Radical Electron-Transfer Reactions

The radical cation of 1 (T ) is produced by a photo-induced electron transfer reaction with an excited electron acceptor, chloranil. The major product observed in the CIDNP spectrum is the regenerated electron donor, 1. The parameters for Kaptein s net effect rule in this case are that the RP is from a triplet precursor (p. is +), the recombination product is that which is under consideration (e is +) and Ag is negative. This leaves the sign of the hyperfine coupling constant as the only unknown in the expression for the polarization phase. Roth et aJ [10] used the phase and intensity of each signal to detemiine the relative signs and magnitudes of the... 

Sekiguchi S, Kobori Y, Akiyama K and Tero-Kubota S 1998 Marcus free energy dependence of the sign of exchange interactions in radical ion pairs generated by photoinduced electron transfer reactions J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120 1325-6... 

The reaction of perfluoroalkyl iodides with alkenes affords the perfluoro-alkylated alkyl iodides 931. Q.a-Difluoro-functionalized phosphonates are prepared by the addition of the iododifluoromethylphosphonate (932) at room temperature[778], A one-electron transfer-initiated radical mechanism has been proposed for the addition reaction. Addition to alkynes affords 1-perfluoro-alkyl-2-iodoalkenes (933)[779-781]. The fluorine-containing oxirane 934 is obtained by the reaction of allyl aicohol[782]. Under a CO atmosphere, the carbocarbonylation of the alkenol 935 and the alkynol 937 takes place with perfluoroalkyl iodides to give the fluorine-containing lactones 936 and 938[783]. 

Electron-transfer reactions producing triplet excited states can be diagnosed by a substantial increase in luminescence intensity produced by a magnetic field (170). The intensity increases because the magnetic field reduces quenching of the triplet by radical ions (157). 

Photopolymerization. In many cases polymerization is initiated by ittadiation of a sensitizer with ultraviolet or visible light. The excited state of the sensitizer may dissociate directiy to form active free radicals, or it may first undergo a bimoleculat electron-transfer reaction, the products of which initiate polymerization (14). TriphenylaLkylborate salts of polymethines such as (23) ate photoinitiators of free-radical polymerization. The sensitivity of these salts throughout the entire visible spectral region is the result of an intra-ion pair electron-transfer reaction (101). 

Metal-Catalyzed Oxidation. Trace quantities of transition metal ions catalyze the decomposition of hydroperoxides to radical species and greatiy accelerate the rate of oxidation. Most effective are those metal ions that undergo one-electron transfer reactions, eg, copper, iron, cobalt, and manganese ions (9). The metal catalyst is an active hydroperoxide decomposer in both its higher and its lower oxidation states. In the overall reaction, two molecules of hydroperoxide decompose to peroxy and alkoxy radicals (eq. 5). 

One-electron oxidation of carboxylate ions generates acyloxy radicals, which undergo decarboxylation. Such electron-transfer reactions can be effected by strong one-electron oxidants, such as Mn(HI), Ag(II), Ce(IV), and Pb(IV) These metal ions are also capable of oxidizing the radical intermediate, so the products are those expected from carbocations. The oxidative decarboxylation by Pb(IV) in the presence of halide salts leads to alkyl halides. For example, oxidation of pentanoic acid with lead tetraacetate in the presence of lithium chloride gives 1-chlorobutane in 71% yield ... 

The ability of a nltro group in the substrate to bring about electron-transfer free radical chain nucleophilic subsdnidon fSpj li at a saniratedcarbon atom is well documented. Such electron transfer reacdons are one of the characterisdc feanires of nltro compounds. Komblum and Russell have established ihe Spj l reaction independently the details of the early history have been well reviewed by them. The reacdon of -nitrobenzyl chloride v/ith a salt of nitro ilkane is in sharp contrast to the general behavior of the ilkyladon of the carbanions derived from nitro ilkanes here, carbon ilkyladon is predominant. The carbon ilkyladon process proceeds via a chain reacdon involving anion radicals and free radicals, as shovmin Eq. 5.24 and Scheme 5.4 fSpj l reacdoni. 

Quinones may react with carbon-centered radicals by addition at oxygen or carbon, or by electron transfer (Scheme 5.]6).l74, fi2 195 201 202 The preferred reaction pathway depends both on the attacking radical and the particular quinone (halogenated quinones react preferentially by electron transfer). The radical formed may then scavenge another radical. There is also evidence that certain quinones e.g. chloranil, benzoquinone (38)] may copolymerize under some conditions. ... 

Bound and unbound radical intermediates in inorganic electron-transfer reactions. E. S. Gould, Acc. Chem. Res., 1985, 18,22 (57). 

Here, the relative stability of the anion radical confers to the cleavage process a special character. Thus, at a mercury cathode and in organic solvents in the presence of tetraalkylammonium salts, the mechanism is expected16 to be an ECE one in protic media or in the presence of an efficient proton donor, but of EEC type in aprotic solvents. In such a case, simple electron-transfer reactions 9 and 10 have to be associated chemical reactions and other electron transfers (at the level of the first step). Those reactions are shown below in detail ... 

