A theoretical study of the iminoxyl/oxime self-exchange reaction. A five-center, cyclic proton-coupled electron transfer

In solution, the self-exchange reactions for oxygen-centered pi-radicals, e.g., PhO. + PhOH PhOH + PhO., are known to occur with low activation enthalpies (E(a) approximately equal to 2 kcal/mol). For the PhO./PhOH couple and, we conclude, for other O-centered pi-radicals, exchange occurs by proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) with the proton transferred between oxygen electron pairs while the electron migrates between oxygen orbitals orthogonal to the -O- - -H- - -O- transition state plane (Mayer et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 123, 11142). Iminoxyls, R(2)C=NO., are sigma-radicals with substantial spin density on the nitrogen. The R(2)C=NO./R(2)C=NOH self-exchange has a significant E(a) (Mendenhall et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1973, 95, 627). For this exchange, DFT calculations have revealed a counterintuitive cisoid transition state in which the seven atoms, >C=NO- - -H- - -ON=C