Magnetars and Magnetic Separation of Chiral Radicals in Interstellar Space: Homochirality.

Pasteur was the first to realize Earth's homochirality. Consequently, he attempted to design experiments revealing a mechanism that would expose life's chiral preference. Some of these experiments involved the application of magnetic fields to chemical reactions. His experiments failed, in part, because B-fields are pseudo-vectors and cannot couple preferentially to one handedness. However, extremely large magnetic fields cause the Maxwell equations to break down. This allows the motions of spin and charge densities in paramagnetic anion radicals to produce polarized axial B-fields that can undergo preferential coupling to one handedness. Hence, when a racemic mixture of paramagnetic organic molecules passes by an extremely large external gradated magnetic field, the enantiomers experience different torque forces and acquire different translational directions. B-fields of the required magnitude are unknown on this planet. In fact, they would be lethal, thereby eliminating any chance of Pasteur's success. On the other hand, Duncan and co-workers have recently discovered and garnered physical understanding of magnetars in interstellar space. Some of these neutron star systems produce B-fields greater than the quantum electrodynamic field strength, which is more than enough to generate the required torque for the interstellar enantiomeric separation. In space, chiralitically enriched materials can be deposited on planetesimals and result in homochiral "islands" on the planets. The formation of magnetars is a consequence of weak force events. We assert that, in interstellar space, a plethora of enantiomerically enriched dust clouds resulted from inter-magnetar-paramagnetic molecule force fields.

Reduction of an hexamethylphosphoramide degradation product: a diazabutadiene.

Alkali metal over-reduction of an electron acceptor in the presence of a hydrogen atom donor, in hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA), results in a radical that is not simply the anion radical of the acceptor. This new species exhibits an enigmatic EPR pattern. Using 15N and 2H labeling studies, the "HMPA degradation product" was found to be the anion radical of N,N'-dimethyl-1,4-diazabutadiene. DFT calculations support this assignment and a mechanism for its formation.

A General Base Condensation of Diynes to a Spirocyclopropenyl System.

When a cold (200 K) THF solution of 1,6-heptadiyne is exposed to potassium tert-butoxide, in the presence of 18-crown-6, a green, EPR active solution is spontaneously formed. The intensity of the EPR signal can be augmented by exposure to alkali metal. Analysis of the EPR splitting pattern indicates that the signal originates from the anion radical of 7,14-di-trans-1,5- [14]annuldiyne. Allowing the green-colored solution to warm to ambient temperatures causes an immediate color change (to deep purple) and loss of the EPR activity. Reduced pressure distillation of the solution affords a colorless THF solution containing (spiro[2.6]nona-2,6,8-triene), which is only the second spirocyclopropene compound reported. The base condensation of the diyne is of a general nature as the same spirocyclopropenyl system is obtained from 1,6-heptadiyne, 1,7-octadiyne, and 1,8-nonadiyne. Laser irradiation (337 nm) of tungsten hexacarbonyl in the presence of the spirocyclopropenyl compound yields the stable organometallic: eta2-olefin pentacarbonyl complex.

Annulenylenes, annulynes, and annulenes.

A number of techniques have been found to generate annulynes. Some of the annulynes have been found to spontaneously dimerize to biannulenylenes and to form triannulenylenes. The reaction products, thermodynamics, and kinetic stabilities of the annulenylenes, annulynes, and their parent annulenes prove to be extremely dependent upon the number of pi electrons. In fact, the addition of an extra electron can trap some "fugitive" systems and render them sufficiently stable for spectroscopic study. Even the number of neutrons can perturb the conjugation and, presumably, the stability of annulenes that have internal protons.

Calorimetrically measurable enthalpic isotope effect.

Calorimetric techniques have revealed that the enthalpy of reaction with water is more exothermic by about 2.2 kcal/mol, for the perdeuteriated naphthalene anion radical (K+C10D8*-(s) + H2O(liq) --> 1/2C10D8H2(s) + 1/2C10D8(s) + KOH(aq)) than it is for the perprotiated system. These results, when coupled with the known enthalpy of electron transfer between naphthalene and its perdeuteriated analogue imply that the heat of hydrogenation of naphthalene decreases by about 1.8 kcal/mol upon perdeuteriation of the naphthalene.

