Theoretical Study of the Low-Lying Excited States of Butoxy Radicals and Non-Radiative Decay Routes

The potential energy surfaces for the butoxy radical dissociation into R·＋O on the six low-lying electronic states have been determined with the combined CASSCF and MR-CI methods. The isomerization reactions between the different conformers of 1- and 2-butoxy radicals at the X and B states have been also investigated with the MP2, B3LYP, and CASSCF methods. The non-radiative decay mechanisms of butoxy radicals at the B state have been characterized with the computed potential energy surfaces and intersections. Supported by recent LIF experimental results, it was predicted that the t-butoxy radical would predissociate via the B/C intersection. As to 1- and 2-butoxy radicals, the relative energies of the transition states for the isomerization reactions between conformers at the B state are much lower than those of the B/C intersections, resulting in the predominance of the isomerization in the decay of the B state for 1- and 2-butoxy radicals.     

Reactions of Sulphate Radicals with Substituted Pyridines: A Structure–Reactivity Correlation Analysis

The kinetics of the oxidation of pyridine, 3‐chloropyridine, 3‐cyanopyridine, 3‐methoxypyridine and 3‐methylpyridine mediated by SO₄ ^{< M ‐>} radicals are studied by flash photolysis of peroxodisulphate, S₂O₈^2?, at pH 2.5 and 9. The absolute rate constants for the reactions of both, the basic and acid forms of the pyridines, are determined and discussed in terms of the Hammett correlation. The monosubstituted pyridines react about 10 times faster with sulphate radicals than their protonated forms, the pyridine ions. The organic intermediates are identified as the corresponding hydroxypyridine radical adducts and their absorption spectra compared with those estimated employing the time‐dependent density functional theory with explicit account for bulk solvent effects. A reaction mechanism which accounts for the observed intermediates and the pyridinols formed as products is proposed.     

Nitroxyl radicals and nitroxylethers beyond stabilization: radical generators for efficient polymer modification

Beyond traditional polymer stabilization, sterically hindered piperidine derivatives move into new application areas where radical functions are key elements. Recent achievements in using nitroxyl derivatives in degradation, polymerization and grafting processes are discussed together with the involved chemical reactions and the resulting material properties. The examples shown cover selected nitroxylethers (NORs) performing as flame retardants and flame retardant synergists or replacing peroxides in manufacturing controlled rheology polypropylene (PP). Furthermore, NORs and nitroxyl radicals mediate radical polymerization processes resulting in tailor-made intermediates for polymer modification via radical and condensation steps and offer access to complex polymer architecture. To cite this article: R. Pfaendner, C.R. Chimie 9 (2006).     

The kinetics of hydroxyl radical reactions with cyclopropane and cyclobutane

A laser flash photolysis/resonance fluorescence investigation has been carried out to study the kinetics of the overall reactions OH + cyclopropane (1) and OH + cyclobutane (2) in the temperature range 298–490 K and at 298 K, respectively. The following kinetic parameters have been determined: k₁ =(3.9 ±0.6) 10⁻¹²exp- (2.2 ± 0.1)kcal mol⁻¹/RT molecule⁻¹cm³s⁻¹, k₂(298 K) = (17.5 ± 1.5)10⁻¹³molecule⁻¹ cm³s⁻¹.     

Oxidation of organic amide ions by dioxygen

The products of base-catalyzed oxidation of secondary aromatic amines were identified by the GC-MS and EPR techniques as nitroxyls, quinone nitrones, quinone imines, and for diarylamines also as the products of C-N bond cleavage-substituted nitrobenzenes, anilines and phenols. It was shown that nitroxyl radicals are the primary paramagnetic products of the reaction and do not form by the interaction of aminyl radicals with dioxygen. A mechanism of the amide ion oxidation through the nonradical addition of dioxygen to the amide ion at the rate-limiting stage is suggested and discussed.The previous report see Ref. 1.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1746–1751, October, 1994.     

Galactose oxidase models: solution chemistry, and phenoxyl radical generation mediated by the copper status

Galactose oxidase (GO) is an enzyme that catalyzes two-electron oxidations. Its active site contains a copper atom coordinated to a tyrosyl radical, the biogenesis of which requires copper and dioxygen. We have recently studied the properties of electrochemically generated mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical systems as model compounds of GO. We present here the solution chemistry of these ligands under various copper and dioxygen statuses: N(3)O ligands first chelate Cu(II), leading, in the presence of base, to [Cu(II)(ligand)(CH(3)CN)](+) complexes (ortho-tert-butylated ligands) or [(Cu(II))(2)(ligand)(2)](2+) complexes (ortho-methoxylated ligands). Excess copper(II) then oxidizes the complex to the corresponding mononuclear Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical species. N(2)O(2) tripodal ligands, in the presence of copper(II), afford directly a copper(II)-phenoxyl radical species. Addition of more than two molar equivalents of copper(II) affords a Cu(II)-bis(phenoxyl) diradical species. The donor set of the ligand directs the reaction towards comproportionation for ligands possessing an N(3)O donor set, while disproportionation is observed for ligands possessing an N(2)O(2) donor set. These results are discussed in the light of recent results concerning the self-processing of GO. A path involving copper(II) disproportionation is proposed for oxidation of the cross-linked tyrosinate of GO, supporting the fact that both copper(I) and copper(II) activate the enzyme.     

