An ab initio study toward understanding the mechanistic photochemistry of acetamide

The potential energy surfaces for CH(3)CONH(2) dissociation into CH(3) + CONH(2), CH(3)CO + NH(2), CH(3)CN + H(2)O, and CH(3)NH(2) + CO in the ground and lowest triplet states have been mapped with DFT, MP2, and CASSCF methods with the cc-pVDZ and cc-pVTZ basis sets, while the S(1) potential energy surfaces for these reactions were determined by the CASSCF/cc-pVDZ optimizations followed by CASSCF/MRSDCI single-point calculations. The reaction pathways leading to different photoproducts are characterized on the basis of the computed potential energy surfaces and surface crossing points. A comparison of the reactivity among HCONH(2), CH(3)CONH(2), and CH(3)CONHCH(3) has been made, which provides some new insights into the mechanism of the ultraviolet photodissociation of small amides.     

N[bond]C(alpha) bond dissociation energies and kinetics in amide and peptide radicals. Is the dissociation a non-ergodic process?

Dissociations of aminoketyl radicals and cation radicals derived from beta-alanine N-methylamide, N-acetyl-1,2-diaminoethane, N(alpha)-acetyl lysine amide, and N(alpha)-glycyl glycine amide are investigated by combined density functional theory and M?ller-Plesset perturbational calculations with the goal of elucidating the mechanism of electron capture dissociation (ECD) of larger peptide and protein ions. The activation energies for dissociations of N[bond]C bonds in aminoketyl radicals decrease in the series N[bond]CH(3) > N-CH(2)CH(2)NH(2) > N[bond]CH(2)CONH(2) approximately N[bond]CH(CONH(2))(CH(2))(4)NH(2). Transition state theory rate constants for dissociations of N[bond]C(alpha) bonds in aminoketyl radicals and cation-radicals indicate an extremely facile reaction that occurs with unimolecular rate constants >10(5) s(-1) in species thermalized at 298 K in the gas phase. In neutral aminoketyl radicals the N[bond]C(alpha) bond cleavage results in fast dissociation. In contrast, N[bond]C(alpha) bond cleavage in aminoketyl cation-radicals results in isomerization to ion-molecule complexes that are held together by strong hydrogen bonds. The facile N[bond]C(alpha) bond dissociation in thermalized ions indicates that it is unnecessary to invoke the hypothesis of non-ergodic behavior for ECD intermediates.     

Characteristic negative ion fragmentations of deprotonated peptides containing post-translational modifications: mono-phosphorylated Ser, Thr and Tyr. A joint experimental and theoretical study

Peptides and proteins may contain post-translationally modified phosphorylated amino acid residues, in particular phosphorylated serine (pSer), threonine (pThr) and tyrosine (pTyr). Following earlier work by Lehmann et al., the [M-H]- anions of peptides containing pSer and pThr functionality show loss of the elements of H3PO4. This process, illustrated for Ser (and using a model system), is CH3CONH-C(CH2OPO3H2)CONHCH(3) --> [CH3CONHC(==CH2)CONHCH3 (-OPO3H2)] (a) --> [CH3CONHC(==CH2)CONHCH3-H]- + H3PO4, a process endothermic by 83 kJ mol(-1) at the MP2/6-31++G(d,p)//HF/6-31++G(d,p) level of theory. In addition, intermediate (a) may decompose to yield CH3CONHC(==CH2)CONHCH3 + H2PO4 - in a process exothermic by 3 kJ mol(-1). The barrier to the transition state for these two processes is 49 kJ mol(-1). Characteristic cleavages of pSer and pThr are more energetically favourable than the negative ion backbone cleavages of peptides described previously. In contrast, loss of HPO3 from [M-H]- is characteristic of pTyr. The cleavage [NH2CH(CH2-C6H4-OPO3H-)CO2H] --> [NH2C(CH2-C6H4-O-)CO2H (HPO3)] (b) --> NH2CH(CH2-C6H4-O-)CO2H + HPO3 is endothermic by 318 kJ mol(-1) at the HF/6-31+G(d)//AM1 level of theory. In addition, intermediate (b) also yields NH2CH(CH2-C6H4-OH)CO2H + PO3 - (reaction endothermic by 137 kJ mol(-1)). The two negative ion cleavages of pTyr have a barrier to the transition state of 198 kJ mol(-1) (at the HF/6-31+G(d)//AM1 level of theory) comparable with those already reported for negative ion backbone cleavages.     

