title: Direct observation of unstable reaction intermediates by acid-base complex formation.
abstract: The structures of several unstable or metastable reaction intermediates that were photoproduced in crystals were analyzed by using X-ray techniques. The presence of enough void space around the reactive group(s) is an essential factor for the reaction to occur with retention of the single-crystal form. To expand the void space, an acid group (COOH) was substituted onto the reactant molecule and acid-base complex crystals were prepared with several amines, such as dibenzylamine and dicyclohexylamine. Following the formation of such acid-base complexes in crystals, the metastable structures of nitrenes and red species of photochromic salicylideneanilines have been successfully analyzed by using X-ray techniques. Moreover, the structure of a Pt complex anion in the excited state has been analyzed, which formed acid-base complex crystals with various alkylammonium cations. The formation of acid-base complexes will be a powerful tool for directly observing the structure of unstable or metastable reaction intermediates by using X-ray techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan. yohashi@ibaraki-neutrons.jp
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohashi