A pseudopotential ab initio molecular orbital study of the copper(I)-ethylene system

The π and σ-coordinated complexes for the copper(I)-ethylene system are studied by a pseudopotential ab initio MO method. It is found that the lowest-energy structure shows a bent C_2v conformation. A C₅ σ-coordinated complex lies only about 2 kcal/mol above the minimal energy one.     

A non-empirical molecular orbital study of valence tautomers of C2H3N

The valence tautomers of C₂H₃N have been examined by non-empirical molecular orbital calculations using two split-valence shell basis sets. All geometries were fully optimized using the 4–31G basis set and these structures were then used in 6–31G basis set calculations. The order of stability of the three possible cyclic isomers is 1-azirine > cyclic carbene > 2-azirine. The profiles for conversion of vinylmethylene into cyclopropene, vinylnitrene into 1-arizine, and iminomethylene into 2-azirine have all been shown to have barriers.     

A self consistent field molecular orbital study of the lithium-formaldehyde system

The nature of the lithium—oxygen bond in the lithium—formaldehyde system (a prototype of the ketyl radical—alkali metal ion pairs) is examined by unrestricted Hartree—Fock calculations using minimum and extended Slater-type bases and ghost orbital methods. Two states of the equilibrium C_2v symmetry structure are considered: ²B₁, which is a π radical, and ²A₁, Which is a σ radical. In contrast with the results of Ha et al. [10], the ²B₁, state is found to have a slightly lower energy than ²A ₁, When only s-type basis functions are used for the lithium atom; the ²B₁, state is further stabilized if 2p functions at the lithium centre are included. Inclusion of 2p orbitals on lithium greatly exaggerates the charge density at the lithium atom in single-ζ basis calculations on the ²B₁ state, and earlier calculations by Bernardi and Pedulli [8, 9] are found severely to underestimate the polarity of this state. A much better wave-function is obtained from double-ζ basis calculations, and it is concluded that the net charge of Li in the ²B₁, state is close to + 1. The ²A₁, state, on the other hand, is essentially homopolar.     

A molecular orbital rationalization of ligand effects in N2 activation

Molecular orbital theory has been used to study a series of [(micro-N2){ML3}2] complexes as models for dinitrogen activation, with M=Mo, Ta, W, Re and L=NH2, PH2, AsH2, SbH2 and N(BH2)2. The main aims of this study have been to provide a thorough electronic analysis of the complexes and to extend previous work involving molecular orbital analyses. Molecular orbital diagrams have been used to rationalize why for L=NH2 ligand rotation is important for the singlet state but not the triplet, to confirm the effect of ligand pi donation, and to rationalize the importance of the metal d-electron configuration. The outcomes of this study will assist with a more in-depth understanding of the electronic basis for N2 activation and allow clearer predictions to be made about the structure and multiplicity of systems involved in transition-metal catalysis.     

A molecular orbital study of cis and trans diaminodichloroplatinum(II)

The relativistic multiple scattering Xα method has been applied in order to calculate the eigenvalues and the charge densities of cis and trans diaminodichloroplatinum(II). The activity of the cis isomer as an antitumor agent is discussed in terms of the possible modes of coordination of certain fragments of the DNA molecule through the LUMO state of the cis Pt complex. Although possible, coordination of the trans isomer is rendered unlikely as a result of possible strain effects.     

Phenyl-bridging in the 2-phenylethyl radical. A molecular orbital study

Density functional theory at the UB3PW91/6-31G(d.p) level on the open and bridged forms of the 2-phenylethyl radical are reported here together with activation energies and calculated rate constants for rearrangement of the bridged to the open radical. In addition, the effect of substituents on the aryl ring upon the relative energies, activation energies, and rate constants for rearrangement from the bridged to open forms are presented. Para-substituents include CH3, CF3.CN, CHO.OH, SH, O-, S-, and NO. The parent bridged radical is found to be 10.1 kcal/mol higher in enthalpy than the open form. The activation energy for conversion of the bridged to open radical is 3.96 kcal/mol. Para-substitution by CN or CHO significantly lowers the difference in energy between the species, while substitution by NO renders the bridged form more stable. Para-substitution by CN or CHO coupled with substitution with CN in the ortho-positions makes the open and bridged radical approximately equivalent in energy.     

