Theoretical study of thermal decomposition of azomethane

Summary.  Thermal one- and two-bond dissociation processes of cis- and trans-azomethane were studied by ab initio computation with DZP and TZ2P basis sets, using the d(N–C) bond lengths as the reaction coordinates. The geometries were optimized at the MP2 level, and the dissociation energies obtained exploiting a single-point, fourth-order M?ller–Plesset calculations [MP4SDTQ/TZ2P]. At this level of theory including zero-point energies, the trans-isomer is by 9.3 kcal/mol more stable than the cis-isomer. The results show that the energetically more favourable one-bond cleavage proceeds without transition state with the predicted bond dissociation energy D ₀ of 47.8 kcal/mol for trans-azomethane and 38.5 kcal/mol for cis-azomethane. With calculated barrier heights the unimolecular dissociation rate constants have been determined by means of the RRKM theory. The second-order saddle points localized for synchronous decomposition pathways lie 13 (trans)-23(cis) kcal/mol above the one-bond dissociation energies [MP2/DZP]. Received May 28, 1996/Final version received November 1, 1996 / Accepted November 1, 1996     

Bonding of acetylene to copper atom,dimer, and trimer

The bonding of acetylene to copper atom, dimer, and trimer was investigated with a Kohn–Sham density functional approach. Full geometry optimization yielded the equilibrium structures of various Cu_nC₂H₂ species. Gradient corrections were included in the calculation of binding energies (BE ). The Cu—C₂H₂ complex was found to have a C_s structure and a BE of 10 kcal/mol. Three isomers of Cu₂C₂H₂ have similar total energies: a C_2v end-bonded structure with a BE of 18 kcal/mol, and two 1,2-dicupro ethylene isomers—a cis form with a BE of 12 kcal/mol and a trans form with a BE of 15 kcal/mol. Two stable C_2v isomers of Cu₃C₂H₂ were found. In both isomers, the Cu₃ ring relaxes from its isosceles structure, with two short bonds (2.247 Å) and one long bond (2.478 Å), and adopts a nearly equilateral geometry. In one isomer of Cu₃C₂H₂, the acetylene is bonded to one apex of the Cu₃ ring with a BE of 29 kcal/mol. In the other, it is bonded to two copper atoms of one side of the Cu₃ ring with a BE of 33 kcal/mol. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A DFT study of a novel oxime anticancer trans platinum complex: Monofunctional and bifunctional binding to purine bases

The first and second substitution reactions binding of the anticancer drug trans‐[Pt((CH₃)₂C?NOH)((CH₃)₂CHNH₂)Cl₂] to purine bases were studied computationally using a combination of density functional theory and isoelectric focusing polarized continuum model approach. Our calculations demonstrate that the trans monoaqua and diaqua reactant complexes (RCs) can generate either trans‐ or cis‐monoadducts via identical or very similar trans trigonal‐bipyramidal transition‐state structures. Furthermore, these monoadducts can subsequently close by coordination to the adjacent purine bases to form 1,2‐intrastrand Pt‐DNA adducts and eventually distort DNA in the same way as cisplatin. Thus, it is likely that the transplatin analogues have the same mechanism of anticancer activity as cisplatin. For the first substitutions, the activation free energies of monoaqua complexes are always lower than that of diaqua complexes. The lowest activation energy for monoaqua substitutions is 16.2 kcal/mol for guanine and 16.5 kcal/mol for adenine, whereas the lowest activation energy for diaqua substitutions is 17.1 kcal/mol for guanine and 25.9 kcal/mol for adenine. For the second substitutions, the lowest activation energy from trans‐monoadduct to trans‐diadduct is 19.1 kcal/mol for GG adduct and 20.7 kcal/mol for GA adduct, whereas the lowest activation energy from cis‐monoadduct to cis‐diadduct is 18.9 kcal/mol for GG adduct and 18.5 kcal/mol for GA adduct. In addition, the first and second substitutions prefer guanine over adenine, which is explained by the remarkable larger complexation energy for the initial RC in combination with lower activation energy for the guanine substitution. Overall, the hydrogen‐bonds play an important role in stabilizing these species of the first and second substitutions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Ab initio MO calculations on 1,2-dithietes and valence isomers

