Molecular orbital calculations on the conformation of polypeptides and proteins

Quantum mechanical calculations using the PCILO method have been performed on the tripeptide model CH₃CO-X-Y-NHCH₃. Competition between C₅, C₇, C₁₀ rings and open structures has been investigated through mapping of the whole {φ, Ψ} conformational space and energy minimization. From these results, it appears that the C₁₀ ring simulating the folding named U-turn, involving a hydrogen bond between the i...i + 3 residues, is the most probable structure although not the most stable in energy. The results are used for predicting the frequency of U-turns in proteins, α-chymotrypsin is given as an example.     

Self-consistent reaction field calculation of solvent reorganization energy in electron transfer: a dipole-reaction field interaction model

Based on the continuum dielectric model, this work has established the relationship between the solvent reorganization energy of electron transfer (ET) and the equilibrium solvation free energy. The dipole-reaction field interaction model has been proposed to describe the electrostatic solute-solvent interaction. The self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) approach has been applied to the calculation of the solvent reorganization energy in self-exchange reactions. A series of redox couples, O₂/O⁻ ₂, NO/NO⁺, O₃/O⁻ ₃, N₃/N⁻ ₃, NO₂/NO⁺ ₂, CO₂/CO⁻ ₂, SO₂/SO⁻ ₂, and ClO₂/ClO⁻ ₂, as well as (CH₂)₂C-(-CH₂-) _n -C(CH₂)₂ (n=1 ∼ 3) model systems have been investigated using ab initio calculation. For these ET systems, solvent reorganization energies have been estimated. Comparisons between our single-sphere approximation and the Marcus two-sphere model have also been made. For the inner reorganization energies of inorganic redox couples, errors are found not larger than 15% when comparing our SCRF results with those obtained from the experimental estimation. While for the (CH₂)₂C–(–CH₂–) _n –C(CH₂)₂ (n=1 ∼ 3) systems, the results reveal that the solvent reorganization energy strongly depends on the bridge length due to the variation of the dipole moment of the ionic solute, and that solvent reorganization energies for different systems lead to slightly different two-sphere radii. Received: 19 April 2000 / Accepted: 6 July 2000 / Published online: 27 September 2000     

Mn(III) Hexafluoroacetylacetonate as an Oxidative Agent in the Synthesis of Heterobimetallic <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-Diketonates

New synthetic approach for the preparation of heterometallic β-diketonates has been developed. Three manganese-containing diketonates, InMn(hfac)₃ (1), CdMn₂(hfac)₆ (2), and Hg₂Mn₂(hfac)₆ (3), have been isolated in quantitative yields by employing the solid state redox reaction of Mn(hfac)₃ with transition and main group metals. The heterometallic molecules are built on Lewis acid–base interactions between diketonate oxygens of the [Mn(hfac)₃]⁻ groups and “naked” metal centers that appear in the form of In⁺, Cd²⁺, and Hg₂²⁺ cations. Compounds 1–3 have been shown to retain a heterometallic structure upon sublimation–deposition procedure as well as in solutions of non-coordinating solvents.     

Solvation Structure and Complexation of the Manganese(II) Ion in N,N-Dimethylpropionamide and N,N,N′,N′-Tetramethylurea Studied by Means of Titration Calorimetry and Raman Spectroscopy

