Structures and stability of N9, N9 − and N9 + clusters

 Ab initio molecular orbital calculations for N₉, N⁻ ₉ and N⁺ ₉ isomers were carried out at the HF/ 6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G* and MP2/ 6-31G* levels of theory. Stable equilibrium geometric structures were determined by harmonic vibrational frequency analyses at the HF/6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* levels of theory. The most stable free-radical N₉ cluster is structure 1 with C _{2 v} symmetry and that of anion N⁻ ₉ is structure 3 with C _s symmetry. Only one stable structure of the N⁺ ₉ cation with C _{2 v} symmetry was predicted. Their potential application as high-energy-density materials has been examined. Received: 15 June 1999 / Accepted: 11 October 1999 / Published online: 14 March 2000     

Bowl-shaped hydrocarbons related to C60

Ab initio studies at the HF/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* levels are reported for two bowl-shaped hydrocarbons related to C₆₀: C₃₀H₁₂ and C₃₆H₁₂, of C₃ and C_3v symmetry, respectively. The former has an approximate heat of formation of 211 kcal/mol. Bowl-to-bowl interconversion may occur through a planar (C_3h) form of ca. 64 kcal/mol greater energy having one imaginary vibrational frequency. The larger C₃₆H₁₂ bowl has a calculated ΔH°_f of 265 kcal/mol. Its HF/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G*, and MM3 bond lengths are in good agreement with a recent X-ray structure. Chemical shifts for both compounds calculated by the GIAO method are in good agreement with the measured NMR spectra. The observed ¹³C chemical shifts increase with the extent of pyramidalization. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 189–194, 1998     

An ab initio Molecular Orbital Study of the Conformational Properties of all-( Z )-Cyclododeca-1,4,7,10-tetraene

 Ab initio HF/6-31G^* and MP2/6-31G^*//HF/6-31G^* methods were used to calculate the structure optimization and conformational interconversion pathways for all-(Z )-cyclododeca-1,4,7,10-tetraene. This compound adopts the symmetrical crown (C _4v) conformation. Ring inversion takes place via symmetrical intermediates, such as boat-chair (BC, C _s) and twist (C _2h) conformers and requires about 22.3 kJ · mol⁻¹. The calculated strain energies for BC and twist conformers are 5.9 and 13.5 kJ · mol⁻¹. The results of semiempirical AM1 calculations for structural parameters and relative energies of the important geometries of the title compound are in good agreement with the results of ab initio methods.     

An ab initio Molecular Orbital Study of the Conformational Properties of all-(Z)-Cyclododeca-1,4,7,10-tetraene

Summary.  Ab initio HF/6-31G^* and MP2/6-31G^*//HF/6-31G^* methods were used to calculate the structure optimization and conformational interconversion pathways for all-(Z )-cyclododeca-1,4,7,10-tetraene. This compound adopts the symmetrical crown (C _4v) conformation. Ring inversion takes place via symmetrical intermediates, such as boat-chair (BC, C _s) and twist (C _2h) conformers and requires about 22.3 kJ · mol⁻¹. The calculated strain energies for BC and twist conformers are 5.9 and 13.5 kJ · mol⁻¹. The results of semiempirical AM1 calculations for structural parameters and relative energies of the important geometries of the title compound are in good agreement with the results of ab initio methods. Received July 9, 2001. Accepted September 26, 2001     

Infrared spectra of the polymorphs of naphthazarin: Microscopy and low temperature studies

The infrared microscope spectra of theA,B, andC polymorphs of naphthazarin (5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) can be distinguished clearly. When naphthazarin is dispersed in KBr, such a distinction can only be made when experimental precautions are taken during the preparation of the pellet. Low temperature infrared studies indicate that a phase transition takes place in naphthazarin around 110 K.     

Approximate symmetry characteristics using fuzzy-subset theory study for chiral transitions of allene-1,3,-dihalides

Based on our study of the application of fuzzy-subset theory to the characterization of imperfect symmetry in some stable molecular systems and simple dynamic molecular systems, we analyze the internal rotation process of allene-1,3- dihalides. Allene-1,3-dihalides (CHX=C=CHY, where X and Y may be the same or different halogen atoms) are optically chiral nonplanar molecules. The two end-groups may internally rotate about the near straight linear C=C=C axis, and the molecule may change its chirality. The internal rotation process may pass through two different planar transition state (TS): cis-TS and trans-TS, which belong to C_2v and C_2h point groups (as X and Y to be same), respectively. The intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) corresponding to the two TS processes is denoted as cis-IRC and trans-IRC. However, for the whole IRC reaction process, only their subgroup C₂ well-defined symmetry remains. Other symmetry transformations in C_2v and C_2h point groups can only be examined in terms of imperfect symmetry, although there appear certain reaction reversal joint point group G(R_cC_2v) and G(R_tC_2h) well-defined symmetry in the dynamics through the IRC processes. If X and Y are different, the stable molecule has no conventional nontrivial point group symmetry. The internal rotation processes may pass through two different planar TS’s (cis-and trans-TS). The TS will still be a planar molecule belonging to C_S point group with the molecule plane as its symmetry plane. Other states in the IRC may belong to certain reaction reversal joint point groups, G(RM)_C and G(RM)_T. We have thus examined the approximate symmetry of MO’s related to C₂ point group. Moreover, we have also analyzed the membership functions, representation components, and their relationships shown in the MO fuzzy main representation correlation diagrams.     

