Electron transfer radical anion chemistry

The redox chemistry of [4]radialenes shows similarities as well as differences with respect to [3]radialenes (see elsewhere1 for a more detailed comparison). The simplest [4]radialene for which a redox chemistry in solution is known appears to be octa-methyl[4]radialene (94). It has been converted into the radical anion 94 (with potassium, [2.2.2]cryptand, THF, 200 K) and into the radical cation 94 + (with AICI3/CH2CI2, 180 K)82. Both species are kinetically unstable, but the radical cation is less stable than the radical anion and disappears even at 180 K within 2 hours, probably by polymerization. For the success of the oxidation of 94 with the one-electron transfer system... 

Some of the materials highlighted in this review offer novel redox-active cavities, which are candidates for studies on chemistry within cavities, especially processes which involve molecular recognition by donor-acceptor ii-Jt interactions, or by electron transfer mechanisms, e.g. coordination of a lone pair to a metal center, or formation of radical cation/radical anion pairs by charge transfer. The attachment of redox-active dendrimers to electrode surfaces (by chemical bonding, physical deposition, or screen printing) to form modified electrodes should provide interesting novel electron relay systems. 

In addition to the dark oxidation of S(IV) on surfaces, there may be photochemically induced processes as well. For example, irradiation of aqueous suspensions of solid a-Fe203 (hematite) containing S(IV) with light of A > 295 nm resulted in the production of Fe(II) in solution (Faust and Hoffmann, 1986 Faust et al., 1989 Hoffmann et al., 1995). This reductive dissolution of the hematite has been attributed to the absorption of light by surface Fe(III)-S(IV) complexes, which leads to the generation of electron-hole pairs, followed by an electron transfer in which the adsorbed S(IV) is oxidized to the SO-p radical anion. This initiates the free radical chemistry described earlier. 

Because of this difference in electron-donorand electron-acceptor properties, excited states have very different redox properties from those of related ground states. The effect is so marked that many photochemical processes begin with a complete transfer of an electron from (or to) an excited state (1.2), and the subsequent chemistry is that of radical cations and radical anions, species that are regarded as unusual in ground-state organic reactions. The importance of photochemical electron transfer is underlined by its extensive involvement in photobiological processes such as photosynthesis. 

Based on the known photoreduction chemistry of Rose Bengal [275], one would anticipate that electron transfer would reduce the xanthene skeleton of RBAX and that the radical anion thence formed might decay by the elimination of an acetyl radical. Acetyl is totally analogous to benzoyl, the radical that initiates chains in the case of most Norrish type I UV photoinitiators, that is, benzoin ethers or acetophenone acetals. The putative scheme is shown in Scheme 7. 

Research has uncovered a general tendency for very fast, energetic electron-transfer reactions to yield electronically excited products that may reveal themselves via luminescence [66,82-90]. A prototype of this chemistry is the reaction between the anion and cation radicals of 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA) in acetonitrile ... 

Alkyl Nicotinamides. Benzyl nicotinamide can be used as a photochemical model for biological reductions. Upon photoexcitation, electron transfer causes reduction of a variety of acceptors. The radical anionic intermediates thus formed can fragment or participate in further chemical reduction. Several examples of observable chemistry initiated in this way include eqs. 69 (208), 70 (209), and 71 (210) ... 

Electron transfer may also dominate the excited state chemistry of open shell radical ions. The fluorescence of the radical anions of anthraquinone and 9,10-dicyanoanthracene and the radical cation of thianthrene are quenched by electron acceptors and donors, respectively, although detailed kinetic analysis of the electron exchange do not correspond exactly either with Weller or Marcus theory (258). The use of excited radical cations as effective electron acceptors represents a... 

Schmittel M,Ghorai MK(2001) Reactivity patterns of radical ions-a unifying picture of radical-anion and radical-cation transformations. In Balzani V (ed) Electron transfer in chemistry, vol 2. Organic molecules. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, pp 5-54... 

Schmittel M, Ghorai MK (2001) Reactivity patterns of radical ions - a unifying picture of radical-anion and radical-cation transformations. In Balzani V (ed) Electron transfer in chemistry, vol 2. Organic molecules. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, pp 5-54 Schoneich C, Bonifacic M, Dillinger U, Asmus K-D (1990) Hydrogen abstraction by thiyl radicals from activated C-H-bond of alcohols, ethers and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In Chatgilialoglu C, Asmus K-D (eds) Sulfur-centered reactive intermediates in chemistry and biology. Plenum, New York, pp 367-376... 

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