New feature in the Auger peak of adsorbed oxygen

Recent joint theoretical and experimental investigations of Auger core-core-valence spectra of alkali adatoms on simple metals have revealed that such technique is capable to ascertain contributions from different adsorption environments in the signal [M.I. Trioni, S. Caravati, G.P. Brivio, L. Floreano, F. Bruno, A. Morgante, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 (2004) 206802]. Consequently, to verify if such an effect is present also for other chemical species, we study theoretically the KLV transition of oxygen either as a bulk impurity or as an adsorbate in/on Al and Ag (jellium-like). We make use of the Fermi golden rule in which the matrix elements of the interaction are calculated within DFT. We verify that the relevant physical quantity of this phenomenon is the excited local density of states (LDOS), calculated within a region centered on the core ionized atom. The Auger rate for oxygen in Ag bulk displays a single asymmetric peak, while for adsorbed oxygen a second smaller feature at lower energies, and very close to the first one, appears. This unexpected result follows from the removal of the degeneracy of the m quantum number of the 2p states of oxygen at the surface. It is only displayed on the electronically less dense metal (Ag), but not on Al.     

The first total synthesis of (R)-convolutamydine A

The first total synthesis of (R)-convolutamydine A has been achieved by the organocatalytic addition of acetone to 4,6-dibromoisatin. The absolute configuration was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. DFT studies were used to model the transition states for the aldol reaction and equilibrium geometries of the post-aldol reaction intermediates. The DFT study revealed that the aldol bond forming reaction was considerably endothermic.     

The implementation of ab initio quantum chemistry calculations on transputers

Summary The RHF and geometry optimization sections of the ab initio quantum chemistry code, GAMESS, have been optimized for a network of parallel microprocessors, Inmos T800-20 transputers, using both indirect and direct SCF techniques. The results indicate great scope for implementation of such codes on small parallel computer systems, very high efficiencies having been achieved, particularly in the cases of direct SCF and geometry optimization with large basis sets.The work, although performed upon one particular parallel system, the Meiko Computing Surface, is applicable to a wide range of parallel systems with both shared and distributed memory.     

Ab initio predictions of zeolite structures and Si NMR chemical shifts

A recent shell-model potential parameterized on ab initio data is used for predicting the all-silica structures of zeolites MFI, MEI, MTW, TON, FAU and of α-quartz. Cluster models are defined around each site and the ²⁹Si NMR shielding constants are calculated by ab initio techniques (GIAO-HF). Good agreement with observed ²⁹Si NMR chemical shifts is found. Comparison is made with shifts calculated for observed structures. The structures predicted by the ab initio shell-model potential prove as accurate as the observed ones when judged on the quality of the calculated ²⁹Si NMR spectra.     

Microbial Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation of Ketones by Cyclohexanone and Cyclopentanone Monooxygenase – A Computational Rational for Biocatalyst Performance

Summary. Recombinant Escherichia coli overexpressing Pseudomonas sp. NCIMB 9872 cyclopentanone monooxygenase (CPMO, EC 1.14.13.16) and Acinetobacter sp. NCIMB 9871 cyclohexanone monooxygenase (CHMO, EC 1.14.13.22) have been utilized in whole-cell Baeyer-Villiger biotransformations of prochiral bicycloketones. A significant difference in substrate acceptance and stereoselectivity was observed for bicyclo[3.3.0] and bicyclo[4.3.0] substrates. A plausible mechanism of these transformations was established by means of high level DFT/B3LYP calculations suggesting an essential difference in electronic requirements for a successful enzymatic conversion, which was similarly encountered in recombinant whole-cell mediated biooxidations. Some of the lactones produced in the biocatalytic Baeyer-Villiger oxidation represent key intermediates for the synthesis of indole alkaloids.     