Infrared spectral identification of the high-energy conformer of <Emphasis Type="Italic">gauche,Trans,trans,Trans,gauche</Emphasis>-octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene

Scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQM-FF) vibrational analyses of the gauche,Trans,trans,Trans,gauche-conformers of octa-1,3,5,7-tetraene (I) with C _i and C ₂ symmetry at the HF/6-31G//HF/6-31G computational level were used to identify the rotational isomer observed in the IR spectrum of this excited molecule in the solid state. Geometry optimizations at the MP2(FC)/aug-cc-pVDZ level show that the two non-planar structures of gTtTg-I have the terminal -CH=CH₂ moieties rotated by ∼30.6° with respect to the remainder of the nearly planar skeleton. The MP2 and HF energies of the C ₂ conformer are slightly lower than the corresponding values of the C _i conformer. A set of the experimental wavenumbers relating to the C ₂ conformer was determined by the detailed analyses of the experimental IR spectra of compounds obtained by Datta et al. via photolysis of 1,3,5-cycloterraene and bicycle[4.2,0]octa-2.4-diene. The available experimental wavenumbers correlate better with the results of our SQM-FF calculations at the HF/6-31G level for the conformer with C ₂ symmetry than for the conformer with C _i symmetry. In further support of these results, the van der Waals molecular volume of the C ₂ conformer was calculated to be somewhat smaller than the volume of the C _i conformer, suggesting that in the solid state, where the close-packing principle comes into play, the C ₂ conformer would be preferred.     

Conformational analysis of 2-methyl-5-nitro-1,3,2-dioxaborinane

Quantum-chemical methods HF/6-31G(d), HF/6-31+G(d), MP2/6-31G(d)//HF/6-31G(d), and MP2/6-31+G(d)//HF/6-31+G(d) were used to investigate the conformational isomerization of 2-methyl-5-nitro-1,3,2-dioxaborinane. It has been shown that a potential energy surface of this compound includes two minima: an axial form of semi-chair and equatorial sofa together with a transition state belonging to the conformation of 2,5-twist-form. A comparison between experimental NMR ¹H and theoretical vicinal coupling constants was used to determine the quantitative conformational composition of cyclic boric acid ester and a value of ΔG ⁰ for nitro group at the ring carbon atom C⁵ in CCl₄ and C₆D₅NO₂ solutions.     

A comprehensive study of the rotational energy profiles of organic systems by ab initio MO theory,forming a basis for peptide torsional parameters

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations have been carried out on over 50 model organic molecules and ions to provide the data necessary in the determination of torsional parameters for a force field involving polypeptides. The rotational energy profiles were obtained at the HF/6-31G*//HF/6-31G* level. The results were supported, in many cases, by full geometry optimizations and with consideration of correlation corrections at the MP2 level. With the exception of the dihedral angle being studied, all of the molecules were fully optimized with C₁ symmetry. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Ab initio SCF studies of the molecular structure of XeF6, IF 6 − , and TeF 6 2− in non-octahedral geometries

All-electron SCF calculations in contracted large Gaussian basis sets were performed for the molecules in the isoelectronic series XeF₆, IF ₆ ^– , and TeF ₆ ^2– . Molecular equilibrium geometry of these molecules was studied first in O _h symmetry. Then, the gradient minimization technique was used to determine molecular structure of the studied systems near the local minima corresponding to C _3v and C _2v geometries involved in the internal motion.In the O _h symmetry, TeF ₆ ^2– and IF ₆ ^– are bound by 172 and 104 kcal/mol, respectively. The total energy of XeF₆ is larger than the sum of total energies of the constituent atoms by 192 kcal/mol. Lowering the symmetry to C _3v and C _2v results in an energy gain of about 20 kcal/mol for all studied systems.     