CH_3自由基和O（~3P）反应机理的量子化学研究

用分子轨道从头计算MP2（full）方法和密度泛函理论（DFT）中的B3LYP方法 研究了CH_3自由基和三线态O原子反应的微观机理，优化得到了反应途径上的反应 物、过渡态、中间体和产物的几何构型，通过振动分析对过渡态和中间体构型进行 了确认，在G3不平上计算了能量，同时用经典过渡态理论对该反应的绝对速率常数 进行了理论计算。研究结果表明：CH_3自由基与O（~3P）反应有四条不同的放热反 应通道，主反应通道为IM1→TS1→CH_2O + H，同时反应可彻底裂解生成CO, H_2 及H。     

Discrepancy between the Spin Distribution and the Magnetic Ground State for a Triaminoxyl Substituted Triphenylphosphine Oxide Derivative

The magnetic interaction and spin transfer via phosphorus have been investigated for the tri‐tert‐butylaminoxyl para‐substituted triphenylphosphine oxide. For this radical unit, the conjugation existing between the π* orbital of the NO group and the phenyl π orbitals leads to an efficient delocalization of the spin from the radical to the neighboring aromatic ring. This has been confirmed by using fluid solution high‐resolution EPR and solid state MAS NMR spectroscopy. The spin densities located on the atoms of the molecule could be probed since ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁴N, and ³¹P are nuclei active in NMR and EPR, and lead to a precise spin distribution map for the triradical. The experimental investigations were completed by a DFT computational study. These techniques established in particular that spin density is located at the phosphorus (ρ=?15×10^?3 au), that its sign is in line with the sign alternation principle and that its magnitude is in the order of that found on the aromatic C atoms of the molecule. Surprisingly, whereas the spin distribution scheme supports ferromagnetic interactions among the radical units, the magnetic behavior found for this molecule revealed a low‐spin ground state characterized by an intramolecular exchange parameter of J=?7.55 cm^?1 as revealed by solid state susceptibility studies and low temperature EPR. The X‐ray crystal structures solved at 293 and 30 K show the occurrence of a crystallographic transition resulting in an ordering of the molecular units at low temperature.     

Functionalized nanodiamonds part I. An experimental assessment of diamantane and computational predictions for higher diamondoids

The structures, strain energies, and enthalpies of formation of diamantane 1, triamantane 2, isomeric tetramantanes 3-5, T(d)-pentamantane 6, and D(3d)-hexamantane 7, and the structures of their respective radicals, cations, as well as radical cations, were computed at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory. For the most symmetrical hydrocarbons, the relative strain (per carbon atom) decreases from the lower to the higher diamondoids. The relative stabilities of isomeric diamondoidyl radicals vary only within small limits, while the stabilities of the diamondoidyl cations increase with cage size and depend strongly on the geometric position of the charge. Positive charge located close to the geometrical center of the molecule is stabilized by 2-5 kcal mol(-1). In contrast, diamondoid radical cations preferentially form highly delocalized structures with elongated peripheral C-H bonds. The effective spin/charge delocalization lowers the ionization potentials of diamondoids significantly (down to 176.9 kcal mol(-1) for 7). The reactivity of 1 was extensively studied experimentally. Whereas reactions with carbon-centered radicals (Hal)(3)C(*) (Hal=halogen) lead to mixtures of all possible tertiary and secondary halodiamantanes, uncharged electrophiles (dimethyldioxirane, m-chloroperbenzoic acid, and CrO(2)Cl(2)) give much higher tertiary versus secondary selectivities. Medial bridgehead substitution dominates in the reactions with strong electrophiles (Br(2), 100 % HNO(3)), whereas with strong single-electron transfer (SET) acceptors (photoexcited 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene) apical C(4)-H bridgehead substitution is preferred. For diamondoids that form well-defined radical cations (such as 1 and 4-7), exceptionally high selectivities are expected upon oxidation with outer-sphere SET reagents.     

A theoretical investigation of the gas-phase oxidation reaction of the saturated tert-butyl radical.

The radical-radical reaction mechanisms and dynamics of ground-state atomic oxygen [O(3P)] with the saturated tert-butyl radical (t-C4H9) are investigated using the density functional method and the complete basis set model. Two distinctive reaction pathways are predicted to be in competition: addition and abstraction. The barrierless addition of O(3P) to t-C4H9 leads to the formation of an energy-rich intermediate (OC4H9) on the lowest doublet potential energy surface, which undergoes subsequent direct elimination or isomerization-elimination leading to various products: C3H6O + CH3, iso-C4H8O + H, C3H7O + CH2, and iso-C4H8 + OH. The respective microscopic reaction processes examined with the aid of statistical calculations, predict that the major addition pathway is the formation of acetone (C3H6O) + CH3 through a low-barrier, single-step cleavage. For the direct, barrierless H-atom abstraction mechanism producing iso-C4H8 (isobutene) + OH, which was recently reported in gas-phase crossed-beam investigations, the reaction is described in terms of both an abstraction process (major) and a short-lived addition dynamic complex (minor).