Conformational stability,barriers to internal rotation,structural parameters,ab initio calculations,and vibrational assignment of cyclopropanecarboxaldehyde

The asymmetric torsional potential function, conformational energy difference, vibrational frequencies, and structural parameters of Cyclopropane-carboxaldehyde have been obtained from ab initio calculations at the 3–21G and/or 6-31G^* baiss set levels. These results have allowed for a reinterpretation or clarification of some of the corresponding results obtained from experiment. The conformations that have the oxygen atom oriented cis and trans to the three-membered ring are observed and calculated to be the most stable and high energy forms in the gaseous phase, respectively. From the ab initio calculations using the 6–31 G^* basis set, the energy difference between the two conformers is 114 cm^–1. For the liquid, the trans conformer is more stable and is the only rotamer present in the annealed solid. Based on a combination of results obtained from ab initio calculations, microwave spectroscopy, and the electron diffraction technique,r _o structural parameters have been obtained for both conformations.     

Performance of semiempirical methods in fullerene chemistry: relative energies and nucleus-independent chemical shifts

Semiempirical MNDO, AM1, and PM3 calculations are reported for 153 fullerene isomers in an attempt to assess the reliability of these methods through comparisons with ab initio and density functional results. B3LYP/6-31G^* relative energies are generally reproduced quite well by these calculations. Qualitative trends in ab initio nucleus-independent chemical shifts at the cage centers are captured by the semiempirical GIAO-MNDO approach while underestimating their absolute values. The agreement between the semiempirical results and the ab initio or density functional reference data is generally better for the larger fullerenes (C₆₀–C₁₀₂) than for the smaller ones (C₂₀–C₅₀). These systematic comparisons clarify the accuracy that may be expected from semiempirical computations in fullerene chemistry.     

Theoretical studies of the benzene oxide—oxepin valence tautomerism

We have calculated the geometry and energy of the valence tautomers benzene oxide and oxepin using the semiempirical AM1 model and the 6–31G and 6–31G^* basis sets utilizing full geometry optimization. In the oxide the folding angle, the angle between the epoxide ring and the adjacent plane containing four carbon atoms, is about 106°. The carbon skeleton is almost planar, the folding angle, the angle between the two four-carbon atom planes being about 175°. In contrast, oxepin is found to have a marked boat-shaped structure with the corresponding and angles about 137° and 159°, respectively. The AM1, 6–31G, and 6–31G^* calculations give –11.4, –10.8, and –2.9 kcal mol^–1 for the energy change that accompanies the valence tautomerism, oxide-oxepin, compared to an experimental value of about +0.3 kcal mol^–1. Single point calculations of the energies at the 6–31 G^* geometry using Møller-Plesset perturbation theory to second order (MP2/6–31 G^*) and third order (MP3/6–31G^*) give E _T =+3.3 and +0.8 kcal mol^–1. The values for the energy change in the transfer of epoxide oxygen from ethylene oxide to benzene using AM1, 6–31G, and 6–31G^* are in good agreement, viz., +31.1, +34.5, and +33.6 kcal mol^–1, respectively. A large positive energy change is to be expected in view of the loss of benzene aromaticity.     

Anab initio investigation of rotation and inversion barriers in formylphosphine

Rotation about N–CO bonds in amides has been extensively investigated, but a corresponding barrier to rotation about the P–CO bond in an acylphosphine has yet to be observed. In the present 4-31Gab initio study of formylphosphine, rotation barriers of 9.6 and 13.5 kJ mol^–1 and a phosphorus pyramidal inversion barrier of 108.0 kJ mol^–1 are predicted. A comparison of STO-3G and STO-3G^* barriers suggests that polarization functions are not needed to describe rotation in this system.

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Eine ab initio Untersuchung von Rotations- und Inversions-Barrieren in Formylphosphin

Zusammenfassung Die Rotation um N–CO-Bindungen in Amiden wurde bisher intensiv untersucht, eine entsprechende Rotationsbarriere für Drehungen um die P–CO-Bindung in Acylphosphinen wurde jedoch nicht beobachtet. Eine 4-31Gab initio-Untersuchung an Formylphosphin ergibt Rotationsbarrieren von 9,6 und 13,5 kJ mol^–1 und eine pyramidale Inversionsbarriere von 108,0 kJ mol^–1 als Voraussage. Ein Vergleich der STO-3G und STO-3G^* Barrieren legt nahe, daß Polarisationsfunktionen für die Beschreibung der Rotation in diesen Systemen nicht nötig sind.

