Accurate electron affinities of several diatomic and triatomic molecules

The electron affinity of several diatomic and triatomic molecules is computed with an error of less than 0.1 eV using the second-order Møller-Plesset method and a 6.311 + G(2d,2p) basis set. The importance of the zero-point energy correction is tested and a comparison with the results obtained with other basis sets is made.     

The radical anions and the electron affinities of perfluorinated benzene,naphthalene and anthracene

Although benzene and naphthalene do not have electron affinities in the conventional sense, perfluorobenzene and perfluoronaphthalene have nonzero electron affinities. Theoretical methods extensively calibrated with experiment for the prediction of electron affinities (EAs) predict the EAs of perfluorobenzene, perfluoronaphthalene and perfluoroanthracene as 0.69, 1.02 and 1.84 eV, respectively. A rough estimate of 2.39 eV is made for the electron affinity of perfluorotetracene. Thus the perfluoro polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are predicted to be effective electron acceptors.     

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.     

A radiolabelling study of radicals derived from benzene, toluene and benzaldehyde sorbed in model environmental carbon

Radiolabelled free radicals were formed by the addition of muonium--a radioactive hydrogen atom with a positive muon as its nucleus--to benzene, toluene and benzaldehyde, as sorbed in porous carbon. The activation parameters associated with their reorientational motion were measured using longitudinal-field muon spin relaxation (LF-MuSRx). Two distinct sorbed fractions were detected in each sample, characterised by molecular reorientational activation energies of 5.9/25.8 kJ/mol for benzene, 2.5/5.9 kJ/mol for toluene and 2.9/11.5 kJ/mol for benzaldehyde.     

Negative electron affinities from conventional electronic structure methods

If the potential V describing the interaction between an excess electron and a ground-state neutral or anionic parent is sufficiently attractive at short range, electron-attached states having positive electron affinities (EAs) can arise. Even if the potential is not attractive enough to produce a bound state, metastable electron-attached states may still occur and have lifetimes long enough to give rise to experimentally detectable signatures. Low-energy metastable states arise when the attractive components of V combine with a longer-range repulsive contribution to produce a barrier behind which the excess electron can be temporarily trapped. These repulsive contributions arise from either the centrifugal potential in the excess electron’s angular kinetic energy or long-range Coulomb repulsion in the case of an anionic parent. When there is no barrier, this kind of low-energy metastable state does not arise, but improper theoretical calculations can lead to erroneous predictions of their existence. Conventional electronic structure methods with, at most, minor modifications are described for properly characterizing metastable states and for avoiding incorrectly predicting the existence of metastable states with negative EAs where no barrier is present.     

Structures, electron affinities, and harmonic vibrational frequencies of the simplest alkyl peroxyl radicals and their anions

The molecular structures and electron affinities of the R-OO/R-OO(-) (R = CH3, C2H5, n-C3H7, n-C4H9, n-C5H11, i-C3H7, t-C4H9) species have been determined using seven different density functional or hybrid Hartree-Fock density functional methods. The basis set used in this work is of double-zeta plus polarization quality with additional diffuse s-type and p-type functions, denoted DZP++. The geometries are fully optimized with each density functional theory method. Harmonic vibrational frequencies were found to be within 3.1% of available experimental values for most functionals. Two different types of the neutral-anion energy separations reported in this work are the adiabatic electron affinity and the vertical detachment energy. The most reliable adiabatic electron affinities obtained at the DZP++ BP86 level of theory are 1.150 (CH3OO), 1.124 (C2H5OO), 1.146 (n-C3H7OO), 1.173 (n-C4H9OO), 1.184 (n-C5H11OO), 1.145 (i-C3H7OO), and 1.114 eV (t-C4H9OO). Compared with the experimental values, the average absolute error of the BPW91 method is 0.05 eV.     

Rates of the halide ion cleavage from halo-9,10-diphenylanthracene anion radicals in DMF

The rate constants k for the cleavage of the carbon-halogen bond in anion radicals of 1- and 2-chloro-9,10-diphenylanthracene, 9,10-dichloroanthracene and 2-bromo-9,10-diphenylanthracene have been determined and compared with the literature data for other anthracenyl halides. There is no significant correlation between log k and the formal potentials of the anion radical formation. However, linear relationships of the experimental RT In k vs. the relative thermodynamic contribution to the activation barrier as well as the relative intrinsic activation energy (calculated on the basis of the recent Savéant model and using the ionic component of the bond enthalpy estimated from the absolute electronegativity and hardness) have been found.     

