Excited-state proton-coupled electron transfer within ion pairs

The use of light to drive proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions has received growing interest, with recent focus on the direct use of excited states in PCET reactions (ES-PCET). Electrostatic ion pairs provide a scaffold to reduce reaction orders and have facilitated many discoveries in electron-transfer chemistry. Their use, however, has not translated to PCET. Herein, we show that ion pairs, formed solely through electrostatic interactions, provide a general, facile means to study an ES-PCET mechanism. These ion pairs formed readily between salicylate anions and tetracationic ruthenium complexes in acetonitrile solution. Upon light excitation, quenching of the ruthenium excited state occurred through ES-PCET oxidation of salicylate within the ion pair. Transient absorption spectroscopy identified the reduced ruthenium complex and oxidized salicylate radical as the primary photoproducts of this reaction. The reduced reaction order due to ion pairing allowed the first-order PCET rate constants to be directly measured through nanosecond photoluminescence spectroscopy. These PCET rate constants saturated at larger driving forces consistent with approaching the Marcus barrierless region. Surprisingly, a proton-transfer tautomer of salicylate, with the proton localized on the carboxylate functional group, was present in acetonitrile. A pre-equilibrium model based on this tautomerization provided non-adiabatic electron-transfer rate constants that were well described by Marcus theory. Electrostatic ion pairs were critical to our ability to investigate this PCET mechanism without the need to covalently link the donor and acceptor or introduce specific hydrogen bonding sites that could compete in alternate PCET pathways.

Electrostatic ion pairs provide a general method to study excited-state proton-coupled electron transfer. A PT_aET_b mechanism is identified for the ES-PCET oxidation of salicylate within photoexcited cationic ruthenium–salicylate ion pairs.     

Mikrobestimmung des Fluors in organischen Substanzen

Zusammenfassung Es wurde ein Mikroverfahren zur Bestimmung von organisch gebundenem Fluor ausgearbeitet. Die Substanz wird mit Kalium im Glasröhrchen aufgeschlossen. Die Röhrchen werden vorher durch Auskochen mit Salzsäure blindwertfrei gemacht. Die Titration des Fluoridions kann durch geeignete Maßnahmen direkt in der Aufschlußlösung erfolgen, so daß die zeitraubende Abdestillation des Fluorids erspart wird. Die Titration selbst wird in bekannter Weise mittels Thoriumnitrat durchgeführt. Als Indikatoren dienen Alizarinrot S, dem Wasserblau oder Chinablau zugesetzt ist. ZurpH-Einstellung dient ein Glycin-Perchlorsäure-Puffer.

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Summary A method was developed for the determination of organically bound fluorine. The sample is decomposed by heating with potassium in a small glass tube. The tubes are treated ahead of time with hot hydrochloric acid to render them blank-free. The titration of the fluoride ion can be conducted directly in the decomposition solution if proper precautions are taken. The time-consuming distilling off of the fluoride is thus avoided. The titration itself is made in the usual manner by thorium nitrate. The indicator is alizarin red S, to which is-added water blue or China blue. A glycerol-perchloric acid buffer is used to-adjust the p_h.

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Résumé Mise au point d'un procédé de microdosage du fluor dans les composés-organiques. La substance est attaquée par le potassium dans de petits tubes de verre. Ceux-ci sont préalablement traités dans l'acide chlorhydrique bouillant pour éviter toute correction d'essai à blanc. Le titrage de l'ion fluorure peut être exécuté directement dans la solution provenant de l'attaque sous réserve de respecter des conditions appropriées; on évite ainsi la longue séparation du fluorure par distillation. Le titrage proprement dit est effectué de la façon habituelle à l'aide de nitrate de thorium en présence d'un indicateur constitué par du rouge d'alizarine S auquel on a ajouté du bleu soluble (Wasserblau ou Chinablau). On opère àpH constant à l'aide du tampon glycocolle — acide perchlorique.

