A computational study on the chemical fixation of carbon dioxide with epoxide catalyzed by LiBr salt

The chemical fixation of carbon dioxide with 2,3-epoxypropyl phenyl ether catalyzed by LiBr salt to produce a five-membered cyclic carbonate, 4-(phenoxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, has been extensively investigated at the B3LYP density functional level of theory. The solvent effects have been studied by means of a PCM model. All possible pathways are examined, and their corresponding energetics are demonstrated. Our results reveal that the overall reaction comprises three main steps: epoxide ring-opening, carbon dioxide insertion, and ring-closure of cyclic carbonate, none of which contains significantly large barriers. On the basis of the computed free energies of activation, the rate-determining step can be the ring-opening of epoxide or the ring-closure of cyclic carbonate with variation in the reaction conditions in N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP) solvent. Our calculations indicate that path 2 is more favorable than path 1 in the gas phase, while both of them exist possibly in NMP solvent. The overall reaction is exothermic. Furthermore, the free energy profiles of all reaction pathways along the minima energy path in the gas phase and in NMP solvent were obtained and compared. It is shown that NMP solvent does not change the general trends for the reaction potential energy surfaces.     

Mechanism of cycloaddition reactions between ketene and N-silyl-, N-germyl-, and N-stannylimines: a theoretical investigation

A theoretical study of the cycloaddition reactions of ketene and N-silyl-, N-germyl-, and N-stannylimines were performed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) theory level using the LANL2DZ effective core potential for Ge and Sn and taking into account the effect of diethyl ether solvent by means of the polarizable continuum model method. According to the obtained results the reaction between ketene and N-germylimine is a two-step process due to the effect of solvent, whereas the cycloaddition of ketene and N-silylimine follows a three-step mechanism because in this case the evolution of the electronic energy along the reaction coordinate predominates over the effect of solvent. For N-stannylimine the two- and three-step mechanisms are competitive. In all the cases the rate-determining barrier corresponds to the evolution of the azadiene intermediate. The cycloaddition of ketene and N-germylimine is kinetically the most favorable reaction of the three studied by us and can take place as a domino process. In the three cases the isomerization of the imine through the inversion at the nitrogen atom is easier than the formation of the azadiene intermediate so that the three processes would afford the trans-beta-lactam.     

钐(II)类卡宾CH_3SmCH_2I与乙烯环丙烷化反应及溶剂化效应(THF)对反应途径影响的理论研究

用密度泛函B3LYP方法研究了过渡金属钐类卡宾与乙烯的环丙烷化反应的机理.对钐类卡宾试剂CH3SmCH2I和CH2CH2反应的反应物、中间体、过渡态和产物构型的全部结构几何参数进行了优化,并计算了THF溶液的溶剂化效应,用内禀反应坐标(IRC)计算和频率分析方法,对过渡态进行了验证.结果表明:CH3SmCH2I与CH2CH2环丙烷化反应按亚甲基转移机理(通道A)和卡宾金属化机理(通道B)都可以进行,与锂类卡宾的反应机理相同,通道A比通道B反应的势垒降低了14.65kJ/mol.溶剂化效应使通道B比通道A的反应势垒大幅度提高,更有利于反应沿通道A进行,而不利于通道B.     

Computational study of the aminolysis of esters. The reaction of methylformate with ammonia

The aminolysis of esters is a basic organic reaction considered as a model for the interaction of carbonyl group with nucleophiles. In the present computational study the different possible mechanistic pathways of the reaction are reinvestigated by applying higher level electronic structure theory, examining the general base catalysis by the nucleophile, and a more comprehensive study the solvent effect. Both the ab initio QCISD/6-31(d,p) method and density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level were employed to calculate the reaction pathways for the simplest model aminolysis reaction between methylformate and ammonia. Solvent effects were assessed by the PCM method. The results show that in the case of noncatalyzed aminolysis the addition/elimination stepwise mechanism involving two transition states and the concerted mechanism have very similar activation energies. However, in the case of catalyzed aminolysis by a second ammonia molecule the stepwise mechanism has a distinctly lower activation energy. All transition states in the catalyzed aminolysis are 10-17 kcal/mol lower than those for the uncatalyzed process.     