Synthesis of a chelating hexadentate ligand with a P3N3 donor set. Crystal and molecular structure of [OC-6-22]-[Co{(RP*,RP*,RP*)-CH3C(CH2PPhC6H4NH2-2)3}](PF6)3

The first structurally authenticated example of a hexadentate chelating tertiary phosphine in which all six donors are bound to a single metal centre is described. The multidentate ligand (RP*,RP*,RP*)- and (RP*,RP*,SP*)-CH3C(CH2PPhC6H4NH2-2)3 has been prepared in 80% yield via the reaction of five equivalents of sodium (2-aminophenyl)phenylphosphide (generated in situ from (2-aminophenyl)phenylphosphine and sodium in thf) with 1,1,1-tri(bromomethyl)ethane in thf. The diastereomeric mixture has been complexed to cobalt(III) and the resulting pair of complexes, viz. [Co{(RP*,RP*,RP*)-CH3C(CH2PPhC6H4NH2-2)3}]Cl3 and [CoCl{(RP*,RP*,SP*)-CH3C(CH2PPhC6H4NH2-2)3}]Cl2, separated by ion exchange chromatography. The structure of the former (as the corresponding hexafluorophosphate salt) has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography and clearly shows all six donors of the P3N3 ligand coordinated to a single cobalt(III) centre. The related hexadentate ligand with internal N donors and terminal diphenylphosphino groups, viz. CH3C(CH2NHC6H4PPh2-2)3, has also been synthesised, albeit in low yield, via the reaction of [Li(tmeda)][2-NHC6H4PPh2] (generated in situ from (2-aminophenyl)diphenylphosphine, n-butyllithium and tmeda in diethyl ether) with 1,1,1-tri(iodomethyl)ethane in thf. No formation of a P3N3 ligand has been observed when either Na[2-PPhC6H4NH2] or [Li(tmeda)][2-NHC6H4PPh2] is reacted with the related tripodal substrate 1,1,1-tris(tolyl-4-sulfonyloxymethyl)ethane in thf. Rather the P-methyloxetane (+/-)-[3-{(2-aminophenyl)phenylphosphinomethyl}]-3-methyloxetane and the sulfonamide 2-(4-CH3C6H4SO2)NHC6H4PPh2 and the corresponding N-methyloxetane [3-{(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)aminomethyl}]-3-methyloxetane have been isolated from the respective reactions. The structure of the sulfonamide has been confirmed by an X-ray analysis of the platinum(II) complex trans-[PtCl(CH3){2-PPh2C6H4NH(SO2C6H4CH(3-4)}2].     

Molecular orbital predictions of the vibrational frequencies of some molecular ions

Recent spectroscopic advances have led to the first determinations of infrared vibration-rotation bands of polyatomic molecular ions. These initial detections were guided by ab initio predictions of the vibrational frequencies. The calculations reported here predict the vibrational frequencies of additional ions which are candidates for laboratory analysis. Vibrational frequencies of neutral molecules computed at three levels of theory, HF/3-21G, HF/6-31G*, and MP2/6-31G*, were compared with experiment and the effect of scaling was investigated to determine how accurately vibrational frequencies could be predicted. For 92% of the frequencies examined, uniformly scaled HF/6-31G* vibrational frequencies were within 100 cm-1 of experiment with a mean absolute error of 49 cm-1. This relatively simple theory thus seems suitable for predicting vibrational frequencies to guide laboratory spectroscopic searches for ions in the infrared. Hence, the frequencies of 30 molecular ions, many with astrochemical significance,were computed. They are CH2+, CH3+, CH5+, NH2+, NH4+, H3O+, H2F+, SiH2+, PH4+, H3S+, H2Cl+, C2H+, classical C2H3+, nonclassical C2H3+, nonclassical C2H5+, HCNH+, H2CNH2+, H3CNH3+, HCO+, HOC+, H2CO+, H2COH+, H3COH2+, H3CFH+, HN2+, HO2+, C3H+, HOCO+, HCS+, and HSiO+.     

