Dimethylsilene, generated from the thermal gas phase reaction of 1,1-dimethyl-1-silacyclobutane, reacts with alkynes to produce silacyclobutenes or acyclic silanes. The temperature dependence of the product ratios have been determined and the relative reactivities of three different alkynes toward the 1,1-dimethylsilene has been determined. 1-Hydrido-1-methylsilene has been generated by gas phase thermal decomposition from three different precursors. Trapping studies with butadiene and trimethylsilane lead to products expected from dimethylsilylene. The most plausible explanation for these observations is that hydridomethylsilenes undergo a facile isomerization to divalent dimethylsilylene. Cycloaddition of 1,1-dimethylsilene to allene at 600°C in a flow vacuum pyrolysis system affords the first synthesis of 2-methylene-1,1-dimethylsilacyclobutane and smaller amounts of six other products. For static pyrolysis at 421°C, the 2-methylene-1,1-dimethyIsilacyclobutane isomerizes to 1,1-dimethylsilacyclopentenes. The kinetics of gas phase thermal decomposition of cyclopropyltrimethylsilane has been studied over the temperature range, 689.6-751.1 K at pressures near 14 torr. The Arrhenius parameters for formation of allyltrimethylsilane are k_1(sec^-1)=10^14.3 ± 0.1 exp(-56.5 ± 0.2 kcal mol^-1/RT) and those for the formation of E- and Z-1-propenyltrimethyIsilane are k_2(sec^-1)=10^14.9 ± 0.3 exp(-61.9 ± 0.8 kcal mol^-1/RT). The difference between activation energies has been interpreted in terms of anchimeric assistance or the β effect of the silicon atom. The syntheses of 3-trimethylsilyl-1-pyrazoline and 1-trimethyl-2-pyrazoline are described. The thermal decomposition of either pyrazoline affords four different products along with elimination of a nitrogen molecule. It was suggested that the relative rates of methylene-hydrogen migration to radical centers α and γ to silicon are approximately equal. The thermal isomerization of 3-trimethylsilyl-1-pyrazoline to 1-trimethylsilyl-2-pyrazoline has been investigated kinetically at 65°C by proton NMR spectroscopy and the reverse reaction has been detected by gas phase pyrolysis.

<p> The effect of a C-7 substituent on the position of the cycloheptatriene/ norcaradiene equilibrium has been investigated. For this purpose a series of monosubstituted cycloheptatrienes was prepared in which the C-7 substituent was a carbonium ion grouping. From the spectral properties of these systems, it has been concluded that proportion of the norcaradiene valence tautomer present increases as the electron withdrawing ability of the carbonium ion substituent is enhanced.</p> <p> From a comparison of the pmr spectra of 7-norcaradienylmethyl cations with suitable model systems it is suggested that these norcaradienes are aromatic and that they support an induced diamagnetic ring current when in a magnetic field. It would appear that this type of cyclic delocalization is enhanced by the presence of an electron defficient substituent at C-7 of a norcaradiene and possible reasons for this are discussed.</p> <p> The 7-norcaradienylmethyl cations underwent a thermal isomerization to give benzenoid materials at relatively low temperatures. A mechanism for this rearrangement has been proposed and the implication of these results to the general pathways involved in the rearrangements of the C8H9+ family of cations discussed.</p> <p> Several synthetic routes to 9-substituted-3,4-homotropylidenes were investigated. A number of new compounds were isolated and a new synthetic approach to this class of compounds is suggested.</p> <p> Diamagnetic susceptibility exaltations of a series of substituted cycloheptatrienes were determined and used as a criterion of aromaticity. It was concluded that cycloheptatrienes are best regarded as homoaromatic molecules. Moreover it would appear that the substantial diamagnetic susceptibility exaltations observed with these compounds are related to the bulk of a C-7 substituent. One neutral norcaradiene was examined by this technique and was found to be nonaromatic.