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Tetraphenylbutatriene is reduced under aprotic conditions to its ESR/ENDOR-spectroscopically characterized radical anion and to its dianion, with both electron transfers quasireversible according to cyclovoltammetric measurements. The alkali cation salts, the red contact ion pair [(H5C6)4C4·⊖][Na⊕ (H3COCH2CH2OCH3)3] and the dark violet contact ion triple [(H5C6)4C4⊖⊖][Li⊕(H3COCH2CH2OCH3)3]2 can be prepared by single electron reduction at a sodium metal mirror or by twofold de-protonation of 1,1,4,4-tetraphenylbutyne-2 using lithium-n-butyl. Their single crystal structures as well as that of the parent acetylene have been determined at low temperatures. The essential structural changes observed are the twisting of both molecular halves (H5C6)2CC relative to each other with increasing negative charge. The simultaneously resulting bond alternancy >C = C = C = C< → >C⊖ - C ≡ C⊖ - C < within the cumulene chain is discussed based on MNDO calculations for the structures determined.
The structures of seven di- or tetrasubstituted p-benzoquinone derivatives O=C(XC=CH )2C=O and O=C(XC=CX)2C=O with substituents X = -OCH3, -N(CH2)5, - N(CH2CH2)2O, -Cl, -CN and -⊕N(HC=CH)2C-N(CH3)2 are presented and discussed in comparison with published ones substituted by X = -Si(CH3)3, -C6H5, -N(CH3)2, -⊕N(HC=CH)2CN(CH3)2, -O⊖ , and - NO2. Based on the introduction, in which halfwave-reduction potentials, geometry-optimized quantum-chemical calculations on substituent perturbation and known structural data of p-benzoquinone derivatives are used to characterize their molecular ground states. The structural changes indicate how substituent perturbations might be rationalized. Of the categories defined - imperturbed, donor, donor/acceptor and acceptor perturbed - the donorsubstituted p-benzoquinones do exhibit the largest differences, often called cyanine distorsion. In very satisfactory agreement with extensive semiempirical calculations, all effects determined experimentally are discussed in terms of varying charge distribution. With respect to the biochemical importance of p-benzoquinone derivatives, this first structural summary points out important facets.
UV/VIS and ESR spectra of electron transfer reaction products in aprotic (cH⊕ < 0,1 ppm) solution can be measured in an especially designed and sealed glass apparatus and provide information on unknown facets of the microscopic pathway through the network of interdependent equilibria. For tetraphenyl-p-benzoquinone in tetrahydrofuran, single-electron reduction by a sodium metal mirror produces a red solution and, unexpectedly, after addition of 2.2.2. cryptand, contact with a potassium metal mirror generates a green (!) one. For both, ESR/ENDOR spectra prove the presence of tetraphenyl-p-benzoquinone radical anion. UV/VIS measurements provide the clue: In the equilibrium revealed by repetetive spectra recording, M·⊖solv + Me⊕solv ⇄ [M·⊖···Me⊖]solv, the radical anion is green (vm = 16900 cm-1) and the contact ion pair red (vm=18900 cm-1 ). On ion pair formation, therefore, the excitation energy of the radical anion increases by 0.25 eV.
The following mixed-stack donor/acceptor complexes {D · · · A }∞ have been crystallized and their structures determined: { 1 ,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene · · · tetrabromo-p -benzoquinone}∞ , {hexamethylbenzene · · · tetrabromo-p-benzoquinone}∞ , { ( 1 ,2 ,4,5-tetramethyl-benzene)2 · · · tetrachloro -p -benzoquinone}∞ , {pyrene · · · tetrafluoro-p-benzoquinone}∞ , {pyrene · · · tetrabromo-p-benzoquinone}∞ and {perylene · · · tetrabromo-p-benzoquinone}∞ . They exhibit an interesting lattice packing, especially the 2:1 tripeldecker sandwich of tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone, which crystallizes in a herringbone pattern. Their interplanar distances are around 340 pm, i. e. two van der Waals π radii. None of them , however, exhibits in neither the donor nor the acceptor components significant structural changes due to complex formation. Their colours range from orange-red to black in the crystal and to green in H2CCl2 solution. Their long-wavelengths charge transfer absorption maxim a correspond to a lowering in excitation energy of up to 2 eV relative to that of the components. The different charge transfer in the ground and excited states of the donor/acceptor complexes investigated is further discussed referring to data such as cyclovoltammetric reduction potentials as w ell as to results from semiempirical calculations based on the crystal structure data determined and including configuration interaction.
In an especially designed and sealed glass apparatus, a combination of UV/VIS and ESR spectroscopy measurements are performed to follow electron transfer reactions in aprotic (cH⊕ < 0,1 ppm) solution. For the sodium metal reductions of the tetracyano-substituted title compounds, the novel technique provides the following detailed information: 1,2,4,5- tetracyanobenzene is uniformly reduced to its radical anion, for which additional geometryoptimized MNDO calculations predict an already significant cyanine disortion. For 7,7,8,8- tetracyano-p-quinodimethane, UV/VIS band shape analysis allows to detect in the saturated THF reduction solution the 16300 cm-1 absorption of the donor/acceptor complex formed in the equilibrium TCNQ·⊖ + TCNQ ⇆ {TCNQ·⊖···TCNQ}, which according to a literature search has been crystallized and structurally characterized in paramagnetic salts such as [Me2⊕ (TCNQ·⊖)2(TCNQ)].
