30951-98-5Relevant academic research and scientific papers
Generation, Thermodynamics, and Chemistry of the Diphenylcarbene Anion Radical (Ph2C.-)
McDonald, Richard N.,Gung, Wei Yi
, p. 7328 - 7334 (2007/10/02)
Dissociative electron attachment with Ph2C=N produced Ph2C.- (m/z 166).The reactions of Ph2C.- with potential proton donors of known gas-phase acidity were used to bracket PA(Ph2C.-) = 380 +/- 2 kcal mol-1 from which ΔHf0(Ph2C.-) = 81.8 +/- 2 kcal mol-1 was calculated.The reactions of Ph2C.- with CH3OH and C2H5OH proceeded with major and minor amounts, respectively, of a H2.+-transfer channel, forming Ph2CH2, RCHO, and an electron.The kinetic nucleophilicity of Ph2C.- in SN2 displacement reactions with CH3X and C2H5X molecules was shown to be medium, which requires a significant intrinsic barrier in these reaction.The reactions of Ph2C.- with various aldehydes, ketones, and esters were fast and established two principal product-forming channels: (1) H+ transfer if the neutral reactant contains activated C-H bonds and (2) carbonyl addition followed by radical β-fragmentation of one of the groups originally attached to the carbonyl carbon.The order for the ease of radical β-fragmentation in the tetrahedral intermediates was RO > alkyl >> H, and CO2CH3 > CH3.Since the reactions of Ph2C.- with the simple esters HCO2CH3 and CH3CO2CH3 were fast, it should now be possible to examine the reactions of carbonyl-containing organic molecules, which are expected to react slower than these esters and obtain their relative reactivities.
