Hydrogen Atom Abstraction Reactions from Tertiary Amines by Benzyloxyl and Cumyloxyl Radicals: Influence of Structure on the Rate-Determining Formation of a Hydrogen-Bonded Prereaction Complex

Abstract

A time-resolved kinetic study on the hydrogen atom abstraction reactions from a series of tertiary amines by the cumyloxyl (CumO(•)) and benzyloxyl (BnO(•)) radicals was carried out. With the sterically hindered triisobutylamine, comparable hydrogen atom abstraction rate constants (k(H)) were measured for the two radicals (k(H)(BnO(•))/k(H)(CumO(•)) = 2.8), and the reactions were described as direct hydrogen atom abstractions. With the other amines, increases in k(H)(BnO(•))/k(H)(CumO(•)) ratios of 13 to 2027 times were observed. k(H) approaches the diffusion limit in the reactions between BnO(•) and unhindered cyclic and bicyiclic amines, whereas a decrease in reactivity is observed with acyclic amines and with the hindered cyclic amine 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethylpiperidine. These results provide additional support to our hypothesis that the reaction proceeds through the rate-determining formation of a C-H/N hydrogen-bonded prereaction complex between the benzyloxyl α-C-H and the nitrogen lone pair wherein hydrogen atom abstraction occurs, and demonstrate the important role of amine structure on the overall reaction mechanism. Additional mechanistic information in support of this picture is obtained from the study of the reactions of the amines with a deuterated benzyloxyl radical (PhCD(2)O(•), BnO(•)-d(2)) and the 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyloxyl radical.