Conformational studies by dynamic NMR. 94.1 cogwheel pathway for the stereomutations of durene derivatives containing the mesityl ring

The low-temperature NMR spectra of 1,4-bis(mesitoyl)durene, 1, and of 1,4-bis(mesitylethenyl)durene, 2, reveal the presence of syn and anti rotamers at the equilibrium, their relative proportions depending on the dielectric constant of the solvent. In solution the more stable rotamer of 1 is the anti whereas, in the case of 2, the more stable is the syn. Depending on the crystallization solvent employed the more (anti) and the less stable (syn) rotamers were both observed (X-ray diffraction) in the solid state of 1. On the other hand, only the less stable rotamer (anti) was found to be present in the solid state of 2. As shown by MM calculations, the syn-to-anti interconversion occurs via a correlated process (cogwheel pathway) involving the mesityl-C and durene-C bond rotations: the dynamic NMR technique yields an experimental barrier of 8.2 kcal mol(-)(1) for 1 and 13.1 kcal mol(-)(1) for 2. In the case of derivative 2 a second barrier, due to a second type of correlated rotation process (torsion), was also determined (8.6 kcal mol(-)(1)). As a consequence of the restriction of this second torsional motion the anti rotamer of 2 displays two distinguishable NMR spectra at -133 degrees C, corresponding to a pair of conformers with different symmetry (anti C(i)() and anti C(2)).     

Theoretical analysis of the hydrogen bond of imidazolium C(2)-H with anions

The intermolecular interaction energies of ion pairs of imidazolium-based ionic liquids were studied by MP2/6-311G level ab initio calculations. Although the hydrogen bond between the C(2) hydrogen atom of an imidazolium cation and anion has been regarded as an important interaction in controlling the structures and physical properties of ionic liquids as in the cases of conventional hydrogen bonds, the calculations show that the nature of the C(2)-H...X interaction is considerably different from that of conventional hydrogen bonds. The interaction energies of the imidazolium cation with neighboring anions in the four crystals of ionic liquids were calculated. The size of the interaction is determined mainly by the distance between the imidazolium ring and anion. The calculated interaction energy is nearly inversely proportional to the distance, which shows that the charge-charge interaction is the dominant interaction in the attraction. The orientation of the anion relative to the C(2)-H bond does not greatly affect the size of the interaction energy. Calculated interaction energy potentials of 1,3-dimethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([dmim][BF(4)]) complexes show that the C(2)-H bond does not prefer to point toward a fluorine atom of the BF(4). This shows that the C(2)-H...X hydrogen bond is not essential for the attraction.     

The effect of the torsional and stretching vibrations of C2H6 on the H + C2H6 --> H2 + C2H5 reaction

We present a three-dimensional quantum scattering model to treat reactions of the type H + C2H6 --> H2 + C2H5. The model allows the torsional and the stretching degrees of freedom to be treated explicitly. Zero-point energies of the remaining modes are taken into account in electronic structure calculations. An analytical potential-energy surface was developed from a minimal number of ab initio geometry evaluations using the CCSD(T,full)/cc-pVTZ//MP2(full)/cc-pVTZ level of theory. The reaction is endothermic by 1.5 kcal mol(-1) and exhibits a vibrationally adiabatic barrier of 12.0 kcal mol(-1). The results show that the torsional mode influences reactivity when coupled with the vibrational C-H stretching mode. We also found that ethyl radical products are formed internally excited in the torsional mode.     

Thermochemical studies of N-methylpyrazole and N-methylimidazole

The 351.1 nm photoelectron spectra of the N-methyl-5-pyrazolide anion and the N-methyl-5-imidazolide anion are reported. The photoelectron spectra of both isomers display extended vibrational progressions in the X2A' ground states of the corresponding radicals that are well reproduced by Franck-Condon simulations, based on the results of B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations. The electron affinities of the N-methyl-5-pyrazolyl radical and the N-methyl-5-imidazolyl radical are 2.054 +/- 0.006 eV and 1.987 +/- 0.008 eV, respectively. Broad vibronic features of the A(2)A' ' states are also observed in the spectra. The gas-phase acidities of N-methylpyrazole and N-methylimidazole are determined from measurements of proton-transfer rate constants using a flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube instrument. The acidity of N-methylpyrazole is measured to be Delta(acid)G(298) = 376.9 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1) and Delta(acid)H(298) = 384.0 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1), whereas the acidity of N-methylimidazole is determined to be Delta(acid)G(298) = 380.2 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1) and Delta(acid)H(298)= 388.1 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1). The gas-phase acidities are combined with the electron affinities in a negative ion thermochemical cycle to determine the C5-H bond dissociation energies, D(0)(C5-H, N-methylpyrazole) = 116.4 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1) and D(0)(C5-H, N-methylimidazole) = 119.0 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1). The bond strengths reported here are consistent with previously reported bond strengths of pyrazole and imidazole; however, the error bars are significantly reduced.     