The valence isomerization of the 1,2-dithiete parent compound to the open-chain dithial was studied by CASSCF multiconfiguration methods including the CASPT2 perturbational treatment. The isomerization energy remains small at the highest level of theory. In agreement with Jonas and Frenking, the cyclic structure is only then preferred over the acyclic ones if f-functions on the sulfur atoms are considered. If they are included, the 1,2-dithiete is more stable by 3.8 kcal/mol and the barrier amounts to 24.9 kcal/mol at the CASPT2(8,8)/6-31G(2df)//MP2/6-31G* level of theory. According to MP2/6-31G* geometry optimizations, substitution of H by NH₂ and CH₃ reduces the stability of the 1,2-dithiete ring structures relative to the open-chain dithiocarbonyl structures, whereas the inverse holds for acceptor substitution by CN and CF₃. A higher stability of benzodithiete relative to ortho-dithiobenzoquinone is predicted at all employed levels of theory. This is in good agreement with conclusions drawn from experimental results. Whereas the experimental microwave geometry of 1,2-dithiete is well reproduced theoretically, the experimental electron diffraction geometry of 3,4-bis-(trifluoromethyl)-1,2-dithiete differs from the calculated one. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Conformational analysis,part 43. A theoretical and LIS/NMR investigation of the conformations of substituted benzamides

A refined Lanthanide‐Induced‐Shift Analysis (LISA) is used with molecular mechanics and ab initio calculations to investigate the conformations of benzamide ( 1 ), N‐methylbenzamide ( 2 ), N,N‐dimethylbenzamide ( 3 ) and the conformational equilibria of 2‐fluoro ( 4 ), 2‐chloro ( 5 ) and N‐methyl‐2‐methoxy benzamide ( 6 ). The amino group in 1 is planar in the crystal but is calculated to be pyramidal with the CO/phenyl torsional angle (ω) of 20–25°. The LISA analysis gave acceptable agreement factors (Rcryst ≤ 1%) for the ab initio geometries when ω was decreased to 0°, the other geometries were not as good. In 2 , the N‐methyl is coplanar with the carbonyl group in all the geometries. Good agreement was obtained for the RHF geometries, with ω 25°, the other geometries were only acceptable with increased values of ω. In 3 , good agreement for the RHF and PCModel geometries was found when ω was changed from the calculated values of 40° (RHF) and 90° (PCModel) to ca. 60°, the X‐ray and B3LYP geometries were not as good. The two substituted compounds 4 , 5 and 6 are interconverting between the cis (O,X) and trans (O,X) conformers. The more stable trans conformer is planar in 4 and 6 but the cis form non‐planar. Both the cis and trans conformers of 5 are non‐planar. There is an additional degree of freedom in 6 due to the 2‐methoxy group, which can be either planar or orthogonal to the phenyl ring in both conformers. The conformer ratios were obtained from the LISA analysis to give Ecis‐Etrans in 4 > 2.3 kcal/mol (CDCl₃) and 1.7 kcal/mol (CD₃CN), in 5 0.0 kcal/mol (CD₃CN) and in 6 > 2.5 kcal/mol (CDCl₃) and 2.0 kcal/mol (CD₃CN). These values were used with the observed versus calculated ¹H shifts to determine the conformer ratios and energies in DMSO solvent to give Ecis‐Etrans 1.1, ?0.1 and 1.8 kcal/mol for ( 4 ), ( 5 ) and ( 6 ). Comparison of the observed versus calculated conformer energies show that both the MM and ab initio calculations overestimate the NH..F hydrogen bond in ( 4 ) by ca. 2 kcal/mol. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A theoretical study of the isomerization process in tris(2-thienyl)methyl radical

An INDO study has shown that the title compound exists in two diastereomeric propeller-like conformations, a cis form (C₃ symmetry), and a trans form (C₁ symmetry). The cis form is more stable than the trans form by 0·75 kcal/mole. The two forms undergo ready conformational interconversion by the two-ring flip mechanism, with activation energies of ca. 6 kcal/mole.     

