), 2'-deoxyribocytidine (dC), 2'-deoxyriboguanosine (dG), and 2'-deoxyribothymidine (dT). Geometric changes in the anions show that the glycosidic bond exhibits little change with excess charge for the guanosine but significant shortening for the adenosine and for the pyrimidines. The zero-point corrected adiabatic electron affinities in eV for each of the 2'-deoxyribonucleosides are as follows: 0.06, dA; 0.09, dG; 0.33, dC; and 0.44, dT. These values are uniformly greater than those of the corresponding isolated bases (-0.28, A; -0.07, G; 0.03, C; 0.20, T) and the isolated 2-deoxyribose (-0.38) at the same level of theory. The vertical detachment energies of dT and dC are substantial, 0.72 and 0.94 eV, and these anions should be observable. A high VDE, 0.91 eV, is also found for dA but its anion is unlikely to be stable due to the small AEA of 0.06 eV. The high VDE reflects the fact that the molecular structures of the anions and the corresponding neutral species are quite different. Valence character is displayed for the SOMOs of dA, dC, and dT, while some component of diffuse character is visible in the SOMO of dG. Further analysis of electronic changes upon electron attachment include an examination of the NPA charges, which show that in the neutral 2'-deoxyribonucleosides the sum of NPA charges for every base is the same, -0.28 with the sum of 2-deoxyribose charges being positive, +0.28. In the anions, the trend in charge division varies based on the nature of the excess electron in the anions. Thermodynamically, the overall enthalpy change for the reaction of water with the neutral nucleosides to give bases and ribose is approximately zero. The analogous decomposition is exothermic by 8 to 11 kcal mol-1 for the anions, indicating possible challenges for anionic gas-phase nucleoside exploration in the presence of water.     

Photochemical generation of radical anions. An access to novel structures

The preparation of the radical anions of tetrabenzocyclooctatetraene (TBCOT) and fluorene (FLH) by photochemical methods leads to the observation of novel structures.     

Structure of radical anions of organosilicon compounds. INDO calculations of the radical anions of some organosilicon compounds

M. V. Lomonosov Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Engineering. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 24–30, March–April, 1988.     

Tricationic analogues of boroxines and polyborate anions

Addition of E(2)O (E = Me(3)Si or H) to [(pyridyl)BX(2)][AlX(4)] (X = Cl or Br) and subsequent heating produced the unprecedented trications [(2,6-lutidine)(4)B(5)O(6)](3+) and [(pyridine)(4)B(3)O(3)](3+).     

Double-layer effects and distance dependence of electron transfer in reduction of nitro aromatic radical anions

The first example of the effect of an electric double layer on the reduction of electrochemically generated radical species is reported. The anion radical of methyl 5-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate (pesticide bifenox) is electrochemically reduced in acetonitrile to a phenylhydroxylamine derivative in a process involving three electrons. This heterogeneous reaction is strongly influenced by the concentration and nature of the cation of the indifferent electrolyte. Depending on the type of tetraalkylammonium cation, the redox potential changes by 0.45 V. The kinetic parameters were obtained for five tetraalkylammonium hexafluorophosphate salts. The Frumkin correction, which assumes that the outer Helmholtz plane coincides with the reaction site, was applied to kinetic data of the radical anion reduction. The correction of the apparent rate accounted for the observed effect only in the case of tetramethylammonium salt. The presence of higher tetraalkylammonium homologues causes deviations from the predicted dependence of the electron-transfer rate on the phi2 potential of the outer Helmholtz plane. Hence, the nature of the cation of the electrolyte exerts a further effect extending beyond the electrostatic repulsion only. The corrected rate of electron transfer decreases exponentially with increasing size of the alkyl chain of the indifferent electrolyte cation in the order methyl > ethyl > propyl > butyl > hexyl. The rate decay is characterized by an exponent beta = 0.83. This confirms that the reaction plane for the reduction of the bifenox radical anion is different for each electrolyte. Due to this fact the Frumkin correction cannot fully account for the observed dependence of the heterogeneous rate on the solution composition. The observed effect is not specific to the bifenox radical. A similar influence of the concentration and nature of the cation of the indifferent electrolyte was observed for other nitro compounds, namely, nitrobenzene, nitrobenzoate, and nitrofen.     

Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of a uranyl beta-diketiminate complex

Addition of 1 equiv of Li(Ar2nacnac) (Ar2nacnac = (2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)NC(Me)CHC(Me)N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)) to an Et2O suspension of UO2Cl2(THF)3 generates the uranyl dimer [UO2(Ar2nacnac)Cl]2 (1) in good yield. A second species can be isolated in low yield from the reaction mixtures of 1, namely [Li(OEt2)2][UO2(Ar2nacnac)Cl2] (2). The structures of both 1 and 2 have been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1 reacts with Ph3PO to generate UO2(Ar2nacnac)Cl(Ph3PO) (3). In addition, 1 reacts with AgOTf and either 1 equiv of DPPMO2 or 2 equiv of Ph2MePO to provide [UO2(Ar2nacnac)(DPPMO2)][OTf] (4) and [UO2(Ar2nacnac)(Ph2MePO)2][OTf] (5), respectively. Both 4 and 5 have been fully characterized, including analysis by X-ray crystallography and cyclic voltammetry. Reduction of 4 with Cp2Co provides UO2(Ar2nacnac)(CH{Ph2PO}2) (6), a uranyl(VI) complex that is generated by the formal loss of H* from the DPPMO2 ligand. Labeling studies have been performed in an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of hydrogen loss. In contrast, reduction of 5 with Cp2Co provides UO2(Ar2nacnac)(Ph2MePO)2 (7), a rare example of a uranyl(V) complex. As expected, the solid-state molecular structure of 7 reveals slightly longer U-O(oxo) bond lengths relative to 5. Furthermore, complex 7 can be converted back into 5 by oxidation with AgOTf in toluene.     

Synthesis and characterization of norbornanediol isomers and their fluorinated analogues

[reaction: see text] Fluorinated norbornene monomers exhibit the requisite properties for inclusion in 157 nm photoresists, but traditional addition and radical polymerizations with these monomers have failed. Norbornanediols provide an alternate route to these materials via condensation polymerization, and methods have been developed for the efficient synthesis of the exo-2-syn-7- and endo-2-exo-3-dihydroxynorbornanes. Synthesis of the fluorinated analogues is complicated by steric and electronic effects; however, a high-yielding synthesis of endo-2-exo-3-dihydroxynorbornane bearing a 5-endo-[2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)hydroxyethyl] substituent is reported.     

Collisional electron transfer to photoexcited acceptor radical anions

In this article, we show that photoexcitation of radical anions facilitates electron transfer from sodium atoms in femtosecond encounters. Thus, excitation of 7,7,8,8-tetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TCNQ) and fluorinated TCNQ (TCNQ-F(4)) anions to the second optically active state at 478 nm led to increases in the yields of dianions of about 20% and 10%, respectively. Photoexcitation with a nanosecond-long laser pulse was done a few microseconds before the ions entered the sodium collision cell so that none of the ions would be in any of the initially reached doublet-excited states. We suggest an explanation for the higher electron capture cross section based on the formation of long-lived quartet state anions. Excitation of TCNQ anions within the lowest-energy absorption band, where there are no accessible quartet states, led instead to a lower yield of dianions. There are at least three explanations for the lower dianion yields: (1) Depletion of the monoanion beam due to photodetachment after the absorption of minimum two photons; (2) Formation of short-lived vibrationally excited dianions that decay by electron autodetachment prior to identification; and (3) Lower electron capture cross sections of vibrationally excited monoanions. Similar losses in dianion signal can occur at 478 nm so the actual yield of dianions at this wavelength due to the population of quartet states is therefore greater than that observed. Our methodology devises a more efficient route for the production of molecular dianions, and at the same time it may provide information on long-lived electronic states.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy of radical anions

The photoelectron spectroscopy of a number of radical anions has been investigated. We find the following electron affinities: EA(C₃) =1.981 ±0.020 eV, EA(C₃H) = 1.858 ±0.023 eV, EA(C₃H₂) = 1.794 ± 0.025 eV, EA(C₃O) = 1.34±0.15 eV, EA(C₃O₂) = 0.85±0.15 eV, EA(C₄O)= 2.05±0.15 eV, and EA(CS₂) = 0.895± 0.020 eV. The structure and bonding for each of these ions is discussed.     