Kattenberg and coworkers54 studied the chlorination of a-lithiated sulfones with hexachloroethane. These compounds may react as nucleophiles in a nucleophilic substitution on halogen (path a, Scheme 5) or in an electron transfer reaction (path b, Scheme 5) leading to the radical anions. The absence of proof for radical intermediates (in particular, no sulfone dimers detected) is interpreted by these authors in favour of a SN substitution on X. 

The stable triphenylcyclopropenium cation (81) undergoes an electron-transfer reaction when photolyzed in acidic medium (van Tamelen et al., 1968, 1971). Irradiation of 81 for 4 hours in 10% aqueous sulfuric acid resulted in a 49% yield of hexaphenylbenzene (82). The reaction is presumed to proceed by initial charge transfer to produce the cyclopropenyl radical 83, which then couples to give 84. This compound in... 

Several of these features remain unexplained but it is clear that here we have an example of a relatively well-behaved reversible electron transfer reaction involving radical intermediates. 

The reaction of eq. 16.9 will regenerate the antioxidant Arj-OH at the expense of the antioxidant At2-OH. Despite the fact that such regeneration reactions are not simple electron transfer reactions, the rate of reactions like that of eq. 16.9 has been correlated with the E values for the respective Ar-0. Thermodynamic and kinetic effects have not been clearly separated for such hierarchies, but for a number of flavonoids the following pecking order was established in dimethyl formamid (DMF) by a combination of electrolysis for generating the a-tocopherol and the flavonoid phenoxyl radicals and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy for detection of these radicals (Jorgensen et al, 1999) ... 

It has been reported that Cgo and its derivatives form optically transparent microscopic clusters in mixed solvents [25, 26]. Photoinduced electron-transfer and photoelectrochemical reactions using the C o clusters have been extensively reported because of the interesting properties of C o clusters [25,26]. The M F Es on the decay of the radical pair between a Cgo cluster anion and a pyrene cation have been observed in a micellar system [63]. However, the MFEs on the photoinduced electron-transfer reactions using the Cgo cluster in mixed solvents have not yet been studied. 

Small particles of metals in solution often behave like electrodes although they are not connected to a battery which determines their potential. However, when a chemical reaction occurs in the solution of such particles intermediate free radicals may transfer electrons to them. The particles are thus charged chemically and are able to act as a metal electrode on cathodic potential. Electron transfer reactions become possible at these micro-electrodes which cannot be brought about by the radicals in the absence of the colloidal catalyst. 

A precursor of the studies on electron transfer reactions between short-lived radicals and colloidal particles was the development of a fast pulse radiolysis method to measure. the polarograms of radicals in the 10 s range . After considerable information had been acquired about the electron transfer reactions of a few dozen radicals at the mercury electrode, this compact electrode was replaced by metal colloids somewhat later, by semiconductor colloids These studies led to the detection of the electron-storing properties of certain colloids and of reactions of the stored electrons. 

Colloids of a-FejOj are made by hydrolysis of FeClj and subsequent dialysis of the sol. Polyvinyl alcohol is often used as a stabilizing agent. The band gap in Fe203 is 2.2 eV. In some of the studies on colloidal Fc203 free radicals were generated by ionizing radiation and electron transfer reactions with the colloidal particles investigated. Buxton et al. observed a cathodic dissolution of a-FCjOj in acidic... 

Packer, J.E., Willson, R.L., Hahnemann, D. and Asmus, K.-D. (1980). Electron transfer reactions of halogenated aliphatic peroxyl radicals measurements of absolute rate constants by pulse radiolysis. J. Chem. Soc. Perkins Transact. II, 296-299. 

Reduction of Ketones and Enones. Although the method has been supplanted for synthetic purposes by hydride donors, the reduction of ketones to alcohols in ammonia or alcohols provides mechanistic insight into dissolving-metal reductions. The outcome of the reaction of ketones with metal reductants is determined by the fate of the initial ketyl radical formed by a single-electron transfer. The radical intermediate, depending on its structure and the reaction medium, may be protonated, disproportionate, or dimerize.209 In hydroxylic solvents such as liquid ammonia or in the presence of an alcohol, the protonation process dominates over dimerization. Net reduction can also occur by a disproportionation process. As is discussed in Section 5.6.3, dimerization can become the dominant process under conditions in which protonation does not occur rapidly. 

Aromatic diazo compounds can be reduced in water via a radical process (Scheme 11.5).108 The reduction mechanism of arenediazo-nium salts by hydroquinone was studied in detail.109 Arenediazonium tetrafluoroborate salts undergo facile electron-transfer reactions with hydroquinone in aqueous phosphate-buffered solution containing the hydrogen donor solvent acetonitrile. Reaction rates are first order in a... 

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