Molecular conformations of methyl formate and methyl vinyl ether from ab initio molecular orbital calculations

Ab initio molecular orbital theory with minimal and extended basis sets and a flexible rotor geometric model has been used to investigate the rotational potential surfaces of methyl formate and methyl vinyl ether. For both molecules, the most stable structures (IA and IIA, respectively) are planar cis; additional potential minima are found which correspond to planar trans structures (IB and IIB). The latter lie respectively about 4—8 and 1—2 kcal mol^?1 above the corresponding cis rotational isomers. Methyl rotational barriers have been determined for cis and trans structures of each molecule. For trans methyl formate, there is a slight but unexpected preference for an eclipsed arrangement of the methyl group.     

First-principles characterization of formate and carboxyl adsorption on stoichiometric CeO2(111) and CeO2(110) surfaces

Molecular adsorption of formate and carboxyl on stoichiometric CeO₂(111) and CeO₂(110) surfaces was studied using periodic density functional theory (DFT+U) calculations. Two distinguishable adsorption modes (strong and weak) of formate are identified. The bidentate configuration is more stable than the monodentate adsorption configuration. Both formate and carboxyl bind at the more open CeO₂(110) surface are stronger. The calculated vibrational frequencies of two adsorbed species are consistent with the experimental measurements. Finally, the effects of U parameters on the adsorption of formate and carboxyl over both CeO₂ surfaces were investigated. We found that the geometrical configurations of two adsorbed species are not affected by different U parameters (U = 0, 5, and 7). However, the calculated adsorption energy of carboxyl pronouncedly increases with the U value while the adsorption energy of formate only slightly changes (<0.2 eV). The Bader charge analysis shows the opposite charge transfer occurs for formate and carboxyl adsorption where the adsorbed formate is negatively charge while the adsorbed carboxyl is positively charged. Interestingly, with the increasing U parameter, the amount of charge is also increased.     

Dielectric and raman spectroscopic studies on the rotational isomerism of t-butyl formate

Static dielectric constants, refractive indices and densities have been measured for t-butyl formate and acetate in cyclohexane at increasing concentrations and at two temperatures, 20°C and 60°C. The ΔH value for the cis-trans equilibrium of t-butyl formate and the dipole moment of the trans conformation has been calculated from the dielectric measurements taking the ΔS value calculated from the sum-over-states for the cis and trans conformations and assuming the dipole moment of the cis conformation to be equal to 1.94 D as found for t-butyl acetate, which has the cis conformation only.The relative intensities of the Raman bands corresponding to specific vibrations modes of the cis and trans conformations of t-butyl formate are measured in cyclohexane and acetonitrile at various concentrations. The enthalpy difference ΔH is also measured in the liquid state and in acetonitrile by variation of the intensity ratio of the bands with temperature.All thermodynamic quantities obtained from dielectric or Raman intensity measurements are compared with each other and with the theoretical values. The solvation energy difference between cis and trans conformations in cyclohexane and acetonitrile as well as in the liquid state are also compared with theoretical values. The large deviation of solvation energy difference between the experimental value and Onsager's model value are well described by an additional term, which considers dipole-dipole interaction.     

A theoretical study of malonate and formate calcium binding by ab initio techniques

Ab initio calculations at the STO—3G level have been performed on the binding of CA(II) ion to malonate and formate with and without d orbitals in the basis set for the CA(II) ion. The malonate and formate binding results with CA(II) are similar. The addition of d orbitals to CA(II) has little effect on the conformational minimum. The results are qualitatively similar to those from our previous calculations on the Mg²⁺—malonate interaction: a single carboxyl interaction with the metal ion appears to be preferred over a conformation in which two carboxyl groups bind to Ca(II). Moreover, the single carboxyl group interaction with CA(II) appears to be favored over the binding of CA(II) to a single oxygen of a carboxyl group.     

Structure of proton disolvates formed in the acid hydrolysis of ethyl formate and methyl acetate

By the density functional method (B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p)) optimal structures of proton hetero and homo disolvates involving water molecules, ethyl formate, methyl acetate and products of their hydrolysis are calculated. The data on the structure of these ions and the strength of their H bonds are analyzed together with the results of a similar calculation previously performed for methyl formate. It is shown that in proton solvation by two molecules present in the solution during the hydrolysis of ethyl formate, methyl acetate, and methyl formate stable (X…H…X)⁺ or (X…H…Y)⁺ particles form. Structural and energy parameters of their O…H…O bridges obey the same regularities and are mainly determined by a difference in the proton affinity of X and Y molecules. Calculation results are compared to the data of a number of experimental studies of the acid hydrolysis of esters.     

