Oxygenated volatile organic compounds ((O)VOCs) contribute to ozone formation, affect the oxidising capacity of the troposphere and are sources of growth, and in some cases formation, of aerosols. It is therefore important to identify and quantify sources of (O)VOCs in the troposphere. In the late 1990s a unique technique for quantification of organic trace gas species, proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) was developed. PTR-MS potentially offers rapid response and high sensitivity without the need for sample pre-concentration. Concentrations can be derived from the PTR-MS either by calibration or can be calculated from measured ion count rates and kinetic considerations. In this work, the methodology of PTR-MS application is critically assessed. The uncertainties and inaccuracies associated with each parameter employed in the calculation of concentrations are reviewed. This includes a critical appraisal of models for the calculation of the collisional rate constant currently applied in the field of PTR-MS. The use of a model to account for the effects of the electric field, available in the literature but not previously applied to the PTR-MS, is advocated. Collisional rate constants employing each of the models discussed have been calculated for the reactions of H3O+ with over 400 molecules for PTR-MS. In PTR-MS it cannot be assumed that the product ion occurs only at the protonated non-dissociated mass. Few product distributions obtained from PTR-MS are cited in the literature, and even then the reaction chamber conditions (pressure, temperature and electric field strength) are not always specified. A large volume of product distributions for trace gases with H3O+ in select ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT) exists in the literature and is reviewed. In SIFT, no electric field is applied to the reaction chamber and the extent and even nature of fragmentation can differ in PTR-MS. In addition to the application of an electric field, the energy in the reaction chamber can be increased by increasing the temperature or by variation of the reagent ion. In this work, the increase in energy via the three methods is approximated to enable a comparison of product distributions. The review of product distributions in PTR-MS, select ion flow drift tube mass spectrometry (SIFDT), variable temperature select ion flow tube mass spectrometry (VT-SIFT), SIFT, proton transfer reaction time of flight mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS), proton transfer reaction ion trap mass spectrometry (PTR-ITMS) and electron ionisation mass spectrometry (EI-MS) is used alongside thermodynamic considerations to collate a list of potential contributors to a range of mass to charge ratios (m/z) in the PTR-MS. The need for further measurements of product distributions as a function of temperature, pressure and electric field strength for a wider range of (O)VOCs is highlighted. This enables dissociation to be better used as a tool for compound identification rather than being considered a hindrance. The collation of likely product distributions is applied to identify possible contributors to m/z observed during PTR-MS measurements of emission from cattle slurry. Field measurements were made during fertilisation of a grassland site south of Edinburgh in 2004 and 2005 and in laboratory-based measurements in 2006. Contextual reasoning, previous measurements and isotope ratios are used to narrow the list of possible contributors. Large concentrations of m/z cautiously identified as alcohols followed by a latter peak in carboxylic acids were observed during laboratory measurements. Increases in the corresponding m/z were also observed during the fertilisations. Other tentatively identified compounds emitted included phenol, methyl phenol, trimethylamine, and various sulphur containing compounds.

