Ab initio procedure for aqueous-phase pKa calculation: the acidity of nitrous acid

We present an ab initio procedure for accurately calculating aqueous-phase pKa values and apply it to study the acidity of nitrous acid (HNO2, or HONO). The aqueous-phase pK(a) of nitrous acid was obtained from calculated gas-phase acidities and solvation free energies via a thermodynamic cycle and the solvation model chemistry of Barone et al. (J. Chem. Phys. 1997, 107, 3210). Solvation free energies were calculated at the HF/6-31G(d) level using the dielectric-polarizable continuum and the integral equation formalism-polarizable continuum solvent models (D-PCM and IEF-PCM, respectively), with the D-PCM model yielding the most accurate pKa values. For HF free energies of solvation, significant improvements in accuracy could be made by moving to the larger 6-311++G(3df,3pd) and aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets. Solvation free energies were also calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) methods B3LYP, TPSS, PBE0, B1B95, VSXC, B98 and O3LYP, with the most accurate methods being TPSS and VSXC, which provided average errors of less than 0.11 pKa units. Solvation free energies calculated with the different DFT methods were relatively insensitive to the basis set used. Our theoretical calculations are compared with experimental results obtained using stopped flow spectrophotometry. The pKa of nitrous acid was measured as 3.16 at 25 degrees C, and the enthalpy and entropy of nitrous acid dissociation were calculated from measurements as 6.7 kJ mol(-1) and -38.4 J mol(-1) K(-1), respectively, between 25 and 45 degrees C. The UV/visible absorption spectra of the nitrite ion and nitrous acid were also examined, and molar extinction coefficients were obtained for each.     

Atmospheric reaction of the HOSO radical with NO2: a theoretical study

The gas-phase reaction between HOSO and NO(2) was examined using density functional theory. Geometry optimizations and frequency computations were performed at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,2pd) level of theory for all minimum species and transition states. The ground-state potential energy surface, including activation energies and enthalpies, were calculated using the ab initio CBS-QB3 composite method. The results suggest that the addition of HOSO and NO(2) leads to two possible intermediates, HOS(O)NO(2) and HOS(O)ONO, without any energy barrier. The HOS(O)NO(2) easily decomposes into HONO + SO(2) through the low energy product complex HONO···SO(2), whereas the HOS(O)ONO dissociates to HOSO(2) + NO products. This latter dissociation is preferred from the isomerization of the HOS(O)ONO to HOS(NO)O(2). Also, HOS(O)NO(2) isomerization to HOS(O)ONO is hindered due to the presence of a large energy barrier. From the thermodynamic aspect, the main products in the title reaction are HONO + SO(2), whereas HOSO(2) + NO are expected as a minor products.     

Hydride affinity scale of various substituted arylcarbeniums in acetonitrile

Combined with the integral equation formalism polarized continuum model (IEFPCM), the hydride affinities of 96 various acylcarbenium ions in the gas phase and CH(3)CN were estimated by using the B3LYP/6-31+G(d)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d), B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d), and BLYP/6-311++G(2df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) methods for the first time. The results show that the combination of the BLYP/6-311++G(2df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) method and IEFPCM could successfully predict the hydride affinities of arylcarbeniums in MeCN with a precision of about 3 kcal/mol. On the basis of the calculated results from the BLYP method, it can be found that the hydride affinity scale of the 96 arylcarbeniums in MeCN ranges from -130.76 kcal/mol for NO(2)-PhCH(+)-CN to -63.02 kcal/mol for p-(Me)(2)N-PhCH(+)-N(Me)(2), suggesting most of the arylcarbeniums are good hydride acceptors. Examination of the effect of the number of phenyl rings attached to the carbeniums on the hydride affinities shows that the increase of the hydride affinities takes place linearly with increasing number of benzene rings in the arylcarbeniums. Analyzing the effect of the substituents on the hydride affinities of arylcarbeniums indicates that electron-donating groups decrease the hydride affinities and electron-withdrawing groups show the opposite effect. The hydride affinities of arylcarbeniums are linearly dependent on the sum of the Hammett substituent parameters σ(p)(+). Inspection of the correlation of the solution-phase hydride affinities with gas-phase hydride affinities and aqueous-phase pK(R)(+) values reveals a remarkably good correspondence of ΔG(H(-)A)(R(+)) with both the gas-phase relative hydride affinities only if the α substituents X have no large electron-donating or -withdrawing properties and the pK(R)(+) values even though the media are dramatically different. The solution-phase hydride affinities also have a linear relationship with the electrophilicity parameter E, and this dependence can certainly serve as one of the most effective ways to estimate the new E values from ΔG(H(-)A)(R(+)) or vice versa. Combining the hydride affinities and the reduction potentials of the arylcarbeniums, we obtained the bond homolytic dissociation Gibbs free energy changes of the C-H bonds in the corresponding hydride adducts in acetonitrile, ΔG(HD)(RH), and found that the effects of the substituent on ΔG(HD)(RH) are very small. Simple thermodynamic analytic platforms for the three C-H cleavage modes were constructed. It is evident that the present work would be helpful in understanding the nature of the stabilities of the carbeniums and mechanisms of the hydride transfers between carbeniums and other hydride donors.     