Ⅱ conjugation in the butadiene

The π electronic delocalization in trans-C4H6 and cis-C4H6 has been investigated in the frame of ab initio valence bond theory with 6-31G basis set. The result shows that the Csp2-Csp2 single bond length (1.506 A) is only about 0.024 A shorter than the Csp3-Csp3 bond, thus the central bond length shortening would be mainly due to π conjugation. The theoretical resonance energies of the trans-C4H6 and cis-C4H6 are 8.48 and 7.44 kcal/mol, respectively.     

Molecular calculations with the nonempirical ab initioMODPOT,VRDDO, and MODPOT/VRDDO procedures. IX. Carcinogenic benzo(a)pyrene and its metabolites using a MERGE technique

Ab initio MODPOT /VRDDO calculations have been carried out on carcinogenic benzo(a)pyrene and its metabolites. The MODPOT /VRDDO method incorporates two very desirable options into our fast ab initio Gaussian programs: MODPOT —ab initio effective core model potentials—and a charge-conserving integral prescreening approximation which we named VRDDO (variable retention of diatomic differential overlap). For orbital energies and population analyses the MODPOT /VRDDO results agree to essentially three decimal places with completely ab initio calculations using the same valence atomic basis set. For this series of very closely related congeners a new MERGE technique was implemented that allows reuse of integrals of a common skeletal fragment. Since our program computes integrals efficiently by blocks, reusing information common to the block, it was more difficult to implement a MERGE technique than for integral programs which calculate the integrals one-byone. The MODPOT /VRDDO calculations were performed for benzo(a)pyrene (BP), BP oxides, BP dihydrodiols, and BP dihydrodiol epoxides. The metabolites investigated were BP-7,8-oxide, BP-4,5-oxide, BP-7,8-dihydrodiol [cis(e, a), cis(a, e), trans(e, e), and trans(a, a)], and BP-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide [β,β,β (the most stable), β,β,α; α,α,β, and α,α,α all derived from cis-BP-7,8-dihydrodiol and β,α,β; α,β,β and α,β,β derived from trans-BP-7,8-dihydrodiol]. Several different conformations were calculated for each of the BP dihydrodiols and BP dihydrodiol epoxides. Calculations were carried out for the opening of the C₉—O—C₁₀ epoxide ring both toward C₉ and C₁₀ for the, most stable β,β,β isomer of BP-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide. Opening the epoxide ring between C₁₀ and O leads to a more stable intermediate than opening the epoxide ring between C₉ and C₁₀. However, there is no buildup of positive charge in C₁₀ as has been postulated by some cancer researchers, but rather the C₁₀ becomes slightly more negative. Nor is there a buildup of negative charge on the O atom. rather it becomes slightly less negative. As the epoxide ring is opened further than 90° for the O—C₉—C₁₀ or O—C₁₀—C₉ angles, there appears to be a possible mixing of configurations that is being investigated further.     

On the dimerization process of nitroso compounds

Summary Many organic C-nitroso compounds R-NO form stable dimers with a covalent NN bond. To gain insight into the dimerization reaction 2 R-NO (R-NO)₂ a theoretical study of the dimerization to atrans-form was performed using HNO as a model compound. Complete geometry optimizations were carried out at the HF, MP2 and QCISD levels using a 6–31G* basis. In the stationary points energies were calculated at the MP4(SDTQ) and QCISD(T) levels. For the equilibrium structure of the monomer and dimers stable RHF solutions were found, whereas for the TS UHF and UMPn calculations were applied. Extensive spin contamination was found in the UHF wavefunction, and projections up tos+4 were invoked. Relative energies were corrected for differences in ZPE. Calculations were made (a) for the least-motion path (C _2h symmetry) and (b) for a path with complete relaxation of all internal coordinates. Along the latter path a TS having virtuallyC _i symmetry was found. Along path (a) an activation energy of around 150 kcal/mol was predicted, in conformity with a symmetry forbidden reaction. On the relaxed path (b) the barrier to dimerization was estimated to be 10.7 kcal/mol at the MP4(SDTQ)//MP2 level, and 10.9 kcal/mol at the QCISD(T)//QCISD level. Unscaled ZPE corrections, calculated at the SCF level, changed these values to 12.7 and 12.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The reaction energy for the dimerization process is predicted to be – 17.2 kcal/mol at the MP4(SDTQ)//MP2 level corrected for ZPE. Calculations at the G1 level gave a corresponding value of – 16.4 kcal/mol. The equilibrium constant for the association to thetrans dimer is estimated to beK _p =259 atm, indicating that the dimer should be an observable species in the gas phase.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ab initio</Emphasis> quantum-chemical calculations of the energies and structures of 1,2-acetylenedithiol isomers