In this work, the Drift Tube Ion Mobility technique is used to study the hydrophobic hydration and solvation of organic ions and measure the thermochemistry and kinetics of ion-molecule reactions. Furthermore, an exploratory study of the intracluster polymerization of isoprene will be presented and discussed. The ion hydration study is focused on the C3H3+ cation1 and Pyridine▪+ radical cation.2 The chemistry of the cyclic C3H3+ cation1 has received considerable attention and continues to be an active area of research.3-7 The binding energies of the first 5 H2O molecules to c-C3H3+ were determined by equilibrium measurements. The measured binding energies of the hydrated clusters of 9-12 kcal/mol are typical of carbon-based CH+•••X hydrogen bonds. The ion solvation with the more polar CH3CN molecules results in stronger bonds consistent with the increased ion-dipole interaction. Ab initio calculations show that the lowest energy isomer of the c-C3H3+(H2O)4 cluster consists of a cyclic water tetramer interacting with the c-C3H3+ ion, which suggests the presence of orientational restraint of the water molecules consistent with the observed large entropy loss. The c-C3H3+ ion is deprotonated by 3 or more H2O molecules, driven energetically by the association of the solvent molecules to form strongly hydrogen bonded (H2O)nH+ clusters. The kinetics of the associative proton transfer (APT) reaction C3H3+ + nH2O → (H2O)nH+ + C3H2• exhibits an unusually steep negative temperature coefficient of k = cT(sup>63±4 (or activation energy of -32 ± 1 kcal mol-1). The behavior of the C3H3+/water system is exactly analogous to the benzene+• /water system8,9, suggesting that the mechanism, kinetics and large negative temperature coefficients may be general to multibody APT reactions. These reactions can become fast at low temperatures, allowing ionized polycyclic aromatics to initiate ice formation in cold astrochemical environments.The solvation energies of the pyridine•+ radical cation by 1- 4 H2O molecules are determined by equilibrium measurements in the drift cell. The binding energies of the pyridine•+(H2O)n clusters are similar to the binding energies of protonated pyridineH+(H2O)n clusters that involve NH+∙∙OH2 bonds, and different from those of the solvated radical benzene•+(H2O)n ions that involve CHδ+∙∙OH2 bonds. These relations indicate that the observed pyridine•+ ions have the distonic •C5H4NH+ structure that can form NH+∙∙OH2 bonds. The observed thermochemistry and ab initio calculations show that these bonds are not affected significantly by an unpaired electron at another site of the ion. The distonic structure is also consistent with the reactivity of pyridine•+ in H atom transfer, intra-cluster proton transfer and deprotonation reactions. The results present the first measured stepwise solvation energies of distonic ions, and demonstrate that cluster thermochemistry can identify distonic structures.The gas phase clustering of small molecules around the hydronium ion is of fundamental interest and is relevant to important atmospheric and astrophysical processes. In this work, the equilibrium constants for the formation of the H3O+(X)n clusters with X = H2, N2 and CO and n = 1-3 at different temperatures are measured using the drift tube technique10. The arrival time distributions (ATDs) of the injected H3O+ and the H3O+(X)n clusters formed inside the cell are measured under equilibrium conditions. The resulting binding energies for the addition of one and two hydrogen molecules are similar [3.4 and 3.5 kcal/mol, respectively). For the N2 clustering with n = 1-3, the measured binding energies are 7.9, 6.9 and 5.4 kcal/mol, respectively. The clustering of CO on the H3O+ ion exhibits a relatively strong binding energy (11.5 kcal/mol) consistent with the dipole moment and polarizability of the CO molecule. Theoretical calculations of the lowest energy structures are correlated to the experimental results. Finally, intracluster polymerization leading to the formation of covalent bonded oligomer ions has been investigated following the ionization of neutral isoprene clusters. The results indicate that isoprene dimer cation has a structure similar to that of the limonene radical cation. Mass-selected mobility and dissociation studies also indicate that the larger isoprene cluster ions have covalent bonded structures. The conversion of molecular clusters into size-selected oligomers is an important process not only for detailed understanding of the early stages of polymerization but also for practical applications such as the formation of new polymeric materials with controlled and unusual properties.

