A partially substituted calix[4]resorcarene receptor and its selective recognition for soft metal cations (silver and mercury)

A partially substituted calix[4]resorcarene receptor, namely, 5,17-ethylthiomethylated calix[4]resorcarene, 1, has been synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR in CD3OD, CDCl3, and CD3CN and 13C NMR in CD3OD, as well as by 2D NMR. Partition data in the methanol-hexane and acetonitrile-hexane solvent systems show that the monomeric species are predominant in these solvents. The solubility of 1 in various solvents was determined at 298.15 K. These data were used to calculate the standard solution Gibbs energy of 1 in these solvents. Taking hexane as the reference solvent, the standard transfer Gibbs energy of 1 to various solvents was calculated. Good agreement is found between the DeltatG(o) values in the hexane-methanol and hexane-acetonitrile and the DeltapG(o) values of this ligand in these solvent systems. The higher partition constant of 1 in the hexane-methanol relative to the hexane-acetonitrile solvent system contrasts with corresponding data for the fully functionalized receptor, 2. This is explained in terms of the solvation differences of these receptors in these solvents as reflected in the DeltatG(o) values. The cation complexing properties of this receptor were investigated through 1H NMR, conductance, calorimetric, and potentiometric methods. Among the metal cations (alkali, alkaline earth, heavy, and transition), 1 interacts only with Ag+ in methanol and Hg2+ in propylene carbonate, acetonitrile, methanol, and N,N-dimethylformamide. While 1 forms a 1:1 complex with Ag+ in methanol, the hosting ability of the receptor for the mercury cation is enhanced in methanol, acetonitrile, and N,N-diethylformamide. Thus, Hg2+ complexes of 1:2 (ligand:metal cation) stoichiometry are found in these solvents. In moving to propylene carbonate, the composition of the mercury complex is altered from 1:2 to 1:1. The results are compared with corresponding data for 2 and these metal cations in the appropriate solvents. The lack of stability observed for 2 and Hg2+ in acetonitrile resulting from the departure of pendant arms from the resorcarene backbone greatly contrasts with the high stability observed for 1 and this metal cation in the various solvents. Preliminary results on the extraction of silver picrate by this ligand in the water-dichloromethane solvent system are reported. Final conclusions are given.     

Solvation effect of guest, supramolecular host, and host-guest compounds on the thermodynamic selectivity of calix(4)arene derivatives and soft metal cations

This paper reports thermodynamic data for the transfer of calixarene derivatives and their metal-ion complexes in dipolar aprotic solvents. These data are used to assess the effect of solvation of these compounds on the selective complexation shown by these macrocycles for soft metal cations in different media. Thus, solubilities and derived Gibbs energies of solution of 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl[25,27-bis(hydroxyl)-26,28-bis(ethylthioethoxy)]calix(4)arene, 1, and 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-[25,27-bis(ethylenethanoate)-26,28-bis(ethylthioethoxy)]-calix(4)arene, 2, in various solvents at 298.15 K are reported. Solvation of these ligands in one medium relative to another is analyzed from their standard transfer Gibbs energies using acetonitrile as the reference solvent. These data are combined with transfer enthalpies (derived from standard solution enthalpies obtained calorimetrically) to calculate the corresponding entropies of transfer of these calix(4)arene derivatives from acetonitrile to methanol and N,N-dimethylformamide. As far as the metal-ion salts (silver and mercury) in their free and complex forms are concerned, standard solution enthalpies were determined in acetonitrile, methanol, and N,N-dimethylformamide. These data are used to derive their transfer enthalpies from one medium to another. It is concluded that the extent of complexation of these macrocycles with soft metal cations is controlled by not only the solvation changes that the free cation undergoes in moving from one medium to another but also those for the ligand and its complex cation in these solvents.     