Ab initio quantum-chemical calculations of 1,2-acetylenedithiol isomers were carried out. The MP2(full), DFT(B3PW91, MPW1PW91), G3, G3B3, and CBS-Q methods were used. According to the calculations, the most stable isomers were 1,2-dithiet, thiiranethione, and trans-1,2-dithioglyoxal. The necessity of including basis set functions with a large angular momentum in calculations was confirmed. The relatively high stability of 1,2-dithiet was attributed to the aromaticity of its four-membered ring. It was noted that the carbon-carbon bond in the three-membered rings of the cis- and trans-isomers of thiirenethiols was unusually short.     

Nucleophilic Reactions at Tertiary Carbon. Part 1. The 1,2-dimethyl-1-cyclohexyl cation

Stereoisomeric ion pairs are implicated as intermediates in the solvolysis of cis and trans-1-chloro-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane, cis- 4 and trans- 4 , respectively. This follows from the rates and products of these stereoisomeric tertiary chlorides in 80% ethanol and 50% acetone. The composition of elimination and substitution products from cis- 4 and trans- 4 differs markedly and the differences are accentuated by silver ion. Furthermore, substitution products are formed with predominant inversion of configuration. The equilibrium constant for isomerization of cis- 4 and trans- 4 shows the latter to be more stable by 0.7 kcal/mol. Since the solvolysis rates of the chlorides are equal, the transition state for trans- 4 is also more stable by 0.7 kcal. By inference the intermediates differ by a similar amount of energy which is ascribed to more efficient solvation of the trans ion pair 13 .     

On the use of electrostatic potential derived charges in molecular mechanics force fields. The relative solvation free energy of cis- and trans-N-methyl-acetamide

We have carried out free energy perturbation calculations on the relative solvation free energy of cis- and trans-N-methyl-acetamide (NMA). Experimentally, the solvation free energy difference has been found to be near zero. Using 6-31G* ab initio electrostatic potential derived charges for both the cis and trans conformations, we calculate a solvation free energy difference of 0.1 ± 0.1 kcal/mol. Using the 6-31G* charges derived for the trans conformation for both the cis and trans models leads to a solvation free energy difference of 0.9 ± 0.1 kcal/mol, compared to the value of 2.2 kcal/mol determined for the OPLS model for trans-NMA.     

An ab initio study of the electronic structure of diimide

Ab initio calculations on the structure and geometry of the three isomers of N₂H₂ (trans-diimide, cis-diimide, and 1,1-dihydrodiazine) were performed both on HF and CI level using gaussian basis sets with polarization functions. The trans and cis isomers have singlet ground states; the trans isomer is found to be lower in energy than the cis isomer by 6.9 kcal/mol (HF) and 5.8 kcal/mol (CI), respectively. The barrier for the trans-cis isomerization is predicted to be 56 (HF) and 55 (CI) kcal/mol. H₂ N=N has a triplet ground state with a non-planar equilibrium geometry and a rather long NN bond of 1.34 Å. Its lowest singlet state, however, is planar with an NN double bond of 1.22 Å; it is found to lie about 3 kcal/mol above the triplet and 26 kcal/mol above the singlet ground state of trans-diimide.     