Rate constants and branching ratios for the reaction of CH radicals with NH3: a combined experimental and theoretical study

The reaction between CH radicals and NH(3) molecules is known to be rapid down to at least 23 K {at which temperature k = (2.21 ± 0.17) × 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1): Bocherel ; et al. J. Phys. Chem. 1996, 100, 3063}. However, there have been only limited theoretical investigations of this reaction and its products are not known. This paper reports (i) ab initio quantum chemical calculations on the energy paths that lead to various reaction products, (ii) calculations of the overall rate constant and branching ratios to different products using transition state and master equation methods, and (iii) an experimental determination of the H atom yield from the reaction. The ab initio calculations show that reaction occurs predominantly via the initial formation of a datively bound HC-NH(3) complex and reveal low energy pathways to three sets of reaction products: H(2)CNH + H, HCNH(2) + H, and CH(3) + NH. The transition state calculations indicate the roles of "outer" and "inner" transition states and yield rate constants between 20 and 320 K that are in moderate agreement with the experimental values. These calculations and those using the master equation approach show that the branching ratio for the most exothermic reaction, to H(2)CNH + H, is ca. 96% throughout the temperature range covered by the calculations, with those to HCNH(2) + H and CH(3) + NH being (4 ± 3)% and <0.3%, respectively. In the experiments, multiple photon dissociation of CHBr(3) was used to generate CH radicals and laser-induced fluorescence at 121.56 nm (VUV-LIF) was employed to observe H atoms. By comparing signals from CH + NH(3) with those from CH + CH(4), where the yield of H atoms is known to be unity, it is possible to estimate that the yield of H atoms from CH + NH(3) is equal to 0.89 ± 0.07 (2σ), in satisfactory agreement with the theoretical estimate.     

A vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometric study of acetone

The photoionization and dissociative photoionization of acetone have been studied at the photon energy range of 8-20 eV. Photoionization efficiency spectra for ions CH3COCH3+, CH3+, C2H3+, C3H3+, C3H5+, CH(2-)CO+, CH3CO+, C3H4O+, and CH3COCH2+ have been measured. In addition, the energetics of the dissociative photoionization has been examined by ab initio Gaussian-3 (G3) calculations. The computational results are useful in establishing the dissociation channels near the ionization thresholds. With the help of G3 results, the dissociation channels for the formation of the fragment ions CH3CO+, CH2CO+, CH3+, C3H3+, and CH3COCH2+ have been established. The G3 results are in fair to excellent agreement with the experimental data.     

Electron super-rich radicals in the gas phase. A neutralization-reionization mass spectrometric and ab initio/RRKM study of diaminohydroxymethyl and triaminomethyl radicals

