13C NMR, infrared, solvation and theoretical investigation of the conformational isomerism in 1-haloacetones (X = Cl, Br and I)

The solvent dependence of the 13C NMR spectra of chloroacetone (CA), bromoacetone (BA) and iodoacetone (IA) are reported and the 3J(CH) couplings analysed using ab initio calculations and solvation theory. In CA the energy difference (E(cis) - E(gauche)) between the cis (Cl-C-C=O 0 degrees) and gauche (Cl-C-C=O 155 degrees) conformers is 1.7 kcal mol(-1) in the vapour, decreasing to 0.8 kcal mol(-1) in CCl4 solution and to -1.0 kcal mol(-1) in the pure liquid. The conformational equilibrium, in BA, is between the more polar cis (Br-C-C=O 0 degrees) and gauche (Br-C-C=O 132 degrees) conformations. The energy difference (E(cis) - E(gauche)) is 1.8 kcal mol(-1) in the vapour, decreasing to 0.9 kcal mol(-1) in CCl4 solution and to -0.4 kcal mol(-1) in the pure liquid. The energy difference (E(cis) - E(gauche)), in IA, between the cis (I-C-C=O 0 degrees) and gauche (I-C-C=O 104 degrees) conformers is 1.1 kcal mol(-1) in the vapour phase, decreasing to 0.5 kcal mol(-1) in CCl4 solution and to -0.5 kcal mol(-1) in the pure liquid. The vapour state energy difference for BA [1.4 kcal mol(-1) at B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)] and for IA [1.6 kcal mol(-1) at B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)/LANL2DZ)] are in very good agreement with the above values. For CA the agreement is also satisfactory [1.4 kcal mol(-1) at B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)].     

A new scheme for determining the intramolecular seven-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies of glycine and alanine peptides

In this paper a new scheme was proposed to calculate the intramolecular hydrogen-bonding energies in peptides and was applied to calculate the intramolecular seven-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies of the glycine and alanine peptides. The density-functional theory B3LYP6-31G(d) and B3LYP6-311G(d,p) methods and the second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory MP26-31G(d) method were used to calculate the optimal geometries and frequencies of glycine and alanine peptides and related structures. MP26-311++G(d,p), MP26-311++G(3df,2p), and MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ methods were then used to evaluate the single-point energies. It was found that the B3LYP6-31G(d), MP26-31G(d), and B3LYP6-311G(d,p) methods yield almost similar structural parameters for the conformers of the glycine and alanine dipeptides. MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ predicts that the intramolecular seven-membered ring N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding strength has a value of 5.54 kcal/mol in glycine dipeptide and 5.73 and 5.19 kcal/mol in alanine dipeptides, while the steric repulsive interactions of the seven-membered ring conformers are 4.13 kcal/mol in glycine dipeptide and 6.62 and 3.71 kcal/mol in alanine dipeptides. It was also found that MP26-311++G(3df,2p) gives as accurate intramolecular N-H...O=C hydrogen-bonding energies and steric repulsive interactions as the much more costly MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ does.     

Computational methods to calculate accurate activation and reaction energies of 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of 24 1,3-dipoles

Theoretical calculations were performed on the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of 24 1,3-dipoles with ethylene and acetylene. The 24 1,3-dipoles are of the formula X≡Y(+)-Z(-) (where X is HC or N, Y is N, and Z is CH(2), NH, or O) or X═Y(+)-Z(-) (where X and Z are CH(2), NH, or O and Y is NH, O, or S). The high-accuracy G3B3 method was employed as the reference. CBS-QB3, CCSD(T)//B3LYP, SCS-MP2//B3LYP, B3LYP, M06-2X, and B97-D methods were benchmarked to assess their accuracies and to determine an accurate method that is practical for large systems. Several basis sets were also evaluated. Compared to the G3B3 method, CBS-QB3 and CCSD(T)/maug-cc-pV(T+d)Z//B3LYP methods give similar results for both activation and reaction enthalpies (mean average deviation, MAD, < 1.5 kcal/mol). SCS-MP2//B3LYP and M06-2X give small errors for the activation enthalpies (MAD < 1.5 kcal/mol), while B3LYP has MAD = 2.3 kcal/mol. SCS-MP2//B3LYP and B3LYP give the reasonable reaction enthalpies (MAD < 5.0 kcal/mol). The B3LYP functional also gives good results for most 1,3-dipoles (MAD = 1.9 kcal/mol for 17 common 1,3-dipoles), but the activation and reaction enthalpies for ozone and sulfur dioxide are difficult to calculate by any of the density functional methods.     

