Binding to Redox-Inactive Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Ions Strongly Deactivates the C-H Bonds of Tertiary Amides toward Hydrogen Atom Transfer to Reactive Oxygen Centered Radicals.

The effect of alkali and alkaline earth metal ions on the reactions of the cumyloxyl radical (CumO(•)) with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) was studied by laser flash photolysis. In acetonitrile, a >2 order of magnitude decrease in the rate constant for hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the C-H bonds of these substrates (kH) was measured after addition of Li(+). This behavior was explained in terms of a strong interaction between Li(+) and the oxygen atom of both DMF and DMA that increases the extent of positive charge on the amide, leading to C-H bond deactivation toward HAT to the electrophilic radical CumO(•).

Kinetic solvent effects on the reactions of the cumyloxyl radical with tertiary amides. Control over the hydrogen atom transfer reactivity and selectivity through solvent polarity and hydrogen bonding.

A laser flash photolysis study on the role of solvent effects on hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the C-H bonds of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), N-formylpyrrolidine (FPRD), and N-acetylpyrrolidine (APRD) to the cumyloxyl radical (CumO(•)) was carried out. From large to very large increases in the HAT rate constant (kH) were measured on going from MeOH and TFE to isooctane (kH(isooctane)/kH(MeOH) = 5-12; kH(isooctane)/kH(TFE) > 80). This behavior was explained in terms of the increase in the extent of charge separation in the amides determined by polar solvents through solvent-amide dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bonding, where the latter interactions appear to play a major role with strong HBD solvents such as TFE.

Effect of metal ions on the reactions of the cumyloxyl radical with hydrogen atom donors. Fine control on hydrogen abstraction reactivity determined by Lewis acid-base interactions.

A time-resolved kinetic study on the effect of metal ions (M(n+)) on hydrogen abstraction reactions from C-H donor substrates by the cumyloxyl radical (CumO(•)) was carried out in acetonitrile. Metal salt addition was observed to increase the CumO(•) β-scission rate constant in the order Li(+) > Mg(2+) > Na(+). These effects were explained in terms of the stabilization of the β-scission transition state determined by Lewis acid-base interactions between M(n+) and the radical.