Structures, electron affinities, and vibrational frequencies of the mono-, di-substituted SF6 radicals

Optimized molecular structures, electron affinities, and IR-active vibrational frequencies have been predicted using five different hybrid Hartree–Fock/density functional theory (DFT) methods for a series of mono-, di-substituted SF₆ compounds. The basis set used in this work is of double-ζ plus polarization quality with additional diffuse s- and p-type functions, denoted DZP++. These methods have been carefully calibrated [J.C. Rienstra-Kiracofe, G.S. Tschumper, H.F. Schaefer, S. Nandi, G.B. Ellison, Chem. Rev. 102 (2002) 231]. The equilibrium configurations of the anions and are found to be a zigzag geometry with ²A electronic state. Three different types of the neutral-anion energy separation reported in this work are the adiabatic electron affinity (EA_ad), the vertical electron affinity (EA_vert), and the vertical detachment energy (VDE). The most reliable adiabatic electron affinities of the mono-, di-substituted SF₆ compounds obtained at the KMLYP function are 1.48 eV (SF₆), 3.20 eV (SF₅Cl), 3.49 eV (SF₅Br), 1.59 eV (SF₅CF₃), 3.21 eV (CF₃SF₄Cl), 3.59 eV (CF₃SF₄Br), 1.36 eV (CF₃SF₄CH₃), 2.32 eV (CF₃SF₄CF₃), respectively.     

电负性标度和电子亲和能的规律性研究II. 电子亲和能的规律性研究

本文研究了不同情形下, 绝对硬度η与~nt(r为轨道半径, n, I 为轨道的主量子数和角量子数)的关系, 并在前文提出的Z/~nl与Mulliken 电负性关系基础上, 将元素电子亲和能A同时与Z/~nl和~nl相关起来, 并表示成A=αZ/~nl+b~nb+c(a, b, c为常数)。我们研究了这种关系在周期表中各族及各过渡系的拟合结果, 不但计算值与电子亲和能的实验值非常吻合, 而且拟合的相关程度很高。本文方法为系统研究电子亲和能的变化规律提供了简单可行的途径。     

Accurate prediction of the enthalpies of formation for xanthophylls

This study investigates the applications of computational approaches in the prediction of enthalpies of formation (ΔH(f)) for C-, H-, and O-containing compounds. Molecular mechanics (MM4) molecular mechanics method, density functional theory (DFT) combined with the atomic equivalent (AE) and group equivalent (GE) schemes, and DFT-based correlation corrected atomization (CCAZ) were used. We emphasized on the application to xanthophylls, C-, H-, and O-containing carotenoids which consist of ～ 100 atoms and extended π-delocaization systems. Within the training set, MM4 predictions are more accurate than those obtained using AE and GE; however a systematic underestimation was observed in the extended systems. ΔH(f) for the training set molecules predicted by CCAZ combined with DFT are in very good agreement with the G3 results. The average absolute deviations (AADs) of CCAZ combined with B3LYP and MPWB1K are 0.38 and 0.53 kcal/mol compared with the G3 data, and are 0.74 and 0.69 kcal/mol compared with the available experimental data, respectively. Consistency of the CCAZ approach for the selected xanthophylls is revealed by the AAD of 2.68 kcal/mol between B3LYP-CCAZ and MPWB1K-CCAZ.     

Spin trapping of propagating radicals derived from dialkyl fumarates

Propagating radicals of dialkyl fumarates (DRFs) and deuterated fumarate were trapped by admitting a 2-methyl-2-introsopropane (BNO) solution to the polymerization mixture containing the active radicals or by the polymerizations initiated with di-t-butyl hyponitrite in the presence of BNO. Although ESR spectra of the propagating radicals were appreciably changed with the size of the ester alkyl groups, all the nitroxyl radicals resulting from the spin trapping exhibited similar six-line spectra. The hyperfine splitting constant for the α-hydrogen of the radical moiety showed a slight dependence on the chain length, and the bulkiness of the ester alkyl group did not affect splitting of the spectra. These findings indicate that a substituted methylene radical is produced by addition of the primary radical to DRF followed by propagation throughout the polymerization and that poly(DRF) radical does not encounter severe hindrance in the reaction with BNO.     

The evaluation of molecular electron affinities

The performance of a variety of levels of theory in evaluating molecular electron affinities (EAs) has been systematically examined. Calculations have been carried out for six different basis sets and for nine theoretical procedures including unrestricted (UHF) and restricted (RHF) Hartree-Fock theory, Møler-Plesset perturbation theory (UMP2, UMP3, UMP4), configuration interaction (UCISD, RCISD, RCISD(Q)) and equations-of-motion (EOM) approaches. Electron affinities were evaluated for CH₃, NH₂, OH, F, C₂H, CN, BO, N₃, OCN, and NO₂. Very poor results are generally obtained unless diffuse functions are included in the basis set and electron correlation is incorporated. Even with the largest basis set used in the present study (6-311 + + G(2d, 2p)), there are still residual errors greater than 0.2 eV (UMP4) or 0.6 eV (CISD) in the absolute EAs. However, better results are obtained under certain circumstances for relative EAs. The results appear to be significantly affected by spin contamination in the UHF wave-functions. For those systems for which spin contamination is small, best absolute values of the EAs generally come from the EOM and UMP2 calculations, whereas the most constant errors (thereby allowing systematic correction) are found at the UMP4, CISD, and RCISD(Q) levels. For the systems for which spin contamination is larger, best results are obtained with the CI-based procedures (CISD and RCISD(Q)). The errors in calculated EAs for the molecules with differing electronic characteristics can vary quite widely. Caution must therefore be exercised before applying schemes which rely on a constancy of errors to estimate electron affinities. The UMP procedures appear particularly suspect in this regard if spin contamination is significant. The RCISD(Q) approach is recommended under such circumstances.     

