Synthesis of the iron phthalocyaninate radical cation μ-nitrido dimer and its interaction with hydrogen peroxide

The iron phthalocyaninate μ-nitrido dimer radical cation, as well as the μ-nitrido dimer complexes of iron phthalocyaninate, was found to have high catalytic activity in the oxidation of organic compounds. It was concluded that this compound is of interest as a model of active intermediates—catalase and oxidase enzymes.     

ZnO-based dye solar cell with pure ionic-liquid electrolyte and organic sensitizer: the relevance of the dye–oxide interaction in an ionic-liquid medium

The use of non-volatile electrolytes and fully organic dyes are key issues in the development of stable dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In this work we explore the performance of ZnO-based DSCs sensitized with an indoline derivative coded D149 in the presence of a pure ionic-liquid electrolyte. Commercial nanostructured zinc oxide and an electrolyte composed of iodine plus (1) pure 1-propyl-3-methyl imidazolium iodide (PMII) and (2) a blend of PMII with low-viscosity ionic liquids were employed to construct the devices. Without further additives, the fabricated devices exhibit remarkable short-circuit photocurrents and efficiencies under AM1.5 simulated sunlight (up to 10.6 mA cm?2, 2.9% efficiency, 1 sun, active area = 0.64 cm2) due to the high surface area of the ZnO film and the high absorptivity of the D149 dye. Impedance spectroscopy is used to characterize the devices. It is found that the addition of the low-viscosity ionic-liquid improves the transport features (leading to a better photocurrent) but it does not alter the recombination rate. The robustness of the dye–oxide interaction is tested by applying continuous illumination with a Xenon-lamp. It is observed that the photocurrent is reduced at a slow rate due to desorption of the D149 sensitizer in the presence of the ionic liquid. Exploration of alternative ionic-liquid compositions or modification of the ZnO surface is therefore required to make stable devices based on ZnO and fully organic dyes.     

p-Phenylenecarbenonitrene and its halogen derivatives: how does resonance interaction between a nitrene and a carbene center affect the overall electronic configuration?

A series of para-conjugatively coupled phenylenecarbenonitrenes [(4-nitrenophenyl)methylene (3a), (4-nitrenophenyl)fluoromethylene (3b), (4-nitrenophenyl)chloromethylene (3c), and (4-nitrenophenyl)bromomethylene (3d)] were generated in argon matrix at low temperature (10 or 13 K) and characterized by IR and UV/vis spectroscopy. Density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) and ab initio (MCSCF, CASPT2) methods were used to study the ground- and some low-lying excited states of 3a-d. The experimental and computational data suggest that 3a-d have singlet ground states (S0) and can be thought of as quinonoidal biradicals. In all cases, the lowest triplet (T1) and quintet (Q1) states lie about 2 kcal mol(-1) and 28-29 kcal mol(-1), respectively, higher in energy than S0. On the other hand the substituent is found to have a significant effect on the relative energy of the second excited triplet (T2) state. This state tends to become relatively more stable as the ability of the substituent to enforce a closed-shell configuration at the carbene subunit increases. Interestingly, the energy difference between the T2 and S0 states in 3a-d is found to depend linearly on the S-T gap of the corresponding phenylcarbenes 7a-d. This relationship is helpful in predicting when a substituted p-phenylenecarbenonitrene may have a triplet ground state instead of a singlet one.     

Variationally determined electronic states for the theoretical analysis of intramolecular interaction: I. Resonance energy and rotational barrier of the C–N bond in formamide and its analogs

We present a new method that produces a variationally determined zeroth-order wave function for the analysis of intramolecular interactions between the fragments of a molecule. In our method, called the space-restricted wave function (SRW) method, this wave function is defined with nonorthogonal orbitals, which are obtained using the appropriately restricted variational spaces. The wave function thus obtained represents the electronic state with the target interactions deactivated, and it is constructed without unnecessarily breaking bonds, in contrast to some of the existing methods. Furthermore, we can perform energy decomposition analysis of intramolecular interactions using the zeroth-order functions that the SRW method yields. The validity of the SRW method is demonstrated in the analysis of the resonance energy and the rotational barrier of the C–N bond in formamide and its analogs. This method gives energy components that are different from those given by existing methods. With these components, we elucidate the origin of the rotational barrier from another point of view. Our SRW method gives meaningful results for the investigation of electron behavior and the nature of the molecular system.     

