The arrangement of first- and second-shell water molecules in trivalent aluminum complexes: results from density functional theory and structural crystallography

The structural and energetic features of a variety of gas-phase aluminum ion hydrates containing up to 18 water molecules have been studied computationally using density functional theory. Comparisons are made with experimental data from neutron diffraction studies of aluminum-containing crystal structures listed in the Cambridge Structural Database. Computational studies indicate that the hexahydrated structure Al[H(2)O](6)(3+) (with symmetry T(h)()), in which all six water molecules are located in the innermost coordination shell, is lower in energy than that of Al[H(2)O](5)(3+).[H(2)O], where only five water molecules are in the inner shell and one water molecule is in the second shell. The analogous complex with four water molecules in the inner shell and two in the outer shell undergoes spontaneous proton transfer during the optimization to give [Al[H(2)O](2)[OH](2)](+).[H(3)O(+)](2), which is lower in energy than Al[H(2)O](6)(3+); this finding of H(3)O(+) is consistent with the acidity of concentrated Al(3+) solutions. Since, however, Al[H(2)O](6)(3+) is detected in solutions of Al(3+), additional water molecules are presumed to stabilize the hexa-aquo Al(3+) cation. Three models of a trivalent aluminum ion complex surrounded by a total of 18 water molecules arranged in a first shell containing 6 water molecules and a second shell of 12 water molecules are discussed. We find that a model with S(6) symmetry for which the Al[H(2)O](6)(3+) unit remains essentially octahedral and participates in an integrated hydrogen bonded network with the 12 outer-shell water molecules is lowest in energy. Interactions between the 12 second-shell water molecules and the trivalent aluminum ion in Al[H(2)O](6)(3+) do not appear to be sufficiently strong to orient the dipole moments of these second-shell water molecules toward the Al(3+) ion.     

Saturation of resonant frequency conversion processes in cadmium vapour

We have investigated two-photon resonant up conversion of 375 to 159 nm coherent radiation using the four-frequency process ₁₅₉=2₃₇₅+₁₀₄₀ in cadmium vapour, where the ir component (1040 nm) is internally generated by the 375 nm pump tuned to the Cd two-photon transition 5s ^{2 1} S ₀5s6s ¹ S ₀. Scaling laws and tuning behaviour of both the 159 and 1040 nm output power were measured up to 1×10⁸ W cm^–2 pump intensity and 2×10¹⁷ cm^–3 Cd number density. The results are compared to numerical calculations based on semiclassical theory in a stationary perturbation approximation up to third order. Here, in accordance with experimental results, the ir component was assumed to originate from a superposition of stimulated emission and parametric generation. The observed saturation effects turned out to be mainly due to population changes of the atomic levels involved and are qualitatively reproduced by calculations. Discrepancies with respect to absolute output levels are discussed in terms of the approximations in the theoretical formalism.     

A photochemical route for efficient cyclopeptide formation with a minimum of protection and activation chemistry

An elaborated protocol is described which allows the efficient transformation of di-, tri-, and tetrapeptides into cyclopeptides with a minimum of protection and activation chemistry using the photoinduced electron transfer initiated decarboxylation of N-phthaloyl peptides resulting in C-C coupling between the initially formed carbon radicals.     

Radical ions : XXVI. Radical anions of perphenylcyclopolysilanes

Perphenylcyclopolysilanes [Si(C₆H₅)₂]_n (n = 4, 5) are reduced by potassium to radical anions. Their simple ESR spectra demonstrate, that the extra electron is confined to the inner Si_nC_2n skeleton of the uncleaved and presumably planarized cyclopolysilanes.     

