Structure and Energetics of Vinoxide and the X(2A‘ ‘) and A(2A‘) Vinoxy Radicals

Abstract

Enolate anions are intermediates in many organic reactions that involve carbon-carbon or carbon-oxygen food formation. They also play a key role in the development of stereoselective and stereocontrolled syntheses of complex compounds. Enolate radicals are important intermediates in combustion and photochemical smog cycles. In particular, the vinoxy radical, C{sub 2}H{sub 3}O{sup {sm{underscore}bullet}} is a major product of the reaction of odd oxygen and ethylene. The photoelectron spectrum of binoxide, C{sub 2}H{sub 3}O{sup {minus}}, at 355 nm is reported, showing photodetachment to both the X({sup 2}A{double{underscore}prime}) ground and first excited A({sup 2}A{prime}) states of the vinoxy radical. Both direct interpretations and Franck-Condon simulations of the photoelectron spectrum of this simple enolate anion have been used to obtain insights into the energetics and structures of the anion and the ground and first excited state of the neutral radical. Franck-Condon simulations were generated from ab initio geometry and frequency calculations using the CASSCF method and showed good agreement with the vibrational structure visible in the experimental spectrum. The electron affinity (E.A.{sub exp} = 1.795 {+-} 0.015 eV; E.A.{sub calc} = 1.82 eV) and separation energy of the ground and first excited states (T{sub 0,exp} = 1.015 {+-} 0.015 eV; T{sub 0,calc} = 0.92more » eV) obtained from the ab initio calculations are in good accord with the experimental values.« less