Structural characterization of the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ion pair using ab initio methods

Ab initio theoretical methods are used to investigate the gas-phase ion pairs of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. Multiple stable conformers with the chloride anion positioned (in-plane) around the imidazolium ring or above the C2-H bond are determined. The relative energy ordering of the conformers is examined at the B3LYP, MP2, and CCSD(T) levels. Zero-point energies, BSSE, and basis set effects are examined. For accurate results, correlation (dispersion) effects must be included. The most stable conformers are essentially degenerate and have the chloride H-bonding to, or lying above, the C2-H bond. Other conformers are found to lie approximately 30 and approximately 60 kJ mol(-1) higher in energy. Results are compared with those from recent simulations and experimental studies. The effect of the chloride anion on rotation of the butyl chain is investigated and found to lower some rotational barriers while enhancing others. The origin of the rotational barriers is determined. The number and type of hydrogen bonds formed between the imidazolium cation and chloride anion is found to vary significantly among conformers. No evidence of a possible intra C(alkyl)-H...pi interaction is obtained; however, hints of a Cl...pi interaction are found. The vibrational spectrum of each conformer is examined, and the origin of multiple (H-bonding) features in the vibrational spectrum of the ionic liquid explained.     

Microwave spectrum and conformational composition of 2-chloroethylisocyanide

2-Chloroethylisocyanide (ClCH(2)CH(2)N≡C) has been synthesized, and its microwave spectrum has been investigated in the 20-97 GHz spectral region. The spectra of (35)Cl and (37)Cl isotopologues of two conformers have been assigned. The Cl-C-C-N chain of atoms is antiperiplanar in one of these rotamers and synclinal in the second. The energy difference between the two forms has been obtained from relative intensity measurements. It was found that the antiperiplanar conformer is favored over the synclinal form by 4.3(8) kJ/mol. Quantum chemical calculations at the CCSD/cc-pVTZ and B3LYP/cc-pVTZ levels of theory have been performed. Most, but not all, of the spectroscopic constants predicted in these calculations are in good agreement with their experimental counterparts. The theoretical calculations correctly predict that the 2-chloroethylisocyanide exists as a mixture of an antiperiplanar and a synclinal conformer, with the former about 3.5 kJ/mol more stable than the latter. Both methods of calculations find that the antiperiplanar rotamer has a symmetry plane. The dihedral angle formed by the Cl-C-C-N link of atoms of the synclinal form is 67° according to the CCSD calculations. It is estimated from a comparison with the experimental rotational constants that this dihedral angle is uncertain by ±3°.     

Determination of the C4-H bond dissociation energies of NADH models and their radical cations in acetonitrile