Generation and characterization of distonic dehydrophenoxide radical anions under electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionizations

We have explored the possibilities of generating radical anions under electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) conditions. By using different sets of ortho-, meta-, and para-isomers of nitrobenzoic acids, methylphenols, and nitrophenols, and m-, and p-isomers of hydroxybenzaldehydes and hydroxyacetophenones as the precursor molecules, we have successfully generated the isomeric distonic dehydrophenoxide radical anions (m/z 92) using the ESI process by applying relatively high capillary voltages, the in-source dissociation (ISD) condition. Under the same conditions, the o-hydroxybenzaldehyde and the o-hydroxyacetophenone yielded the even-electron dehydrophenoxide anion (m/z 93) due to the well-known ortho-effect. The distonic phenoxide radical anions at m/z 92 were also generated under APCI-ISD conditions by using m- and p-isomers of nitrobenzaldehydes and nitroacetophenones. While the o-nitrobenzaldehyde and the o-nitroacetophenone mainly yielded the phenoxide anion at m/z 93, due to the ortho-effect. The collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments of all the anionic precursor molecules formed from either ESI or APCI produced comparable mass spectra as those observed in the ESI-ISD or the APCI-ISD experiments. The radical anions at m/z 92 reacted with CO₂ and O₂ to form the CO₂ adduct and the oxygen atom abstraction product, respectively, revealing the dual-character of the distonic radical anions, the phenide ion and the phenyl radical. Computational studies support the results of the ion-molecule reactions.     

Synthesis and characterisation of BODIPY radical anions

The redox processes associated with BODIPY analogues are studied by electrochemical and spectroscopic methods revealing a characteristic profile for the persistent BODIPY radical and quenching of fluorescence upon reduction.     

Accelerating and decelerating effects of metal ions on electron-transfer reduction of quinones as a function of temperature and binding modes of metal ions to semiquinone radical anions

The accelerating effect of Sc(3+) on the electron-transfer (ET) reduction of the p-benzoquinone derivative 1-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-2,5-benzoquinone (TolSQ) by 10,10'-dimethyl-9,9'-biacridine ((AcrH)(2)) at 233 K changes to a decelerating effect with increasing reaction temperature; the observed second-order rate constant k(et) decreases with increasing Sc(3+) concentration at high concentrations of Sc(3+) at 298 K. At 263 K the k(et) value remains constant with increasing Sc(3+) concentration. Such a remarkable difference with regard to dependence of k(et) on [Sc(3+)] between low and high temperatures results from the difference in relative activity of two ET pathways that depend on temperature, one of which affords 1:1 complex TolSQ*(-)-Sc(3+), and the other 1:2 complex TolSQ*(-)-(Sc(3+))(2) with additional binding of Sc(3+) to TolSQ*(-)-Sc(3+). The formation of TolSQ*(-)-Sc(3+) and TolSQ*(-)-(Sc(3+))(2) complexes was confirmed by EPR spectroscopy in the ET reduction of TolSQ in the presence of low and high concentrations of Sc(3+), respectively. The effects of metal ions on other ET reactions of quinones to afford 1:1 and 1:2 complexes between semiquinone radical anions and metal ions are also reported. The ET pathway affording the 1:2 complexes has smaller activation enthalpies DeltaH( not equal) and more negative activation entropies DeltaS( not equal) because of stronger binding of metal ions and more restricted geometries of the ET transition states as compared with the ET pathway to afford the 1:1 complexes.     

Structural and thermodynamic properties of group 13 imidometallanes and their heavier analogues

Systematic theoretical studies of the [XMYH](n) inorganic rings and clusters (M = Al, Ga, In; Y = N, P, As; X = H, F, Cl, Br, I; n = 1-6) have been carried out using hybrid Hartree-Fock density functional theory. A consistent set of the structural and thermodynamic properties has been obtained. The stability of the MY bond decreases in the order Al > Ga >or= In; N > P > As. Terminal groups X have a minor influence on the subsequent elimination enthalpies of the clusters. In the case of X = H, hydrogen elimination makes formation of the [HMYH](6) oligomers from MH(3) and YH(3) thermodynamically favorable; while in the case of halide substituents, formation of [XMYH](6) is thermodynamically unfavorable, except for the system with the strongest MY bond (AlN). Substitution of the acidic hydrogen by X is favorable energetically for all [HMYH](6) clusters, but is complicated by the processes of cluster destruction to form the [X(2)MYH(2)](2) dimers. The high stability of the [HMNH](6) clusters makes them attractive single-source precursors for the production of 13-15 composites.