The following mixed-stack donor/acceptor complexes {D···A}∞ have been crystallized and their structures determined: {hexamethylbenzene···3,5-dicyano-1-nitrobenzene hexamethylbenzene···3,5-dinitro-1-cyanobenzene}∞, {pyrene···3,5-dinitro-1-cyanobenzene}∞, {anthracene···(3,5-dinitro-1-cyanobenzene)2}∞, {N,N-dimethylanilin···3,5-dinitro- 1-cyanobenzene}∞ and { 1-3-phenylenediamine···3,5-dinitro-1-cyanobenzene}∞. Their lattice packing consists of parallel layers, which contain either donors and acceptors as for hexamethylbenzene and pyrene or composite ones as in the 1:2 complex of anthracene with each one of the acceptors above and below its peripheral rings. The isostructural hexamethylbenzene complexes exhibit almost identical packing coefficients as well as a hexagonal coplanar arrangement of the C6(CH3)6 donors. Weak intermolecular van der Waals interactions are also observed between antiparallel cyano substituents. The interplanar n distances range between 334 and 353 pm, i. e. around 340 pm of two van der Waals n radii. In none of the complexes, however, significant structural changes in either the donor or the acceptor components due to the complex formation are observed. In both the crystals as well as in solution, the donor/acceptor complexes exhibit colours between yellow and red; their long-wavelength charge transfer absorption maxima, therefore, correspond to a lowering in excitation energy of only up to 1 eV relative to that of the components. The different charge transfer in the ground and the CT excited states is also discussed referring to other data such as vertical first ionization energies or interplanar distances {D···A}, as well as to results from semiempirical calculations based on the crystal structure data determined and including approximate configuration interaction.
The two-electron reduction of tetraphenyl-p-quinodimethane M via its radical anion M⊖ to its dianion M⊖⊖ is explored both by cyclovoltammetry and ESR/ENDOR spectroscopy. Contact of the diglyme solution with added 15-crown-5 under aprotic conditions with a sodium metal mirror yields black crystals of a solvent-separated contact ion triple [M⊖⊖][Na⊕(OCH2CH2)5(H3CO(CH2CH2O)2CH3)]2. The two-electron-insertion into the pquinodimethane derivative R2C⊖=C(HC=CH)2C=CR2 changes its structure drastically to that of a twofold carbanion substituted benzene, R2C⊖ -(C6H4)- ⊖CR2. MNDO calculations provide a rationale for both the tremendous solvation of a Na⊕ center coordinated to seven oxygen centers of 15-crown-5 and of one diglyme molecule and the structural changes as well as the charge distribution in the unique Tetraphenyl-p-quinodimethane dianion (H5C6)2C⊖-(C6H4)- ⊖C(C6H5)2, in which the two negative charges are largely localized at the carbanion center of the benzene -substituents.
From the electron and proton transfer equilibria network of quinones in solution a novel intermediate can be prepared by deprotonation of 2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)hydroquinone to its monoanion using sodium metal. The sodium salt crystallizes in polymer strings connected via O⊖···(H)O hydrogen bridges, which are capped additionally by twofold dimethoxy-ethanesolvated Na⊕ countercations. The single crystal structure determination reveals one of the shortest O⊕ ··· HO distances observed so far of only 246 pm. MNDO calculations further confirm the assignment of hydroquinone monoanion building blocks in the polymer chain. For structural comparison as well as for attempts of its sodium reduction, 2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-p- benzoquinone has been synthesized. Its single crystal structure is reported, which does not show any cyanine distortion.
Chelate complexes of 1,2-dimesitoylbenzene radical anion with alkali metal cations exhibit in aprotic solution extremely large ESR /ENDOR metal coupling constants. For rationalization, structures of both the neutral molecule (H3C)3H2C6 - CO - C6H4 - CO - C6H2(CH3)3, in which the two carbonyl groups are twisted out of the benzene ring plane by dihedral angles of ± 3̄7̄°, and a sodium contact ion quadruple have been determined. One of the dimers [dimesitoylbenzeneH⊖ (Na⊕H2N H2C - CH2NH2)]2, although generated by Na metal mirror reduction of 1,2-dimesitoylbenzene in aprotic DME solution with added ethylendiamine for better electron transfer, surprisingly contains two 245 pm short (!) hydrogen bridges ⊖O ··· (H)O and in addition two solvation bridges e ⊖O ··· Na⊕(H2NH2C - CH2NH2) ··· O⊖. Results of MNDO calculations based on the experimental coordinates support the proposed concept.
Semiquinone radical anions are prototype compounds for contact ion pair formation with metal counter cations. In order to investigate the still open question whether bulky alkyl groups can sterically interfere, diphenoquinone derivatives O=C(RC=CH)2C=C(HC=CR)2C=O with R = C(CH3)3, CH(CH3)2 and CH3 have been selected and the following ESR/ENDOR results are obtained for the alkaline metal cations: The tetrakis(tert-butyl)-substituted radical anion only adds Li⊕ and Na⊕, while K⊕ forms no ion pair. The 3,3ʹ,5,5ʹ-tetra(isopropyl)diphenoquinone radical anion is accessible to all cations Me⊕, although Rb⊕ and Cs⊕ seem to be present solvent-separated in solution. The tetramethyl-substituted radical anion unfortunately polymerizes rapidly. Additional information concerns the ESR/ENDOR proof for ion triple radical cation formation [Li⊕ M•⊖Li⊕]•⊕, or the difference in the coupling constants upon Me⊕ docking at one δ⊖O=C group, suggesting that about 87% of the spin density is located in the cation-free molecular half of the diphenoquinone radical anion. Based on the wealth of ESR/ENDOR information, crystallization of the contact ion pairs and their structural characterization should be attempted.