Ab initio calculations on the intramolecular electron transfer rates of a bis(hydrazine) radical cation

Electron transfer (ET) rates of a charge localized (Class II) intervalence radical cation of a bis(hydrazine) are investigated theoretically. First, the intramolecular ET parameters, i.e., reorganization energy, electronic coupling, and effective frequency, are calculated using several ab initio approaches. And then, the extended Sumi-Marcus theory is employed to predict ET rates by using the parameters obtained. The results reveal that the rates of three isomers of [22/hex/22]+, oo+[22/hex/22]+, io +[22/hex/22]+, and oi+[22/hex/22]+, are agreement with the experiment quite well while the rate of isomer ii+[22/hex/22]+ is about 1000 times larger than those of the others. The validity of different ab initio approaches for this system is discussed.     

Photosensitized (electron transfer) carbon-carbon bond cleavage of radical cations : The diphenylmethyl system

The photosensitized (electron transfer) reaction of methyl 2,2-diphenylethyl ether (1), 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethane (5), 2-methyl-1,1,2-triphenylpropane (6), and 2-methoxy-2-diphenylmethylnorbornane (11 endo and exo) with 1,4-dicyanobenzene (4) in acetonitrile-methanol leads to products indicating cleavage of an intermediate radical cation to give the diphenylmethyl radical and a carbocation. The diphenylmethyl radical is then reduced by the radical anion of the photosensitizer and protonated to yield diphenylmethane. The carbocation fragment reacts with methanol to yield ether and/or acetals. The effect of temperature on the efficiency of cleavage of 5 and 6 has been analyzed. The increase in efficiency observed at higher temperatures reflects an activation energy for the cleavage of the radical cations. In cases where no cleavage is observed, the activation energy for cleavage may be so high that back electron transfer from the radical anion of the pbotosensitizer is the dominant reaction. The C—C bond dissociation energies of the radical cations of 5 and 6 were estimated by analysis of the thermochemical cycle using the bond dissociation energies and the oxidation potentials of the neutral molecules and the oxidation potential of the diphenylmethyl and cumyl radicals. The direction of cleavage of the radical cation is explained in terms of the relative oxidation potentials of the two possible radicals.     

Quantum study of the absorption spectroscopy of bis(triarylamine) radical cations

Absorption spectra of bridged triarylamine radical cations are calculated quantum mechanically which extends our previous classical analysis (Lambert et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2004, 108, 6474). A comparison between spectra determined within a diabatic and an adiabatic representation shows that under certain circumstances deviations occur. It is found that the latter are mainly caused by the Condon approximation for the dipole moments. The inclusion of vibrational degrees of freedom leads to an excellent agreement with experiment.     

Chemically induced anion radical cycloadditions: intramolecular cyclobutanation of bis(enones) via homogeneous electron transfer

The first examples of anion radical cycloaddition induced by homogeneous electron transfer from chemical agents are described. Specifically, upon exposure to chrysene anion radical, bis(enone) substrates are found to engage in stereoselective intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition. These studies, along with the corresponding electrochemically initiated reactions, provide insight into this fundamentally new pattern of reactivity and support the feasibility of expanding this novel reaction type.     

Intramolecular electron transfer in bis(methylene) adamantyl radical cation: a case study of diabatic trapping

Our characterization of the potential energy surface for electron transfer (ET) in the bis(methylene)adamantane (BMA) model radical cation shows that the surface topology is prone to diabatic trapping (competition between ET and upward hops to the excited state). The general conditions for this phenomenon have been derived. The surface is centered around a conical intersection, and diabatic trapping occurs because one of the branching space coordinates (coordinates that lift the degeneracy at first order) corresponds to a vector of small length. For BMA, this coordinate is an antisymmetric breathing mode of the rigid carbon framework. Other modes (including methylene torsions and pyramidalizations) may lift the degeneracy at second-order but do not affect the energy gap at the intersection region effectively. The resulting topology is similar to that of an (n - 1) dimensional seam (where n is the number of nuclear degrees of freedom of the molecule) that cannot be avoided along the reaction coordinate, thus favoring recrossing to the upper surface. This analysis is extended by ab initio semiclassical dynamics using an Ehrenfest and a trajectory surface hopping algorithm implemented at the CASSCF level. Examination of the trajectories shows that there is no single mode that controls the diabatic trap, in agreement with the condition that there is no predominant degeneracy-lifting coordinate. Thus the reactivity depends on a combination of small effects, where presumably higher-order effects come into play. This should be the general behavior of dynamics at a diabatic trapping situation.     

