Comprehensive mechanistic study of ion pair SN2 reactions of lithium isocyanate and methyl halides

The anionic S_N2 reactions NCO^? + CH₃X and ion pair S_N2 reactions LiNCO + CH₃X (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) at saturated carbon with inversion and retention mechanisms were investigated at the level of MP2/6‐311+G(d,p). There are two possible reaction pathways in the anionic S_N2 reactions, but eight in the ion pair S_N2 reactions. Calculated results suggest that the previously reported T‐shaped isomer of lithium isocyanate does not exist. All the retention pathways are not favorable based on the analysis of transition structures. Two possible competitive reaction pathways proceed via two six‐member ring inversion transition structures. It is found that there are two steps in the most favorable pathway, in which less stable lithium cyanate should be formed through the isomerization of lithium isocyanate and nucleophilic site (N) subsequently attacks methyl halides from the backside. The thermodynamically and kinetically favorable methyl isocyanate is predicted as major product both in the gas phase anionic and the ion pair S_N2 reactions. In addition, good correlations between the overall barriers relative to separated reactants, ΔH , with geometrical looseness parameter %L^≠ and the heterolytic cleavage energies of the C? X and Li? N (or Li? O) bonds are observed for the anionic and ion pair S_N2 reactions. The trend of variation of the overall barriers predicts the leaving ability of X increase in the order: F < Cl < Br < I. The polarized continuum model (PCM) has been used to evaluate the solvent effects on the two inversion pathways with six‐member transition structures for the reactions of LiNCO + CH₃X. The calculations in solution indicate that solvent effects will retard the rate of reactions and the predicted product, methyl isocyanate, is same as the one in the gas phase. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006     

Theoretical investigation of ion pair SN2 reactions of alkali isothiocyanates with alkyl halides. Part 1. Reaction of lithium isothiocyanate and methyl fluoride with inversion mechanism

The gas‐phase ionic S_N2 reactions NCS^‐ + CH₃F and ion pair S_N2 reaction LiNCS + CH₃F with inversion mechanism were investigated at the level of MP2(full)/6‐311+G**//HF/6‐311+G**. Both of them involve the reactants complex, inversion transition state, and products complex. There are two possible reaction pathways in the ionic S_N2 reaction but four reaction pathways in the ion pair S_N2 reaction. Our results indicate that the introduction of lithium significantly lower the reaction barrier and make the ion pair displacement reaction more facile. For both ionic and ion pair reaction, methyl thiocyanate is predicted to be the major product, but the latter is more selective. More‐stable methyl isothiocyanate can be prepared by thermal rearrangement of methyl thiocyanate. The theoretical predictions are consistent with the known experimental results. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Modified Gaussian-2 level investigation of the identity ion-pair SN2 reactions of lithium halide and methyl halide with inversion and retention mechanisms

Identity ion-pair S(N)2 reactions LiX + CH(3)X --> XCH(3) + LiX (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) have been investigated in the gas phase and in solution at the level of the modified Gaussian-2 theory. Two possible reaction mechanisms, inversion and retention, are discussed. The reaction barriers relative to the complexes for the inversion mechanism [DeltaH(cent) ( not equal )(inv)] are found to be much higher than the corresponding values for the gas phase anionic S(N)2 reactions, decreasing in the following order: F (263.6 kJ mol(-1)) > Cl (203.3 kJ mol(-1)) > Br (174.7 kJ mol(-1)) > I (150.7 kJ mol(-1)). The barrier gaps between the two mechanisms [DeltaH(cent) ( not equal ) (ret) - DeltaH(cent) ( not equal ) (inv)] increase in the order F (-62.7 kJ mol(-1)) < Cl (4.4 kJ mol(-1)) < Br (24.9 kJ mol(-1)) < I (45.1 kJ mol(-1)). Thus, the retention mechanism is energetically favorable for fluorine and the inversion mechanism is favored for other halogens, in contrast to the anionic S(N)2 reactions at carbon where the inversion reaction channel is much more favorable for all of the halogens. The stabilization energies for the dipole-dipole complexes CH(3)X. LiX (DeltaH(comp)) are found to be similar for the entire set of systems with X = F, Cl, Br, and I, ranging from 53.4 kJ mol(-1) for I up to 58.9 kJ mol(-1) for F. The polarizable continuum model (PCM) has been used to evaluate the direct solvent effects on the energetics of the anionic and ion-pair S(N)2 reactions. The energetic profiles are found to be still double-well shaped for most of the ion-pair S(N)2 reactions in the solution, but the potential profile for reaction LiI + CH(3)I is predicted to be unimodal in the protic solvent. Good correlations between central barriers [DeltaH(cent) ( not equal ) (inv)] with the geometric looseness of the inversion transition state %C-X( not equal ), the dissociation energies of the C-X bond (D(C-X)) and Li-X bond (D(Li-X)) are observed, respectively.     