Reactions involving di-trans-[12]annulenes.

The low temperature complete dehydrohalogenation of pentabromocyclododecene (C12H17Br5) with potassium tert-butoxide in THF followed by exposure to potassium metal leads to the formation of the anion radical of 1,5-di-trans-[12]annulene, which loses hydrogen and undergoes ring closure to form the anion radical of 11,12-dihydro-[8]annuleno-[6]annulene. This product can, in turn, be isolated as its neutral molecule via reoxidation with iodine. A [12]annulene obtained via the dimerization of 1,5-hexadiyne in the presence of 18-crown-6 and potassium tert-butoxide undergoes ring closure, with concomitant loss of hydrogen, to yield the heptalene anion radical. It follows that the heptalene anion radical precursor was the 1,7-di-trans isomer of [12]annulene.

Selective intercalation of Cs+ in the "V"-shaped cavity of a bichromophoric anion radical: Cs+ assisted pi-s-pi-delocalization of an electron.

EPR studies in tetrahydrofuran, reveal that the one electron reduction of 1-(9-methyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl)-4-methylbenzene via electron transfer from cesium metal produces an anion radical that has a large affinity for the cesium cation. The affinity of this anion radical for Cs+ is so great that it will actually "suck" the Cs+ (but not Na+ or K+) right out of the grasp of 18-crown-6, leading to a cation-assisted pi-stacked complex, where the s-orbital of the metal cation is simultaneously overlapped with the pi-clouds of the phenyl and fluorenyl moieties. At ambient temperature, proton- and cesium-electron coupling constants are rapidly (on the EPR time scale) modulated as a result of the simultaneous existence of two interconverting conformers having an averaged cesium splitting (a(Cs)) of about 1.6 G. The pi-s-pi-electronic coupling can be turned on or off via the addition or removal of cesium cations. Analogous pi-s-pi-electronic coupling is observed in the 1,4-bis(9-methyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl)benzene-cesium system.

Intramolecular electron transfer in cofacially pi-stacked fluorenes: evidence of tunneling.

The one-electron reduction of neutral pi-stacked di- and trifluorenes (F-2 and F-3) in HMPA, where ion association is absent, results in the formation of anion radicals in which the odd electron resides predominantly on just one of the external fluorene moieties, as established by EPR spectroscopy. However, in the case of tetrafluorene, introduction of a single electron leads to a kinetically controlled anion radical F-4(int)*- in which the odd electron undergoes rapid exchange between two central fluorene rings, where the anionic charge is partially shielded from solvation due to the presence of external fluorene rings. On a time scale of minutes, anion radical F-4(int)*- converts to a thermodynamically stabilized anion radical F-4(ext)*-, with the electron exhibiting coupling from the protons on an external fluorene moiety. The charge and spin residing on an external moiety allow efficient solvation of the anionic charge. A similar fast exchange of a single electron (probably with the involvement of quantum mechanical tunneling) among three and four internal fluorene moieties is initially observed via EPR spectroscopy in the penta- and hexafluorene derivatives, F-5 and F-6, respectively.

[12]Annulynes.

Only one isomer of o-benzyne ([6]annulyne or 1,2-didehydrobenzene) exists, but the dehydro analogue of the "ring-opened double benzene", [12]annulyne, was generated in several isomeric forms. 1,5-Hexadiyne undergoes self-condensation in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide to yield two isomers of [12]annulyne (3,11-di-trans-[12]annulyne and 5,9-di-trans-[12]annulyne), both of which exhibit a weak paratropic ring current in their 1H NMR spectra and are oxygen sensitive. They can be reduced to their respective dianions, which are diatropic. A third isomer (3,9-di-trans-[12]annulyne) was generated via the complete dehydrohalogenation of hexabromocyclododecene and found to be much less stable but can be tamed via one- or two-electron reduction. A tight association of the cation (K+) with the p(y)-orbitals within the alkyne moiety results in an unusually low-field resonance for an adjacent external proton.

