Accurate description of van der Waals complexes by density functional theory including empirical corrections

An empirical method to account for van der Waals interactions in practical calculations with the density functional theory (termed DFT-D) is tested for a wide variety of molecular complexes. As in previous schemes, the dispersive energy is described by damped interatomic potentials of the form C6R(-6). The use of pure, gradient-corrected density functionals (BLYP and PBE), together with the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation for the Coulomb operator, allows very efficient computations for large systems. Opposed to previous work, extended AO basis sets of polarized TZV or QZV quality are employed, which reduces the basis set superposition error to a negligible extend. By using a global scaling factor for the atomic C6 coefficients, the functional dependence of the results could be strongly reduced. The "double counting" of correlation effects for strongly bound complexes is found to be insignificant if steep damping functions are employed. The method is applied to a total of 29 complexes of atoms and small molecules (Ne, CH4, NH3, H2O, CH3F, N2, F2, formic acid, ethene, and ethine) with each other and with benzene, to benzene, naphthalene, pyrene, and coronene dimers, the naphthalene trimer, coronene. H2O and four H-bonded and stacked DNA base pairs (AT and GC). In almost all cases, very good agreement with reliable theoretical or experimental results for binding energies and intermolecular distances is obtained. For stacked aromatic systems and the important base pairs, the DFT-D-BLYP model seems to be even superior to standard MP2 treatments that systematically overbind. The good results obtained suggest the approach as a practical tool to describe the properties of many important van der Waals systems in chemistry. Furthermore, the DFT-D data may either be used to calibrate much simpler (e.g., force-field) potentials or the optimized structures can be used as input for more accurate ab initio calculations of the interaction energies.     

The role of electric interactions in the retention index concept; Implications in quantitative structure-retention studies

Summary A new equation is derived relating the retention index to the molecular polarizabilities, ionization potentials and permanent dipole moments of the stationary phase and the solute.Various implications of this equation to quantitative structure-retention relationships are discussed.     

希土硝酸盐冠醚配合物--Ⅸ.La(NO3)3·4H2O-NO2B15C5-CH3CN三元体系在25℃和15℃时溶解度的研究

改进了半微量相平衡研究方法,研究了La(NO_3)_3·4H_2O-NO_2B15C5-CH_3CN三元体系在25℃和15℃时的溶解度,测定了25℃各饱和溶液的折光率。结果表明,在该体系中只有一种计量配合物La(NO_3)_3·NO_2B15C5·4H_2O生成,该配合物的溶解度随温度的降低而减小,溶解度曲线覆盖的范围很大。利用不同方法获得了固态配合物La(NO_3)_3·NO_2B15C5·4H_2O。通过化学分析、紫外光度分析、红外光谱和差热与热重分析等研究了它的组成和性质,考查了它的水合度与后处理条件的关系。制得了二水合物La(NO_3)_3·NO_2B15C5·2H_2O及无水物。     

KINETIC STUDY OF CARBONYLATION OF METHANOL TO ACETIC ACID AND ACETIC ANHYDRIDE OVER A NOVEL COPOLYMER-BOUND CIS-DICARBONYLRHODIUM COMPLEX

The kinetic study of carbonylation of methanol-acetic acid mixture to acetic acid and acetic anhydride over a cis-dicarbonylrhodium complex (MVM' Rh) coordinated with the ethylene diacrylate (M') crosslinked copolymer of methyl acrylate (M) and 2-vinylpyddine (V)shows that the rate of reaction is zero order with respect to both reactants methanol and carbon monoxide, but first order in the concentrations of promoter methyl iodide and rhodium in the complex. Polar solvents can accelerate the reaction. Activation parameters were calculated from the experimental results, being comparable to that of the homogeneous system. A mechanism similar to that of soluble rhodium catalyst was proposed.     

Synthesis and structures of germanium-containing tungsten carbyne complexes Ph3gec≡w(ch2but)3 and Ph3GeC≡W(CH2SiMe3)3

New germanium-containing tungsten carbyne complexes Ph₃GeC≡W(CH₂R)₃ (R = Bu^t or SiMe₃) were synthesized by the reaction of the alkoxy derivative Ph₃GeC≡W(OBu^t)₃ with alkyllithium reagents RCH₂Li. The new compounds were isolated in individual form as crystals in 95 and 90% yields, respectively, and were characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction study showed that the coordination environment of the W and Ge atoms in the Ph₃GeC≡ W(CH₂Bu^t)₃ and Ph₃GeC≡W(CH₂SiMe₃)₃ complexes can be described as a distorted tetrahedron. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 213—216, February, 2006.     

Comparative methods in the determination of wax content and pour points of crude oils

In this research, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gas chromatography is used to determine the wax content of fourteen crude oils of different sources. Different empirical equations were applied to compare the wax content of crude oils. For the fourteen crude oil samples with the wax content ranging from 7.5 to 43.8 mass%, it was observed that the results of empirical equations were in good agreement with those determined by DSC and GC. Accordingly, a correlation between ASTM pour point and the temperature at which 2 mass% of wax has precipitated out from crude oil is developed.     

