Diffuse reflectance spectra of iron(III) vanadates

The electronic spectra of solid iron(III) vanadates FeVO₄ and Fe₂V₄O₁₃ were investigated by the diffuse reflectance technique in the spectral range 12 500–50 000 cm⁻¹. The spectra of investigated vanadates contain 2–3 intensive CT bands in the UV region and two lowest energy d–d bands in the 12 000–22 000 cm⁻¹ range. The presence of the weak bands for FeVO₄ and Fe₂V₄O₁₃ at 16 500 cm⁻¹ and 20 500 cm⁻¹ points to the lattice deffects (oxygen deficiency and the presence of the V⁴⁺ ions) in the structure of investigated vanadates.     

Formation of interstellar vinyl alcohol via simple radical processes: Theoretical study

Density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6‐31++G(d,p) level of theory were employed to verify whether the formation of vinyl alcohol (VA) in the interstellar medium can be explained by reactions of common and abundant interstellar species such as acetylene, radicals C₂, HC? C · , · OH, and H · . Several reaction sequences are possible. They include radical combinations, which proceed without activation barriers and are highly exothermic. The reactions of closed‐shell species acetylene and HC?C‐OH with hydrogen atoms, as well as H‐transfer and OH‐rotation processes, might require activation energy. Nevertheless, either the corresponding transition states lay below the reactant level or there are alternative routes that involve no transition states at all, such as the reaction sequences C₂ → HC?C · → HC?CH → trans‐syn‐HC( · )?CH‐OH → syn‐VA; C₂ → HC?C · → syn‐?C?CH‐OH → (trans or cis)‐syn‐HC( · )?CH‐OH → syn‐VA; and C₂ → · C?C‐OH → syn‐:C?CH‐OH → (trans or cis)‐syn‐HC( · )?CH‐OH → syn‐VA. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004     

Encapsulation of the interstellar abundant H3+ in a C60 fullerene

The possible encapsulation of the interstellar abundant H₃⁺ ion inside a C₆₀ fullerene cage has been examined by using the Hartree‐Fock (HF) and the second order Møller‐Plesset perturbation (MP2) methods both with the 6‐31G** basis set. It was found that H₃⁺ forms various stable endohedral complexes inside the cage. Six configurations have been examined among which four were stable compared with the separated initial species, the dissociated H₂ + H⁺ inside the cage being the most stable. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Range of Validity of a Simplified Model for Diffuse Charge Dynamics

The modelling of electrochemical processes often requires the solution of the Poisson‐Nernst‐Planck (PNP) equations. In complex geometries, such as porous electrodes, that is challenging due to the presence of disparate length scales, ranging from the Debye screening length (～nm) to the device length scale (～cm). To overcome this difficulty, one often assumes that the electric double layer (EDL) is at quasi‐equilibrium to construct a simplified model that accounts for ion diffusion in the electro‐neutral bulk of the electrolyte while replacing the EDLs with appropriate boundary conditions. Various researchers have demonstrated that such an approach is valid in the asymptotic limit of a thin EDL and moderate electrode potentials. In this note, we explore the range of validity of this approximation by considering a one‐dimensional electrolytic cell with blocking electrodes subjected to a step change and time‐periodic alternations in the electrodes’ potentials by calculating the errors associated with the approximate approach as functions of the EDL thickness and electric field frequency and intensity. Additionally, we delineate numerical instabilities associated with the numerical solutions of the bulk equations with the nonlinear boundary condition peculiar to this problem.     

