Water binding sites in 2-para- and 2-ortho-fluorophenylethanol: a high-resolution UV experiment and ab initio calculations

The singly hydrated complexes of the flexible prototype molecules 2-para-fluorophenylethanol and 2-ortho-fluorophenylethanol have been investigated by combination of high-resolution resonance-enhanced two-photon ionization spectroscopy in a cold supersonic beam and quantum chemistry ab initio calculations. We have identified the conformational structures of the above complexes, which correspond to water binding to the most stable gauche monomer's conformers in both cases. No structural changes of the host molecules upon the attachment of a single water molecule have been found. For the 2-ortho-fluorophenylethanol-water complex we have observed an additional structure with one of the higher-in-energy gauche conformers of the monomer. This corroborates the assumption that the complexation with water stabilizes the higher-energy conformer of the monomer, precluding it from relaxation to the lowest-energy geometry.     

Conformational equilibrium of 1,2-dichloroethane in water: comparison of PCM and RISM-SCF methods

The RISM-SCF and polarizable continuum model (PCM) approaches have been applied to study the conformational equilibrium of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) in water. Both the electron correlation effect and basis sets play an important role in the relative energies of the gauche and trans conformers in gas and solution phases. Both PCM and RISM-MP2 methods resulted in a consistent trend with the previous experimental and theoretical studies that the population of the gauche conformer increases in going from the gas phase to the aqueous solution. However, the PCM treatment could not describe the solvent effect completely in that the sign of the relative free energy of the gauche and trans forms is opposite to the most recent experimental and theoretical data, while the RISM-MP2 gives the right sign in the free energy difference. We found that the larger excess chemical potential gain (by ca. -4.1 kcal/mol) for the gauche conformer is large enough to result in the gauche preference of DCE in water, though it has to compensate for more solute reorganization energy (approximately 1.6 kcal/mol) and overcome the energy difference (approximately 1.6 kcal/mol) in the gas phase. The radial distribution functions between DCE and the nearest water shows that the electrostatic repulsion between chlorine and oxygen atoms is higher in the trans conformer than in the gauche one, while the attractive interaction between chlorine and hydrogen of water is higher in the gauche conformer.     

Solvent dependence on conformational transition, dipole moment, and molecular geometry of 1,2-dichloroethane: insight from Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics calculations

We have investigated the molecular geometry and dipole moment distribution for the major conformational states of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) in three different solvents under ambient conditions using the Car-Parrinello mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics method. The solvents studied were water, DCE, and chloroform. Within the time scale investigated, we find a conformational equilibrium existing between the gauche and trans forms of DCE in all three solvents. In the chloroform solvent, the conformational transition occurs more frequently than in water solvent and in liquid DCE (i.e., DCE solute in DCE solvent). The population of gauche conformer is more in the case of water solvent, while the trans conformer dominates in chloroform solvent. We report a bimodal nature of the dipole moment distribution for DCE in all three solute-solvents studied, where the peaks are attributed to the trans and gauche conformational states. The dipole moments of both of the conformational states increase with increasing polarity of the solvent. Also, with an increase in solvent polarity, an increase in the C-Cl bond length and magnitude of atomic charges in DCE has been observed. The increase in atomic charges of DCE is almost twice when the solvent is changed from chloroform to water.     

Ab initio and DFT studies of the molecular structures and vibrational spectra of succinonitrile

The Molecular structure, conformational stability and vibrational frequencies of succinonitrile NCCH2CH2CN have been investigated with ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods implementing the standard 6-311++G* basis set. The potential energy surfaces (PES) have been explored at DFT-B3LYP, HF and MP2 levels of theory. In agreements with previous experimental results, the molecule was predicted to exist in equilibrium mixture of trans and gauche conforms with the trans form being slightly lower in energy. The vibrational frequencies and the corresponding vibrational assignments of succinonitrile in both C2h and C2 symmetry were examined theoretically and the calculated Infrared and Raman spectra of the molecule were plotted. Observed frequencies for normal modes were compared with those calculated from normal mode coordinate analysis carried out on the basis of ab initio and DFT force fields using the standard 6-311++G* basis set of the theoretical optimized geometry. Theoretical IR intensities and Raman activities are reported.     

