A theoretical study of the chemical reaction between ethylene and N2H2

The interaction between the molecules ethylene and cis-N₂H₂ has been studied using a gaussian basis in a series of ab initio SCF calculations. The results obtained indicate that the synchronous hydrogen transfer reaction is a one-step reaction having an activation energy of around 60 kcal/mol. Our results do not lend support to the hypothesis that the rate of the overall reaction between C₂H₄ and N₂H₂ is controlled by the rate of isomerization of trans-diimide to the cis form.     

An ab initio study of the electronic structure of diimide

Ab initio calculations on the structure and geometry of the three isomers of N₂H₂ (trans-diimide, cis-diimide, and 1,1-dihydrodiazine) were performed both on HF and CI level using gaussian basis sets with polarization functions. The trans and cis isomers have singlet ground states; the trans isomer is found to be lower in energy than the cis isomer by 6.9 kcal/mol (HF) and 5.8 kcal/mol (CI), respectively. The barrier for the trans-cis isomerization is predicted to be 56 (HF) and 55 (CI) kcal/mol. H₂ N=N has a triplet ground state with a non-planar equilibrium geometry and a rather long NN bond of 1.34 Å. Its lowest singlet state, however, is planar with an NN double bond of 1.22 Å; it is found to lie about 3 kcal/mol above the triplet and 26 kcal/mol above the singlet ground state of trans-diimide.     

Derivatographic studies on transition metal complexes XV. Thermal isomerization of trans-[CrBr2pn2]Br.H2O in solid phase

The thermal trans-to-cis isomerization of [CrBr₂pn₂]Br·H₂O in a solid phase was studied by means of both derivatography and isothermal measurement. It was found that trans-[CrBr₂pn₂]Br·H₂O undergoes isomerization to the cis-complex by about 10% with complete dehydration followed by isomerization of the residual trans complex in the anhydrous state. It was characteristic of the complex, trans-[CrBr₂pn₂]Br·H₂O, that the thermal dehydration was remarkably rapid in comparison with that of the trans-[CoCl₂pn ₂](H₅O₂)Cl₂ and the isomerization of the cis complex occurred even in the anhydrous state though it did not in the corresponding cobalt(III) complex trans-[CoBr₂pn₂](H₅O₂)Br₂ in an analogous state.     

Derivatographic studies on transition metal complexes. XII. Thermal isomerization of trans-[CrBr2en2]Br·H2O and cis-[CrBr2tn2]Br·2 H2O in the solid phase

The thermal trans-to-cis isomerization of trans-[CrBr₂en₂]Br·H₂O and cis-to-trans isomerization of cis-[CrBr₂tn₂]Br·2 H₂O were studied by means of derivatographic and isothermal measurements. In both cases isomerization took place in anhydrous state after the complete dehydration. The activation energies for dehydration of the above two complexes were evaluated isothermally to be 61 and 38 kJ mole^?1, respectively, and for their isomerization to be 420 and 275 kJ mole^?1, respectively. These data were compared with those for the corresponding chloro complexes and the ease of isomerization between them was discussed.     

Homogeneous hydrogenation of alk-1-enes and alkynes catalyzed by the 1-[Ir(CO)(PhCN)(PPh3)]-7-C6H5-1,7-(σ-C2B10H10) complex

The complex [Ir(σ-carb)(CO)(PhCN)(PPh₃)], where carb = -7-C₆H₅-1,2C₂B₁₀H₁₀, was found to be an effective catalyst for homogeneous hydrogenation of terminal olefins and acetylenes at room temperature and atmospheric or subatmospheric hydrogen pressure. Internal olefins are not hydrogenated, but simple alk-1-enes are readily converted into the corresponding alkanes. Isomerization of the double bond catalyzed by the metal complex occurs at very small extent. Catalytic hydrogenation of olefins having carboxylate substituents on the unsaturated carbon atoms is prevented by the formation of thermally stable chelate hydridoalkyl complexes of the type I$\text{(H)}$(σ-CHRCHR′C(O)OR″) (σ-carb)(CO)(PPh₃)]. Acetylenes are hydrogenated to alkenes. The alk-1-enes formed in the hydrogenation of the alkynes HCCR in turn undergo the more slow reactions either of hydrogenation to alkanes or isomerization to internal olefins which cannot be further hydrogenated. Hydrogenation of alkynes of the type RCCR′ is stereospecifically cis, yielding cis- olefins. Catalyzed cis → trans isomerization reaction of these internal olefins occurs only to a negligeable extent.     