Unravelling Hot Spots: a comprehensive computational mutagenesis study

As protein–protein interactions are critical for all biological functions, representing a large and important class of targets for human therapeutics, identification of protein–protein interaction sites and detection of specific amino acid residues that contribute to the specificity and strength of protein interactions is very important in the biochemistry field. Alanine scanning mutagenesis has allowed the discovery of energetically crucial determinants for protein association that have been defined as hot spots. Systematic experimental mutagenesis is very laborious and time-consuming to perform, and thus it is important to achieve an accurate, predictive computational methodology for alanine scanning mutagenesis, capable of reproducing the experimental mutagenesis values. Having as a basis the MM–PBSA approach first developed by Massova et al., we performed a complete study of the influence of the variation of different parameters, such as the internal dielectric constant, the solvent representation, and the number of trajectories, in the accuracy of the free energy binding differences. As a result, we present here a very simple and fast methodological approach that achieved an overall success rate of 82% in reproducing the experimental mutagenesis data.Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Surface chemistry of InP quantum dots: a comprehensive study

Advanced (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P solution and solid-state NMR studies combined with IR spectroscopy were used to probe, at the molecular scale, the composition and the surface chemistry of indium phosphide (InP) quantum dots (QDs) prepared via a non-coordinating solvent strategy. This nanomaterial can be described as a core-multishell object: an InP core, with a zinc blende bulk structure, is surrounded first by a partially oxidized surface shell, which is itself surrounded by an organic coating. This organic passivating layer is composed, in the first coordination sphere, of tightly bound palmitate ligands which display two different bonding modes. A second coordination sphere includes an unexpected dialkyl ketone and residual long-chain non-coordinating solvents (ODE and its isomers) which interact through weak intermolecular bonds with the alkyl chains of the carboxylate ligands. We show that this ketone is formed during the synthesis process via a decarboxylative coupling route and provides oxidative conditions which are responsible for the oxidation of the InP core surface. This phenomenon has a significant impact on the photoluminescence properties of the as-synthesized QDs and probably accounts for the failure of further growth of the InP core.     

DFT study of the IR and Raman spectra of a fluorescent dendron built from cyclotriphosphazene core

Combined experimental and theoretical studies on molecular structure of the zero generation dendron, built from the hexafunctional cyclotriphosphazene core, with five OC₆H₄(CH₂)₂NHSO₂C₁₀H₆N(CH₃)₂ terminal groups and one oxybenzaldehyde group G₀ are reported. The Fourier transform Raman and IR spectra of G₀ have been recorded. Conformations of low energy isomers of G₀ have been studied at quantum-chemical level. The optimized geometry has been calculated by density functional (DFT) method at the PBE/TZ2P level of theory. The theoretical geometrical parameters, harmonic vibrational frequencies, IR intensities and Raman scattering activities are predicted in a good agreement with the experimental data. It was found that dendron molecule G₀ has a concave lens structure with planar OC₆H₄CHO fragments and slightly non-planar cyclotriphosphazene core. Relying on DFT calculations the bands of the core and terminal groups were assigned. The frequencies of ν(NH) bands in the IR spectrum reveal the presence of the H-bonds in the dendron.     

Nonadiabatic quantum dynamics of Br2 in solid Ar: A four-dimensional study of the B to C state predissociation

Quantum dynamics simulations are performed for a diatomics-in-molecules based model of Br₂ in solid Ar which incorporates four nuclear degrees of freedom and four electronic states. The nuclear motions comprise two large amplitude coordinates describing the Br₂ bond distance and an effective symmetry-preserving matrix mode. Two symmetry-lowering harmonic modes are added in the spirit of linear vibronic coupling theory. Initiating the dynamics on the B state by means of an ultrafast laser pulse, nonadiabatic transitions to the two degenerate C states are monitored and the effect of vibrational preexcitation in the electronic ground state is investigated.     

Nitrogen-rich 5,5'-bistetrazolates and their potential use in propellant systems: a comprehensive study

A large variety of twice-deprotonated nitrogen-rich 5,5'-bistetrazolates, that is, the ammonium (1), hydrazinium (2), hydroxylammonium (3), guanidinium (4), aminoguanidinium (5), diaminoguanidinium (6), triaminoguanidinium (7), and diaminouronium (8) salts, have been synthesized. Energetic compounds 1-8 were fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (except 8), NMR spectroscopy, IR and Raman spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. With respect to their potential use in propellant applications, the sensitivity towards impact, friction, and electrical discharge were determined. Several propulsion and detonation parameters (e.g., heat of explosion, detonation velocity) were computed by using the EXPLO5 computer code based on calculated (CBS-4M) heats of formation and X-ray densities. Additionally, the performance of 1-8 in various formulations was investigated by calculating the specific energy and specific impulse of the compounds under isochoric conditions.     