Hydrogen-bonded complexes of nitrous and nitric acids with ethene Ab initio and DFT studies

The complexes formed by ethene with nitric and nitrous (trans and cis) acids have been investigated by ab initio (SCF and MP2) and B3LYP calculations with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Full geometry optimisation has been performed for the complexes studied. The most stable structures of the complexes are established. Bearing in mind the corrected values of the dissociation energy the studied hydrogen-bonded complexes can be ordered as follows: C(2)H(4)...HONO(2)>C(2)H(4)...HONO-trans>C(2)H(4)...HONO-cis. In the complexes the acids act as proton donors forming the pi-type of hydrogen bond with ethene. The predicted changes in the vibrational characteristics (vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities) arising from the hydrogen bonding are in good agreement with the experimentally measured. The predicted frequency shift of the stretching OH vibration in the nitric acid is largest (-210 cm(-1)), followed by the shifts in the trans-HONO (-141 cm(-1)) and cis-HONO (-109 cm(-1)). The calculations predict an increase of the IR intensity of the stretching O-H vibration in the complexes from 6 to 10 times.     

A DFT investigation of dissociation of nitrous acid,transformation of its monomeric isomers,their dimeric isomers,and dimerization

The structure optimization of the monomeric isomers of the nitrous acid HONO, their cyclic dimers (HONO)₂, and transition states of their transformations has been carried out using the density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) and B3LYP/aug‐cc‐pVQZ levels of theory. Three monomeric isomers (c, t, and z isomers) and six dimeric isomers (cc, ct, cz, tt, zz, and tz isomers) were found. Dissociation of the most stable of the HONO isomer (t isomer) was investigated and its rate constant was obtained at the UB3LYP/aug‐cc‐pVQZ level. Energetics, thermodynamic properties, rate, and equilibrium constants of the monomeric and dimeric isomerizations of the nitrous acid were obtained. Dimerization energies, enthalpies, and free energies of the dimeric isomers, (HONO)₂ were also obtained. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010     

Vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities of the hydrogen-bonded complexes of nitrous acid with ethers: ab initio and DFT studies

The vibrational spectra of the binary complexes formed by HONO-trans and HONO-cis with dimethyl and diethyl ethers have been investigated using ab initio calculations at the SCF and MP2 levels with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set and B3LYP calculations with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-31+G(d,p) basis sets. Full geometry optimisation was made for the complexes studied. The accuracy of the ab initio calculations have been estimated by comparison between the predicted values of the vibrational characteristics (vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities) and the available experimental data. It was established, that the methods, used in this study are well adapted to the problem under examination. The predicted values with the B3LYP calculations are very near to the results, obtained with 6-311++G(d,p)/MP2. The ab initio and DFT calculations show that the changes in the vibrational characteristics (vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities) upon hydrogen bonding for the hydrogen-bonded complex (CH3)2O...HONO-trans are larger than for the complex (CH3)2O...HONO-cis.     

