To enhance the versatility of organic azides in organic synthesis, a better understanding of their photochemistry is required. Herein, the photoreactivity of azidoisoxazole 1 was characterized in cryogenic matrices with IR and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The irradiation (λ = 254 nm) of azidoisoxazole 1 in an argon matrix at 13 K and in glassy 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (mTHF) at 77 K yielded nitrosoalkene 3. Density functional theory (DFT) and complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations were used to aid the characterization of nitrosoalkene 3 and to support the proposed mechanism for its formation. It is likely that nitrosoalkene 3 is formed from the singlet excited state of azidoisoxazole 1 via a concerted mechanism or from cleavage of an intermediate singlet nitrene that does not undergo efficient intersystem crossing to its triplet configuration.
more »
« less
Photolysis of 3‐Azido‐3‐phenyl‐3 H ‐isobenzofuran‐1‐one at Ambient and Cryogenic Temperatures †
Although alkyl azides are known to typically form imines under direct irradiation, the product formation mechanism remains ambiguous as some alkyl azides also yield the corresponding triplet alkylnitrenes at cryogenic temperatures. The photoreactivity of 3‐azido‐3‐phenyl‐3
- Award ID(s):
- 2102248
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10445874
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Photochemistry and Photobiology
- Volume:
- 97
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 0031-8655
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 1397-1406
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
more » « less
ABSTRACT Triplet arylnitrenes may provide direct access to aryl azo‐dimers, which have broad commercial applicability. Herein, the photolysis of
p ‐azidostilbene (1 ) in argon‐saturated methanol yielded stilbene azo‐dimer (2 ) through the dimerization of tripletp ‐nitrenostilbene (31N ). The formation of31N was verified by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and absorption spectroscopy (λ max ~ 375 nm) in cryogenic 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran matrices. At ambient temperature, laser flash photolysis of1 in methanol formed31N (λ max ~ 370 nm, 2.85 × 107 s−1). On shorter timescales, a transient absorption (λ max ~ 390 nm) that decayed with a similar rate constant (3.11 × 107 s−1) was assigned to a triplet excited state (T) of1 . Density functional theory calculations yielded three configurations for T of1 , with the unpaired electrons on the azido (TA) or stilbene moiety (TTw, twisted and TFl, flat). The transient was assigned to TTwbased on its calculated spectrum. CASPT2 calculations gave a singlet–triplet energy gap of 16.6 kcal mol−1for1 N ; thus, intersystem crossing of11N to31N is unlikely at ambient temperature, supporting the formation of31N from T of1 . Thus, sustainable synthetic methods for aryl azo‐dimers can be developed using the visible‐light irradiation of aryl azides to form triplet arylnitrenes. -
more » « less
Abstract Not long ago, the occurrence of quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) chemistry involving atoms heavier than hydrogen was considered unreasonable. Contributing to the shift of this paradigm, we present here the discovery of a new and distinct heavy‐atom QMT reaction. Triplet syn‐2‐formyl‐3‐fluorophenylnitrene, generated in argon matrices by UV‐irradiation of an azide precursor, was found to spontaneously cyclize to singlet 4‐fluoro‐2,1‐benzisoxazole. Monitoring the transformation by IR spectroscopy, temperature‐independent rate constants (
k ≈1.4×10−3 s−1; half‐life of ≈8 min) were measured from 10 to 20 K. Computational estimated rate constants are in fair agreement with experimental values, providing evidence for a mechanism involving heavy‐atom QMT through crossing triplet to singlet potential energy surfaces. Moreover, the heavy‐atom QMT takes place with considerable displacement of the oxygen atom, which establishes a new limit for the heavier atom involved in a QMT reaction in cryogenic matrices. -
more » « less
Abstract Not long ago, the occurrence of quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) chemistry involving atoms heavier than hydrogen was considered unreasonable. Contributing to the shift of this paradigm, we present here the discovery of a new and distinct heavy‐atom QMT reaction. Triplet syn‐2‐formyl‐3‐fluorophenylnitrene, generated in argon matrices by UV‐irradiation of an azide precursor, was found to spontaneously cyclize to singlet 4‐fluoro‐2,1‐benzisoxazole. Monitoring the transformation by IR spectroscopy, temperature‐independent rate constants (
k ≈1.4×10−3 s−1; half‐life of ≈8 min) were measured from 10 to 20 K. Computational estimated rate constants are in fair agreement with experimental values, providing evidence for a mechanism involving heavy‐atom QMT through crossing triplet to singlet potential energy surfaces. Moreover, the heavy‐atom QMT takes place with considerable displacement of the oxygen atom, which establishes a new limit for the heavier atom involved in a QMT reaction in cryogenic matrices. -
more » « less
Abstract The chemical dynamics of the elementary reaction of ground state atomic silicon (Si;3P) with germane (GeH4; X1A1) were unraveled in the gas phase under single collision condition at a collision energy of 11.8±0.3 kJ mol−1exploiting the crossed molecular beams technique contemplated with electronic structure calculations. The reaction follows indirect scattering dynamics and is initiated through an initial barrierless insertion of the silicon atom into one of the four chemically equivalent germanium‐hydrogen bonds forming a triplet collision complex (HSiGeH3;
3 i1 ). This intermediate underwent facile intersystem crossing (ISC) to the singlet surface (HSiGeH3;1 i1 ). The latter isomerized via at least three hydrogen atom migrations involving exotic, hydrogen bridged reaction intermediates eventually leading to the H3SiGeH isomeri5 . This intermediate could undergo unimolecular decomposition yielding the dibridged butterfly‐structured isomer1 p1 (Si(μ‐H2)Ge) plus molecular hydrogen through a tight exit transition state. Alternatively, up to two subsequent hydrogen shifts toi6 andi7 , followed by fragmentation of each of these intermediates, could also form1 p1 (Si(μ‐H2)Ge) along with molecular hydrogen. The overall non‐adiabatic reaction dynamics provide evidence on the existence of exotic dinuclear hydrides of main group XIV elements, whose carbon analog structures do not exist.
