ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND SPECTROELECTROCHEMISTRY OF NITROXYL FREE RADIACLS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j100324a012

This work reports electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical studies of the two nitroxyl radicals 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) and 3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3-pyrrolin-1-yloxy (3-carbamoyl-PROXYL).Oxidation and reduction reactions have been observed in aqueous media over the pH range 2-12 in the potential range -0.8 to +0.8 V by differential pulse voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and thin-layer UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry, and the reaction products have been characterized by IR, NMR, and ESR spectrometry.At pH values less than 10, characteristic electrochemical behavior is observed to be analogous for both radicals, and the products from electron transfer compare quite favorably with those found by pulse radiolysis of aqueous solutions of nitroxyl radicals.At pH 2-9, a stable cation from a reversible oxidation and hydroxylamine following an irreversible reduction, as well as hydroxylated cation at pH higher than 9, are the same as those obtained in pulse radiolysis experiments.Spectroscopic evidence indicates that behavior following reduction at high pH differs for the two radicals.At pH 12, reduced TEMPO may undergo structural changes leading to the formation of a new radical consisting of a seven-membered ring.