First Principles (DFT) Characterization of RhI/dppp‐Catalyzed CH Activation by Tandem 1,2‐Addition/1,4‐Rh Shift Reactions of Norbornene to Phenylboronic Acid

The C?H activation in the tandem, “merry‐go‐round”, [(dppp)Rh]‐catalyzed (dppp=1,3‐bis(diphenylphosphino)propane), four‐fold addition of norborene to PhB(OH)₂ has been postulated to occur by a C(alkyl)?H oxidative addition to square‐pyramidal Rh^III?H species, which in turn undergoes a C(aryl)?H reductive elimination. Our DFT calculations confirm the Rh^I/Rh^III mechanism. At the IEFPCM(toluene, 373.15 K)/PBE0/DGDZVP level of theory, the oxidative addition barrier was calculated to be 12.9 kcal mol^?1, and that of reductive elimination was 5.0 kcal mol^?1. The observed selectivity of the reaction correlates well with the relative energy barriers of the cycle steps. The higher barrier (20.9 kcal mol^?1) for norbornyl–Rh protonation ensures that the reaction is steered towards the 1,4‐shift (total barrier of 16.3 kcal mol^?1), acting as an equilibration shuttle. The carborhodation (13.2 kcal mol^?1) proceeds through a lower barrier than the protonation (16.7 kcal mol^?1) of the rearranged aryl–Rh species in the absence of o‐ or m‐substituents, ensuring multiple carborhodations take place. However, for 2,5‐dimethylphenyl, which was used as a model substrate, the barrier for carborhodation is increased to 19.4 kcal mol^?1, explaining the observed termination of the reaction at 1,2,3,4‐tetra(exo‐norborn‐2‐yl)benzene. Finally, calculations with (Z)‐2‐butene gave a carborhodation barrier of 20.2 kcal mol^?1, suggesting that carborhodation of non‐strained, open‐chain substrates would be disfavored relative to protonation.     

1H and 13C NMR studies of some aromatic dilactones (precursors of paracyclophanes)

Carbon-13 and proton NMR data of macrocyclic diaromatic dilactones are presented. The observed behaviour of the spectra as a function of temperature shows that the energy barrier for the re-orientation of the side chains is lower than 49 kJ mol^?1 (12 kcal mol^?1) and that the energy barrier for the rotation of the aromatic rings is larger than 99 kJ mol^?1 (24 kcal mol^?1). Hence, chiral substituted dilactones of this type will be resolvable, and the enantiomers can be easily handled at room temperature.     

An ab initio molecular orbital study of the potential energy surface of the N2H → N2 + H system

The N₂H potential energy surface has been examined by ab initio molecular orbital theory using the 6-31G^** basis set with correlation energy evaluated by Møller—Plesset perturbation theory to fourth order. The ΔE for N₂H → N₂ + H is ?14.4 kcal mol^?1 and the barrier to dissociation is 10.5 kcal mol^?1. Inclusion of zero-point vibrational energies reduces the barrier to 5.8 kcal mol^?1.     

Ab initio study of β-lactam antibiotics. II. Potential energy surface for the amidic CN bond breaking in the 3-cephem + OH− reaction and comparison with the β-lactam + OH− reaction

The potential energy surface for the β-lactam amidic CN bond breaking in the 3-cephem + OH^? reaction was investigated by using the ab initio Hartree—Fock method with a 9s6p/7s3p/3s basis set. The investigated reaction is a model of the reaction between an antibiotic cephalosporin and an enzymatic nucleophilic group, this last reaction being related to the mode of action of β-lactam antibiotics. The minimum-energy reaction path is characterized by a tetrahedral intermediate ≈ 116 kcal mol^?1 more stable than the reagents, by a barrier which corresponds to the partial breaking of the amidic bond and is ≈ 7 kcal mol^?1 above the intermediate and by a product ≈ 31 kcal mol^?1 more stable than the intermediate. The analysis of the wavefunction along the reaction path and the comparison with the β-lactam + OH^? reaction pointed out the role of electron-withdrawing groups on the height of the barrier and the role of intramolecular hydrogen bonds on the structure and energy of the product. The calculations suggest a model of the antibiotic activity of cephalosporins which is compared with previous qualitative pictures.     

