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Frenklach A, Amlani H, Kozuch S. Quantum Tunneling Instability in Pericyclic Reactions: The Cheletropic, Coarctate, and Ene Cases. Org Lett 2024; 26:5157-5161. [PMID: 38847371 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c01635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Some retro-pericyclic reactions, as a result of their high exothermicity and short trajectories, are the perfect ground for heavy atom tunneling molecular decompositions, also known as "quantum tunneling instability" (QTI). Considering this effect, in our first installment [Frenklach, A.; Amlani, H.; Kozuch, S. Quantum Tunneling Instability in Pericyclic Reactions. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146 (17), 11823-11834, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00608], we computed several retro-Diels-Alder reactions, predicting that many studied reactants cannot be isolated. Herein, we will explore the QTI of retro-cheletropic, coarctate, and ene exemplars, where again we hypothesize the impossibility to detect their reactants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Frenklach
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 841051, Israel
| | - Hila Amlani
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 841051, Israel
| | - Sebastian Kozuch
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 841051, Israel
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2
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Ma Z, Yan Z, Li X, Chung LW. Quantum Tunneling in Reactions Modulated by External Electric Fields: Reactivity and Selectivity. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:1124-1132. [PMID: 36705472 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Quantum tunneling and external electric fields (EEFs) can promote some reactions. However, the synergetic effect of an EEF on a tunneling-involving reaction and its temperature-dependence is not very clear. In this study, we extensively investigated how EEFs affect three reactions that involve hydrogen- or (ground- and excited-state) carbon-tunneling using reliable DFT, DLPNO-CCSD(T1), and variational transition-state theory methods. Our study revealed that oriented EEFs can significantly reduce the barrier and corresponding barrier width (and vice versa) through more electrostatic stabilization in transition states. These EEF effects enhance the nontunneling and tunneling-involving rates. Such EEF effects also decrease the crossover temperatures and quantum tunneling contribution, albeit with lower and thinner barriers. Moreover, EEFs can modulate and switch on/off the tunneling-driven 1,2-H migration of hydroxycarbenes under cryogenic conditions. Furthermore, our study predicts for the first time that EEF/tunneling synergy can control the chemo- or site-selectivity of one molecule bearing two similar/same reactive sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifeng Ma
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Zeyin Yan
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Lung Wa Chung
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
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3
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Schleif T. Transformations of Strained Three-Membered Rings a Common, Yet Overlooked, Motif in Heavy-Atom Tunneling Reactions. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202201775. [PMID: 35762788 PMCID: PMC9804509 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202201775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Quantum mechanical tunneling has long been recognized as an important phenomenon when considering transformations dominated by a lightweight hydrogen atom. Tunneling of heavier atoms like carbon, initially dismissed as negligible, has seen a quickly increasing number of computationally predicted and/or experimentally confirmed examples over the last decade, thus highlighting its importance for a wide variety of reactions. However, no common structural motif has been pointed out within these seemingly unconnected examples, strongly limiting the predictability of the impact of heavy-atom tunneling on a given reaction. This Concept article will provide this perspective and showcase how the recognition of the formation and cleavage of three-membered rings as common motif can inform the prediction of and research into heavy-atom tunneling reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Schleif
- Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie IIRuhr-Universität Bochum44780BochumGermany,Present address: Sterling Chemistry LaboratoryYale UniversityNew HavenCT 06520USA
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4
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Rooein M, Varganov SA. How to calculate the rate constants for nonradiative transitions between the MS components of spin multiplets? Mol Phys 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2022.2116364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mitra Rooein
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
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5