ESI‐QTof‐MS characterization of hirsutinolide and glaucolide sesquiterpene lactones: Fragmentation mechanisms and differentiation based on Na+/H+ adducts interactions in complex mixture

Sesquiterpene lactones (SL) have been reported with various biological effects. Among the described SL skeletons, hirsutinolide and glaucolide have not been extensively studied by mass spectrometry (MS), especially how to distinguish them in organic matrices. Thus, this paper reports (1) a strategy of their differentiation based on MS behavior during the ionization and (2) a proposal of the fragmentation pattern for both SL‐subtypes. ESI(+)‐HRMS data of four isolated SL (hirsutinolides 1 and 3 ; glaucolides 2 and 4 ) were recorded by direct and UPLC water‐sample combined injections. These analyses revealed that hirsutinolides and glaucolides formed [M+Na]⁺ ion during the operation of the direct MS injection, and ([M+Na]⁺ and [M+H‐H₂O]⁺) and [M+H]⁺ ions were respectively observed for hirsutinolides and glaucolides during the operation of combined UPLC water and sample MS injection. Computational simulations showed that the complex hirsutinolide ( 1 )‐Na⁺ formed with a lower preparation energy compared with the complex glaucolide ( 2 )‐Na⁺. However, despite their different behavior during the ionization process, ESI(+)‐HRMS/MS analyses of 1 ‐ 4 gave similar fragmentation patterns at m/z 277, 259, 241, and 231 that can be used as diagnostic ions for both skeletons. Moreover, the differentiation strategy based on the nature of the complex SL‐adducts and their MS/MS fragmentation pattern were successfully applied for the chemical characterization of the extract from Vernonanthura tweedieana using UPLC‐ESI‐HRMS/MS. Among the characterized metabolites, SL with hirsutinolide and glaucolide skeletons showed the aforementioned diagnostic fragments and an ionization behavior that was similar to those observed during the water‐sample combined injection.     

Computational studies on glyceraldehyde and glycine Maillard reaction—I

Mechanisms for the initial stage of glyceraldehyde and glycine Maillard reaction under different pH conditions have been proposed, following usually the Hodge-scheme. Computations have been performed on the mechanisms at the standard state to test the possibility of the formation of different compounds, through evaluating the changes in Gibb's free energy during the reaction. Electronic energy changes during the reaction have also been evaluated. Glyceraldehyde+deprotonated glycine reaction has been found to be the most favorable for the formation of the Amadori rearrangement products in both gaseous and aqueous states. Due to the possibility of the production of both enol and keto forms of the Amadori rearrangement product, the rate of browning in glyceraldehyde+deprotonated glycine reaction is assumed to be faster than the others. Glyceraldehyde+unionized glycine reaction has been found to be more plausible for the formation of the keto form of the Amadori rearrangement products, particularly, in the gaseous phase. Glyceraldehyde+protonated glycine and glyceraldehyde+glycine zwitterion reactions are not favorable for the formation of the Amadori rearrangement products. Formation of hydroxyacetaldehyde from glyceralaldehyde, as one of the possible C2-fragmentation product, has been found to be favorable in the aqueous state.     

Anti-Inflammatory,Antidiabetic Properties and In Silico Modeling of Cucurbitane-Type Triterpene Glycosides from Fruits of an Indian Cultivar of Momordica charantia L.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease and one of the fastest-growing health challenges of the last decades. Studies have shown that chronic low-grade inflammation and activation of the innate immune system are intimately involved in type 2 diabetes pathogenesis. Momordica charantia L. fruits are used in traditional medicine to manage diabetes. Herein, we report the purification of a new 23-O-β-d-allopyranosyl-5β,19-epoxycucurbitane-6,24-diene triterpene (charantoside XV, 6) along with 25ξ-isopropenylchole-5(6)-ene-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (1), karaviloside VI (2), karaviloside VIII (3), momordicoside L (4), momordicoside A (5) and kuguaglycoside C (7) from an Indian cultivar of Momordica charantia. At 50 µM compounds, 2–6 differentially affected the expression of pro-inflammatory markers IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS, and mitochondrial marker COX-2. Compounds tested for the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes at 0.87 mM and 1.33 mM, respectively. Compounds showed similar α-amylase inhibitory activity than acarbose (0.13 mM) of control (68.0–76.6%). Karaviloside VIII (56.5%) was the most active compound in the α-glucosidase assay, followed by karaviloside VI (40.3%), while momordicoside L (23.7%), A (33.5%), and charantoside XV (23.9%) were the least active compounds. To better understand the mode of binding of cucurbitane-triterpenes to these enzymes, in silico docking of the isolated compounds was evaluated with α-amylase and α-glucosidase.