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Hydrogen bonds are the dominant motif for organizing the three-dimensional structures of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and proteins, and serve as templates for proton transfer reactions. Computations, gas-phase acidity measurements, and pKa determinations in dimethyl sulfoxide on a series of polyols indicate that multiple hydrogen bonds to a single charged center lead to greatly enhanced acidities. A new class of Brønsted acids, consequently, is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both C-H bond dissociation energies for cyclobutene were measured in the gas phase (BDE = 91.2 ± 2.3 (allyl) and 112.5 ± 2.5 (vinyl) kcal mol-1) via a thermodynamic cycle by carrying out proton affinity and electron-binding energy measurements on 1- and 3-cyclobutenyl anions. The results were compared to those for an acyclic model compound, cis-2-butene, and provide the needed information to experimentally establish the heat of formation of cyclobutadiene. Chemically accurate G3 and W1 calculations also were carried out on cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, and selected reference compounds. It appears that commonly cited bond energies for cyclopropane, cyclobutane, and cyclohexane are 3 to 4 kcal mol-1 too small and their π bond strengths, as given by BDE1 - BDE2, are in error by up to 8 kcal mol-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat of hydrogenation of phenylcyclobutadiefle (ΔHohyd = 57.4 ± 4.9 kcal mol-1) was determined via a thermodynamic cycle by carrying out gas-phase measurements on 1 -phenylcyclobuten-3-yl cation. This leads to an antiaromatic destabilization energy of 27 ± 5 kcal mol-1, a difference of 9.6 ± 4.9 kcal mol-1 for the first and second C—H bond dissociation energies of 1 -phenylcyclobutene, and an estimate of 96 ± 5 kcal mol-1 for the heat of formation of cyclobutadiene. These results are compared to G3, G3(MP2), and B3LYP computations and represent the first experimental measurements of the energy of a monocyclic cyclobutadiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Measures the gas-phase acidity of 3,3-dimethylcyclopropene by bracketing and equilibrium techniques. Evidence showing that the derived value is indistinguishable from that of methylacetylene; Electron affinity of 3,3-dimethylcyclopropenyl radical.

The pK, of an acyclic aliphatic heptaol ((HOCH2CH2CH(OH)CH2)3COH) was measured in DMSO, and its gas-phase acidity is reported as well. This tertiary alcohol was found to be 1O~ times more acidic than tert.butyl alcohol in DMSO and an order of magnitude more acidic than acetic acid (i.e., plC2 = 11.4 vs 12.3). This can be attributed to a 21.9 kcal mol' stabilization of the charged oxygen center in the conjugate base by three hydrogen bonds and another 6.3 kcal mol-1 stabilization resulting from an additional three hydrogen bonds between the uncharged I primary and secondary hydroxyl groups. Charge delocalization by both the first and second solvation shells may be used to facilitate enzymatic reactions. Acidity constants of a series of polyols were also computed, and the combination of hydrogen-bonding and electron-withdrawing substituents was found to afford acids that are predicted to be extremely acidic in DMSO (i.e., pK2< 0). These hydrogen bond enhanced acids represent an attractive class of Bronsted acid catalysts. [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]