Diaminohydroxymethyl (1) and triaminomethyl (2) radicals were generated by femtosecond collisional electron transfer to their corresponding cations (1+ and 2+, respectively) and characterized by neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry and ab initio/RRKM calculations at correlated levels of theory up to CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ. Ion 1+ was generated by gas-phase protonation of urea which was predicted to occur preferentially at the carbonyl oxygen with the 298 K proton affinity that was calculated as PA = 875 kJ mol-1. Upon formation, radical 1 gains vibrational excitation through Franck-Condon effects and rapidly dissociates by loss of a hydrogen atom, so that no survivor ions are observed after reionization. Two conformers of 1, syn-1 and anti-1, were found computationally as local energy minima that interconverted rapidly by inversion at one of the amine groups with a <7 kJ mol-1 barrier. The lowest energy dissociation of radical 1 was loss of the hydroxyl hydrogen atom from anti-1 with ETS = 65 kJ mol-1. The other dissociation pathways of 1 were a hydroxyl hydrogen migration to an amine group followed by dissociation to H2N-C=O* and NH3. Ion 2+ was generated by protonation of gas-phase guanidine with a PA = 985 kJ mol-1. Electron transfer to 2+ was accompanied by large Franck-Condon effects that caused complete dissociation of radical 2 by loss of an H atom on the experimental time scale of 4 mus. Radicals 1 and 2 were calculated to have extremely low ionization energies, 4.75 and 4.29 eV, respectively, which belong to the lowest among organic molecules and bracket the ionization energy of atomic potassium (4.34 eV). The stabilities of amino group containing methyl radicals, *CH2NH2, *CH(NH2)2, and 2, were calculated from isodesmic hydrogen atom exchange with methane. The pi-donating NH2 groups were found to increase the stability of the substituted methyl radicals, but the stabilities did not correlate with the radical ionization energies.     

Mobile phase variations in thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of pesticides

The effect of four different mobile phase compositions with reversed-phase methanol-water (50:50) + 0.05 M ammonium acetate, methanol-water (50:50) + 0.05 M ammonium formate, acetonitrile-water (50:50) + 0.05 M ammonium acetate and acetonitrile-water (50:50) + 0.05 M ammonium formate were compared in filament-on thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of carbamate and chlorotriazine pesticides. In the positive-ion mode, [M + H]+ and [M + NH4]+ were generally the base peaks for the chlorotriazines and the carbamates, respectively. Depending on the mobile phase used, other adduct ions obtained corresponded to [M + CH3CN + H]+, [M + CH3OH + NH4]+, [M + CH3COONH4 + NH4 - 2H2O]+, [M + CH3CN + NH4]+, [M + CH3COONH4 + H - H2O]+ and the dimer [2M + H]+. In the negative-ion mode, [M - H]- and adducts with the ionizing additive [M + CH3COO]- or [M + HCOO]- were obtained. Other ions for the carbamates carbaryl and oxamyl corresponded to [M - CONHCH3 + CH3COOH]- and [M - CON(CH3)2 + HCOO]-, respectively. The variation of mobile phase composition provides additional structural information in thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with no appreciable loss of sensitivity. Applications are reported for the determination of carbamate and chlorotriazine pesticides at the ng/g level in spiked and real soil samples, respectively.     

Characterization by theory of H-transfers and onium reactions of CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>CH<Subscript>2</Subscript>CH<Subscript>2</Subscript>N<Superscript>+</Superscript>H=CH<Subscript>2</Subscript>

H-transfers by 4-, 5-, and 6-membered ring transition states to the pi-bonded methylene of CH3CH2CH2NH+=CH2 (1) are characterized by theory and compared with the corresponding transfers in cation radicals. Four-membered ring H-transfers converting 1 to CH3CH2CH=N+HCH3 (2) and CH3N+H=CH2 to CH2=NH+CH3 are high-energy processes involving rotation of the source and destination RHC= groups (R = H or C2H5) to near bisection by skeletal planes; migrating hydrogens move near these planes. The H-transfer 1 --> CH3C+HCH2NHCH3 (3) has a higher energy transition-state than 1 --> 2, in marked contrast to the corresponding relative energies of 4- and 5-membered ring H-transfers in cation-radicals. Six-membered ring H-transfer-dissociation (1 --> CH2=CH2 + CH2=N+HCH3) is a closed shell analog of the McLafferty rearrangement. It has a lower energy transition-state than either 1 --> 2 or 1 --> 3, but is still a much higher energy process than 6-membered ring H-transfers in aliphatic cation radicals. In contrast to the stepwise McLafferty rearrangement in cation radicals, H-transfer and CC bond breaking are highly synchronous in 1 --> CH3N+H=CH2 + CH2=CH2. H-transfers in propene elimination from 1 are ion-neutral complex-mediated: 1--> [CH3CH2CH2+ ---NH=CH2] --> [CH3C+HCH3 NH=CH2] --> CH3CH = CH2 + CH2=NH2+. Intrinsic reaction coordinate tracing demonstrated that a slight preference for H-transfer from the methyl containing the carbon from which CH2=NH is cleaved is due to CH2=NH passing nearer this methyl than the other on its way to abstracting H, i.e., some memory of the initial orientation of the partners accompanies this reaction.     