Delocalization resonance energy of the allylic radical from the geometrical isomerization of hexa-1,3,5-trienes

Thermal cis, trans geometrical isomerization theoretically involves a 90° twisted, singlet diradical-like transition state which may serve as a base for the examination of structural perturbations. Although thermal rearrangement of hexa-1, trans-3,5-triene (and all-trans octa-2,4,6-triene) to the cis isomer cannot be followed directly owing to subsequent cyclization and 1,5 hydrogen shifts, activation parameters for disappearance have been determined. Experimental complications and mechanistic uncertainties which make interpretation difficult are removed in the bicyclic hexatriene, cyclopentenylidenecyclopentene. These geometrical isomers undergo uncomplicated thermal cis, trans isomerization in vessels of lead-potash glass: log k₁ = 12·03±0·32?41·7±0·8/(0·004575T_abs). Extraction of a value for allylic delocalization energy from the behavior of hexa-1, trans-3,5-triene [log k₁ = 12·91 ± 0·47?44·3±1·2/(0·004575 T_abs)] requires corrections of the Dewar-Schmeising type for changes in hybridization of the σ bonds. Depending on whether ethylene or trans-butene is taken as standard, values of 12·2 and 13·1 kcal/mol are obtained (estimated uncertainty ± 2 kcal/mol).     

Ab initio MO and TST calculations for the rate constant of the HNO+NO2→HONO+NO reaction

Potential-energy surfaces for various channels of the HNO+NO₂ reaction have been studied at the G2M(RCC,MP2) level. The calculations show that direct hydrogen abstraction leading to the NO+cis-HONO products should be the most significant reaction mechanism. Based on TST calculations of the rate constant, this channel is predicted to have an activation energy of 6–7 kcal/mol and an A factor of ca. 10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ at ambient temperature. Direct H-abstraction giving NO+trans-HONO has a high barrier on PES and the formation of trans-HONO would rather occur by the addition/1,3-H shift mechanism via the HN(O)NO₂ intermediate or by the secondary isomerization of cis-HONO. The formation of NO+HNO₂ can take place by direct hydrogen transfer with the barrier of ca. 3 kcal/mol higher than that for the NO+cis-HONO channel. The formation of HNO₂ by oxygen abstraction is predicted to be the least significant reaction channel. The rate constant calculated in the temperature range 300–5000 K for the lowest energy path producing NO+cis-HONO gave rise to © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 729–736, 1998     

Ab initio calculations including electron correlation,and mindo/3 calculations on the system C2H+7

Ab initio SCF and CEPA PNO calculations have been performed together with MINDO/3 calculations on the system C₂H⁺₇. In agreement with experimental assignment, but in contradiction to MINDO/3 results, the ab initio methods show the CC protonated structure to be more stable than the CH protonated structure. The energy difference is 8.5 kcal/mol at the SCF level and 6.3 kcal/mol with inclusion of electron correlation. Additionally, ΔH⁰₃₀₀ for the reaction C₂H⁺_s + H₂ = C₂H⁺₇ and the proton affinity of ethane are computed.     

Asymmetric torsional potential function and conformational analysis of furfural by far infrared and Raman spectroscopy

The far i.r. (400-50 cm⁻¹) spectra of gaseous and solid furfural (2-furancarboxaldehyde), c-C₄H₃O (CHO), have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman (3500-20 cm⁻¹) spectra of the gas and liquid have been obtained at variable temperatures and the spectrum of the solid at 25 K. These data have been interpreted on the basis that the molecule exists in two different conformations in the fluid states and that the conformation which has the two oxygen atoms oriented in a trans configuration, OO-trans, is most stable (ΔH ⩽ 1 kcal/mol) in the gas; however, the conformation which has the two oxygen atoms oriented cis, OO-cis, is preferred in the liquid (ΔH = 1.07 ± 0.03 kcal/mol) and is the only rotamer present in the spectra of the solid. The asymmetric torsional fundamental for the OO-trans rotamer has been observed at 146.25 cm⁻¹ in the far i.r. spectrum of the vapor and has five accompanying “hot bands”. The corresponding fundamental for the OO-cis rotamer has been observed at 127.86 cm⁻¹ along with a “hot band” which occurs at 127.46 cm⁻¹. From these data a cosine-based potential function governing internal rotation of the CHO top has been determined and the potential coefficients have values of V₁ = 173 ± 2, V₂ = 3112 ± 20, V₃ = 113 ± 2 and V₄ = −198 ± 6 cm⁻¹. This potential is consistent with an enthalpy difference between the more stable OO-trans and high energy OO-cis conformers being 286 ± 24 cm⁻¹ (818 ± 67 cal/mol) and a trans to cis barrier height of 3255 ± 20 cm⁻¹ (9.31 ± 0.06 kcal/mol). These results are compared to the corresponding quantities obtained previously from microwave spectroscopy and theoretical methods.     