The crystal structure of topotactically dehydrated copper(II) formate tetrahydrate

Thermal dehydration of copper(II) formate tetrahydrate leads to a modification of the anhydrous salt different from that produced by direct preparation of the latter. As the dehydration is a topotactic process, the known crystal structure of the tetrahydrate and the topotactic orientation relations can be used to deduce the crystal structure of the product. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction patterns of decomposed pseudomorphs yield the following unit cell for the dehydrated formate: monoclinic, a = 8.195 ? 0.006 Å, b = 7.925 ? 0.006 Å, c = 3.620 ? 0.005Å, β = 122.21 ? 0.09°, probable space group $\text{P2}{}_1\text{a}\text{= C}{}^5{}_{\mathrm{2h}}$. The structure contains copper formate layers very similar to those in the tetrahydrate, stacked in such a way that columns of distorted coordination polyhedra, linked by formate bridges, are formed. The topotactic dehydration occurs in such a way that two-dimensional elements of the structure are unaltered but the mode of stacking is changed.     

Atmospheric chemistry of isopropyl formate and tert‐butyl formate

Formates are produced in the atmosphere as a result of the oxidation of a number of species, notably dialkyl ethers and vinyl ethers. This work describes experiments to define the oxidation mechanisms of isopropyl formate, HC(O)OCH(CH₃)₂, and tert‐butyl formate, HC(O)OC(CH₃)₃. Product distributions are reported from both Cl‐ and OH‐initiated oxidation, and reaction mechanisms are proposed to account for the observed products. The proposed mechanisms include examples of the α‐ester rearrangement reaction, novel isomerization pathways, and chemically activated intermediates. The atmospheric oxidation of isopropyl formate by OH radicals gives the following products (molar yields): acetic formic anhydride (43%), acetone (43%), and HCOOH (15–20%). The OH radical initiated oxidation of tert‐butyl formate gives acetone, formaldehyde, and CO₂ as major products. IR absorption cross sections were derived for two acylperoxy nitrates derived from the title compounds. Rate coefficients are derived for the kinetics of the reactions of isopropyl formate with OH (2.4 ± 0.6) × 10^?12, and with Cl (1.75 ± 0.35) × 10^?11, and for tert‐butyl formate with Cl (1.45 ± 0.30) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Simple group additivity rules fail to explain the observed distribution of sites of H‐atom abstraction for simple formates. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 479–498, 2010     

Formic acid as a reagent for alkaline permanganate : Potentiometric determination of formate

Oxidation of formate with permanganate in alkaline solutions yields a mixture of MnO₄^-2 and MnO₂. The reaction occurs slowly without an abrupt change in potential at the end-point. In 0.1N NaOH, at 80° C in the presence ofAg⁺ions or NaCl,the reaction is accelerated and yields MnO₂. The concentrations of formic acid obtained by oxidation with permanganate are comparable with those obtained by neutralization down to 2.295·10^-2N.Reduction of permanganate in the presence of Ba⁺² ions (alkalinity = 0.5 — 1.5N) or in the absence of Ba⁺ ions (alkalinity = 0.5 — 2.5N), gave accurate results for the permanganate concentration comparable with the results of the acid oxalate method.Formic acid is preferred to sodium formate on account of the greater stability of its solutions.     

Barriers to rotation in methyl formate by dynamic NMR spectroscopy and barriers to 1,3 oxygen-to-oxygen migration in methyl formate and trifluoromethyl formate by ab initio calculations

Free-energy barriers of 9.85 and 11.91 +/- 0.15 kcal/mol at -70.8 degrees C were found by dynamic NMR spectroscopy for the E-to-Z and Z-to-E conversions, respectively, of methyl formate (1) enriched in 13C to 99% for the carbonyl carbon [methyl formate 13C (2)]. These barriers are higher than the literature values reported for -53 degrees C. The free-energy barrier to 1,3 oxygen-to-oxygen migration of the methyl group in methyl formate was determined by ab initio calculations at several levels. The value of 58.7 kcal/mol obtained at the MP2/6-311+G (df,pd) level was compared to a literature barrier for this process (MINDO/3) and to barriers for related compounds. A free-energy barrier of 63.0 kcal/mol for the oxygen - to - oxygen migration of the CF3 group in trifluoromethyl formate (3) was calculated at the MP2/6-31+G level.     