The synthesis and conformational analysis of tetrahydro-1,2,4-oxadiazines

The synthesis and variable temperature ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of three tetrahydro-1,2,4-oxadiazines are reported. The N(4)-Me inversion barriers are 6.8–7.0 (ax→ts) and 7.4–7.9 kcal mol^?1 (eq→ts) with ΔG° 0.6–0.9 kcal mol^?1. The N(2)-Me inversion barriers are 10.4–11.4 (ax→ts) and 11.6–13.1 kcal mol^?1 (eq→ts) with ΔGδ 1.2–1.7 kcal mol^?1. The barrier to ring inversion is ca. 12.7 kcal mol^?1. “R value” analysis shows the ring to have a 56.5±2δ dihedral angle about the C(5)-(6) bond, indicative of the expected chair conformation.     

A Highly Oxidizing and Isolable Oxoruthenium(V) Complex [RuV(N4O)(O)]2+: Electronic Structure,Redox Properties,and Oxidation Reactions Investigated by DFT Calculations

The electronic structure and redox properties of the highly oxidizing, isolable Ru^V?O complex [Ru^V(N₄O)(O)]²⁺, its oxidation reactions with saturated alkanes (cyclohexane and methane) and inorganic substrates (hydrochloric acid and water), and its intermolecular coupling reaction have been examined by DFT calculations. The oxidation reactions with cyclohexane and methane proceed through hydrogen atom transfer in a transition state with a calculated free energy barrier of 10.8 and 23.8 kcal mol^?1, respectively. The overall free energy activation barrier (ΔG^≠=25.5 kcal mol^?1) of oxidation of hydrochloric acid can be decomposed into two parts: the formation of [Ru^III(N₄O)(HOCl)]²⁺ (ΔG=15.0 kcal mol^?1) and the substitution of HOCl by a water molecule (ΔG^≠=10.5 kcal mol^?1). For water oxidation, nucleophilic attack on Ru^V?O by water, leading to O? O bond formation, has a free energy barrier of 24.0 kcal mol^?1, the major component of which comes from the cleavage of the H? OH bond of water. Intermolecular self‐coupling of two molecules of [Ru^V(N₄O)(O)]²⁺ leads to the [(N₄O)Ru^IV? O₂? Ru^III(N₄O)]⁴⁺ complex with a calculated free energy barrier of 12.0 kcal mol^?1.     

Mechanisms of the hydrogen atom and the phenyl group migration in the molecule of heptaphenylcycloheptatriene

In terms of the density functional theory using the B3LYP functional, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7-heptaphenylcycloheptatriene was shown to be the most stable in the boat conformation of the cycloheptatriene ring with the H atom in the equatorial position. 1,5-Sigmatropic shifts of the H atom along the seven-membered ring perimeter take place when it is in the axial position through the asymmetric transition state with the barrier ΔE ^≠ _ZPE = 28.7 kcal mol^?1. The H atom can attain the axial position upon inversion of the seven-membered ring, which is accompanied by the orthogonal turn of the phenyl group at the sp³-hybridized C atom (ΔE ^≠ _ZPE = 22.6 kcal mol^?1). The energy barrier to the circular rearrangement of the H atom (ΔE ^≠ _ZPE = 32.2 kcal mol^?1) explains formation of isomers during the high-temperature synthesis of di(p-tolyl)pentaphenylcycloheptatriene. The barrier to the 1,5-sigmatropic shifts of the phenyl group is 19.7 kcal mol^?1 higher than that for the competing shifts of the H atom.     

An ab initio study of the structure of the 2-chloroethyl radical

Minimal and split-valence shell basis set calculations, both with and without d orbitais, predict the radical centre to be pyramidal, with the planar radical only 0.3 kcal mol^?1 higher. The barrier to internal rotation is 2 kcal mol^?1. There is no evidence of bridging from chlorine.     

