N-alkoxyheterocycles can act as powerful one-electron acceptors in photochemical electron-transfer reactions. One-electron reduction of these species results in formation of a radical that undergoes N-O bond fragmentation to form an alkoxy radical and a neutral heterocycle. The kinetics of this N-O bond fragmentation reaction have been determined for a series of radicals with varying substituents and extents of delocalization. Rate constants varying over 7 orders of magnitude are obtained. A reaction potential energy surface is described that involves avoidance of a conical intersection. A molecular basis for the variation of the reaction rate constant with radical structure is given in terms of the relationship between the energies of the important molecular orbitals and the reaction potential energy surface. Ab initio and density functional electronic structure calculations provide support for the proposed reaction energy surface.

Sequestering carbon dioxide emissions by the trap and release of CO2 via thermally activated chemical reactions has proven problematic because of the energetic requirements of the release reactions. Here we demonstrate trap and release of carbon dioxide using electrochemical activation, where the reactions in both directions are exergonic and proceed rapidly with low activation barriers. One-electron reduction of 4,4'-bipyridine forms the radical anion, which undergoes rapid covalent bond formation with carbon dioxide to form an adduct. One-electron oxidation of this adduct releases the bipyridine and carbon dioxide. Reversible trap and release of carbon dioxide over multiple cycles is demonstrated in solution at room temperature, and without the requirement for thermal activation.

Syntheses are presented of the 1,2-dichalcogenins:  1,2-dithiin, 1,2-diselenin, and 2-selenathiin, both substituted and unsubstituted. 1,2-Dithiin and 1,2-diselenin are prepared by reaction of PhCH2XNa (X = S or Se) with 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadiyne followed by reductive cleavage and oxidation. 2-Selenathiin is similarly prepared using a mixture of PhCH2SeNa and PhCH2SNa. Reaction of titanacyclopentadienes with (SCN)2 or (SeCN)2 followed by bis(thiocyanate) or bis(selenocyanate) cyclization affords substituted 1,2-dithiins or 1,2-diselenins, respectively. With S2Cl2, 1,2-dithiins are directly formed from titanacyclopentadienes. Oxidation of 1,2-dithiins and 1,2-diselenins gives the corresponding 1-oxide and, with 1,2-dithiins and excess oxidant, 1,1-dioxides; oxidation of 2-selenathiin gives the 2-oxide. Electrochemical oxidation of 1,2-dichalcogenins, which have a twisted geometry, affords planar radical cations by an EC mechanism. One-electron AlCl3 oxidation of 3,6-diphenyl-1,2-dithiin gives the corresponding radical cation, characterized by EPR spectroscopy. Theoretical calculations result in a flattened structure for the 1,2-dithiin radical cation and a fully planar structure for the 1,2-diselenin radical cation. The 77Se NMR chemical shifts of 1,2-diselenin are characteristically high-field-shifted with respect to open chain diselenides in good agreement with results of GIAO-DFT calculations based on MP2 and DFT optimum geometries.