Inactivation of formate dehydrogenase at pH 8

The first-order inactivation rate constant as a function of the phosphate buffer concentration has been studied for recombinant formate dehydrogenases from plants Arabidopsis thaliana and soybean and for mutant formate dehydrogenase from bacterium Pseudomonas sp. 101 (PseFDH GAV). Both stabilization and destabilization of the enzyme can be observed depending on the ionic strength of the buffer.     

Conformational analysis of 5,5-bis(halomethyl)-1,3-dioxanes

Investigation of stationary points on the potential energy surface of a number of 5,5-bis(halomethyl)-1,3-dioxanes using DFT-approximation of PBE/3ζ revealed the only path of chair form interconversion proceeding through an intermediate minimum corresponding to a 2,5-twist-conformer.     

Metal ion coordination in cobalt formate dihydrate

The structure of cobalt formate dihydrate, Co(HCO₂)₂ · 2H₂O, was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The crystals are monoclinic, space groupP2₁/c, with unit-cell dimensionsa=8.680(2),b=7.160(2),c=9.272(2) Å,=97.43(2)°,V=571.4(3) ų Z=4.R _obs=0.038 for 1282 unique reflections withI>3(I). The crystal structure is found to be isomorphous with those of other divalent metal formates. This structure is interesting crystallographically because the Patterson map is homometric with respect to the positions of the heavy atoms. The asymmetric unit consists of two independent cobalt atoms on special positions, two formate ions (HCOO^–), and two water molecules. The two cobalt atoms are each coordinated to six oxygen atoms in an octahedral arrangement. One of the cobalt octahedra contains only oxygen atoms from six formate ions. The second cobalt ion is surrounded by four water molecules and an oxygen atom from each of two formate ions. The two different octahedra are bridged by one of the formate ions and by hydrogen bonds. This network extends in a three-dimensional polymeric manner throughout the crystal structure. Each of the four oxygen atoms in the two independent formate ions forms a hydrogen bond to water and is coordinated to a metal ion. It is found that the metal ions lie in the plane of the formate carboxyl group to which they are coordinated, while molecules to which the formate ion is hydrogen bonded lie more out of this plane.     

Metal carbonyl catalysis of carbon monoxide and formate reactions

The water gas shift reaction (CO + H₂O = CO₂+ H₂) is catalyzed by aqueous metal carbonyl systems derived from simple mononuclear carbonyls such as Fe(CO)₅ and M(CO)₆ (M = Cr, Mo, and W) and bases in the 140–200 °C temperature range. The water gas shift reaction in a basic methanol-water solution containing Fe(CO)₅ is first order in [Fe(CO)₅], zero order in [CO], and essentially independent of base concentration and appears to involve an associative mechanism with a metallocarboxylate intermediate [(CO)₄Fe-CO₂H]^–. The water gas shift reactions using M(CO)₆ as catalyst precursors are first order in [M(CO)₆], inverse first order in [CO], and first order in [HCO₂ ^–] and appear to involve a dissociative mechanism with formatometallate intermediates [(CO)₅M-OCHO]^–.The Reppe hydroformylation of ethylene to produce propionaldehyde and 1-propanol in basic solutions containing Fe(CO)₅ occurs at 110–140 °C. This reaction is second order in [Fe(CO)₅], first order in [C₂H₄] up to a saturation pressure >1.5 MPa, and inhibited by [CO]. These experimental results suggest a mechanism where the rate-determining step involves a binuclear iron carbonyl intermediate. The substitution of Et₃N for NaOH as the base facilitates the reduction of propionaldehyde to 1-propanol but results in a slower rate for the overall reaction.The homogeneous photocatalytic decomposition of the formate ion to H₂ and CO₂ in the presence of Cr(CO)₆ appears to be closely related to the water gas shift reaction. The rate of H₂ production from the formate ion exhibits saturation kinetics in the formate ion and is inhibited by added pyridine. The infrared spectra of the catalyst solutions indicate an LCr(CO)₅ intermediate. Photolysis of the Cr(CO)₆/formate system in aqueous methanol in the presence of an aldehyde RCHO (R =n-heptyl,p-tolyl, andp-anisyl) results in catalytic hydrogenation of the aldehyde to the corresponding alcohol RCH₂OH by the formate ion. Detailed kinetic studies onp-tolualdehyde hydrogenation by this method indicates saturation kinetics in formate ion, autoinhibition by thep-tolualdehyde, and a threshold effect for Cr(CO)₆ at concentrations >0.004 mol L^–1. The presence of an aldehyde can interrupt the water gas shift catalytic cycle by interception of an HCr(CO)₅ ^– intermediate by the aldehyde.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1533–1539, September, 1994.     