Keto<==>enol, imine<==>enamine, and nitro<==>aci-nitro tautomerism and their interrelationship in substituted nitroethylenes. Keto, imine, nitro, and vinyl substituent effects and the importance of H-bonding

Tautomeric isomers and conformers of 2-nitrovinyl alcohol (1), 2-nitrovinylamine (2), and 1-nitro-propene (3) are reported at the MP2 and B3LYP levels of theory, using the 6-31G* basis set, with energy evaluation at B3LYP/6-311+G** and G2MP2. The nitroalkenes are the global minima on their respective potential energy surfaces. The barriers for the concerted 1,5-H transfer to the corresponding nitronic acids amount to only 5.0 kcal/mol for 1, 13.2 kcal/mol for 2, and a sizable 37.8 kcal/mol for 3. Whereas the aci-nitro tautomer of 2-nitrovinyl alcohol is easily accessible, beta-iminonitronic acid has little kinetic stability. H-bonding is a strong stabilizing factor in these nitroalkenes, estimated at 7.0 and 3.7 kcal/mol for the OH and NH2 derivatives, respectively, while its stabilization in their nitronic acids amounts to as much as 13 kcal/mol. The H-bonds are evident from the very short O...H and N...H distances and are characterized by bond critical points. The NO2 substituent effect of about 11.4 kcal/mol at G2MP2 on both the classical keto <==> enol and imine <==> enamine tautomeric processes stabilizes the nitroethylene derivatives. The keto, imine, and vinyl substituent effects at G2MP2 on the nitro <==> aci-nitro tautomeric process are also determined as are their pi-resonance components. The substituents have a large influence on the ionization energies of the nitroethylene derivatives.     

Chemo- and periselectivity in the addition of [OsO2(CH2)2] to ethylene: a theoretical study

Quantum chemical calculations by using density functional theory at the B3LYP level have been carried out to elucidate the reaction course for the addition of ethylene to [OsO2(CH2)2] (1). The calculations predict that the kinetically most favorable reaction proceeds with an activation barrier of 8.1 kcal mol(-1) via [3+2] addition across the O=Os=CH2 moiety. This reaction is -42.4 kcal mol(-1) exothermic. Alternatively, the [3+2] addition to the H2C=Os=CH2 fragment of 1 leads to the most stable addition product 4 (-72.7 kcal mol(-1)), yet this process has a higher activation barrier (13.0 kcal mol(-1)). The [3+2] addition to the O=Os=O fragment yielding 2 is kinetically (27.5 kcal mol(-1)) and thermodynamically (-7.0 kcal mol(-1)) the least favorable [3+2] reaction. The formal [2+2] addition to the Os=O and Os=CH2 double bonds proceeds by initial rearrangement of 1 to the metallaoxirane 1 a. The rearrangement 1-->1 a and the following [2+2] additions have significantly higher activation barriers (>30 kcal mol(-1)) than the [3+2] reactions. Another isomer of 1 is the dioxoosmacyclopropane 1 b, which is 56.2 kcal mol(-1) lower in energy than 1. The activation barrier for the 1-->1 b isomerization is 15.7 kcal mol(-1). The calculations predict that there are no energetically favorable addition reactions of ethylene with 1 b. The isomeric form 1 c containing a peroxo group is too high in energy to be relevant for the reaction course. The accuracy of the B3LYP results is corroborated by high level post-HF CCSD(T) calculations for a subset of species.     