A Quantum Chemical Study of N14 Cluster

Ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory have been employed to study N₁₄ cluster with low spin at the HF/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G*, B3PW91/6-31G*, BP86/6-31G*, and BHLYP/6-31G* levels of theory. Twelve isomers were studied, including one previously investigated cage molecule. The most stable isomer of N₁₄ is a C _2h -symmetric molecule that contains two separated five-membered nitrogen rings connected by a —N=N—N=N— bridge. The second, third, and fifth most stable isomers each have one five-membered nitrogen ring. The theoretical results suggest that the five-membered nitrogen ring gives rise to a particularly stable structural unit, and the more side chains that the five-membered nitrogen ring links with, the less stable the structure will become.     

AB INITIO MOLECULAR ORBITAL STUDY OF 1,2-DITHIANE AND 1,2,4,5-TETRATHIANE

Ab initio calculations at HF/6-31+G? level of theory for geometry optimization, and MP2/6-31+G?//HF/6-31+G? and B3LYP/6-31+G?//HF/6-31+G? levels for a single-point total energy calculation, are reported for the chair and twist conformations of 1,2-dithiane (1), 3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-1,2-dithiane (2), 1,2,4,5-tetrathiane (3), and 3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-1,2,4,5-tetrathiane (4). The C₂ symmetric chair conformations of 1 and 2 are calculated to be 21.9 and 8.6 kJ mol^?1 more stable than the corresponding twist forms. The calculated energy barriers for chair-to-twist processes in 1 and 2 are 56.3 and 72.8 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The C_2h symmetric chair conformation of 3 is 10.7 kJ mol^?1 more stable than the twist form. Interconversion of these forms takes place via a C₂ symmetric transition state, which is 67.5 kJ mol^?1 less stable than 3-Chair. The D₂ symmetric twist-boat conformation of 4 is calculated to be 4.0 kJ mol^?1 more stable than the C_2h symmetric chair form. The calculated strain energy for twist to chair process is 61.1 kJ mol^?1.     

C36 fullerenes and quasi-fullerenes: computational search through 598 cages

C₃₆ is computed at the SAM1 level and partially also at the HF/4-31G and B3LYP/6-31G^* levels. Altogether 598 cages are generated by a topological Stone–Wales treatment. Three cages contribute by more than 10% to the high-temperature equilibrium isomeric mixture – two conventional fullerenes with D_2d and C_2v symmetries and a C_s quasi-fullerene containing one four-membered ring.     

Molecular Structure of Tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene [-(C<Subscript>6</Subscript>H<Subscript>3</Subscript>OH)-CH<Subscript>2</Subscript>-]<Subscript>4</Subscript> in the Gas Phase

Gas-phase electron diffraction and HF/6-31G*, HF/6-31G**, and B3LYP/6-31G* ab initio calculations were used to find that in the gas phase at 242°C the calix[4]arene [-(C₆H₃OH)-CH₂-]₄ molecule possesses a C₄ conformation. Geometric parameters of the molecule were determined, and the energies of C-H?O hydrogen bonds (7.3 kcal mol^?1) were estimated by the AM1 method.     

Isomerism in OBe3F3 + cation: anab initio study

Ab initio MP2/6-31G^*//HF/6-31G^*+ZPE(HF/6-31G^*) calculations of the potential energy surface in the vicinity of stationary points and the pathways of intramolecular rearrangements between low-lying structures of the OBe₃F₃ ⁺ cation detected in the mass spectra of μ₄-Be₄O(CF₃COO)₆ were carried out. Ten stable isomers with di- and tricoordinate oxygen atoms were localized. The relative energies of six structures lie in the range 0–8 kcal mol⁻¹ and those of the remaining four structures lie in the range 20–40 kcal mol⁻¹. Two most favorable isomers, aC _2v isomer with a dicoordinate oxygen atom, planar six-membered cycle, and one terminal fluorine atom and a pyramidalC _3v isomer with a tricoordinate oxygen atom and three bridging fluorine atoms, are almost degenerate in energy. The barriers to rearrangements with the breaking of one fluorine bridge are no higher than 4 kcal mol⁻¹, except for the pyramidalC _3v isomer (∼16 kcal mol⁻¹). On the contrary, rearrangements with the breaking of the O−Be bond occur with overcoming of a high energy barrier (∼24 kcal mol⁻¹). A planarD _3h isomer with a tricoordinate oxygen atom and linear O−Be−H fragments was found to be the most favorable for the OBe₃H₃ ⁺ cation, a hydride analog of the OBe₃F₃ ⁺ ion; the energies of the remaining five isomers are more than 25 kcal mol⁻¹ higher. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 420–430, March, 1999.     