Kinetics of the thermal isomerization of 1,1,2‐trimethylcyclopropane

The Arrhenius parameters for the gas phase, unimolecular structural isomerizations of 1,1,2‐trimethylcyclopropane to three isomeric methylpentenes and two dimethylbutenes have been determined over a wide range of temperatures, 688–1124 K, using both static and shock tube reactors. For the overall loss of reactant, E_a = 63.7 (± 0.5) kcal/mol and log₁₀ A = 15.28 (± 0.12). These values are higher by 2.6 kcal/mol and 0.7–0.8 than previously reported from experimental work or predicted from thermochemical calculations. E_a for the formation of trans‐4‐methyl‐2‐pentene is 1.5 kcal/mol higher than E_a for the formation of the cis isomer, which is identical to the E_a difference previously reported for the formation of trans‐ and cis‐2‐butene from methylcyclopropane. Substitution of methyl groups for hydrogen atoms on the cyclopropane ring is expected to weaken the C? C ring bonds, and it has been reported previously that activation energies for structural isomerizations of methylcyclopropanes do decrease substantially over the series cyclopropane > methylcyclopropane > 1,1‐ or 1,2‐dimethylcyclopropane. However, the present study shows that the trend does not continue beyond dimethylcyclopropane isomerization. Besides reductions in C? C bond energy, steric interactions may be increasingly important in determining the energy surface and conformational restrictions near the transition state in isomerizations of the more highly substituted methylcyclopropanes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 475–482, 2006     

MNDO calculations on borazine derivatives. The substitution of one [HNBH] fragment for one [HCCH] fragment in benzene to form the azaborines and the nature of the cyclotrimer of the 1,2-isomer

The three azaborine isomers with the formula C₄H₆BN, 1,2-, 1,4-, and 1,3-azaborine ( I , II , and III ), have been examined using MNDO (m odified n eglect of d iatomic o verlap) calculations. The most stable azaborine was I (heat of formation -8.147 kcal/mol), followed by II (+11.60 kcal/mol) and III (+16.64 kcal/mol). Qualitatively, although the π- and π*-orbitals calculated for the azaborines exhibited an ordering similar to that in benzene and borazine, the HOMO/LUMO energy differences (9.27, 9.68, and 8.44 eV, respectively) were smaller than was the difference calculated for borazine (12.81 eV), but of the same magnitude as the difference for benzene (9.76 eV). With the exception of borazine, each molecule had a π-orbital for the HOMO and a π*-orbital for the LUMO ; borazine's LUMO was a π*-orbital. The calculated shapes and atomic contributions for the π-and π*-orbitals of the azaborines were best described as “hybrids” of the π- and π*-orbitals of benzene and borazine. As was observed for the π- and π*-orbitals of borazine, the azaborines exhibited increased orbital density at the nitrogen atom in the π-bonding orbitals and at boron in the π-antibonding orbitals, as would be predicted from electronegativity considerations. Although I and II exhibited significant double- and single-bond localization, all of the ring bonds in III were delocalized. The delocalization in III was not uniform but, rather, resembled two inequivalent fused allyl systems. The cyclotrimer ( IV ) of 1,2-azaborine (heat of formation -44.07 kcal/mol), based purely on thermodynamic considerations, was predicted to form spontaneously from three monomer molecules with the concurrent loss of three molecules of dihydrogen. The cyclotrimers that could theoretically be produced from 1,2-azaborine without the loss of dihydrogen ( IVc and IVt ) were each calculated to be less stable (heats of formation +24.45, and +33.29 kcal/mol, respectively) than was the experimentally observed IV . The carbon molecules triphenylene ( TP ) and cis- and trans-4a,4b,8a,8b,12a,12b- hexahydrotriphenylene ( TPc and TPt ) (heats of formation +76.79, +101.6, and +103.1 kcal/mol, respectively) were each calculated to be less stable than were the azaborine cyclotrimer analogs, as was observed in comparisons of benzene with the azaborines and borazine.     

