Impact of substitution on reactions and stability of one-electron oxidised phenyl sulfonates in aqueous solution

Highly reactive aromatic cation radicals have been invoked lately in synthetic routes and in the degradation pathways of hydrocarbon-based polymers. Changes in the electron density of aromatic compounds are expected to alter the reaction pathway following one electron oxidation through altering the pK(a) of the formed intermediate cation radical. Electron-donating groups increase its stability, however, little experimental data are known. While, in theory, the cation radical can be repaired by simple electron transfer, electron transfer to or from its deprotonated form, the hydroxycyclohexadienyl radical, will cause permanent modification or degradation. Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy indicates a pK(a) ≈ 2–3 for the 4-(tert-butyl)-2-methoxyphenylsulfonate (BMPS) radical cation, while its parent compound 4-(tert-butyl) phenylsulfonate (BPS) is much more acidic. The stability of both compounds towards oxidation by HO˙ was evaluated under air at pH 5 and pH 0. At pH 5, both BMPS and BPS are unstable, and superstoichiometric degradation was observed. Degradation was slightly reduced for BPS at pH 0. In contrast, the more electron rich BMPS showed 80% lower degradation. We unambigously showed that in the presence of Ce(iii) and H(2)O(2) at pH 0 both BMPS and BPS could be catalytically repaired via one electron reduction, resulting in further damage moderation.