Structural selection by microsolvation: conformational locking of tryptamine

The conformational space of tryptamine has been thoroughly investigated using rotationally resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. Six conformers could be identified on the basis of the inertial parameters of several deuterated isotopomers. Upon attaching a single water molecule, the conformational space collapses into a single conformer. For the hydrogen-bonded water cluster, this conformer is identified unambiguously as tryptamine A. In the complex, the water molecule acts as proton donor with respect to the amino group. An additional interaction with one of the aromatic C-H bonds selectively stabilizes the observed conformer more than all other conformers. Ab initio calculations confirm much larger energy differences between the conformers of the water complex than between those of the monomers.     

An NMR and quantum mechanical investigation of solvent effects on conformational equilibria of butanedinitrile

Vicinal proton-proton NMR couplings and ab initio quantum mechanics have been used to investigate solvent effects on conformational equilibria of butanedinitrile. The trans and gauche conformations are about equally favored at room temperature in solvents of low dielectric constant while the equilibrium is essentially the statistical proportions of one-third trans and two-thirds gauche in water with a high dielectric constant. The coupling assignments were confirmed with the aid of stereospecific deuterium-labeled (R,R or S,S)-1,2-dideuteriobutanedinitrile. The calculations support the observed trends. Similar results were observed for 1,2-dibromo- and dichloroethanes.     

Is 2-cyclopropylpropene really gauche?

Infrared spectra of gaseous and solid 2-cyclopropylpropene (2-CPP, c-C3H5C (CH3)CH2) have been recorded from 3500 to 40 cm-1, and Raman spectra (3200-150 cm-1) of the liquid as well as mid-infrared spectra of 2-CPP in liquid krypton solution (from -105 to -150 degrees C) were also obtained. Ab initio calculations, with basis sets up to 6-311+G(2df, 2pd), were carried out for this molecule, using the restricted Hartree-Fock (RHF) approach, with full electron correlation by the perturbation method to second order (MP2(full)) and density functional theory (DFT) by the B3LYP method. The combination of the experimental and computational results (particularly with the higher basis sets) unequivocally identifies the more stable conformer of 2-CPP as the trans form, with the gauche rotamer higher in energy, but also stable. The cis structure of this compound is not observed experimentally, and is predicted by the computational approaches to be a transition state. By studying the temperature variation of two well-resolved sets of conformational doublets of 2-CPP dissolved in liquid krypton, an average enthalpy difference between conformers of 182+/-18 cm-1 (2.18+/-0.22 kJ mol-1) has been determined, with the trans conformation lower in energy in the fluid states, and the sole conformer present in the polycrystalline solid phase. This enthalpy difference corresponds to an ambient temperature conformational equilibrium in the fluid phases of 2-cyclopropylpropene containing approximately 55+/-2% of the more stable trans rotameric form. A complete vibrational assignment for the trans conformer of 2-CPP is given, and many of the bands of the gauche rotamer have also been assigned. Structural parameters, dipole moments, and rotational constants for this molecule have been calculated at the MP2(full)/6-311+G(d,p) level, and these results--as well as the results from the experimental studies--are compared to similar quantities in related compounds.     

Conformational analysis and vibrational assignments of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol CHF2CF2CH2OH as three-rotors system

The conformational stability of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol was investigated by DFT-B3LYP/6-311+G** and ab initio MP2/6-311+G** calculations. The calculated potential energy curves of the molecule at DFT-B3LYP level were consistent with five distinct minima that correspond to gauche(-)-gauche-gauche (G1gg), trans-trans-gauche (Ttg), trans-gauche-gauche (Tgg), trans-gauche-gauche(-) (Tgg1) and gauche(-)-gauche-trans (G1gt) conformers in the order of decreasing relative stability. The equilibrium constants for the conformational interconversion of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol were calculated and found to correspond to an equilibrium mixture of about 38% G1gg, 28% Ttg, 13% Tgg, 11% Tggt and 10% G1gt conformations at 298.15K. The vibrational frequencies of 2,2,3,3,-tetrafluoro-1-propanol in its five stable forms were computed at B3LYP level and complete vibrational assignments were made based on normal coordinate calculations and comparison with experimental data of the molecule.     