Heterolytic and homolytic bond dissociation energies of the C4-H bonds in ten NADH models (seven 1,4-dihydronicotinamide derivatives, two Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives, and 9,10-dihydroacridine) and their radical cations in acetonitrile were evaluated by titration calorimetry and electrochemistry, according to the four thermodynamic cycles constructed from the reactions of the NADH models with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine radical cation perchlorate in acetonitrile (note: C9-H bond rather than C4-H bond for 9,10-dihydroacridine; however, unless specified, the C9-H bond will be described as a C4-H bond for convenience). The results show that the energetic scales of the heterolytic and homolytic bond dissociation energies of the C4-H bonds cover ranges of 64.2-81.1 and 67.9-73.7 kcal mol(-1) for the neutral NADH models, respectively, and the energetic scales of the heterolytic and homolytic bond dissociation energies of the (C4-H)(.+) bonds cover ranges of 4.1-9.7 and 31.4-43.5 kcal mol(-1) for the radical cations of the NADH models, respectively. Detailed comparison of the two sets of C4-H bond dissociation energies in 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (BNAH), Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridine (HEH), and 9,10-dihydroacridine (AcrH(2)) (as the three most typical NADH models) shows that for BNAH and AcrH(2), the heterolytic C4-H bond dissociation energies are smaller (by 3.62 kcal mol(-1)) and larger (by 7.4 kcal mol(-1)), respectively, than the corresponding homolytic C4-H bond dissociation energy. However, for HEH, the heterolytic C4-H bond dissociation energy (69.3 kcal mol(-1)) is very close to the corresponding homolytic C4-H bond dissociation energy (69.4 kcal mol(-1)). These results suggests that the hydride is released more easily than the corresponding hydrogen atom from BNAH and vice versa for AcrH(2), and that there are two almost equal possibilities for the hydride and the hydrogen atom transfers from HEH. Examination of the two sets of the (C4-H)(.+) bond dissociation energies shows that the homolytic (C4-H)(.+) bond dissociation energies are much larger than the corresponding heterolytic (C4-H)(.+) bond dissociation energies for the ten NADH models by 23.3-34.4 kcal mol(-1); this suggests that if the hydride transfer from the NADH models is initiated by a one-electron transfer, the proton transfer should be more likely to take place than the corresponding hydrogen atom transfer in the second step. In addition, some elusive structural information about the reaction intermediates of the NADH models was obtained by using Hammett-type linear free-energy analysis.     

Magnitude and nature of interactions in benzene-X (X=ethylene and acetylene) in the gas phase: significantly different CH/pi interaction of acetylene as compared with those of ethylene and methane

The accurate interaction energies of the CH/pi interaction in the benzene-X clusters (X = ethylene and acetylene) were experimentally and theoretically determined. Two-color multiphoton ionization spectroscopy was applied, and the binding energies in the neutral ground state of the clusters were evaluated from the dissociation threshold measurements of the cluster cations. The experimental binding energies of the clusters (D0) were 1.4+/-0.2 and 2.7+/-0.2 kcal/mol, respectively. Estimated CCSD(T) interaction energies for the clusters at the basis set limit (De) were 2.2 and 2.8 kcal/mol, respectively. Calculated D0 values (1.7 and 2.4 kcal/mol, respectively) are close to the experimental values. Large electron correlation contributions (Ecorr=-3.6 and -2.8 kcal/mol, respectively) show that dispersion is the major source of the attraction in both clusters. The electrostatic interaction in the ethylene cluster is very small (-0.38 kcal/mol), as in the case of the benzene-methane cluster, whereas the electrostatic interaction in the acetylene cluster is large (-1.70 kcal/mol). The shifts of the S1-S0 transition also suggest that the ethylene cluster is a van der Waals-type cluster, but the acetylene cluster is a pi-hydrogen-bonded cluster. The nature of the CH/pi interaction of the "activated" alkyne C-H bond is significantly different from that of the "nonactivated" (or typical) alkane and alkene C-H bonds.     

Dimers of and tautomerism between 2-pyrimidinethiol and 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione: a density functional theory (DFT) study

Density functional theory (BLYP, B3LYP, B3P86, B3PW91) with the 6-31+G(d,p), 6-311+G(d,p), and cc-pVTZ basis sets has been used to calculate structural parameters, relative energies, and vibrational spectra of 2-pyrimidinethiol (1) and 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione (2) and their hydrogen-bonded homodimers (C(2) 3, C(2h) [4](double dagger), C(2h) 5), monohydrates, and dihydrates and a heterodimer (6). Several transition state structures proposed for the tautomerization process have also been examined. At the B3PW91/6-311+G(d,p)//B3PW91/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory 2-pyrimidinethiol (1) is predicted to be 3.41 kcal/mol more stable (E(rel)) than 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione (2) in the gas phase and 2 is predicted to be 6.47 kcal/mol more stable than 1 in aqueous medium. An unfavorable planar intramolecular strained four center transition state (TS1) for the tautomerization of 1 and 2 in the gas-phase lies 29.07 kcal/mol higher in energy than 2-pyrimidinethiol (1). The C(2) 2-pyrimidinethiol dimer (3) is 6.84 kcal/mol lower in energy than the C(2) homodimer transition state structure ([11](double dagger)) that connects dimers 3 and 4. Transition state [11](double dagger) provides a facile pathway for tautomerization between 1 and 2 in the gas phase (monomer-dimer promoted tautomerization). The hydrogen bonded 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -H(2)O and 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -2H(2)O structures are predicted to be 1.27 and 1.55 kcal/mol, respectively, higher in energy than 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione- - -H(2)O and 2(1H)-pyrimidinethione- - -2H(2)O. Water promoted tautomerization via cyclic transition states involving one water molecule (TS- - -H(2)O, [12](double dagger)) and two water molecules (TS- - -2H(2)O, [13](double dagger)) lie 11.42 and 11.44 kcal/mol, respectively, higher in energy than 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -H(2)O and 2-pyrimidinethiol- - -2H(2)O. Thus, the hydrated transition states [12](double dagger) and [13](double dagger) are involved in the tautomerism between 1 and 2 in aqueous medium.     

