Lewis-based valence bond scheme: application to the allyl cation

A method for expressing the wave function in terms of Lewis structures is proposed and tested on the allyl cation. This computational scheme is called valence bond BOND (VBB). The compact VBB wave function gives consistent results with the breathing orbital valence bond method (BOVB) for the resonance energy of the allyl cation (54 and 55 kcal/mol for VBB and BOVB, respectively). The optimization of the sigma orbitals, in such a way they adapt to each resonance structure, makes use of the breathing orbital effect. It is shown that this "breathing" of the sigma frame is more efficient in the resonant hybrid than in the localized state, so that a resonance energy of 63 kcal/mol is obtained at this level of computation.     

Equilibrium acidities and homolytic bond dissociation energies of acidic C-H bonds in alpha-arylacetophenones and related compounds

The equilibrium acidities (pK(AH)s) and the oxidation potentials of the congugate anions [E(ox)(A(-))s] were determined in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for eight ketones of the structure GCOCH(3) and 20 of the structure RCOCH(2)G, (where R = alkyl, phenyl and G = alkyl, aryl). The homolytic bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for the acidic C-H bonds of the ketones were estimated using the equation BDE(AH) = 1.37pK(AH) + 23.1E(ox)(A(-)) + 73.3. While the equilibrium acidities of GCOCH(3) were found to be dependent on the remote substituent G, the BDE values for the C-H bonds remained essentially invariant (93.5 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol). A linear correlation between pK(AH) values and [E(ox)(A(-))s] was found for the ketones. For RCOCH(2)G ketones, both pK(AH) and BDE values for the adjacent C-H bonds are sensitive to the nature of the substituent G. However, the steric bulk of the aryl group tends to exert a leveling effect on BDEs. The BDE of alpha-9-anthracenylacetophenone is higher than that of alpha-2-anthracenylacetophenone by 3 kcal/mol, reflecting significant steric inhibition of resonance in the 9-substituted system. A range of 80.7-84.4 kcal/mol is observed for RCOCH(2)G ketones. The results are discussed in terms of solvation, steric, and resonance effects. Ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations are employed to illustrate the effect of steric interactions on radical and anion geometries. The DFT results parallel the trends in the experimental BDEs of alpha-arylacetophenones.     

Formation of a 1-bicyclo[1.1.1]pentyl anion and an experimental determination of the acidity and C-H bond dissociation energy of 3-tert-butylbicyclo[1.1.1]pentane

Decarboxylation of 1-bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanecarboxylate anion does not afford 1-bicyclo[1.1.1]pentyl anion as previously assumed. Instead, a ring-opening isomerization which ultimately leads to 1,4-pentadien-2-yl anion takes place. A 1-bicyclo[1.1.1]pentyl anion was prepared nevertheless via the fluoride-induced desilylation of 1-tert-butyl-3-(trimethylsilyl)bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane. The electron affinity of 3-tert-butyl-1-bicyclo[1.1.1]pentyl radical (14.8 plus minus 3.2 kcal/mol) was measured by bracketing, and the acidity of 1-tert-butylbicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (408.5 +/- 0.9) was determined by the DePuy kinetic method. These values are well-reproduced by G2 and G3 calculations and can be combined in a thermodynamic cycle to provide a bridgehead C-H bond dissociation energy (BDE) of 109.7 +/- 3.3 kcal/mol for 1-tert-butylbicyclo[1.1.1]pentane. This bond energy is the strongest tertiary C-H bond to be measured, is much larger than the corresponding bond in isobutane (96.5 +/- 0.4 kcal/mol), and is more typical of an alkene or aromatic compound. The large BDE can be explained in terms of hybridization.     

Bond dissocation and conformational energetics of tetrasulfur: a quantum Monte Carlo study

Variational Monte Carlo (VMC) and fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) calculations are performed for S4. The effect of single- and multireference trial functions, as well as choice of orbitals, is investigated for its effect on the quality of the Monte Carlo estimates. Estimates of symmetric (two S2 molecules) and asymmetric (S atom and S3 molecule) bond dissociation are reported. The conformational change of S4 from C2v to D2h defines a double-well potential and is also estimated. Multireference DMC with natural orbitals (DMC/NO) estimates the energy of the conformational change as 1.20(20) kcal/mol; the dissociation of the long S-S single bond is estimated at 21.1(1.3) kcal/mol, and the asymmetric bond energy is estimated as 53.2(2.4) kcal/mol. An estimate of the total atomization energy using multireference DMC/NO gives a value of 219.5(2.2) kcal/mol. The relative quality of result and implications for simplified trial function design are discussed.     