Ab initio and experimental studies on the hetero-Diels-Alder and cheletropic additions of sulfur dioxide to (E)-1-methoxybutadiene: a mechanism involving three molecules of SO(2)

Kinetics on the cheletropic addition of sulfur dioxide to (E)-1-methoxybutadiene (1) to give the corresponding sulfolene 2 (2-methoxy-2,5-dihydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide) gave the rate law d[2]/dt = k[1][SO(2)](x)() with x = 2.6 +/- 0.2 at 198 K. Under these conditions, no sultine 3 [(2RS,6RS)-6-methoxy-3,6-dihydro-1,2-oxathiin-2-oxide] resulting from a hetero-Diels-Alder addition was observed, and the cheletropic elimination 2 --> 1 + SO(2) did not occur. Ab initio and DFT quantum calculations confirmed that the cheletropic addition 1 + SO(2) --> 2 follows two parallel mechanisms, one involving two molecules of SO(2) and the transition structure with DeltaG(++) = 18.2 +/- 0.2 kcal/mol at 198 K (exptl); 22.5-22.7 kcal/mol [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)], the other one involving three molecules of SO(2) with DeltaG(++) = 18.9 +/- 0.1 kcal/mol at 198 K (exptl); 19.7 kcal/mol [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)]. The mechanism involving only one molecule of SO(2) in the transition structure requires a higher activation energy, DeltaG(++) = 25.2 kcal/mol [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)]. Comparison of the geometries and energetics of the structures involved into the 1 + SO(2) --> 2, 3 and 1 + 2SO(2) --> 2, 3 + SO(2) reactions obtained by ab initio and DFT methods suggest that the latter calculation techniques can be used to study the cycloadditions of sulfur dioxide. The calculations predict that the hetero-Diels-Alder addition 1 + SO(2) --> 3 also prefers a mechanism in which three molecules of SO(2) are involved in the cycloaddition transition structure. At 198 K and in SO(2) solutions, the entropy cost (TDeltaS(++)) is overcompensated by the specific solvation by SO(2) in the transition structures of both the cheletropic and hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of (E)-1-methoxybutadiene with SO(2).     

Comparative DFT study of the spin trapping of methyl, mercapto, hydroperoxy, superoxide, and nitric oxide radicals by various substituted cyclic nitrones

The thermodynamics of the spin trapping of various cyclic nitrones with biologically relevant radicals such as methyl, mercapto, hydroperoxy, superoxide anion, and nitric oxide was investigated using computational methods. A density functional theory (DFT) approach was employed in this study at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. The order of increasing favorability for Delta G(rxn) (kcal/mol) of the radical reaction with various nitrones, in general, follows a trend similar to their respective experimental reduction potentials as well as their experimental second-order rate constants in aqueous solution: NO (14.57) < O2*- (-7.51) < *O2H (-13.92) < *SH (-16.55) < *CH3 (-32.17) < *OH (-43.66). The same qualitative trend is predicted upon considering the effect of solvation using the polarizable continuum model (PCM): i.e., NO (14.12) < O2*- (9.95) < *O2H (-6.95) < *SH (-13.57) < *CH3 (-32.88) < *OH (-38.91). All radical reactions with these nitrones are exoergic, except for NO (and O2*- in the aqueous phase), which is endoergic, and the free energy of activation (Delta G) for the NO additions ranges from 17.7 to 20.3 kcal/mol. This study also predicts the favorable formation of certain adducts that exhibit intramolecular H-bonding interactions, nucleophilic addition, or H-atom transfer reactions. The spin density on the nitronyl N of the superoxide adducts reveals conformational dependences. The failure of nitrones to trap NO at normal conditions was theoretically rationalized due to the endoergic reaction parameters.     

Molecule-induced alkane homolysis with dioxiranes.