Microwave spectrum and conformational composition of 2-fluoroethylisocyanide

The microwave spectrum of 2-fluoroethylisocyanide, FCH(2)CH(2)N≡C, has been investigated in the whole 50-120 GHz spectral region. Selected portions of the spectrum in the range of 18-50 GHz have also been recorded. The microwave spectra of the ground state and vibrationally excited states of two conformers have been assigned. Accurate spectroscopic constants have been derived from a large number of microwave transitions. The F-C-C-N chain of atoms is antiperiplanar in one of these rotamers and synclinal in the second conformer. The energy difference between the two forms was obtained from relative intensity measurements. It was found that the synclinal conformer is favored over the antiperiplanar form by 0.7(5) kJ/mol. Quantum chemical calculations at the high CCSD/cc-pVTZ and B3LYP/cc-pVTZ levels of theory were performed. Most, but not all, of the spectroscopic constants predicted in these calculations are in good agreement with the experimental counterparts. The theoretical calculations correctly indicate that the F-C-C-N dihedral angle in the synclinal form is about 67° but underestimate the magnitude of the gauche effect and erroneously predict the antiperiplanar rotamer to be 1.3-1.6 kJ/mol more stable than the synclinal conformer.     

Ab initio/GIAO-CCSD(T) study of structures, energies, and 13C NMR chemical shifts of C4H7(+) and C5H9(+) ions: relative stability and dynamic aspects of the cyclopropylcarbinyl vs bicyclobutonium ions

The structures and energies of the carbocations C 4H 7 (+) and C 5H 9 (+) were calculated using the ab initio method. The (13)C NMR chemical shifts of the carbocations were calculated using the GIAO-CCSD(T) method. The pisigma-delocalized bisected cyclopropylcarbinyl cation, 1 and nonclassical bicyclobutonium ion, 2 were found to be the minima for C 4H 7 (+) at the MP2/cc-pVTZ level. At the MP4(SDTQ)/cc-pVTZ//MP2/cc-pVTZ + ZPE level the structure 2 is 0.4 kcal/mol more stable than the structure 1. The (13)C NMR chemical shifts of 1 and 2 were calculated by the GIAO-CCSD(T) method. Based on relative energies and (13)C NMR chemical shift calculations, an equilibrium involving the 1 and 2 in superacid solutions is most likely responsible for the experimentally observed (13)C NMR chemical shifts, with the latter as the predominant equilibrating species. The alpha-methylcyclopropylcarbinyl cation, 4, and nonclassical bicyclobutonium ion, 5, were found to be the minima for C 5H 9 (+) at the MP2/cc-pVTZ level. At the MP4(SDTQ)/cc-pVTZ//MP2/cc-pVTZ + ZPE level ion 5 is 5.9 kcal/mol more stable than the structure 4. The calculated (13)C NMR chemical shifts of 5 agree rather well with the experimental values of C 5H 9 (+).     

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.     

An NMR and solvation study of rotational isomerism in epihalohydrins

The ¹H NMR spectra of epifluoro, chloro- and bromohydrin have been analysed in a number of solvents of varying polarity. Ab initio and molecular mechanism calculations together with solvation theory allowed an analysis of the observed solvent dependence of the proton couplings in terms of the anti and gauche rotamers only, the syn rotamer being of very small population: The Ga che-anti energy difference in the vapour is 0.1, 0.5 and 0.7 kcal mol^-1 for the three compounds respectively, though these relative energies may be reversed in solutions in which the gauche form is relatively more stabilized. The trans-oriented vicinal coupling has values of 7.3, 8.4 and 9.1 Hz for F, Cl, and Br respectively. Only one long-range coupling showed a pronounced orientation dependence, due to an approximately planar zizag orientation in the gauche rotamer.     