Triradical thermochemistry from collision-induced dissociation threshold energy measurements. The heat of formation of 1,3,5-trimethylenebenzene.

A method for measuring the heats of formation of triradicals using energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (CID) of chloro-substituted biradical negative ions is described. This method is applied to the determination of the heat of formation of 1,3,5-trimethylenebenzene, which was generated by CID of the 5-chloromethyl-m-xylylene ion. The measured CID threshold energy for chloride loss (0.83 +/- 0.07 eV) is combined with the electron affinity of the 5-chloromethyl-m-xylylene biradical (1.120 +/- 0.059 eV) to give a heat of formation of the triradical of 111.0 +/- 4.1 kcal/mol that agrees with the bond additivity value of 109.3 +/- 2.1 kcal/mol. The measured heat of formation indicates a third C-H bond dissociation energy (BDE) in 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene of 88.2 +/- 5.0 kcal/mol, indistinguishable from the C-H BDE in toluene or the first or second C-H BDEs in m-xylene. The results are in agreement with the predictions made on the basis of simple qualitative and high-level molecular orbital theories that predict negligible interaction between the unpaired electrons in the high-spin triradical.     

Experimental determination of the alpha and beta C--H bond dissociation energies in naphthalene

The acidities of the two different sites in naphthalene (1alpha and 1beta) and the electron affinities of the alpha- and beta-naphthyl radicals were measured using a Fourier transform mass spectrometer. Both carbon-hydrogen bond dissociation energies for naphthalene also were obtained, in this case via the application of a thermodynamic cycle. The final results are DeltaH(o)acid (1alpha) = 394.2+/-1.2 kcal mol(-1), DeltaH(o)acid (1beta) = 395.5+/-1.3 kcal mol(-1), EA(alpha) = 31.6+/-0.5 kcal mol(-1), EA(beta) = 31.6+/-0.5 kcal mol(-1), BDE(1alpha) = 112.2+/-1.3 kcal mol(-1) and BDE(1alpha) = 111.9+/-1.4 kcal mol(-1), and they are compared to benzene and phenyl radical as well as ab initio and density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations.     

Critical re-evaluation of the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy in phenol

The gas-phase O-H bond dissociation enthalpy, BDE, in phenol provides an essential benchmark for calibrating the O-H BDEs of other phenols, data which aids our understanding of the reactivities of phenols, such as their relevant antioxidant activities. In a recent review, the O-H BDE for phenol was presented as 90 +/- 3 kcal mol(-1) (Acc. Chem. Res. 2003, 36, 255-263). Due to the large margin of error, such a parameter cannot be used for dynamic interpretations nor can it be used as an anchor point in the development of more advanced computational models. We have reevaluated the existing experimental gas-phase data (thermolyses and ion chemistry). The large errors and variations in thermodynamic parameters associated with the gas-phase ion chemistry methods produce inconsistent results, but the thermolytic data has afforded a value of 87.0 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1). Next, the effect of solvent has been carefully scrutinized in four liquid-phase methods for measuring the O-H BDE in phenol: photoacoustic calorimetry, one-electron potential measurements, an electrochemical cycle, and radical equilibrium electron paramagnetic resonance (REqEPR). The enthalpic effect due to solvation, by, e.g., water, could be rigorously accounted for by means of an empirical model and the difference in hydrogen bond interactions of the solvent with phenol and the phenoxyl radical. For the REqEPR method, a second correction is required since the calibration standard, the O-H BDE in 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol, had to be revised. From the gas-phase thermolysis data and three liquid-phase techniques (excluding the electrochemical cycle method), the present analysis yields a gas-phase BDE of 86.7 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1). The O-H BDE was also estimated by state-of-the-art computational approaches (G3, CBS-APNO, and CBS-QB3) providing a range from 86.4 to 87.7 kcal mol(-1). We therefore recommend that in the future, and until further refinement is possible, the gas-phase O-H BDE in phenol should be presented as 86.7 +/- 0.7 kcal mol(-1).     