Rotation and inversion in nitrosamines

Geometry optimizations of the ground states as well as of the transition states for internal rotation and inversion have been performed by the semiempirical MNDO method for dimethyl nitrosamine (1), perfluordimethyl nitrosamine (2), N-nitroso aziridine (3), and N-nitroso azetidine (4). It was found that the potential barrier to internal rotation about the N-N bond is always of lower energy than that to inversion on the nitroso nitrogen.While the ground states tend to adopt structures which enable mesomerism, the lowest transition state is characterized by a pyramidal sp³-hybridized amino nitrogen. In accordance with experimental results the low barriers to rotation of 2 (7.96 kcal mol^?1), 3 (3.38 kcal mol^?1) and 4 (9.97 kcal mol^?1) in comparison with 1 (12.54 kcal mol^?1) indicate that in donor-acceptor molecules the transfer of charge can be limited by electronic and stereochemical effects. In particular, the equivalence of the α-methylene hydrogens which was observed in the NMR-spectrum of 3 is due to unhindered rotation and ring inveirsion.     

Ab initio calculations on the isomerization of the 1,3-hexadien-5-yne radical cation to the benzene structure and to nonclassical ion structures

Ab initio calculations at the MRCI//ROHF/6-31G** level show that the barrier for isomerization of the 1,3-hexadien-5-yne radical cation to nonclassical structures with a five-membered ring and an exocyclic CH bond is about 15 kcal mol^?1. The barrier for a subsequent isomerization to the benzene structure is calculated to be slightly higher.     

Exploring new species on the [H,S, Se,Cl] potential energy surface

This investigation is concerned with the characterization of seleno‐sulfide‐halogen model systems, the isomerization processes, and the dissociation into diatomic fragment channels on the [H, S, Se, Cl] potential energy surface. Structural, energetic, and vibrational data were obtained at the CCSD(T) and MP2 levels of theory with the series of correlation consistent basis sets and extrapolated to the complete basis set (CBS) limit. For the frequencies, additional computations were performed to include the contribution of anharmonic effects, and for the determination of the heats of formation, important corrections incorporating core‐valence correlation effects and relativistic effects (scalar and spin‐orbit) were taken into account. CCSD(T)/CBS relative stability (kcal mol^?1) follows the order: HSSeCl (0.0), HSeSCl (8.80), SSeHCl (23.52), and SeSHCl (25.87). The cis‐rotational barrier for the two lowest isomers is practically identical (10.14 and 10.09 kcal mol^?1), whereas for the trans barrier, we obtained 9.25 (HSSeCl) and 8.45 (HSeSCl) kcal mol^?1. Dissociation of HSSeCl (HSeSCl) into HS (HSe) + SeCl (SCl) requires 59.70 (56.30) kcal mol^?1. For the most stable isomer, we predict a value of the heat of formation at 298.15 K of 2.53 kcal mol^?1. One of the outcomes of this research is that the MP2 results are consistent with those of CCSD(T). The MP2 method turns out to be a reliable alternative for a first exploration of larger catenated species, although it accounts for a lesser fraction of correlation effects. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Tunnelling Motion of HF Between the Two Oxygen Lone Pairs in the Dimethyl Ether–Hydrogen Fluoride Complex: A Pure Rotational Study

The rotational spectrum of the dimethyl ether–hydrogen fluoride complex was assigned by millimetre‐wave free‐jet absorption spectroscopy. Fine details of the spectrum were resolved by FT microwave molecular‐beam spectroscopy. The HF group acts as a proton donor and tunnels at a rate of 44178.2(7) MHz between the two oxygen lone pairs, which corresponds to an inversion barrier of 0.17(1) kcal mol^?1. The barrier to internal rotation of the two methyl groups is about 25 % lower relative to the isolated ether.     

Molecular vibrations,electronic structure and conformation of diprotonated thiocarbohydrazide

The infrared spectra of diprotonated species of thiocarbohydrazide and its perdeuterated derivative have been examined in the crystalline state. A complete vibrational assignment with a full normal coordinate treatment based on a Urey—Bradley type intramolecular potential Function supplemented with a valence force function for the out of plane and torsional modes is proposed and the origin of the amide II band splittings is explained. A CNDO/2 study of diprotonated thiocarbohydrazide and its neutral molecule is undertaken and the changes in the molecular electronic structures and conformations consequent to protonation are determined and briefly discussed. The magnitude of the N—N⁺H₃ torsional barrier is estimated to be 21 kJ mol^? (5.0 kcal mol^?1) whereas the barrier for the C—N group is found to be 92 kJ mol^?1 (22.0 kcal mol^?1).     