     

ab initio calculations of the geometrical and electronic structure of thiophene and 2-chlorothiophene molecules

Features of the structure of thiophene and 2-chlorothiophene molecules have been analyzed from the results of ab initio calculations using the RHF/6-31G^* method.Institute for Technical Chemistry, Ural Department, Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm 614000, Russia; email: cheminst@mail.psu.ru. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 40–43, January, 1999.     

Unimolecular rearrangement of α-silylcarbenium ions. An ab initio study

The unimolecular rearrangements of hydrogen, methyl and phenyl groups at the Si atom in α-silylcarbenium ions have been investigated using an ab initio molecular orbital method. MP2/6–31 + G^*//HF/6–31G^* calculations predict that all three groups migrate from the Si to an adjacent C_α with no energy barrier. Thus, the silicenium ion is the only stable species in each potential energy surface. The conformation of the benzylsilicenium ion, (C₆H₅)CH₂−SiH₂⁺, indicates that the phenyl ring is significantly bent toward the silyl cationic center in order to interact with the vacant 3p(Si⁺) orbital. In contrast to MP2 results, Hartree-Fuck calculations (both HF/3–21G^* and HF/6–31G^* levels) predict small energy barriers for 1,2-migrations of H and Me (1.4 kcal mol⁻¹ for H migration, and 1.5 kcal mol⁻¹ for Me migration, respectively, at the HF/6–31G^* level). This difference provides convincing evidence that the incorporation of electron correlation is of particular importance in describing the potential energy surface for the rearrangement of α-silylcarbenium ions to silicenium ions. The results of the calculations have also been applied to the possible rearrangement mechanism of α-chlorosilanes to chlorosilanes, assuming that the experimental conditions are favorable toward the generation of ionic species. Various factors which may govern the migratory aptitudes of various R groups, i.e. (1) activation energies, (2) overall reaction energies and (3) the conformational preference of reactants have been investigated. The calculated activation energy obtained, namely the energy for the generation of the silicenium ion and the C⁻¹ ion from an α-chlorosilane, is consistent with the experimental migratory aptitude in the gas phase observed in mass spectrometers.     

A quantum-mechanical study of the chain-length dependent stability of the extended and 310-helix conformations in dehydroalanine oligopeptides

Summary A quantum-chemical study of the chain-length dependent stability of the extended, 2₇-ribbon and 3₁₀-helix conformations in dehydroalanine (Ala) oligopeptides has been performed by using both semiempirical AM1 and ab initio 4–31G methodologies. The validity of both methods in the study of the conformational properties of Ala oligopeptides was tested first on the dipeptide. The results of this test showed that 4–31G and AM1 calculations are in good agreement with 6–31G^* calculations and experimental data. In order to monitor the conformational conversions, Ala oligopeptides comprising two to six residues were constructed. Molecular geometries were fully optimized using AM1, and the final conformations were verified to be minima by analysis of the corresponding second-derivative matrices. Conformational studies revealed that the 3₁₀-helix is stabilized with respect to the 2₇-ribbon when the number of residues is three or four, at the AM1 and ab initio 4–31G level respectively, while the extended form is the most stable in all the calculations performed. On the other hand, if a linear behaviour is assumed for longer chains, our calculations show a trend that would predict a conversion from extended form to 3₁₀-helix in oligopeptides with around six (ab initio 4–31G) or eight (AM1) Ala residues. In order to explain these conformational changes, the cooperative effects for the different conformers were investigated. Large cooperative energy effects were found for the 3₁₀-helix conformation.     