Computational study of SN2 reactions promoted by crown ether: Contact ion pair versus solvent‐separated ion pair mechanism

We examined by quantum chemical methods the mechanism of S_N2 reaction using metal bromide MBr (M = Na, K, Cs) and KX (X= F, Cl) in CH₃CN promoted by crown ether (18‐crown‐6). We focus on whether the metal salts react as a contact ion pair (CIP; M⁺ and X^– in close contact) or as a solvent‐separated ion pair (SSIP; M⁺ and X^– at large distance). In SSIP mechanism, X^– is removed far enough from M⁺ for the metal salt to be considered as “separated” by the effects of the crown ether and the solvent. In the CIP picture, conversely, the coordination of 18‐crown‐6 to M⁺ is not sufficient to overcome the powerful Coulombic interactions between M⁺ and X^–. We find that the CIP route is favored for S_N2 bromination processes using MBr (M = Na, K, Cs). For S_N2 reaction using KF, the feasibility of the two pathways is essentially equal, whereas for S_N2 chlorination by KCl the SSIP route is predicted to be favored.     

H2CO和NO2反应机理的密度泛函理论计算研究

用密度泛函理论方法在UB3LYP/ 6-311++G(d,p)并包含零点能水平上计算得到了H2CO和NO2反应的势能面.在势能面上找到了由H2CO和NO2反应生成HCO和trans-HONO的两条反应通道.直接H迁移反应通道的势垒只有90.54 kJ*mol-1,是主要的反应通道,其TST速率是7.9 cm3*mol-1*s-1,与文献值相符;另一条通道是H2CO异构化为trans-HCOH,然后C位H迁移,最后生成的HOC分子异构化为HCO,这条通道反应势垒高达348.03 kJ*mol-1,是一条次要反应通道.     

Ab initio molecular orbital study on the gas phase SN2 reaction F + CH3Cl → CH3F + Cl

Ab-initio molecular orbital (MO) and direct ab initio dynamics calculations have been applied to the gas phase S_N2 reaction F⁻ + CH₃Cl → CH₃F + Cl⁻. Several basis sets were examined in order to select the most convenient and best fitted basis set to that of high-quality calculations. The Hartree–Fock (HF) 3−21+G(d) calculation reasonably represents a potential energy surface calculated at the MP2/6−311++G(2df,2pd) level. A direct ab initio dynamics calculation at the HF/3−21+G(d) level was carried out for the S_N2 reaction. A full dimensional ab initio potential energy surface including all degrees of freedom was used in the dynamics calculation. Total energies and gradients were calculated at each time step. Two initial configurations at time zero were examined in the direct dynamics calculations: one is a near collinear collision, and the other is a side-attack collision. It was found that in the near collinear collision almost all total available energy is partitioned into two modes: the relative translational mode between the products (40%) and the C − F stretching mode (60%). The other internal modes of CH₃F were still in the ground state. The lifetimes of the early- and late-complexes F⁻ … CH₃Cl and FCH₃ … Cl⁻ are significantly short enough to dissociate directly to the products. On the other hand, in the side-attack collision, the relative translation energy was about 20% of total available energy.     