An intramolecular ionic hydrogen bond stabilizes a cis amide bond rotamer of a ring-opened rapamycin-degradation product

Rapamycin (1), a macrolide immunosuppressant, undergoes degradation into ring-opened acid products 2 and 3 under physiologically relevant conditions. The unsaturated product (3) was isolated and studied in this work. Unlike 1, which has its amide primarily in a trans conformation in solution, 3 has both cis and trans conformations in approximately a 1:1 ratio in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The amount of cis rotamer was increased dramatically in the presence of an organic base such as triethylamine. The detailed NMR results indicate that the cis rotamer is stabilized through an intramolecular ionic hydrogen bond of the carboxylate anion with the tertiary alcohol as part of a nine-membered ring system. This hydrogen bond was characterized further in organic media and the trans-cis rotamer equilibria were used to estimate the relative bond strengths in several solvents. The additional stabilization arising from this ionic hydrogen bond in the cis rotamer was determined to be 1.4 kcal mol(-1) in DMSO-d6, 2.0 kcal mol(-1) in CD3CN and 1.1 kcal mol(-1) in CD3OD.     

Accurate interaction energies of hydrogen-bonded nucleic acid base pairs

Hydrogen-bonded nucleic acids base pairs substantially contribute to the structure and stability of nucleic acids. The study presents reference ab initio structures and interaction energies of selected base pairs with binding energies ranging from -5 to -47 kcal/mol. The molecular structures are obtained using the RI-MP2 (resolution of identity MP2) method with extended cc-pVTZ basis set of atomic orbitals. The RI-MP2 method provides results essentially identical with the standard MP2 method. The interaction energies are calculated using the Complete Basis Set (CBS) extrapolation at the RI-MP2 level. For some base pairs, Coupled-Cluster corrections with inclusion of noniterative triple contributions (CCSD(T)) are given. The calculations are compared with selected medium quality methods. The PW91 DFT functional with the 6-31G basis set matches well the RI-MP2/CBS absolute interaction energies and reproduces the relative values of base pairing energies with a maximum relative error of 2.6 kcal/mol when applied with Becke3LYP-optimized geometries. The Becke3LYP DFT functional underestimates the interaction energies by few kcal/mol with relative error of 2.2 kcal/mol. Very good performance of nonpolarizable Cornell et al. force field is confirmed and this indirectly supports the view that H-bonded base pairs are primarily stabilized by electrostatic interactions.     

Microwave spectrum and conformational composition of 3-fluoropropionitrile (FCH2CH2CN)

The microwave spectrum of 3-fluoropropionitrile, FCH(2)CH(2)C≡N, has been investigated in the whole 17-75 GHz spectral region. Selected portions of the spectrum in the 75-95 GHz have also been recorded. The microwave spectra of the ground state as well as of three vibrationally excited states of each of two conformers have been assigned. The spectra of the vibrationally excited states belong to the lowest torsional and bending vibrations. The F-C-C-C chain of atoms is exactly antiperiplanar in one of these rotamers and synclinal in the second conformer. The F-C-C-C dihedral angle is 65(2)° in the synclinal form. The energy difference between the two forms has been obtained from relative intensity measurements performed on microwave transitions. It was found that the antiperiplanar conformer is more stable than the synclinal form by 1.4(5) kJ/mol. It is argued that the gauche effect is a significant force in this compound. Quantum chemical calculations at the high CCSD(full)/cc-pVTZ, MP2(full)/cc-pVTZ, and B3LYP/cc-pVTZ levels of theory have been performed. Most, but not all, of the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with experiment.     