Raman and infrared spectra,conformational stability,barriers to internal rotation,r 0 structural parameters,ab initio calculations,and vibrational assignment for vinyl chloroformate

The Raman (3200 to 10 cm^–1) and infrared (3500 to 50 cm^–1) spectra of vinyl chloroformate, H₂C=CHOC(O)Cl, have been recorded for both the gas and solid. Additionally, the Raman spectrum of the liquid has been recorded, and depolarization ratios have been obtained. These data have been interpreted on the basis that the only stable conformation present at ambient temperature is thetrans-trans rotamer, where the firsttrans refers to the vinyl moiety relative to the O—CCl bond and the second to the C—Cl bond relative to the=C—O bond. Using harmonic rigid asymmetric top calculations, the infrared vapor phase contours for the C=O and the C=C stretch were predicted for thetrans-trans and for thecis-trans conformer, and were compared with experiment. For both fundamentals thetrans-trans hybrid reproduces the experimental contour, whereas thecis-trans contours fail to do so for both fundamentals. From far-infrared spectrum of the vapor obtained at 0.1 cm^–1 resolution, the C(O)Cl andO-vinyl torsional fundamentals have been observed at 132 and 61 cm^–1, respectively. Ther ₀ structural parameters have been obtained from a combination of ab initio calculated parameters with appropriate offset values and the fit of the microwave rotational constants for the two naturally occurring chlorine isotopes. The structure, barrier to internal rotation, and vibrational frequencies have been determined from ab initio Hartree-Fock gradient calculations, using the 3-21G^* and 6-31G^* basis sets. These results are compared to those obtained experimentally and to similar quantities for some related molecules.     

Solvent effects on ozonolysis reaction intermediates

Solvent effects on relative stability, electronic and molecular structure of ozonolysis reaction intermediates are analyzed with the help of ab initio MP2/6-31+G^** calculations. A continuum model is employed to account for solute–solvent electrostatic interactions. The results show that there are large effects on the structure and relative stability of carbonyl oxide by substantially favoring its zwitterionic character. A complex formed by carbonyl oxide and formaldehyde is shown to be stable in the gas phase and in solution. This complex can be involved in solvent cage reactions leading to secondary ozonides. Thermodynamically, primary ozonide decomposition is favored by the solvent.     

AB Initio and MNDO calculations of atomic interactions in the CH3OCOCl molecule

The CH₃OCOCl molecule is calculated by ab initio methods using the split-valence basis sets at RHF/3-21G//RHF/3-21G, RHF/6-31G^*//RHF/6-31G^*, and RHF/6-311G^*//RHF/6-31G^* levels of theory and in the MNDO approximation. The optimized geometry of the molecule is consistent with the experimental data. The populations of the p-AOs of this molecule and the MO compositions show that the electron distribution in this molecule should be interpreted without considering the conjugation between the lone electron pairs of the Cl or O atoms and the π-electron system of the carbonyl group. The asymmetry parameters of the electric field gradient on the³⁵Cl nucleus were calculated using the Cl p-AO populations and compared with the corresponding experimental value. Instite of Technical Chemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated fromZhurnal Struktumoi Khimii, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 646–651, July–August, 1996. Translated by I. Izvekova     

Far-infrared spectrum,conformational stability,barriers to internal rotation,normal coordinate calculations,and vibrational assignment for chloroacetaldehyde

The far infrared spectrum [350 to 25 cm^–1] of gaseous chloroacetaldehyde, ClCH₂CHO, has been recorded at a resolution of 0.10 cm^–1. The first excited-state transition of the asymmetric torsion of the more stable near s-cis [chlorine atom s-cis to the aldehyde hydrogen atom] conformer has been observed at 26.9 cm^–1, with seven additional upper state transitions falling to higher frequency. Additionally, the fundamental torsional transition of the s-trans conformer has been observed at 58.9 cm^–1 with two excited states also falling to higher frequency. From these data, the asymmetric torsional potential coefficients have been determined to be:V ₁=414±11;V ₂ = 191±3;V ₃=–203±5;V ₄=44±1 andV ₆=–26±1 cm^–1. The s-cis to s-trans barrier is 500±5 cm^–1 (1.43±0.01 kcal mol^–1) with the s-cis conformer being more stable by 267±19 cm^–1 (0.76±0.05 kcal mol^–1) than the s-trans form. The Raman [4000 to 100 cm^–1] and infrared (4000 to 400 cm^–1] spectra of the gas have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman spectrum of the liquid has been recorded and qualitative depolarization values obtained. Complete vibrational assignments are proposed for both conformers based on band contours, depolarization values, and group frequencies. The assignments are supported by ab initio Hartree-Fock gradient calculations employing the 3–21G^* basis set to obtain the frequencies and the potential energy distributions for the normal vibrations for both rotamers. Additional ab initio calculations at the MP4/6-31G^* level have been carried out to determine the structural parameters for both conformers. The results are discussed and compared with the corresponding quantities obtained for some similar molecules.This contribution taken in part from the thesis of C. L. Tolley which will be submitted to the Department of Chemistry in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree.     