Sodium anion photodetachment up to the 4s threshold. AK-matrixL 2 basis calculation

Summary AK-matrix method implemented with anL ² basis has been utilized to investigate the¹ P ⁰ continuum of the sodium anion below the 4s threshold. The results include the ground-state electron binding energy, the static dipole polarizability, the partial and total photodetachment cross-sections and the asymmetry parameter β. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Electrostatic potentials of molecules and prediction of the lewis acid-base properties of solvents,part I. General considerations

Summary Electrostatic potentials in the vicinity of isolated molecules of typical nonaqueous solvents were computed in the MNDO approximation. It was found that the calculated dipole moments are in good agreement with experimental values. However, it turned out that in many cases electrostatic interactions of ions with solvent molecules cannot be described in the frame of ion-dipole interactions. Thus, two computable parameters,UN andUP describing short-range electrostatic interactions of a solvent molecule with a cation or an anion of radiusR were proposed. The dependence ofUN andUP uponR is analyzed in the context of ion-solvent interactions.

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Elektrostatische Potentiale von Molekülen und Voraussage von Lewis-Säure-Base-Eigenschaften von Lösungsmitteln, 1. Mitt.: Allgemeine Grundlagen

Zusammenfassung Es wurden die elektrostatischen Potentiale in der Umgebung von isolierten Molekülen typischer nichtwäßriger Lösungsmittel in der MNDO-Näherung berechnet. Die berechneten Dipolmomente waren in guter Übereinstimmung mit den experimentellen Werten. Es wurde jedoch beobachtet, daß in vielen Fällen die elektrostatischen Wechselwirkungen von Ionen mit Lösungsmittelmolekülen nicht im Rahmen von Ionen-Dipol-Wechselwirkungen beschrieben werden können. Dafür wurden zwei berechenbare ParameterUN undUP zur Beschreibung von elektrostatischen Wechselwirkungen im Nahbereich eines Lösungsmittelmoleküls mit einem Kationen- oder AnionenradiusR vorgeschlagen. Die Abhängigkeit vonUN undUP vonR wurde im Zusammenhang von Ionen-Solvens-Wechselwirkungen untersucht.

     

Matrix-Untersuchungen zu monomerem Kupfer(I)-chlorid und seinen Komplexen mit N2 und PN IR-spektroskopische Nachweise und ab-initio Rechnungen

Matrix-Investigations on Monomeric Copper(I) Chloride and its Complexes with N₂ and PN Ligands. IR Spectroscopic Results and ab-initio Calculation In solid argon the reaction of monomeric CuCl with N₂ yields ClCuN₂. On the basis of two absorptions in the ir-spectrum and their corresponding isotopic shifts (_14/15N) and with the help of a normal coordinate analysis, linearity of the molecule has been deduced. These results are confirmed by large scale ab-initio Calculations (CPF, MP2). Reaction of monomeric CuCl with molecular PN under matrix condition is shown to give rise to new absorptions in the IR spectrum which arev assigned to a linear molecule ClCuNP.     

Sulfur adsorption on Fe(1 1 0): a DFT study

The adsorption of atomic S on the Fe(1 1 0) surface is examined using density functional theory (DFT). Three different adsorption sites are considered, including the atop, hollow and bridge sites and the S is adsorbed at a quarter monolayer coverage in a p(2 × 2) arrangement. The hollow site is found to be the most stable, followed by the bridge and atop sites. At all three sites, S adsorption results in relatively minor surface reconstruction, with the most significant being that for the hollow site, with lateral displacements of 0.09 Å. Comparisons between S-adsorbed and pure Fe surfaces revealed reductions in the magnetic moments of surface-layer Fe atoms in the vicinity of the S. At the hollow site, the presence of S causes an increase in the surface Fe d-orbital density of states between 4 and 5 eV. However, S adsorption has no significant effect on the structure and magnetic properties of the lower substrate layers.     

Interpretive approach to collective effects of electrons in multicenter problems

Interpretive theoretical tools prove valuable in guiding the analysis of experiments in the realm of atomic clusters. Here, we review basic elements of an analytic approach that makes it possible to find and visualize the effective electrostatic potential and Coulomb correlations in multicenter problems. To illustrate the utility of these concepts we apply them to exploring molecular-doped metallic clusters. This study is aiming at a systematic, visual assessment of changes induced in screening, Coulomb correlation and effective potential by varying the charge of the electronegative impurity and its position in the cluster cage.