Ketene reactions with tertiary amines.

Tertiary amines react rapidly and reversibly with arylketenes in acetonitrile forming observable zwitterions, and these undergo amine catalyzed dealkylation forming N,N-disubstituted amides. Reactions of N-methyldialkylamines show a strong preference for methyl group loss by displacement, as predicted by computational studies. Loss of ethyl groups in reactions with triethylamine also occur by displacement, but preferential loss of isopropyl groups in the phenylketene reaction with diisopropylethylamine evidently involves elimination. Quinuclidine rapidly forms long-lived zwitterions with arylketenes, providing a model for catalysis by cinchona and related alkaloids in stereoselective additions to ketenes.

The bisketene radical cation and its formation by oxidative ring-opening of cyclobutenedione.

Parent cyclobutenedione 1 was photolyzed and ionized in an Ar matrix at 10K. The bisketene 2 that results in both cases (in the form of its radical cation after ionization) was characterized by its IR spectrum and by high-level quantum chemical calculations. Experiment and theory show that the neutral bisketene has only a single conformation where the two ketene moieties are nearly perpendicular, whereas the radical cation is present in two stable planar conformations. The mechanism of the ring-opening reaction, both in the neutral and in the radical cation, is discussed on the basis of calculations. In the latter case it is a nonsynchronous process that involves an avoided crossing of states.

N-pyrrolylketene: a nonconjugated heteroarylketene.

N-Pyrrolylketene (5) is calculated to be destabilized and nonconjugated, with a preferred geometry with the pyrrolyl ring orthogonal to the ketenyl group. Ketene 5 is generated from N-pyrrolylacetic acid (7) with use of Mukaiyama's reagent, and reacts with imines forming ß-lactams 10, with a product ratio correlation of log(cis/trans) with σ(+). Photolysis of N-diazoacetylpyrrole (14) in MeOH gives methyl N-pyrrolylacetate (15) from 5 and also ester 17, evidently by trapping of 2-(1-pyrrolylketene) (21), formed by a new vinylogous Wolff rearrangement.

FRET quenching of photosensitizer singlet oxygen generation.

The development of activatable photodynamic therapy (PDT) has demonstrated a utility for effective photosensitizer quenchers. However, little is known quantitatively about Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) quenching of photosensitizers, even though these quenchers are versatile and readily available. To characterize FRET deactivation of singlet oxygen generation, we attached various quenchers to the photosensitizer pyropheophorbide-alpha (Pyro) using a lysine linker. The linker did not induce major changes in the properties of the photosensitizer. Absorbance and emission wavelength maxima of the quenched constructs remained constant, suggesting that quenching by ground-state complex formation was minimal. All quenchers sharing moderate spectral overlap with the fluorescence emission of Pyro (J > or = 5.1 x 10(13) M(-1) cm(-1) nm4) quenched over 90% of the singlet oxygen, and quenchers with weaker spectral overlap displayed minimal quenching. A self-quenched double Pyro construct exhibited intermediate quenching. Consistent with a FRET deactivation mechanism, extension of the linker to a 10 residue polyproline peptide resulted in only the quenchers with spectral overlap almost 2 orders of magnitude higher (J > or = 3.7 x 10(15) M(-1) cm(-1) nm4) maintaining high quenching efficiency. Overall, there was good correlation (0.98) between fluorescence quenching and singlet oxygen quenching, implying that fluorescence intensity can be a convenient indicator for the singlet oxygen production status of activatable photosensitizers. Uniform singlet oxygen luminescence lifetimes of the compounds, along with minimal triplet state transient absorption were consistent with quenchers primarily deactivating the photosensitizer excited singlet state. In vitro, cells treated with well-quenched constructs demonstrated greatly reduced PDT induced toxicity, indicating that FRET-based quenchers can provide a level of quenching useful for future biological applications. The presented findings show that FRET-based quenchers can potently decrease singlet oxygen production and therefore be used to facilitate the rational design of activatable photosensitizers.