Cationic intermediates in the Pd-catalyzed negishi coupling. kinetic and density functional theory study of alternative transmetalation pathways in the Me-Me coupling of ZnMe2 and trans-[PdMeCl(PMePh2)2

The complexity of the transmetalation step in a Pd-catalyzed Negishi reaction has been investigated by combining experiment and theoretical calculations. The reaction between trans-[PdMeCl(PMePh(2))(2)] and ZnMe(2) in THF as solvent was analyzed. The results reveal some unexpected and relevant mechanistic aspects not observed for ZnMeCl as nucleophile. The operative reaction mechanism is not the same when the reaction is carried out in the presence or in the absence of an excess of phosphine in the medium. In the absence of added phosphine an ionic intermediate with THF as ligand ([PdMe(PMePh(2))(2)(THF)](+)) opens ionic transmetalation pathways. In contrast, an excess of phosphine retards the reaction because of the formation of a very stable cationic complex with three phosphines ([PdMe(PMePh(2))(3)](+)) that sequesters the catalyst. These ionic intermediates had never been observed or proposed in palladium Negishi systems and warn on the possible detrimental effect of an excess of good ligand (as PMePh(2)) for the process. In contrast, the ionic pathways via cationic complexes with one solvent (or a weak ligand) can be noticeably faster and provide a more rapid reaction than the concerted pathways via neutral intermediates. Theoretical calculations on the real molecules reproduce well the experimental rate trends observed for the different mechanistic pathways.     

Enhancing reactivity of carbonyl compounds via hydrogen-bond formation. A DFT study of the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between butadiene derivative and acetone in chloroform

To examine how hydrogen-bond (HB) formation involving chloroform solvent molecules influences the chemical reactivity of ketones, the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of N,N-dimethyl-1-amino-3-methoxy-1,3-butadiene and acetone has been studied by using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G level. The effects of the chloroform on the activation energies have been modeled by means of discrete-continuum models. In the gas phase, the formation of specific HB between acetone and one and two chloroform molecules decreases the activation barriers from 19.3 to 13.6 and 8.5 kcal/mol, respectively. Inclusion of solvent effects by means of combined discrete and polarizable continuum models yields a change of molecular mechanism from a concerted to a two-step mechanism, and the first nucleophilic step is the rate-limiting step. The corresponding values of activation barriers in chloroform are 18.6 kcal/ mol (no HB), 13.5 kcal/mol (one HB), and 9.6 kcal/mol (two HBs). These theoretical results account for the experimental observation that chloroform accelerates the reaction more markedly than more polar aprotic solvent such as acetonitrile. A DFT analysis of the global electrophilicity power of the reagents provides a sound explanation about the catalytic effects of chloroform.     

Catalytic oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds with hydrogen peroxide using dinuclear iron complexes

Oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols has been studied in the presence of [Fe(ind)Cl]₂O (1) and [Fe₂(OMe)₂(PAP)Cl₄] (2) (indH = 1,3-bis(2′-pyridylimino)isoindoline; PAP = 1,4-di(2′-pyridyl)aminophthalazine) as catalysts using hydrogen peroxide as primary oxidant. The complexes were found to be suitable catalysts for the oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds in acetone as solvent. The reactivity of the alcohols is in the order primary < secondary < cyclic secondary < aromatic. The reaction mechanism in the case of 1 probable involves an iron-based oxidant, while in the case of 2 a free-radical mechanism is suggested.     

Structure,bonding, and spectra of cyclic dithia radical cations: a theoretical study