A theoretical investigation on the mechanism of the α,α-diphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl ether-catalyzed oxyamination reaction

A theoretical investigation on the reaction mechanism of a chiral prolinol silyl ether-catalyzed oxyamination reaction strongly suggests that the reaction proceeds via an enol intermediate and not via an enamine intermediate. The catalyst generates the enol and forms an enol-catalyst complex. Nitrosobenzene subsequently reacts with the enol-catalyst complex to afford the (S)-N-nitroso aldol product. The proposed mechanism is able to account for the experimentally observed enantioselectivity.     

Theoretical study on the reaction pathways of HFCO + H2O

For the reaction of methanoyl fluoride with water, both optimized structures and vibrational wavenumbers of reaction intermediates, transition structures and product complexes were calculated and characterized with theory at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level. Including a catalytic path and concerted and stepwise hydrolysis paths, possible reaction mechanisms were also investigated. The catalytic reaction of HFCO yielding HF and CO has the smallest activation barrier, 29.6 kcal/mol, whereas for the concerted hydrolysis 33.0 kcal/mol is required to overcome the barrier to form transoid HCOOH + HF, which is less than for the stepwise counterpart, 42.0 kcal/mol.     

Counter-ion effect in the nucleophilic substitution reactions at silicon: a G2M(+) level theoretical investigation

Three identity nucleophilic substitution reactions at tetracoordinated silicon atom with inversion and retention pathways: Nu + SiH₃Cl → Nu + SiH₃Cl[Nu = (1)Cl⁻, (2) LiCl, and (3) (LiCl)₂], are investigated using the G2M(+) theory. Our results show that changing the nucleophile can shift the mechanism (favorable pathway), stepwise from a single-well PES for reaction 1, via a double-well PES for reaction 2, to a triple-well PES for reaction 3, indicating the importance of steric and electronic effects on the S_N2@Si. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Investigation of the complexation reaction between 2-diethylaminomethyl-4-methylphenol and ZnCl2. Reaction mechanism and solvent effects

The reaction mechanism of the chemical reaction of 2-diethylaminomethyl-4-methylphenolate with ZnCl₂ is investigated by means of the PM3 semi-empirical method. We propose two different but competitive stepwise pathways going from the isolated reactants to the tetra-coordinated bidentate final complex, where the zinc atom is bonded both to the oxygen and to the nitrogen atom of the ligand. Each pathway proceeds via different monodentate intermediate complexes. This study shows that either the first chemical bond formed between ZnCl₂ and 2-diethylaminomethyl-4-methylphenolate is the Zn–O bond or the Zn–N bond. The direct pathway going from the reactants to the final product through a concerted asynchronous mechanism is found to be unrealistic, since it involves a second order saddle point.

Solvent effects are taken into account with the SCRF dielectric continuum model at the PM3 and (RHF/3-21G) levels of theory. This preliminary study shows that the complex formation is favored by the use of polar solvent.     

O~3＋NH→HNO＋O~2反应机理的量子化学研究

用密度泛函(DFT)的B3LYP方法(6－31++G^*^*)研究了臭氧与NH自由基反应的微观机理,优化得到反应途径上的反应物,过渡态,中间体和产物的构型,通过振动分析对过渡态和中间体进行了确认。对单点用QCISD(T)/6－31++G^*^*方法计算能量,同时进行零点能校正。研究结果表明：NH与O~3反应有两条不同的反应通道,且均表现为亲电反应特征,两条不同的反应均为强放热反应。     

Ab initio study on the adsorption and oxidation of HCHO with Ag2 cluster

We present an ab initio study on the adsorption and oxidation of HCHO on the Ag₂ dimer. HCHO is found to weakly adsorb on the neutral Ag₂ cluster and the adsorption energy increases when the Ag₂ cluster is positively charged. The adsorption of HCHO on Ag₂ is promoted by pre-adsorbed OH species while coadsorbed H has no effect. The formation of η²-methylendioxy is inhibited if the Ag₂ cluster is positively and properly charged, which enhance the selectivity of the partial oxidation of methanol. These results provide insight into the reaction mechanism of HCHO on silver surfaces and may guide the design of novel catalysts.     

