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PubMed1986

Triplet-singlet energy transfer in the complex of auramine O with horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Triplet-singlet energy transfer has been studied in the complex formed between auramine O (AO) and horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase with optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy. The results show that Trp-15 and Tyr residues transfer triplet energy mainly by a trivial process, whereas Trp-314 transfers triplet energy by a Förster process with two observed lifetimes at 77 K of 170 and 50 ms. The different Förster energy-transfer lifetimes are ascribed either to quenching of the two Trp-314 residues of the dimer by a single asymmetrically bound AO or to two distinct conformations of the enzyme-dye complex with differing separations and/or orientations of donor and acceptor. Individual spin sublevel transfer rate constants are reported for the major decay component with the 170-ms Trp triplet-state lifetime; these are found to be highly selective with kxtr much greater than kytr and kztr.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1988

Evidence for a singlet intermediate in catalysis by Escherichia coli DNA photolyase and evaluation of substrate binding determinants.

Escherichia coli DNA photolyase contains 1,5-dihydro-FAD (FADH2) plus 5,10-methenyl-tetrahydrofolate (5,10-CH+-H4folate). Both chromophores are fluorescent, and either can function as a sensitizer in catalysis. At 77 K separate fluorescence emission bands are observed for FADH2 (lambda max = 505 nm, shoulder at 540 nm) and 5,10-CH+-H4folate (lambda max = 465, 440 nm) whereas at 5 degrees C only a shoulder at 505 nm is attributable to FADH2. Formation of an enzyme-substrate complex with various dimer-containing oligothymidylates [UV-oligo(dT)n] quenches the fluorescence due to FADH2 at 5 degrees C or 77 K and also stabilizes FADH2 against air oxidation. The fluorescence of 5,10-CH+-H4folate is unaffected by substrate. Reduction of the pterin chromophore eliminates the chromophore's fluorescence but does not affect catalytic activity or the ability of substrate to quench FADH2 fluorescence. Quenching of FADH2 fluorescence is fully reversible upon dimer repair. The results are consistent with the proposal that the singlet state of FADH2 functions as an intermediate in catalysis. Fluorometric titrations indicate that the enzyme has a similar affinity for dimers in UV-oligo(dT)4 (KD = 2.5 X 10(-7) M, delta G = 8.4 kcal/mol at 5 degrees C) or UV-oligo(dT)6, except for dimers located at the unphosphorylated 3' end of the oligomers where binding is considerably weaker.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Catalysis↗
PubMed1979

Transfer of singlet energy within trypsin.

Transfers of singlet energy within trypsin were investigated by measuring the fluorescence absorption anisotropy of its tryptophan residues. A ratio of the anisotropy of trypsin to that for N-acetyl-L-tryptophanamide was determined between 306 and 250 nm. The ratio had an average value of 0.7, whether the trypsin anisotropy was measured at 228 of 296 K. However, trypsin dissolved in 5 M guanidine hydrochloride showed little fluorescence depolarization at 228 K (the anisotropy ratio was approximately equal to 0.9). Thus, there is an extensive conformation-dependent energy transfer between tryptophans in trypsin. The ratio of anisotropies of tyrpsin at 304--270 nm was used to estimate energy transfer from tyrosine to tryptophan. Ratios of 1.8 and 1.7 were obtained at 296 K for the native and guanidinium-unfolded enzyme, respectively. The comparable value for N-acetyl-L-tryptophanamide was 1.7. This indicates that there is little transfer from tyrosine to tryptophan in trypsin at 296 K. As confirmation, the excitation wavelength dependencies of the indole fluorescence quantum yield were the same for native and unfolded trypsin. When experiments were performed at 228 K, the 304--270-nm anisotropy ratios were 2.6 for native and 2.1 for unfolded trypsin at pH2. This indicates that the efficiency of energy transfer from tyrosine to tryptophan increases at low temperatures. A photochemical source of error in the quantitation of the efficiency of energy transfer from tyrosine to tryptophan is also described.

Energy Transfer↗
PubMed2000

Mechanism of nonphotochemical quenching in green plants: energies of the lowest excited singlet states of violaxanthin and zeaxanthin.

