Kinetics of Multielectron Transfers and Redox-Induced Structural Changes in N-Aryl-Expanded Pyridiniums: Establishing...

A combined electrochemical and theoretical study of a series of pyridinium-based electrophores, consisting of reference N-alkyl-2,4,6-triarylpyridiniums (1-3) and N-aryl-expanded pyridiniums (EPs), i.e. N-aryl-2,4,6-triarylpyridiniums (4-10), is presented with the aim of elucidating multifaceted mechanisms underpinning the complex electrophoric activity of fluxional EP systems. Series 1-10 constitutes a library of model electrophores showing an incremental variation of their composition, charge, and steric hindrance. By kinetic mapping of the first two heterogeneous electron transfers (ETs) of 1-10 and computational mapping, at the density functional theory level, of their electronic and geometrical features in various redox states, it is established that, depending on whether EPs are made of one (4, 5) or two "head-to-tail"-connected pyridinium rings (6-10), the nature of the redox-triggered distortions (when allowed) is different, namely, N-pyramidalization due to hybridization change in the former case versus saddle-shaped distortion originating from conflicting intramolecular interactions in the latter case (8-10). When skeletal relaxations are sterically hampered, zwitterionic states and electron delocalization with quinoidal features are promoted as alternative relaxation modes. It follows that "potential compression" is changed to "potential expansion" (i.e., a further separation of redox potentials) in single-pyridinium EPs (4, 5), whereas "potential inversion" (i.e., single-step two-electron transfer; 8-10) is changed to stepwise ETs of the Weitz type for two-pyridinium EPs (6, 7). Overall, kinetic rate constants not only consistently indicate the most prominent mechanistic aspects of the reduction pathways of EPs, but they are also instrumental in establishing EPs as a unique class of electrophores.