Electronic spectra of adenine and 2-aminopurine: an ab initio study of energy level diagrams of different tautomers in gas phase and aqueous solution

Ground and lowest two singlet excited state geometries of four tautomeric forms (N9H, N7H, N3H and N1H) of each of adenine and 2-aminopurine (2AP) were optimized using an ab initio approach employing a mixed basis set (6-311 + G* on the nitrogen atom of the amino group and 4-31G basis set on the other atoms). Excited states were generated employing configuration interaction involving single electron excitations (CIS). Subsequently, the different species were solvated in water employing the self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) approach along with the corresponding gas phase optimized geometries. Thus the observed absorption and fluorescence spectra of adenine and 2AP have been explained successfully. It is concluded that both the N9H and N7H forms of 2AP would contribute to absorption and fluorescence spectra. Further, the fluorescence of 2AP would be absorbed by its cation in which both the N9 and N7 atoms are protonated, the fluorescence of which can have an anti-Stokes component. Among the different tautomers of adenine, the N9H form would be present dominantly in the ground state in aqueous solutions but the N7H form would be produced by energy transfer and subsequent fluorescence. The N3H form of adenine appears to be responsible for the observed absorption near 300 nm by its solutions intermittently exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The rings of the different species related to 2AP and adenine remain almost planar in the pi-pi* and n-pi* singlet excited states as in the ground state. The pyramidal character of the amino group is usually less in the pi-pi* excited states than that in the corresponding ground or n-pi* excited states. Molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) maps of the molecules provide useful clues regarding phototautomerism.     

Ground and excited states of the monomer and dimer of certain carboxylic acids

The ground-state properties of the monomer and the dimer of formic acid, acetic acid, and benzoic acid have been investigated using Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT) methods using the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Some of the low-lying excited states have been studied using the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with LDA and B3LYP functionals and also employing complete-active-space-self-consistent-field (CASSCF) and multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) methodologies. DFT calculations predict the ground-state geometries in quantitative agreement with the available experimental results. The computed binding energies for the three carboxylic acid dimers are also in accord with the known thermodynamic data. The TDDFT predicted wavelengths corresponding to the lowest energy n-pi* transition in formic acid (214 nm) and acetic acid (214 nm) and the pi-pi* transition in benzoic acid (255 nm) are comparable to the experimentally observed absorption maxima. In addition, TDDFT calculations predict qualitatively correctly the blue shift (4-5 nm) in the excitation energy for the pi-pi* transition in going from the monomer to the dimer of formic acid and acetic acid and the red shift (approximately 19 nm) in pi-pi* transition in going from benzoic acid monomer to dimer. This also indicates that the electronic interaction arising from the hydrogen bonds between the monomers is marginal in all three carboxylic acids investigated.     

Polarity dependence of the radiative and nonradiative rates of flavone derivatives comprising structurally similar amino moieties: change in the nature of the emitting state

Photophysical behavior of several structurally related electron donor-acceptor flavone derivatives, which have been synthesized and characterized, has been studied as a function of the polarity of the media. Significant variation of the absorption and fluorescence response of the systems has been observed with change in the polarity of the medium. The results show an increase in the radiative rate constant and a decrease in the nonradiative rate constant of the systems with increase in the polarity of the media. This finding has been attributed to the change in the nature of the emitting state from a mixed n-pi* and pi-pi* state to a dominant pi-pi* state with increase in the polarity of the medium. The results of single-crystal diffraction studies and theoretical calculations based on density functional method support the idea of close proximity of the n-pi* and pi-pi* states and the change in their relative contributions toward the emission process with the polarity of the medium. Laser flash photolysis studies show that the triplet state is not involved in the variation of the fluorescence response of the systems.     

A Monte Carlo-quantum mechanics study of the lowest n-pi* and pi-pi* states of uracil in water

The solvatochromic shifts of the n-pi(*) and pi-pi(*) states of uracil in water are analyzed using a combined and sequential Monte Carlo/quantum mechanics (MC/QM) approach. The role of the solute polarization and electronic delocalization into the solvent region are investigated. Electronic polarization of the solute is obtained using the HF/6-31G(d), the polarizable continuum model (PCM) and an iterative procedure using MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ in the MC/QM. The in-water dipole moment of uracil is obtained, respectively, as 5.12 D, 6.12 D and 7.01 +/- 0.05 D. This latter result, corresponding to an increase of 60% with respect to the gas phase value, is used in the classical potential of the MC simulation to obtain statistically uncorrelated configurations for subsequent QM calculations of the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum of uracil in water. QM calculations are performed at the time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT) combined with the B3LYP and B3PW91 functionals, multiconfigurational (CASSCF) and the semi-empirical all-valence electron INDO/CIS methods. Using 60 solute-solvent configurations with the explicit inclusion of 200 water molecules the solvatochromic shift is obtained as a blue shift of 0.50 eV for the n-pi(*) state and a red shift of 0.19 eV for the pi-pi(*) state, in good agreement with experimentally-inferred values. These results are compared with TD-DFT results in conjunction with PCM approaches and the importance of solute polarization and wave function delocalization over the solvent region is discussed. Our results suggest that the elusive n-pi(*) state of uracil in water lies around 255 nm hidden by the intense and broad pi-pi(*) transition with a maximum at 260 nm, inverting the relative locations of these states compared to the gas phase. This is further supported by considering the in-water dipole moment changes upon excitation, as obtained from CASSCF calculations.     