The xanthophyll cycle is an enzymatic, reversible process through which the carotenoids violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, and zeaxanthin are interconverted in response to the need to balance light absorption with the capacity to use the energy to drive the reactions of photosynthesis. The cycle is thought to be one of the main avenues for safely dissipating excitation energy absorbed by plants in excess of that needed for photosynthesis. One of the key factors needed to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which the potentially damaging excess energy is dissipated is the energy of the lowest excited singlet (S(1)) state of the xanthophyll pigments. Absorption from the ground state (S(0)) to S(1) is forbidden by symmetry, making a determination of the S(1) state energies of these molecules by absorption spectroscopy very difficult. Fluorescence spectroscopy is potentially the most direct method for obtaining the S(1) state energies. However, because of problems with sample purity, low emission quantum yields, and detection sensitivity, fluorescence spectra from these molecules, until now, have never been reported. In this work these technical obstacles have been overcome, and S(1) --> S(0) fluorescence spectra of violaxanthin and zeaxanthin are presented. The energies of the S(1) states deduced from the fluorescence spectra are 14 880 +/- 90 cm(-)(1) for violaxanthin and 14 550 +/- 90 cm(-)(1) for zeaxanthin. The results provide important insights into the mechanism of nonphotochemical dissipation of excess energy in plants.

Chlorophyll↗
PubMed2003

Structure-dependent photophysical properties of singlet and triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer states in copper(I) bis(diimine) compounds.

The photophysical properties of singlet and triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) states of [Cu(I)(diimine)(2)](+), where diimine is 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmphen), 2,9-dibutyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dbphen), or 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dmbpy), were studied. On 400 nm laser excitation of [Cu(dmphen)(2)](+) in CH(2)Cl(2) solution, prompt (1)MLCT fluorescence with a quantum yield of (2.8 +/- 0.8) x 10(-5) was observed using a picosecond time-correlated single photon counting technique. The quantum yield was dependent on the excitation wavelength, suggesting that relaxation of the Franck-Condon state to the lowest (1)MLCT competes with rapid intersystem crossing (ISC). The fluorescence lifetime of the copper(I) compound was 13-16 ps, unexpectedly long despite a large spin-orbit coupling constant of 3d electrons in copper (829 cm(-1) ). Quantum chemical calculations using a density functional theory revealed that the structure of the lowest (1)MLCT in [Cu(dmphen)(2)](+) (1(1)B(1)) was flattened due to the Jahn-Teller effect in 3d(9) electronic configuration, and the dihedral angle between the two phenanthroline planes (dha) was about 75 degrees with the dha around 90 degrees in the ground state. Intramolecular reorganization energy for the radiative transition of 1(1)B(1) was calculated as 2.1 x 10(3) cm(-1), which is responsible for the large Stokes shift of the fluorescence observed (5.4 x 10(3) cm(-1)). To understand the sluggishness of the intersystem crossing (ISC) of (1)MLCT of the copper(I) compounds, the strength of the spin-orbit interaction between the lowest (1)MLCT (1(1)B(1)) and all (3)MLCT states was calculated. The ISC channels induced by strong spin-orbit interactions (ca. 300 cm(-1)) between the metal-centered HOMO and HOMO - 1 were shown to be energetically unfavorable in the copper(I) compounds because the flattening distortion caused large splitting (6.9 x 10(3) cm(-1)) between these orbitals. The possible ISC is therefore induced by weak spin-orbit interactions (ca. 30 cm(-1)) between ligand-centered molecular orbitals. Further quantum mechanical study on the spin-orbit interaction between the lowest (3)MLCT (1(3)A) and all (1)MLCT states indicated that the phosphorescence borrows intensity from 2(1)B(1). The radiative rate of the phosphorescence was also structure-sensitive. The flattening distortion reduced the transition dipole moment of 2(1)B(1) --> the ground state, and decreased the extent of mixing between 1(3)A and 2(1)B(1), thereby considerably reducing the phosphorescence radiative rate at the MLCT geometry compared to that at the ground state geometry. The theoretical calculation satisfactorily reproduced the radiative rate of ca. 10(3) s(-1) and accounted for the structure-sensitive phosphorescence intensities of copper(I) bis(diimine) compounds recently demonstrated by Felder et al. (Felder, D.; Nierengarten, J. F.; Barigelletti, F.; Ventura, B.; Armaroli, N. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 6291).

