The elusive benzocyclobutenylidene: A combined computational and experimental attempt
Date
2001Author
Nicolaïdes, Andrew N.Matsushita, Takashi
Yonezawa, K.
Sawai, S.
Tomioka, H.
Stracener, L. L.
Hodges, J. A.
McMahon, R. J.
Source
Journal of the American Chemical SocietyVolume
123Issue
12Pages
2870-2876Google Scholar check
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Ab initio and density functional theory calculations predict that benzocyclobutenylidene (1) has a singlet ground state in contrast to the parent phenylcarbene and many other simply substituted arylcarbenes. Calculations also predict that 1 should lie in a relatively deep potential well, while its triplet state is 14.5 kcal mol-1 higher in energy. However, attempts to observe 1 directly by photolysis of two different nitrogenous precursors were not successful. Irradiation of diazobenzocyclobutene (7) (λ > 534 nm or λ > 300 nm) or azibenzocyclobutene (10) (λ > 328 nm) in Ar matrixes at 10 K leads to the formation of the strained cycloalkyne 7-methylenecyclohepta-3,5-dien-1-yne (3). 13C-Labeled 3 was also prepared in a similar manner. There is very good agreement between experimental IR spectra and computationally derived harmonic vibrational frequencies for 3 and [13C]-3 and excellent agreement between observed and calculated isotopic shifts. Prolonged short-wavelength irradiation converts 3 into benzocyclobutadiene (5). Phenylacetylene (6) and benzocyclobutadiene dimer (11) were identified as products arising from flash vacuum pyrolysis of diazirine 10 at 500 °C.