Valence bond descriptions of benzene and cyclobutadiene and their counterparts with localized bonds

Geometry optimizations have been performed for benzene and cyclobutadiene and for the corresponding moieties with nonresonating double bonds, viz. 1,3,5‐cyclohexatriene and 1,3‐cyclobutadiene. The calculations were done using the valence bond self‐consistent field method including orbital optimization. Both strictly local and delocalized p‐like orbitals were used for the π system, which influences the strengths of the π bonds. The calculations result in geometries and resonance and stabilization energies for benzene and cyclobutadiene, which are compared with theoretical models of aromaticity. The importance of resonance is discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2003     

13C NMR Spectroscopy of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes Can Selectively Probe σ Donation in Gold(I) Complexes

The Dewar–Chatt–Duncanson (DCD) model provides a successful theoretical framework to describe the nature of the chemical bond in transition-metal compounds and is especially useful in structural chemistry and catalysis. However, how to actually measure its constituents (substrate-to-metal donation and metal-to-substrate back-donation) is yet uncertain. Recently, we demonstrated that the DCD components can be neatly disentangled and the π back-donation component put in strict correlation with some experimental observables. In the present work we make a further crucial step forward, showing that, in a large set of charged and neutral N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of gold(I), a specific component of the NMR chemical shift tensor of the carbenic carbon provides a selective measure of the σ donation. This work opens the possibility of 1) to characterize unambiguously the electronic structure of a metal fragment (LAu(I)^n+/0 in this case) by actually measuring its σ-withdrawing ability, 2) to quickly establish a comparative trend for the ligand trans effect, and 3) to achieve a more rigorous control of the ligand electronic effect, which is a key aspect for the design of new catalysts and metal complexes.     

Evidence from current-density mapping for σ-delocalisation in the aromatic hexaiodobenzene cation

Calculation of high σ-delocalisation in the iodine periphery of the hexaiodobenzene cation, accompanied by a four-electron through-space σ ring current, provides direct computational evidence for the attribution to this ion of σ-aromaticity co-existing with the conventional π-aromaticity that it shares with its neutral parent.     

Efficient Computation of Geometries for Gold Complexes

Computationally obtaining structural parameters along a reaction coordinate is commonly performed with Kohn-Sham density functional theory which generally provides a good balance between speed and accuracy. However, CPU times still range from inconvenient to prohibitive, depending on the size of the system under study. Herein, the tight binding GFN2-xTB method [C. Bannwarth, S. Ehlert, S. Grimme, J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2019 , 15, 1652] is investigated as an alternative to produce reasonable geometries along a reaction path, that is, reactant, product and transition state structures for a series of transformations involving gold complexes. A small mean error (1 kcal/mol) was found, with respect to an efficient composite hybrid-GGA exchange-correlation functional (PBEh-3c) paired with a double-ζ basis set, which is 2–3 orders of magnitude slower. The outlined protocol may serve as a rapid tool to probe the viability of proposed mechanistic pathways in the field of gold catalysis.     

A study of the anisotropy of stress in a fluid confined in a nanochannel

We present molecular dynamics simulations of planar Poiseuille flow of a Lennard-Jones fluid at various temperatures and body forces. Local thermostatting is used close to the walls to reach steady-state up to a limit body force. Macroscopic fields are obtained from microscopic data by time- and space-averaging and smoothing the data with a self-consistent coarse-graining method based on kernel interpolation. Two phenomena make the system interesting: (i) strongly confined fluids show layering, i.e., strong oscillations in density near the walls, and (ii) the stress deviates from the Newtonian fluid assumption, not only in the layered regime, but also much further away from the walls. Various scalar, vectorial, and tensorial fields are analyzed and related to each other in order to understand better the effects of both the inhomogeneous density and the anisotropy on the flow behavior and rheology. The eigenvalues and eigendirections of the stress tensor are used to quantify the anisotropy in stress and form the basis of a newly proposed objective, inherently anisotropic constitutive model that allows for non-collinear stress and strain gradient by construction.     