Bioelectrocatalytic formate oxidation and carbon dioxide reduction at high current density and low overpotential with tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase and mediators

We show a great possibility of mediated enzymatic bioelectrocatalysis in the formate oxidation and the carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction at high current densities and low overpotentials. Tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase (FoDH1) from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 was used as a catalyst and immobilized on a Ketjen Black-modified electrode. For the formate oxidation, a high limiting current density (j_lim) of ca. 24 mA cm^− 2 was realized with a half wave potential (E_1/2) of only 0.12 V more positive than the formal potential of the formate/CO₂ couple (E°′_CO2) at 30 °C in the presence of methyl viologen (MV^2 +) as a mediator, and j_lim reached ca. 145 mA cm^− 2 at 60 °C. Even when a viologen-functionalized polymer was co-immobilized with FoDH1 on the porous electrode, j_lim of ca. 30 mA cm^− 2 was attained at 60 °C with E_1/2 = E°′_CO2 + 0.13 V. On the other hand, the CO₂ reduction was also realized with j_lim ≈ 15 mA cm^− 2 and E_1/2 = E°′_CO2 − 0.04 V at pH 6.6 and 60 °C in the presence of MV^2 +.     

Intermolecular interactions in mixtures of ethyl formate with methanol,ethanol, and 1-propanol on density,viscosity, and ultrasonic data

Density (ρ), viscosity (η), and ultrasonic velocity (U) have been measured for binary mixtures of ethyl formate with methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol at 303 K. From the experimental data, adiabatic compressibility (β), acoustic impedance (Z), viscous relaxation time (τ), free length (L _f ), free volume (V _f ), internal pressure (π _i ), and Gibbs free energy (ΔG) have been deduced. It is shown that strength of intermolecular interactions between ethyl formate with selected 1-alcohols were in the order of methanol < ethanol < 1-propanol.     

Direct electron transfer-type four-way bioelectrocatalysis of CO2/formate and NAD+/NADH redox couples by tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase adsorbed on gold nanoparticle-embedded mesoporous carbon electrodes modified with 4-mercaptopyridine

Tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 (FoDH1) catalyzes formate oxidation with NAD⁺. FoDH1 shows little direct communication with carbon electrodes, including mesoporous Ketjen Black-modified glassy carbon electrode (KB/GCE); however, it shows well-defined direct electron transfer (DET)-type bioelectrocatalysis of carbon dioxide reduction, formate oxidation, NAD⁺ reduction, and NADH oxidation on gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-embedded KB/GCE treated with 4-mercaptopyridine. Microscopic measurements reveal that the AuNPs (d = 5 nm) embedded on the KB surface are uniformly dispersed. Electrochemical data indicate that the pyridine moiety on the AuNPs plays important roles in facilitating the interfacial electron transfer kinetics and increasing the probability of productive orientation of FoDH1. The formal potential of the electrochemical communication site, which is most probably an ion‑sulfur cluster, is evaluated as − 0.591 ± 0.005 V vs. Ag | AgCl | sat. KCl from Nernst analysis of the steady-state catalytic waves.     