Amino-indole radical cations—II : Stability and electron transfer reactions

2-Phenyl-3-aryl-amino indole and bis-indolyl-amine radical cations show different stabilities depending on the possibility of their being convertible into the corresponding imino-compounds. The route of this decomposition is demonstrated and the synthesis of some new amines and the corresponding radical cations is reported. Electron transfer reactions between amino-indoles and tris-(p-bromophenyl-)amminium perchlorate are also reported.     

Role of sulfide radical cations in electron transfer promoted molecular oxygenations at sulfur

The methylene blue, N-methylquinolinium tetrafluoroborate, and pyrylium-cation-sensitized photooxygenations of 5H, 7H-dibenzo[b,g] [1,5]dithiocin, 1, and 1,5-dithiacyclooctane, 2, have been investigated. The methylene blue sensitized reactions exhibit all of the characteristics of a singlet oxygen reaction including isotope effects for the formation of a hydroperoxysulfonium ylide and the ability of 1 and 2 to quench the time-resolved emission of singlet oxygen at 1270 nm. The product compositions in the N-methylquinolinium tetrafluoroborate and pyrylium-cation-sensitized reactions are dramatically different and are both different from that anticipated for the participation of singlet oxygen. This argues for different reaction mechanisms for all three sensitizers. However, both the quinolinium and pyrylium-cation-sensitized reactions display all of the characteristics of electron-transfer-initiated photooxygenations. Both sensitizers were quenched at nearly diffusion-limited rates by 1 and 2. Laser flash photolysis of mixtures of either sensitizer and 1 or 2 resulted in direct observation of the reduced sensitizer and the sulfide radical cation. In addition, electron-transfer reactions involving both sensitizers were shown to be exergonic. These results are consistent with the previously proposed outer sphere electron-transfer mechanism for N-methylquinolinium tetrafluoroborate and were used to argue for a new inner sphere mechanism for the pyrylium cation reactions.     

Molecular electronegativity in density functional theory (II) --Direct calculation of group electronegativity and the atomic charges in a group

On the basis of a more precise expression of the atomic effective electronegativity deduced from the density functional theory and electronegativity equalization principle, a new scheme for calculating the group electronegativity and the atomic charges in a group is proposed and programed, and various parameters of electronegativity and hardness are given for some common atoms. Through calculation, analysis and comparison of more than one hundred groups, it is shown that the results from this scheme are reasonable and may be extended.     

Reaction of triarylphosphine radical cations generated from photoinduced electron transfer in the presence of oxygen

[reaction: see text] The 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA)-sensitized photoreaction of triarylphosphines (1) was carried out in acetonitrile under aerobic conditions. Phosphine 1 was oxidized to the corresponding phosphine oxide with no appreciable side reactions. Product analysis and laser flash photolysis experiments suggest that the radical cation of 1 formed by the electron transfer from 1 to DCA in the singlet excited state ((1)DCA) reacts with O(2) to eventually afford the phosphine oxide.     

Generation and reactions of 3-alkylidene-1-pyrazoline radical cations by photoinduced electron transfer

The behavior of the 3-alkylidene-1-pyrazoline radical cations generated by photoinduced electron transfer reactions was examined. The nitrogen-retained radical cations have been detected using laser flash photolysis. The photochemical products indicate that E/Z isomerization, intramolecular cyclization, and solvent addition (acetonitrile) occurred.     

