Phototransposition chemistry of 1-phenylpyrazole. Experimental and computational studies
作者:James W. Pavlik、Robert E. Connors、Douglas S. Burns、Edyth M. Kurzweil
DOI:10.1021/ja00070a008
日期:1993.8
Photophysical and photochemical properties of 1-phenylpyrazole and 3-,4-, and 5-methyl-1-phenylpyrazoles have been investigated. INDO/S calculations agree with experimental measurements which show that the S1 and T1 states of these compounds are pi,pi* in character. Upon S0 --> S1(pi,pi*) excitation, these 1-phenylpyrazoles undergo phototransposition via a P4 permutation pathway. This process is consistent with a mechanism involving initial N-N bond cleavage followed by a 1,2-shift and cyclization to form the 1-phenylimidazole product. The 1,2-shift may occur via an undetected azirine intermediate. Whereas the regioselectivity of the reaction may be due to the stability of the N-phenyl radical, the quantum efficiencies of reaction and fluorescence are remarkably dependent on the location of the methyl group in the pyrazole ring. AM1 calculations provide energy-minimized structures for the more reactive 1-phenylpyrazole and 4-methyl- and 5-methyl-1-phenylpyrazoles in which the phenyl and pyrazole rings are perpendicular as required to stabilize the transition state for N-N bond cleavage. In contrast, such a perpendicular energy minimized S1 structure could not be obtained for the least reactive S1(pi,pi*) 3-methyl-1-phenylpyrazole which undergoes mainly radiative return to the ground state.