Spectra and structure of organophosphorus compounds: XVII. Infrared and Raman spectra. vibrational assignment and barriers to internal rotation for t-butylphosphine

The infrared spectra of gaseous and solid tertiary-butylphosphine, [(CH₃)₃CPH₂], have been recorded from 50 cm^?1 to 3500 cm^?1. The Raman spectra of gaseous, liquid and solid (CH₃)₃CPH₂ have been recorded from 10 to 3500 cm^?1. A vibrational assignment of the 42 normal modes has been made. A harmonic approximation of the methyl torsional barrier from observed transitions in the solid state gave a result of 4.22 kcal mol^?1 and 3.81 kcal mol^?1 in the gaseous state. Hot band transitions for the phosphino torsional mode have been observed. The potential function for internal rotation about the C-P bond has been calculated. The two potential constants were determined to be: V₃ = 2.79 ± 0.01 kcal mol^?1 and V₆ = 0.07 ± 0.01 kcal mol^?1.     

Remarks on the analysis of torsional energy surfaces of cycloheptane and cyclooctane by molecular mechanics

A modified version (MM 2′) of the Allinger's 1977 force field is checked against cycloheptane and cyclooctane. Cycloheptane is characterized by two pseudorotating itineraries, chair/twist-chair and boat/twist-boat, separated by a barrier of 8.5 kcal mol^?1. The activation energy in the C/TC pseudorotation is estimated to be 0.96 kcal mol^?1, while B and TB transform into each other freely at an energy level 3.8 kcal mol^?1 above the global energy minimum (TC). With cyclooctane the lowest energy is calculated for the boat-chair form which participates in a pseudorotational process with TBC through a saddle point lying 3.5 kcal mol^?1 above BC. The chair/chair and boat/boat families contain only one local minimum, crown and BB, respectively, on the MM 2′ surface. The results are presented as an illustration for quick coverage of torsional energy surface by two-bond driver calculation with the block-diagonal Newton–Raphson minimization, followed by the force search of stationary points by full-matrix Newton–Raphson optimization.     

Is There an Entrance Complex for the F+NH3 Reaction?

Challenges associated with the theoretical and experimental kinetics of the F+NH₃→HF+NH₂ reaction suggest the need for a more‐precise potential surface. We have investigated the reactants and the products of the reaction, as well as the transition state and two complexes, with rather rigorous ab initio methods. The F????NH₃ complex existing in the entrance valley is predicted to lie 13.7 kcal mol^?1 below the reactants. A small classical barrier of 2.0 kcal mol^?1 separates this entrance well from products HF+NH₂. These results explain the observation by Persky of unprecedented inverse temperature dependence for the F+NH₃ rate constants. The strong hydrogen‐bonded complex FH????NH₂ exists in the exit valley, and with a binding energy of 9.9 kcal mol^?1 relative to separated products. The vibrational frequencies of all stationary points are predicted with the CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVQZ method.     

Semiclassical variational transition state calculations for the reactions of H and D with thermal and vibrationally excited H2

We present calculations of the rate constants for the title reactions on a new accurate potential energy surface with a 9.65 kcal mol^?1 barrier and a carefully fitted long-range attraction. The low-temperature thermal rate constant decreases from the previously calculated value, corresponding to a surface with a barrier of 9.80 kcal mol^?1, which is opposite to the direction of change expectedbecause of the change in barrier height. This demonstrates the sensitivity of tunneling contributions to more global characteristics of the surface. The excited-state (n = 1) rate constants alsochange slightly, but not nearly enough to settle the controversial disagreement of theory with experiment for these rate constants.     

Different catalysis role of in‐loop and out‐of‐loop waters in assisting HNS/HSN proton transfer isomerizations: Bridging vs. surrounding effect