Infrared and raman spectra,vibrational assignments,normal coordinate analysis,and ab initio calculations of methyltrifluoromethyldisulfide and bis(trifluoromethyl)disulfide

The infrared and Raman (3500-35 cm^–1) spectra of gaseous and solid methyltrifluoromethyldisulfide, CF₃SSCH₃, and bis(trifluoromethyl)disulfide, CF₃SSCF₃, have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman spectra of the neat liquids have been obtained and qualitative depolarization values have been measured. These vibrational data have been interpreted, for both molecules, on the basis that the C-S-S-C dihedral angle is approximately 90°. Vibrational assignments are given for both molecules and are supported by normal coordinate calculations utilizing ab initio Hartree-Fock gradient calculations with the 3-21G^* basis set to obtain the frequencies for the normal modes and potential energy distributions. The CH₃ and CF₃ torsional modes have been observed at 140 and 48 cm^–1, respectively, for CF₃SSCH₃, from which periodic barriers of 485 cm^–1 (1.39 kcal mol^–1) and 853 cm^–1 (2.44 kcal mol^–1), respectively, have been calculated. Complete equilibrium geometries have been determined for both molecules by ab initio calculations employing both 3–21G and 6–31G basis sets. The structural parameters for bis(trifluoromethyl)disulfide are compared to those suggested from electron diffraction studies. The results are compared to corresponding quantities obtained for some similar molecules.Taken in part from the thesis of M. M. Bergana which will be submitted to the Department of Chemistry in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree.     

A gas phase ab initio excited state geometry optimization study of thymine, cytosine and uracil

Molecular geometries of the nucleic acid bases thymine, cytosine and uracil in the ground and the lowest two singlet excited states were optimized using the ab initio approach employing the 4-31G basis set for all the atoms except the amino group of cytosine for which the 6-311+G^* basis set was used. The excited state calculations were performed employing configuration interaction involving singly excited configurations (CIS). Vibrational frequencies were computed in order to examine the nature of the stationary points on the potential energy surfaces obtained by geometry optimization. While the ground state geometries of uracil and thymine (except the methyl group hydrogens) are planar, the corresponding excited state geometries were found to be significantly nonplanar. In the case of cytosine, the amino group is pyramidal and the rest of the molecule is only slightly nonplanar in the ground state, but the excited state geometries are appreciably nonplanar. In particular, consequent to the S₂(n–π^*) excitation of cytosine, the amino group plane is strongly rotated. While thymine is stable in the S₂(π–π^*) excited state, uracil appears to be dissociative in the corresponding excited state.     

Investigation of the structure, the optical properties, and the photophysics of some indolocarbazoles having terminal aromatic rings

Structures, optical properties, and photophysics of ladder indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles substituted symmetrically by phenylene and thiophene rings have been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The ground state optimized structures were obtained using the density functional theory (DFT) as approximated by the B3LYP functional and employing the 6-31G^* basis set. All derivatives were found nonplanar in their electronic ground states. The character and the energy of the singlet–singlet electronic transitions have been investigated by applying the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to the correspondingly optimized-ground-state geometries. The ab initio restricted configuration interaction (singles) method (RCIS/6-31G^*) was adopted to obtain the first singlet excited-state structures (S₁) of the molecule. TDDFT calculations performed on the S₁ optimized geometries was used to obtain emission energies. UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopies were analyzed in conjunction with theoretical calculations. The computed excitation and emission energies were found in reasonable agreement with the experimental absorption and fluorescence spectra. Finally, the photophysical behavior of the indolocarbazoles have been studied by means of steady state and time resolved fluorescence. The overall data have allowed the determination of the rate constants for the radiative and nonradiative decay processes. Both theoretical and experimental data show that the replacement of phenylene rings by thiophene units induces a red shift in the absorption and fluorescence spectra. This behavior is interpreted in terms of the electron donor properties of the thiophene ring. On the other hand, the change of the substitutional pattern, from 2,8 to 3,9, causes a significant hypsochromic shift of the absorption and fluorescence bands.     

