Proton-electron system

An interesting case are the a,/i-unsaturated ketones, which form carbanions, in which the negative charge is delocalized in a 5-centre-6-electron system. Alkylation, however, only occurs at the central, most nucleophilic position. This regioselectivity has been utilized by Woodward (R.B. Woodward, 1957 B.F. Mundy, 1972) in the synthesis of 4-dialkylated steroids. This reaction has been carried out at high temperature in a protic solvent. Therefore it yields the product, which is formed from the most stable anion (thermodynamic control). In conjugated enones a proton adjacent to the carbonyl group, however, is removed much faster than a y-proton. If the same alkylation, therefore, is carried out in an aprotic solvent, which does not catalyze tautomerizations, and if the temperature is kept low, the steroid is mono- or dimethylated at C-2 in comparable yield (L. Nedelec, 1974). 

The protonated azirine system has also been utilized for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds (67JA44S6). Thus, treatment of (199) with anhydrous perchloric acid and acetone or acetonitrile gave the oxazolinium perchlorate (207) and the imidazolinium perchlorate (209), respectively. The mechanism of these reactions involves 1,3-bond cleavage of the protonated azirine and reaction with the carbonyl group (or nitrile) to produce a resonance-stabilized carbonium-oxonium ion (or carbonium-nitrilium ion), followed by attack of the nitrogen unshared pair jf electrons to complete the cyclization. 

Flavin coenzymes can exist in any of three different redox states. Fully oxidized flavin is converted to a semiqulnone by a one-electron transfer, as shown in Figure 18.22. At physiological pH, the semiqulnone is a neutral radical, blue in color, with a A ax of 570 nm. The semiqulnone possesses a pAl of about 8.4. When it loses a proton at higher pH values, it becomes a radical anion, displaying a red color with a A ax of 490 nm. The semiqulnone radical is particularly stable, owing to extensive delocalization of the unpaired electron across the 77-electron system of the isoalloxazine. A second one-electron transfer converts the semiqulnone to the completely reduced dihydroflavin as shown in Figure 18.22. 

Fully unsaturated azocines are 7r-equivalent heterocyclic analogs of cy-clooctatetraene. Addition of two electrons to the completely unsaturated azocine (34) can lead to a dianion 35 and removal of a proton from a dihy-droazocine (36) to the monoanion 37. Both the mono- and the dianions are lOTT-electron systems, corresponding to 7r-equivalent and 7r-excess analogs of cyclooctatetraenide [84CHEC-I(7)653], Aromatic dianions related to 35 have been fully characterized by and NMR (87TL2517). 

The rupture of the oxazirane ring at the ON-bond occurring with acid treatment of the alkyl-substituted compounds is probably the result of an electronic shift initiated by the protonated oxygen (arrows as in 21). In principle, a similar rearrangement of the electronic system should also be possible initiated from the nitrogen end (22), Indeed, decomposition products similar to those of the... 

Whereas the pyrrolo[l,2-a]azepinium cation, a 107t-aromatic system, is unknown, 5-(cyano-methyl)pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepinium perchlorate (7) is available by protonation of the cyanomethy-lene derivative 6 in perchloric acid.7 H NMR studies reveal that the cation has a completely delocalized -electron system. 

The 1.4-dihydro-l,4-diazocines prepared from iyn-benzene diimines (Section 1.4.1.2.) can be transformed to other derivatives by exchange of the substituents at nitrogen. For this purpose, the dipotassium salt of 1,4-diazocine is generated and then reacted with appropriate electrophiles. For example, reduction of the bistosyl derivative 3 gives a relatively stable dianion, a lOrr-electron system analogous to cyclooctatetraene dianion, which on protonation clearly gives the parent l,4-dihydro-l,4-diazocine (4, E = H) as the only product. 

Annulene and dehydro[22]annulene are also diatropic. A dehydroben-zo[22]annulene has been prepared that has eight C=C units, is planar and possesses a weak induced ring current. In the latter compound there are 13 outer protons at 6.25-8.45 8 and 7 inner protons at 0.70-3.45 5. Some aromatic bridged [22]annu-lenes are also known. The [26]annulene has not yet been prepared, but several dehydro[26]annulenes are aromatic.Furthermore, the dianion of 1,3,7,9,13,15, 19,21-octadehydro[24]annulene is another 26-electron system that is aromatic. Ojima and co-workers prepared bridged dehydro derivatives of [26], [30], and [34]annulenes. All of these are diatropic. The same workers prepared a bridged tetradehydro[38]annulene, which showed no ring current. On the other hand, the dianion of the cyclophane 89 also has 38 perimeter electrons, and this species is diatropic. ... 

Numerous colorless organic compounds with extended jt-electron systems can be converted to colored cations or anions with polymethyne chromophore by protonation or deprotonation. The intense coloration of the corresponding salts is usually attributable to the fact that the lone pairs of electrons of the heteroatoms participate in the mesomerism of the conjugated n-electron systems [4]. 

The transport of toluene-4-sulfonate into Comamonas testosteroni has been examined (Locher et al. 1993), and rapid uptake required growth of the cells with toluene-4-sulfonate or 4-methylbenzoate. From the results of experiments with various inhibitors, it was concluded that a toluenesulfonate anion/proton symport system operates rather than transport driven by a difference in electrical potential (A (/), and uptake could not take place under anaerobic conditions unless an electron acceptor such as nitrate was present. 

The first pH indicators studied possessed the acid-base site (phenol, aniline, or carboxylic acid) as an integral part of the fluorophore. Structurally, in the most general sense, pH sensitivity is due to a reconfiguration of the fluorophorets re-electron system that occurs on protonation. Consequently, the acid and the base forms often show absorption shifts and also, when the two forms fluoresce, emission shifts or at least, when only one form emits, a pH-dependent fluorescence intensity. This class of compounds has been reviewed 112 and the best structures have to be designed according to the medium probed and the technique used. After a short consideration of physiological pH indicators we will describe the main photophysical processes sensible to protonation. 

When a proton addition complex is formed, the particular even-numbered hydrocarbon is converted to an odd hydrocarbon ion. The TT-electron number remains even, but is reduced by two as a result of the formation of the u-bond. Thus we are dealing with a diamagnetic positive hydrocarbon ion. The theoretical treatment of this 7r-electron system has to reflect the following ... 

From the known starting points of HMO theory, the 7r-electron energy of the neutral w-electron system (E )f and the corresponding energy of the protonated system (E ) may be calculated. The difference of the two energies... 

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