Conformational behaviour of fluorinated ethylamines

The infrared and Raman spectra of various flourinated ethylamines have been obtained for different phases. Emphasis has been put on the conformational behaviour in inert gas matrices. Some preliminary results for 2-fluoroethylamine and 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine are given in the present communication. The two gauche conformers of 2-fluoroethylamine which are observed in the vapour phase are also present in the argon and nitrogen matrices. A conformational change, possibly to an anti conformer, is observed after a few hours in the argon matrix. For 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine no conformational change is observed in the matrices.     

Laser probes of conformational isomerization in flexible molecules and complexes

Molecules with several flexible coordinates have potential energy surfaces with a large number of minima and many transition states separating them. A general experimental protocol is described that is capable of studying conformational isomerization in such circumstances, measuring the product quantum yields following conformation-specific infrared excitation, and measuring energy thresholds for isomerization of specific X --> Y reactant-product isomer pairs following excitation via stimulated emission pumping (SEP). These methods have been applied to a series of molecules of varying size and conformational complexity, including 3-indolepropionic acid (IPA), meta-ethynylstyrene, N-acetyltryptophan methyl amide (NATMA), N-acetyltryptophan amide (NATA), and melatonin. Studies of isomerization in solute-solvent complexes are also described, including a measurement of the barrier to isomerization in the IPA-H2O complex, and a unique isomerization reaction in which a single water molecule is shuttled between H-bonding sites on the trans-formanilide (TFA) molecule.     

Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations and vibrational assignment for 1,2-pentadiene (ethyl allene)

The infrared (3500-50 cm⁻¹) and Raman (3500-20 cm⁻¹) spectra of 1,2-pentadiene, H₂C=C=C(H)CH₂CH₃ (ethyl allene), have been recorded for both the gaseous and solid states. Additionally, the Raman spectrum of the liquid has been obtained with qualitative depolarization values. In the fluid phases both the cis and gauche conformers have been identified, with the gauche rotamer being the predominant form although it may not be the conformer of lowest energy. In the solid state only the cis conformer remains after repeated annealing of the crystal. The asymmetric torsion of the cis conformer is observed as a series of Q-branch transitions beginning at 103.4 cm⁻¹ and falling to lower frequency. An estimate of the potential function governing conformer interconversion is provided. A complete assignment of the normal modes for the cis conformer is given and several of the fundamentals are assigned for the gauche rotamer. Ab initio electronic structure calculations of energies, conformational geometries, vibrational frequencies, and potential energy functions have been made to complement and assist the interpretation of the infrared and Raman spectra. In particular, the transitions among torsional energy levels for both the symmetric (methyl) and asymmetric (ethyl) motions have been calculated. The results are compared to the corresponding quantities for some similar molecules.     

Monte Carlo study of the aqueous hydration of dimethylphosphate conformations

Monte Carlo computer simulations were performed on dilute aqueous solutions of the dimethylphosphate anion and the sodium dimethylphosphate ion pair, with the two phosphodiester torsional angles in the gauche–gauche, gauche–trans, and trans–trans conformations. The structural and energetic aspects of the aqueous hydration of each molecule were analyzed in terms of quasi component distribution functions based on the proximity criterion and partitioned into ionic, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic contributions to facilitate an understanding of the hydration pattern and conformational trends in these multifunctional solutes. Special attention was also paid to methodological issues affecting hydration, such as statistical uncertainty in the determined hydration indices, choice of partial atomic charges for the solute atoms, and solute–water interaction potentials adopted in the simulations. The results showed that gauche–trans and gauche–gauche forms are equally favorable for the dimethylphosphate anion with the trans extended form destabilized by hydration. The sodium dimethylphosphate ion pair hydration energetically favors the trans–trans conformation.     

Is there a general rule for the gauche effect in the conformational isomerism of 1,2-disubstituted ethanes?