The mechanisms of C-H and C-C bond activations with dimethyldioxirane (DMD) were studied experimentally and computationally at the B3LYP/6-311+G**//B3LYP/6-31G* density functional theory level for the propellanes 3,6-dehydrohomoadamantane (2) and 1,3-dehydroadamantane (3). The sigma(C-C) activation of 3 with DMD (Delta G(*) = 23.9 kcal mol(-1) and Delta G(r) = -5.4 kcal mol(-1)) is the first example of a molecule-induced homolytic C-C bond cleavage. The C-H bond hydroxylation observed for 2 is highly exergonic (Delta G(r) = -74.4 kcal mol(-1)) and follows a concerted pathway (Delta G(*) = 34.8 kcal mol(-1)), in contrast to its endergonic molecule-induced homolysis (Delta G(*) = 28.8 kcal mol(-1) and Delta G(r) = +9.2 kcal mol(-1)). The reactivities of 2 and 3 with CrO(2)Cl(2), which follow a molecule-induced homolytic activation mechanism, parallel the DMD results only for highly reactive 3, but differ considerably for more stable propellanes such as 4-phenyl-3,6-dehydrohomoadamantane (1) and 2.     

CF3 rotation in 3-(trifluoromethyl)phenanthrene. X-ray diffraction and ab initio electronic structure calculations

The molecular and crystal structure of 3-(trifluoromethyl)phenanthrene has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The structure of the isolated molecule has been calculated using electronic structure methods at the HF/3-21G, HF/6-31G, MP2/6-31G and B3LYP/6-31G levels. The potential energy surfaces for the rotation of the CF3 group in both the isolated molecule and cluster models for the crystal were computed using electronic structure methods. The barrier height for CF3 rotation in the isolated molecule was calculated to be 0.40 kcal mol(-1) at B3LYP/6-311+G//B3LYP/6-311+G. The B3LYP/6-31G calculated CF3 rotational barrier in a 13-molecule cluster based on the X-ray data was found to be 2.6 kcal mol(-1). The latter is in excellent agreement with experimental results from the NMR relaxation experiments reported in the companion paper (Beckmann, P. A.; Rosenberg, J.; Nordstrom, K.; Mallory, C. W.; Mallory, F. B. J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 3947). The computational results on the models for the solid state suggest that the intermolecular interaction between nearest neighbor pairs of CF3 groups in the crystal accounts for roughly 75% of the barrier to rotation in the solid state. This pair is found to undergo cooperative reorientation. We attribute the CF3 reorientational disorder in the crystal as observed by X-ray diffraction to the presence of a pair of minima on the potential energy surface and the effects of librational motion.     

Potential energy scans and vibrational assignments of cyclopropanecarboxylic acid and cyclopropanecarboxamide

The structural stability and internal rotations in cyclopropanecarboxylic acid and cyclopropanecarboxamide were investigated by the DFT-B3LYP and the ab initio MP2 calculations using 6-311G** and 6-311+G** basis sets. The computations were extended to the MP4//MP2/6-311G** and CCSD(T)//MP2/6-311G** single-point calculations. From the calculations the molecules were predicted to exist predominantly in the cis (C=O group eclipses the cyclopropane ring) with a cis-trans barrier of about 4-6kcal/mol. The OCOH torsional barrier in the acid was estimated to be about 12-13kcal/mol while the corresponding OCNH torsional barrier in the amide was calculated to be about 20kcal/mol. The equilibrium constant k for the cis<-->trans interconversion in cyclopropanecarboxylic acid was calculated to be 0.1729 at 298.15K that corresponds to an equilibrium mixture of about 85% cis and 15% trans. The vibrational frequencies were computed at the DFT-B3LYP level. Normal coordinate calculations were carried out and potential energy distributions were calculated for the low energy cis conformer of the molecules. Complete vibrational assignments were made on the basis of normal coordinate calculations and comparison with experimental data of the molecules.     