Structural effects on interconversion of oxygen-substituted bisketenes and cyclobutenediones.

Cyclobutenediones 5 disubstituted with HO (a), MeO (b), EtO (c), i-PrO (d), t-BuO (e), PhO (f), 4-MeOC6H4O (g), 4-O2NC6H4O (h), and 3,4-bridging OCH2CH2O (i) substituents upon laser flash photolysis gave the corresponding bisketenes 6a-i, as detected by their distinctive doublet IR absorptions between 2075 and 2106 and 2116 and 2140 cm-1. The reactivities in ring closure back to the cyclobutenediones were greatest for the group 6b-e, with the highest rate constant of 2.95 x 10(7) s-1 at 25 degrees C for 6e (RO = t-BuO) in isooctane, were less for 6a (RO = OH, k = 2.57 x 10(6) s-1 in CH3CN), while 6f-i were the least reactive, with the lowest rate constant of 3.8 x 10(4) s-1 in CH3CN for 6h (RO = 4-O2NC6H4O). The significantly reduced rate constants for 6f-i are attributed to diminution of the electron-donating ability of oxygen to the cyclobutenediones 5f-h by the ArO substituents compared to alkoxy groups and to angle strain in the bridged product cyclobutenedione 5i. The reactivities of the ArO-substituted bisketenes 6f-h in CH3CN varied by a factor of 50 and gave an excellent correlation of the observed rate constants log k with the sigma p constants of the aryl substituents. Computational studies at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of ring-closure barriers are consistent with the measured reactivities. Photolysis of squaric acid (5a) in solution provides a convenient preparation of deltic acid (7).

Observable azacyclobutenone ylides with antiaromatic character from 2-diazoacetyl-azaaromatics.

Azacyclobutenone ylides 2 and 11 were generated in solution by laser flash photolysis of 2-diazoacetylpyridine (1) and 3-diazoacetylpyridazine (10), respectively, together with the corresponding ketenes. The ylides were identified by their characteristic IR and UV spectra: 2, nu (CH3CN) 1725 cm(-1), lambdamax 360 and 550 (br) nm; 11, nu (CH3CN) 1776 cm(-1), lambdamax 370 and 550 (br) nm. 2-Triisopropylsilyldiazoacetylpyridine 20 upon photolysis at 5 degrees C in CH3CN forms the ylide 21 as a rather persistent (T1/2 2 h at 25 degrees C) purple solution, nu (CH3CN) 1718 cm(-1), lambdamax 245, 378 and 546 (br) nm, but no ketene is observed. Quinolyl ylide 14 and pyridyl ylides 17 and 19 with Me and 2-pyridyl substituents, respectively, with characteristic IR and UV spectra were also generated. The 1H NMR spectrum of the pyridyl ring of 21 shows substantial upfield shifts relative to those of 20. Calculated nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) for 2, 11, and 21 are comparable to those for benzocyclobutadiene (22) and benzocyclobutenone enolate (23), with substantial positive values for the 4-membered rings, while the NICS values for the 6-membered rings are significantly more positive than for benzene or pyridine. Significant bond alternation is also found in the calculated ylide structures, and these results suggest strong antiaromatic character for the 4-membered rings of 2, 11, 14, 17, 19, and 21, and greatly reduced aromatic character for the 6-membered rings.

Amino substituted bisketenes: generation, structure, and reactivity.

Hitherto unknown diamino-substituted bisketenes with both free (14) and tethered (16) amino substituents have been generated by using laser flash photolysis for ring opening of the corresponding cyclobutenediones. The time-resolved kinetics of ring closure of the amino bisketenes back to the cyclobutenediones were measured by IR or UV spectroscopy, and give first-order rate constants which vary by a factor of 7.5x10(4), and the bis(Me2N) bisketene 14 is the most reactive in ring closure that has been reported. Rate constants for ring closure of these and previously observed bisketenes vary by a factor of 10(13). The dialkylamino bisketenes 16 (R=Me, n-Bu) with tethered substituents and restricted geometries are less reactive than the bis(Me2N) bisketene 14 by factors of 1700 and 540, respectively. Computational results obtained with DFT methods suggest angle strain in the tethered cyclobutenediones 15 inhibits facile cyclization of bisketenes 16.