The capture of sym-[8]annuldiyne: the cyclooctadienyne-eta2-ynyl potassium zwitterionic radical.

[reaction: see text] Reaction of 1,4-dibromo-[8]annulene (C(8)H(6)Br(2)) with potassium tert-butoxide in THF followed by exposure to potassium metal leads to the formation of the anion radical of sym-[8]annuldiyne. The rapid interchange of Jahn-Teller-induced alternating bond angle conformers of sym-[8]annuldiyne is halted by ion association with a metal-crown ether complex forming the cyclooctadienyne-eta(2)-ynyl potassium zwitterionic radical, rendering all four protons nonequivalent. Neutral sym-[8]annuldiyne can form the [2 + 2] polymer, which is not soluble in the THF solution.

Intramolecular C-H/C-D exchange in cofacially stacked polyfluorenes via electron-induced bond activation.

EPR studies in hexamethylphosphoramide, along with DFT studies, reveal that the one-electron reduction of pi-stacked polyfluorenes containing two, three, and four fluorene units leads to the corresponding anion radicals where the odd electron is located exclusively on an outside fluorene moiety. These anion radicals disproportionate to form small concentrations of diamagnetic dianions, wherein there is a nonclassical pz overlap that crosses the C2 axis. The presence of the two extra electrons activates the C-H bonds in the ortho positions, and concomitant overlap of the p-orbitals involving adjacent fluorene moieties results in intramolecular hydrogen exchange at temperatures as low as 90 K.

The second cyclopropannulene: cycloprop-[8]annulene.

Reacting (at 0 degrees C) a mixture of CH2Cl2 and monobromo[8]annulene (C8H7Br) with potassium tert-butoxide in hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) and following with exposure to potassium metal led to the formation of the anion radical of an HMPA-[6.1.0]bicyclononatetraene condensation product, in which two HMPA fragments are geminal and attached to the number 9 carbon. When the reaction sequence is carried out in THF, the dianion of cycloprop[8]annulene is predominantly formed. Neutral cycloprop[8]annulene can be isolated via the I2 oxidation of the THF solution. The NMR analysis reveals that the eight-membered ring is nearly planar, and the three-membered ring is more like a dimethylenecyclopropane than it is like a cyclopropene. Further, the chemical shifts due to the protons on the eight-membered ring are nearly 2 ppm further upfield than are those for [8]annulene itself, suggesting a paratropic ring current.

Polycyclooctatetraeneoxy alkane polyanionic polyradicals.

The room temperature potassium reduction of 1,2,3-triscyclooctatetraeneoxypropane, in hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA), yields an anion radical, which disproportionates so strongly to the dianion diradical that the anion radical cannot be observed via EPR. The dianion diradical has one unpaired electron in a primary and one in a secondary ring system, and it can be readily reduced to the corresponding trianion triradical. An analogous reduction of 1,2,3,4-tetrakiscyclooctatetraeneoxybutane does produce an observable anion radical, but it also is readily reduced to the system corresponding to one electron per eight-membered ring (the tetraanion tetraradical). These results and those obtained from systems containing two cyclooctatetraene (COT) moieties are explained in terms of the geometry changes COT undergoes upon one-electron reduction, the interactions between reduced and adjacent unreduced ring systems, and the electron- electron repulsion present in the polyanion polyradicals.

The second triannulenylene: tri-[8]annulenylene.

Room-temperature dehydrohalogenation of bromocyclooctatetraene (BrC8H7) with potassium tert-butoxide followed (after a couple of minutes) by alkali metal reduction was used to generate the anion radical of tri-[8]annulenylene [(C8H6*-)3] in HMPA. EPR analysis reveals that the odd electron is primarily located in one of the three eight-membered ring systems, which is rendered planar. Excellent agreement was obtained between spin densities predicted by B3LYP/6-31G* calculations and those observed. The neutral tri-[8]annulenylene system has a propensity toward polymerization, but it can be isolated for NMR and mass spectral analysis via the I2 oxidation of the anion radical. The NMR analysis reveals that two of the eight-membered rings are bent above the plane of the benzene ring and the other is bent below. Tri-[6]annulenylene (triphenylene) is the only other known member of the triannulenylenes.