     

A new total synthesis of (±)-oestrone

A conceptually new total synthesis of oestrone, based on a novel cascade of radical cyclisations from the iodo aryl vinylcyclopropane 2, via 10, 15, 16 and 17, leading to the intermediate trans,anti,trans-oestradiol derivative 11 in one step, is described. Oxidation of 11, followed by demethylation of the resulting aryl methyl ether 18 then gives (±)-oestrone 1.     

Structural effects in electron transfer reactions: comparative interfacial electrochemical kinetics for cis- versus trans-dioxorhenium(V)(bi)pyridine oxidation

The comparative interfacial oxidation kinetics of the approximate structural isomers trans-(O)₂Re^V(py)⁺₄ and cis-(O)₂Re^V(bpy)(py)⁺₂ (py, pyridine; bpy, 2,2′-bipyridine) have been assessed in aqueous solution via conventional cyclic voltammetry at a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) electrode. HOPG was employed because of its known propensity to diminish interfacial electron transfer (ET) rates (by ca. three to four orders of magnitude) and because of a probable lack of importance of kinetic work terms (diffuse double-layer corrections). Measured rates for the trans complex exceed those for the cis by about a factor of 3. Expressed as an effective activation Gibbs energy difference ΔG^*, this corresponds to a cis-trans difference of ca. 3 kJ mol⁻¹. The actual vibrational barriers to ET have determined from a combination of published X-ray structural results (trans complex) and new resonance Raman results (cis complex). The values are 0.6 kJ mol ⁻¹ for the trans oxidation and 4.4 kJ mol⁻¹ for the cis oxidation (i.e. close to the barrier difference inferred from rate measurements). Further analysis shows that most of the barrier difference is associated with displacement of a (predominantly) Re-N(bpy) stretching mode found only in the cis system. Differences in metal-oxo displacements (cis > trans) are also implicated.     

Synthesis of an s-butyldibenz[a,h]acridine. Alkyl migration in the bernthsen reaction

The Bernthsen reaction between N-1-naphthyl-2-naphthylamine and 2-methylbutanoic acid and its anhydride at 200–230° for seven hours gives a low yield of 12- or 13-s-butyldibenz[a,h]acridine, instead of the expected 14-isomer. The parent molecule dibenz[a,h]acridine results from the same reaction conducted at 270° for thirteen hours. It is suggested that alkyl migration may have occurred in some other cases where the Bernthsen reaction was reported to yield 14-alkyldibenz[a,h]acridines.     

Trends in 19F-19F and 29Si-19F coupling constants in organosilicon derivatives containing SiF2 and Si2F4 units

Consideration of ¹⁹F-¹⁹F and ²⁹Si-¹⁹F coupling constants in a series of organosilicon derivatives containing SiF₂ and Si₂F₄ units reveals a number of trends which are useful for structural and stereochemical assignments. For example the vicinal ¹⁹F-¹⁹F coupling constants in a number of CSiF₂SiF₂C- derivatives (including straight chain compounds, disilacyclobutanes and disilacyclohexanes) show an apparent linear dependence on dihedral angle, varying in magnitude from near zero for small values of φ up to ca. 19 Hz for φ ～ 180°. This is particularly useful for stereochemical assignments [1,2]. In addition ²⁹Si-¹⁹F coupling constants appear to fall in quite distinct ranges (¹J_SiF > 300 Hz, 29 Hz < ²J_SiF < 55 Hz, ³J_SiF < 10 Hz). This is quite useful for structural assignments [1,6]. Reaction of SiF₂ with 1,3-cyclohexadiene gives two new silicon fluorine compounds: a disilabicyclo[2,2,2]octene and an HSi₂F₅-substituted cyclohexadiene.     