Neste trabalho, foram efetuados estudos sobre o comportamento eletroforético dos íons hidrônio (H3O+) e hidroxila (OH-) utilizando eletroforese capilar em zona em meio não-tamponado e detecção condutométrica sem contato. Alterações na composição do eletrólito de corrida devido à eletrólise foram evitadas empregando um sistema de eletrólise separada. A determinação de ácidos com pKas menores ou iguais ao pH do eletrólito de corrida foi possível. A possibilidade da análise em bases fortes também foi demonstrada. Eletrólitos de corrida com pH entre 4,5 e 7,0 (para o H3O+) e entre 7,0 e 9,0 (para o OH-) mostraram-se favoráveis para a análise. Ambas as espécies apresentaram interação com os grupos silanóis do capilar. Dificuldades na análise do íon OH- decorreram também de: reação da sílica com o analito e com o eletrólito de corrida e absorção de CO2 atmosférico. A mobilidade do íon H3O+ medida foi 8% abaixo da obtida por outras técnicas. A curva para determinação de OH- em base forte, com solução de trifluoracetato de lítio 10 mmol L-1 (pH 8,5) como eletrólito de corrida, mostrou boa linearidade na faixa de 0,5 a 7,0 mmol L-1. As curvas de quantificação de H3O+ titulável em amostras de ácidos fortes, fracos e suas misturas, com solução de LiCl (pH 5,5) como eletrólito de corrida, apresentaram ampla faixa de resposta linear, com boa linearidade, ao redor de 0,05 a 10 mmol L-1. / In this work, studies about the electrophoretic behavior of hydronium (H3O+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions using capillary zone electrophoresis in unbuffered medium and contactless conductity detection were developed. Variations in running electrolyte composition due to electrolysis were avoided using an electrolysis separated system. The analysis of acids with the same or lower pKa than the running electrolyte pH was possible. The possibility of strong bases analysis was demonstrated as well. Good results were achieved using running electrolytes with pH between 4.5 and 7.0, for H3O+ analysis, and between 7.0 and 9.0, for OH- analysis. Both species interacted with the silanol groups of silica capillary. Other problems in the determination of OH- were: reaction of silica with the analyte as well as with the running electrolyte and absorption of atmospheric CO2. The H3O+ mobility calculated was 8% lower than values obtained in the literature. Analytical curve of OH- ion in strong base, using 10 mmol L-1 litium trifluoracetate (pH 8.5) as running electrolyte, resulted in good linearity in a range of 0.5 to 7.0 mmol L-1. Analytical curves of titrable hydronium ion in samples of strong and weak acids, as well in their mixture, using 10 mmol L-1 LiCl (pH 5.5) as running electrolyte, resulted in wide linear range (0.05 mmol L-1 to 10 mmol L-1).

Neste trabalho, foram efetuados estudos sobre o comportamento eletroforético dos íons hidrônio (H3O+) e hidroxila (OH-) utilizando eletroforese capilar em zona em meio não-tamponado e detecção condutométrica sem contato. Alterações na composição do eletrólito de corrida devido à eletrólise foram evitadas empregando um sistema de eletrólise separada. A determinação de ácidos com pKas menores ou iguais ao pH do eletrólito de corrida foi possível. A possibilidade da análise em bases fortes também foi demonstrada. Eletrólitos de corrida com pH entre 4,5 e 7,0 (para o H3O+) e entre 7,0 e 9,0 (para o OH-) mostraram-se favoráveis para a análise. Ambas as espécies apresentaram interação com os grupos silanóis do capilar. Dificuldades na análise do íon OH- decorreram também de: reação da sílica com o analito e com o eletrólito de corrida e absorção de CO2 atmosférico. A mobilidade do íon H3O+ medida foi 8% abaixo da obtida por outras técnicas. A curva para determinação de OH- em base forte, com solução de trifluoracetato de lítio 10 mmol L-1 (pH 8,5) como eletrólito de corrida, mostrou boa linearidade na faixa de 0,5 a 7,0 mmol L-1. As curvas de quantificação de H3O+ titulável em amostras de ácidos fortes, fracos e suas misturas, com solução de LiCl (pH 5,5) como eletrólito de corrida, apresentaram ampla faixa de resposta linear, com boa linearidade, ao redor de 0,05 a 10 mmol L-1. / In this work, studies about the electrophoretic behavior of hydronium (H3O+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions using capillary zone electrophoresis in unbuffered medium and contactless conductity detection were developed. Variations in running electrolyte composition due to electrolysis were avoided using an electrolysis separated system. The analysis of acids with the same or lower pKa than the running electrolyte pH was possible. The possibility of strong bases analysis was demonstrated as well. Good results were achieved using running electrolytes with pH between 4.5 and 7.0, for H3O+ analysis, and between 7.0 and 9.0, for OH- analysis. Both species interacted with the silanol groups of silica capillary. Other problems in the determination of OH- were: reaction of silica with the analyte as well as with the running electrolyte and absorption of atmospheric CO2. The H3O+ mobility calculated was 8% lower than values obtained in the literature. Analytical curve of OH- ion in strong base, using 10 mmol L-1 litium trifluoracetate (pH 8.5) as running electrolyte, resulted in good linearity in a range of 0.5 to 7.0 mmol L-1. Analytical curves of titrable hydronium ion in samples of strong and weak acids, as well in their mixture, using 10 mmol L-1 LiCl (pH 5.5) as running electrolyte, resulted in wide linear range (0.05 mmol L-1 to 10 mmol L-1).