Aprotic N,N-dimethylpropionamide (DMPA) and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylurea (TMU) are both strong donor solvents and coordinate to metal ions through the carbonyl oxygen atom. These solvents show a different conformational aspect in the bulk phase, i.e., DMPA exists as either a planar cis or a nonplanar staggered conformer, while TMU exists in a single planar cis conformer. It has been established that the manganese(II) ion is solvated by five molecules in both solvents. Interestingly, although the planar cis conformer of DMPA is more favorable than the nonplanar staggered one in the bulk phase, the reverse is the case in the coordination sphere of the metal ion, i.e., a conformational change occurs upon solvation. To reveal the thermodynamic aspect of this conformational change, the complexation of Mn(II) with bromide ions in DMPA and TMU has been studied by titration calorimetry at 298 K. It was found that the Mn(II) ion forms mono-, di- and tri-bromo complexes in both solvents, and their formation constants, enthalpies and entropies were obtained. The Δ H∘₁ value for MnBr⁺ strongly depends on the solvent, i.e., it is positive (19.4 kJ-mol⁻¹) in DMPA and negative (−8.7 kJ-mol⁻¹) in TMU, whereas the Δ H^∘₂ and Δ H∘₃ values for the stepwise formation of MnBr₂ and MnBr₃⁻ are both small and negative. The enthalpy of transfer Δ_tH^∘ from DMPA to TMU, which is evaluated on the basis of the extrathermodynamic TATB assumption, is 25.5 kJ-mol⁻¹ for Mn²⁺ and −3.6 kJ-mol⁻¹ for MnBr⁺. These values indicate that the difference between the formation enthalpy of MnBr⁺ in the two solvents, Δ H^∘₁ (DMPA) – Δ H∘₁ (TMU), is mainly ascribed to the value of Δ_tH^∘(Mn²⁺). It is found that the metal ion is also five-coordinated in the monobromo complex, MnBr(DMPA)₄⁺ . The enthalpy for the conformational change of DMPA from its planar cis to the nonplanar staggered form is evaluated to be −11 and −5.5 kJ-mol⁻¹ for Mn(DMPA)₅^{2 +} and MnBr(DMPA)₄⁺, respectively. Note that these values are significantly smaller than the corresponding value (5.0 kJ-mol⁻¹) in the bulk phase. We thus conclude that, although steric hindrance among solvent molecules is reduced by replacing one DMPA of Mn(DMPA)₅^{2 +} with the relatively small bromide ion, DMPA molecules are still sterically hindered in the MnBr(DMPA)₄⁺ complex.     

Overestimation of the stability of the π-delocalized versus the σ-localized configuration in radicals by current density functionals: the case of vinylacyl radicals

 Calculations with the density functional theory (DFT) method using the most popular functional, Becke's three parameter hybrid with the Lee, Yang and Parr correlation functional, predict the π-delocalized configuration of the vinylacyl radical, CH₂=CH—C(•)=O, to be more stable than the σ-localized configuration in contrast with ab initio unrestricted quadratic configuration interaction with single and double excitations calculations as previously found for the isoelectronic vinyl radical, Y-C(•)=CH₂, bearing π-type α substituents. Experimental evidence on the electronic configuration adopted by vinyl radicals is contrasting. In the present case comparison with experiment indicates firmly that the currently available density functionals overestimate the stability of π-delocalized versus σ-localized configurations in radicals since they favor the π configuration for the γ-methylvinylacyl radical, CH₃—CH=CH—C(•)=O, in contrast with unequivocal electron spin resonance data. This failure is mainly due to an incorrect estimate of dynamic correlation energy with DFT functionals. Received: 13 January 2000 / Accepted: 16 March 2000 / Published online: 21 June 2000     

Host–Guest Complexation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-, <Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>-Cyclodextrin with Alkyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromides in Aqueous Solution

As a continuation of our previous investigation, interactions between cyclodextrin (β-CD), γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) and alkyl trimethylammonium bromides in aqueous solutions have been studied with titration calorimetry and ¹H NMR at 298.15 K. The results are discussed in terms of the amphiphilic interaction of CD with surfactants and the iceberg structure formed by water molecules existing around the hydrophobic tail of surfactant molecules. The stoichiometry of the β-CD–surfactant system is 1:1 whereas that of the γ-CD–surfactant system is 1:2. The corresponding formation enthalpy (negative) of the complexes of the two systems decreases with an increase in the number of carbon atoms (n) in hydrophobic chain of surfactant molecule, C _n H_2n+1, whereas the entropy increases with the enlargement of n.     