Improvements of a combined size exclusion chromatography and solid phase extraction approach for the clean-up of marine sediment samples for trace analysis of pesticides

 Two methods based on gel permeation chromatography (GPC) [size exclusion chromatography] for the analysis of traces (ng/kg) of nitrogen and phosphorus containing pesticides (like triazines or phosphothionates) from marine sediment samples are compared: A macro GPC with Biobeads SX-3 and a chromatography on a high-performance (HP-GPC) column with UV-detection. Results for eight triazine herbicides, two triazine metabolites, the phenylurea derivative linuron, two acetanilides and two organophosphorus compounds are given. Concentrations obtained with the HP-GPC are compared with those obtained with a macro GPC approach in an earlier study. Received: 4 October 1996/Revised: 20 December 1996/Accepted: 24 December 1996     

Intramolecular Nonbonded Interactions Between Oxygen and Group VIA Elements: An Ab Initio Molecular Orbital and Density Functional Theory Investigation of the Structures of HX—CH2—COOH (X=S,Se, and Te)

Ab initio molecular orbital and density functional methods have been used to study the potential energy surfaces of the substituted acetic acids HX—CH₂—COOH, where X is one of the Group VIA Chalcophiles S, Se, or Te. The various conformers adopted by these compounds provide information regarding the energetic importance of nonbonded and hydrogen bonding interactions involving oxygen atoms with different hybridizations. Density functional and ab initio molecular orbital methods yield similar structural and energetic trends for these compounds. Calculations show that the structure of the lowest-energy conformer of each of these acids has the X—C—C—O backbone substantially twisted from planarity, similar to that previously observed for the corresponding aldehydes, HX—CH₂—CHO. In the twisted acid structures the shortest distance is within about 0.1 Å of the sum of the X and O van der Waals radii, which reduces overcrowding of the lone pairs of electrons on these atoms. In conformers where the heavy atom backbone is planar, one of the distances is significantly shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii, and the total molecular energy of these conformers is higher than that of the twisted forms. The variation of X—H vibrational frequencies among conformers reflects the extent of X—H hydrogen bonding, and indicates that formation of this hydrogen bond is not the dominant factor in determining the lowest-energy conformation. When X is oxygen (HO—CH₂—COOH), the lowest-energy conformer is also nonplanar, whereas for the corresponding aldehyde, HO—CH₂—CHO, the lowest-energy conformer is a planar structure with C_S symmetry. The conformational preferences of these simple species provide reference points for inter- and intramolecular interactions in more complex systems of biological interest.     

Assessing alkyl-, silyl-, and halo-substituent effects on the electron affinities of silyl radicals

Neutral anion energy differences for a large class of alpha-substituted silyl radicals have been computed to determine the effect of alkyl, silyl, and halo substituents on their electron affinities. In particular, we report theoretical predictions of the adiabatic electron affinities (AEAs), vertical electron affinities (VEAs), and vertical detachment energies (VDEs) for a series of methyl-, silyl-, and halo-substituted silyl radical compounds. This work utilizes the carefully calibrated DZP++ basis set, in conjunction with the pure BLYP and OLYP functionals, as well as with the hybrid B3LYP, BHLYP, PBE1PBE, MPW1K, and O3LYP functionals. Bromine has the largest effect in stabilizing the anions, and the BLYP/DZP++ AEA for SiBr(3) is 3.29 eV. The other predicted electron affinities are for SiH(3) (1.37 eV), SiH(2)CH(3) (1.09 eV), SiH(2)F (1.54 eV), SiH(2)Cl (1.94 eV), SiH(2)Br (2.05 eV), SiH(2)(SiH(3)) (1.77 eV), SiH(CH(3))(2) (0.92 eV), SiHF(2) (1.86 eV), SiHCl(2) (2.53 eV), SiHBr(2) (2.67 eV), Si(CH(3))(3) (0.86 eV), SiF(3) (2.66 eV), SiCl(3) (3.21 eV), Si(SiH(3))(3) (2.25 eV), and SiFClBr (3.13 eV). For the five silyl radicals where experimental data are available, the BLYP functional gives the most accurate determination of AEAs; the average absolute error is 0.04(1) eV, whereas the corresponding errors for the O3LYP, MPW1K, PBE1PBE, B3LYP, OLYP, and BHLYP functionals are 0.05(8), 0.06(0), 0.06(3), 0.08(5), 0.11(5), and 0.15(3) eV, respectively.