The electronic structure of 5-methylhexa-1,2,4-triene-1,3-diyl, the first representative of highly delocalized triplet ethynylvinylcarbenes, from ESR spectroscopy data and quantum chemical calculations

The ESR spectrum of the first representative of highly conjugated triplet ethynylvinylcarbenes, 5-methylhexa-1,2,4-triene-1,3-diyl (1), was recorded in solid argon matrix. The zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters of carbene 1 (D = 0.5054±0.0006 cm^?1 and E = 0.0045±0.0002 cm^?1) determined from the experimental ESR spectrum are in between the corresponding parameters of ethynylcarbene C3H2 (2) and vinylcarbene C₃H₄ (3): D(3) < D(1) < D(2) and E(2) < E(1) < E(3). Quantum chemical calculations of the ZFS parameters of 1, 2, and 3 have been carried out for the first time using two DFT-based approaches, RODFT and UDFT. An analysis of the experimental and theoretical ZFS parameters shows that carbene 1 is characterized by a greater extent of delocalization of the spin density of unpaired electrons than carbenes 2 and 3. The characteristic structural fragments of carbene 1 possess the principal features of the electronic structure of both ethynylcarbene (2) and vinylcarbene (3), respectively. Magnetic spin-spin interactions are identical in carbenes 1 and 2. The dominant contribution to D in 1 and 2 results from the one-center spin-spin interactions on carbon atoms in the propynylidene group, which are subjected to strong spin polarization.     

Gas phase kinetic and theoretical studies of reactions of germylenes and dimethylstannylene

The results of time resolved gas phase studies of labile germylenes (GeH₂ and GeMe₂) and dimethylstannylene (SnMe₂) reactions reported to date are considered together with data of quantum-chemical investigations of the potential energy surfaces of these systems. Reaction mechanisms are discussed. A comparison of reactivity in the series of carbene analogs, ER₂ (E = Si, Ge, Sn, R = H, Me), is made.__________Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 477–505, March, 2005.     

Formation of 1,1-dichloro-2-vinyl-1-silacyclopropane by a photoinduced reaction between dichlorosilylene and 1,3-butadiene

1. Download high-res image (93KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Surprisingly slow reaction of dimethylsilylene with dimethylgermane: time-resolved kinetic studies and related quantum chemical calculations

Time-resolved studies of silylene, SiH2, and dimethylsilylene, SiMe2, generated by the 193 nm laser flash photolysis of appropriate precursor molecules have been carried out to obtain rate constants for their bimolecular reactions with dimethylgermane, Me2GeH2, in the gas phase. SiMe2 + Me2GeH2 was studied at five temperatures in the range 299-555 K. Problems of substrate UV absorption at 193 nm at temperatures above 400 K meant that only three temperatures could be used reliably for rate constant measurement. These rate constants gave the Arrhenius parameters log(A/cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1)) = -13.25 +/- 0.16 and E(a) = -(5.01 +/- 1.01) kJ mol(-1). Only room temperature studies of SiH2 were carried out. These gave values of (4.05 +/- 0.06) x 10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) (SiH2 + Me2GeH2 at 295 K) and also (4.41 +/- 0.07) x 10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) (SiH2 + MeGeH3 at 296 K). Rate constant comparisons show the surprising result that SiMe2 reacts 12.5 times slower with Me2GeH2 than with Me2SiH2. Quantum chemical calculations (G2(MP2,SVP)//B3LYP level) of the model Si-H and Ge-H insertion processes of SiMe2 with SiH4/MeSiH3 and GeH4/MeGeH3 support these findings and show that the lower reactivity of SiMe2 with Ge-H bonds is caused by a higher secondary barrier for rearrangement of the initially formed complexes. Full details of the structures of intermediate complexes and the discussion of their stabilities are given in the paper. Other, related, comparisons of silylene reactivity are also presented.     

Study of complexation between difluorostannylene and aromatics by matrix IR spectroscopy

Complexes (1:1) between difluorostannylene and benzene, chlorobenzene, and toluene as well as the (PhH)₂·SnF₂ complex were obtained and characterized by matrix IR spectroscopy. The capability of carbene analogs to form labile complexes with aromatics was demonstrated for the first time taking SnF₂ as an example. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 97–102, January, 1999.     

Interconversions of the silylene-to-silene and germylene-to-germene types: direct spectroscopic studies and calculations

The recent advances in spectroscopic and quantum-chemical studies of carbene-to-olefin isomerization of carbene analogs of Group 14 elements are discussed. Primary attention is devoted to the use of matrix isolation spectroscopy, whose successful combination with modern calculation techniques has resulted in the first spectroscopic characterization of a number of novel short-lived silylenes and germylenes and their structural isomers with unsaturated Si=C, Ge=C, and Si=O bonds. Based on invited lecture given by Professor Dr. V. N. Khabashesku at the Sixth International Conference on Chemistry of Carbenes and Related Intermediates (May 28–30, 1998, St. Petersburg, Russia). Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2027–2039, November, 1999.