Photolysis of 5-Azido-3-Phenylisoxazole at Cryogenic Temperature: Formation and Direct Detection of a Nitrosoalkene

α-Cleavage of 2,2-Diazido-2,3-dihydroinden-1-one in Solution and Cryogenic Matrices

The Norrish type I (α-cleavage) reaction is an excellent photochemical method for radical-pair formation in solution. However, in cryogenic matrices, the starting material typically re-forms before the radical pair diffuses apart. This study focused on N2 extrusion from an azido alkyl radical to prevent radical-pair recombination. Irradiation of 2,2-diazido-2,3-dihydroinden-1-one (1) in methanol mainly yielded methyl 2-cyanomethylbenzoate (2) and 2-cyanomethylbenzoic acid (3) via α-cleavage. Laser flash photolysis of 1 in argon-saturated acetonitrile resulted in α-cleavage to form triplet biradical 31Br1 (λmax ∼ 410 nm, τ ∼ 400 ns). In contrast, upon irradiation in glassy 2-methyltetrahydrofuran matrices, triplet alkylnitrene 31N was directly detected using electron spin resonance (D/hc = 1.5646 cm-1, E/hc = 0.00161 cm-1) and absorption spectroscopy (λmax = 276 and 341 nm). Irradiation of 1 in argon matrices generated 31N, benzoyl azide 4, singlet benzoylnitrene 14N, and isocyanide 5, as revealed by IR spectroscopy. The experimental results supported by density functional theory calculations [B3PW91/6-311++G(d,p)] suggest that irradiation of 1 in matrices results in α-cleavage to form biradical 31Br1, which extrudes N2 to yield 31Br2. Rearrangement of 31Br2 into 31N competes with cleavage of a N3 radical to form radical 1Ra3. The N3/1Ra3 radical pair combines to form 4, which upon irradiation yields 14N and 5.

Formation of Stilbene Azo-Dimer by Direct Irradiation of p-Azidostilbene

Triplet arylnitrenes may provide direct access to aryl azo-dimers, which have broad commercial applicability. Herein, the photolysis of p-azidostilbene (1) in argon-saturated methanol yielded stilbene azo-dimer (2) through the dimerization of triplet p-nitrenostilbene (³ 1N). The formation of ³ 1N was verified by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and absorption spectroscopy (λ_max ~ 375 nm) in cryogenic 2-methyltetrahydrofuran matrices. At ambient temperature, laser flash photolysis of 1 in methanol formed ³ 1N (λ_max ~ 370 nm, 2.85 × 10⁷ s^-1 ). On shorter timescales, a transient absorption (λ_max ~ 390 nm) that decayed with a similar rate constant (3.11 × 10⁷ s^-1 ) was assigned to a triplet excited state (T) of 1. Density functional theory calculations yielded three configurations for T of 1, with the unpaired electrons on the azido (T_A ) or stilbene moiety (T_Tw , twisted and T_Fl , flat). The transient was assigned to T_Tw based on its calculated spectrum. CASPT2 calculations gave a singlet-triplet energy gap of 16.6 kcal/mol for 1N; thus, intersystem crossing of ¹ 1N to ³ 1N is unlikely at ambient temperature, supporting the formation of ³ 1N from T of 1. Thus, sustainable synthetic methods for aryl azo-dimers can be developed using the visible-light irradiation of aryl azides to form triplet arylnitrenes.

Three decades of unveiling the complex chemistry of C-nitroso species with computational chemistry

This review revisits the complex reactivity of C-nitroso derivatives through the synergistic combination of computational and synthetic organic chemistry, with an emphasis on the rationalization of mechanisms and selectivities. 

Photolysis of 3-Azido-3-phenyl-3H-isobenzofuran-1-one at Ambient and Cryogenic Temperatures

Although alkyl azides are known to typically form imines under direct irradiation, the product formation mechanism remains ambiguous as some alkyl azides also yield the corresponding triplet alkylnitrenes at cryogenic temperatures. The photoreactivity of 3-azido-3-phenyl-3H-isobenzofuran-1-one (1) was investigated in solution and in cryogenic matrices. Irradiation (λ = 254 nm) of azide 1 in acetonitrile yielded a mixture of imines 2 and 3. Monitoring of the reaction progress using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy revealed an isosbestic point at 210 nm, indicating that the reaction proceeded cleanly. Similar results were observed for the photoreactivity of azide 1 in a frozen 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (mTHF) matrix. Irradiation of azide 1 in an argon matrix at 6 K resulted in the disappearance of its IR bands with the concurrent appearance of IR bands corresponding to imines 2 and 3. Thus, it was theorized that azide 1 forms imines 2 and 3 via a concerted mechanism from its singlet excited state or through singlet alkylnitrene ¹ 1N, which does not intersystem cross to its triplet configuration. This proposal was supported by CASPT2 calculations on a model system, which suggested that the energy gap between the singlet and triplet configurations of alkylnitrene 1N is 33 kcal/mol, thus making intersystem crossing inefficient.

Recent advances in chemistry of high-spin nitrenes

Experimental and theoretical studies on aromatic nitrenes bearing from three to six unpaired electrons and having quartet, quintet, sextet or septet ground spin states, published in the last 15 years are analyzed. A comparative analysis of the magnetic properties of high-spin nitrenes and all other known high-spin organic molecules is performed. Promising areas of practical application of high-spin nitrenes as molecular magnets and as qubits and qudits for quantum computations are discussed.

The bibliography includes 214 references.