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Heterobimetallic Zn(II)-Ln(III) phenylene-bridged schiff base complexes, computational studies, and evidence for singlet energy transfer as the main pathway in the sensitization of near-infrared Nd3+ luminescence.

A series of 3d-4f heterobimetallic phenylene-bridged Schiff base complexes of the general formula [Zn(mu-L1)Ln(NO3)3(S)n] [Ln = La (1), Nd (2), Gd (3), Er (4), Yb (5); S = H(2)O, EtOH; n = 1, 2; H2L1 = N,N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)phenylene-1,2-diamine] and [Zn(mu-L2)Ln(NO3)3(H2O)n] [Ln = La (6), Nd (7), Gd (8), Er (9), Yb (10); n = 1, 2; H(2)L(2) = N,N'-bis(3-methoxy-5-p-tolylsalicylidene)phenylene-1,2-diamine] were synthesized and characterized. Complexes 1, 2, 4, and 7 were structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. At room temperature in CH(3)CN, both neodymium(III) (2 and 7) and ytterbium(III) (5 and 10) complexes also exhibited, in addition to the ligand-centered emission in the UV-vis region, their lanthanide(III) ion emission in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The photophysical properties of the zinc(II) phenylene-bridged complexes (ZnL1 and ZnL2) were measured and compared with those of the corresponding zinc(II) ethylene-bridged complexes (ZnL3 and ZnL4). Our results revealed that, at 77 K, both ligand-centered triplet (3LC) and singlet (1LC) states existed for the ethylene-bridged complexes (ZnL3 and ZnL4), whereas only the (1)LC state was detected for the phenylene-bridged complexes (ZnL1 and ZnL2). NIR sensitization studies of [Zn(mu-L')Nd(NO3)3(H2O)n] (L' = L1-L4) complexes further showed that Nd3+ sensitization took place via the 3LC and 1LC states when the spacer between the imine groups of the Schiff base ligand was an ethylene and a phenylene unit, respectively. Ab initio calculations show that the observed differences can be attributed to the difference in the molecular vibrational properties and electron densities of the electronic states between the ethylene- and phenylene-bridged complexes.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Deep-red luminescence and efficient singlet oxygen generation by cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes with 8-hydroxyquinolines and quinoline-8-thiol.

The synthesis and photophysical study of (C/\N)Pt(II)Q complexes, where C/\N is a bidentate cyclometalating ligand and Q is 8-hydroxyquinoline or quinoline-8-thiol, are presented. The compounds were obtained as a single isomer with N atoms of the C/\N and Q ligands trans-coordinated to the Pt(II) center as shown by X-ray crystallography. These chromophores absorb intensely in the visible region and emit in the deep-red spectral region from a quinolate-centered triplet intraligand charge-transfer excited state. The emission maxima are in the range 675-740 nm, with the quantum yields and lifetimes of up to 0.82% and 5.3 mus, respectively, in deoxygenated organic solvents at room temperature. These complexes are efficient photosensitizers of singlet oxygen in air-saturated solutions, with yields up to 90%.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Aryloxo Derivatives of Phosphorus(V) Porphyrins. Synthesis, Spectroscopy, Electrochemistry, and Singlet State Properties.

Aryloxo derivatives of phosphorus(V) porphyrins of the type [(TpTP)P(OR)(2)](+)OH(-) where TpTP is the dianion of tetra-p-tolylporphyrin and OR is an axial aryloxo (2,4-dimethylphenoxo, 4-methylphenoxo, phenoxo, 4-nitrophenoxo, 4-(4-nitrophenoxy)phenoxo, or 4-(2,4-dinitrophenoxy)phenoxo) ligand have been synthesized and fully characterized by FAB-mass, UV-vis, fluorescence, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H and (31)P) spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetric methods. Each new porphyrin shows a typical "normal UV-vis absorption spectrum" indicating the presence of a P(V) ion in the porphyrin cavity. The proton-decoupled (31)P NMR signal observed for these compounds, between -194 and -200 ppm, suggests that there exists an octahedral coordination around the phosphorus atom, and this supposition is further substantiated by the porphyrin ring-current-induced upfield shifts observed for protons on the two axial aryloxo ligands in the (1)H NMR spectra. Cyclic voltammetric studies reveal that each porphyrin undergoes two successive, one-electron reductions with the site of electron transfer being the porphyrin ring. The fluorescence quantum yield values of these porphyrins are found to be sensitive to the nature of the aryloxo ligand and also to the solvent polarity. The singlet state properties of these systems have been discussed in light of both the fluorescence and the redox potential data.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Singlet Oxygen and the Production of Sulfur Oxygenates of Nickel(II) and Palladium(II) Thiolates.