From subtle to substantial: role of metal ions on pi-pi interactions

Quantum chemistry calculations reveal that the subtle pi-pi interactions, usually in the range 2-4 kcal/mol, will become substantially significant, from 6 to 17 kcal/mol, in the presence of metal ion. The metal ions have higher affinity toward a pi-pi dimer compared to a single pi-moiety. Considering the widespread occurrence of cation-pi-pi motifs in chemistry and biology, as evident from the database analysis, we propose that the two key noncovalent forces, which govern the macromolecular structure, cation-pi and pi-pi, work in concert.     

The electronic absorption spectra of some acyl azides molecular orbital treatment

The electronic absorption spectra of benzoyl azide and its derivatives: p-methyl, p-methoxy, p-chloro and p-nitrobenzoyl azide were investigated in different solvents. The observed spectra differ basically from the electronic spectra of aryl azides or alkyl azides. Four intense pi-pi* transitions were observed in the accessible UV region of the spectrum of each of the studied compounds. The contribution of charge transfer configurations to the observed transitions is rather weak. Shift of band maximum with solvent polarity is minute. On the other hand, band intensity is highly dependent on the solvent used. The observed transitions are delocalized rather than localized ones as in the case with aryl and alkyl azides. The attachment of the CO group to the azide group in acyl azides has a significant effect on the electronic structure of the molecule. The arrangements as well as energies of the molecular orbitals are different in acyl azides from those in aryl azides. The first electronic transition in phenyl azide is at 276 nm, whereas that of bezoyle azide is at 251 nm. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations using both RHF/6-311G* and B3LYP/6-31+G* levels were carried out on the ground states of the studied compounds. The wave functions of the excited states were calculated using the CIS and the AM1-CI procedures.     

Non-aqueous solvation of n-octanol and ethanol: spectroscopic and computational studies

Raman spectroscopy was used to examine the interactions of the free O-H bonds in n-octanol and ethanol with the organic solvents carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)), cyclohexane, and benzene. These spectra reveal that the solvents CCl(4) and cyclohexane have a small effect on the free O-H peak of alcohols, whereas benzene as a solvent significantly red-shifts the free O-H band. Calculated spectra were generated via MP2/6-31G* calculations and the B3LYP/6-31+G**//MP2/6-31G*-derived Boltzmann populations of each ethanol complex and are consistent with the experimental results. Additional spectra were calculated using Boltzmann populations derived from single-point energies at the polarizable continuum model (PCM) level with the B3LYP/6-31+G** level of theory to take overall solvent effects into account, and these simulated spectra are also largely consistent with the experimental results. Analysis of the computational results reveals a lengthening of the O-H bond from the O-H interaction with the delocalized electronic structure of benzene as well as a bimodal distribution of the free O-H peak of the alcohol/benzene mixtures due to two distinctly different types of alcohol/benzene complexes.     

1. 5-环辛二烯-3, 7-二炔(C~8H~4)结构和光谱性质的理论研究

采用量子化学从头算方法研究了1,5-环辛二烯-3,7-二炔(C~8H~4)的结构和光谱性质,根据等键反应分析和自然键轨道方法研究了它的稳定性、成键情况和共轭性。结果表明1,5-环辛二烯-3,7-二炔(C~8H~4)分子为平面刚性结构,可能稳定存在。分子中C≡C键与C=C键存在一定程度的共轭,可能具有芳香性。     

基于分子表面静电势参数分析溶剂的极性性质

用理论计算导出的分子表面静电势参数∏和б2tot对一系列溶剂的五种极性指标ETN、π*、Py、SPP和S'进行了相关分析,与Catalan的理论热力学分析结果进行了比较.结果显示:S'是一个适用性很好的溶剂极性参数,而质子性溶剂的ETN值、芳香化合物和多卤代化合物的π*值和SPP值则存在着一定的非极性因素.     