Binding mechanism of RGD and its mimetics to receptor GPIIb/IIIa. A theoretical study

In order to better understand, at a sub-molecular level, the minimal structural requirements for the recognition process in the platelet aggregation inhibitory activity, a series of RGD mimetics were examined as fibrinogen receptor antagonists variants. We simulate the electronic interactions between RGD with its biological receptor in terms of smaller molecules. MeCOO⁻ was used to mimic the side chain of deprotonated Asp and Meguanidinium group mimicked the side chain of the protonated Arg. Alternative moieties present on the RGD mimetics were also studied in this report. AM1; RHF/3-21G; B3LYP/6-31++G^** in the gas phase. Also, B3LYP/6-31++G^** calculations using the IPCM solvation model were carried out for all the complexes. Our results indicate that high level of theory calculations and the inclusion of solvent effects are crucial in order to obtain satisfactory of accuracy in the electronic distributions of these compounds.     

HNCO热解为CO2和HNCNH的反应机理理论研究

利用从头算ＲＨＦ／３－２１Ｇ方法研究了ＨＮＣＯ二聚后生成ＨＮＣＮＨ和ＣＯ２的反应机理。计算表明,该反应是分步反应,由反应物经第一过渡态生成四元环中间体,再经过第二过渡态分解为产物,与实验得到的结论一致。反应的第一步是速度控制步骤,计算得到的活化位垒为１７２．５５ｋＪ·ｍｏｌ＾－１,与实验上测得的１７６．４０±１６．３０ｋＪ·ｍｏｌ＾－１相吻合。反应的第二位垒为８３．６８ｋＪ·ｍｏｌ＾－１,在实验条     

Theoretical study of the gas‐phase ion pairs SN2 reactions of LiX with CH3SY (X,Y = F,Cl, Br,I)

The gas‐phase ion pair S_N2 reactions at saturated sulfur LiX + CH₃SY → CH₃SX + LiY (X, Y = F, Cl, Br, I) are investigated using the CCSD(T) calculations. The calculated results show that the reactions LiX + CH₃SY are exothermic only when the nucleophile is a heavier lithium halide. Central barrier heights are found to depend primarily on the identity of nucleophile LiX, decreasing in the order LiF > LiCl > LiBr > LiI. Another interesting feature of the ion pair reactions at sulfur is the good correlation between the reaction barriers with geometrical looseness of Li? X and S? Y bonds in the transition state structures. The data for the reaction barriers show good agreement with the prediction of the Marcus equation and its modification. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

A theoretical ab initio study on the H(2)NO + O(3) reaction

The deviation of the NH(2) pseudo-first-order decay Arrhenius plots of the NH(2) + O(3) reaction at high ozone pressures measured by experimentalists, has been attributed to the regeneration of NH(2) radicals due to the subsequent reactions of the products of this reaction with ozone. Although these products have not yet been characterized experimentally, the radical H(2)NO has been postulated, because it can regenerate NH(2) radicals through the reactions: H(2)NO + O(3) --> NH(2) + O(2) and H(2)NO + O(3) --> HNO + OH + O(2). With the purpose of providing a reasonable explanation from a theoretical point of view to the kinetic observed behaviour of the NH(2) + O(3) system, we have carried ab initio electronic structure calculations on both H(2)NO + O(3) possible reactions. The results obtained in this article, however, predict that of both reactions proposed, only the H(2)NO + O(3) --> NH(2) + O(2) reaction would regenerate indeed NH(2) radicals, explaining thus the deviation of the NH(2) pseudo-first-order decay observed experimentally.     