Ferrocenylketene and ferrocenyl-1,2-bisketenes: direct observation and reactivity measurements.

[Structure: see text]. Ferrocenylketene (1) is calculated to be destabilized by 1.6 kcal/mol relative to phenylketene (10) by B3LYP isodesmic comparison to the corresponding alkenes. Ketene 1 generated by Wolff rearrangement in CH3CN is identified by the IR band at 2119 cm(-1) and has a rate constant for reaction with n-BuNH2 less than that for 10 by a factor of 5. 1,2-Bisferrocenyl-1,2-bisketene 18 and 1-ferrocenyl-2-trimethylsilyl-1,2-bisketene 21 were prepared by photochemical ring opening of the corresponding cyclobutenediones, and 18 undergoes rapid ring closure 67 times faster than the corresponding 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-bisketene, while bisketene 21 is longer lived than 18 by a factor of 3.2 x 10(4).

Formation of fulleroids as major products and application of solid state reaction in the functionalization of [60]fullerene by aromatic diazoketones.

The reactions of various aromatic diazoketones with [60]fullerene were investigated in solution (o-dichlorobenzene) or in the solid-state. Under all the conditions examined, the fulleroid with the methine proton located over a six-membered ring was obtained as a major product along with a slight amount of the other fulleroid diastereoisomer and methanofullerene. Solid-state reactions considerably enhanced the reaction efficiency with minor effects on the selectivity. The thermal isomerization and photoisomerization from fulleroids into methanofullerene were relatively slow, almost independent of substituents under the conditions examined.

Hydration of pyridylketenes: formation of acid enol and dihydropyridine (eneaminone) transients.

2-, 3-, and 4-Pyridylketenes 4 formed in water by photochemical Wolff rearrangements using flash photolysis undergo rapid hydration forming transient intermediates observed by UV spectroscopy. 3-Pyridylketene (3-4) formed the acid enol intermediate 3-10 which was converted to the acid 3-11, and phenylketene gave similar behavior. 4-Pyridylketene (4-4) reacted with a similar initial rate constant of 5.0 x 10(4) s(-1) for decay of an absorption at 275 nm, with concomitant formation of a strong absorption at 370 nm with the same rate constant. The intermediate absorbing at 370 nm decayed with a lifetime 2.4 x 10(3) fold longer than that of the ketene, and is identified as 4-(carboxymethylene)-1,4-dihydropyridine (4-13), resulting from conjugate 1,6-addition of H(2)O to 4-4. 2-Pyridylketene (2-4) underwent hydration with a similar rate constant of 1.1 x 10(4) s(-1) forming a transient with a UV absorption with maxima at 310 and 380 nm that decayed with biexponetial kinetics, with rate constants slower than the rate of formation by factors of 5.2 and 110, respectively. These results are interpreted as indicating the presence of two species, namely Z- and E-2-(carboxymethylene)-1,2-dihydropyridines (2-13), resulting from conjugate 1,4-addition of H(2)O to 2-4. The identifications of the 1,2- and 1,4-(carboxymethylene)dihydropyridines 2- and 4-13 were confirmed by comparison of their UV spectra with those of the corresponding N-methyl derivatives. The amination of 2-pyridylketene in CH(3)CN was reinvestigated, and spectroscopic evidence, computational studies, and preparation of the N-methyl analogue demonstrated formation of the 1,2-dihydropyridine Z-2-8f as the long-lived intermediate.

Hydration of phenylketene revisited: a counter-intuitive result.