Structural changes, P-P bond energies, and homolytic dissociation enthalpies of substituted diphosphines from quantum mechanical calculations

The molecular structures of the diphosphines P(2)[CH(SiH(3))(2)](4), P(2)[C(SiH(3))(3)](4), P(2)[SiH(CH(3))(2)](4), and P(2)[Si(CH(3))(3)](4) and the corresponding radicals P[CH(SiH(3))(2)](2), P[C(SiH(3))(3)](2), P[SiH(CH(3))(2)](2), and P[Si(CH(3))(3)](2) were predicted by theoretical quantum chemical calculations at the HF/3-21G*, B3LYP/3-21G*, and MP2/6-31+G* levels. The conformational analyses of all structures found the gauche conformers of the diphosphines with C(2) symmetry to be the most stable. The most stable conformers of the phosphido radicals were also found to possess C(2) symmetry. The structural changes upon dissociation allow the release of some of the energy stored in the substituents and therefore contribute to the decrease of the P-P bond dissociation energy. The P-P bond dissociation enthalpies at 298 K in the compounds studied were calculated to vary from -11.4 kJ mol(-1) (P(2)[C(SiH(3))(3)](4)) to 179.0 kJ mol(-1) (P(2)[SiH(CH(3))(2)](4)) at the B3LYP/3-21G* level. The MP2/6-31+G* calculations predict them to be in the range of 52.8-207.9 kJ mol(-1). All the values are corrected for basis set superposition error. The P-P bond energy defined by applying a mechanical analogy of the flexible substituents connected by a spring shows less variation, between 191.3 and 222.6 kJ mol(-1) at the B3LYP/3-21G level and between 225.6 and 290.4 kJ mol(-1) at the MP2/6-31+G* level. Its average value can be used to estimate bond dissociation energies from the energetics of structural relaxation.     

Endgroup-assisted siloxane bond cleavage in the gas phase

Unimolecular dissociation of H(2)N(CH(2))(3)SiOSi(CH(2))(3)NH(3)(+) generates SiC(5)H(16)NO(+) and SiC(5)H(14)N(+). The formation of SiC(5)H(16)NO(+) involves dissociation of a Si[bond]O bond and formation of an O[bond]H bond through rearrangement. The fragmentation mechanism was investigated utilizing ab initio calculations and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry in combination with hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange reactions. Sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation (SORI-CID) studies of the fully deuterated ion D(2)N(CH(2))(3)SiOSi(CH(2))(3)ND(3)(+) provided convincing evidence for a backbiting mechanism which involves hydrogen transfer from the terminal amine group to the oxygen to form a silanol-containing species. Theoretical calculations indicated decomposition of H(2)N(CH(2))(3)SiOSi(CH(2))(3)NH(3)(+) through a backbiting mechanism is the lowest energy decomposition channel, compared with other alternative routes. Two mechanisms were proposed for the fragmentation process which leads to the siloxane bond cleavage and the SORI-CID results of partially deuterated precursor ions suggest both mechanisms should be operative. Rearrangement to yield a silanol-containing product ion requires end groups possessing a labile hydrogen atom. Decomposition of disiloxane ions with end groups lacking labile hydrogen atoms yielded product ions from direct bond cleavages.     