Theoretical study of the reaction mechanism of HCN+ and CH4 of relevance to Titan's ion chemistry

Titan is the largest satellite of Saturn. In its atmosphere, CH4 is the most abundant neutral after nitrogen. In this paper, the complex doublet potential-energy surface related to the reaction between HCN+ and CH4 is investigated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p), CCSD(T)/6-311G++(3df,2pd)(single-point), and QCISD/6-311G(d,p) computational levels. A total of seven products are located on the PES. The initial association of HCN+ with CH4 is found to be a prereaction complex 1 (HCNHCH3(+)) without barrier. Starting from 1, the most feasible pathway is the direct H-abstraction process (the internal C-H bond dissociation) leading to the product P1 (HCNH++CH3). By C-C addition, prereaction complex 1 can form intermediate 2 (HNCHCH3(+)) and then lead to the product P2 (CH3CNH++H). The rate-controlling step of this process is only 25.6 kcal/mol. It makes the Path P2 (1) R --> 1 --> TS1/2 --> 2 --> TS2/P2 --> P2 another possible way for the reaction. P3 (HCNCH3(+) + H), P5 (cNCHCH2(+) + H2), and P6 (NCCH3(+) + H2) are exothermic products, but they have higher barriers (more than 40.0 kcal/mol); P4 (H + HCN + CH3(+)) and P7 (H + H2 + HCCNH+) are endothermic products. They should be discovered under different experimental or interstellar conditions. The present study may be helpful for investigating the analogous ion-molecule reaction in Titan's atmosphere.     

Theoretical determinations of ionization potentials of dopamine

Adiabatic and vertical ionization potentials (IPs) of nine conformers of dopamine in the gas phase are determined using density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP, B3P86, B3PW91 methods and high level ab initio HF method with 6-311++G** basis set, respectively. And the nine stable cationic states have been found in the ionization process of dopamine. Vertical ionization potentials of nine conformers of dopamine are calculated using the older outer-valence Green’s function (OVGF) calculations at 6-311++G** basis set. Vibrational frequencies and infrared spectrum intensities of G1b and G1b⁺ at B3LYP/6-311++G** level are discussed.     

Theoretical study of light-metal tetrahydroaluminates

Ab initio calculations of the structural, energetic, vibrational, and magnetic characteristics of the lowest-lying structures for isolated molecules and ions of light-metal tetrahydroaluminates (Li, Na, Be, Mg, and Al) have been performed by the perturbation theory (MP2), quadratic configuration interaction (QCISD(T)), coupled cluster (CCSD(T)), and density functional theory (B3LYP) methods using the 6-31G*, 6-31G**, 6-311+G**, and 6-311++G** basis sets. The trends in the behavior of the molecular characteristics have been analyzed in various related series of these compounds. The results are compared with the data on analogous light-metal tetrahydroborates calculated at the same levels of theory. The differences in structure and stability between analogous hydroborate and alanate complexes are examined. The economical approximation B3LYP/6-311++G**//B3LYP/6-311+G** has been shown to adequately reproduce the results obtained at the higher level of theory CCSD(T)/6-311++G**//MP2/6-31G* even though it requires considerably shorter CPU times and smaller amounts of memory.     

类硅烯H2C＝SiLiBr与RH (R＝F, OH, NH2)的插入反应

采用DFT B3LYP和QCISD方法研究了类硅烯H2C＝SiLiBr与RH (R＝F, OH, NH2)的插入反应. 在B3LYP/6- 311＋G(d,p)水平上优化了反应势能面上的驻点构型. 结果表明, H2C＝SiLiBr与HF, H2O或NH3发生插入反应的机理相同. QCISD/6-311＋＋G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311＋G(d,p)计算的三个反应的势垒分别为148.62, 164.42和165.07 kJ•mol－1, 反应热分别为－69.63, －43.02和－28.27 kJ•mol－1. 相同条件下发生插入反应时, 反应活性都是H—F＞H—OH＞H—NH2.     

