Electron affinities of a homologous series of tertiary alkyl radicals and their C-H bond dissociation energies (BDEs)

Heats of formation have been derived from G3(MP2)//B3LYP and G3MP2B3(+) atomization energies for tert-butyl radical (6R), cubyl radical, bicyclooctyl radical (1R), and tricyclo[3.3.n.03,7]alk-3(7)-yl (n=0-3, 2R-5R) radicals, and their respective anions (1A-6A) and hydrocarbons (1H-6H). The electron affinity (EA) of 6R is estimated at 1.5±2 kcal/mol and tert-butyl anion (6A) is likely to be bound. In the homologous series 2R-5R the EAs range from 3.4±2 to 13.5±2 kcal/mol. The computed enthalpies of the acidities of the tricyclic hydrocarbons 1H-5H are in the range 407-411 kcal/mol. Their C-H bond dissociation energies (BDEs) are in the range 97-110 kcal/mol. The increase of the BDEs in the homologous series 2H-5H and the increase of EAs of 2A-5A is attributed to the enhanced pyramidalization induced in radicals 2R-5R by the shortening of the methylene chain connecting carbons C3 and C7.