Preparation and characterization of low dispersity anionic multiresponsive core-shell polymer nanoparticles

We prepared anionic multistimuli responsive core-shell polymer nanoparticles with very low size dispersity. By using either acrylic acid (AA) or methacrylic acid (MA) as a comonomer in the poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) shell, we are able to change the distribution of negative charges in the nanoparticle shell. The particle size, volume phase transition temperature, and aggregation state can be modulated using temperature, pH, or ionic strength, providing a very versatile platform for applications in sensors, medical diagnostics, environmental remediation, etc. The nanoparticles have a glassy poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) core of ca. 40 nm radius and a cross-linked PNIPAM anionic shell with either AA or MA comonomers. The particles, p(N-AA) and p(MA-N), respectively, have the same total charge but different charge distributions. While the p(MA-N) particles have the negative charges preferentially distributed toward the inner shell, in the case of the p(N-AA) particles the charge extends more to the particle outer shell. The volume phase transition temperature (T(VPT)) of the particles is affected by the charge distribution and can be fine-tuned by controlling the electrostatic repulsion on the particle shell (using pH and ionic strength). By suppressing the particle charge we can also induce temperature-driven particle aggregation.     

Phase distribution visualisation in continuous counter-current extraction

Flow visualisation is essential when trying to understand hydrodynamic equilibrium in continuous counter-current extraction (CCCE) (also known as dual-flow counter-current chromatography). The technique allows two immiscible liquid phases to be pumped through the spinning coil simultaneously in opposite directions. When this process was described previously it was assumed that the phases were evenly distributed throughout the coil. Visualisation studies by van den Heuvel and Sutherland in 2007 showed that this was not the case. A special centrifuge, where the coil is cantilevered so that the coil and the fluids inside the coil can be visualised, was used to study the distribution of the phases. Factorial experimental design was used to systematically study the effect of the starting conditions inside the coil on the phase distribution at equilibrium. For each experiment the eluted volumes and the volume of upper phase in the coil at the end of the experiment (at equilibrium) were recorded. In addition, two photographs were taken when the phases in the coil had reached equilibrium. One of these photographs was taken during the experiment when the phases were still being pumped through and one when the flow was stopped. The systematic experiments showed that the initial phase inside the coil has no effect on the phase distribution achieved at equilibrium. Statistical analysis also showed that the lower phase flow rate has double the effect on the phase distribution compared to the upper phase flow rate. From these visualisation studies, it can be concluded that the balance of the phases flowing through the coil at equilibrium is complex. The volumes of upper and lower phase and how they are distributed does influence the separation. It is important therefore to understand the relationship between respective flow rates and the phase distribution if peak elution is to be accurately predicted.     

Relativistic ring currents in metallabenzenes: an analysis in terms of contributions of localised orbitals

Ring currents calculated in the ipsocentric CTOCD-DZ formalism are presented for four representative metallabenzenes, compounds in which a benzene CH group is formally replaced by a transition metal atom with ligands. Aromaticity is probed using ring currents computed using non-relativistic and relativistic orbitals (derived with relativistic effective core potentials or ZORA). Maps computed at different levels of relativistic theory turn out to be similar, showing that orbital nodal character is the main determinant of ring current. Diatropic/paratropic global ring currents in these compounds, and also circulations localised on the metal centre, are interpreted in terms of contributions of localised π-type orbitals and metal d-orbitals, respectively. All four considered metallabenzenes should be regarded as 6π electron species, despite the fact that three support diatropic ('aromatic') ring currents and one a paratropic ('anti-aromatic') current. The current-density maps determine the correct way to count electrons in these species: differential occupation of d-orbitals of formal π-symmetry contributes to circulation on the metal centre, but not around the benzenoid ring. The overall trend from strongly diatropic to weakly paratropic ring currents along the series 1 to 4 is explained by the increasing strength of interaction between formally non-bonding orbitals on the metal centre and C(5)H(5) moiety, which together make up the six-membered ring.