Ab initio molecular orbital and hybrid density functional theory methods are employed to characterize the structure, bonding and properties of several cyclic dithia radical cation systems, particularly in the context of intra molecular two-center three-electron (2c-3e) bonding between two sulfur atoms. The calculated results are able to interpret the time-resolved transient optical spectra obtained from pulse radiolysis technique for these positively charged dithia systems in aqueous solution. Visualization of the appropriate molecular orbital (MO) in the systems is able to depict the presence of a 2c-3e bond between two sulfur atoms and its sigma character. Geometry optimizations of these doublet systems are carried out at restricted open shell Becke's half-and-half (BHH) nonlocal exchange and Lee-Yang-Parr (LYP) nonlocal correlation functionals (BHHLYP) with 6-311+G(d,p) basis set including solvent effects adopting Onsager's reaction field model. Hessian calculations are done at the same level to check the nature of the equilibrium geometry. Energy data are further improved by performing MP2/6-311+G(d,p) calculations on these radical cation systems. Excited-state calculations are done following configuration interaction with single-electron excitation (CIS) method and the optical transition wavelength from the highest doubly occupied molecular orbital (HDOMO) to the lowest singly occupied molecular orbital (LSOMO) is seen to correspond and match to the position of the absorption maxima (lambda(max)) obtained from the experimental spectra for all these radical cation systems in aqueous solution. These calculations are able to resolve a long-standing ambiguity in the assignment of intra molecular 2c-3e bonding in the case of the 3-methyl-2,4-dithiapentane radical cation system and to provide new insights into bonding features of this odd electron system as well as of other cyclic dithia systems studied.     

Ti/SiO_2催化H_2O_2氧化苯甲醇制苯甲醛反应机理的理论研究

采用密度泛函理论B3LYP方法研究了非贵金属Ti催化H2O2氧化苯甲醇为苯甲醛的反应机理.考察了6条可能的反应途径,优化得到了各个途径的过渡态和中间体结构,计算了气相和液相中的反应势垒.结果表明,无催化剂时,H2O2氧化苯甲醇的反应途径具有非常高的反应势垒,反应不能进行;以Ti/SiO2为催化剂时,标题反应在乙腈溶液中的反应势垒为123.8kJ/mol,反应可在约353K下发生.结果还表明,标题反应在极性较大的溶剂中有较高的反应势垒,而在气相或者极性较小的溶剂中的反应势垒较低.     

肾上腺素电氧化过程的快速扫描循环伏安研究

以快速循环伏安法为主要手段,研究了肾上腺素电化学氧化反应机理.肾上腺素在1 m ol•dm－3 H2SO4中的电化学氧化反应,具有扩散控制的基本特征,并伴随着电活性质粒的 弱吸附现象.在快速电势扫描条件下,肾上腺素电氧化过程遵从EC反应机理.当肾上腺素浓度低于1.00×10－3 mol•dm－3时,吸附现象的特征趋于显现出来;在快速电势扫描速率下,电活性质粒吸附的特征更加明显.结合表面伏安法分析,估算了肾上腺素电氧化过程的传递系数α=0.264.电化学反应速率常数ks=31.81 s－1.     

Ring — Chain tautomerism of S-acylalkyl-substituted imidazoles and annelated imidazole systems

The ring-chain tautomerism of S-acylalkyl-substituted 2-mercapto-4,5-diphenylimidazoles, 2-mercaptobenzimidazoles, 2-mercaptonaphth[1,2-d]imidazoles, 8-mercaptopurines, 8-mercaptotheophyllines, and 2-mercaptoimidazolines was studied by means of PMR and IR spectra. It was established that, depending on the structure of the aldehyde or ketone residue, the character of the heteroring conden sed with the imidazole ring, the aggregate state, and the solvent used, these substances exist as open heterylmercapto aldehydes (ketones), cyclic 3-hydroxy derivatives of imidazothiazoline systems, or as mixtures of the indicated tautomeric forms. When there is a substituent in the 2 position of the thiazoline ring, the cyclic compounds exist as mixtures of two diastereoisomeric forms.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1125–1131, August, 1972.     

钐(II)类卡宾CH3SmCH2I与乙烯环丙烷化反应及溶剂化效应的理论研究

用密度泛函B3LYP方法研究了过渡金属钐类卡宾与乙烯的环丙烷化反应的机理. 对钐类卡宾试剂CH₃SmCH₂I和CH₂CH₂反应的反应物、中间体、过渡态和产物构型的全部结构几何参数进行了优化, 并计算了THF溶液的溶剂化效应, 用内禀反应坐标(IRC)计算和频率分析方法, 对过渡态进行了验证. 结果表明: CH₃SmCH₂I与CH₂CH₂环丙烷化反应按亚甲基转移机理(通道A)和卡宾金属化机理(通道B)都可以进行, 与锂类卡宾的反应机理相同, 通道A比通道B反应的势垒降低了14.65 kJ/mol. 溶剂化效应使通道B比通道A的反应势垒大幅度提高, 更有利于反应沿通道A进行, 而不利于通道B.     