A force field study of the chemical reaction between ethylene and cis-N2H2

The fully optimized geometry of the activated complex which occurs as an intermediate in the concerted H-transfer reaction between C₂H₄ and cis-N₂H₂ has been determined using the ab initio FORCE method of Pulay. The activation energy for the synchronous transfer of two hydrogen atoms from cis-N₂H₂ to ethylene is found to be 18.8kcal/mol, i.e. substantially lower than the previously estimated energy barrier of around 60 kcal/mol. The same method applied to trans-N₂H₂ and semilinear N₂H₂ gave an isomerization energy of 49.7 kcal/mol indicating that the isomerization of trans-N₂H₂ to the cis form might be the overall rate-controlling step.     

Die C8H12-Energiehyperfläche Thermolyse von syn- und anti-Tricyclo[4.2.0.02,5]octan. Experimentelle und theoretische Untersuchungen

The C₈H₁₂-Energy Hypersurface Thermolysis of syn- and anti-Tricyclo[4.2.0.0^2,5]octane. Experimental and Theoretical Studies The thermal behaviour of syn- and anti-tricyclo[4.2.0.0^2,5]octanes 9 and 10 in the gas phase as well as in solution is investigated. Two Mayn products are formed in parallel reactions: cis, cis-1,5-cyclooctadiene ( 11 ) and cis, trans-1,5-cyclooctadiene ( 15 ), the latter being partly isomerized to 11 under the reaction conditions. Minor products are cis-1,2-divinylcyclobutane ( 6 ), trans-1,2-divinylcyclobutane ( 16 ) and 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene ( 17 ). Thermolysis of cis-1,2-divinylcyclobutane leads to small amounts of cis, trans-cyclooctadiene, presumably via a four-centre transition state. The tricyclics most likely prefer a stepwise isomerization. The decisive product-controlling factor seems to be the conformational mobility of intermediate diradicals. By comparison with the boat-Cope reaction of divinylcyclobutane the pericyclic six-centre transition state of this rearrangements is shown to lie energetically about 19 kcal/mol below the transition states in the thermolysis of 9 and 10 . The azo compound 12 on heating fragments predominantly in a concerted manner in contrast to the photolysis. Theoretical methods are applied to unveil structure and bonding in the supposed intermediate diradicals.     

Ab initio study of n-tetrasilane cation and anion radicals as models of doped linear polysilanes

The geometric and electronic structures of n-tetrasilane cation and anion radicals as models of doped linear polysilanes are studied theoretically using an ab initio molecular orbital method at the UMP2/6–31 + G(d, p) level of calculations. It is found that the trans-conformations in these molecules are the most stable structures in each ground state and that the energy differences between the cis- and trans-conformations are 3 kcal/mol for the cation radical and 11 kcal/mol for the anion radical. There exists no stable gauche-conformation in these molecules in contrast to neutral n-tetrasilane. It seems that the weakening of the central silicon-silicon bond on doping is connected to the concentration of the charge distributions on central silicon atoms with the change from trans- to cis-conformations in both n-tetrasilane cation and anion radicals. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 62 : 393–401, 1997     

A theoretical study of the chemical reaction between ethylene and N2H2

The interaction between the molecules ethylene and cis-N₂H₂ has been studied using a gaussian basis in a series of ab initio SCF calculations. The results obtained indicate that the synchronous hydrogen transfer reaction is a one-step reaction having an activation energy of around 60 kcal/mol. Our results do not lend support to the hypothesis that the rate of the overall reaction between C₂H₄ and N₂H₂ is controlled by the rate of isomerization of trans-diimide to the cis form.     

All-electron SCF LCAO MO calculations on various conformations of cis- and trans-stilbene

Ab initio SCF calculations of cis- and trans-stilbene at different conformations were performed using two program systems. Minimal energy is obtained for cis-stilbene when the phenyl rings are rotated by 52 ° out of the molecular plane. The deviation from planarity due to steric hindrance is smaller for the trans isomer yielding a rotational angle of 19 °. The trans isomer is calculated to be more stable by 5.7 kcal/mole than the cis isomer, confirming the experimental estimate according to which the energy of isomerization is about 3 kcal/mole. This is an improvement over semiempirical calculations which predict a lower energy for the trans configuration.