Addition of ammonia to AlH3 and BH3. Why does only aluminum form 2:1 adducts?

The electronic structures of the mono- and bisammonia adducts EH3NH3 and EH3(NH3)2, E = B and Al, have been investigated using ab initio electronic structure methods. Geometries were optimized at the MP2/cc-pVTZ level. Higher-level correlated methods (MP4(SDTQ), QCISD(T), CCSD(T)), as well as the G2 and CBS-Q methods, were used to obtain accurate bond dissociation energies. The E-N bond dissociation energy (De) is computed near 33 kcal/mol (E = B) and 31 kca/mol (E = Al), respectively. Whereas the Al-N bond energy pertaining to the second ammonia molecule in AlH3(NH3)2 is 11-12 kcal/mol, only a transition-state structure may be located for the species BH3(NH3)2. We analyze factors which may distinguish Al from B with respect to the formation of stable bisamine adducts. The most significant difference relates to electronegativity and hence the propensity of boron to engage in predominantly covalent bonding, as compared with the bonding of aluminum with ammonia, which shows substantial electrostatic character. Neither steric factors nor the participation of d-orbitals is found to play an important role in differentiating aluminum from boron. The lesser electronegativity of third-row elements appears to be the critical common feature allowing the formation of hypercoordinate complexes of these elements in contrast to their second-row analogues. Consideration of some group 14 analogues and hard/soft acid/base effects supports this view.     

Sensitive HPLC–fluorescence detection of morphine labeled with DIB-Cl in rat brain and blood microdialysates and its application to the preliminarily study of the pharmacokinetic interaction between morphine and diclofenac

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)–fluorescence method for determination of morphine (Mor) in rat brain and blood microdialysates was developed using 4-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzoyl chloride (DIB-Cl) as a label. Mor was labeled with DIB-Cl under mild reaction conditions (at room temperature for 10 min). The separation of DIB-Mor was carried out on an octadecylsilica (ODS) column with CH₃CN/0.1 M acetate buffer (pH 5.4) within 14 min. The detection limits of Mor in brain and blood microdialysates at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 were 0.4 and 0.6 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the preliminarily study of potential pharmacokinetic interaction between Mor and diclofenac.     

Why are the Ca2+ and K+ binding energies of formaldehyde and ammonia reversed with respect to their proton affinities?

The binding energies (BEs) of alkali metal monocations and alkaline-earth metal dications to a series of small oxygen and nitrogen bases have been evaluated by means of CCSD(T) calculations on B3-LYP optimized structures. These calculations were carried out both using all-electron basis sets, and additionally using an effective-core potential (ECP) to describe the inner electrons of the metal. A theoretical model aiming at analyzing the effects on the binding energy trends of electrostatic, polarization, and covalent contributions, as well as geometry distortion, was employed. From this analysis, we conclude that although the neutral-ion interaction energy for alkali and alkaline-earth metal cations is dominated by electrostatic contributions, in many cases the correct basicity trends are only attained once polarization effects are also included in the model. This is indeed the case when Ca2+ and K+ are bound to ammonia and formaldehyde. Geometry distortions triggered by polarization are also necessary, in some cases, to obtain the correct basicity trends. In addition, in particular for alkaline-earth dications, the energy associated with covalent interactions sometimes dictates the basicity trend. Our observations imply that simple models based on ion-dipole interactions, that are frequently used in the literature to explain affinity trends in ion-molecule reactions, are generally not likely to be reliable.     

Reactions of PhSCH(2)Li and NCCH(2)Li with benzaldehyde and benzophenone: when does the mechanism change from ET to polar?

