Theoretical study of [F−; e+] and [CN−; e+]

Ab initio calculations are presented for the [F^?; e⁺] and [CN^?; e⁺] complexes. Positron affinities of 4.99 and 3.79 eV are obtained for F^? and CN^?, respectively. The excitation energies to the low-lying excited states of the positron complexes are also calculated.     

High facial diastereoselectivity in intra- and intermolecular reactions of chiral benzylic cations

Chiral carbenium ions can be attacked by arene nucleophiles with high facial diastereoselectivity (dr >/= 94/6). Benzylic cations, such as 2, were generated under acidic conditions and reacted with arenes in intra- and intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction. The depicted reaction 1 --> 3 represents one example for the unprecedented, highly diastereoselective intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions which were observed in this study.     

Chemical behavior of the biradicaloid (HO...ONO) singlet states of peroxynitrous acid. The oxidation of hydrocarbons, sulfides, and selenides

Various high levels of theory have been applied to the characterization of two higher lying biradicaloid metastable singlet states of peroxynitrous acid. A singlet minimum (cis-2) was located that had an elongated O-O distance (2.17 A) and was only 12.2 kcal/mol [UB3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)+ZPVE] higher in energy than its ground-state precursor. A trans-metastable singlet (trans-2) was 10.9 kcal/mol higher in energy than ground-state HO-ONO. CASSCF(12,10)/6-311+G(d,p) calculations predict the optimized geometries of these cis- and trans-metastable singlets to be close to those obtained with DFT. Optimization of cis- and trans-2 within the COSMO solvent model suggests that both exist as energy minima in polar media. Both cis- and trans-2 exist as hydrogen bonded complexes with several water molecules. These collective data suggest that solvated forms of cis-2.3H(2)O and trans-2.3H(2)O represent the elusive higher lying biradicaloid minima that were recently (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 16204) advocated as the metastable forms of peroxynitrous acid (HOONO). The involvement of metastable trans-2 in the gas phase oxidation of methane and isobutane is firmly established to take place on the unrestricted [UB3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)] potential energy surface (PES) with classical activations barriers for the hydrogen abstraction step that are 15.7 and 5.9 kcal/mol lower than the corresponding activation energies for producing products methanol and tert-butyl alcohol formed on the restricted PES. The oxidation of dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl selenide, two-electron oxidations, proceeds by an S(N)2-like attack of the heteroatom lone pair on the O-O bond of ground-state peroxynitrous acid. No involvement of metastable forms of HO-ONO was discernible.     

Effect of film thickness and supercooling on the performance of cholesteryl cinnamate liquid crystal capillary columns

Improved separations of the isomers of olefinic aliphatic insect pheromones were obtained on cholesteryl cinnamate glass capillary columns by operating in the supercooled temperature range of the liquid crystal. Capillary columns were prepared with varying film thickness of the stationary phase; choice of the correct film thickness ensured optimum retention for a wide range of compounds within the most effective temperature range of the liquid crystal. The deactivation procedures described made the liquid crystal columns suitable for separation of the geometric isomers of polar and nonpolar compounds.     

Complex formation constants for the aqueous copper(I)-acetonitrile system by a simple general method

A simple spectrophotometric method for the evaluation of formation constants for aqueous copper(I) has been developed, based on the kinetics of reduction of Co(III)(NH(3))(5)X complexes. The method has been applied to the aqueous copper(I)-acetonitrile system to determine the successive formation constants beta(1), beta(2), and beta(3) as 4.3 x 10(2) M(-)(1), 1.0 x 10(4) M(-)(2), and 2.0 x 10(4) M(-)(3), respectively, in 0.14 M NaClO(4)/HClO(4) at 21 +/- 1 degrees C.     

Acrylonitrile polymerization by Cy3PCuMe and (Bipy)2FeEt2

Cy(3)PCuMe (1) undergoes reversible ligand redistribution at low temperature in solution to form the tight ion pair [Cu(PCy(3))(2)][CuMe(2)] (3). The structure of 3 was assigned on the basis of (i) the stoichiometry of the 1 = 3 equilibrium, (ii) the observation of a triplet for the PCy(3) C1 (13)C NMR resonance due to virtual coupling to two (31)P nuclei, and (iii) reverse synthesis of 1 by combining separately generated Cu(PCy(3))(2)(+) and CuMe(2)(-) ions. Complex 1 and [Cu(PCy(3))(2)][PF(6)] (5) coordinate additional PCy(3) to form (Cy(3)P)(2)CuMe and [Cu(PCy(3))(3)][PF(6)], respectively, while 3 does not. Complex 1, free PCy(3), and (bipy)(2)FeEt(2) (2) each initiate the polymerization of acrylonitrile. In each case, the polyacrylonitrile contains branches that are characteristic of an anionic polymerization mechanism. The major initiator in acrylonitrile polymerization by 1 is PCy(3), which is liberated from 1. A transient iron hydride complex is proposed to initiate acrylonitrile polymerization by 2.     