Electro-oxidation of hydrazine shows marcusian electron transfer kinetics

Although hydrazine(N2 H4) oxidation in an electrochemical environment has been of great interest for years,its intrinsic electron transfer kinetics remain uncertain.We report that the phenomenological Butler-Volmer(BV) theory is not appropriate for interpreting the process of hydrazine oxidation for which an astonishingly wide range of transfer coefficients,Tafel slopes and diffusion coefficient have been previously reported.Rather Tafel analysis for voltammetry recorded at Glassy Carbon(GC)electrodes reveals a strong potential dependence of the anodic transfer coefficient,consistent with the symmetric Marcus-Hush(sMH) theory.According to the relationship β=λ+FEf^0/2λ-F/2λ E,the reorganization energy(0.35±0.07 eV) and an approximate formal potential of the rate-determining first electron transfer were successfully extracted from the voltammetric responses.     

Effect of functional group (fluorine) of aromatic thiols on electron transfer at the molecule-metal interface

Electron transfer at the molecule-metal interface of self-assembled monolayers of 1,1';4',1'-terphenyl-4'-thiol (BBB) and its partially fluorinated counterpart (BFF: p-thiophenyl-nonafluorobiphenyl) on Au(111) is investigated by core-hole clock spectroscopy. Ultrafast electron transfer at the BBB/Au(111) interface in the low-femtosecond regime (on the same time scale as the C 1s core-hole lifetime, approximately 6 fs) was observed. In contrast, for BFF/Au(111), the interface electron transfer was forbidden during the core-hole decay. This strongly suggests that fluorination of phenyl rings significantly enhances the localization of the excited electrons in the LUMO.     

Regioselective synthesis of bis(silyl enol ethers) and bis(conjugated enones) through electron transfer from Mg metal

Treatment of α,β-unsaturated ketones with Mg metal in the presence of trimethylsilyl choride (TMSCl) brought about facile and regioselective reductive dimerization to give the corresponding bis(silyl enol ethers), 1,6-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-1,5-dienes. Similar Mg-promoted reductive dimerization of 1,3-cyclic diketones in the presence of TMSCl followed by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis led to selective formation of the corresponding 1,6-diketo-2,4-dienes in moderate to good yields.     

Ionization of aniline and its N-methyl and N-phenyl substituted derivatives by (free) electron transfer to n-butyl chloride parent radical cations

The electron transfer from aniline and its N-methyl as well as N-phenyl substituted derivatives (N-methylaniline, N,N-dimethylaniline, diphenylamine, triphenylamine) to parent solvent radical cations was studied by electron pulse radiolysis in n-butyl chloride solution. The ionization results in the case of aniline (ArNH2) and the secondary aromatic amines (Ar2NH, Ar(Me)NH) in the synchronous and direct formation of amine radical cations, as well as aminyl radicals, in comparable amounts. Subsequently, ArNH2*+ deprotonates in a delayed reaction with the present nucleophile Cl-, and forms further ArNH*. In contrast, tertiary aromatic amines such as triphenylamine and dimethylaniline yield primarily the corresponding amine radical cations Ar3N*+ or Ar(Me2)N*+, only. The persistent Ar3N*+ forms a charge transfer complex (dimer) with the parent amine molecule, whereas Ar(Me2)N*+ deprotonates to carbon-centered radicals Ar(Me)NCH2*.     

Rearrangement of annelated housanes to triquinane-like hydrocarbons by electron transfer (1,3-cyclopentanediyl radical cations) and acid catalysis (cyclopentyl carbenium ions).

The electron-transfer-catalyzed rearrangement of the annelated housane 4a on treatment with tris(p-bromophenyl)aminium hexachloroantimonate (TBA(*)(+)SbCl(6)(-)) affords regioselectively the two isomeric olefins endo-5a and 6a by 1,2 migration of the two groups at the methano bridge. Acid-catalyzed rearrangement gives in addition to endo 5a and 6a also the regioisomer endo-7a as major product. The formation of both rearrangement products endo-5a and 6a suggests a planar conformation for the radical-cation and carbocation intermediates. The regioselectivity is rationalized in terms of electronic stabilization of the radical versus cationic sites by the substituent at the rearrangement termini in the radical-cation and carbocation intermediates. Of interest for preparative purposes, the annelated housane 4a leads under electron-transfer conditions to unusual triquinane-related olefins by means of an unprecedented synthetic pathway.     