Structure and Properties of [Fe(4)S(4){2,6-bis(acylamino)benzenethiolato-S}(4)](2)(-) and [Fe(2)S(2){2,6-bis(acylamino)benzenethiolato-S}(4)](2)(-): Protection of the Fe-S Bond by Double NH.S Hydrogen Bonds

Iron-sulfur clusters containing a singly or doubly NH.S hydrogen-bonded arenethiolate ligand, [Fe(4)S(4)(S-2-RCONHC(6)H(4))(4)](2)(-) (R = CH(3), t-Bu, CF(3)), [Fe(4)S(4){S-2,6-(RCONH)(2)C(6)H(3)}(4)](2)(-), [Fe(2)S(2)(S-2-RCONHC(6)H(4))(4)](2)(-) (R = CH(3), t-Bu, CF(3)), and [Fe(2)S(2){S-2,6-(RCONH)(2)C(6)H(3)}(4)](2)(-), were synthesized as models of bacterial [4Fe-4S] and plant-type [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins. The X-ray structures and IR spectra of (PPh(4))(2)[Fe(4)S(4){S-2,6-(CH(3)CONH)(2)C(6)H(3)}(4)].2CH(3)CN and (NEt(4))(2)[Fe(2)S(2){S-2,6-(t-BuCONH)(2)C(6)H(3)}(4)] indicate that the two amide NH groups at the o,o'-positions are directed to the thiolate sulfur atom and form double NH.S hydrogen bonds. The NH.S hydrogen bond contributes to the positive shift of the redox potential of not only (Fe(4)S(4))(+)/(Fe(4)S(4))(2+) but also (Fe(4)S(4))(2+)/(Fe(4)S(4))(3+) in the [4Fe-4S] clusters as well as (Fe(2)S(2))(2+)/(Fe(2)S(2))(3+) in the [2Fe-2S] clusters. The doubly NH.S hydrogen-bonded thiolate ligand effectively prevents the ligand exchange reaction by benzenethiol because the two amide NH groups stabilize the thiolate by protection from dissociation.     

Thermochemical properties of the ammonia-water ionized dimer probed by ion-molecule reactions

The thermochemical properties of some small clusters such as the (H2O)2*+ dimer have already been investigated by both experimental and theoretical methods. The recent method to selectively prepare the ammonia-water ionized dimer [NH3, H2O]*+ (and not its proton transfer isomer [NH4+, OH*]) allowed us to study its chemical reactivity. This study focuses on the charge and proton transfer pathways: Ion-molecule reactions in the cell of an FT-ICR mass spectrometer were carried out with a range of organic compounds. Examination of the reactivity of the [NH3, H2O]*+ ionized dimer versus ionization energy and proton affinity of the neutral reagents shows a threshold in the reactivity in both instances. This leads to a bracketing of thermochemical properties related to the dimer. From these experiments and in agreement with ab initio calculations, the adiabatic recombination energy of the [NH3, H2O]*+ dimer was evaluated at -9.38 +/- 0.04 eV. The proton affinity bracketing required the reevaluation of two reference gas-phase basicity values. The results, in good agreement with the calculation, lead to an evaluation of the proton affinity of the [NH2*, H2O] dimer at 204.4 +/- 0.9 kcal mol(-1). These two experimental values are respectively related to the ionization energy of NH3*+ and to the proton affinity of NH2* by the difference in single water molecule solvation energies of ionized ammonia, of neutral ammonia, and of the NH2* radical.     