Etude du mecanisme de photolyse des complexes cis- et trans-[PtCl2(C2H4)(4-CH3C5H4N)]. Influence de la concentration et de la longueur d'onde

Photodimerization, photoisomerization and photosubstitution quantum yields are measured for cis- and trans-[PtCl₂(C₂H₄)(4-CH₃C₅H₄N)], at various concentrations and wavelengths. Dissociation of the platinumethylene bond o?curs with a quantum yield nearly unity when the cis-compléx is irradiated in the charge transfer bands 5d → π^*(C₂H₄). Dissociation is also observed, but with a lower efficiency, at longer wavelengths. A cis → trans-photoisomerization reaction, probably via a low energy dd excited state is observed at 313,366 and 405 nm, with a constant quantum yield.     

Alkyl and dialkylammonium tetrafluoroborate catalyzed cis-trans isomerization of 1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-triphenylcyclotrisiloxane

Alkyl and dialkylammonium tetrafluoroborate promoted cis-trans isomerization of 1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-triphenylcyclotrisiloxane (1) in DMSO-d₆ were studied. The isomerization equilibrium constant K are within the range of 3.74-3.30 from 22 to 47 °C. Thermodynamic parameters of ΔH° and ΔS° for the isomerization were −0.95 kcal/mol and −0.59 cal/mol-K respectively. The isomerization rate is first order in [cis-1] and second order in [R_nNH_4−nBF₄]. Both components of R_nNH_4−n⁺ and BF₄⁻ are essential for the catalytic cis-trans isomerization. The catalytic strength follows the decreasing order of ⁺H₃N(CH₂)₆NH₃⁺>n-C₈H₁₇NH₃⁺>n-C₁₆H₃₃NH₃⁺>Me₃CNH₃⁺>PhCH₂NH₃⁺>Et₂NH₂⁺?Ph₂CHNH₃⁺, Et₃NH⁺. Inversion region was observed in the plot of ln(k_f/T) versus (1/T) with the ceiling located at around 38 °C. The positive activation enthalpy of 9 kcal/mol was estimated at 22-32 °C. The activation enthalpy turns to be slightly negative at T>38 °C.     

Thermal cis–trans isomerization and decomposition of polyacetylene

Thermal cis-trans isomerization and decomposition of polyacetylene film prepared with a Ti(OC₄H₉)₄–Al(C₂H₅)₃ (Al/Ti = 4) system were investigated under inert gas or in vacuum by means of thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Thermograms of differential thermal analysis of cis-polyacetylene revealed the existence of two exothermic peaks at 145 and 325°C and one endothermic peak at 420°C which were assigned to cis-trans isomerization, hydrogen migration accompanied with crosslinking reaction, and thermal decomposition, respectively. The isomerization was followed by infrared spectroscopy over the temperature range 75–115°C. The reaction did not obey simple kinetics. The apparent activation energy for the cis-trans isomerization was 17.0 kcal/mole for the polymer containing 88% cis configuration and increased with increasing trans content up to 38.8 kcal/mole for 80% trans content.     

Kinetic analysis of cis-trans thermal isomerization of polyacetylene

A single broad exothermic peak due to cis-trans isomerization appears near 140°C in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curve of polyacetylene (PA) films, polymerized by a nonsolvent method using a high-temperature-aged catalyst. This exothermic peakis described by a two-state model, in which population probabilities for cis and trans states are assumed to change through the forward and backward reactions. The enthalpy difference between the two states is 1.69 kcal/mol, which was derived from the slope of the plot of heat of isomerization versus cis content. The activation energy was determined experimentally from the heating-rate dependence of the peak temperature. A single activated process with an activation energy of 28 kcal/mol was observed for the PA film. Other parameters such as the preexponential factor were estimated by comparing theoretical and experimental DSC curves.     