Accurate computational determination of the binding energy of the SO3 x H2O complex

Reliable thermochemical data for the reaction SO3 + H2O<-->SO3 x H2O (1a) are of crucial importance for an adequate modeling of the homogeneous H2SO4 formation in the atmosphere. We report on high-level quantum chemical calculations to predict the binding energy of the SO3 x H2O complex. The electronic binding energy is accurately computed to De = 40.9+/-1.0 kJ/mol = 9.8+/-0.2 kcal/mol. By using harmonic frequencies from density functional theory calculations (B3LYP/cc-pVTZ and TPSS/def2-TZVP), zero-point and thermal energies were calculated. From these data, we estimate D0 = -Delta H(1a)0(0 K) = 7.7+/-0.5 kcal/mol and Delta H(1a)0(298 K) = -8.3+/-1.0 kcal/mol.     

Cheletropic decomposition of cyclic nitrosoamines revisited: the nature of the transition states and a critical role of the ring strain

The cheletropic decompositions of 1-nitrosoaziridine (1), 1-nitroso-Delta(3)-pyrroline (2), 7-nitroso-7-azabicyclo[2.2. 1]hepta-2,5-diene (3), and 6-nitroso-6-azabicyclo[2.1.1]hexa-4-ene (4) have been studied theoretically using high level ab initio computations. Activation parameters of the decomposition of nitrosoaziridine 1 were obtained experimentally in heptane (DeltaH()(298) = 18.6 kcal mol(-)(1), DeltaS()(298) = -7.6 cal mol(-)(1) K(-)(1)) and methanol (20.3 kcal mol(-)(1), 0.3 cal mol(-)(1) K(-)(1)). Among employed theoretical methods (B3LYP, MP2, CCD, CCSD(T)//CCD), the B3LYP method in conjunction with 6-31+G, 6-311+G, and 6-311++G(3df,2pd) basis sets gives the best agreement with experimental data. It was found that typical N-nitrosoheterocycles 2-4 which have high N-N bond rotation barriers (>16 kcal mol(-)(1)) extrude nitrous oxide via a highly asynchronous transition state with a planar ring nitrogen atom. Nitrosoaziridine 1, with a low rotation barrier (<9 kcal mol(-)(1)) represents a special case. This compound can eliminate N(2)O via a low energy linear synperiplanar transition state (DeltaH()(298) = 20.6 kcal mol(-)(1), DeltaS()(298) = 2.5 cal mol(-)(1) K(-)(1)). Two higher energy transition states are also available. The B3LYP activation barriers of the cheletropic fragmentation of nitrosoheterocycles 2-4 decrease in the series: 2 (58 kcal mol(-)(1)) > 3 (18 kcal mol(-)(1)) > 4 (12) kcal mol(-)(1). The relative strain energies increase in the same order: 2 (0 kcal mol(-)(1)) < 3 (39 kcal mol(-)(1)) < 4 (52 kcal mol(-)(1)). Comparison of the relative energies of 2-4 and their transition states on a common scale where the energy of nitrosopyrroline 2 is assumed as reference indicates that the thermal stability of the cyclic nitrosoamines toward cheletropic decomposition is almost entirely determined by the ring strain.     

A theoretical study of the effect of a tetraalkylammonium counterion on the hydrogen bond strength in Z-hydrogen maleate.

High-level ab initio calculations (B3LYP/6-31+G and QCISD(T)/6-311+G**) were carried out to resolve the disagreement between recent experimental and computational estimates of the relative strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond in Z-hydrogen maleate anion with respect to the normal hydrogen bond in maleic acid. The computational estimates for the strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond in the gas-phase maleate anion are in a range of 14-28 kcal/mol depending on the choice of the reference structure. Computational data suggest that the electrostatic influence of a counterion such as a tetraalkylammonium cation can considerably weaken the hydrogen bonding interaction (by 1.5-2 times) in the complexed hydrogen maleate anion relative to that in the naked anion. The estimated internal H-bonding energies for a series of Z-maleate/R4N+ salts (R = CH3, C2H5, CH3CH2CH2CH2) range from 8 to 13 kcal/mol. The calculated energy differences between the E- and Z-hydrogen maleates complexed to Me4N+, Et4N+, and Bu4N+ cation are 4.9 (B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p)) and 5.7 and 5.8 kcal/mol (B3LYP/6-31G(d)). It is also demonstrated that the sodium cation exerts a similar electrostatic influence on the hydrogen bond strength in bifluoride anion (FHF-). The present study shows that while low-barrier short hydrogen bonds can exist in the gas phase (the barrier for the hydrogen transfer in maleate anion is only 0.2 kcal/mol at the QCISD(T)/6-311+G//QCISD/6-31+G level), whether they can also be strong in condensed media or not depends on how their interactions with their immediate environment affect their strength.     