Dissociation of energy-selected c-C2H4S+ in a region 10.6-11.8 eV: threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence experiments and quantum-chemical calculations

Dissociation of energy-selected c-C2H4S+ was investigated in a region of 10.6-11.8 eV with a threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence technique and a synchrotron as a source of vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Branching ratios and average releases of kinetic energy in channels of formation of c-C2H4S+, CH3CS+, and HCS+ were obtained from well-resolved time-of-flight peaks in coincidence mass spectra. Measured average releases of kinetic energy for channel CH3CS+ + H of least energy are substantial and much greater than calculated with quasiequilibrium theory; in contrast, small releases of kinetic energy near the appearance onset for channel HCS+ + CH3 agree satisfactorily with statistical calculations. Calculations of molecular electronic structures and energetics of c-C2H4S+ and C2H3S+ isomers and various fragments and transition states were also performed with Gaussian 3 method to establish dissociation mechanisms. A predicted dissociation energy of 11.05 eV for c-C2H4S --> HCS+ + CH3 agrees with a linearly extrapolated threshold at 10.99+/-0.04 eV and a predicted dissociation mechanism that c-C2H4S+ isomerizes to CH3CHS+ before dissociating to HCS+ + CH3 supports the experimental results. The large releases of kinetic energy for channel CH3CS+ + H might result from a dissociation mechanism according to which c-C2H4S+ isomerizes to a local minimum CH3CSH+ and then dissociates through a transition state to form CH3CS+ + H.     

Photodissociation dynamics of pyrimidine

Photodissociation of pyrimidine at 193 and 248 nm was investigated separately using vacuum ultraviolet photoionization at 118.4 and 88.6 nm and multimass ion imaging techniques. Six dissociation channels were observed at 193 nm, including C4N2H4 --> C4N2H3 + H and five ring opening dissociation channels, C4N2H4 --> C3NH3 + HCN, C4N2H4 --> 2C2NH2, C4N2H4 --> CH3N + C3NH, C4N2H4 --> C4NH2 + NH2, and C4N2H4 --> CH2N + C3NH2. Only the first four channels were observed at 248 nm. Photofragment translational energy distributions and dissociation rates indicate that dissociation occurs in the ground electronic state after internal conversion at both wavelengths. The dissociation rates were found to be >5 x 10(7) and 1 x 10(6) s(-1) at 193 and 248 nm, respectively. Comparison with the potential energies from ab initio calculations have been made.     

Direct and remarkably efficient conversion of methane into acetic acid catalyzed by amavadine and related vanadium complexes. A synthetic and a theoretical DFT mechanistic study

Vanadium(IV or V) complexes with N,O- or O,O-ligands, i.e., [VO{N(CH2CH2O)3}], Ca[V(HIDPA)2] (synthetic amavadine), Ca[V(HIDA)2], or [Bu4N]2[V(HIDA)2] [HIDPA, HIDA = basic form of 2,2'-(hydroxyimino)dipropionic or -diacetic acid, respectively], [VO(CF3SO3)2], Ba[VO(nta)(H2O)]2 (nta = nitrilotriacetate), [VO(ada)(H2O)] (ada = N-2-acetamidoiminodiacetate), [VO(Hheida)(H2O)] (Hheida = 2-hydroxyethyliminodiacetate), [VO(bicine)] [bicine = basic form of N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)glycine], and [VO(dipic)(OCH2CH3)] (dipic = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate), are catalyst precursors for the efficient single-pot conversion of methane into acetic acid, in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) under moderate conditions, using peroxodisulfate as oxidant. Effects on the yields and TONs of various factors are reported. TFA acts as a carbonylating agent and CO is an inhibitor for some systems, although for others there is an optimum CO pressure. The most effective catalysts (as amavadine) bear triethanolaminate or (hydroxyimino)dicarboxylates and lead, in a single batch, to CH3COOH yields > 50% (based on CH4) or remarkably high TONs up to 5.6 x 103. The catalyst can remain active upon multiple recycling of its solution. Carboxylation proceeds via free radical mechanisms (CH3* can be trapped by CBrCl3), and theoretical calculations disclose a particularly favorable process involving the sequential formation of CH3*, CH3CO*, and CH3COO* which, upon H-abstraction (from TFA or CH4), yields acetic acid. The CH3COO* radical is formed by oxygenation of CH3CO* by a peroxo-V complex via a V{eta1-OOC(O)CH3} intermediate. Less favorable processes involve the oxidation of CH3CO* by the protonated (hydroperoxo) form of that peroxo-V complex or by peroxodisulfate. The calculations also indicate that (i) peroxodisulfate behaves as a source of sulfate radicals which are methane H-abstractors, as a peroxidative and oxidizing agent for vanadium, and as an oxidizing and coupling agent for CH3CO* and that (ii) TFA is involved in the formation of CH3COOH (by carbonylating CH3*, acting as an H-source to CH3COO*, and enhancing on protonation the oxidizing power of a peroxo-VV complex) and of CF3COOCH3 (minor product in the absence of CO).     