In this work, a density function theory (DFT) study is presented for the HNS/HSN isomerization assisted by 1–4 water molecules on the singlet state potential energy surface (PES). Two modes are considered to model the catalytic effect of these water molecules: (i) water molecule(s) participate directly in forming a proton transfer loop with HNS/HSN species, and (ii) water molecules are out of loop (referred to as out‐of‐loop waters) to assist the proton transfer. In the first mode, for the monohydration mechanism, the heat of reaction is 21.55 kcal · mol^?1 at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level. The corresponding forward/backward barrier lowerings are obtained as 24.41/24.32 kcal · mol^?1 compared with the no‐water‐assisting isomerization barrier T (65.52/43.87 kcal · mol^?1). But when adding one water molecule on the HNS, there is another special proton‐transfer isomerization pathway with a transition state 10T′ in which the water is out of the proton transfer loop. The corresponding forward/backward barriers are 65.89/65.89 kcal · mol^?1. Clearly, this process is more difficult to follow than the R–T–P process. For the two‐water‐assisting mechanism, the heat of reaction is 19.61 kcal · mol^?1, and the forward/backward barriers are 32.27/12.66 kcal · mol^?1, decreased by 33.25/31.21 kcal · mol^?1 compared with T. For trihydration and tetrahydration, the forward/backward barriers decrease as 32.00/12.60 (30T) and 37.38/17.26 (40T) kcal · mol^?1, and the heat of reaction decreases by 19.39 and 19.23 kcal · mol^?1, compared with T, respectively. But, when four water molecules are involved in the reactant loop, the corresponding energy aspects increase compared with those of the trihydration. The forward/backward barriers are increased by 5.38 and 4.66 kcal · mol^?1 than the trihydration situation. In the second mode, the outer‐sphere water effect from the other water molecules directly H‐bonded to the loop is considered. When one to three water molecules attach to the looped water in one‐water in‐loop‐assisting proton transfer isomerization, their effects on the three energies are small, and the deviations are not more than 3 kcal · mol^?1 compared with the original monohydration‐assisting case. When adding one or two water molecules on the dihydration‐assisting mechanism, and increasing one water molecule on the trihydration, the corresponding energies also are not obviously changed. The results indicate that the forward/backward barriers for the three in‐loop water‐assisting case are the lowest, and the surrounding water molecules (out‐of‐loop) yield only a small effect. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006     

Ab Initio Study of the Various Pathways of the Decomposition ([2+2]elimination) of 2-Chloroethyltrichlorosilane

Abstract

The decomposition of 2-chloroethyltrichlorosilane (1) to ethylene-tetrachlorosilane (2), hydrogen chloride-ethylenetrichlorosilane (3), and ethylenechloride-trichlorosilane (4) was investigated using ab initio Molecular Orbital (MO) and Density Functional Theory (DFT). Study on the HF/6-31G level of theory revealed that the required energy for the decomposition of compound 1 to 2, 3, and 4 is 59.86, 101.13, and 63.29 kcal mol^?, respectively. MP2/6-31G*//HF/6-31G* calculated barrier height for the decomposition of compound 1 to 2, 3, and 4 is 60.59, 94.04, and 66.91 kcal mol^?1, respectively. Also, B3LYP/6-31G*//HF/6-31G* results indicate that the barrier height for the decomposition of compound 1 to 2, 3, and 4 is 51.71, 85.38, and 53.74 kcal mol^?1, respectively. Among the three methods, which have been used to calculate the barrier height of the decomposition of compound 1 to 2–4, B3LYP/6-31G**//HF/6-31G** is in good agreement with the reported experimental data. Contrary to the previously evaluated experimental values for the decomposition of compoun 1 to 3 and 4, all three methods predict a higher energy barrier for these reactions.     

Theoretical Investigation of the Interaction between Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Nanotubes with Single‐Vacancy Defects

Density functional theory calculations are used to study the healing process of a defective CNT (i.e. (8,0) CNT) by CO molecules. The healing undergoes three evolutionary steps: 1) the chemisorption of the first CO molecule, 2) the incorporation of the C atom of CO into the CNT, accompanied by the adsorption of the leaving O atom on the CNT surface, 3) the removal of the adsorbed O atom from the CNT surface by a second CO molecule to form CO₂ and the perfect CNT. Overall, adsorption of the first CO reveals a barrier of 2.99 kcal mol^?1 and is strongly exothermal by 109.11 kcal mol^?1, while adsorption of a second CO has an intrinsic barrier of 32.37 kcal mol^?1and is exothermal by 62.34 kcal mol^?1. In light of the unique conditions of CNT synthesis, that is, high temperatures in a closed container, the healing of the defective CNT could be effective in the presence of CO molecules. Therefore, we propose that among the available CNT synthesis procedures, the good performance of chemical vapor decomposition of CO on metal nanoparticles might be ascribed to the dual role of CO, that is, CO acts both as a carbon source and a defect healer. The present results are expected to help a deeper understanding of CNT growth.