Thermodynamic diagnosis of the properties and mechanism of dihydropyridine-type compounds as hydride source in acetonitrile with "Molecule ID Card".

A series of 45 dihydropyridine-type organic compounds as hydride source were designed and synthesized. The thermodynamic driving forces (defined as enthalpy changes or redox potentials in this work) of the dihydropyridines to release hydride anions, hydrogen atoms (hydrogen for short), and electrons in acetonitrile, the thermodynamic driving forces of the radical cations of the dihydropyridines to release protons and hydrogens in acetonitrile, and the thermodynamic driving forces of the neutral pyridine-type radicals of the dihydropyridines to release electron in acetonitrile were determined by using titration calorimetry and electrochemical methods. The rates and activation parameters of hydride transfer from the dihydropyridines to acridinium perclorate, a well-known hydride acceptor, were determined by using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy technique. The relationship between the thermodynamic driving forces and kinetic rate of the hydride transfer was examined. Thermodynamic characteristic graph (TCG) of the dihydropyridines as an efficient "Molecule ID Card" was introduced. The TCG can be used to quantitatively diagnose or predict the characteristic chemical properties of the dihydropyridines and their various reaction intermediates. The mechanism of hydride transfer from the dihydropyridines to acridinium perclorate was diagnosed and elucidated by using the determined thermodynamic parameters and the activation parameters.