Rate-Driving Force Relationships in the Multisite Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Activation of Ketones

J Am Chem Soc. 2019 Feb 13;141(6):2721-2730. doi: 10.1021/jacs.8b13451. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Abstract

Here we present a detailed kinetic study of the multisite proton-coupled electron transfer (MS-PCET) activations of aryl ketones using a variety of Brønsted acids and excited-state Ir(III)-based electron donors. A simple method is described for simultaneously extracting both the hydrogen-bonding equilibrium constants and the rate constants for the PCET event from deconvolution of the luminescence quenching data. These experiments confirm that these activations occur in a concerted fashion, wherein the proton and electron are transferred to the ketone substrate in a single elementary step. The rates constants for the PCET events were linearly correlated with their driving forces over a range of nearly 19 kcal/mol. However, the slope of the rate-driving force relationship deviated significantly from expectations based on Marcus theory. A rationalization for this observation is proposed based on the principle of non-perfect synchronization, wherein factors that serve to stabilize the product are only partially realized at the transition state. A discussion of the relevance of these findings to the applications of MS-PCET in organic synthesis is also presented.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Electron Transport
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Ketones / chemistry*
  • Kinetics
  • Protons*

Substances

  • Ketones
  • Protons