Palladium(II) halide complexes with dithioesters derived from sarcosine

Summary The compounds EtO₂CCH₂(Me)NCS₂R (R = Me, ESDTM; R = Et, ESDTE) were prepared from sarcosine ethyl ester hydrochloride, CS₂ and alkyl iodide in EtOH-H₂O. These ligands react with palladium halides in benzene to yield the benzene solvates [Pd(ESDTR)X₂]·nC₆H₆ (R = Me or Et; X = Cl or Br; n < 1), in which the dithioester molecule coordinates through both sulphur atoms. Ligands and complexes have been characterized by i.r. and ¹H n.m.r. spectroscopy and by thermal analysis (t.g., d.t.g. and d.t.a.). The low stability of the adducts in both solution and solid phase is discussed on the basis of proton n.m.r. spectra. Thermal degradation of the 1∶1 complexes has been examined up to 1000° C. The first decomposition step involves release of alkyl halide to form the [Pd(ESDT)X] _n (X = Cl or Br) intermediates, which successively decompose, finally giving palladium.     

Accurate prediction of relative binding affinities of a series of HIV-1 protease inhibitors using semi-empirical quantum mechanical charge

A major challenge in computer-aided drug design is the accurate estimation of ligand binding affinity. Here, a new approach that combines the adaptive steered molecular dynamics (ASMD) and partial atomic charges calculated by semi-empirical quantum mechanics (SQMPC), namely ASMD-SQMPC, is suggested to predict the ligand binding affinities, with 24 HIV-1 protease inhibitors as testing examples. In the ASMD-SQMPC, the relative binding free energy (ΔG) is reflected by the average maximum potential of mean force (<PMF>_max) between bound and unbound states. The correlation coefficient (R²) between the <PMF>_max and experimentally determined ΔG is 0.86, showing a significant improvement compared with the conventional ASMD (R² = 0.52). Therefore, this study provides an efficient approach to predict the relative ΔG and reveals the significance of precise partial atomic charges in the theoretical simulations.     

Accurate ab initio binding energies of the benzene dimer

Accurate binding energies of the benzene dimer at the T and parallel displaced (PD) configurations were determined using the single- and double-coupled cluster method with perturbative triple correction (CCSD(T)) with correlation-consistent basis sets and an effective basis set extrapolation scheme recently devised. The difference between the estimated CCSD(T) basis set limit electronic binding energies for the T and PD shapes appears to amount to more than 0.3 kcal/mol, indicating the PD shape is a more stable configuration than the T shape for this dimer in the gas phase. This conclusion is further strengthened when a vibrational zero-point correction to the electronic binding energies of this dimer is made, which increases the difference between the two configurations to 0.4-0.5 kcal/mol. The binding energies of 2.4 and 2.8 kcal/mol for the T and PD configurations are in good accord with the previous experimental result from ionization potential measurement.     

Formation of phenol and carbonyls from the atmospheric reaction of OH radicals with benzene

The gas-phase reaction of OH radicals with benzene has been studied in a flow tube operated at 295 +/- 2 K and 950 mbar of synthetic air or O2. Ozonolysis of tetramethylethylene (dark reaction) with a measured OH radical yield of 0.92 +/- 0.08 or photolysis of methyl nitrite in the presence of NO served as the OH sources. For investigations in the presence of NOx, the conditions were chosen so that more than 95% of the OH/benzene adduct reacted with O2 even for the highest NO2 concentration occurring in the experiment. In the absence of NOx, a phenol yield from the reaction of OH radicals with benzene of 0.61 +/- 0.07 was measured by means of long-path FT-IR and UV spectroscopy over a wide range of experimental conditions. This yield was confirmed by measurements performed in the presence of NOx. Detected carbonyls were glyoxal, cis-butenedial and trans-butenedial with formation yields of 0.29 +/- 0.10, 0.08 +/- 0.03 and 0.023 +/- 0.007, respectively, measured in synthetic air and in the presence of NOx. There was no significant difference in the product yields applying both experimental approaches for OH generation (dark reaction or photolysis). Nitrobenzene and o-nitrophenol were detected in traces. The yield of nitrobenzene increased with increasing NOx resulting in a maximum formation yield of 0.007. The detected products in the presence of NOx account for approximately 78% of the reacted carbon. Butenedial yields from benzene degradation are reported for the first time. In the absence of NOx, glyoxal, cis-butenedial and trans-butenedial were also detected, but with distinctly lower yields compared to the experiments with NOx.