线型碳链PC2nP的结构和电子光谱的密度泛函理论研究

应用密度泛函理论,在B3LYP/6-31G**和B3LYP/6-311G**水平上优化得到了线型簇合物PC2nP(n=1-10)的基态平衡几何构型,计算了它们的谐振动频率.在基态平衡构型下,利用含时密度泛函理论,计算得到了簇合物PC2nP(n=1-10)的垂直激发能和相应的振子强度,导出了激发能与体系大小n的解析关系式.     

Electronic structure of xDNA

xDNA is an artificial duplex made of natural and benzo-homologated bases. The latter can be seen as a fusion between benzene and a natural base. We have used two different ab initio techniques, one based on B3LYP and a Gaussian expansion of the wave functions, and the other on GGA and plane-waves, to investigate the electronic properties of an xDNA duplex and a natural one with an analogous sequence. The calculations were performed in dry conditions, i.e., H atoms were used to neutralize the charge. It is found that the HOMO-LUMO gap of xDNA is about 0.5 eV smaller than that of B-DNA, independent of the technique used. The pi-pi* gap of xDNA is 1.3 or 1.0 eV smaller than that of B-DNA, depending on whether one uses B3LYP/6-31G or GGA/plane-waves, respectively. An analysis of how saturation changes the electronic properties of the nucleotide pairs that make up these duplexes suggests that different saturation schemes significantly affect the HOMO-LUMO gap value of xDNA and B-DNA. The same is not true for the pi-pi* gap. That xDNA has a smaller pi-pi* gap than B-DNA suggests that xDNA could be a plausible candidate for molecular-wire applications.     

硝酸甲与硝酸乙酯的结构、振动频率和热力学性质的密度函数 理论(DFT)研究

用密度函数理论(DFT)的BLYP和B3LYP方法,取6-31G,6-31G^*,6-31G^*^*,6-311G,6-311G^*和6-311G^*^*六种基组,对硝酸甲酯和硝酸乙酯的几何构型和红外振动频率进行了计算研究.结果表明,B3LYP方法在采用极化基组(6-31G^*,6-31G^*^*,6-311G^*和6-311G^*^*)时计算得到的结果均较好,适用于硝酸酯类化合物的研究.而BLYP方法无论采用何种基组均不适用;运用校正后的B3LYP/6-31G^*频率(校正因子0.975)计算得到的热力学性质(C^o~p,H^o和S^o)与实验结果较吻合。     

Dibenzo-p-dioxin. An ab initio CASSCF/CASPT2 study of the pi-pi* and n-pi* valence excited states

The pi-pi* and n-pi* valence excited states of dibenzo-p-dioxin (DD) were studied via the complete active space SCF and multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory employing the cc-pVDZ basis set and the full pi-electron active spaces of 16 electrons in 14 active orbitals. The geometry and harmonic vibrational wavenumbers of the ground state correlate well with the experimental and other theoretical data. In particular, significant improvements over previously reported theoretical results are observed for the excitation energies. All of the pi-pi* excited states exhibit planar D(2h)minima. Thus no evidence was found for a C(2v) butterfly-like relaxation, although the wavenumbers of the b(3u) butterfly flapping mode proved exceedingly low in both the ground S(0)((1)A(g)) and the lowest dipole allowed excited S(1)((1)B(2u)) state. The calculations of oscillator strengths established the 2(1)B(2u) <-- 1(1)A(g) and 2(1)B(1u) <-- 1(1)A(g) transitions as by far the most intense, whereas the only allowed of the n-pi* transitions ((1)B(3u)) should possess only a modest intensity. Studies into dependence of the oscillator strengths on the extent of the butterfly-like folding showed that the electronic spectrum is more consistent with a folded equilibrium geometry assumed by DD in solution.     

Si~2Cl~6分子的内旋转能垒和振动基频的理论研究

用从头算方法HF/6-31G^*^*和密度函方法B3LYP/6-31G^*^*,对Si~2Cl~6分子的平衡几何构型进行优化,优化的结果与实验结果吻合得较好.并用上述两种不同的方法计算Si~2Cl~6分子的内旋转能垒,结果分别为8.786和6.694kJ/mol,其中DFT方法的计算结果与实验结果4.18kJ/mol吻合得较好.对Si~2Cl~6分子的振动基频进行计算.用HF/6-31G^*^*SQM力场所计算的频率理论值与实验值的平均误差为7.3cm^-^1,用B3LYP/6-31G^*^*未标度的力场所计算的频率理论值与实验值的平均误差为6.0cm^-^1.该密度泛函方法(B3LYP/~6-31G^*^*)的理论计算值比用HF/6-31G^*^*标度后的SQM力场计算的频率与实验值(除Si--Si键扭转振动基频之外的11条振动基频)吻合得更好.并给出了Si--Si键扭转振动基频的预测值。     