In previous work (Can. J. Chem. 1987, 65, 1719-1723 and J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1995, 117, 9165-9171), flash photolysis of diazoacetophenone or phenylhydroxycyclopropenone in aqueous solution was found to produce phenylketene as a short-lived transient species with absorbance at lambda congruent with 260 nm, which decayed with single-exponential kinetics. It has now been discovered that, in the acidity region [H(+)] = 0.000 01 to 0.06 M, this decay is preceded by a faster absorbance rise, and that the overall change conforms well to a double exponential rate law. Analysis of the new data produces rate profiles whose general shapes, as well as the numerical values of their constituent rate constants, plus the form of buffer catalysis, indicate that this newly discovered absorbance rise represents ketonization of phenylacetic acid enol, and that the subsequent absorbance decay represents addition of water to phenylketene. The chemistry of the system, however, requires ketene hydration to precede enol ketonization in a time sequence opposite from that of the absorbance changes. This seemingly counter-intuitive result is nevertheless consistent with the rate law that governs the time evolution of the central species in a two-step rise and decay, such as that observed here.

Aromaticity and antiaromaticity in fulvenes, ketocyclopolyenes, fulvenones, and diazocyclopolyenes.

The structures, energies, natural charges, and magnetic properties of 3-, 5-, 7-, and 9-membered cyclic polyenes 1-4, respectively, with exocyclic methylene, keto, ketenyl, and diazo substituents (a-d, respectively) were computed at the B3LYP/6-311G+ **//B3LYP/6-311+G** level to elucidate their aromatic and antiaromatic properties. The corresponding conjugated cyclic cations le and 3e were also studied. The criteria used are isomerization energies (ISE), magnetic susceptibility exaltations (lambda), aromatic stabilization energies (ASE), nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS), and bond length alternation (deltaR). Planar C2v structures were found to be the lowest energy minima with the exceptions of diazocyclopropene (1d), cycloheptafulvenone (3c), diazocycloheptatriene (3d), and all of the cyclononatetraene derivatives (4). The fulvenes (1a-4a) have modest aromatic or antiaromatic character, and are used as standards for comparison. By these criteria the ketenylidene and diazo cyclopropenes and cycloheptatrienes 1,3-c,d and oxo cyclopentadiene and cyclononatetraene 2,4b are antiaromatic, while the 5- and 9-ring ketenyl and diazo compounds and 3- and 7-ring ketones are aromatic. The degree of aromatic/antiaromatic character decreases with ring size. The consistent agreement with Hückel rule predictions for all the criteria shows their utility for the evaluation of the elusive properties of aromaticity and antiaromaticity.

Stability and three-dimensional aromaticity of closo-NB(n-1)H n azaboranes, n = 5-12.

Computations on all the possible positional isomers of the closo-azaboranes NB(n)()(-)(1)H(n)() (n = 5-12) reveal substantial differences in the relative energies. Data at the B3LYP/6-311+G level of density functional theory (DFT) agree well with expectations based on the topological charge stabilization, with the qualitative connectivity preferences of Williams, and with the Jemmis-Schleyer six interstitial electron rules. The energetic relationship involving each of the most stable positional isomers, 1-NB(4)H(5), NB(5)H(6), 2-NB(6)H(7), 1-NB(7)H(8), 4-NB(8)H(9), 1-NB(9)H(10), 2-NB(10)H(11), NB(11)H(12), was based on the energies (DeltaH) of the model reaction: NBH(2) + (n-1)BH(increment) --> NB(n)()H(n)()(+1) (n = 4-11). This evaluation shows that the stabilities of closo-azaboranes NB(n)()(-)(1)H(n)() (n = 5-12) increase with increasing cluster size from 5 to 12 vertexes. The "three-dimensional aromaticity" of these closo-azaboranes NB(n)()(-)(1)H(n)() (n = 5-12) is demonstrated by their the nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS) and their magnetic susceptibilities (chi), which match one another well. However, there is no direct relationship between these magnetic properties and the relative stabilities of the positional isomers of each cluster. As expected, other energy contributions such as topological charge stabilization and connectivity can be equally important.