A Chemical Oscillator Based on the Photoreduction of 2-Methyl-1,4-benzoquinone

Low-Energy Electron Interactions with Methyl-p-benzoquinone: A Study of Negative Ion Formation

Methyl-p-benzoquinone (MpBQ, CH3C6H3(=O)2) is a prototypical molecule in the study of quinones, which are compounds of relevance in biology and several redox reactions. Understanding the electron attachment properties of MpBQ and its ability to form anions is crucial in elucidating its role in these reactions. In this study, we investigate electron attachment to MpBQ employing a crossed electron-molecular beam experiment in the electron energy range of approximately 0 to 12 eV, as well as theoretical approaches using quantum chemical and electron scattering calculations. Six anionic species were identified: C7H6O2 -, C7H5O2 -, C6H5O-, C4HO-, C2H2 -, and O-. The parent anion is formed most efficiently, with large cross sections, through two resonances at electron energies between 1 and 2 eV. Potential reaction pathways for all negative ions observed are explored, and the experimental appearance energies are compared with calculated thermochemical thresholds. Although exhibiting similar electron attachment properties to pBQ, MpBQ's additional methyl group introduces entirely new dissociative reactions, while quenching others, underscoring its distinctive chemical behavior.

Complex spatiotemporal behavior in the photosensitive ferroin-bromate-4-nitrophenol reaction

Investigation illustrates that the bromate-4-nitrophenol reaction in a stirred batch reactor undergoes spontaneous oscillations under very broad initial reactant concentrations. The addition of ferroin has subtle influences on the nonlinear behavior, in which the frequency and total number of oscillations were greatly reduced at a low or high ferroin concentration, as opposed to the significant increase at a moderate ferroin concentration. Temporal oscillations with a modulating frequency were also observed in the ferroin-bromate-4-nitrophenol system. In a capillary tube the ferroin-bromate-4-nitrophenol reaction generated propagating wave trains with various complex behaviors such as period-doubled intermittent propagation failure. Illumination was found to have a profound effect on the temporal oscillations in the bromate-4-nitrophenol reaction and on those long lasting wave activities. Spectroscopic studies were able to identify 1,4-benzoquinone, 2-bromo-1,4-benzoquinone, and 2-bromo-4-nitrophenol as major components during the reaction.

Mixed mode and sequential oscillations in the cerium-bromate-4-aminophenol photoreaction

Cerium was introduced to the bromate-aminophenol photochemical oscillator to implement coupled autocatalytic feedbacks. Mixed mode and sequential oscillations emerged in the studied system, making it one of the few chemical oscillators known to support consecutive bifurcations in a batch system. The complex reaction behavior showed a strong dependence on the intensity of illumination supplied to the system. Removal of illumination during an oscillatory window affected both the frequency and amplitude of the oscillation but did not fully extinguish them, indicating that the cerium-bromate-4-aminophenol oscillator was photosensitive rather than photo-controlled. A moderate light intensity allowed for a slow evolution of the system, which proved to be critical for the emergence of transient complex oscillations. Variation of individual reaction parameters was carried out, which indicated that the development of complex oscillations occur in a narrow region and a phase diagram in the 4-aminophenol and sulfuric acid plane demonstrated this. Simulations provide strong support that transient complex oscillations observed experimentally arise from the coupling of two autocatalytic cycles.