Evaluating the contribution of solvophobic effects to the Gibbs energy of solvation in methanol

A method for analyzing the thermodynamical manifestations of solvophobic effects is proposed on the basis of considering the relationship between the Gibbs energy and solvation enthalpy of nonelectrolytes. It is demonstrated that, for solutions in nonassociated solvents, there is a linear isoequilibrium dependence between them, and the coefficients of linear dependence are almost equivalent for various dissolved substances and solvents. It is determined that the deviations from this dependence observed in the case of associated solvents are always positive, and the consequences of the manifestations of solvophobic effects are considered. The contributions from the solvophobic effect to the Gibbs energy of solvation of various nonpolar compounds in methanol are determined on the basis of a thermodynamic model of solvation suggested earlier. It is shown that in both methanol and aqueous solutions, the values of these contributions correlate linearly with the characteristic molecular volume of the dissolved substance.     

A method for calculating the Gibbs energy of nonspecific solvation

A method for calculating the Gibbs energy of nonspecific solvation of nonelectrolytes was suggested. The new equation for the Gibbs energy of nonspecific solvation contains one solvent parameter that characterize nonspecific solvent-solute interactions and two experimental Gibbs energies of solvation in two standard solvents. The method is applicable to a wide range of solutes and solvents. It was successfully used to describe some 800 Gibbs energies of solvation for systems without specific solvent-solute interactions.     

Quantum chemical model of solvation for calculation of electrode potentials of redox processes involving ferrocene,cobaltocene, and their ions

Quantum chemical calculations of solvation energy for ferrocene and cobaltocene molecules and their ionic forms in water, acetonitrile, methanol, and acetone are performed in terms of the B3LYP density functional method by taking into account solvation effects and using the polarized continuum model (PCM). Standard electrode potentials of the corresponding redox pairs, the effect of solvent on them, and the overall energy of the transfer of cobaltocene cation and anion between two solvents are calculated. The calculation results well agree with the available experimental data. The present study provides sufficiently reliable grounds for the application of an ion—metallocene molecule redox pair as a pilot system for the comparison of electrode potentials and solvation energies in different solvents.     

Esterification in ionic liquids: the influence of solvent basicity

The second-order rate constant (k2) for the esterification of methoxyacetic acid with benzyl alcohol is reported in a range of ionic and molecular solvents. The solvent effects on esterification rate are examined by using a linear solvation energy relationship based on the Kamlet-Taft solvent scales (alpha, beta, and pi*). It is shown that the hydrogen bond basicity of the solvent is the dominant parameter in determining the esterification rate and that the best rates are achieved in low basicity solvents.     

A phenomenological model of dynamical arrest of electron transfer in solvents in the glass-transition region

A phenomenological model of electron transfer reactions in solvents undergoing glass transition is discussed. The reaction constant cuts off slow polarization modes from the spectrum of nuclear thermal motions active on the observation time scale. The arrest of nuclear solvation in turn affects the reaction activation barrier making it dependent on the rate. The resultant rate constant is sought from a self-consistent equation. The model describes well the sharp change in the solvent Stokes shift of optical lines in the glass-transition region. It is also applied to describe the temperature dependence of primary charge separation and reduction of primary pair in photosynthetic reaction centers. The model shows that a weak dependence of the primary charge separation rate on temperature can be explained by dynamical arrest of nuclear solvation on the picosecond time scale of electron transfer. For reduction of primary pair by cytochrome, the model yields a sharp turnover of the reaction kinetics at the transition temperature when nuclear solvation freezes in.     

Computational Analysis of Solute–Solvent Coupling Magnitude in the Z/E Isomerization Reaction of Nitroazobenzene and Benzylideneanilines

The dynamic solvent effect often arises in solution reactions, where coupling between chemical reaction and solvent fluctuation plays a decisive role in the reaction kinetics. In this study, the Z/E isomerization reaction of nitoroazobenzene and benzylideneanilines in the ground state was computationally studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The non-equilibrium solvation effect was analyzed using two approaches: (1) metadynamics Gibbs energy surface exploration and (2) solvation Gibbs energy evaluation using a frozen solvation droplet model. The solute–solvent coupling parameter (C_coupled) was estimated by the ratio of the solvent fluctuation Gibbs energy over the corresponding isomerization activation Gibbs energy. The results were discussed in comparison with the ones estimated by means of the analytical models based on a reaction–diffusion equation with a sink term. The second approach using a frozen solvation droplet reached qualitative agreement with the analytical models, while the first metadynamics approach failed. This is because the second approach explicitly considers the non-equilibrium solvation in the droplet, which consists of a solute at the reactant geometry immersed in the pre-organized solvents fitted with the solute at the transition state geometry.     

