Photogeneration of 1,5-naphthoquinone methides via excited-state (formal) intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and photodehydration of 1-naphthol derivatives in aqueous solution

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Lukeman ◽  
Duane Veale ◽  
Peter Wan ◽  
V Ranjit N. Munasinghe ◽  
John ET Corrie

The photochemistry of naphthols 1, 2, 4, 5 and 9, and phenol 10 has been studied in aqueous solution with the primary aim of exploring the viability of such compounds for naphthoquinone and quinone methide photogeneration, along the lines already demonstrated by our group for phenol derivatives. 1-Naphthol (1) is known to be substantially more acidic than 2-naphthol (2) in the singlet excited state (pKa* = 0.4 and 2.8, respectively) and it was expected that this difference in excited-state acidity might be manifested in higher reactivity of 1-naphthol derivatives for photochemical reactions requiring excited-state naphtholate ions, such as quinone methide formation. Our results show that three types of naphthoquinone methides (26a, 26b, and 27) are readily photogenerated in aqueous solution by irradiation of 1-naphthols. Photolysis of the parent 1-naphthol (1) in neutral aqueous solution gave 1,5-naphthoquinone methide 26a as well as the non-Kekulé 1,8-naphthoquinone methide 26b, both via the process of excited-state (formal) intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), based on the observation of deuterium exchange at the 5- and 8-positions, respectively, on photolysis in D2O–CH3CN. A transient assignable to the 1,5-naphthoquinone methide 26a was observed in laser flash photolysis experiments. The isomeric 2-naphthol (2) was unreactive under similar conditions. The more conjugated 1,5-naphthoquinone methide 27 was formed efficiently via photodehydroxylation of 4; isomeric 5 was unreactive. The efficient photosolvolytic reaction observed for 4 opens the way to design related naphthol systems for application as photoreleasable protecting groups by virtue of the long-wavelength absorption of the naphthalene chromophore.Key words: photosolvolysis, excited-state intramolecular proton transfer, quinone methide, photorelease, photoprotonation.


2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G Cole ◽  
Peter Wan

The photohydration of a variety of m-hydroxy-1,1-diaryl alkenes (8–10) and related systems (11 and 12) has been studied in aqueous CH3CN solution. All of these alkenes photohydrate efficiently in 1:1 H2O–CH3CN, to give the corresponding 1,1-diarylethanol (Markovnikov addition) products with high chemical and quantum yields. The aim of this study was to further probe the mechanism of photohydration reported for the parent m-hydroxy-α-phenylstyrene (5), which has been proposed as consisting of a water trimer-mediated excited state (formal) intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) from the phenolic proton to the β-carbon of the alkene moiety to give an observable (by laser flash photolysis (LFP)) m-quinone methide intermediate 6. For this purpose, derivatives of 5 with substituents (methyl or methoxy) on the α-phenyl ring as well as related model compounds were explored. Product studies, quantum yields, fluorescence, and nanosecond laser flash data are reported that are consistent with two distinct mechanisms for photohydration of these compounds: one involving water-mediated ESIPT (8, 9), as observed for the parent compound 5, and one involving direct protonation of the β-carbon by solvent water (11 and 12), with compound 10 possibly operating via both mechanisms.Key words: photohydration, solvent-assisted excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), m-quinone methide, diarylmethyl carbocation.



2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikola Basarić ◽  
Nikola Cindro ◽  
Yunyan Hou ◽  
Ivana Žabčić ◽  
Kata Mlinarić-Majerski ◽  
...  