Quantum monte carlo study of heats of formation and bond dissociation energies of small hydrocarbons

A quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) benchmark study of heats of formation at 298 K and bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of 22 small hydrocarbons is reported. Diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) results, obtained using a simple product trial wavefunctions consisting of a single determinant and correlation function, are compared to experiment and to other theory including a version of complete basis set theory (CBS‐Q) and density functional theory (DFT) with the B3LYP functional. For heats of formation, the findings are a mean absolute deviation from experiment of 1.2 kcal/mol for CBS‐Q, 2.0 kcal/mol for B3LYP, and 2.2 kcal/mol for DMC. The mean absolute deviation of 31 BDEs is 2.0 kcal/mol for CBS‐Q, 4.2 kcal/mol for B3LYP, and 2.5 kcal/mol for DMC. These findings are for 17 BDEs of closed‐shell molecules that have mean absolute deviations from experiment of 1.7 kcal/mol (CBS‐Q), 4.0 kcal/mol (B3LYP), and 2.2 kcal/mol (DMC). The corresponding results for the 14 BDEs of open‐shell molecules studied are 2.4 kcal/mol (CBS‐Q), 4.3 kcal/mol (B3LYP), and 2.9 kcal/mol (DMC). The DMC results provide a baseline from which improvement using multideterminant trial functions can be measured. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 583–592, 2005     

Cycloalkane and cycloalkene C-H bond dissociation energies

Both C-H bond dissociation energies for cyclobutene were measured in the gas phase (BDE = 91.2 +/- 2.3 (allyl) and 112.5 +/- 2.5 (vinyl) kcal mol-1) via a thermodynamic cycle by carrying out proton affinity and electron-binding energy measurements on 1- and 3-cyclobutenyl anions. The results were compared to those for an acyclic model compound, cis-2-butene, and provide the needed information to experimentally establish the heat of formation of cyclobutadiene. Chemically accurate G3 and W1 calculations also were carried out on cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, and selected reference compounds. It appears that commonly cited bond energies for cyclopropane, cyclobutane, and cyclohexane are 3 to 4 kcal mol-1 too small and their pi bond strengths, as given by BDE1 - BDE2, are in error by up to 8 kcal mol-1.     

A critical evaluation of the factors determining the effect of intramolecular hydrogen bonding on the O-H bond dissociation enthalpy of catechol and of flavonoid antioxidants

New experimental results on the determination of the bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) value of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol, a model compound for flavonoid antioxidants, by the EPR radical equilibration technique are reported. By measurement of the equilibrium constant for the reaction between 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol and the 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxyl radical, in UV irradiated isooctane solutions at different temperatures, it has been shown that the thermodynamic parameters for this reaction are DeltaH degrees = -2.8+/-0.1 kcal mol(-1) and DeltaS degrees = +1.3+/-0.2 cal mol(-1) K(-1). This demonstrates that the entropic variations in the hydrogen exchange reaction between phenols and the corresponding phenoxyl radicals are also negligible when one of the reacting species is a polyphenol and that the EPR radical equilibration technique also allows the determination of the Obond;H BDEs in intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded polyphenols. The BDE of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (78.2 kcal mol(-1)) was determined to be identical to that of alpha-tocopherol. Through use of the group additivity rule, this piece of data was also used to calculate the strength of the intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl proton and the oxygen radical centre in the corresponding semiquinone radical (5.6 kcal mol(-1)), which is responsible both for the excellent antioxidant properties of catechols and for the BDE of catechol (81.8 kcal mol(-1)). These values are in poor agreement with those predicted by DFT calculations reported in the literature (9.5 kcal mol(-1) and 77.6 kcal mol(-1), respectively). Extensive theoretical calculations indicate that the BDE of catechol is reproduced well (81.6 kcal mol(-1)) by use of diffuse functions on oxygen and the CCSD method.     

Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of the dissociation energy of the water dimer

We report diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (DMC) calculations of the equilibrium dissociation energy D(e) of the water dimer. The dissociation energy measured experimentally, D(0), can be estimated from D(e) by adding a correction for vibrational effects. Using the measured dissociation energy and the modern value of the vibrational energy Mas et al., [J. Chem. Phys. 113, 6687 (2000)] leads to D(e)=5.00+/-0.7 kcal mol(-1), although the result Curtiss et al., [J. Chem. Phys. 71, 2703 (1979)] D(e)=5.44+/-0.7 kcal mol(-1), which uses an earlier estimate of the vibrational energy, has been widely quoted. High-level coupled cluster calculations Klopper et al., [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2, 2227 (2000)] have yielded D(e)=5.02+/-0.05 kcal mol(-1). In an attempt to shed new light on this old problem, we have performed all-electron DMC calculations on the water monomer and dimer using Slater-Jastrow wave functions with both Hartree-Fock approximation (HF) and B3LYP density functional theory single-particle orbitals. We obtain equilibrium dissociation energies for the dimer of 5.02+/-0.18 kcal mol(-1) (HF orbitals) and 5.21+/-0.18 kcal mol(-1) (B3LYP orbitals), in good agreement with the coupled cluster results.     