The carbonyl-carbon kinetic isotope effect (KIE) and the substituent effect were measured for the reaction of phenylthiomethyllithium (PhSCH(2)Li, 1) with benzaldehyde and benzophenone, and cyanomethyllithium (NCCH(2)Li, 2) with benzaldehyde, and the results were compared with those for other lithium reagents such as MeLi, PhLi, CH(2)=CHCH(2)Li, and CH(2)=C(OLi)C(CH(3))(3). It was previously shown that the reactions of MeLi, PhLi, and CH(2)=CHCH(2)Li proceed via a rate-determining electron transfer (ET) process whereas the reaction of lithium pinacolone enolate goes through the polar (PL) mechanism. The reaction of 1 with benzaldehyde gave no carbonyl-carbon KIE ((12)k/(13)k = 0.999 +/- 0.004), similar to that measured previously for the MeLi reaction with benzophenone ((12)k/(14)k = 1.000). The effect of substituents of the aromatic ring of benzaldehyde and benzophenone on the reactivity gave very small Hammett rho values of 0.17 +/- 0.03 and 0.26 +/- 0.05, respectively. These small rho values are again similar to that observed for the reaction of MeLi. Likewise the reactions of 2 with benzaldehydes gave small KIE and the rho value ((12)k/(13)k = 0.996 +/- 0.004, rho = 0.14 +/- 0.02). Dehalogenation and enone-isomerization probe experiments for 2 showed no evidence for the presence of radical-ion pair of sufficient lifetime during the course of the reaction. It is concluded that the reactions of 1 and 2 with the aromatic carbonyl compounds proceed via the electron transfer-radical coupling mechanism with rate-determining ET as in the reactions of MeLi, PhLi, and CH(2)=CHCH(2)Li.     

An insight into C?H···N hydrogen bond and stability of the complexes formed by trihalomethanes with ammonia and its monohalogenated derivatives

A theoretical study of the C? H···N hydrogen bond in the interactions of trihalomethanes CHX₃ (X = F, Cl, Br) with ammonia and its halogen derivatives NH₂Y (Y = F, Cl, Br) has been carried out thoroughly. The complexes are quite stable, and their stability increases in going from CHF₃ to CHCl₃ then to CHBr₃ when Y keeps unchanged. With the same CHX₃ proton donor, enhancement of the gas phase basicity of NH₂Y strengthens stability of the CHX₃···NH₂Y complex. The C? H···N hydrogen bond strength is directly proportional to the increase of proton affinity (PA) at N site of NH₂Y and the decrease of deprotonation enthalpy (DPE) of C? H bond in CHX₃. The CHF₃ primarily appears to favor blue shift while the red‐shift is referred to the CHBr₃. The blue‐ or red‐shift of CHCl₃ strongly depends on PA at N site of NH₂Y. We suggest the ratio of DPE/PA as a factor to predict which type of hydrogen bond is observed upon complexation. The SAPT2+ results show that all C? H···N interactions in the complexes are electrostatically driven regardless of the type of hydrogen bond, between 48% and 61% of the total attractive energy, and partly contributed by both induction and dispersion energies.     

Is the tert-butyl chloride solvolysis the most misunderstood reaction in organic chemistry? Evidence against nucleophilic solvent participation in the tert-butyl chloride transition state and for increased hydrogen bond donation to the 1-adamantyl chloride solvolysis transition state.