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A series of cyclophanedienes (CPDs) with different internal functional groups were synthesized. Dicyano CPD 85, cyano methyl CPD 127 and phenylethynyl/methyl CPD 138 were synthesized from bis-bromomethyl aromatics via a thiacyclophane- thiomethylcyclophane route. Diformyl cyclophanediene 152 and bis(hydroxymethyl) CPD 159 were obtained by the functional group transformation of CPDs 85 and 152 respectively. Cyclophanedienes with internal olefinic groups were obtained by three different routes: the best was the functional group transformations of the dicyano mercaptomethylcyclophane 99 followed by a Hoffmann elimination. Using the best synthetic route, CPDs with substituted vinyl groups such as alkylvinyl (162, 163, 178 and 198), butadienyl (184, 185 and 186), styryl (202, 203 and 204), nitro-substituted styryl (210, 211 and 212), methoxy-substituted styryl (218, 219 and 220) and methyl-substituted styryl (226, 227 and 228) were synthesized. Cyclophanediene 235 with an internal ethynyl (alkynyl) group was also synthesized by a similar synthetic route; however, it gave two major interesting side products; vinyl-ethynyl CPD 237 and vinyl-styryl CPD 240. The cyclophanedienes except dicyano 85, cyano-methyl 127 and diformyl 152 were converted to their corresponding dihydropyrenes both thermally and photochemically. Dicyano CPD 85 and cyano-methyl CPD 127 were converted photochemically to the DHPs 86 and 128, respectively. Diformyl CPD 152 underwent decomposition in any attempt to transform it into the DHP 154 either thermally or photochemically. Diphenylethynyl DHPs 141 and 247 were obtained by the Sonogashira coupling of diethynyl DHP 236. The Eglinton coupling reaction was used to achieve butadiynyl DHPs 257 and 254. Naphthoyl DHPs 248 and 250 were synthesized by the Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction of DHPs 179 and 167, respectively. All compounds were characterized by NMR, IR, and UV spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Dicyano CPD 85 was quite stable towards thermal isomerization to the dihydropyrene 86 and showed a calculated half life of ~ 36 years (three orders of magnitude higher than that of benzo CPD 53 i.e., 7.3 days) at room temperature, whereas CPDs 127 (cyano methyl), 138 (phenylethynyl/methyl) and 152 (diformyl) showed half lives less than a month at 20 oC. Cyclophanedienes with internal ethynyl and substituted vinyl groups were quite stable thermally and showed half lives of several years (1-16 years) at room temperature. CPDs with cis substituted internal vinyl groups were thermally more stable than their trans counterparts. Electron withdrawing substituent (NO2) at the para positions of the internal styryl groups accelerate, whereas electron donating groups (MeO, Me) decelerate the thermal return reaction. Naphthoyl CPDs 249 and 251 isomerized at rates about 6-12 times faster than their non naphthoylated analogues 178 and 166 respectively. DHPs with internal ethenyl (167, 238 and 241), substituted ethynyl (139, 141 and 247) and trans substituted vinyl (199, 207, 215, 223 and 231) groups failed to open under visible light irradiation. Dicyano DHP 86, diethynyl DHP 236 and the unsymmetrical isomers of internal olefinic CPDs (206, 214, 222 and 230) formed photostationary states (pss). Disubstituted vinyl (179) and cis substituted vinyl DHPs (164, 205, 213, 221 and 229) opened completely; however their opening rates although faster than the parent 43, were 4-6 times slower than the benzo DHP 47. Introduction of an electron withdrawing substituent on the internal styryl group decelerated the visible opening reaction whereas electron donating groups accelerated it. 2-Naphthoyl divinyl DHP 250 opened at rates quite comparable to those of benzo DHP 47 whereas 2-naphthoyl diisobutenyl 248 opened about 25 times faster than the benzo DHP. The [1,5]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the internal nitrile (DHPs 86 and 128) and formyl (DHP 153) groups was observed. The sigmatropic rearrangement of the nitrile group in 86 was quite favorable in CDCl3 (Eact = 23.4 + 0.7 kcal/mol) compared to benzene (Eact = 28.6 + 1.2 kcal/mol). Formyl groups showed a much higher migration aptitude and Eact is estimated to be < 20 kcal/mol in any solvent. In this study, the best switch pair obtained was naphthoyl diisobutyl 248/249 which in comparison with previously the best switch pair 47/53 (benzo) showed much higher stability of the cyclophanediene (two orders of magnitude); moreover, the dihydropyrene opened about 25 times faster as well and is one of the best new photochromes yet.

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