INTERMOLECULAR EFFECTS ON THE RADIOGENIC FORMATION OF ELECTRON-CAPTURE PHOSPHORUS-CENTERED RADICALS - A SINGLE-CRYSTAL ESR STUDY OF DIASTEREOISOMERIC PRECURSORS

ESR experiments on X-irradiated single crystals of the 2R,4S,5R and 2S,4S,5R diastereoisomers of 2-chloro-3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1,3,2-oxazaphospholidine 2-sulfide reveal that the yield of radiogenic electron-capture reactions in the solid state strongly depends on intermolecular interactions in the crystal. In the present case a high yield of P-Cl three-electron-bond phosphoranyl radical anions is found in crystals of the 2R,4S,5R isomer, whereas no radical formation can be detected for the 2S,4S,5R isomer. An analysis of nonbonded interactions with neighboring molecules reveals that the geometry relaxation necessary for the radical stabilization is easily accommodated in crystals of the 2R,4S,5R isomer but not in the 2S,4S,5R isomer, explaining the observed difference in electron-capture efficiency. Experiments on radical formation in a MeTHF host matrix give further insight into the importance of the environment on radiogenic radical formation. The possible concurrent effect of the matrix on the electronic configuration and spin density distribution of the resulting phosphoranyl radical is discussed. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.