Gas-phase proton-transport self-catalysed isomerisation of glutamine radical cation: The important role of the side-chain

The gas-phase isomerisation reaction of glutamine radical cation from [NH₂CH (CH₂CH₂CONH₂) COOH ]^+• to [ NH₂C (CH₂CH₂CONH₂) C (OH)₂]^+• has been studied theoretically using the MPWB1K functional approach. The [ NH₂ C (CH₂CH₂CONH₂) C (OH)₂]^+• diol species has been found to be the most stable isomer for glutamine radical cation. Moreover, it has been observed that glutamine has a long enough side-chain with basic groups that acts as a solvent molecule favouring the proton-transfer from C _α to COOH group. This fact reduces dramatically the isomerisation energy barriers compared to the same process for glycine radical cation in gas phase. Thus, this reaction can be considered as an example of gas-phase proton-transport catalysed reaction in which the proton-transport is carried out by the reactant molecule itself instead of any solvent. Contribution to the Serafin Fraga Memorial Issue.     

Eckenprotoniertes cyclopropan in der gasphase: kopplung von unimolekularer [1.1]-H2-eliminierung aus C3H7+ und ringöffnung des cyclopropylkations

Based on energetic data (activation energy), kinetic isotope effects and MINDO/3 calculations it is suggested that unimolecular loss of H₂ from C₃H₇⁺ proceeds via a transition state (10) involving synchronous loss of a hydrogen molecule (symmetry allowed [1.1]-elimination) and ring opening of the cyclopropyl to the allyl cation. Alternative mechanisms are discussed.     

The methylamine radical cation [CH3NH2]+˙ and its stable isomer the methylenammonium radical cation [CH2NH3]+˙

The potential energy surface for the [CH₅N]^+˙ system has been investigated using ab initio molecular orbital calculations with large, polarization basis sets and incorporating valence-electron correlation. Two [CH₅N]^+˙ isomers can be distinguished: the well known methylamine radical cation, [CH₃NH₂]^+˙, and the less familiar methylenammonium radical cation, [CH₂NH₃]^+˙. The latter is calculated to lie 8 kJ mol^?1 lower in energy. A substantial barrier (176 kJ mol^?1) is predicted for rearrangement of [CH₂NH₃]^+˙ to [CH₃NH₂]^+˙. In addition, a large barrier (202 kJ mol^?1) is found for loss of a hydrogen radical from [CH₂NH₃]^+˙ via direct N—H bond cleavage to give the aminomethyl cation [CH₂NH₂]⁺. These results are consistent with the existence of the methylenammonium ion [CH₂NH₃]^+˙ as a stable observable species. The barrier to loss of a hydrogen radical from [CH₃NH₂]^+˙ is calculated to be 140 kJ mol^?1.     

Vibrational properties and DFT calculations of formamidine-templated Co and Fe formates

Experimental Raman and IR spectra of [NH₂-CH-NH₂][M(HCOO)₃] (M = Co, Fe), containing formamidinium cations [NH₂-CH-NH₂]⁺ (FMD⁺) were recorded at room temperature. In order to assign the vibrational modes corresponding to the FMD⁺ cation, the three-parameter hybrid B3LYP density functional method has been used with the 6-311G(2d,2p) basis to derive the vibrational wavenumbers (harmonic and anharmonic), infrared intensities and Raman scattering activities of formamidine molecule and FMD⁺ cation. The performed calculations revealed that protonation should affect most significantly the ν(CH), ρ(NH₂), ω(NH₂) and τ(NH₂) modes, which are expected to shift towards higher wavenumbers after protonation.     

Spin�Corbit ab initio study of two low-lying states of chloroiodomethane cation

Spin?Corbit coupling plays a crucial role in the determination of molecular structure and calculation of vibrational frequencies of CH₂ClI⁺. We performed the geometry optimizations and vibrational frequency calculations of both the lower and upper spin?Corbit (SO) states using an ab initio SO method based on multiconfigurational wave function. The multistate complete active space perturbation theory second-order SO (MS-CASPT2-SO) method reasonably describes the structures of the lower SO state, yielding the C?CI distance and the I?CC?CCl angle close to the experimental values. The geometrical parameters of the upper SO state is quite similar to that of the lower SO state, whereas structures of two states differ substantially in calculations prior to the introduction of SO coupling. The MS-CASPT2-SO method reproduces the difference between the lower and upper SO states for the I?CC?CCl bending frequency. The vibrational frequencies calculated by MS-CASPT2-SO generally overestimate in comparison with the experiments. The energy gap between the two SO states calculated by MS-CASPT2-SO is reasonably close to the experimental value. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to calculate vibrational frequencies of two SO states of CH₂ClI⁺, and the first time to apply MS-CASPT2-SO method to the geometry optimization and vibrational frequency calculation of polyatomic molecule.     

Superacidic or Not…︁? Synthesis,Characterisation, and Acidity of the Room‐Temperature Ionic Liquid [C(CH3)3]+ [Al2Br7]−

The room‐temperature ionic liquid (RT‐IL) [C(CH₃)₃]⁺ [Al₂Br₇]^? (m.p. 2 °C) was generated by bromide abstraction from tert‐butyl bromide with the Lewis acid aluminum bromide in the absence of solvent. The crystal structure of the tert‐butyl cation salt was determined by X‐ray diffraction. NMR, IR, and Raman spectroscopy, as well as quantum‐chemical and thermodynamic calculations, confirm the composition of this RT‐IL. Thus, one may consider this RT‐IL to be a readily accessible (and on a large scale) cationic Brønsted acid (protonated isobutene) with the potential for further reactivity. Based on the new absolute Brønsted acidity scale, we calculated an absolute pH_abs value of 171 for liquid bulk [C(CH₃)₃]⁺ [Al₂Br₇]^?. This value is about as acidic as 100 % sulfuric acid (pH_abs=171) and, thus, on the edge of superacidity.     

Synthesis and Characterization of [XeOXe]2+ in the Adduct‐Cation Salt, [CH3CN‐ ‐ ‐XeOXe‐ ‐ ‐NCCH3][AsF6]2

Acetonitrile and [FXeOXe‐ ‐ ‐FXeF][AsF₆] react at ?60 °C in anhydrous HF (aHF) to form the CH₃CN adduct of the previously unknown [XeOXe]²⁺ cation. The low‐temperature X‐ray structure of [CH₃CN‐ ‐ ‐XeOXe‐ ‐ ‐NCCH₃][AsF₆]₂ exhibits a well‐isolated adduct‐cation that has among the shortest Xe?N distances obtained for an sp‐hybridized nitrogen base adducted to xenon. The Raman spectrum was fully assigned by comparison with the calculated vibrational frequencies and with the aid of ¹⁸O‐enrichment studies. Natural bond orbital (NBO), atoms in molecules (AIM), electron localization function (ELF), and molecular electrostatic potential surface (MEPS) analyses show that the Xe?O bonds are semi‐ionic whereas the Xe?N bonds may be described as strong electrostatic (σ‐hole) interactions.     

Nongeneral Character of the Resonance Parameters Σ<Stack><Subscript>R</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> of Silicon-, Germanium-, and Tin-Containing Substituents in Radical Cations

The resonance parameters σ _R ⁺ of substituents Y in radical cations YD^+· [where D is a π- or n-type center, and Y = MMe₃, CH₂MMe₃ (M = Si, Ge, Sn), C(SiMe₃)₃] depend on the nature of both Y and D. Using radical cations YD^+· (Y = CH₂SiMe₃, SnMe₃) as examples, it was found that the two conjugation parameters, constants σ _R ⁺ of substituents Y and perturbation energy calculated by the modified molecular orbital perturbation method, are linearly related to each other. The energies of donor and acceptor components of the overall resonance effect of CH₂SiMe₃ and SnMe₃ with respect to radical cation centers D^+· were estimated for the first time. The donor energy constituent in YD^+· is considerably greater than in neutral DY molecules.     

STRUCTURE OF OXIDIZED DISULFIDE BONDS AS CALCULATED BY THE CNDO/2 METHOD

Abstract

ONDO/2 calculations indicate that disulfide cation radicals, e.g. HSSH⁺ and CH₃SSCH₃ ⁺, have a trans-planar structure in contrast to the twisted structure of the parent molecule. The main reason for this difference is the removal of an electron from the sulfur lone-pair orbitals. The bond energy in the disulfide cation radical is much lower than in the parent molecule, which makes the reaction CH₃SSCH₃ ⁺ → CH₃S→ + CH₃S⁺ allowed, as observed previously in radiolysis of CH₃SSCH₃ single crystals.     

Vibrational spectroscopy of complex compounds of gold pentafluoride

IR and Raman spectra of X⁺ AuF₆ ^? (X=CIF₂, CIO₂, CIOF₂, CIF₄, CIF₆) were studied. The vibration frequencies of these compounds in the solid phase and in solutions in anhydrous HF were assigned. Peculiar features of the vibrational spectra of solid X⁺ AuF₆ ^?, associated both with structural transformations of cations and anions in the crystal lattice field and cation—anion interactions and also with the Jahn—Teller effect, Fermi resonance, non-rigid intramoleciular rearrangements.,etc., were discussed.     