An ab initio Molecular Orbital Study of the Conformational Properties of all-( Z )-Cyclododeca-1,4,7,10-tetraene

 Ab initio HF/6-31G^* and MP2/6-31G^*//HF/6-31G^* methods were used to calculate the structure optimization and conformational interconversion pathways for all-(Z )-cyclododeca-1,4,7,10-tetraene. This compound adopts the symmetrical crown (C _4v) conformation. Ring inversion takes place via symmetrical intermediates, such as boat-chair (BC, C _s) and twist (C _2h) conformers and requires about 22.3 kJ · mol⁻¹. The calculated strain energies for BC and twist conformers are 5.9 and 13.5 kJ · mol⁻¹. The results of semiempirical AM1 calculations for structural parameters and relative energies of the important geometries of the title compound are in good agreement with the results of ab initio methods.     

Double H-bridged and single H-bridged diboryl radicals

The structures of B₂H₅·, B₂H₅CO·, and B₂H₅N₂· radicals are investigated using the 6–31G^* basis set. Both double H-bridged and single H-bridged isomers are found to be local minima on the potential energy surface. The effects of electron correlation are taken into account using single point MP4/6–31G^* calculations and, for the diboryl radicals, complete MP3/6–31G^* optimizations. In all cases the single H-bridged isomers are found to be more stable than the corresponding double H-bridged isomers.The transition state for the double H-bridged to single H-bridged B₂H₅· isomerization reaction is calculated to be 2.54 kcal mol^–1 above the double H-bridged radical at the MP4SDTQ/6-31G^*//UHF/ 6–31 G^* level when corrected for zero point energy. Barrier tunneling increased the reaction rate by a factor of 2.5–3.0, strongly suggesting the system is fluxional at this temperature.The addition of CO and N₂ to the diboryl radicals leads to relocation of the unpaired electron and rehybridization of the C and N atoms adjacent to the boron atoms. The isomers of B₂H₅CO· and B₂H₅N₂· are different and should be distinguishable experimentally. While the CO moiety is bound to the diboryl radicals isomers by over 19 kcal mol^–1, no binding energy is evident for N₂.     

Semiempirical andab initio study of the structure of the alumophenylsiloxane complex and its fragments

The structures, spectra, and electron density distributions of the alumophenylsiloxane (APS) complex and its fragments have been calculated using semiempirical (AM1) and ab initio (SCF/3-21G and SCF/6-31G^*) quantum chemical approximations. It has been shown that the local properties of the central fragment of alumophenylsiloxane, which is a slightly distorted tetrahedron AlO₄, are described with the (LiO)₂AlOBe(OH) cluster. M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. I. M. Gubkin State Academy of Oil and Gas. Translated fromZhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 410–417, May–June, 1995. Translated by I. Izvekova     

Suitability of the PM3-derived molecular electrostatic potentials

A systematic study of the suitability of PM3-derived molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs) is presented. Forty-six MEP minima, 81 electrostatic charges, and 17 electrostatic dipoles were determined at the PM3 level and compared with those obtained from the ab initio 6-31G* wave function, as well as from the semiempirical MNDO and AM1 wave functions. The statistical results of the comparison analysis between semiempirical and ab initio 6-31G* MEPs show that PM3 is in general reliable for the study of the MEP minima but a mediocre method as a source of electrostatic charges. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Ab initio study of the structure and tautomerism of internally hydrogen-bonded aromatic carbonyls: Salicylamide,salicylic Acid,and O-hydroxybenzoyl cyanide

We carried out an ab initio study at the 3–21 G level with full geometric optimization of three compounds with intramolecular hydrogen bonds in their most stable conformations, namely salicylamide, salicylic acid, ando-hydroxybenzoyl cyanide. The energy of the hydrogen bonds was estimated and their structural effects were analyzed. We also studied the stability of the tautomers resulting from a proton transfer between the oxygen atoms by analyzing the potential surfaces of the tautomerization process. The potential surfaces of salicylamide and salicylic acid showed a single minimum, while that of the cyanide showed a double minimum with a scarcely significant inverse barrier (3.01 kJ/mol). Single point calculations at the 6–31+G^* level on salicylic acid showed a trend to appear a second minimum in the potential surface. Both the strength of the hydrogen bond and the occurrence of stable tautomers were found to be clearly correlated with the electron-releasing and electron-withdrawing ability of the organic functions present in each compound (-NH₂,-OH and -CN, respectively).