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Radical anions of O-, m-, and p-benzoquinone were produced in a Fourier transform mass spectrometer by low energy electron attachment or collision-induced dissociation and were differentiated. Classical derivatization experiments also were carried out to authenticate the ortho and meta anions. Gas- phase techniques were used to measure the proton affinities of all three radical anions and the electron affinities of o- and m-benzoquinone. By combining these results in thermodynamic cycles, we derived heats of hydrogenation of o-, m-, and p-benzoquinone (AhydHo(1O, 1m, and 1p) = 42.8 ± 4.1, 74.8 ± 4.1, and 38.5 ± 3.0 kcal mol-1, respectively) and their heats of formation (Ad-P(1o, 1 m, and Ip) = -23.1 ± 4.1, 6.8 ± 4.1, and -27.7 ± 3.0 kcal mol-1, respectively). Good accord with the literature value for the para derivative was obtained. Combustion calorimetry and heats of sublimation also were measured for benzil and 3,5- di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone. The former heat of formation agreed with previous determinations, while the latter result (AfI-f(g) = -73.09 ± 0.87 kcal mol-1) was transformed to A1H°(lo) = -18.9 ± 2.2 kcal mol-1 by removing the effect of the tert-butyl groups via isodesmic reactions. This led to a final value of AH°(10) = -21.0 ± 3.1 kcal mol-1. Additivity was found to work well for m-benzoquinone, but BDE1 and BDE2 for 1,2- and I ,4-dihydroxybenzene differed by a remarkably small 14.1 ± 4.2 and 23.5 ± 3.7 kcal mol1, respectively, indicating that o- and p-benzoquinone should be excellent radical traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have regiospecifically generated the α,2-, α,3-, and α,4-dehydrophenoxide anions by collisional activation of o-, m-, and p-nitrobenzoate. The α,2 and α,4 isomers also were synthesized by reacting o-benzyne radical anion with carbon dioxide and electron ionization of p-diazophenol. All three dehydrophenol radical anions were differentiated from each other and identified by probing their chemical reactivity with several reagents. Each isomer was converted to phenoxide and its corresponding quinone as well. Thermochemical measurements were carried out on all three radical anions and their hydrogenatom affinities, proton affinities, and electron binding energies are reported. These measured quantities are combined in thermodynamic cycles to derive the heats of formation of each of the radical anions and their corresponding carbenes (i.e., α,2-, α,3-, and α,4-dehydrophenol). These results are compared to MCQDPT2, G3, G2+(MP2), and B3LYP calculations and experimental data for appropriate reference compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]