Dynamical arrest of electron transfer in liquid crystalline solvents

We argue that electron transfer reactions in slowly relaxing solvents proceed in the nonergodic regime, making the reaction activation barrier strongly dependent on the solvent dynamics. For typical dielectric relaxation times of polar nematics, electron transfer reactions in the subnanosecond time scale fall into nonergodic regime in which nuclear solvation energies entering the activation barrier are significantly lower than their thermodynamic values. The transition from isotropic to nematic phase results in weak discontinuities of the solvation energies at the transition point and the appearance of solvation anisotropy weakening with increasing solute size. The theory is applied to analyze experimental kinetic data for the electron transfer kinetics in the isotropic phase of 5CB liquid crystalline solvent. We predict that the energy gap law of electron transfer reactions in slowly relaxing solvents is characterized by regions of fast change of the rate at points where the reaction switches between the ergodic and nonergodic regimes. The dependence of the rate on the donor-acceptor separation may also be affected in a way of producing low values for the exponential falloff parameter.     

Compensation Between the Entropic and Enthalpic Changes Arising from Changes in Solvent–Solvent Interactions in Mixed Solvents

A theorem presented by Professor Ben-Naim (J Phys Chem 82:874–885, 1978) states that the standard state enthalpy and entropy changes arising from changes in the solvent structure that are induced by solvation of a solute cancel exactly in the standard state Gibbs energy. In this paper this is explored by consideration of the thermodynamics of transfer of electrolytes in mixed solvents, using previously developed models of the solvation process. Two cases are considered. One is random solvation, where curvatures in plots of the transfer enthalpies and entropies, which arise from changes in solvent–solvent interactions, exactly compensate in the transfer Gibbs (free) energies, which are sensibly linear with solvent composition. The second type of system are those with strong preferential solvation where it is found that the transfer Gibbs energies can be accounted for quantitatively in terms of changes in the solute–solvent interactions, with no contribution from changes in solvent–solvent interactions. The results are entirely consistent with the Ben-Naim theorem.     

Comparative study of the solvent effect on the spectral properties of aminopolyenic molecules with different acceptor substituents

The spectral and fluorescent properties of a number of ωω′-bis(aminopolyenyl)ketones (ketocyanines) and ωω′-bis(3-dimethylaminopropen-2-yliden)-alkylidenmalononitriles (dinitriles), being analogues of usual ketocyanines, but containing the dicyanomethylene fragment instead of the carbonyl group, were studied. Specific and nonspecific solvation of dinitriles and corresponding ketocyanines was studied on the basis of the solvatochromic shifts of the absorption spectra. The photophysical data obtained for the different molecular structures were correlated with different empirical parameters, which characterize solvation by organic solvents: the Dimroth-Reichardt ET(30) parameter of the solvating power, the acceptor number AN, the donor number DN, and the constant π* characterizing the solvent polarity and polarizability. A linear dependence of the maximums in the absorption spectra on the acceptor number AN, which characterizes specific solvation, was found for the ketocyanines under study. This indicates that the electrophilic solvation plays a key role in ketocyanine solutions. For dinitriles, the linear dependence of the maximums of the absorption spectra was obtained as f(π*, AN, DN). In the latter case, along with the electrophilic solvation, there is a substantial contribution of nonspecific and nucleophilic solvation.     

EPR Spectra of complexes of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone with lead diethyldithiocarbamate,ethylxanthate, and o,o-diethyldithiophosphate and reaction with bases

We have observed the solvent dependence of the hyperfine coupling constant for hyperfine coupling with the metal nucleus in ortho-semiquinone complexes of lead(II) diethyldithiocarbamate, ethylxanthate, and O,O-diethyldithiophosphate. This is connected with the process of solvation of the metal cation with the solvent molecules. We observe a correlation between the hyperfine coupling constant (due to the²⁰⁷Pb isotope) and the basicity factor of the solvent. Using the EPR method, we have studied the dynamics of solvation of the 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-semiquinone complex of lead diethyldithiocarbamate by amines. We have obtained the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the solvation process. We observe a compensation effect for the kinetics of the forward and backward solvation reactions.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 52–58, January, 1990.     

