Photodissociation of Anisole and Absolute Photoionization Cross-Section of the Phenoxy Radical

Investigation of substituent effect on O–C bond dissociation enthalpy of methoxy group in meta- and para-substituted anisoles

This paper is focused on the theoretical investigation of O-C Bond Dissociation Enthalpy (BDE) of methoxy OCH₃ group in 15 meta- and 15 para-substituted anisoles in gas phase, non-polar environment, and water. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were carried out using M06-2X functional and 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Obtained BDEs were correlated with Brown and Okamoto σ_p⁺ and Hammett σ_m constants representing commonly used descriptors of electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituent effect. Obtained linear dependences allow the prediction of substituent effect on BDE using σ_p⁺ and σ_m constants. Calculated reaction enthalpies were also compared with available experimental and theoretical ab initio G4 values. Found results suggest that employed method may provide reliable thermochemistry data for demethylation of naturally occurring (poly)phenolic compounds, as well. In all studied environments, substituent induced changes in O-C BDE can be considered equal to those observed for the dissociation of phenolic O-H bond of substituted phenols.

Guaiacol oxidation: theoretical insight into thermochemistry of radical processes involving methoxy group demethylation

Guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) is naturally occurring phenolic compound essential in various research areas. Oxidative transformation of guaiacol can lead to the formation of various products, including 1,3-benzodioxole or ortho-quinone. Therefore, this study is focused on the investigation of the reaction enthalpies of experimentally observed guaiacol oxidation pathways in gas-phase, as well as in non-polar environment and aqueous solution. Corresponding Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were carried out using two hybrid functionals (M06-2X and B3LYP-D3). All reaction enthalpies, as well as Gibbs free energies, were also calculated using composite ab initio G4 method. M06-2X and G4 results show mutual agreement and the best accordance with available experimentally determined reaction enthalpies. Obtained Gibbs free reaction energies indicate that formation of ortho-quinone is thermodynamically preferred to formation of 1,3-benzodioxole at 298 K in studied environments. Moreover, all computational methods confirm that the reaction enthalpy of methoxy group demethylation, i.e. O-C bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), is substantially lower in comparison to the enthalpy of hydrogen atom transfer from phenolic OH group. In the case of phenoxide anion of guaiacol, which can be formed in ionization supporting solvents, O-C BDE shows further significant decrease, exceeding 50 kJ mol^-1, in comparison to parent molecule.HIGHLIGHTSReaction enthalpies and Gibbs free energies of individual steps of guaiacol transformation to 1,3-benzodioxole or ortho-quinone are studied in three environments.M06-2X functional and composite ab initio G4 methods provide reliable O-H and O-C bond dissociation enthalpies.Dissociation enthalpy of methoxy group O-C bond is lower by ca. 100 kJ mol^-1 in comparison to phenolic O-H bond.Phenoxide anion of guaiacol shows substantially lower O-C BDE than parent molecule.

VUV photoionization cross sections of HO2, H2O2, and H2CO

The absolute vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization spectra of the hydroperoxyl radical (HO2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and formaldehyde (H2CO) have been measured from their first ionization thresholds to 12.008 eV. HO2, H2O2, and H2CO were generated from the oxidation of methanol initiated by pulsed-laser-photolysis of Cl2 in a low-pressure slow flow reactor. Reactants, intermediates, and products were detected by time-resolved multiplexed synchrotron photoionization mass spectrometry. Absolute concentrations were obtained from the time-dependent photoion signals by modeling the kinetics of the methanol oxidation chemistry. Photoionization cross sections were determined at several photon energies relative to the cross section of methanol, which was in turn determined relative to that of propene. These measurements were used to place relative photoionization spectra of HO2, H2O2, and H2CO on an absolute scale, resulting in absolute photoionization spectra.

Excited state deactivation pathways of neutral/protonated anisole and p-fluoroanisole: a theoretical study

The potential energy profiles of neutral and protonated anisole and p-fluoroanisole at different electronic states have been investigated extensively by the RI-MP2 and RI-CC2 methods. The calculations reveal that the relaxation dynamics in protonated anisole and p-fluoroanisole are essentially different from those of the neutral analogues. In neutral anisole/p-fluoroanisole, the (1)πσ* state plays a vital relaxation role along the O-CH3 coordinate, yielding the CH3 radical. For both of these molecules, the calculations indicate conical intersections (CIs) between the ground and excited state potential energy (PE) curves, hindered by a small barrier, and providing non-adiabatic gates for radiation-less deactivation to the ground state. Nevertheless, for the protonated cases, besides the prefulvenic deformation of the benzene ring, it has been predicted that the lowest (1)(σ,n)π* state along the C-O-C bond angle plays an important role in photochemistry and the relaxation dynamics. The S1, S0 PE profiles of protonated anisole along with the former reaction coordinate (out-of-plane deformation) show a barrierless relaxation pathway, which can be responsible for the ultrafast deactivation of excited systems to the ground state via the low-lying S1/S0 conical intersection. Moreover, the later reaction coordinate in protonated species (C-O-C angle from 120°-180°) is consequently accompanied with the bond cleavage of C-OCH3 at the (1)(σ,n)π* state, hindered by a barrier of ∼0.51 eV, and can be responsible for the relaxation of excited systems with significant excess energy (hν≥ 5 eV). Furthermore, according to the RI-CC2 calculated results, different effects on the S1-S0 electronic transition energy of anisole and p-fluoroanisole upon protonation have been predicted. The first electronic transitions of anisole and p-fluoroanisole shift by ∼0.3 and 1.3 eV to the red respectively due to protonation.