Investigation of the Gas Phase Reactivity of the 1-Adamantyl Radical Using a Distonic Radical Anion Approach

The gas phase reactions of the bridgehead 3-carboxylato-1-adamantyl radical anion were observed with a series of neutral reagents using a modified electrospray ionisation linear ion trap mass spectrometer. This distonic radical anion was observed to undergo processes suggestive of radical reactivity including radical-radical combination reactions, substitution reactions and addition to carbon-carbon double bonds. The rate constants for reactions of the 3-carboxylato-1-adamantyl radical anion with the following reagents were measured (in units 10 12 cm3 molecule 1 s 1): 18O2 (85±4), NO (38.4±0.4), I2 (50±50), Br2 (8±2), CH3SSCH3 (12±2), styrene (1.20±0.03), CHCl3 (H abstraction 0.41±0.06, Cl abstraction 0.65±0.1), CDCl3 (D abstraction 0.035±0.01, Cl abstraction 0.723±0.005), allyl bromide (Br abstraction 0.53±0.04, allylation 0.25±0.01). Collision rates were calculated and reaction efficiencies are also reported. This study represents the first quantitative measurement of the gas phase reactivity of a bridgehead radical and suggests that distonic radical anions are good models for the study of their elusive uncharged analogues.