A computational study of [2.2]cyclophanes

A computational study of isomeric [2.2]cyclophanes, namely [2.2]paracyclophane 1, [2.2]metacyclophane 2, and [2.2]metaparacyclophane 3, has been carried out. For 1, geometry optimizations performed by various methods at different basis sets showed that MP2/6-31+G(d,p) and B3PW91/6-31+G(d,p) provide the best results in comparison to the X-ray data. Compound 1 has D(2) symmetry with distorted bridges. A conformational search was performed for [2.2]cyclophanes 2 and 3. Each cyclophane exists in two conformations which have different energies in the case of 3 but are degenerate in the case of 2. Relative energies and strain energies at the bridges follow the same order, indicating that the relief of bridge tension and repulsion between pi clouds are determining factors for the stability of [2.2]cyclophanes. Through a decomposition of strain energy, it can be concluded that both the rings or the bridges can absorb strain, but it depends on the conformer of butane that is considered in the calculation of SE(br). Changes in aromaticity of these compounds were evaluated by NICS and HOMA and were compared with benzene and xylenes dimers as models. Despite distortions from planarity and shortening and lengthening of the C-C bonds relative to the mean, the phenyl rings are aromatic. NICS suggests a concentration of electronic density between the rings as a result of bridging process. Computed MK, NPA, and GAPT charges were compared for the isomeric cyclophanes. The GIAO chemical shifts were calculated and indicate that 1 has a larger diamagnetic anisotropy than the other isomers.     

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.     

A Series of Iron(II)-NHC Sensitizers with Remarkable Power Conversion Efficiency in Photoelectrochemical Cells**

A series of six new Fe(II)NHC-carboxylic sensitizers with their ancillary ligand decorated with functions of varied electronic properties have been designed with the aim to increase the metal-to- surface charge separation and light harvesting in iron-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). ARM130 scored the highest efficiency ever reported for an iron-sensitized solar cell (1.83 %) using Mg²⁺ and NBu₄I-based electrolyte and a thick 20 μm TiO₂ anode. Computational modelling, transient absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that the electronic properties induced by the dimethoxyphenyl-substituted NHC ligand of ARM130 led to the best combination of electron injection yield and spectral sensitivity breadth.     

Combination of Cobalt and Iron Polypyridine Complexes for Improving the Charge Separation and Collection in Ru(terpyridine)2‐Sensitised Solar Cells

Mixtures of polypyridine Fe^II and Co^II complexes are used as electron mediators in Ru–thienyltpy‐sensitised solar cells (tpy=terpyridine). The use of the metalorganic redox couples allows for improved charge‐collection efficiency with respect to the classical iodide/iodine couple which, when associated to Ru–tpy₂ dyes, usually produces poor performance. The improved charge collection is explained by a combination of effective dye regeneration and decreased recombination with the oxidised electrolyte on the basis of data obtained by transient spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements. The efficiency of the regeneration cascade is also critically dependent upon the ability of the Co^II complex to intercept Fe^III centres, as clearly indicated by chronocoulometry experiments.     

Advances in bonding and properties of inorganic systems from relativistic calculations in Latin America

The inclusion of relativistic effects to understand chemical structures and related properties brings to the scientific community challenging study cases, showing the rich diversity of chemical behavior of the different elements along the periodic table. The results highlighted here represent applications of relativistic methodologies to study the nature of bonding and a prediction of optical and magnetic properties of meaningful chemical entities containing heavy atoms, all made in Latin America. The good agreement between calculated and experimental observables in many molecular and cluster-like systems ratifies that relativistic methods are appropriate to describe these entities realistically. We expect to enhance our knowledge in these methodologies, currently included in doctoral programs in our region.     