The role of the solvent in equilibrium and kinetic aspects of metal chelate extractions

Equilibria and kinetics for the extraction of nickel(II) and copper(II) by 2-hydroxy-5-nonylbenzophenone oxime (LIX 65N) in seven organic solvent systems were studied in order to test the validity of several hypotheses related to the role of the solvent in equilibrium and kinetic aspects of metal chelate extraction. For the nickel—LIX 65N system, the extraction constant is essentially independent of the solvent system, whereas for the copper—LIX 65N system, the extraction constant is not independent of solvent; this indicates that while the stoichiometry of the nickel chelate remains the same in all solvents, that of copper does not. The observed rate constant for the nickel—LIX 65N extraction was found to vary inversely with the LIX 65N distribution constant as predicted from a mechanism involving slow formation of the 1:1 complex. The observed reaction rate constant for the copper—LIX 65N varied inversely with the square of the distribution constant, also in accordance with the previously postulated mechanism of the slow formation of the 2:1 copper complex. This study, therefore, unequivocally eliminates the interfacial mechanism in favor of the homogeneous chemical reaction mechanism for the extraction of metal ions by LIX 65N, as well as by other similar high-molecular-weight extractants.     

DSC and FTIR Analyses of The Curing Behavior of Epoxy/dicy/solvent Systems on Hermetic Specimens

The curing characteristics of adicyandiamide-cured epoxy system under the influence of solvents in a closed environment were studied by means of isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The DSC analyses revealed that the presence of solvent results in decreases in the curing exotherm, the initial curing rate, the glass transition temperature, the reaction rate and the reaction order of the epoxy resin. The greatest decreases were caused by the solvent with the highest boiling temperature. A change in temperature-dependent curing route due to the heat absorbed during solvent evaporation is responsible for the difference. The FTIR analyses confirmed that the composition of the cured resin is affected by the solvent, the curing temperature and the specimen configuration. As compared with those obtained from open systems, specimens produced in a closed environment have an enhanced curing exotherm, initial curing rate, glass transition temperature, reaction rate and reaction order because of the retention of volatile catalytic by-products. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ab initio study of reactions of 1‐halogen‐3‐methoxy‐1‐propynes with Grignard reagent

The structures of coordination complexes of methylmagnesium chloride with 1‐halogen‐3‐methoxy‐1‐propynes have been studied by means of ab initio methods (RHF/3‐21G*, RHF/6‐31G* and RHF/6‐31G**), taking into account the electron correlation by Møller‐Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). Two pathways of the nucleophilic halogen substitution reaction between the reagents have been considered. The calculations predict the addition–elimination mechanism as advantageous for the reaction. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Theoretical study on the synthesis reaction mechanism of trichlorogermyl crylic acid

The synthesis reaction of trichlorogermyl crylic acid has been studied systematically by using quantum chemistry methods for the first time.Geometries of reactants,transition states,and products have been optimized,respectively at the B3LYP/6-311G（d,p） level.Vibrational frequencies,IR intensities and relative energies for various stationary points have been determined.The reaction pathways are identified by intrinsic reaction coordinate（IRC）calculations.Theoretical analysis provided conclusive evidence that the process is completed through five pathways of addition reaction of double bond,and the transition states are found to be four- membered ring compounds.Solvent effects are taken into account with the PCM model at the same level.This preliminary study shows that the complex formation is favored by the use of polar solvent.     