The [CH5NO]+ ˙ potential energy surface: Distonic ions,lon-dipole complexes and hydrogen-bridged radical cations

By combining results from a variety of mass spectrometric techniques (metastable ion, collisional activation, collision-induced dissociative ionization, neutralization-reionization spectrometry, ²H, ¹³C and ¹⁸O isotopic labelling and appearance energy measurements) and high-level ab initio molecular orbital calculations, the potential energy surface of the [CH₅NO]^{+ ˙} system has been explored. The calculations show that at least nine stable isomers exist. These include the conventional species [CH₃ONH₂]^{+ ˙} and [HO? CH₂? NH₂]^{+ ˙}, the distonic ions [O? CH₂? NH₃]^{+ ˙}, [O? NH₂? CH₃]^{+ ˙}, [CH₂? O(H)? NH₂]^{+ ˙}, [HO? NH₂? CH₂]^{+ ˙}, and the ion-dipole complex CH₂?NH₂⁺ …? OH˙. Surprisingly the distonic ion [CH₂? O? NH₃]^{+ ˙} was found not to be a stable species but to dissociate spontaneously to CH₂?O + NH₃^{+ ˙}. The most stable isomer is the hydrogen-bridged radical cation [H? C?O …? H …? NH₃]^{+ ˙} which is best viewed as an immonium cation interacting with the formyl dipole. The related species [CH₂?O …? H …? NH₂]^{+ ˙}, in which an ammonium radical cation interacts with the formaldehyde dipole is also a very stable ion. It is generated by loss of CO from ionized methyl carbamate, H₂N? C(?O)? OCH₃ and the proposed mechanism involves a 1,4-H shift followed by intramolecular ‘dictation’ and CO extrusion. The [CH₂?O …? H …? NH₂]^{+ ˙} product ions fragment exothermically, but via a barrier, to NH₄^{+ ˙} HCO^…? and to H₃N? C(H)?O^{+ ˙} H˙. Metastable ions [CH₃ONH₂]^+…? dissociate, via a large barrier, to CH₂?O + NH₃⁺ + and to [CH₂NH₂]⁺ + OH˙ but not to CH₂?O^{+ ˙} + NH₃. The former reaction proceeds via a 1,3-H shift after which dissociation takes place immediately. Loss of OH˙ proceeds formally via a 1,2-CH₃ shift to produce excited [O? NH₂? CH₃]^{+ ˙}, which rearranges to excited [HO? NH₂? CH₂]^{+ ˙} via a 1,3-H shift after which dissociation follows.     

The structure and dissociation pathways of protonated methanol: An ab initio molecular orbital study

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations with moderately large polarization basis sets and including valence-electron correlation have been used to examine the structure and dissociation mechanisms of protonated methanol [CH₃OH₂]⁺. Stable isomers and transition structures have been characterized using gradient techniques. Protonated methanol is found to be the only stable isomer in the [CH₅O]⁺ potential surface. There is no evidence for a tightly-bound complex, [HOCH₂]⁺…?H₂, analogous to the preferred structure [CH₃]⁺…?H₂ of [CH₅]⁺. Protonated methanol is found to possess a pyramidal arrangement of bonds at the oxygen atom with a barrier to inversion of 8kJ mol^?1. The lowest energy fragmentation pathways are dissociation into methyl cation and water (predicted to require 284 kJ mol^?1 with zero reverse activation energy) and loss of molecular hydrogen (endothermic by 138 kJ mol^?1 but with a reverse activation barrier of 149 kJ mol^?1). The results offer a possible explanation as to why production of [CH₂OH]⁺ from the reaction of methyl cation with water is not observed. Other dissociation processes examined include loss of a hydrogen atom to yield the methylenoxonium radical cation or methanol radical cation (requiring 441 and 490 kJ mol^?1, respectively) and loss of a proton to yield neutral methanol (requiring 784 kJ mol^?1).     

Vibrational spectra and thermodynamic functions of allyl acetate

Raman spectrum of allyl acetate molecule has been photographed in liquid phase using 4358 ? line of mercury arc as the exciting line. Infrared absorption spectrum of the molecule has been recorded in liquid phase in the frequency range 200–4000 cm⁻¹. Both the spectra have been analysed to identify the fundamental frequencies. AssumingC _s symmetry, the observed fundamental frequencies have been assigned to various modes of vibration and compared with the frequencies of allyl halides and acetic acid. On the basis of present assignments of fundamental vibrational frequencies and assumed approximate structural parameters of the molecule, thermodynamic functions have been computed.     