The metal dithiolate [1,5-bis(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,5-diazacyclooctane]nickel(II) (Ni-1), a sterically hindered analogue (Ni-1), and the palladium analogue Pd-1 react with (1)Delta O(2) to yield a variety of stable and isolable metallosulfones (MS(O(2))R) and metallosulfoxides (MS(O)R). Singlet oxygen was generated both photochemically with the sensitizer Rose Bengal and thermally by decomposition of the 1,4-endoperoxide of 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene. Increased rates and oxygenation yields are observed upon excitation of O(2) from its ground state, (3)Sigma, to the excited state, (1)Delta. The reactions are both solvent and concentration dependent, with sulfones generally favored in acetonitrile and sulfoxides favored in methanol. There is also a ligand and metal effect. The proposed mechanistic pathways involving a persulfoxide precursor to single sulfur site O(2) addition (producing metallosulfones) and adjacent sulfur site O(2) addition (producing metallosulfoxides) are consistent with product distribution, comparison to the much studied oxygenation of organic sulfides, and previous isotopic labeling experiments (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 1791; 1992, 114, 4601; Inorg. Chem. 1993, 32, 4171).

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

"Axial-Bonding"-Type Hybrid Porphyrin Arrays: Synthesis, Spectroscopy, Electrochemistry, and Singlet State Properties.

A series of phosphorus(V), germanium(IV), and tin(IV) porphyrin-based, "axial-bonding"-type hybrid trimers have been readily constructed by employing a new "building-block" approach. The approach is modular in nature, and it involves simple "inorganic" reactions such as axial bond formation of main group element containing porphyrins and insertion of metal/"metalloid" ions into the porphyrin cavity. The architecture of these arrays is such that, while a phosphorus(V), germanium(IV), or tin(IV) complex of meso-5,10,15,20-(tetratolyl)porphyrin forms the basal scaffolding unit, the free-base, vanadyl, cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), or zinc(II) porphyrins occupy the two axial sites via an aryloxy bridge. Synthesis of an "all-phosphorus" array containing three phosphorus(V) subunits has also been accomplished. Each new porphyrin array investigated in this study has been fully characterized by various physical methods that include mass (FAB), UV-visible, infrared, fluorescence, electron spin resonance (ESR), and (1)H and (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR; 1D and 2D) spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry. The UV-visible and ESR spectral parameters and also the redox potential data suggest that there exists no interaction between the pi-planes of the constituent monomeric porphyrins in these arrays. Detailed (1)H NMR investigations carried out with the trimers containing diamagnetic porphyrins reveal characteristic shielding/deshielding effects for the various protons on the axial porphyrin subunits. The ground state data, as probed by the spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques, collectively indicate that there exists a symmetric but nonparallel disposition of the two axial porphyrins with respect to plane of the central porphyrin. Singlet state activity of the photoactive trimers has been probed by the steady state fluorescence method with selective excitation into the bands corresponding to the two constituent monomeric species. Analysis of the fluorescence emission and excitation spectral data suggests the occurrence of electronic energy transfer as well as photoinduced electron transfer reactions in trimers endowed with free-base or zinc(II) porphyrin axial subunits. Efficiencies of the excited state processes of these trimeric arrays are shown to be dependent on the type of metal/metalloid ions present in the porphyrin crevice.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Building blocks for molecule-based magnets: a theoretical study of triplet-singlet gaps in the dianion of rhodizonic acid 1,4-dimethide and its derivatives.