Toward benchmarking theoretical computations of elementary rate constants on catalytic surfaces: formate decomposition on Au and Cu

With the emergence of methods for computing rate constants for elementary reaction steps of catalytic reactions, benchmarking their accuracy becomes important. The unimolecular dehydrogenation of adsorbed formate on metal surfaces serves as a prototype for comparing experiment and theory. Previously measured pre-exponential factors for CO₂ formation from formate on metal surfaces, including Cu(110), are substantially higher than expected from the often used value of k_BT/h, or ∼6 × 10¹² s⁻¹, suggesting that the entropy of the transition state is higher than that of the adsorbed formate. Herein, the rate constant parameters for formate decomposition on Au(110) and Cu(110) are addressed quantitatively by both experiment and theory and compared. A pre-exponential factor of 2.3 × 10¹⁴ s⁻¹ was obtained experimentally on Au(110). DFT calculations revealed the most stable configuration of formate on both surfaces to be bidentate and the transition states to be less rigidly bound to the surface compared to the reactant state, resulting in a higher entropy of activation and a pre-exponential factor exceeding k_BT/h. Though reasonable agreement is obtained between experiment and theory for the pre-exponential factors, the activation energies determined experimentally remain consistently higher than those computed by DFT using the GGA–PBE functional. This difference was largely erased when the metaGGA–SCAN functional was applied. This study provides insight into the underlying factors that result in the relatively high pre-exponential factors for unimolecular decomposition on metal surfaces generally, highlights the importance of mobility for the transition state, and offers vital information related to the direct use of DFT to predict rate constants for elementary reaction steps on metal surfaces.

The underlying factors that result in the high pre-exponential factors for formate decomposition on Au and Cu(110) surfaces and the origins of differences between experiment and theory that may arise are reported.     

The gas phase molecular structure of silyl formate,determined by electron diffraction

The structure of silyi formate, HCOOSiH₃, in the gas phase is determined by electron diffraction. The principal bond lengths and angles (r_a) are r(Si-O) = 169.5 ± 0.3 pm, r(C-O) = 135.1 ± 0.6 pm, r(C  O) = 120.9 ± 0.7 pm, ∠(C-O-Si) = 116.8 ± 0.5°, ∠(OC-O) = 123.5 ± 0.5°. The silyi group is twisted by 21° away from the planar cis conformation but there is nevertheless a very short (286.5 ±1.0 pm) non-bonded Si ·O contact.     

Iron catalyzed CO2 hydrogenation to formate enhanced by Lewis acid co-catalysts

A family of iron(ii) carbonyl hydride complexes supported by either a bifunctional PNP ligand containing a secondary amine, or a PNP ligand with a tertiary amine that prevents metal–ligand cooperativity, were found to promote the catalytic hydrogenation of CO₂ to formate in the presence of Brønsted base. In both cases a remarkable enhancement in catalytic activity was observed upon the addition of Lewis acid (LA) co-catalysts. For the secondary amine supported system, turnover numbers of approximately 9000 for formate production were achieved, while for catalysts supported by the tertiary amine ligand, nearly 60 000 turnovers were observed; the highest activity reported for an earth abundant catalyst to date. The LA co-catalysts raise the turnover number by more than an order of magnitude in each case. In the secondary amine system, mechanistic investigations implicated the LA in disrupting an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the PNP ligand N–H moiety and the carbonyl oxygen of a formate ligand in the catalytic resting state. This destabilization of the iron-bound formate accelerates product extrusion, the rate-limiting step in catalysis. In systems supported by ligands with the tertiary amine, it was demonstrated that the LA enhancement originates from cation assisted substitution of formate for dihydrogen during the slow step in catalysis.     

Computational investigation of enantio‐ and regioselectivity of rhodium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydroformylation of vinyl formate with CHIRAPHOS‐type ligand

The potential energy profile for Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric hydroformylation of vinyl formate is mapped out using a nonlocal density functional method (B3LYP). This study focuses on the enantio‐ and regioselectivity of asymmetric hydroformylation. All the structures are optimized at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) level(LANL2DZ(d) for Rh, P). As illustrated by computation, the olefin insertion step is irreversible because of higher activation free energy of the reverse reaction than that of forward reaction, so it is the determining step for both the regioselectivity and enantioselectivity in asymmetric hydroformylation. The lowest activation free energy in vinyl insertion is the path 2a → TS1a (ΔG^≠ = 47.92 kJ/mol), giving rise to the preferred product as (S)‐1‐formylenthyl formate. Throughout the catalytic cycle, the H₂ oxidative addition has the highest activation free energy, 77.24 kJ/mol, so it is the rate‐limiting step for the whole catalytic cycle. The calculation results are in agreement with many experiment investigations. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005