Mechanism of inner-sphere electron transfer via charge-transfer (precursor) complexes. Redox energetics of aromatic donors with the nitrosonium acceptor

Spontaneous formation of colored (1:1) complexes of various aromatic donors (ArH) with the nitrosonium acceptor (NO+) is accompanied by the appearance of two new (charge-transfer) absorption bands in the UV-vis spectrum. IR spectral and X-ray crystallographic analyses of the [ArH,NO+] complexes reveal their inner-sphere character by the ArR/NO+ separation that is substantially less than the van der Waals contact and by the significant enlargement of the aromatic chromophore. The reversible interchange between such an inner-sphere complex [ArH,NO+] and the redox product (ArH+. + NO.) is quantitatively assessed for the first time to establish it as the critical intermediate in the overall electron-transfer process. Theoretical formulation of the NO+ binding to ArH is examined by LCAO-MO methodology sufficient to allow the unambiguous assignment of the pair of diagnostic (UV-vis) spectral bands. The MO treatment also provides quantitative insight into the high degree of charge-transfer extant in,these inner-sphere complexes as a function of the HOMO-LUMO gap for the donor/acceptor pair. The relative stabilization of [ArH,NO+] is traced directly to the variation in the electronic coupling element H-AB, which is found to be substantially larger than the reorganization energy (lambda /2). In Sutin's development of Marcus-Hush theory, this inequality characterizes a completely delocalized Class III complex (which occupies a single potential well) according to the Robin-Day classification. The mechanistic relevance of such an unusual (precursor) complex to the inner-sphere mechanism for organic electron transfer is discussed..