Reduction of 1,4-dimethylenecyclohexane-2,3,5,6-tetrone forms the title dianion 1(2-), which may also be formulated as the 1,4-dimethide of deprotonated rhodizonic acid. Substituted versions of this species, designed as a charged electronic analogue of dimethylenecyclobutadiene, are proposed as building blocks for assembly of molecule-based magnets. A possible mode of self-organization of their metal salts into 2-D structures with intermolecular ferromagnetic coupling is outlined. Full pi space CAS(14,12)/6-31+G//CAS(14,12)/ 6-31G calculations were performed to probe the ground spin state (singlet vs triplet) of 1(2-) as a function of substituent variations. This study has found that a triplet ground state preference as high as 4.5 kcal/mol may be achieved for the symmetrically coordinated dianion.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Substituent-dictated partitioning of intermediates on the sulfide singlet oxygen reaction surface. A new mechanism for oxidative C--S bond cleavage in alpha-hydroperoxy sulfides.

The reactions of singlet oxygen with 17 sulfides bearing either anion or radical stabilizing substituents are reported. The abilities of substituents to modify product compositions in both the oxidative cleavage and sulfide oxidation pathways are analyzed in terms of partitioning of the hydroperoxy sulfonium ylide intermediate. Evidence is presented that suggests that the hydroperoxy sulfonium ylide exists in both diradical and zwitterionic forms. In addition, both inter- and intramolecular pathways for decomposition of alpha-hydroperoxy sulfides are suggested to rationalize the substituent-dependent formation of oxidative C--S bond cleavage products.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

An experimental and computational study on the reactivity and regioselectivity for the nitrosoarene ene reaction: comparison with triazolinedione and singlet oxygen.

The regioselectivities and the reactivities (relative rates) for the ene reaction of the enophile 4-nitronitrosobenzene (ArNO) with an extensive set of regiochemically defined acyclic and cyclic olefins have been determined. These experimental data establish that the ArNO enophile attacks the olefinic substrate along the novel skew trajectory, with preferred hydrogen abstraction at the corner (twix regioselectivity). This is in contrast to the isoelectronic species singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)), which abstracts at the higher substituted side of the double-bond (cis effect), and triazolindione (TAD), which undergoes the ene reaction at the more crowded end (gem effect). Ab initio computations (B3LYP/6-31+g) for the ene reaction of the ArNO with 2-methyl-2-butene reveal that the steric effects between the aryl group of the enophile and the substituents of the olefin dictate the skew trajectory. These computations identify the aziridine N-oxide (AI) as a bona fide intermediate in this ene reaction, whose formation is usually rate-determining and, thus, irreversible along the skew trajectory (twix selectivity). The reversible generation of the AI becomes feasible when conformational constraints outweigh steric effects, as manifested by enhanced twin regioselectivity.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Reactions of 1,3-cyclohexadiene with singlet oxygen. A theoretical study.

A thorough study of the reaction of singlet oxygen with 1,3-cyclohexadiene has been made at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) and CASPT2(12e,10o) levels. The initial addition reaction follows a stepwise diradical pathway to form cyclohexadiene endoperoxide with an activation barrier of 6.5 kcal/mol (standard level = CASPT2(12e,10o)/6-31G(d); geometries and zero-point corrections at B3LYP/6-31G(d)), which is consistent with an experimental value of 5.5 kcal/mol. However, as the enthalpy of the transition structure for the second step is lower than the diradical intermediate, the reaction might also be viewed as a nonsynchronous concerted reaction. In fact, the concertedness of the reaction is temperature dependent since entropy differences create a free energy barrier for the second step of 1.8 kcal/mol at 298 K. There are two ene reactions; one is a concerted mechanism (DeltaH(double dagger) = 8.8 kcal/mol) to 1-hydroperoxy-2,5-cyclohexadiene (5), while the other, which forms 1-hydroperoxy-2,4-cyclohexadiene (18), passes through the same diradical intermediate (9) as found on the pathway to endoperoxide. The major pathway from the endoperoxide is O-O bond cleavage (22.0 kcal/mol barrier) to form a 1,4-diradical (25), which is 13.9 kcal/mol less stable than the endoperoxide. From the diradical, two low-energy pathways exist, one to epoxyketone (29) and the other to the diepoxide (27), where both products are known to be formed experimentally with a product ratio sensitive to the nature of substitutents. A significantly higher activation barrier leads to C-C bond cleavage and direct formation of maleic aldehyde plus ethylene.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Efficient control of the diastereoselectivity and regioselectivity in the singlet-oxygen ene reaction of chiral oxazolidine-substituted alkenes by a remote urea NH functionality: comparison with dimethyldioxirane and m-chloroperbenzoic acid epoxidations.