Despite theoretical calculations to the contrary, it has been argued that the 1-adamantyl cation is more stable than the tert-butyl cation in media of high dielectric constant. This argument has been utilized to suggest that the higher rate of solvolysis of tert-butyl chloride in aqueous ethanol is evidence for nucleophilic solvent participation in this classic reaction. Further, in "more highly ionizing" solvents, the rate of 1-adamantyl chloride is nearly the same as that of tert-butyl chloride, which is interpreted as a manifestation of the relative stabilities of the cations. However, the evidence cited does not explain the increased sensitivity of the rate of solvolysis of 1-adamantyl chloride over tert-butyl chloride to solvents which are better able to donate hydrogen bonds. The hypothesis developed here is that 1-adamantyl chloride solvolysis is assisted by hydrogen bond donation departing chloride ion to a greater extent than that of tert-butyl chloride solvolysis, most likely due to lessened steric interactions in a developing pyramidal cation. This hypothesis is supported by multiparameter solvent effect factor analyses utilizing the KOMPH2 equation which, in addition, quantifies the important role of ground-state destabilization due to strong solvent-solvent interactions. An important result from the good correlation of free energies of transfer of the tert-butyl chloride solvolysis transition state is that there is no change in mechanism, and, in particular, no nucleophilic participation even in non-hydroxylic basic solvents. The equation is also applied to the case of dimethylsulfonium ion solvolyses where the tert-butyl salt reacts substantially faster than the 1-adamantyl salt in ethanol and the gas phase. The decreased rate of the former in hydrogen bond donating solvents relative to the gas phase is as yet unclear. Solvent N values that were generated to characterize solvent nucleophilicity are shown not to be correlated by measures of solvent basicity but rather by the negative of measures of solvent hydrogen bond donor ability.     

A novel reaction of β,β′-dihydroxy acids or esters with vanadium(V) trichloride oxide. New entry to the stereoselective synthesis of α-fluoro-α,β-unsaturated acids and esters

β,β′-Dihydroxy carboxylic acids and esters, readily prepared from dibromofluoroacetate and aldehydes, underwent deoxygenation, followed by elimination of aldehyde by the action of vanadium(V) trichloride oxide at the reflux temperature of chlorobenzene for 1 h to afford the Z isomers of α-fluoro-α,β-unsaturated acids and esters, respectively, in fair to good yields. This reaction provides a new alternative entry to the stereoselective synthesis of such fluoro compounds.     

Why [(eta5-C5Me(n)H5-n)2Ti]2(micro2,eta2,eta2-N2) can not add a H2 molecule to the side-on-coordinated N2 while its Zr and Hf analogues can? insights from computational studies

The potential energy surface of the reaction [(eta5-C5MenH5-n)2M]2(micro2,eta2,eta2-N2) + H2 --> [(eta5-C5MenH5-n)2M][(eta5-C5MenH5-n)2MH](micro2,eta2,eta2-NNH) at low-lying singlet and triplet electronic states of the reactants was investigated using density functional methods, for n = 0 and 4, and M = Ti, Zr, and Hf. Ground electronic states of the Ti complexes are found to be triplet states, while that for the corresponding Zr and Hf complexes are singlet states. In their singlet state, all these complexes satisfy known necessary conditions (they have a side-on-coordinated N2 molecule and appropriate frontier orbitals) for successful addition of an H2 molecule to the coordinated N2, and consequently, add of an H2 molecule with a reasonable energy barrier. Hf complexes show slightly higher reactivity than corresponding Zr complexes, and in turn, both are more reactive than their singlet-state Ti counterparts. The calculated trend in reactivity of Zr and Hf complexes is consistent with the latest experimental data (see refs 13 and 16). However, Ti complexes have the ground triplet state that lacks in appropriate frontier orbitals. As a result, H2 addition to the Ti complexes at their triplet ground states requires a larger activation barrier than the singlet state and is endothermic (lacks of driven force for reaction). On the basis of these results, we predict that the [(eta5-C5Me4H)2M]2(micro2,eta2,eta2-N2) and [(eta5-C5H5)2M]2(micro2,eta2,eta2-N2) complexes cannot react with an H2 molecule for M = Ti, while those for M = Zr and Hf can. It was shown that the difference in the B3LYP (hybrid) and PBE (nonhybrid) calculated energy gaps between the lowest closed-shell singlet and triplet states of the present complexes reduces via first- > second- > third-row transition metals; both hybrid and nonhybrid density functionals can be safely used to describe reactivity of the low-lying low-spin and high-spin states of second- and third-row transition metal complexes.