2-Chloro- and 2-bromo-3-pyridinecarboxaldehydes: structures, rotamers, fermi resonance and vibration modes

FT-Infrared (4000-400 cm(-1)) and NIR-FT-Raman (4000-50 cm(-1)) spectral measurements have been made for 2-chloro- and 2-bromo-3-pyridinecarboxaldehydes. A DFT vibration analysis at B3LYP/6-311++G (d,p) level, valence force-fields and vibrational mode calculations have been performed. Aided by very good agreement between observed and computed vibration spectra, a complete assignment of fundamental vibration modes to the observed absorptions and Raman bands has been proposed. Orientations of the aldehydic group have produced two oblate asymmetric rotamers for each molecule, ON-trans and ON-cis: the ON-trans rotamer being more stable than cis by 3.42 kcal mol(-1) for 2-chloro-3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and 3.68 kcal mol(-1) for 2-bromo-3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde. High potential energy barrier ca 14 kcal/mol, induced by steric hindrance, restricts rotamers' population to ON-trans only. It is observed that, in the presence of bromine, C-H stretching modes are pronounced; a missing characteristic ring mode in chlorine's presence shows at 1557 cm(-1); the characteristic ring mode at 1051 cm(-1) is diminished; a mixed mode near 707 cm(-1) is enhanced. Further, an observed doublet near 1696-1666 cm(-1) in both IR and Raman spectra is explained on the basis of Fermi resonance between aldehydic carbonyl stretching at 1696 cm(-1) and a combination mode of ring stretch near 1059 cm(-1) and deformation vibration, 625 cm(-1). A strong Raman aldehydic torsional mode at 62 cm(-1) is interpreted to correspond to the dominant ON-trans over cis rotamers population.     

Effect of an "ionic liquid" cation, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, on the molecular organization of H2O

The excess partial molar enthalpy of 1-propanol (1P), , was measured at 28 degrees C in the ternary mixture of 1P-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([bmim]Cl)-H(2)O in the H(2)O-rich composition range. From these data we evaluated what we call the 1P-1P enthalpic interaction function, . Its changes induced by addition of [bmim]Cl of the pattern of were used as a probe to elucidate the effect of [bmim]Cl on the molecular organization of H(2)O. It was found that the effect of Cl(-) was not conspicuous within this methodology, and the observed dependence is predominantly due to the hydration of [bmim](+). The changes in the x(1P)-dependence of were compared with those brought about by temperature increase, or by the addition of fructose or glycerol. It was found that the effect of [bmim](+) is similar to that of fructose or increased temperature. We speculate that in the H(2)O-rich composition region a number of H(2)O molecules are attracted to the delocalized positive charge of the imidazolium ring and the bulk of H(2)O is influenced in such a manner that the global hydrogen bond probability is reduced.     

Theoretical elucidation of a classic reaction: protonation of the quadruple bond of the octachlorodimolybdate(II,II) [Mo2Cl8]4- anion

The protonation reaction of the unbridged quadruple metal-metal bond of [Mo(2)Cl(8)](4-) anion producing the triply bonded hydride [Mo(2)(μ-H)(μ-Cl)(2)Cl(6)](3-) is studied by accurate Density Functional Theory computations. The reactant, product, stable intermediates, and transition states are located on the potential energy surface. The water solvent is explicitly included in the calculations. Full reaction profiles are calculated and compared to experimental data. The mechanism of the reaction is fully elucidated. This involves two steps. The first is a proton transfer from an oxonium ion to the quadruple bond, being rate determining. The second, involves the internal rearrangement of chlorine atoms and is much faster. Activation energies with a mean value of 19 kcal/mol are calculated, in excellent agreement with experimental values.     

To what extent can methyl derivatives be regarded as stabilized tautomers of xanthine?

Taking xanthine (Xan) as an example, validity of an approach to experimental investigations of nucleotide bases' tautomeric equilibrium, based on the use of methyl derivatives corresponding to their prototropic tautomers, was studied by (1)H NMR in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and by quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. From (1)H NMR spectra of m(7)Xan, m(9)Xan, Xan and m(3)Xan conclusion was made that the N7H tautomeric forms of the last two compounds dominate in solution, which was supported by quantum chemical data. Calculated relative energies of the N9H tautomers of Xan and m(3)Xan (8.74 and 9.57 kcal/mol, accordingly) are rather close to the m(9)Xan one (9.11 kcal/mol). Nonspecific influence of DMSO modelled by the COSMO algorithm therewith reduces these values by approximately 2-3 kcal/mol. The data obtained imply that methyl derivatives are rather good models of high-energy tautomers of nucleotide bases, if their relative energies are not less than a few kcal/mol.