Brønsted and Lewis acid sites located within microporous solids catalyze a variety of chemical transformations of oxygenates and hydrocarbons. Such reactions occur in condensed phases in envisioned biomass and shale gas upgrading routes, motivating deeper fundamental understanding of the reactivity-determining interactions among active sites, reactants, and solvents. The crystalline structures of zeolites, which consist of SiO₄ tetrahedra with isomorphously-substituted M⁴⁺ (e.g., Sn⁴⁺, Ti⁴⁺) as Lewis acid sites, or Al³⁺ with charge-compensating extraframework H⁺ as Brønsted acid sites, provide a reasonably well-defined platform to study these interactions within confining voids of molecular dimension. In this work, gas-phase probe reactions that afford independent control of solvent coverages are developed and used to interpret measured rate data in terms of rate and equilibrium constants for elementary steps, which reflect the structure and stability of kinetically relevant transition states and reactive intermediates. The foundational role of quantitative kinetic information enables building molecular insights into the mechanistic and active site requirements of catalytic reactions, when combined with complementary tools including synthetic approaches to prepare active sites and surrounding environments of diverse and intended structure, quantitative methods to characterize and titrate active sites and functional groups in confining environments, and theoretical modeling of putative active site structures and plausible reaction coordinates.<br><div><br></div><div>Bimolecular ethanol dehydration to diethyl ether was developed as a gas-phase catalytic probe reaction for Lewis acid zeolites. A detailed mechanistic understanding of the identities of reactive intermediates and transition states on Sn-Beta zeolites was constructed by combining experimental kinetic measurements with density functional theory treatments. Microkinetic modeling demonstrated that Sn active site configurations undergo equilibrated interconversion during catalysis (404 K, 0.5–35 kPa C₂H₅OH, 0.1–50 kPa H₂O) from hydrolyzed-open configurations ((HO)-Sn-(OSi≡)₃---HO-Si) to predominantly closed configurations (Sn-(OSi≡)₄), and identified the most abundant productive (ethanol-ethanol dimer) and inhibitory (ethanol-water dimer) reactive intermediates and kinetically relevant transition state (S_N2 at closed sites). Mechanism-based interpretations of bimolecular ethanol dehydration turnover rates (per Lewis acidic Sn, quantified by CD₃CN IR) enabled measuring chemically significant differences between samples synthesized to contain high or low densities of residual Si-OH defects (quantified by CD₃CN IR) within microporous environments that confine Sn active sites. Hydrogen-bonding interactions with Si-OH groups located in the vicinity of Sn active sites in high-defect Sn-Beta zeolites stabilize both reactive and inhibitory intermediates, leading to differences in reactivity within polar and non-polar micropores that reflect solely the different coverages of intermediates at active sites. The ability of confining microporous voids to discriminate among reactive intermediates and transition states on the basis of polarity thus provides a strategy to mitigate inhibition by water and to influence turnover rates by designing secondary environments of different polarity via synthetic and post-synthetic techniques. </div><div><br></div><div>Despite the expectation from theory that Sn active sites adopt the same closed configurations after high-temperature (823 K) oxidation treatments, distinct Sn sites can be experimentally identified and quantified by the ν(C≡N) infrared peaks of coordinated CD₃CN molecules, and a subset of these sites are correlated with first-order rate constants of aqueous-phase glucose-fructose isomerization (373 K). In contrast, <i>in situ</i> titration of active sites by pyridine during gas-phase ethanol dehydration catalysis (404 K) on a suite of Sn-zeolites of different topology (Beta, MFI, BEC) quantified the dominant active site to correspond to a different subset of Sn sites than those dominant in glucose-fructose isomerization. An extensive series of synthetic and post-synthetic routes to prepare Sn-zeolites containing Sn sites hosted within diverse local coordination environments identified a subset of Sn sites located in defective environments such as grain boundaries, which are more pronounced in Beta crystallites comprised of intergrowths of two polymorphs than in zeolite frameworks with un-faulted crystal structures. Sn