Concentration dependence of ionic transport in dilute organic electrolyte solutions

Ion transport is studied in dilute organic liquid electrolyte solutions in which close cation-anion interactions are minimized either through steric hindrance imposed by the bulky tetrabutylammonium cation or by strong solvation of alkali metal cations by DMSO or 1-propanol. In these solutions, the molar conductivity does not appear to depend on either the solvent viscosity or the size of the solvated charge carrier in a manner consistent with Walden's rule. The molar conductivities plotted as a function of the solvent dielectric constant from epsilon = 5.48 to 63.5 appear to lie on a smooth curve for a set of 0.0055 M solutions of tetrabutylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate in a variety of aprotic solvents. The molar conductivity smoothly increases with increasing dielectric constant to a maximum at roughly epsilon = 33 and then decreases with further increase of the dielectric constant. The conductivity appears to depend only on the dielectric constant and not the specific functional group in this broad family of solvents. A similar plot for a series of linear alcohols as solvents also led to a smooth curve, although the values of the molar conductivity were lower than values in the aprotic solvents by almost an order of magnitude at corresponding values of the solvent dielectric constant.     

The ionic work function and its role in estimating absolute electrode potentials

The experimental determination of the ionic work function is briefly described. Data for the proton, alkali metal ions, and halide ions in water, originally published by Randles (Randles, J. E. B. Trans Faraday Soc. 1956, 52, 1573) are recalculated on the basis of up-to-date thermodynamic tables. These calculations are extended to data for the same ions in four nonaqueous solvents, namely, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide. The ionic work function data are compared with estimates of the absolute Gibbs energy of solvation obtained by an extrathermodynamic route for the same ions. The work function data for the proton are used to estimate the absolute potential of the standard hydrogen electrode in each solvent. The results obtained here are compared with those published earlier by Trasatti (Trasatti, S. Electrochim. Acta 1987, 32, 843) and more recently by Kelly et al. (Kelly, C. P.; Cramer, C. J.; Truhlar, D. G. J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 16066. Kelly, C. P.; Cramer, C. J.; Truhlar, D. G. J. Phys. Chem. B 2007, 111, 408). A comparison of the ionic work function with the absolute Gibbs solvation energy permits an estimation of the surface potential of the solvent. The results show that the surface potential of water is small and positive whereas the surface potential of the nonaqueous solvents considered is negative. The sign of the surface potential is consistent with the known structure of each solvent.     

A statistical study of the potential dependence of a transfer coefficient supports the Marcus theory

Cyclic voltammograms for the reduction of 2-methyl-2-nitropropane at a mercury electrode in acetonitrile solvent have been analyzed carefully by the “global” method. The dependence of the logarithm of the heterogeneous rate constant on the potential is only mildly parabolic, but statistical analysis shows that the curvature is nonetheless genuine and cannot be explained by random errors. The sign of the curvature is that predicted by the Marcus theory and the magnitude of the effect is also compatible with theory. No trend with scan rate is observed in any of the measured kinetic, thermodynamic or transport parameters.     

Anisotropic solvent model of the lipid bilayer. 1. Parameterization of long-range electrostatics and first solvation shell effects

A new implicit solvation model was developed for calculating free energies of transfer of molecules from water to any solvent with defined bulk properties. The transfer energy was calculated as a sum of the first solvation shell energy and the long-range electrostatic contribution. The first term was proportional to solvent accessible surface area and solvation parameters (σ(i)) for different atom types. The electrostatic term was computed as a product of group dipole moments and dipolar solvation parameter (η) for neutral molecules or using a modified Born equation for ions. The regression coefficients in linear dependencies of solvation parameters σ(i) and η on dielectric constant, solvatochromic polarizability parameter π*, and hydrogen-bonding donor and acceptor capacities of solvents were optimized using 1269 experimental transfer energies from 19 organic solvents to water. The root-mean-square errors for neutral compounds and ions were 0.82 and 1.61 kcal/mol, respectively. Quantification of energy components demonstrates the dominant roles of hydrophobic effect for nonpolar atoms and of hydrogen-bonding for polar atoms. The estimated first solvation shell energy outweighs the long-range electrostatics for most compounds including ions. The simplicity and computational efficiency of the model allows its application for modeling of macromolecules in anisotropic environments, such as biological membranes.     