Relationship between the Physicochemical Properties of Electrolytes and the Electronic Structure of Solvated Alkali Metal Cations

Group theoretical analysis and linear combinations of molecular orbitals of the cation and solvent are used to establish the nature and stability of bonds and hence the electric mobility of the cation and the viscosity of the electrolyte depending on the type of cation (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺) and molecules (H₂O, NH₃, H₂CO, (CH₃)₂CO, CH₃CN). Solvation effects on the UV photoelectron and intramolecular vibrational IR and NMR spectra are revealed.     

Ã2Σ+g → X̃2Πu emission band system of dicyanoacetylene radical cation in the gaseous phase

The emission spectrum of the dicyanoacetylene radical cation has been observed in the 580–720 nm wavelength region as a result of low energy electron impact excitation in a crossed-beam arrangement. The band system is attributed to the òΣ⁺_g → X?²Π_u electronic transition by comparison with the photoelectron spectroscopic and calculated data on the states of dicyanoacetylene cation. The frequencies of the three Σ⁺_g vibrational fundamentals in the ground cation state have been deduced from the emission spectrum. The lifetime of the lowest vibrational level of the òΣ⁺_g state of dicyanoacetylene cation was determined to be 13 ± 2 ns. Emission could not be detected from the corresponding states, òΣ⁺, of fluorocyanoacetylene and cyanoacetylene cations, and these results are discussed.     

Gas-phase protonation and methyl cation transfer from methyl halide ions

The ion-molecule reactions between [CH₃X]⁺˙ [CH₃XH] ⁺, [CH₃XCH₃]⁺ ions (X = F, Cl, Br, I) and a number of nucleophiles have been studied by ion cyclotron resonance techniques. Protonation of the nucleophiles is observed to occur from both the molecular ions [CH₃]X⁺˙ and protonated species [CH₃XH]⁺ whereas dimethylhalonium ions [CH₃XCH₃]⁺ react principally by methyl cation transfer. A notable exception occurs in methyl iodide where the molecular ions [CH₃I]⁺˙ act both as proton and methyl cation donors, whereas dimethyliodonium ions are found unreactive. The results are discussed with reference to the use of alkyl halides as reagent gases in chemical ionization experiments.     

CH2 + transfer to pyridine nucleophiles: a means of producing α-distonic ions

The distonic radical cation C₅H₅N⁺?^·CH₂ can be generated by the reactions of neutral pyridine with the radical cations of cyclopropane, ethylene oxide, and ketene, as well as with the [C₃H₆]⁺ ion from fragmentation of tetrahydrofuran. The distonic product ion can be distinguished from isomeric methylpyridine radical cations because the former gives characteristic [M?CH₂]⁺, [M ? CH₂NCH]⁺, and a doubly charged ion, all of which are produced on collisional activation. Furthermore, the distonic species completely transfers CH₂ ⁺ to more nucleophilic, substituted pyridines. These properties are all consistent with the assigned distonic structure. Another distonic isomer, the (3-methylene) pyridinium ion, can be distinguished from the (1-methylene)pyridinium ion on the basis of their different fragmentation behaviors. The latter ion exhibits higher stability (lower reactivity) than the prototypal [·CH₂NH₃ ⁺], making available a distonic species whose bimolecular reactivity can be readily investigated.     

Unusual complex between 18-Crown-6 and tetramethylammonium cation—detection by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Complexes between crown ethers and quaternary ammonium cations have been studied by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The ESI-MS method has been shown to allow observation of not only stable inclusion complexes between large crown ethers and tetramethylammonium cation (e.g. [DB30C10 + (CH₃)₄N]⁺ ion) but also of unstable inclusion complexes between smaller crown ethers and quaternary ammonium cations which are difficult to observe by other methods, namely [18C6 + (CH₃)₄N]⁺ ion. Stability of the complexes between crown ethers containing aromatic ring and tetramethylammonium cation is enhanced by cation-Π interactions. The molecule of 18C6 does not contain aromatic rings, thus [18C6 + (CH₃)₄N]⁺ ion exists due to the formation of C–H···O hydrogen bonds. Such a complex is quite unusual, since C–H···O hydrogen bonds are very weak and usually coexist with other strong interactions.     

Chemical ionization desorption mass spectrometry of some quaternary ammonium salts

The ammonia chemical ionization desorption spectra of N,N-dimethyl quaternary ammonium iodides in addition to high protonated molecular ion [M + H]⁺ intensity, show signals for an ion radical composed of N-methyl abstracted salt cation and ammonia [C + NH₃? CH₃]^+˙. These ions corresponding to the cation +2 show increased importance in the chemical ionization mode, using the same reagent gas. The technique of chemical ionization desorption appears suitable for the analysis of salts, and thus for the determination of the molecular weight of both anion and cation.