Analysis of the metal–ligand bonds in [Mo(X)(NH2)3] (X = P, N, PO, and NO), [Mo(CO)5(NO)]+, and [Mo(CO)5(PO)]+

Quantum chemical calculations at the DFT level have been carried out for model complexes [Mo(P)(NH₂)₃] (1), [Mo(N)(NH₂)₃] (2), [Mo(PO)(NH₂)₃] (3), [Mo(NO)(NH₂)₃] (4), [Mo(CO)₅(PO)]⁺ (5), and [Mo(CO)₅(NO)]⁺ (6). The equilibrium geometries and the vibration frequencies are in good agreement with experimental and previous theoretical results. The nature of the Mo–PO, Mo–NO, Mo–PO⁺, Mo–NO⁺, Mo–P, and Mo–N bond has been investigated by means of the AIM, NBO and EDA methods. The NBO and EDA data complement each other in the interpretation of the interatomic interactions while the numerical AIM results must be interpreted with caution. The terminal Mo–P and Mo–N bonds in 1 and 2 are clearly electron-sharing triple bonds. The terminal Mo–PO and Mo–NO bonds in 3 and 4 have also three bonding contributions from a σ and a degenerate π orbital where the σ components are more polarized toward the ligand end and the π orbitals are more polarized toward the metal end than in 1 and 2. The EDA calculations show that the π bonding contributions to the Mo–PO and Mo–NO bonds in 3 and 4 are much more important than the σ contributions while σ and π bonding have nearly equal strength in the terminal Mo–P and Mo–N bonds in 1 and 2. The total (NH₂)₃Mo–PO binding interactions are stronger than for (NH₂)₃Mo–P which is in agreement with the shorter Mo–PO bond. The calculated bond orders suggest that there are only (NH₂)₃Mo–PO and (NH₂)₃Mo–NO double bonds which comes from the larger polarization of the σ and π contributions but a closer inspection of the bonding shows that these bonds should also be considered as electron-sharing triple bonds. The bonding situation in the positively charged complexes [(CO)₅Mo–(PO)]⁺ and [(CO)₅Mo–(NO)]⁺ is best described in terms of (CO)₅Mo → XO⁺ donation and (CO)₅Mo ← XO⁺ backdonation (X = P, N) using the Dewar–Chatt–Duncanson model. The latter bonds are stronger and have a larger π character than the Mo-CO bonds.     

Overreact,an in silico lab: Automative quantum chemical microkinetic simulations for complex chemical reactions

Today's demand for precisely predicting chemical reactions from first principles requires research to go beyond Gibbs' free energy diagrams and consider other effects such as concentrations and quantum tunneling. The present work introduces overreact, a novel Python package for propagating chemical reactions over time using data from computational chemistry only. The overreact code infers all differential equations and parameters from a simple input that consists of a set of chemical equations and quantum chemistry package outputs for each chemical species. We evaluate some applications from the literature: gas-phase eclipsed-staggered isomerization of ethane, gas-phase umbrella inversion of ammonia, gas-phase degradation of methane by chlorine radical, and three solvation-phase reactions. Furthermore, we comment on a simple solvation-phase acid–base equilibrium. We show how it is possible to achieve reaction profiles and information matching experiments.     

The nature of Ru-NO bonds in ruthenium tetraazamacrocycle nitrosyl complexes--a computational study

Ruthenium complexes including nitrosyl or nitrite complexes are particularly interesting because they can not only scavenge but also release nitric oxide in a controlled manner, regulating the NO-level in vivo. The judicious choice of ligands attached to the [RuNO] core has been shown to be a suitable strategy to modulate NO reactivity in these complexes. In order to understand the influence of different equatorial ligands on the electronic structure of the Ru-NO chemical bonding, and thus on the reactivity of the coordinated NO, we propose an investigation of the nature of the Ru-NO chemical bond by means of energy decomposition analysis (EDA), considering tetraamine and tetraazamacrocycles as equatorial ligands, prior to and after the reduction of the {RuNO}(6) moiety by one electron. This investigation provides a deep insight into the Ru-NO bonding situation, which is fundamental in designing new ruthenium nitrosyl complexes with potential biological applications.