sites in such environments adopt defect-open configurations ((HO)-Sn-(OSi≡)₃) with proximal Si-OH groups that do not permit condensation to closed configurations, which resolves debated spectroscopic assignments to hydrolyzed-open site configurations. Defect-open Sn sites are dominant in glucose-fructose isomerization because their proximal Si-OH groups stabilize kinetically relevant hydride shift transition states, while closed framework Sn sites are dominant in alcohol dehydration because they stabilize S_N2 transition states via Sn site opening in the kinetically relevant step and re-closing as part of the catalytic cycle. The structural diversity of real zeolite materials, whose defects distinguish them from idealized crystal structures and allows hosting Lewis acid sites with distinct local configurations, endows them with the ability to effectively catalyze a broad range of oxygenate reactions.</div><div><br></div><div>During aqueous-phase catalysis, high extra-crystalline water chemical potentials lead to intra-pore stabilization of H₂O molecules, clusters, and extended hydrogen-bonded networks that interact with adsorbed intermediates and transition states at Lewis acid sites. Glucose-fructose isomerization turnover rates (373 K, per defect-open Sn, quantified by CD₃CN IR) are higher when Sn sites are confined within low-defect, non-polar zeolite frameworks that effectively prevent extended water networks from forming; however, increasing exposure to hot (373 K) liquid water generates Si-OH groups via hydrolysis of siloxane bridges and leads to lower turnover rates commensurate with those of high-defect, polar frameworks. Detailed kinetic, spectroscopic, and theoretical studies of polar and non-polar titanosilicate zeolite analogs indicate that extended water networks entropically destabilize glucose-fructose isomerization transition states relative to their bound precursors, rather than influence the competitive adsorption of water and glucose at active sites. Infrared spectra support the stabilization of extended hydrogen-bonded water networks by Si-OH defects located within Si- and Ti-Beta zeolites, consistent with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations that predict formation of distinct thermodynamically stable clustered and extended water phases within Beta zeolites depending on the external water chemical potential and the nature of their chemical functionality (closed vs. hydrolyzed-open Lewis acid site, or silanol nest defect). The structure of water confined within microporous solids is determined by the type and density of intracrystalline polar binding sites, leading to higher reactivity in aqueous media when hydrogen-bonded networks are excluded from hydrophobic micropores.</div><div><br></div><div>Aluminosilicate zeolites adsorb water to form (H₃O⁺)(H₂O)_n clusters that mediate liquid-phase Brønsted acid catalysis, but their relative contributions to the solvation of reactive intermediates and transition states remain unclear. Bimolecular ethanol dehydration turnover rates (per H⁺, quantified by NH₃ temperature-programmed desorption and <i>in situ</i> titrations with 2,6-di-<i>tert</i>-butylpyridine) and transmission infrared spectra measured on Brønsted acid zeolites under conditions approaching intrapore H₂O condensation (373 K, 0.02–75 kPa H₂O) reveal the formation of clustered, solvated (C₂H₅OH)(H⁺)(H₂O)_n intermediates, which are stabilized to greater extents than bimolecular dehydration transition states by extended hydrogen-bonded water networks. Turnover rates deviate sharply below those predicted by kinetic regimes in the absence of extended condensed water networks because non-ideal thermodynamic formalisms are required to account for the different solvation of transition states and MARI. The condensation of liquid-like phases within micropores that stabilize reaction intermediates and transition states to different extents is a general phenomenon for Brønsted acid-catalyzed alcohol dehydration within zeolites of different topology (CHA, AEI, TON, FAU), which governs the initial formation and structure of clustered hydronium-reactant and water-protonated transition state complexes. Systematic control of liquid-phase structures within confined spaces by gas-phase measurements around the point of intrapore condensation enables more detailed mechanistic and structural insights than those afforded by either kinetic measurements in the liquid phase, or structural characterizations of aqueous systems in the absence of reactants.</div>

No description available.