The structure and chemical bonding in the N(2)-CuX and N(2)...XCu (X = F, Cl, Br) systems studied by means of the molecular orbital and Quantum Chemical Topology methods

Ab initio studies carried out at the MP2(full)/6-311+G(2df) and MP2(full)/aug-cc-pVTZ-PP computational levels reveals that dinitrogen (N(2)) and cuprous halides (CuX, X = F, Cl, Br) form three types of systems with the side-on and end-on coordination of N(2): N[triple bond]N-CuX (C(infinity v)), N(2)-CuX (C(2v)) stabilized by the donor-acceptor bonds and weak van der Waals complexes N(2)...XCu (C(2v)) with dominant dispersive forces. An electron density transfer between the N(2) and CuX depends on type of the N(2) coordination and a comparison of the NPA charges yields the [N[triple bond]N](delta+)-[CuX](delta-) and [N(2)](delta-)-[CuX](delta+) formula. According to the NBO analysis, the Cu-N coordinate bonds are governed by predominant LP(N2)-->sigma*(Cu-X) "2e-delocalization" in the most stable N[triple bond]N-CuX systems, meanwhile back donation LP(Cu)-->pi*(N-N) prevails in less stable N(2)-CuX molecules. A topological analysis of the electron density (AIM) presents single BCP between the Cu and N nuclei in the N[triple bond]N-CuX, two BCPs corresponding to two donor-acceptor Cu-N bonds in the N(2)-CuX and single BCP between electron density maximum of the N[triple bond]N bond and halogen nucleus in the van der Waals complexes N(2)...XCu. In all systems values of the Laplacian nabla(2)rho(r)(r(BCP)) are positive and they decrease following a trend of the complex stability i.e. N[triple bond]N-CuX (C(infinity v)) > N(2)-CuX (C(2v)) > N(2)...XCu (C(2v)). A topological analysis of the electron localization function (ELF) reveals strongly ionic bond in isolated CuF and a contribution of covalent character in the Cu-Cl and Cu-Br bonds. The donor-acceptor bonds Cu-N are characterized by bonding disynaptic basins V(Cu,N) with attractors localized at positions corresponding to slightly distorted lone pairs V(N) in isolated N(2). In the N[triple bond]N-CuX systems, there were no creation of any new bonding attractors in regions where classically the donor-acceptor bonds are expected and there is no sign of typical covalent bond Cu-N with the bonding pair. Calculations carried out for the N[triple bond]N-CuX reveal small polarization of the electron density in the N[triple bond]N bond, which is reflected by the bond polarity index being in range of 0.14 (F) to 0.11 (Cl).     

Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics study of the blue-shifted F3CH...FCD3 system in liquid N2.

Fluoroform, as confirmed by both experimental and theoretical studies, can participate in improper H-bond formation, which is characterized by a noticeable increase in the fundamental stretching frequency nu(C-H) (so-called blue frequency shift), an irregular change of its integral intensity, and a C-H bond contraction. A Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulation was performed for a complex formed by fluoroform (F3CH) and deuterated methyl fluoride (FCD3) in liquid nitrogen. Vibrational analysis based on the Fourier transform of the dipole moment autocorrelation function reproduces the blue shift of the fundamental stretching frequency nu(C-H) and the decrease in the integral intensity. The dynamic contraction of the C-H bond is also predicted. The stoichiometry of the solvated, blue-shifted complexes and their residence times are examined.     

An ab initio molecular orbital study of the C2F2 species: The difluorovinylidene → difluoroacetylene rearrangement

An ab initio MO study, using medium size Gaussian basis sets has been made of vinylidene carbene, acetylene and the isomeric cyclic intermediate presumed to represent the transition state of their interconversion reaction, along with their perfluorinated analogs. The total energies of the acetylenes are lower than the vinylidenes and the estimated activation energy of their interconversion is considerably higher for the fluorinated molecules. The results are in line with experimental observations.     

A molecular orbital study of carbomethoxycarbene and dicarboxycarbene

The MINDO / 3 calculations on the title carbenes suggest that the nonclassical, closed structures are favored in gas phase or under externally unperturbed conditions.     