Anchor points for the unified Brønsted acidity scale: the rCCC model for the calculation of standard Gibbs energies of proton solvation in eleven representative liquid media

The COSMO cluster-continuum (CCC) solvation model is introduced for the calculation of standard Gibbs solvation energies of protons. The solvation sphere of the proton is divided into an inner proton-solvent cluster with covalent interactions and an outer solvation sphere that interacts electrostatically with the cluster. Thus, the solvation of the proton is divided into two steps that are calculated separately: 1) The interaction of the proton with one or more solvent molecules is calculated in the gas phase with high-level quantum-chemical methods (modified G3 method). 2) The Gibbs solvation energy of the proton-solvent cluster is calculated by using the conductor-like screening model (COSMO). For every solvent, the solvation of the proton in at least two (and up to 11) proton-solvent clusters was calculated. The resulting Gibbs solvation energies of the proton were weighted by using Boltzmann statistics. The model was evaluated for the calculation of Gibbs solvation energies by using experimental data of water, MeCN, and DMSO as a reference. Allowing structural relaxation of the proton-solvent clusters and the use of structurally relaxed Gibbs solvation energies improved the accordance with experimental data especially for larger clusters. This variation is denoted as the relaxed COSMO cluster-continuum (rCCC) model, for which we estimate a 1σ error bar of 10 kJ mol(-1) . Gibbs solvation energies of protons in the following representative solvents were calculated: Water, acetonitrile, sulfur dioxide, dimethyl sulfoxide, benzene, diethyl ether, methylene chloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, sulfuric acid, fluorosulfonic acid, and hydrogen fluoride. The obtained values are absolute chemical standard potentials of the proton (pH=0 in this solvent). They are used to anchor the individual solvent specific acidity (pH) scales to our recently introduced absolute acidity scale.     

Solvatochromic Linear Solvation Energy Relationships (LSER) for Solubility of Gases in Various Solvents by Target Factor Analysis

A linear solvation free energy relationship has been conducted to study the effects of solvent and solute properties on the free energy of solvation of inert gases and normal alkanes in different solvents. Factor analysis combined with target factor analysis was used to identify and quantify the factors controlling the variation of free energies of solvation, without the need to postulate any priori hypothetical method. Factor analysis of the solvation data revealed that there are two factors affecting the solubility of both types of gases in non‐polar as well as polar solvents. Target testing of the solvent parameters indicated that the Hildebrand solubility parameter of solvents is the major factor controlling the solubility of gases. Moreover, it was found that the coefficient of the Hildebrand solubility parameter in the linear solvation free energy equations has linear correlation with energy of vaporization and Lennard‐Jones force parameter of inert gases and number of carbon atoms and energy of vaporization of normal alkanes.     

Quantum-chemical study on reactions of isocyanates with linear methanol associates: VII. Effect of nonspecific solvation on the reaction of methyl isocyanate with linear methanol associates

The effect of nonspecific solvation on the reactivity of methyl isocyanate toward linear methanol associates and thermodynamic parameters of this reaction was studied at the B3LYP/6-311++G(df,p) level of theory in terms of the polarizable continuum model (PCM). Transformations in the liquid phase are more exothermic than in the gas phase. Change of the solvent nature leads to variation of the geometric parameters and intrinsic free energies of the reactants and transition states. Increase in solvent polarity is accompanied by increase in the degree of asymmetry and polarity of transition states. As the dielectric permittivity rises, the polar constituent of the Gibbs energy of solvation decreases, while its nonpolar constituent increases. Owing to the opposite variations of these constituents of the Gibbs energy of activation, the reaction is weakly sensitive to solvent polarity.