The use of Hückel theory charge densities and localization energies for the prediction of kinetic and thermodynamic factors involved in an assumed model for the hydrohalogenation of 1,3-butadiene,isoprene and chloroprene

It is assumed that the first step in the hydrohalogenation of a diene under conditions such that an ionic mechanism is operative involves the formation of a linear carbonium ion via attachment of a proton to the 1-position and that the second step involves addition of the halide ion to either the 2- or 4-positions. If it is also assumed that hyperconjugation plays some non-negligible role in the carbonium ion intermediate, then it turns out that the use of Hückel theory charge densities and localization energies predict (1) that the 1,2-product is kinetically favored in the cases of butadiene and isoprene, (2) that the 1,4-product is kinetically favored in the case of chloroprene, and (3) that the 1,4-product is thermodynamically favored in all of the above systems. All of these predictions appear to be in agreement with available experimental results.

---

Zusammenfassung Bei der Addition von Halogenwasserstoffen an die hier untersuchten Diene wird im Reaktions-ablauf ein lineares Carbeniumion angenommen. Das Proton wird in 1-Stellung addiert und in einem zweiten Schritt wird das Halogenion in 2- oder 4-Stellung angelagert. Weiter wird angenommen, daß Hyperkonjugation beim intermediären Carbeniumion eine Rolle spielt. Aus den mit der Hückel-theorie ermittelten Ladungsverteilungen und Lokalisierungsenergien läßt sich dann voraussagen, daß (1) das 1,2-Produkt bei Butadien und Isopren, (2) das 1,4-Produkt bei Chloropren kinetisch und (3) das 1,4-Produkt in allen Fällen thermodynamisch bevorzugt ist. Diese Voraussagen scheinen mit den bekannten experimentellen Resultaten übereinzustimmen.

---

Résumé On admet que l'hydrohalogénation d'un diène dans des conditions où prévaut un mécanisme ionique comporte comme première étape la formation d'un ion carbonium linéaire par addition d'un proton à la position 1 et comme seconde étape l'addition de l'ion halogène à l'une des positions 2 ou 4. Si l'on admet par ailleurs que l'hyperconjuguaison joue un rôle non négligeable dans l'intermédiaire carbonium, l'emploi de la théorie de Hückel permet de prédire à l'aide des densités de charge et des énergies de localisation (1) que le produit 1,2 est favorable du point de vue cinétique dans les cas du butadiène et de l'isoprène (2) que le produit 1,4 est favorable du point de vue cinétique dans le cas du chloroprène et (3) que le produit 1,4 est favorable du point de vue thermodynamique dans tous ces systèmes. Toutes ces prédictions sont apparemment en accord avec les résultats expérimentaux disponibles.

     

Native bromoperoxidases do not bind to nitrocellulose: use of DEAE-cellulose as an alternative in blotting

Bromoperoxidases were investigated by protein blotting after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. While the denatured proteins bound to nitrocellulose, the native enzymes did not. Instead, they could be transferred successfully to DEAE-cellulose. Procedures for immunostaining and glycoprotein detection with concanavalin A on DEAE-cellulose are described. The results indicate that binding of native proteins to nitrocellulose can not necessarily be assumed. DEAE-cellulose is suitable both to investigate this phenomenon or as a substitute for nitrocellulose in blotting of native proteins.     

Permeation and gating in proteins: kinetic Monte Carlo reaction path following

We present a new Monte Carlo technique, kinetic Monte Carlo reaction path following (kMCRPF), for the computer simulation of permeation and large-scale gating transitions in protein channels. It combines ideas from Metropolis Monte Carlo (MMC) and kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) algorithms, and is particularly suitable when a reaction coordinate is well defined. Evolution of transition proceeds on the reaction coordinate by small jumps (kMC technique) toward the nearest lowest-energy uphill or downhill states, with the jumps thermally activated (constrained MMC). This approach permits navigation among potential minima on an energy surface, finding the minimum-energy paths and determining their associated free-energy profiles. The methodological and algorithmic strategies underlying the kMCRPF method are described. We have tested it using an analytical model and applied it to study permeation through the curvilinear ClC chloride and aquaporin pores and to gating in the gramicidin A channel. These studies of permeation and gating in real proteins provide extensive procedural tests of the method.     

Dipole-bound anions of highly polar molecules: ethylene carbonate and vinylene carbonate

Results of experimental and theoretical studies of dipole-bound negative ions of the highly polar molecules ethylene carbonate (EC, C3H4O3, mu=5.35 D) and vinylene carbonate (VC, C3H2O3, mu=4.55 D) are presented. These negative ions are prepared in Rydberg electron transfer (RET) reactions in which rubidium (Rb) atoms, excited to ns or nd Rydberg states, collide with EC or VC molecules to produce EC- or VC- ions. In both cases ions are produced only when the Rb atoms are excited to states described by a relatively narrow range of effective principal quantum numbers, n*; the greatest yields of EC- and VC- are obtained for n*(max)=9.0+/-0.5 and 11.6+/-0.5, respectively. Charge transfer from low-lying Rydberg states of Rb is characteristic of a large excess electron binding energy (Eb) of the neutral parent; employing the previously derived empirical relationship Eb=23/n*(max)(2.8) eV, the electron binding energies are estimated to be 49+/-8 meV for EC and 24+/-3 meV for VC. Electron photodetachment studies of EC- show that the excess electron is bound by 49+/-5 meV, in excellent agreement with the RET results, lending credibility to the empirical relationship between Eb and n*(max). Vertical electron affinities for EC and VC are computed employing aug-cc-pVDZ atom-centered basis sets supplemented with a (5s5p) set of diffuse Gaussian primitives to support the dipole-bound electron; at the CCSD(T) level of theory the computed electron affinities are 40.9 and 20.1 meV for EC and VC, respectively.