Trichloromethyl chloroformate ("diphosgene"), ClCOOCCl3: structure and conformational properties in the gaseous and condensed phases

The conformational properties of gaseous trichloromethyl chloroformate (or "diphosgene"), ClC(O)OCCl3, have been studied by vibrational spectroscopy [IR (gas), IR (matrix), and Raman (liquid)] and quantum chemical calculations (MP2 and B3LYP with 6-311G basis sets); in addition, the structure of a single crystal at low temperature has been determined by X-ray diffraction. ClC(O)OCCl3 exhibits only one conformational form having Cs symmetry with a synperiplanar orientation of the C-O single bond relative to the C=O double bond. The calculated energy difference between the syn and anti forms, 5.73 kcal mol(-1) (B3LYP) or 7.06 kcal mol(-1) (MP2), is consistent with the experimental findings for the gas and liquid phases. The crystalline solid at 150 K [monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 5.5578(5) angstroms, b = 14.2895(12) angstroms, c = 8.6246(7) angstroms, beta = 102.443(2) degrees, Z = 4] likewise consists only of molecules in the syn form.     

Effective monkey saddle points and berry and lever mechanisms in the topomerization of SF(4) and related tetracoordinated AX(4) species

The topomerization mechanisms of the SF(4) and SCl(2)F(2) sulfuranes, as well as their higher (SeF(4), TeF(4)) and isoelectronic analogues PF(4)(-), AsF(4)(-), SbF(4)(-), SbCl(4)(-), ClF(4)(+), BrF(4)(+), BrCl(2)F(2)(+), and IF(4)(+)), have been computed at B3LYP/6-31+G and at B3LYP/6-311+G. All species have trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) C(2)(v)() ground states. In such four-coordinated molecules, Berry rotation exchanges both axial with two equatorial ligands simultaneously while the alternative "lever" mechanism exchanges only one axial ligand with one equatorial ligand. While the barrier for the lever exchange in SF(4) (18.8 kcal mol(-1)) is much higher than that for the Berry process (8.1 kcal mol(-1)), both mechanisms are needed for complete ligand exchange. The F(ax)F(ax) and F(eq)F(eq) isomers of SF(2)Cl(2) have nearly the same energy and readily interconvert by BPR with a barrier of 7.6 kcal mol(-1). The enantiomerization of the F(ax)F(eq) chiral isomer can occur by either the Berry process (transition state barrier 8.3 kcal mol(-1)) or the "lever" mechanism via either of two C(s)() transition states, based on the TBP geometry: Cl(ax) <--> Cl(eq) or F(ax) <--> F(eq) exchanges with barriers of 6.3 and 15.7 kcal mol(-1), respectively. Full scrambling of all ligand sites is possible only by inclusion of the lever mechanism. Planar, "tetrahedral", and triplet forms are much higher in energy. The TBP C(3)(v) structures of AX(4) either have two imaginary frequencies (NIMAG = 2) for the X = F, Cl species or are minima (NIMAG = 0) for the X = Br, I compounds. These "effective monkey saddle points" have degenerate modes with two small frequencies, imaginary or real. Although a strictly defined "monkey saddle" (with degenerate frequencies exactly zero) is not allowed, the flat C(3)(v) symmetry region serves as a "transition state" for trifurcation of the pathways. The BPR mechanism also is preferred over the alternative lever process in the topomerization of the selenurane SeF(4) (barriers 5.9 vs. 12.1 kcal mol(-1)), the tellurane TeF(4) (2.1 vs. 6.4), and the interhalogen cations ClF(4)(+) (2.5 vs 14.8), BrF(4)(+) (4.7 vs. 11.3), BrF(2)Cl(2)(+) (14.6 vs. 17.4), and IF(4)(+) (1.4 vs. 6.0), as well as for the series PF(4)(-) (7.0 vs. 9.0), AsF(4)(-) (9.3 vs. 17.2), and SbF(4)(-) (3.8 vs. 5.3 kcal mol(-1)), all computed at B3LYP/6-311+G with the inclusion of quasirelativistic pseudopotentials for Te, I, and Sb. The heavier halogens increasingly favor the lever process, where the barrier (2.6 kcal mol(-1)) pertaining to the effective monkey saddle point (C(3)(v) minimum for SbCl(4)(-)) is less than that for the Berry process (8.2 kcal mol(-1)).     