Neutron diffraction analysis at 15 K and ab initio molecular orbital calculations for α-cyanoacetohydrazide: A crystal structure with a high energy conformer

The crystal structure of α-cyanoacetohydrazide, C₃H₅N₃O, is refined using single-crystal neutron diffraction data at 15 K. Nuclear equilibrium geometries of the isolated molecules are calculated using GAUSSIAN-82 for the eight possible conformers having C_s symmetry. The conformation observed in the crystal has the eighth highest calculated energy, 36.6 kJ mol⁻¹ above the lowest energy conformer, and the largest calculated dipole moment, 8.6 D, with a HF/6-31G* basis. In the crystal the molecule is distorted from the ideal C_s symmetry. These distortions add another 20.3 kJ mol⁻¹ in energy, calculated with HF/6-31G*. All the hydrogens, including the CH, are involved in intermolecular hydrogen-bonding which is unusual in that it is formed entirely by three-center bonds. These bonds form a network which includes dimer and chain configurations.     

AB Initio and MNDO calculations of atomic interactions in the CH3OCOCl molecule

The CH₃OCOCl molecule is calculated by ab initio methods using the split-valence basis sets at RHF/3-21G//RHF/3-21G, RHF/6-31G^*//RHF/6-31G^*, and RHF/6-311G^*//RHF/6-31G^* levels of theory and in the MNDO approximation. The optimized geometry of the molecule is consistent with the experimental data. The populations of the p-AOs of this molecule and the MO compositions show that the electron distribution in this molecule should be interpreted without considering the conjugation between the lone electron pairs of the Cl or O atoms and the π-electron system of the carbonyl group. The asymmetry parameters of the electric field gradient on the³⁵Cl nucleus were calculated using the Cl p-AO populations and compared with the corresponding experimental value. Instite of Technical Chemistry, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated fromZhurnal Struktumoi Khimii, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 646–651, July–August, 1996. Translated by I. Izvekova     

Theoretical studies of structure,stability, and chemical bonding in oxohydride OM4H6 complexes

The results of ab initio RHF/3-21G, RHF/6-31G*, and MP2/6-31G** / / HF/6-31G* calculations for 10 possible configurations of OM₄H₆ molecules (MO · 3MH₂, M = Be, Mg) are reported. Five isomers of OBe₄H₆ and three isomers of OMg₄H₆ have been found within an energy range of ã 15 kcal mol⁻¹. The “lanternlike” C_3v structure is the most favorable one for both complexes. Both molecules OM₄H₆ are stable to decomposition through all of the studied pathways. Chemical bonding in the OM_k polyhedra containing two-, three-and four-coordinated oxygen atoms is discussed. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

AB initio study of the structure, isomerism, and vibrational spectra of LiClO3, NaClO3, and KClO3

The geometrical structure, force fields, and vibrational spectra of the ClO ₃ ^? ion and LiClO₃, NaClO₃, and KClO₃ molecules are studied using the Hartree-Fock (HF) method and second-order Möller-Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory in double-zeta basis sets complemented with polarization and diffuse functions. Routes of intramolecular rearrangements corresponding to migration of the M⁺ cations around the ClO ₃ ^? anion are investigated. The calculations showed that the molecular structure of alkaline metal chlorates changes in the series LiClO₃ → NaClO₃ → KClO₃. The LiClO₃ molecule has an essentially bidentate configuration of C_s symmetry; the KClO₃ molecule has tridentate coordination of C_3v symmetry. The NaClO₃ molecule exists as two isomeric forms having similar energies: tridentate (C_3v) and bidentate (C_s) forms separated by a low potential barrier (199 cm^?1 ? HF, 170 cm^?1 ? MP2); the energy differences between the isomers are ΔE(C_s ? C_3v)=?0.5 (HF), 0.4 kJ/mole (MP2). The theoretical vibrational spectra of molecules agree with the available experimental data.     

Structures and stability of N7+ and N7− clusters

Ab initio molecular orbital theory and density functional theory have been used to study nine isomers of N₇ ionic clusters with low spin at the HF/6-31G*, MP2/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G*, and B3LYP/6-311(+)G* levels of theory. All stationary points are examined with harmonic vibrational frequency analyses. Four N₇ ⁺ isomers and five N₇ ⁻ isomers are determined to be local minima or very close to the minima on their potential-energy hypersurfaces, respectively. For N₇ ⁺ and N₇ ⁻, the energetically low lying isomers are open-chain structures (C _{2 v} and C _{2 v} or C₂). The results are very similar to those of other known odd-number nitrogen ions, such as N₅ ⁺, N₉ ⁺, and N₉ ⁻, for which the open-chain structures are also the global minima. This research suggests that the N₇ ionic clusters are likely to be stable and to be potential high-energy-density materials if they could be synthesized. Received: 16 July 2001 / Accepted: 8 October 2001 / Published online: 21 January 2002