Photodissociation dynamics of pyridine

Photodissociation of pyridine, 2,6-d2-pyridine, and d5-pyridine at 193 and 248 nm was investigated separately using multimass ion imaging techniques. Six dissociation channels were observed at 193 nm, including C5NH5 --> C5NH4 + H (10%) and five ring opening dissociation channels, C5NH5 --> C4H4 + HCN, C5NH5 --> C3H3 + C2NH2, C5NH5 --> C2H4 +C3NH, C5NH5 --> C4NH2 + CH3 (14%), and C5NH5 --> C2H2 + C3NH3. Extensive H and D atom exchanges of 2,6-d2-pyridine prior to dissociation were observed. Photofragment translational energy distributions and dissociation rates indicate that dissociation occurs in the ground electronic state after internal conversion. The dissociation rate of pyridine excited by 248-nm photons was too slow to be measured, and the upper limit of the dissociation rate was estimated to be 2x10(3) s(-1). Comparisons with potential energies obtained from ab initio calculations and dissociation rates obtained from the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory have been made.     

苯酚-酰胺系列氢键复合物从头计算研究

运用G94W量子化学程序包,在HF/6-31G基组水平上对酰胺(DMF,DMA,HCONH2,HCONHCH3andCH3CONH2)与苯酚形成的系列氢键复合物(看作超分子)进行从头计算研究。根据计算结果探讨复合物的稳定性、施体和受体间的电荷转移及几何参数变化等规律。结果表明苯酚与上述一系列酰胺都可形成稳定的氢键复合物,其稳定性次序为CH3CONH2～HCONHCH3＞HCONH2＞DMA＞DMF。结果还表明形成氢键复合物的过程包含着电荷转移,电荷由供体酰胺转移到受体苯酚中,酰胺中C=O键长和苯酚中的O-H键长都明显有规律性地变长。计算结果与实验规律相符。     

Photodissociation of S atom containing amino acid chromophores

Photodissociation of 3-(methylthio)propylamine and cysteamine, the chromophores of S atom containing amino acid methionine and cysteine, respectively, was studied separately in a molecular beam at 193 nm using multimass ion imaging techniques. Four dissociation channels were observed for 3-(methylthio)propylamine, including (1) CH(3)SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2)-->CH(3)SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH+H, (2) CH(3)SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2)-->CH(3)+SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2), (3) CH(3)SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2)-->CH(3)S+CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2), and (4) CH(3)SCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NH(2)-->CH(3)SCH(2)+CH(2)CH(2)NH(2). Two dissociation channels were observed from cysteamine, including (5) HSCH(2)CH(2)NH(2)-->HS+CH(2)CH(2)NH(2) and (6) HSCH(2)CH(2)NH(2)-->HSCH(2)+CH(2)NH(2). The photofragment translational energy distributions suggest that reaction (1) and parts of the reactions (2), (3), (5) occur on the repulsive excited states. However, reaction (4), (6) occur only after the internal conversion to the electronic ground state. Since the dissociation from an excited state with a repulsive potential energy surface is very fast, it would not be quenched completely even in the condensed phase. Our results indicate that reactions following dissociation may play an important role in the UV photochemistry of S atom containing amino acid chromophores in the condensed phase. A comparison with the potential energy surface from ab initio calculations and branching ratios from RRKM calculations was made.