The stabilities of the gauche and anti conformations of butane, 1,2-dicyanoethane (DCE), and 1,2-dinitroethane (DNE) have been investigated through theoretical calculations. The gauche effect-the tendency of keeping close vicinal electronegative substituents (thetaX-C-C-X approximately 60 degrees ) in an ethane fragment-is expected to drive the conformational equilibrium of DCE and DNE toward the gauche conformation. It was found that, for butane, where the gauche effect is supposed to be poor/null, the hyperconjugation effect contributes mostly to the anti stabilization in opposition to the traditional sense that the methyl groups repel each other, and this should govern its conformational equilibrium. For DCE the equilibrium was shifted to the anti conformer, essentially due to a gauche repulsion, while for DNE, despite the higher electronic delocalization energies, a predominance of the gauche conformer was obtained, and this was attributed mainly to the attractive dipolar interaction between the two nitro groups. A full orbital energy analysis was performed using the natural bond orbital approach, which showed that bond bending and anti-C-H/C-X* hyperconjugation models, usually applied to explain the origin of the gauche effect in fluorinated derivatives, are not adequate to completely explain the conformational behavior of the titled compounds.     

Chlorodifluoroacetyl cyanide, ClF2CC(O)CN: synthesis, structure, and spectroscopic characterization

The novel molecule difluorochloroacetyl cyanide, ClF(2)CC(O)CN, has been characterized by IR (gas phase, Ar matrix), Raman (liquid), (19)F and (13)C NMR, and photoelectron (PES) spectroscopies; photoionization mass spectrometry (PIMS); and gas electron diffraction (GED). The conformational properties of ClF(2)CC(O)CN have been studied by joint application of vibrational spectroscopy, GED, and quantum chemical calculations. The existence of two conformers is detected in the gas and liquid phases, in which the C-Cl bond adopts gauche and syn orientations with respect to the C═O group. The computed enthalpy difference is in harmony with the experimental results of the gauche being more stable than the syn conformer by ΔH° = 1.3 kcal mol(-1) (MP2/cc-pVTZ). The valence electronic properties and the possible ionization and dissociation processes of the title compound are studied using the PES and PIMS. The experimental first vertical ionization energy of 12.0 eV corresponds to the ejection of an electron of the oxygen lone pairs. Taking into account the properties and broad applications of acyl cyanides, ClF(2)CC(O)CN is a promising new precursor in preparative chemistry.     

Resonant two-photon ionization and ab initio conformational analysis of haloethyl benzenes (PhCH(2)CH(2)X,X=Cl,F)

The S(1) <-- S(0) transitions of the gaseous (2-fluoroethyl)-benzene (FEB) and (2-chloroethyl)-benzene (CEB) have been investigated using a combination of two-color resonant two-photon ionization and UV-UV hole burning spectroscopy. Both anti and gauche conformers have been identified on the basis of rotational band contour analysis supported by ab initio calculations on the ground and electronically excited states. The gauche origin band of FEB at 37,673 cm(-1) is redshifted 50 cm(-1) relative to the corresponding anti origin, while CEB origin bands overlap at 37,646 cm(-1). Relative conformational stability and populations in the jet have been estimated for both molecules, based on the intensity ratio of S(1) <-- S(0) band origin transitions. These are compared with a range of related molecules with the structural motif PhCH(2)CH(2)X (X=CH(3),CH(2)CH(3),NH(2),OH,COOH,CCH,CN). Theory and experimental results for FEB and CEB show repulsive interactions between the halogen substituents and the pi cloud of the phenyl rings destabilizing the gauche conformers, but the preference for the anti conformers is relatively modest. The gauche conformer origins show very different hybrid character: FEB is largely b type, while CEB is an ac hybrid in keeping with theoretically computed TM "rotations" (theta(elec)) of -7 degrees and -56 degrees , respectively. This difference is attributed largely to rotation of the side chain in opposite directions about the C(1)C(alpha) bond. Spectra of FEB(H(2)O) and CEB(H(2)O) single water clusters show evidence of an anti conformation in the host molecule.     

二[2-(邻羟苄叉胺基)酚]二铁(Ⅱ)配合物分子片模型的电子结构研究

用CNDO/2法计算了二[2-(邻羟苄叉胺基)酚]二(Ⅱ)铁双核铁(Ⅱ)配合物分子片模型的电子结构,研究了该配合物中平面结构单元与结晶水的相互作用。几何结构优化结果表明,结晶水与平面结构单元之间存在3种可能相对取向,“伞式”模型最稳定;这3种相互作用导致体系能级移动,并出现新的能级结构;从原子定域态密度分析看到,这种定域相互作用主要在结晶水分子和平面结构单元中的氧原子之间,具有最近邻相互作用的特征。     