Structural studies on ethyl isovalerate by microwave spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations

We observed the microwave spectrum of ethyl isovalerate by molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of the most abundant conformer were determined. Its structure was investigated by comparison of the experimental rotational constants with those obtained by ab initio methods. In a first step, the rotational constants of various conformers were calculated at the MP2/6-311++G** level of theory. Surprisingly, no agreement with the experimental results was found. Therefore, we concluded that in the case of ethyl isovalerate more advanced quantum chemical methods are required to obtain a reliable molecular geometry. Ab initio calculations carried out at MP3/6-311++G**, MP4/6-311++G**, and CCSD/6-311++G** levels and also density functional theory calculations using the B3LYP/6-311++G** method gave similar results for the rotational constants, but they were clearly distinct from those obtained at the MP2/6-311++G** level. With use of these more advanced methods, the rotational constants of the lowest energy conformer were in good agreement with those obtained from the microwave spectrum.     

Theoretical study of light-metal tetrahydroborates

Ab initio calculations of the structural, energetic, vibrational, and magnetic characteristics of the lowest-lying structures for isolated molecules and ions of light-metal tetrahydroborates (Li, Na, Be, Mg, and Al) have been performed by the perturbation theory (MP2), quadratic configuration interaction (QCISD(T)), coupled cluster (CCSD(T)), and density functional theory (B3LYP) methods using the 6-31G*, 6-31G**, 6-311+G**, and 6-311++G** basis sets. The trends in the behavior of the structural parameters, the energies of different decomposition pathways, barriers to internal rotation of BH₄ groups, normal mode frequencies, magnetic shielding constants, and spin density distribution (in radicals) have been analyzed in various related series of these compounds. The results obtained by ab initio methods and at the DFT level are compared. The economical approximation B3LYP/6-311++G**//B3LYP/6-311+G** adequately reproduces the results obtained at the higher level of theory CCSD(T)/6-311++G*s*//MP2/6-31G* even though it requires considerably shorter CPU times and smaller amounts of memory.     

Structure, stability and vibrational spectrum of the hydrogen-bonded complex between HNO3 and H2O. Ab initio and DFT studies

The structure, stability and vibrational spectrum of the binary complex between HONO2 and H2O have been investigated using ab initio calculations at SCF and MP2 levels with different basis sets and B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) calculations. Full geometry optimization was made for the complex studied. It was established that the hydrogen-bonded H2O...HONO2 complex has a planar structure. The corrected values of the dissociation energy at the SCF and MP2 levels and B3LYP calculations are indicative of relatively strong OH...O hydrogen-bonded interaction. The changes in the vibrational characteristics (vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities) arising from the hydrogen bonding between HONO2 and H2O have been estimated by using the ab initio calculations at SCF and MP2 levels and B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) calculations. It was established that the most sensitive to the complexation is the stretching O-H vibration from HONO2. In agreement with the experiment, its vibrational frequency in the complex is shifted to lower wavenumbers. The predicted frequency shift with the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) calculations (-439 cm(-1)) is in the best agreement with the experimentally measured (-498 cm(-1)). The intensity of this vibration increases dramatically upon hydrogen bonding. The ab initio calculations at the SCF level predict an increase up to five times; at the MP2 level up to 10 times and the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) predicted increase is up to 17 times. The good agreement between the predicted values of the frequency shifts and those experimentally observed show that the structure of the hydrogen-bonded complex H2O...HONO2 is reliable.     

Spectroscopic and optimization modeling study of nitrous acid in aqueous solution

Nitrous acid (HONO) and the nitrite ion represent a particularly important conjugate pair of trace species with regard to heterogeneous behavior within the bulk, and on the surface, of aqueous atmospheric dispersions: this role results from their chemical reactivity, photolysis pathways, solubility, and ambient concentration levels. The actual ratio of NO(2)(-): HONO in solution is determined by the pH and the nitrous acid dissociation constant (pK(a)) which is generally quoted in the literature as 3.27 at 298 K. However there is much disagreement in published works as to the exact value, which should be used in model calculations relevant to the atmosphere. Furthermore even though the nitrite ion is known to absorb solar radiation in the 300-400 nm region and represents a dominant source of *OH radicals in surface seawater, large variations in the measured molar decadic absorption coefficients, epsilon, for nitrite ions (and aqueous HONO) are evident in the literature. In the current study, using a UV-vis spectrometric approach with careful baseline subtraction, the relevant epsilon values for the nitrite ion were determined to be 8.16 +/- 0.08 M(-1) cm(-1) for the npi transitions at 290 nm and 22.1 +/- 0.22 M(-1) cm(-1) at 354 nm. For HONO, the wavelength maximum for the strongest vibronic band in solution was found at 372 nm with an epsilon value of 60.52 +/- 0.6 M(-1) cm(-1). Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and the above data, a value of 2.8 +/- 0.1 is therefore reported here for the pK(a) of nitrous acid. A Newton-Gauss method was then employed to solve a set of nonlinear equations defining the chemical speciation model for HONO in solution using an algorithm written in FORTRAN 90. A model based on a simple one-step protonation worked well for intermediate pHs (6-3) but departed from the experimental observations in highly acidic media. A two-step equilibrium model involving the nitroacidium ion, H(2)ONO(+), gave a much closer fit in the very acidic region, while having little or no effect on the pH 6-3 section of the profile.     