An ab initio study of the Cl(P)+C2H6→C2H5+HCl abstraction reaction

Electronic energies, geometries, and harmonic vibration frequencies for the reactants, products, and transition state for the Cl(³P)+C₂H₆→C₂H₅+HCl abstraction reaction were evaluated at the HF and MP2 levels using several correlation consistent polarized-valence basis sets. Single-point calculations at PMP2, MP4, QCISD(T), and CCSD(T) levels were also carried out. The values of the forward activation energies obtained at the MP4/cc-pVTZ, QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ, and CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ levels using the MP2/cc-pVTZ structures are equal to −0.1, −0.4, and −0.3 kcal/mol, respectively. The experimental value is equal to 0.3±0.2 kcal/mol. We found that the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ adiabatic vibration energy for the reaction (−2.4 kcal/mol) agrees well with the experimental value −(2.2–2.6) kcal/mol. Rate constants calculated with the zeroth-order interpolated variational transition state (IVTST-0) method are in good agreement with experiment. In general, the theoretical rate constants differ from experiment by, at most, a factor of 2.6.     

A theoretical study of the reaction of HCO+ with C2H2

A theoretical study was performed for the reaction of formyl cation and acetylene to give C₃H+O in flames and C₂H (nonclassical)+CO, both in flames and in interstellar clouds. The corresponding Potential Energy Surface (PES) was studied at the B3LYP/cc‐pVTZ level of theory, and single‐point calculations on the B3LYP geometries were carried out at the CCSD(T)/cc‐pVTZ level. Our results display a route to propynal evolving energetically under C₂H (nonclassical)+CO and, consequently, accessible in interstellar clouds conditions. This route connects the most stable C₃H₃O⁺ isomer (C2‐protonated propadienone) with a species from which propynal may be produced in a dissociative electron recombination reaction. The reaction channel to produce the C₃H+O evolves basically through two TSs and presents an endothermicity of 63.9 kcal/mol at 2000 K. According to our Gibbs energy profiles, the C2‐protonated propadienone is the most stable species at low–moderate temperatures and, consequently, could play a certain role in interstellar chemistry. On the contrary, in combustion chemistry conditions (2000 K) the C₂H (nonclassical)+CO products are the most thermodynamically favored species. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 21: 35–42, 2000     

Ab initio molecular orbital study of Fe2Cl6 and FeAlCl6

Ab initio molecular orbital theory was used to determine the equilibrium structure and vibrational frequencies of Fe₂Cl₆ and FeAlCl₆. The equilibrium structure the Fe₂Cl₆ dimer has D_2h symmetry with a planar arrangement of the four membered {FeCl_brFeCl_br} ring, similar to the Al₂Cl₆ dimer. The calculated bond distances and vibrational frequencies are in good agreement with experiment. The potential energy surface for the puckering of the {FeCl_brFeCl_br} ring is extremely flat. This prevents an unambiguous assignment of either D_2h or C_2v symmetry to the Fe₂Cl₆ structure in electron diffraction measurements. The FeAlCl₆ molecule is found to have a C_2v structure similar to Fe₂Cl₆ with vibrational frequencies in good agreement with experiment.     

Free radical SH2′ reaction mechanism study by comparing free radical SH2′ reaction with free radical addition reaction

It is not clear whether the mechanism of the S_H2′ reaction of allyl chloride is concerted or stepwise. The relative rates of the competitive free radical addition to two different double bonds in (2-chloroallyl)-(2-choromethylallyl) ether have been determined. There are two competitive free radical addition reactions, one is free radical S_H2′ reaction and the other is free radical addition reaction. The mechanism of the S_H2′ reaction is discussed by comparing free radical S_H2′ reaction with free radical addition reaction.