2-Phenylphenol derivatives strategically substituted with a hydroxyadamantyl substituent were synthesized and their photochemical reactivity was investigated. Derivatives 9 and 10 undergo competitive excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) from the phenol to the carbon atom of the adjacent phenyl ring and formal ESPT from the phenol to the hydroxyl group coupled with dehydration. These two processes (both via S1) give rise to two classes of quinone methides (QMs) that revert to starting material or react with nucleophiles, respectively. ESIPT to carbon atoms was studied by performing photolyses in the presence of D2O, whereupon deuterium incorporation to the adjacent phenyl ring was observed ([Formula: see text] = 0.1–0.2). The competing formal ESPT and dehydration takes place with quantum yields that are an order of magnitude lower and was studied by isolation of photomethanolysis products. Derivative 8 did not undergo ESIPT to carbon atom. Owing to the presence of an intramolecular H bond, an efficient ESIPT from the phenol to the hydroxyl group coupled with dehydration gives a QM that efficiently undergoes electrocyclization (overall [Formula: see text] = 0.33), to give chroman 16. In addition, spiro[adamantane-2,9′-(4′-hydroxy)fluorene] (12) undergoes ESIPT, unlike the previously reported unreactive parent 2-hydroxyfluorene. The reactive singlet excited states of the prepared biphenyl and fluorene molecules were characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy, whereas laser flash photolysis (LFP) was performed to characterize the longer lived QM intermediates.



2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Diao ◽  
Peter Wan

The enhanced photochemical reactivity of o-substituted phenols in its propensity to give o-quinone methide (o-QM) intermediates via excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) was uncovered by Keith Yates as part of his now classic studies of photohydration of aromatic alkenes, alkynes, and related compounds. Photogeneration of QMs and the study of their chemistry along with potential biological applications are the focus of many groups. In this work, photochemical precursors to o-, m-, and p-QMs based on substituted phenols (hydroxybenzyl alcohols) and related compounds have been studied in aqueous solution as a function of pH and water content. The focus will be on QMs that are stabilized by an α-phenyl substituent, which enhances quantum yields for their formation, with the resulting QMs having longer lifetimes and easier to detect. Noteworthy is that all QM isomers can be photogenerated with the o and m isomers being the most efficient, consistent with the Zimmerman “ortho-meta” effect. m-QMs have formal non-Kekulé structures, and although they can be routinely photogenerated, are found to be most reactive. One m-QM was found to undergo a photocondensation reaction at high pH giving rise to m-substituted oligomers. The mechanism of QM formation in aqueous solution is believed to involve singlet excited phenols that undergo adiabatic deprotonation to give the corresponding photoexcited phenolate ion, which subsequently expels the hydroxide ion (photodehydroxylation). A pathway involving direct loss of water for the o-isomers is also possible in organic solvents.Key words: quinone methides, phenols, excited state acidity, solvolysis, carbocations, meta effect, photopolymerization, non-Kekulé intermediates.



2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (19) ◽  
pp. 15587-15592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Huang ◽  
Yu Ding ◽  
Hongyu Fu ◽  
Bo Chen ◽  
Yifeng Han

A new Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) based water-soluble fluorescent chemodosimeter for the ratiometric detection of palladium ions has been rationally designed and developed.



2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Lukeman ◽  
Misty-Dawn Burns ◽  
Peter Wan

1-Hydroxypyrene (1) shows unusual acid–base chemistry in its singlet excited state. Whereas most hydroxyarenes experience a marked enhancement in their acidity when excited, and rapidly deprotonate to give the corresponding phenolate anion, this is not an important pathway for 1, despite theoretical predictions that 1 should experience enhanced acidity as well. In this work, we demonstrate that 1 undergoes a competing excited state intramolecular proton transfer from the OH to carbon atoms at the 3, 6, and 8 positions of the pyrene ring to give quinone methide intermediates. When the reaction is carried out in D2O, reversion of these quinone methides to starting material results in replacement of the ring hydrogens with deuterium, providing a convenient handle to follow the reaction with NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The quantum yield for the reaction is 0.025 and appears to not be strongly dependent on the water content when aqueous acetonitrile solutions are used. 1-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)pyrene (19) was prepared and studied and shows similar reactivity to 1.





2010 ◽  
Vol 146 (1) ◽  
pp. 260-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Wang ◽  
Jiasheng Wu ◽  
Xiaoqing Zhuang ◽  
Wenjun Zhang ◽  
Weimin Liu ◽  
...  


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document