Can the ebselen derivatives catalyze the isomerization of peroxynitrite to nitrate?

The reaction of ebselen and its derivatives (1-7) with peroxynitrite anion (ONOO(-); PN) has been studied in gas phase and in aqueous, dichloromethane, benzene, and cyclohexane solutions using B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and PCM-B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) approaches, respectively. It was shown that the reaction of 2 (R=H) with PN proceeds via 2 + PN --> 2-PN --> 2-TS1 (O-O activation) --> 2-O(NO(2)(-)()) --> 2-SeO + NO(2)(-) pathway with a rate-determining barrier of 25.3 (14.8) kcal/mol at the NO(2)(-) dissociation step (numbers presented without parentheses are enthalpies, and those in parentheses are Gibbs free energies). The NO(3)(-) formation process, starting from the complex 2-O(NO(2)(-)()), requires by (7.9) kcal/mol more energy than the NO(2)(-) dissociation process and is unlikely to compete with the latter. Thus, in the gas phase, the peroxynitrite --> nitrate isomerization catalyzed by complex 2 is unlikely to occur. It is shown that the NO(3)(-) formation process is slightly more favorably than the NO(2)(-) dissociation process for complex 4, with a strongest electron-withdrawing ligand R=CF(3). Therefore, complex 4 (as well as complex 6 with R=OH) is predicted to be a good catalyst for peroxynitrite <--> nitrite isomerization in the gas phase. Solvent effects (a) change the rate-determining step of the reaction 2 + PN from NO(2)(-) dissociation in the gas phase to O-O activation, which occurs with barriers of (13.9), (8.4), (8.4), and (8.2) kcal/mol in water, dichloromethane, benzene, and cyclohexane, respectively, and (b) significantly reduce the NO(2)(-) dissociation energy, while only slightly destabilizing the NO(3)(-) formation barrier, and make the peroxynitrite <--> nitrate isomerization process practically impossible, even for complex 4.     

Theoretical study of the mechanism and rate constant of the B + CO2 reaction

The different stationary points on the potential energy surface relative to the title reaction have been reinvestigated at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level with relative energies computed at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ optimized geometries and by using the G3B3 composite method. Two entrance channels have been identified. The first one corresponds to boron addition at one of the oxygen atoms of the CO 2 molecule leading to trans-BOCO, which is found to be about 27 kcal/mol exothermic with a potential energy barrier of 16.4 kcal/mol (G3B3). The second channel, which has not been identified in previous theoretical works, corresponds to a direct insertion of the boron atom into a CO bond and leads to OBCO. The B + CO 2 --> OBCO step is found to be about 84 kcal/mol exothermic and needs to overcome a potential energy barrier of only 3.6 kcal/mol (G3B3). The rate constant at 300 K of the insertion step, calculated by using TST theory with G3B3 calculated activation energy value, is 5.4 10 (-14) cm (3) molecule (-1) s (-1), in very good agreement with the experimental data ((7.0 +/- 2.8) 10 (-14) cm (3) molecule (-1) s (-1), DiGiuseppe, T. G.; Davidovits, P. J. Chem. Phys. 1981, 74, 3287). The one corresponding to the addition process is found to be several orders of magnitude smaller because of a much higher potential energy barrier. The addition channel would not contribute to the title reaction even at high temperature. A modified Arrhenius equation has been fitted in the 300-1000 K temperature range, which might be useful for chemical models.     