苯乙烯三嗪衍生物的合成及在重金属离子识别中的应用

合成了2,4-二(2-噻吩乙烯基)-6-(4′-N,N-二甲氨基苯乙烯基)-1,3,5-均三嗪(2)并鉴定了其结构。在乙腈-水混合介质中,化合物2在355和416 nm处呈现双吸收峰,加入Cu2+,Hg2+和Fe3+后,均在520 nm附近形成新的吸收峰。化合物2与Cu2+、Hg2+和Fe3+均形成1∶1型配合物,其结合常数分别为1.9×105L·mol-1,6.6×103L·mol-1,2.7×103L·mol-1。对照化合物4与金属离子的光谱响应与化合物2相似,仅吸收峰的位置不同。因此,可认为化合物2和4中三嗪环中的N和噻吩环中的S与Cu2+、Hg2+和Fe3+共同配位形成了稳定的金属配合物。     

CaWO_4∶xEu~(3+),ySm~(3+),zLi~+红色荧光粉的制备及光学性能

采用微波固相法制备了CaWO_4∶xEu~(3+),ySm~(3+),zLi~+红色荧光粉。测量样品的XRD图、激发谱、发射谱及发光衰减曲线,研究并分析了Eu~(3+)、Sm~(3+)、Li~+的掺杂浓度,对样品微结构、光致发光特性、能量传递及能级寿命的影响。结果表明,Eu~(3+)、Sm~(3+)、Li~+掺杂并未引起合成粉体改变晶相,仍为CaWO_4单一四方晶系结构。Eu~(3+)、Sm~(3+)共掺样品中,Sm~(3+)掺杂为3%时,Sm~(3+)对Eu~(3+)的能量传递最有效。Li~+掺杂起到了助熔剂和敏化剂的作用,使样品发光更强。在394 nm激发下,与CaWO_4∶3%Eu~(3+)样品比较,3%Eu~(3+)、3%Sm~(3+)共掺CaWO_4及3%Eu~(3+)、3%Sm~(3+)、1%Li~+共掺CaWO_4样品的发光分别增强2倍及2.4倍。同一激发波长下,单掺Eu~(3+)样品寿命最短,Sm~(3+)、Eu~(3+)共掺样品随Sm~(3+)浓度增加,寿命先减小后增加,且掺杂了Li~+的样品比不掺Li~+的样品~5D_0能级寿命有所增加。     

颜色可调Sr3Y（BO3）3∶Tm3+，Dy3+荧光粉的发光性能及能量传递

采用高温固相法制备了Sr_3Y(BO_3)_3:xTm~(3+),yDy~(3+)荧光粉,并通过XRD、SEM和荧光光谱仪对样品的物相、微观形貌、发光性能、能量传递机制和CIE色坐标进行了分析。结果表明:Sr_3Y(BO_3)_3:xTm~(3+)荧光粉在监测波长为359 nm时发射蓝光,Tm~(3+)的浓度淬灭点为x=0.08;在Sr_3Y(BO_3)_3:0.08Tm~(3+),yDy~(3+)荧光粉中,随着Dy~(3+)掺杂浓度的增加,Tm~(3+)的发光强度降低而Dy~(3+)发光强度却先增加后降低,Dy~(3+)的浓度淬灭点为y=0.1;通过改变Dy~(3+)掺杂浓度或改变激发光的波长,均可实现发射光的颜色可调;在Tm~(3+)-Dy~(3+)离子之间存在能量传递。当Dy~(3+)掺杂浓度(物质的量分数)为0.15时能量传递效率达75.14%,能量传递机制为电偶极-电偶极相互作用。     

CEPA calculations on open-shell molecules. II. Singlet-triplet energy splitting in π2 configurations of diatomic molecules

The CEPA-PNO method is used for calculating the energy difference ΔE _ST between the³∑⁻ and the¹Δ states of diatomic molecules in electronic π² configurations. An analysis of the contribution of electron correlation to ΔE _ST is performed in terms of physically understandable effects such as direct correlation, dynamic spin polarization, semiinternal and internal excitations. It is shown that these effects are of completely different importance for the molecules treated in this study: For C₂ the direct correlation between the two singly occupied π-orbitals is the dominant correlation contribution to ΔE _ST; for O₂, S₂, SO the internal excitation π _u ² → π _g ² is predominant, whereas for NH and PH there is a close competition between the direct correlation and the spin polarization of the underlying σ-orbitals. The basis set dependence of these effects is investigated, in particular for NH. Our final results reproduce experimental values of ΔE _ST within 0.05–0.10 eV.