Résumé : Les ions hydronium (H3O + ) sont formés, à temps courts, dans les grappes ou le long des trajectoires de la radiolyse de l'eau par des rayonnements ionisants à faible transfert d’énergie linéaire (TEL) ou à TEL élevé. Cette formation in situ de H3O + rend la région des grappes/trajectoires du rayonnement temporairement plus acide que le milieu environnant. Bien que des preuves expérimentales de l’acidité d’une grappe aient déjà été signalées, il n'y a que des informations fragmentaires quant à son ampleur et sa dépendance en temps. Dans ce travail, nous déterminons les concentrations en H3O + et les valeurs de pH correspondantes en fonction du temps à partir des rendements de H3O + calculés à l’aide de simulations Monte Carlo de la chimie intervenant dans les trajectoires. Quatre ions incidents de différents TEL ont été sélectionnés et deux modèles de grappe/trajectoire ont été utilisés : 1) un modèle de grappe isolée "sphérique" (faible TEL) et 2) un modèle de trajectoire "cylindrique" (TEL élevé). Dans tous les cas étudiés, un effet de pH acide brusque transitoire, que nous appelons un effet de "pic acide", est observé immédiatement après l’irradiation. Cet effet ne semble pas avoir été exploré dans l'eau ou un milieu cellulaire soumis à un rayonnement ionisant, en particulier à haut TEL. À cet égard, ce travail soulève des questions sur les implications possibles de cet effet en radiobiologie, dont certaines sont évoquées brièvement. Nos calculs ont ensuite été étendus à l’étude de l'influence de la température, de 25 à 350 °C, sur la formation in situ d’ions H3O + et l’effet de pic acide qui intervient à temps courts lors de la radiolyse de l’eau à faible TEL. Les résultats montrent une augmentation marquée de la réponse de pic acide à hautes températures. Comme de nombreux processus intervenant dans le cœur d’un réacteur nucléaire refroidi à l'eau dépendent de façon critique du pH, la question ici est de savoir si ces fortes variations d’acidité, même si elles sont hautement localisées et transitoires, contribuent à la corrosion et l’endommagement des matériaux. / Abstract : Hydronium ions (H3O+) are formed within spurs or tracks of the low or high linear energy transfer (LET) radiolysis of pure, deaerated water at early times. The in situ radiolytic formation of H3O+ renders the spur and track regions temporarily more acid than the surrounding medium. Although experimental evidence for an acidic spur has already been reported, there is only fragmentary information on its magnitude and time dependence. In this work, spur or track H3O+ concentrations and the corresponding pH values are obtained from our calculated yields of H3O+ as a function of time, using Monte Carlo track chemistry simulations. We selected four impacting ions and we used two different spur and track models: 1) an isolated “spherical” spur model characteristic of low-LET radiation and 2) an axially homogeneous “cylindrical” track model for high-LET radiation. Very good agreement was found between our calculated time evolution of G(H3O+) in the radiolysis of pure, deaerated water by 300-MeV incident protons (which mimic 60Co gamma/fast electron irradiation) and the available experimental data at 25 °C. For all cases studied, an abrupt transient acid pH effect, which we call an “acid spike”, is observed during and shortly after the initial energy release. This acid-spike effect is virtually unexplored in water or in a cellular environment subject to the action of ionizing radiation, especially high-LET radiation. In this regard, this work raises a number of questions about the potential implications of this effect for radiobiology, some of which are briefly evoked. Our calculations were then extended to examine the effect of temperature from 25 to 350 °C on the yield of H3O+ ions that are formed in spurs of the low-LET radiolysis of water. The results showed an increasingly acidic spike response at higher temperatures. As many in-core processes in a water-cooled nuclear reactor critically depend on pH, the question here is whether these variations in acidity, even highly localized and transitory, contribute to material corrosion and damage.