A computational study of the effectiveness of the frontier molecular orbital formalism in predicting conformational isomerism in (p-RC6H4NC)2W(dppe)2

Ab initio electronic structure calculations on a series of ligands, p-RC6H4NC:, indicate, that the energy of the LUMO correlates with the electron-withdrawing/donating capabilities of the substituent group, which determines the relative pi-acidity of the ligand. Depending on the nature of the para substituent group on the aryl isocyanide ligand, bis(aryl isocyanide) complexes of tungsten-containing bulky bidentate arylphosphine ligands adopt either cis or trans conformations. The frontier molecular orbital formalism predicts that strong pi-acids, which contain electron-withdrawing groups, tend to polarize sufficient charge density away from the metal center to effect the formation of the sterically less favorable but electronically stabilized cis conformer. Density functional theory calculations on similar complexes containing phosphines which do not impose severe steric contraints indicate that the balance between steric and electronic stabilization can be effectively predicted by comparing the relative energies of the ligand LUMOs.     

Relativistic molecular orbital study of the optical and magnetic properties of hexachloro protactinate (IV): PaCl6(2-)

Our ab initio all-electron Dirac-Fock and the corresponding nonrelativistic limit calculations performed at four Pa-Cl bond distances yield for octahedral PaCl(6) (2-) the optimized Pa-Cl bond distances of 2.758 and 2.771 Angstroms, respectively. Dirac scattered wave and its nonrelativistic limit calculations are performed at the optimized Pa-Cl bond distances using a first-order perturbation procedure to obtain the molecular g and hyperfine tensors for the octahedral anion PaCl(6) (2-). The calculated Zeeman and (231)Pa hyperfine interactions are in fairly good agreement with the electron paramagnetic resonance and electron nuclear double resonance values of the Pa(4+) impurity site in the octahedral Cs(2)ZrCl(6) lattice. The calculated relativistic transition energies of the 5f-->5f and 5f-->6d absorption bands are also in good agreement with the experimental results.     

A molecular orbital study of the stereochemistry and conformational stability of tetra-coordinate selenium in the selenocyclopropane system

Semiempirical molecular orbital calculations were performed on epi-selenurane (1-chloro-1-methyl-selenocyclopropane), the previously proposed reaction intermediate of the addition of selenenyl chloride to olefin:

The geometry optimization suggested that the most stable conformation of episelenurane adduct resembles a distorted trigonal bipyramid in which the three membered ring is in an equatorial-apical orientation. The study has also been extended to substituted ethylenes.     

Applications of the molecular orbital graph theory (XI)

The tree graph method of evaluating the local molecular moment is proposed. By applying this method and the molecular moment formula of π-electron energy in the molecular orbital graph theory, a topological method of using the molecular moment to judge the relatively reactive point of even AH is achieved.     

Nmr study of the solution structures of TcO(2)F(3) and ReO(2)F(3)

Both TcO(2)F(3) and ReO(2)F(3) are infinite chain, fluorine-bridged polymers in the solid state. Their solution structures have been studied by (19)F and (99)Tc NMR spectroscopy in SO(2)ClF solution and shown to exhibit cyclic (MO(2)F(3))(3) (M = Tc, Re) and (ReO(2)F(3))(4) structures that have been confirmed by simulation of the (19)F NMR spectra. The trimers dominate in both the technetium and rhenium systems, with both the tetramer and trimer existing in equilibrium in the rhenium system. A low concentration of a higher, possibly pentameric, cyclic rhenium polymorph is also present in equilibrium with the trimer and tetramer.     

A molecular orbital study of the orienting effect in homoconjugated systems

Polarization of double bonds in homoconjugated systems has been studied by the use of MO theory and the results obtained have been compared with experimental findings. It has been suggested that the substituent effects are reduced by a structurally determined factor $\text{1}\text{10}$ ~ $\text{1}\text{100}$ when they are transmitted through homoconjugation and that the rate of attenuation of the effects would also depend on substituents, being slower in the case of strongly electron-releasing or withdrawing groups and faster in the case of weakly electron-releasing or withdrawing groups. An aspect of polarization in multicyclic conjugated molecules induced by the attacking electrophiles has been discussed in some detail, yielding a fair agreement between the theoretical conclusion and the experimental results accumulated so far.     

A CNDO/2 molecular orbital study of the electronic and conformational modes of ibotenic acid

CNDO/2 molecular orbital calculations on the non-ionic molecule, zwitterion and mono-anion of ibotenic acid are reported. Internal energy surfaces have been calculated from which minimum energy conformations are predicted. The relative internal energies, dipole moments and net atomic populations at the minimum-energy conformations are given. The importance of using a free energy rather than internal energy approach in the construction of energy surfaces is also discussed.