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Heller ER, Richardson JO. Heavy‐Atom Quantum Tunnelling in Spin Crossovers of Nitrenes**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202206314. [PMID: 35698730 PMCID: PMC9540336 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202206314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We simulate two recent matrix‐isolation experiments at cryogenic temperatures, in which a nitrene undergoes spin crossover from its triplet state to a singlet state via quantum tunnelling. We detail the failure of the commonly applied weak‐coupling method (based on a linear approximation of the potentials) in describing these deep‐tunnelling reactions. The more rigorous approach of semiclassical golden‐rule instanton theory in conjunction with double‐hybrid density‐functional theory and multireference perturbation theory does, however, provide rate constants and kinetic isotope effects in good agreement with experiment. In addition, these calculations locate the optimal tunnelling pathways, which provide a molecular picture of the reaction mechanism. The reactions involve substantial heavy‐atom quantum tunnelling of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen atoms, which unexpectedly even continues to play a role at room temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Heller
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry ETH Zürich 8093 Zürich Switzerland
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6
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Heller ER, Richardson JO. Heavy‐Atom Quantum Tunnelling in Spin Crossovers of Nitrenes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202206314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Heller
- Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich Lab. Physical Chemistry SWITZERLAND
| | - Jeremy O Richardson
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich Lab. Physical Chemistry Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2 8093 Zurich SWITZERLAND
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7
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Heller ER, Richardson JO. Spin Crossover of Thiophosgene via Multidimensional Heavy-Atom Quantum Tunneling. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:20952-20961. [PMID: 34846871 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c10088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The spin-crossover reaction of thiophosgene has drawn broad attention from both experimenters and theoreticians as a prime example of radiationless intramolecular decay via intersystem crossing. Despite multiple attempts over 20 years, theoretical predictions have typically been orders of magnitude in error relative to the experimentally measured triplet lifetime. We address the T1 → S0 transition by the first application of semiclassical golden-rule instanton theory in conjunction with on-the-fly electronic-structure calculations based on multireference perturbation theory. Our first-principles approach provides excellent agreement with the experimental rates. This was only possible because instanton theory goes beyond previous methods by locating the optimal tunneling pathway in full dimensionality and thus captures "corner cutting" effects. Since the reaction is situated in the Marcus inverted regime, the tunneling mechanism can be interpreted in terms of two classical trajectories, one traveling forward and one backward in imaginary time, which are connected by particle-antiparticle creation and annihilation events. The calculated mechanism indicates that the spin crossover is sped up by many orders of magnitude due to multidimensional quantum tunneling of the carbon atom even at room temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Heller
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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8
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Henkel S, Merini MP, Mendez-Vega E, Sander W. Lewis acid catalyzed heavy atom tunneling - the case of 1 H-bicyclo[3.1.0]-hexa-3,5-dien-2-one. Chem Sci 2021; 12:11013-11019. [PMID: 34522298 PMCID: PMC8386641 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02853g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
For many thermal reactions, the effects of catalysis or the influence of solvents on reaction rates can be rationalized by simple transition state models. This is not the case for reactions controlled by quantum tunneling, which do not proceed via transition states, and therefore lack the simple concept of transition state stabilization. 1H-Bicyclo[3.1.0]-hexa-3,5-dien-2-one is a highly strained cyclopropene that rearranges to 4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dienylidene via heavy-atom tunneling. H2O, CF3I, or BF3 form Lewis acid–base complexes with both reactant and product, and the influence of these intermolecular complexes on the tunneling rates for this rearrangement was studied. The tunneling rate increases by a factor of 11 for the H2O complex, by 23 for the CF3I complex, and is too fast to be measured for the BF3 complex. These observations agree with quantum chemical calculations predicting a decrease in both barrier height and barrier width upon complexation with Lewis acids, resulting in the observed Lewis acid catalysis of the tunneling rearrangement. The ring-opening of a highly strained cyclopropene to a carbene proceeds via heavy-atom tunneling. This rearrangement is accelerated in the presence of H2O, ICF3 or BF3, resulting in a novel Lewis-acid catalyzed tunneling reaction.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Henkel
- Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Melania Prado Merini
- Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Enrique Mendez-Vega
- Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Wolfram Sander
- Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
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9