Reactions of reducing radicals with 2- and 3-nitroanilines in aqueous solutions: a pulse radiolysis study

Reactions of 2- and 3-nitro anilines (2- and 3-NA) with e_aq⁻, H-atoms and one-electron reductants have been studied using pulse radiolysis in aqueous solutions. Reactions of e_aq⁻ were found to be quite fast with both 2-NA and 3-NA resulting in their corresponding semi-reduced species which are reducing in nature. Reduction potentials for 2-NA/2-Na^•′ have been estimated to be approx. −0.56 Vvs. NHE and that for 3-NA/3-NA^•− was found to be between −0.185 V and −0.45 Vvs. NHE. Semi-reduced 2-NA has main absorption peak at 300 nm with a shoulder in the 350 nm region and a broad weak band in the 470–500 nm region, whereas semi-reduced 3-NA possesses an absorption peak at 520 nm. Reducing radicals such as (CH₃)₂ C^•OH and CO₂^•− reacted with 2-NA, producing semi-reduced species, whereas reactions of these radicals with 3-NA produced their corresponding radical-adduct species.     

Porphyrins with exocyclic rings. Part 25: synthesis of porphyrins with a fused cyclic ether subunit from tetrahydro-4H-pyan-4-one

A novel porphyrin system with a fused dihydropyran ring has been synthesized from commercially available 4-oxotetrahydropyran. The cyclic ketone reacted with oximes derived from acetoacetate esters in the presence of zinc dust, sodium propionate, and propionic acid at 150-155 °C to give good yields of 5-oxatetrahydroindoles. A low yield of a benzo-fused analog was also obtained using 4-oxochromanone as the starting reagent. Reaction of the b-annelated pyrroles with N-chlorosuccinimide gave the 7-chloro-derivatives and these underwent an acid catalyzed condensation with α-unsubstituted pyrroles to give dipyrrolic products linked by a dihydropyran moiety. Hydrogenolysis of a dipyrrole dibenzyl ester gave the corresponding dicarboxylic acid and this was converted into a dialdehyde by treatment with TFA-CH(OMe)₃. MacDonald ‘2+2’ condensation with two different dipyrrylmethanes under optimized conditions afforded the porphyrin ethers in 30-36% yield. This approach provides a pilot study for the synthesis of porphyrin crown ether structures. In addition, insightful results on the conformations of dihydropyran-linked dipyrroles were obtained by careful examination of their proton NMR spectra in CDCl₃ and DMSO-d₆.     

Coordination behaviour of nicotinamide: an infrared spectroscopic study

A series of Hofmann-type complexes containing two nicotinamide(nia) molecules attached to transition metal (II) (M) tetracyanonickelate frame with the formula: M(nia)₂Ni(CN)₄ (where M=Mn, Co, Ni, Cu or Cd) have been synthesised for the first time. Metal (II) halide complexes of nicotinamide complexes of the type [M(nia)₂X₂ (M=Cd, Ni, Cu, Hg; X=Cl, Br) and Ni(nia)₄Br₂ nia=nicotinamide] have also synthesised. The FTIR spectra are reported in the 4000-400 cm⁻¹ region. Vibrational assignments are given for all the observed bands. The analysis of the vibrational spectra indicates that there are some structure-spectra correlations. A pronounced change was observed in the N-H stretching frequencies of the NH₂ group. It is proposed that the amide NH₂ group influence by the intramolecular hydrogen bond in the complexes. The coordination effect on the nicotinamide modes is analysed.     