Interaction of anions with perfluoro aromatic compounds

The complexes formed by a variety of anions with perfluoro derivatives of benzene, naphthalene, pyridine, thiophene, and furan have been calculated using DFT (B3LYP/6-31++G**) and MP2 (MP2/6-31++G** and MP2/6-311++G**) ab initio methods. The minimum structures show the anion interacting with the pi-cloud of the aromatic compounds. The interaction energies obtained range between -8 and -19 kcal mol(-1). The results obtained at the MP2/6-31++G** and MP2/6-311++G** levels are similar. However, the B3LYP/6-31++G** results provide longer interaction distances and smaller interaction energies than do the MP2 results. The interaction energies have been partitioned using an electrostatic, polarization, and van der Waals scheme. The AIM analysis of the electron density shows a variety of topologies depending on the aromatic system considered.     

Quantum vs. classical models of the nitro group for proton chemical shift calculations and conformational analysis

A model based on classical concepts is derived to describe the effect of the nitro group on proton chemical shifts. The calculated chemical shifts are then compared to ab initio (GIAO) calculated chemical shifts. The accuracy of the two models is assessed using proton chemical shifts of a set of rigid organic nitro compounds that are fully assigned in CDCl3 at 700 MHz. The two methods are then used to evaluate the accuracy of different popular post-SCF methods (B3LYP and MP2) and molecular mechanics methods (MMX and MMFF94) in calculating the molecular structure of a set of sterically crowded nitro aromatic compounds. Both models perform well on the rigid molecules used as a test set, although when using the GIAO method a general overestimation of the deshielding of protons near the nitro group is observed. The analysis of the sterically crowded molecules shows that the very popular B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) method produces very poor twist angles for these, and that using a larger basis set [6-311++G(2d,p)] gives much more reasonable results. The MP2 calculations, on the other hand, overestimate the twist angles, which for these compounds compensates for the deshielding effect generally observed for protons near electronegative atoms when using the GIAO method at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) level. The most accurate results are found when the structures are calculated using B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,p) level of theory, and the chemical shifts are calculated using the CHARGE program based on classical models.     

丁烯和丁烷自由基阳离子的分子结构和超精细结构的 理论研究

用密度函数理论B3LYP方法和6-31G(d,p),6-311G(d,p)及6-311+G(d,p)基组，分别对1-C4H^+~8,2-C4H^+~8和C4H^+~10进行了构型优化和频率分析计算，预言1-C4H^+~8具有非平面构型，与以往报道的从头算和密度函数理论计算结果不同。在各自由基阳离子的B3LYP构型上，进行了B3LYP、MP2及MRSDCI方法的超精细偶合常数计算，得到了比以往更好的结果，特别是MP2/B3LYP计算值是至今与实验值符合得最好的理论计算结果。     

Ab initio and DFT studies of the vibrational spectra of benzofuran and some of its derivatives

The vibrational spectra of benzofuran and some of its derivatives have been systematically investigated by ab initio and density functional B3LYP methods. The harmonic vibrational wavenumbers and intensity of vibrational bands were calculated at ab initio and DFT levels invoking different basis sets up to 6-311++g**. Vibrational assignments have been made and it has been found that the calculated DFT frequencies agree well in most cases with the observed frequencies for each molecule. Conformational studies have also been carried out and it is evident from ab initio calculations that 2(3H) benzofuranone is more stable than 3(2H) benzofuranone in support to our earlier semiempirical results.