The singlet-oxygen ene reaction and the epoxidation by DMD of chiral oxazolidine-substituted alkenes, equipped with a free urea NH functionality and a conformationally fixed double bond, proceed in high like diastereoselectivity (up to >95:5); also a high regioselectivity was found for the (1)O(2) ene reaction. Capping of the free NH functionality by methylation erases this like selectivity for both oxidants and significantly reduces the regioselectivity in the ene reaction. These data demonstrate effective hydrogen bonding between the remote urea NH functionality and the oxidant that favors the like attack on the C-C double bond. For (1)O(2), the hydrogen bonding in the exciplex results in preferred hydrogen abstraction from the alkyl group cis to the directing urea functionality.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Ultrafast decay of electronically excited singlet cytosine via a pi,pi* to n(O),pi* state switch.

Singlet fluorescence lifetimes of adenosine, cytidine, guanosine, and thymidine, determined by femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy (Pecourt, J.-M. L.; Peon, J.; Kohler, B. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 9348. Pecourt, J.-M. L.; Peon, J.; Kohler, B. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 10370), show that the excited states produced by 263 nm light in these nucleosides decay in the subpicosecond range (290-720 fs). Ultrafast radiationless decay to the ground state greatly reduces the probability of photochemical damage. In this work we present a theoretical study of isolated cytosine, the chromophore of cytidine. The experimental lifetime of 720 fs indicates that there must be an ultrafast decay channel for this species. We have documented the possible decay channels and approximate energetics, using a valence-bond derived analysis to rationalize the structural details of the paths. The mechanism favored by our calculations and the experimental data involves (1) a two-mode decay coordinate composed of initial bond length inversion followed by internal vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) to populate a carbon pyramidalization mode, (2) a state switch between the pi,pi* and nO,pi* (excitation from oxygen lone pair) excited states, and (3) decay to the ground state through a conical intersention. A second decay path through the nN,pi* state (excitation from the nitrogen lone pair), with a higher barrier, involves out-of-plane bending of the amino substituent.

Cytosine↗
PubMed2002

Ene reaction of singlet oxygen, triazolinedione, and nitrosoarene with chiral deuterium-labeled allylic alcohols: the interdependence of diastereoselectivity and regioselectivity discloses mechanistic insights into the hydroxy-group directivity.

The ene reaction of singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)), triazolinedione (TAD), and nitrosoarene, specifically 4-nitronitrosobenzene (ArNO), with the tetrasubstituted 1,3-allylically strained, chiral allylic alcohol 3,4-dimethylpent-3-en-2-ol (2) leads to the threo-configured ene products in high diastereoselectivity, a consequence of the hydroxy-group directivity. Hydrogen bonding favors formation of the threo-configured encounter complex threo-EC in the early stage of ene reaction. For the analogous twix deuterium-labeled allylic alcohol Z-2-d(3), a hitherto unrecognized dichotomy between (1)O(2) and the ArNO and TAD enophiles is disclosed in the regioselectivity of the tetrasubstituted alcohol: Whereas for ArNO and TAD, hydrogen bonding with the allylic hydroxy group dictates the regioselectivity (twix selectivity), for (1)O(2), the cis effect dominates (twin/trix selectivity). From the interdependence between the twix/twin regioselectivity and the threo/erythro diastereoselectivity, it has been recognized that the enophile also attacks the allylic alcohol from the erythro pi face without assistance by hydrogen bonding with the allylic hydroxy functionality.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Torsional barriers for planar versus twisted singlet styrenes.

Kinetic modeling of the temperature-dependent lifetimes of styrene and several methyl-substituted styrenes has been used to obtain the torsional barriers for singlet-state C=C rotation. The barrier for C=C torsion is found to be correlated with the ground-state phenyl-vinyl dihedral angle, varphi, planar styrenes having barriers of approximately 6.5 kcal/mol and moderately twisted styrenes having smaller barriers. Highly twisted styrenes undergo exceptionally rapid intersystem crossing. This unexpected dependence of excited-state behavior on varphi is attributed to a change in the character of the excited states from delocalized for planar styrenes to localized for highly twisted styrenes.

Journal Article↗