Polyaryl anion radicals via alkali metal reduction of arylurea oligomers.

A series of N-methylated polyarylurea oligomers have been reduced with potassium metal in HMPA. These reductions result in the transient formation of arylurea anion radicals, which undergo reductive elimination of the urea linkages. The aryl moieties appear in the products as the anion radicals of oligoaryl systems. The reaction is intramolecular, and the sequencing in the polyaryl anion radical remains the same as in the polyarylureas due to the urea-enforced pi-pi stacking interactions.

Anion radicals of di-trans-[12]annulene and heptalene in a one-pot synthesis from a common fire retardant.

[reaction: see text] Low temperature (-100 degrees C) dehydrohalogenation of 1,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane (a common fire retardant) with potassium tert-butoxide in THF followed by one-electron reduction yields the anion radical of the di-trans form of [12]annulene. This system yields a well-resolved EPR signal that reveals that most of the spin density resides on one side (the planar side) of the anion radical. Five of the carbons in this [12]annulene system are twisted from the plane of the remaining seven carbons, and the rate of rearrangement between the degenerate conformations is on the EPR time scale (k = 10(6)-10(7) s(-1)). Warming of the solution results in the formation of a sigma-bond between the two internal carbons, loss of molecular hydrogen, and consequent generation of the anion radical of heptalene. Tractable quantities of neutral heptalene can be obtained via the reoxidation of this anion radical with iodine.

Interannular communication in the radical anions of bis-cyclooctatetraene systems.

[reaction: see text] The room-temperature potassium reduction of 1,2-bis-cyclooctatetraeneoxypropane yields two different regio-spin isomer anion radicals in equilibrium (COT-O-C(Me)HCH(2)CH(2)-O-COT(*)(-) = (*)(-)COT-O-C(Me)HCH(2)CH(2)-O-COT) that is shifted far to the right. The presence of the unreduced ring perturbs the spin density on the reduced ring. Addition of more electrons generates the diradical dianion ((*)(-)COT-O-C(Me)HCH(2)CH(2)-O-COT(*)(-)), and the anion radical on the secondary side splits the degeneracy of the psuedo-ortho protons of the anion radical on the primary side.

Spin densities in dialkoxy-[16]annulene anion radicals: dimerization of alkoxy-[8]annulenes.

The anion radicals of alkoxy-substituted cyclooctatetraenes in hexamethylphosphoramide spontaneously dimerize to form the dianions of dialkoxy-[16]annulenes. The dianions reveal the expected high-field NMR resonance for the internal protons. After electron transfer, the EPR spectra of the corresponding anion radicals reveal that only the 1,5-dialkoxy systems are formed. Further, the measured proton and (13)C spin densities show that the odd electron resides in a molecular orbital with six hydrogens in "deep" nodal positions that completely hide them from EPR detection. This MO corresponds to the nonbonding (singly occupied) MO of higher energy after splitting of the degenerate nonbonding MOs by the two-electron-withdrawing substituents. The surprising electron-withdrawing nature of the alkoxy substituents is attributed to a rather strong mixing of the sigma and pi systems in [16]annulene.

N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-diarylurea anion radicals: an intramolecular reductive elimination.

The one-electron reduction of tertiary N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-diarylureas (aryl = phenyl, beta-naphthyl, alpha-naphthyl), in HMPA, results in anion radicals that undergo novel intramolecular reductive elimination reactions leading to the formation of the anion radicals of the corresponding biaryls. These results are due to face to face pi-pi stacking interactions involving the two aromatic rings in the urea systems. The overlapping p(pi)() orbitals on the ipso carbons of opposing aryl groups evolve into a sigma bond leading to the formation of the biaryl anion radical. In the case of the N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-di-2-pyrenylurea system, there is a node in the LUMO of the number 2 carbon, and the parent anion radical remains intact.