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Nandi A, Tarannam N, Rodrigues Silva D, Fonseca Guerra C, Hamlin TA, Kozuch S. Boron Tunneling in the "Weak" Bond-Stretch Isomerization of N-B Lewis Adducts. Chemphyschem 2021; 22:1857-1862. [PMID: 34245098 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202100505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Some nitrile-boron halide adducts exhibit a double-well potential energy surface with two distinct minima: a "long bond" geometry (LB, a van der Waals interaction mostly based on electrostatics, but including a residual charge transfer component) and a "short bond" structure (SB, a covalent dative bond). This behavior can be considered as a "weak" form of bond stretch isomerism. Our computations reveal that complexes RCN-BX3 (R=CH3 , FCH2 , BrCH2 , and X=Cl, Br) exhibit a fast interconversion from LB to SB geometries even close to the absolute zero thanks to a boron atom tunneling mechanism. The computed half-lives of the meta-stable LB compounds vary between minutes to nanoseconds at cryogenic conditions. Accordingly, we predict that the long bond structures are practically impossible to isolate or characterize, which agrees with previous matrix-isolation experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashim Nandi
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 841051, Israel
| | - Naziha Tarannam
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 841051, Israel
| | - Daniela Rodrigues Silva
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling (ACMM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The, Netherlands.,Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras, 37200-900, Lavras-MG, Brazil
| | - Célia Fonseca Guerra
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling (ACMM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The, Netherlands.,Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The, Netherlands
| | - Trevor A Hamlin
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Amsterdam Center for Multiscale Modeling (ACMM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The, Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Kozuch
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 841051, Israel
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Roque JPL, Nunes CM, Viegas LP, Pereira NAM, Pinho E Melo TMVD, Schreiner PR, Fausto R. Switching on H-Tunneling through Conformational Control. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:8266-8271. [PMID: 34048232 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c04329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
H-tunneling is a ubiquitous phenomenon, relevant to fields from biochemistry to materials science, but harnessing it for mastering the manipulation of chemical structures still remains nearly illusory. Here, we demonstrate how to switch on H-tunneling by conformational control using external radiation. This is outlined with a triplet 2-hydroxyphenylnitrene generated in an N2 matrix at 10 K by UV-irradiation of an azide precursor. The anti-orientation of the nitrene's OH moiety was converted to syn by selective vibrational excitation at the 2ν(OH) frequency, thereby moving the H atom closer to the vicinal nitrene center. This triggers spontaneous H-tunneling to a singlet 6-imino-2,4-cyclohexadienone. Computations reveal that such fast H-tunneling occurs through crossing the triplet-to-singlet potential energy surfaces. Our experimental realization provides an exciting novel strategy to attain control over tunneling, opening new avenues for directing chemical transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- José P L Roque
- University of Coimbra, CQC, Department of Chemistry, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cláudio M Nunes
- University of Coimbra, CQC, Department of Chemistry, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís P Viegas
- University of Coimbra, CQC, Department of Chemistry, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Nelson A M Pereira
- University of Coimbra, CQC, Department of Chemistry, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Peter R Schreiner
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 17, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Rui Fausto
- University of Coimbra, CQC, Department of Chemistry, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
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11
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Kozuch S, Schleif T, Karton A. Quantum mechanical tunnelling: the missing term to achieve sub-kJ mol -1 barrier heights. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:10888-10898. [PMID: 33908522 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01275d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
To predict barrier heights at low temperatures, it is not enough to employ highly accurate electronic structure methods. We discuss the influence of quantum tunnelling on the comparison of experimental and theoretical activation parameters (Ea, ΔH‡, ΔG‡, or ΔS‡), since the slope-based experimental techniques to obtain them completely neglect the tunnelling component. The intramolecular degenerate rearrangement of four fluxional molecules (bullvalene, barbaralane, semibullvalene, and norbornadienylidene) were considered, systems that cover the range between fast deep tunneling and small but significant shallow tunnelling correction. The barriers were computed with the composite W3lite-F12 method at the CCSDT(Q)/CBS level, and the tunnelling contribution with small curvature tunnelling. While at room temperature the effect is small (∼1 kJ mol-1), at low temperatures it can be considerable (in the order of tens of kJ mol-1 at ∼80 K).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Kozuch
- Chemistry Department, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 841051, Israel.
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