Conformational stability and vibrations of aminopropylsilanol molecule

Density functional theory (DFT), using the B3-LYP/6-31G(d,p) method have been used to investigate the conformation and vibrational spectra of aminopropylsilanetriol (APST) NH2CH2CH2CH2Si(OH)3. The potential function for CCCSi torsion gives rise to two distinct conformers trans and gauche. The predicted energy of the more stable trans conformer is 337 cm-1 less than the energy of gauche conformer. The calculated barriers to the conformation interchange are: 1095, 2845 and 438 cm-1 for the trans to gauche, gauche to gauche and gauche to trans conformers, respectively. For the trans conformer the potential energy curve for the Si(OH)3 groups torsion in APST has been calculated changing the HOSiC dihedral angle. The barrier for the internal rotation of 3065 cm-1 has been obtained. The optimized molecular structure of APST dimer calculated for trans conformer has a SiOSi angle of 143.2 degrees, and a SiOSi bond length of 0.164 nm. A complete vibrational assignment for both conformers as well as for trans-dimer is supported by the normal coordinate analysis, calculated IR intensities as well as Raman activities. On the basis of the results, the vibrational spectra of APST aqueous solution and APST polymer have been analyzed. The average error between the observed and calculated frequencies is 14 cm-1.     

Conformational analysis and stereoelectronic effects in trans-1,2-dihalocyclohexanes: 1H NMR and theoretical investigation

The conformational equilibrium of trans-1,2-difluoro- (1), trans-1,2-dichloro- (2) and trans-1,2-dibromo-cyclohexane (3) was studied through a combined method of NMR, theoretical calculations and solvation theory. The solvent dependence of the 3JH1,H2 NMR coupling constants together with theoretical calculations allow the direct determination of the conformational equilibria without recourse to model compounds. The coupling constants were obtained with the aid of spectrum simulation, since these symmetric molecules present complex coupling systems. The observed couplings, when analysed by solvation theory and utilising DFT geometries (B3LYP/6-311+G**), gave energy values of E(ee) -E(aa) of 0.10, 0.95 and 1.40 kcalmol(-1) in the vapour phase for 1, 2 and 3, respectively, decreasing to -0.63, 0.36 and 0.93 kcalmol(-1) in CCl4 and to -1.91, -0.80 and -0.05 kcalmol(-1) in DMSO solution. The diaxial preference for all compounds is explained by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis, which shows important hyperconjugative effects in this conformation. The "gauche effect" for compounds with more electronegative substituents, which are in gauche arrangement in the ee conformation, also plays a relevant role in more polar solvents.     

A sting in the tail of flexible molecules: spectroscopic and energetic challenges in the case of p-aminophenethylamine

The neurotransmitter analogue p-aminophenethylamine (APEA) illustrates many of the pitfalls and challenges associated with spectroscopic and conformational analysis of flexible molecules. The combined experimental-theoretical study presented here resolves a long-standing controversy over its conformational energetic preferences. Jet-cooled resonance enhanced two-photon ionisation (R2PI) and IR-UV ion depletion techniques enabled conformer-specific IR spectra in the NH-CH stretch region to be measured for four distinct conformers of APEA. Comparison of spectra with theoretical calculations (including MP2, M06-2X and B3LYP with aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets) allows the two most populated conformers to be unambiguously identified as those having a gauche arrangement of the side chain, which facilitates an NH···π type hydrogen bond. The other two observed conformers are assigned to structures with an anti-side chain. A fifth gauche conformer, predicted to be least stable, is not observed. Comparison with published conformer specific IR spectra of tyramine (Makara et al., J. Phys. Chem. A, 2008, 112, 13463-13469) and Raman spectra of phenylethylamine (Golan et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2009, 131, 024305) reveals an entirely consistent pattern of spectral signatures associated with the four specific conformations of the ethylamine side chain evident in APEA, and aids assignment of the associated CH and NH stretch fundamentals, some of which have very weak IR intensities. Extensive calculations of the relative energetic trends of the five conformers have been carried out. In comparison to the highest level of theory considered, CCSD(T)-F12b/cc-pVDZ-F12, MP2 overestimate the energy difference, whereas DFT significantly underestimates the energetic preference for NH···π stabilised gauche conformers, although inclusion of dispersion (M06-2X, B3LYP-D3) improves the DFT results.