Ab initio studies of isomerization and dissociation reactions of methyl peroxynitrate

Using the CCSD(T)/cc-pVDZ//B3LYP/6-311G(2d,2p) method, we calculated the detailed potential energy surfaces (PESs) for the unimolecular isomerization and decomposition of methyl peroxynitrate (CH₃O₂NO₂). The results show that there are the two most stable isomers, IS1a and IS1b, which are a pair of mirror image isomers. From IS1a and IS1b, different isomerization and unimolecular decomposition reaction channels have been studied and discussed. Among them, the predominant thermal decomposition pathways are those leading to CH₃O₂ + NO₂ and cis-CH₃ONO + O₂. The former is the lowest-energy path through the direct O–N bond rupture in IS1a or IS1b. The PES along the O–N bond in IS1a has been scanned, where the energy of IS1a reaches maximum value of 23.5 kcal/mol when the O–N bond is stretched to about 2.8 Å. This energy is 2.7 kcal/mol larger than the O–N bond dissociation energy (BDE) and 2.8 kcal/mol larger than the experimental active energy. In addition, because the energy barriers of IS1a isomerization to IS2a are 23.8 kcal/mol, close to the 20.8 kcal/mol O–N BDE in IS1a or IS1b, the isomerization reaction may compete with the direct bond rupture dissociation reaction.     

A theoretical comparison of the lowest-lying singlet and triplet states of H2CBe and of HCBeH

The low-lying singlet and triplet states of H₂CBe and HCBeH are examined using ab inito molecular orbital theory. In agreement with earlier results, the lowest-lying structure of H₂CBe has C_2v symmetry and is a triplet with one π electron (³ B₁). The results presented here suggest that the lowest-energy singlet structure is the (¹B₁) open-shell singlet, also with C_2v symmetry, at least 2.5 kcal/mol higher in energy. The singlet C_2v structure with two π electrons (¹A₁) is 15.9 kcal/mol higher than ³B₁. All of these structures are bound with respect to the ground state of methylene and the beryllium atom. In HCBeH, linear equilibrium geometries are found for the triplet (³Σ) and singlet (¹Δ) states. The triplet is more stable than the singlet (¹Δ) by 35.4 kcal/mol, and is only 2.9 kcal/mol higher in energy than triplet H₂ CBe. Since the transition structure connecting these two triplet molecules is found to be 50.2 kcal/mol higher in energy than H₂ CBe, both triplet equilibrium species might exist independently. The harmonic vibrational frequencies of all structures are also reported.     

Study of the transition state in the isomerization of trans-N2F2 to cis-N2F2 by extended Hückel theory

Conclusion The quantitative agreement with experimental barrier height and the extra stabilization energy of cis-N₂F₂ over trans-N₂F₂ may not be considered to be very good, but this is only to be expected as small differences between large quantities are being calculated. It appears from our present calculations that the use of Cusachs relation for evaluating the off-diagonal matrix elements in this system is open to question since the experimentally observed planarity of N₂F₂ is not correctly predicted by the use of this relation. We therefore prefer the use of the Wolfsberg-Helmholz relation in this system. A value of K= 1.75 appears to be preferable. The results of all the E.H.T. calculations made here for difluorodiazine clearly show that a twisted transition state is more probable than a linear one (LT or LC) in the isomerization of trans-N₂F₂ to cis-N₂F₂. This conclusion also receives further support from a consideration of the high preexponential factor in the rate equation [1] and the multiplicity of the transition state.     

Quantum mechanical study of energetics and mechanisms of cis–trans isomerization of some four-membered heterocycles

Ab initio quantum mechanical calculations using density functional (B3LYP) method and 6-311G** basis set have been performed on two cis and trans conformers of 2,4-diphenyl thietane dioxide (DPTD), 2,4-diphenyl thietane (DPT), 2,4-diphenyl azetidine (DPA) and 2,4-diphenyl oxetane (DPO). The calculated stability energy for cis–trans isomerization in gas phase and in different solvents such as benzene, DMSO, water and methanol indicated that the cis conformer is more stable than trans in all above-mentioned compounds about 11–2 kcal mol^?1. In the next step, a transition states for cis–trans inter-conversion for all four-membered heterocycles (DPTD, DPT, DPA and DPO) were proposed in methanol as solvent. Thermodynamic functions such as standard enthalpies of isomerization (?Hº_iso), standard entropy of isomerization (?Sº_iso) and standard Gibbs free energy of isomerization (?Gº_iso) for all studied compounds were also evaluated. The calculation showed that the conversion of trans to cis isomer is exothermic and spontaneous. In all calculations, solvent effects were considered using a polarized continuum model.     