Understanding electrochromic processes initiated by dithienylcyclopentene cation-radicals

Simple photochromic dithienylethylenes with either a perfluoro or a perhydro cyclopentene ring, and a variety of substituents (chlorine, iodine, trimethylsilyl, phenylthio, aldehyde, carboxylic acid, and ethynylanisyl), have been prepared and their electrochemical behavior was explored by cyclic voltammetry. All dithienylethylenes present two-electron irreversible oxidation waves in their open form, but the cation-radical of the open isomers can follow two different reaction pathways: dimerization or ring closure, whereas the halogen derivatives follow a dimerization mechanism, the presence of donor groups, such as the phenylthio-substituted compound, promote an efficient oxidative ring closure following an ECE/DISP mechanism. Electrochromic properties are also found in the corresponding ring-closed isomers. Depending on the substituents on the thiophene ring, and the perfluro or perhydro cyclopentene ring, open isomers can be obtained from oxidation (chemical or electrochemical) of the corresponding ring-closed isomers via an EC mechanism. This reaction pathway is favored by the presence of electron-withdrawing groups in the molecule. For all these compounds, closed or open, the oxidation lies between 0.8 and 1.5 V vs SCE, and provokes a permanent modification of the color, even after an oxidation-reduction cycle. This could be qualified as "electrochromism with memory". On the other hand, the ring-closed electron-rich isomers (E degrees < 0.8 V), which show reversible waves at the cation-radical or even dication level, give rise to "true electrochromism", for which no structural changes are observed. The experimental study was completed by theoretical calculations at the DFT level, using B3LYP density functional, which gave information on the total energy, the geometry, and the electronic structures of several representative compounds, either in the neutral form or in the cation-radical state. These results are important for the potential design of photochromic systems, such as three-state conjugated systems and photoelectrical molecular switching devices.     

3-甲基环状乙撑磷酸二酯醇解的反应途径研究

采用密度泛函理论和MP2方法研究了3-甲基环状乙撑磷酸二酯(MEP)与甲醇的反应途径: (I) CH3O－＋MEP; (II) CH3OH＋MEP; (III) CH3O－＋HMEP (MEP的质子化形式); (IV) CH3OH＋HMEP. 在B3LYP/6-31＋＋G(d,p)水平上优化了四条反应途径的反应物、中间体、过渡态及产物的几何构型, 并在同水平上进行了自然电荷分析, 然后在MP2/6-311＋＋G(3df,2p)水平上计算了各驻点的单点能. 采用极化连续介质模型(PCM)研究了各途径在苯、甲醇和水溶液中的溶剂化效应. 计算结果表明, 溶剂效应使途径(I)的自由能垒降低, 而使途径(II)和(IV)的决速步骤的自由能垒升高. 在气相和苯溶剂中途径(IV)是反应的优势途径, 在甲醇和水溶剂中途径(I)则成为最优. 研究结果进一步表明实验条件下途径(II)与(IV)对总醇解反应的贡献相当.     

3,6-二羟基哒嗪质子转移过程的理论研究

为了探索3,6-二羟基哒嗪分子醇式和酮式结构互变异构化的反应机理,本研究组采用DFT B3LYP/6-311+G(d)方法对标题化合物异构化反应的势能面进行了研究,在探讨各种可能的反应途径中,发现至少有34种异构体和43种过渡态.结果表明,6-羟基-3(2H)-哒嗪酮不论是单体,与水形成配合物,还是二聚体,比其相对应的异构体能量低,表明在通常情况下是以6-羟基-3(2H)-哒嗪酮形式稳定存在的,这与前人通过实验数据对互变异构体的比率进行预测的结果是一致的;在考察的可能反应途径中,直接进行的分子内质子转移过程需要的活化能为142.2 kJ·mol^-1,水助催化时,反应活化能为41.3 kJ·mol^-1,考虑溶剂效应后,其活化能为59.2 kJ·mol^-1,二聚体双质子转移的活化能为16.8 kJ·mol^-1,二聚体双质子转移所需活化能最低,在室温下就可以进行.由此可见氢键在降低反应活化能方面起着重要的作用.     

Synthesis of á-aminonitrile through Anodic Cyanation of N-benzylpiperidine

Electrochemistry behaviors including linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry of tertiary cyclic amines with different substituted group were studied. The effect of different substituted group of the nitrogen on the oxidation potential was analyzed. The most suited potential used in α-aminonitrile synthesis through potentiostatic anodic cyanation of cyclic teritary amines was found. The anodic cyanation of N-alkyl-substituted cyclic six-membered amines including N-benzylpiperidine and…