吲哚分子振动光谱的密度泛函理论研究

用多种密度泛函理论(DFT)方法(BLYP/6-31G^*^*,B3LYP/6-31G^*^*,B3PW91/6-31G^*^*和SVWN/6-31G^*^*)对吲哚分子的平衡几何构型进行了优化。在优化构型的基础上计算了吲哚分子的谐力场、振动基频和红外光谱强度。计算得到的振动频率与实验值比较平均偏差对四种计算方法(BLYP/6-31G^*^*,P3LYP/6-31G^*^*,B3PW91/6-31G^*^*和SVWN/6-31G^*^*)分别为16.3,40.5,45.1和26.4cm^-^1。BLYP/6-31G^*^*理论力场被用于吲哚分子的简正坐标分析计算中。根据振动率的势能分布(PEDs)对此分子的振动基频进行了理论归属。     

Molecular Structure of Complexes with Bifurcated Hydrogen Bond: I. N-(4-Methyl-2-nitrophenyl)acetamide

According to the results of HF/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* nonempirical calculations, N-(4-methyl- 2-nitrophenyl)acetamide in the synperiplanar and antiperiplanar conformations gives stable complexes with protophilic solvents, which are stabilized by bifurcated (three-center) hydrogen bond. The complexes are characterized by (1) opposite variations of the interatomic distances and angles corresponding to intra- and intermolecular components of the bifurcated hydrogen bond, (2) extension of the intramolecular component and a more pronounced shortening of the intermolecular component with increase in the strength of the three-center H-complex, and (3) nonlinear and nonmonotonic relation between the NH stretching vibration frequency and the energy of complex formation.     

2,3,7,8-四氯苯并二英分子结构与热力学性质的理论研究

用密度泛函理论(DFT)和从头算(ab initio)方法,在B3LYP/6-31G、 B3LYP/6-31G*、 B3LYP/6-311G*和MP2/6-31G*水平上全优化计算了2,3,7,8-四氯苯并二英(2,3,7,8-TCDD)的几何构型、电子结构和振动频率,并用校正后的频率计算了298～1500 K的标准热力学函数,同时用半经验的PM3 SCF-MO进行了同样的计算,计算结果与实验值及文献值较好地吻合.     

Calculated structures and relative stabilities of furoxan,some 1,2-dinitrosoethylenes and other isomers

The structures and relative stabilities of furoxan and some of its isomers, e.g., the 1,2-dinitrosoethylenes, have been determined by means of ab initio Hartee–Fock and Møller–Plesset calculations. Geometries were optimized at the HF/3-21G, HF/6-31G* and MP2/6-31G* levels, and subsequently used for computing MP2/6-31G*, MP3/6-31G*, and MP4/6-31G* energies. The results are markedly affected by the inclusion of electronic correlation, which renders three of the isomers unstable. It also emphasizes the importance of a zwitterionic contribution to the structure of furoxan, which promotes ring-opening through a cis 1,2-dinitrosoethylene intermediate/transition state that has an MP4/6-31G*//MP2/6-31G* energy that is 31.6 kcal/mol above furoxan.     

Theoretical study on the hydrogen bonding of five-membered heteroaromatics with water

The hydrogen-bonding ability of five-membered heteroaromatic molecules containing one chalcogen and two heteroatoms with nitrogen in addition to chalcogen, respectively, have been analyzed using density functional and molecular orbital methods through adduct formation with water. The stabilization energies for all the adducts are established at B3LYP/6-31+G* and MP2/6-31+G* levels after correcting for the basis set superposition error by using the counterpoise method and also corrected for zero-point vibrational energies. A natural bond orbital analysis at B3LYP/6-31+G* level and natural energy decomposition analysis at HF/6-31+G* using MP2/6-31+G* geometries have been carried out to understand the nature of hydrogen-bonding interaction in monohydrated heterocyclic adducts. Nucleus-independent chemical shift have been evaluated to understand the correlation between hydrogen bond formation and aromaticity.     

2-丁基-四氢噻吩亚砜13C-NMR的理论研究

在RHF/6-31G和B3LYP/6-31G水平上对顺式(Cis-)与反式(Trans-)2-丁基-四氢噻吩亚砜(BTHTO)进行几何优化,应用规范不变原子轨道法(GIAO)在6-31G、6-31+G、6-31++G和6-31+G(2d,p)水平上计算了Cis-和Trans-BTHTO的13C-NMR,对13C-NMR谱进行了归属。结果表明,BTHTO噻吩五元环的稳定构象呈半椅式,Cis-和Trans-BTHTO中与硫原子直接碳原子13C-NMR的显著差异主要是由于空间构型不同引起分子的静电势场对相应碳原子的屏蔽作用不同所致。