The formation of the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), naphthalene (CH), was explored in a high-temperature chemical reactor under combustion-like conditions in the phenyl (CH)-vinylacetylene (CH) system. The products were probed utilizing tunable vacuum ultraviolet light by scanning the photoionization efficiency (PIE) curve at a mass-to-charge m/ z = 128 (CH) of molecules entrained in a molecular beam. The data fitting with PIE reference curves of naphthalene, 4-phenylvinylacetylene (CHCCCH), and trans-1-phenylvinylacetylene (CHCHCHCCH) indicates that the isomers were generated with branching ratios of 43.5±9.0 : 6.5±1.0 : 50.0±10.0%. Kinetics simulations agree nicely with the experimental findings with naphthalene synthesized via the hydrogen abstraction-vinylacetylene addition (HAVA) pathway and through hydrogen-assisted isomerization of phenylvinylacetylenes. The HAVA route to naphthalene at elevated temperatures represents an alternative pathway to the hydrogen abstraction-acetylene addition (HACA) forming naphthalene in flames and circumstellar envelopes, whereas in cold molecular clouds, HAVA synthesizes naphthalene via a barrierless bimolecular route.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent key molecular building blocks leading to carbonaceous nanoparticles identified in combustion systems and extraterrestrial environments. However, the understanding of their formation and growth in these high temperature environments has remained elusive. We present a mechanism through laboratory experiments and computations revealing how the prototype PAH—naphthalene—can be efficiently formed via a rapid 1-indenyl radical—methyl radical reaction. This versatile route converts five- to six-membered rings and provides a detailed view of high temperature mass growth processes that can eventually lead to graphene-type PAHs and two-dimensional nanostructures providing a radical new view about the transformations of carbon in our universe.

A synthetic route to racemic helicenes via a vinylacetylene mediated gas phase chemistry involving elementary reactions with aryl radicals is presented. In contrast to traditional synthetic routes involving solution chemistry and ionic reaction intermediates, the gas phase synthesis involves a targeted ring annulation involving free radical intermediates. Exploiting the simplest helicene as a benchmark, we show that the gas phase reaction of the 4-phenanthrenyl radical ([C 14 H 9 ] • ) with vinylacetylene (C 4 H 4 ) yields [4]-helicene (C 18 H 12 ) along with atomic hydrogen via a low-barrier mechanism through a resonance-stabilized free radical intermediate (C 18 H 13 ). This pathway may represent a versatile mechanism to build up even more complex polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as [5]- and [6]-helicene via stepwise ring annulation through bimolecular gas phase reactions in circumstellar envelopes of carbon-rich stars, whereas secondary reactions involving hydrogen atom assisted isomerization of thermodynamically less stable isomers of [4]-helicene might be important in combustion flames as well.

Arsinothricin [AST (1)], a new broad-spectrum organoarsenical antibiotic, is a nonproteinogenic analogue of glutamate that effectively inhibits glutamine synthetase. We report the chemical synthesis of an intermediate in the pathway to 1, hydroxyarsinothricin [AST-OH (2)], which can be converted to 1 by enzymatic methylation catalyzed by the ArsM As­(III) S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase. This is the first report of semisynthesis of 1, providing a source of this novel antibiotic that will be required for future clinical trials.

The reaction of aryl radicals with allene/methylacetylene leads to five-membered ring addition in PAH growth processes.

1H-Phenalene can be synthesized via the reaction of the 1-naphthyl radical with methylacetylene and allene under high temperature conditions prevalent in carbon-rich circumstellar environments and combustion systems.

The reactions of the indenyl radicals with acetylene (C2H2) and vinylacetylene (C4H4) is studied in a hot chemical reactor coupled to synchrotron based vacuum ultraviolet ionization mass spectrometry. These experimental results are combined with theory to reveal that the resonantly stabilized and thermodynamically most stable 1‐indenyl radical (C9H7.) is always formed in the pyrolysis of 1‐, 2‐, 6‐, and 7‐bromoindenes at 1500 K. The 1‐indenyl radical reacts with acetylene yielding 1‐ethynylindene plus atomic hydrogen, rather than adding a second acetylene molecule and leading to ring closure and formation of fluorene as observed in other reaction mechanisms such as the hydrogen abstraction acetylene addition or hydrogen abstraction vinylacetylene addition pathways. While this reaction mechanism is analogous to the bimolecular reaction between the phenyl radical (C6H5.) and acetylene forming phenylacetylene (C6H5CCH), the 1‐indenyl+acetylene→1‐ethynylindene+hydrogen reaction is highly endoergic (114 kJ mol−1) and slow, contrary to the exoergic (−38 kJ mol−1) and faster phenyl+acetylene→phenylacetylene+hydrogen reaction. In a similar manner, no ring closure leading to fluorene formation was observed in the reaction of 1‐indenyl radical with vinylacetylene. These experimental results are explained through rate constant calculations based on theoretically derived potential energy surfaces.

The tricyclic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 3H-cyclopenta[a]naphthalene (C13H10), 1H-cyclopenta[b]naphthalene (C13H10) and 1H-cyclopenta[a]naphthalene (C13H10) along with their indene-based bicyclic isomers (E)-5-(but-1-en-3-yn-1-yl)-1H-indene, (E)-6-(but-1-en-3-yn-1-yl)-1H-indene, 5-(but-3-ene-1-yn-1-yl)-1H-in-dene, and 6-(but-3-ene-1-yn-1-yl)-1H-indene were formed via a “directed synthesis”...