A DFT study of a novel oxime anticancer trans platinum complex: Monofunctional and bifunctional binding to purine bases

The first and second substitution reactions binding of the anticancer drug trans‐[Pt((CH₃)₂C?NOH)((CH₃)₂CHNH₂)Cl₂] to purine bases were studied computationally using a combination of density functional theory and isoelectric focusing polarized continuum model approach. Our calculations demonstrate that the trans monoaqua and diaqua reactant complexes (RCs) can generate either trans‐ or cis‐monoadducts via identical or very similar trans trigonal‐bipyramidal transition‐state structures. Furthermore, these monoadducts can subsequently close by coordination to the adjacent purine bases to form 1,2‐intrastrand Pt‐DNA adducts and eventually distort DNA in the same way as cisplatin. Thus, it is likely that the transplatin analogues have the same mechanism of anticancer activity as cisplatin. For the first substitutions, the activation free energies of monoaqua complexes are always lower than that of diaqua complexes. The lowest activation energy for monoaqua substitutions is 16.2 kcal/mol for guanine and 16.5 kcal/mol for adenine, whereas the lowest activation energy for diaqua substitutions is 17.1 kcal/mol for guanine and 25.9 kcal/mol for adenine. For the second substitutions, the lowest activation energy from trans‐monoadduct to trans‐diadduct is 19.1 kcal/mol for GG adduct and 20.7 kcal/mol for GA adduct, whereas the lowest activation energy from cis‐monoadduct to cis‐diadduct is 18.9 kcal/mol for GG adduct and 18.5 kcal/mol for GA adduct. In addition, the first and second substitutions prefer guanine over adenine, which is explained by the remarkable larger complexation energy for the initial RC in combination with lower activation energy for the guanine substitution. Overall, the hydrogen‐bonds play an important role in stabilizing these species of the first and second substitutions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Dissociation of diimide

Parts of the potential energy surface of N₂H₂ have been studied using CASSCF- and contracted CI-methods. Of particular interest was the concerted dissociation of cis- and trans-diimide into N₂ and H₂, since the trans-dissociation is symmetry allowed and the cis-dissociation forbidden. Three different saddle points were located, of which only one, of C ₂- symmetry, is a true transition state. Elaborate numerical gradient methods using exact Hessians and update procedures had to be used to find these saddle points on the unexpectedly complex N₂H₂-surface. The barrier height with respect to trans-diimide is 61 kcal/mol after vibration correction. Since this energy is higher than the barrier for interconversion, cis- and trans-diimide have the same transition state. It is further found that diimide preferably dissociates stepwise, by losing one hydrogen at a time, rather than in a concerted way. This conclusion is drawn basically because the geometry of the transition state for the concerted dissociation has a very long H-H distance of 5.6 a.u. The N-H bond energy in trans-diimide is 56 kcal/mol after vibration correction.     

Solid-phase ligand substitution processes by outer-sphere anions in isomeric mixed-ligand hexamine chromium(III) complexes

The mixed-ligand complex compoundscis- andtrans-[Cr(en)₂(NH₂CH₃)₂]Br(B₁₀H₁₀) were synthetized. It was demonstrated by IR spectroscopy that the hydrogen atoms of the anions B₁₀H ₁₀ ^2? carrying the negative charge interact with the proton of the amino group in the coordinated amine, forming the bond system N-H-H-B. The complex salts obtained have high densities (d ²⁰=1.55 g/cm³ and 1.47 g/cm³ for thecis andtrans isomer, respectively) and high thermal stability 230–250 °C. At 250–270 °C both thecis and thetrans compound dissociate, with simultaneous substitution of two methylamine molecules in the coordination sphere of the chromium(III) ion by the anions Br^? and B₁₀H ₁₀ ^2? . The process is described by the topochemical equationf(α)=(1?α)^2/3 (reaction on the interface of the phases), and is characterized by high values of the kinetic parameters: E_a=510–524 kJ/mol, logA=49.9–50.2. We found that the value ofE _a for the amine substitution process in thecis compound, determined by evolved gas analysis under non-isothermal conditions, decreases by 220 kJ/mol when the heating rate is increased from 5.0 to 7.5 deg/min. This finding can be explained in that when the heating rate is increased, the intervals in which thecis- trans isomerization and ligand substitution reactions proceed come closer to one another, and finally overlap; the activation energy of the isomerization process then compensates part of the energy required for activation of the ligand substitution process.