Generation of bis(dithiolene)dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes from bis(dithiolene)monooxomolybdenum(IV) complexes by proton-coupled electron transfer in aqueous media

Electron transfer oxidation reaction of bis(dithiolene)monooxomolybdenum(iv) (Mo(IV)OL(x)) complexes is studied as a model of oxidative-half reaction of arsenite oxidase molybdenum enzymes. The reactions are revealed to involve proton-coupled electron transfer. Electrochemical oxidation of Mo(IV)OL(x) yields the corresponding bis(dithiolene)dioxomolybdenum(vi) complexes in basic solution, where the conversion of Mo(IV)OL(dmed) supported by a smaller electron donating dithiolene ligand (1,2-dicarbomethoxyethylene-1,2-dithiolate, L(dmed)) to Mo(VI)O(2)L(dmed) is faster than that of Mo(IV)OL(bdt) with a larger electron donating dithiolene ligand (1,2-benzenedithiolate, L(bdt)) under the same conditions. Titration experiments for the electrochemical oxidation reveal that the reaction involves two-electron oxidation and two equivalents of OH(-) consumption per Mo(IV)OL(x). In the conversion process of Mo(IV)OL(x) to Mo(VI)O(2)L(x), the five-coordinate bis(dithiolene)monooxomolybdenum(v) complex (Mo(V)OL(x)) being a one-electron oxidized species of Mo(IV)OL(x) is suggested to react with OH(-). Mo(V)OL(x) reacts with OH(-) in CH(3)CN or C(2)H(5)CN in a 2?:?2 ratio to give one equivalent Mo(IV)OL(x) and one equivalent Mo(VI)O(2)L(x), which is confirmed by the UV-vis and IR spectroscopies. The low temperature stopped-flow analysis allows investigations of the mechanism for the reaction of Mo(V)OL(x) with OH(-). The kinetic study for the reaction of Mo(V)OL(dmed) with OH(-) suggests that Mo(V)OL(dmed) reacts with OH(-) to give a six-coordinate oxo-hydroxo-molybdenum(v) species, Mo(V)O(OH), and, then, the resulting species undergoes successive deprotonation by another OH(-) and oxidation by a remaining Mo(V)OL(dmed) to yield the final products Mo(IV)OL(dmed) and Mo(VI)O(2)L(dmed) complexes in a 1?:?1 ratio. In this case, the Mo(V)O(2) species are involved as an intermediate in the reaction. On the other hand, in the reaction of Mo(V)OL(bdt) with OH(-), coordination of OH(-) to the Mo(V) centre to give a six-coordinate Mo(V)O(OH)L(bdt) species becomes the rate limiting step and other intermediates are not suggested. On the basis of these results, the ligand effects of the dithiolene ligands on the reactivity of the bis(dithiolene)molybdenum complexes are discussed.     

Degenerate electron exchange reaction of n-alkane radical cations in solution

The degenerate electron exchange (DEE) reaction involving radical cations (RCs) of n-nonane, n-dodecane, and n-hexadecane in n-hexane solution was studied over the temperature range 253-313 K using the method of time-resolved magnetic field effect in recombination fluorescence of spin-correlated radical ion pairs. In the dilute solutions the rate constant of DEE was found to be 200 times slower than the diffusion limit. Using n-nonane as an example, we showed that two reasons are responsible for the low value of the RC self-exchange rate: (1) conformational variability of molecules and RCs and (2) the activation barrier of DEE reaction. The calculations of the reaction enthalpy performed by the B3LYP/6-31G(d) method indicated that electron transfer can be effective only upon collision of RC with a neutral molecule either in the all-trans conformation or in the conformation differing from the latter by rotation of the end ethyl fragment. The activation barrier of the DEE reaction was estimated using the reorganization energy of the internal degrees of freedom calculated at the B3LYP level and was found to be about 6 kcal/mol. A possible influence of the interaction between RC and a neutral molecule in an encounter complex on DEE rate constant is also discussed.