Effect of surface parameters on the performance of IgG-arrayed hydrogel chips: a comprehensive study

In this article, the assay performance of 3D polyurethane (PU) hydrogel surfaces, used either plain or modified with cross linkers and additives in a direct immunoassay for IgG, is correlated with chip surface parameters such as water content and expansion, mechanical stability, hydrophilicity, thickness, and surface topography. Commercial chip surfaces ARChip Epoxy, Nexterion slide H and HydroGel are used as references. A strong correlation between assay sensitivity and physical surface parameters was found only for various hydrogels of the same chemical composition, in which cases assay sensitivity increases with decreasing hydrogel concentration as well as decreasing roughness, water content, and expansion. However, as is the case with all hydrogels tested, more hydrophobic layers with low water content are more highly reproducible from one measurement to another.     

Spectroscopic and inclusion properties of G-series chemical warfare agents and their simulants: a DFT study

A computational protocol to predict the infrared spectra of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) tabun (GA), sarin (GB), soman (GD) and cyclosarin (GF) has been developed. Sarin was used to benchmark the method through gas phase simulations. DFT calculations using the EDF2 functional and diffuse 6-311++G** basis set was found to give the closest match to experimental infrared spectra. Using the same functional the 6-31G (2df, 2p) basis set was found to be superior when hydrated sarin was modelled. GA, GB, GD and GF, together with 11 commonly used simulants, were modelled in the gas and hydrated states. Complexes of GB and a number of CWA mimics with α-cyclodextrin were modelled to give insight into their different modes of inclusion.     

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a tool for the study of rare earths carbohydrates complexes

FT-IR spectra of the mixtures of praseodymium chloride and glucose in glassy state were investigated. From the changes of relative intensity and shifts of the characteristic frequency of glucose and water, it is concluded that the coordinated water molecules of the praseodymium ions are partially substituted by glucose through O-H groups which coordinated with praseodymium ions to form chelate ions.     

Boron equilibria with high molecular weight guar: An NMR study

Equilibrium constants have been derived from ¹¹B-NMR spectra for water-soluble complexes between borate anion and high molecular weight guar (e.g., 2 × 10⁶ Da). The validity of constants was confirmed by their ability to predict the pH changes measured on mixing various combinations of sodium borate, guar, and caustic into aqueous salt solutions, by correlation of computed crosslink concentrations with the dynamic storage modulii measured on the same fluids, as well as published G′ data for borate/guar/HPG gels. A smooth correlation was also found between the computed crosslink concentrations and the viscosities of borate/guar gels (measured at constant shear). These equilibrium constants were also of the same order as those published for simple sugars forming six-member rings with borate anion. The stoichiometries of the complexes were obtained directly from the NMR peak areas rather than by analogy with simple, single-ring sugars, and at the low concentrations of chemicals used to produce moderately viscous fluids [e.g., 5700 CP at 1.5 mM boron, 10 g/L guar, and 4% salt]. The required analytical sensitivity was achieved with a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Investigation of manganese metal coordination in proteins: a comprehensive PDB analysis and quantum mechanical study

Structural Chemistry - Manganese (Mn) is an important metal that is crucial in biological cell mechanism and function. However, its binding mechanism is poorly characterized. In the present study,...     

1H NMR analysis of O‐methyl‐inositol isomers: a joint experimental and theoretical study

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of ¹H NMR chemical shifts for l ‐quebrachitol isomers were performed using the B3LYP functional employing the 6‐31G(d,p) and 6‐311 + G(2d,p) basis sets. The effect of the solvent on the B3LYP‐calculated NMR spectrum was accounted for using the polarizable continuum model. Comparison is made with experimental ¹H NMR spectroscopic data, which shed light on the average uncertainty present in DFT calculations of chemical shifts and showed that the best match between experimental and theoretical B3LYP ¹H NMR profiles is a good strategy to assign the molecular structure present in the sample handled in the experimental measurements. Among four plausible O‐methyl‐inositol isomers, the l ‐quebrachitol 2a structure was unambiguously assigned based only on the comparative analysis of experimental and theoretical ¹H NMR chemical shift data. The B3LYP infrared (IR) spectrum was also calculated for the four isomers and compared with the experimental data, with analysis of the theoretical IR profiles corroborating assignment of the 2a structure. Therefore, it is confirmed in this study that a combined experimental/DFT spectroscopic investigation is a powerful tool in structural/conformational analysis studies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.