Dmitriy Parkhomenko

Chemically Triggered C–ON Bond Homolysis in Alkoxyamines. Part 2: DFT Investigation and Application of the pH Effect on NMP

In recent work, a 15-fold increase in the C-ON bond homolysis rate constant kd of 4-pyridylethyl-SG1-based alkoxyamine was observed upon protonation of the pyridyl moiety in organic solvent. In this report, the pH dependence of kd (pKa = 4.7) is investigated in D2O/CD3OD (v/v 1:1). A 64-fold increase in kd is observed at acidic pH. Calculations show that the increase in kd upon protonation is due to both an increase in the stabilization of the protonated 4-pyridylethyl radical and an increase of the destabilization of the starting materials through an increase in the polarity of the alkyl fragment. This new alkoxyamine is applied to NMP of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate.

pH-sensitive C-ON bond homolysis of alkoxyamines of imidazoline series: a theoretical study.

The pH-dependent kinetics of C-ON bond homolysis reactions of the four alkoxyamines (viz., the derivatives of 2-(4-(dimethylamino)-2-ethyl-5,5-dimethyl-2-(pyridin-4-yl)-2,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-1-oxyl and 2-(2-carboxyethyl)-5,5-diethyl-2,4-dimethyl-2,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-1-oxyl) in water solution have been scrutinized using DFT calculations (M06-2X/6-311++G(2df,p) level of theory with the PCM model). On the basis of computations, the experimental results obtained before (J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 5558) have been rationalized. The concentration dependence of all possible protonated forms of the four alkoxyamines was obtained from pH measurements. The contributions of particular protonated forms into the overall rate constants of thermolysis were estimated using the DFT calculated Gibbs free energies Δ(r)⁰G of C-ON bond homolysis reactions. The computations revealed that the observed rate constants of thermolysis of the two species at several pH values are dominated by decomposition reactions of two or even three protonated forms. The observed trends in reactivity of the alkoxyamines were mainly attributed to destabilization of the radical products of C-ON bond scission reactions. A linear correlation between the sum of radical stabilization energies (RSEs) of products of thermolysis and the calculated Gibbs free energies of reactions was found for various protonated forms of the species studied. Apart from this, the linear correlation exists between the relative RSE and nitrogen hyperfine constants aN of various protonated forms of the nitroxide radical products.

Trityl-based alkoxyamines as NMP controllers and spin-labels

Recently, new applications of trityl-nitroxide biradicals were proposed. In the present study, attachment of a trityl radical to alkoxyamines was performed for the first time. The rate constants kd of C-ON bond homolysis in these alkoxyamines were measured and found to be equal to those for alkoxyamines without trityl. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of the products of alkoxyamine homolysis (trityl-TEMPO and trityl-SG1 biradicals) were recorded, and the corresponding exchange interactions were estimated. The decomposition of trityl-alkoxyamine showed more than an 80% yield of biradicals, meaning that the C-ON bond homolysis is the main reaction. The suitability of these labelled initiators/controllers for polymerisation was exemplified by means of successful nitroxide-mediated polymerisation (NMP) of styrene. Thus, this is the first report of a spin-labelled alkoxyamine suitable for NMP.

C–ON bond homolysis of alkoxyamines triggered by paramagnetic copper(II) salts

The metal complexation reactions of bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)copper(II) (Cu(hfac)2) with alkoxyamines (diethyl(2,2-dimethyl-1-(tert-butyl-(1-(pyridine-4-yl)ethoxy)amino)propyl)phosphonate and diethyl (2,2-dimethyl-1-(tert-butyl-(1-(pyridine-2-yl)ethoxy)amino)propyl)phosphonate) were studied. According to X-ray analysis, the molecular and crystal structures of 1:1 complexes depend on the configuration of the free alkoxyamines, that is dimeric (RSSR) and chain-polymeric (RR/SS) structures for para-pyridyl-substituted alkoxyamines, and cyclic unimeric (RS/SR) structure for ortho-pyridyl derivative. The complex (2:1 ratio Cu(hfac)2/alkoxyamine) for ortho-pyridyl-substituted alkoxyamine is not resolved. Upon warming, ortho complexes decomposed into free alkoxyamines and only a weak activation was observed. Upon warming, para complexes decomposed into their corresponding unimers, and then, a 21-fold increase in the rate constant of the C–ON bond homolysis was observed compared to the corresponding free alkoxyamines. Tuning of the homolysis rate constant of the C–ON bond via addition of pyridine is also reported.

Intramolecular proton transfer (IPT) in alkoxyamine: a theoretical investigation

The Intramolecular Proton Transfer (IPT) in alkoxyamines is one of the main factors determining the process of Nitroxide Mediated Polymerization (NMP). Recently, we proposed an experimental approach to study IPT and applied it to a series of alkoxyamines. It was found that IPT dramatically depends on the structure of the alkoxyamine, but it was not clear which factors are significant for IPT (M. V. Edeleva et al., J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2009, 47, 6579-6595). To understand the mechanism and the factors determining the IPT process, in this article we investigate the geometrical parameters and thermokinetics of this reaction using the BMK/6-311++G(3df,3pd)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) method. It was found that the thermokinetics and geometrical parameters of the transition state (TS) for IPT do not depend on the alkoxyamine structure. The only factor which determines the occurrence of IPT is the position of the TS energy level of the C-ON bond homolysis.

1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of a Nitronyl Nitroxide-Substituted Alkyne to Heteroaromatic N-Imines

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of the triple bond in an ethynyl-substituted nitronyl nitroxide to heteroaromatic N-imines is described. The reaction opens a pathway to polyfunctional nitronyl nitroxides with pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine or related substituents. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, dihedral angles between the plane of the paramagnetic moiety and heteroaromatic cycle do not exceed 24°. Reactions between Cu(hfac)2 (hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate ion) and a pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-substituted radical produced a polymer chain complex with a ‘head-to-tail’ motif resembling that in breathing crystals.

Coordination-Initiated Nitroxide-Mediated Polymerization (CI-NMP)

Preparation of materials by nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) is well known nowadays. To increase the possible usefulness of NMP for the production of hybrid materials or polymer-decorated complexes, coordination-initiated NMP (CI-NMP) was developed and investigated here. CI-NMP was exemplified using the instantaneous and spontaneous reaction of alkoxyamines carrying a pyridyl moiety on the alkyl group and the Zn(hfac)2 (hfac: hexafluoroacetylacetonate) complex as a metal centre. NMP of styrene and n-butyl acrylate was carried out with either previously or in situ-prepared complexes. Both approaches afforded NMP of the same quality. The positive influence of metal centre coordination is highlighted by efficient NMP at 90°C.