Cyanoform (tricyanomethane) is one of the strongest carbon-based organic acids reported in text books of organic chemistry, which has evaded synthesis and isolation in its free state, since 120 years. In this dissertation, the acid-free synthesis of cyanoform by an absolutely new approach has been discussed. Generation of the elusive molecule, cyanoform from the photolysis and thermolysis of 2-(azidomethylidene)malononitrile, has been confirmed at very low temperatures by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 15N NMR, and the relevant 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. Moreover, it has been proved that cyanoform is relatively stable, but can be detected only below –85 oC, and not at high temperatures (at –45 oC, as has been reported in literature), because of a rapid equilibration with an another species. Furthermore, the chemistry of cyanoform in the ring enlargement reactions with various highly strained epoxides, azirines, and aziridines, via the highly reactive dicyanoketenimine intermediate, as well as its Michael addition reactions with different α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has been well explored. In addition, the synthesis of N1-substituted 1,2,3-triazoles and study of their rearrangement to the corresponding N2-substituted 1,2,3-triazoles, under thermal and nucleophile-catalyzed reaction conditions, has been well investigated. / Cyanoform (Tricyanomethan) ist eine der stärksten in der Literatur beschriebenen organischen Kohlenstoffsäuren, welche sich seit 120 Jahren einer erfolgreichen Synthese und Isolierung entzogen hat. In dieser Arbeit wird die säurefreie Synthese des Cyanoforms mittels eines neuartigen Ansatzes diskutiert. Die Bildung des schwer fassbaren Moleküls durch Photolyse und Thermolyse von 2 (Azidomethyliden)malonitril ist bei tiefen Temperaturen durch 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 15N-NMR und relevante 2D-NMR-Methoden bestätigt worden. Es konnte bewiesen werden, dass Cyanoform relative stabil ist, aber erst unterhalb von –85 °C detektierbar ist und nicht bereits bei hӧherer Temperature (bei –45 °C, wie es in der Literatur beschrieben wurde) bedingt durch die rasche Äquilibrierung mit einer weiteren Species. Des Weiteren wurde die Reaktivität von Cyanoform in Ringerweiterungsreaktionen mit verschiedenen, stark gespannten Epoxiden, Azirinen und Aziridinen untersucht, wobei das hoch reaktive Dicyanoketenimin-Intermediat durchlaufen wird. Auch die Michael-Addition an α,β ungesättigte Carbonylverbindungen wurde ausführlich untersucht. Zusätzlich wurde die Synthese N1 substituierter 1,2,3-Triazole und deren Umlagerung in N2 substituierte 1,2,3-Triazole unter thermischen und nucleophil-katalysierten Bedingungen erforscht.

Cyanoform (tricyanomethane) is one of the strongest carbon-based organic acids reported in text books of organic chemistry, which has evaded synthesis and isolation in its free state, since 120 years. In this dissertation, the acid-free synthesis of cyanoform by an absolutely new approach has been discussed. Generation of the elusive molecule, cyanoform from the photolysis and thermolysis of 2-(azidomethylidene)malononitrile, has been confirmed at very low temperatures by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 15N NMR, and the relevant 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. Moreover, it has been proved that cyanoform is relatively stable, but can be detected only below –85 oC, and not at high temperatures (at –45 oC, as has been reported in literature), because of a rapid equilibration with an another species. Furthermore, the chemistry of cyanoform in the ring enlargement reactions with various highly strained epoxides, azirines, and aziridines, via the highly reactive dicyanoketenimine intermediate, as well as its Michael addition reactions with different α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has been well explored. In addition, the synthesis of N1-substituted 1,2,3-triazoles and study of their rearrangement to the corresponding N2-substituted 1,2,3-triazoles, under thermal and nucleophile-catalyzed reaction conditions, has been well investigated. / Cyanoform (Tricyanomethan) ist eine der stärksten in der Literatur beschriebenen organischen Kohlenstoffsäuren, welche sich seit 120 Jahren einer erfolgreichen Synthese und Isolierung entzogen hat. In dieser Arbeit wird die säurefreie Synthese des Cyanoforms mittels eines neuartigen Ansatzes diskutiert. Die Bildung des schwer fassbaren Moleküls durch Photolyse und Thermolyse von 2 (Azidomethyliden)malonitril ist bei tiefen Temperaturen durch 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 15N-NMR und relevante 2D-NMR-Methoden bestätigt worden. Es konnte bewiesen werden, dass Cyanoform relative stabil ist, aber erst unterhalb von –85 °C detektierbar ist und nicht bereits bei hӧherer Temperature (bei –45 °C, wie es in der Literatur beschrieben wurde) bedingt durch die rasche Äquilibrierung mit einer weiteren Species. Des Weiteren wurde die Reaktivität von Cyanoform in Ringerweiterungsreaktionen mit verschiedenen, stark gespannten Epoxiden, Azirinen und Aziridinen untersucht, wobei das hoch reaktive Dicyanoketenimin-Intermediat durchlaufen wird. Auch die Michael-Addition an α,β ungesättigte Carbonylverbindungen wurde ausführlich untersucht. Zusätzlich wurde die Synthese N1 substituierter 1,2,3-Triazole und deren Umlagerung in N2 substituierte 1,2,3-Triazole unter thermischen und nucleophil-katalysierten Bedingungen erforscht.