Über die anomale Reaktion von Glycin bei der Aminostickstoffbestimmung Nach Van Slyke

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die anomale Reaktion von Glycin mit salpetriger Säure erneut bearbeitet, da das vonAustin angegebene Reaktionsschema nicht zur Erklärung der anomalen Gasmengen ausreicht. Zunächst wurde wahrscheinlich gemacht, daß sich aus dem Carbeniumkation, das bei der Desaminierung von Glycin entsteht, unmittelbar Methylnitrolsäure bildet. Nitroessigsäure oder Nitromethan kommen als Zwischenprodukte nur in untergeordneter Menge in Betracht. Die Methylnitrolsäure ist Ausgangspunkt für die anomale Reaktion, die in zwei Konkurrenzreaktionen abläuft. Bei der einen Konkurrenzreaktion reagiert die Isonitrosogruppe von Methylnitrolsäure mit salpetriger Säure, wobei 1 Mol (N₂ + N₂O) sowie Nitroformaldehyd entstehen. Nitroformaldehyd reduziert salpetrige Säure zu N₂O und N₂ und wird zu Nitroameisensäure oxydiert. Letztere zerfällt unter CO₂-Entwicklung. Die zweite Konkurrenzreaktion wurde im Prinzip bereits vonAustin angegeben und von uns entsprechend den Ergebnissen über den Abbau von Isonitrosoverbindungen modifiziert. Demnach wird Methylnitrolsäure thermisch unter Bildung von Knallsäure und salpetriger Säure zersetzt. Knallsäure lagert Essigsäure an. Dieses Addukt wird von salpetriger Säure unter Entwicklung von N₂ und N₂O zu Ameisensäure zersetzt. Ameisensäure wird in geringer Menge noch zu CO₂ weiter-oxydiert.

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Summary The anomalous reaction of glycine with nitrous acid was reinvestigated because the reaction scheme given byAustin is not adequate to explain the anomalous amounts of gas. At the start it was made probable that methylnitrolic acid is formed directly from the carbenium cation which results from the deamination of glycine. Nitroacetic acid or nitromethane are involved to only a minor extent as intermediate products. Methylnitrolic acid is the starting point for the anomalous reaction, which proceeds in two competing reactions. In one of the competing reactions the isonitroso group of methylnitrolic acid reacts with nitrous acid, whereby one mol (N₂ + N₂O) and also nitroformaldehyde are produced. Nitroformaldehyde reduces nitrous acid to N₂O and N₂, and is oxidized to nitroformic acid. The latter decomposes with evolution of CO₂.The second competing reaction has previously been given, in principle, byAustin and modified by the present writers to correspond with the results of the degradation of the isonitroso compounds. Accordingly, methylnitrolic acid is decomposed thermally to produce fulminic acid and nitrous acid. Fulminic acid adds acetic acid. This adduct is decomposed by nitrous acid with generation of N₂ and N₂O and formic acid results. A slight proportion of the formic acid is also oxidized further to CO₂.

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Résumé Les auteurs ont à nouveau étudié la réaction anormale de la glycine sur l'acide nitreux car le schéma réactionnel donné parAustin ne permet pas de rendre compte des dégagements gazeux anormaux qui se produisent. II a tout d'abord été établi selon toute vraisemblance qu'à partir du cation carbénium qui se forme lors de la désamination de la glycine il se produit immédiatement de l'acide méthylnitrolique. L'acide nitroacétique ou le nitrométhane n'apparaissent comme produits intermédiaires qu'en quantités minimes. L'acide méthylnitrolique est le point de départ de la réaction anormale qui se partage en fait en deux réactions concurrentielles. Lors de l'une de ces réactions, le groupement isonitrosé de l'acide méthylnitrolique réagit avec l'acide nitrolique avec formation d'une molécule du mélange (N₂ + N₂O) ainsi que de nitroformaldéhyde. Le nitroformaldéhyde réduit l'acide nitreux en N₂O et N₂ tandis qu'il s'oxyde en acide nitroformique. Ce dernier se décompose avec dégagement de CO₂. La seconde de ces réactions a été déjà indiquée en principe parAustin et modifiée par les auteurs compte tenu des données relatives à la dégradation des composés isonitrosés. D'après cette réaction l'acide nitrolique se décompose thermiquement avec formation d'acide fulminique et d'acide nitreux. L'acide fulminique se fixe par addition sur l'acide acétique. Le produit obtenu est décomposé par l'acide nitreux avec dégagement de N₂ et N₂O et formation d'acide formique. L'acide formique s'oxyde ensuite en faibles proportions en CO₂.