Aspirin. An ab initio quantum-mechanical study of conformational preferences and of neighboring group interactions.

The potential energy surface of acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin, has been explored at the RHF/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-31G* levels, and single-point calculations were performed at levels up to B3LYP/6-311G**//B3LYP/6-31G*. All conformational isomers have been located, the thermochemical functions have been computed, and relative energies and free enthalpies were determined. The conformational space of aspirin is spanned by three internal coordinates, and these are the carboxylic acid C-O conformation (s-trans preferred by about 7 kcal/mol), the C-COOH conformation (Z preferred unless there are H-bonding opportunities), and the ester C-O conformation (s-trans preferred by about 4 kcal/mol). There are nine aspirin isomers since one of the conformers realizes hydrogen-bonding structure isomerism as well. Neighboring group interactions are discussed with reference to the intrinsic properties of benzoic acid and phenyl acetate. The intrinsic conformational preference energies for benzoic acid and phenyl acetate are not additive. The acid s-trans preference energies differ by as much as 9 kcal/mol depending on the Ph-COOH and ester conformations. Similarly, the E-preference energies about the Ph-COOH bond vary by as much as 6 kcal/mol depending on the ester conformation. The structural discussion suggests an overall ortho repulsion between the functional groups in all aspirin isomers including the intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded isomers. The isodesmic reaction between the most stable conformers of benzoic acid and phenyl acetate to form aspirin and benzene is found to be endothermic by 2.7 kcal/mol and provides compelling evidence for and a quantitative measure of ortho repulsion. The ortho repulsion of 2.7 kcal/mol is a lower limit, and the ortho repulsion can increase to as much as 6 kcal/mol in some aspirin isomers.     

Mechanisms of the reactions of W AND W+ with H2O: computational studies

The mechanism of the reactions of W and W(+) with the water molecule have been studied for several lower-lying electronic states of tungsten centers at the CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p)+SDD and B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)+SDD levels of theory. It is shown that these reactions are essentially multistate processes, during which lower-lying electronic states of the systems cross several times. They start with the formation of initial prereaction M(H(2)O) complexes with M-H(2)O bonding energies of 9.6 and 48.2 kcal/mol for M = W and W(+), followed by insertion of the metal center into an O-H bond with 20.0 and 53.3 kcal/mol barriers for neutral and cationic systems, respectively. The overall process of M + H(2)O --> t-HM(OH) is calculated to be highly exothermic, 48.4 and 48.8 kcal/mol for M = W and W(+). From the HM(OH) intermediate the reaction may proceed via several different channels, among which the stepwise HM(OH) --> HMO + H --> (H)(2)MO and concerted HM(OH) --> (H)(2)MO pathways are more favorable and can compete (energetically) with each other. For the neutral system (M = W), the concerted process is the most favorable, whereas for the charged system (M = W(+)), the stepwise pathway is slightly more favorable. From the energetically most favorable intermediate (H)(2)MO the reactions proceed via H(2)-molecule formation with a 53.1 kcal/mol activation barrier for the neutral system. For the cationic system, H-H formation and dissociation is an almost barrierless process. The overall reaction of W and W(+) with the water molecule leading to H(2) + MO formation is found to be exothermic by 48.2 and 39.8 kcal/mol, respectively. In the gas phase with the collision-less conditions the reactions W((7)S) + H(2)O --> H(2) + WO((3)Sigma(+)), and W(+)((6)D) + H(2)O --> H(2) + WO(+)((4)Sigma(+)) are expected to proceed via a 10.4 and 5.1 kcal/mol overall energy barrier corresponding to the first O-H dissociation at the TS1. On the basis of these PESs, we predict kinetic rate constants for the reactions of W and W(+) with H(2)O.