Diffusion Monte Carlo Study of Bond Dissociation Energies for BH2, B(OH)2, BCl2, and BCl

On basis of bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for BH₂, B(OH)₂, BCl₂, and BCl, the diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) method is applied to explore the BDEs of HB-H, HOB-OH, ClB-Cl, and B-Cl. The effect of the choice of orbitals, as well as the backflow transformation, is studied. The Slater-Jastrow DMC algorithm gives BDEs of 359.1±0.12 kJ/mol for HB?H, 410.5±0.50 kJ/mol for HOB-OH, 357.8±1.46 kJ/mol for ClB-Cl, and 504.5±0.96 kJ/mol for B-Cl using B3PW91 orbitals and similar BDEs when B3LYP orbitals are used. DMC with backflow corrections (BF-DMC) gives a HB-H BDE of 369.9±0.12 kJ/mol which is close to one of the available experimental value (375.8 kJ/mol). In the case of HOB-OH BDE, the BF-DMC calculation is 446.0±1.84 kJ/mol that is closer to the experimental BDE. The BF-DMC BDE for ClB-Cl is 343.2±2.34 kJ/mol and the BF-DMC B-Cl BDE is 523.3±0.33 kJ/mol, which are close to the experimental BDEs, 341.9 and 530.0 kJ/mol, respectively.     

Development of an ONIOM-G3B3 method to accurately predict C-H and N-H bond dissociation enthalpies of ribonucleosides and deoxyribonucleosides

The roles of ribonucleoside and deoxyribonucleoside radicals in DNA and RNA damage cannot be properly understood in the absence of knowledge of the C-H and N-H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) depicting the energy cost to generate each of these radicals. However, because the nucleoside radicals tend to be extremely short-lived and it is very difficult to separate and identify different nucleoside radicals, experimental BDEs for nucleosides have remained elusive. Herein, we developed an ONIOM-G3B3 method in order to reliably predict the BDEs of nucleosides and we carefully benchmarked this new method against over 60 experimental BDEs of diverse sizable molecules. It was found that the accuracy of the ONIOM-G3B3 method was about 1.4 kcal/mol for BDE calculations. Using the ONIOM-G3B3 method, a full scale of C-H and N-H BDEs were obtained for the first time for ribonucleosides and deoxyribonucleosides with an estimated error bar of +/-1.4 kcal/mol. Discussions were then made about the interesting connections between these BDE values and previously reported experimental observations concerning radical-mediated DNA and RNA lesions. The significance of the work is twofold: (i) Nucleosides represent one of the most important groups of compounds in science. A full scale of reliable bond dissociation enthalpies for nucleosides is of fundamental importance. (ii) This work demonstrates the feasibility to accurately predict the bond strength of various sizable molecules ranging from nanosize molecular devices to biologically significant compounds.     

Thermodynamics of hydrogen atom transfer to a high-valent iron imido complex

Thermodynamic investigations relevant to hydrogen atom transfer by the high-valent iron imido complex [LMesFe[triple bond]NAd]OTf have been undertaken. The complex is found to be weakly oxidizing by cyclic voltammetry (E1/2 = -0.98 V vs Cp2Fe+/Cp2Fe in MeCN). A combination of experimental and computational studies has been used to determine the acidity of LMesFe-N(H)Ad+ (pKa = 37 in MeCN), allowing the N-H BDFE (88(5) kcal/mol) to be calculated from a thermodynamic cycle. Consistent with this value, [LMesFe[triple bond]NAd]OTf reacts with 9,10-dihydroanthracene (C-H BDE = 78(1) kcal/mol) to form anthracene.     

Enthalpy of formation of the cyclopentadienyl radical: photoacoustic calorimetry and ab initio studies

The gas-phase C-H bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) in 1,3-cyclopentadiene has been determined by time-resolved photoacoustic calorimetry (TR-PAC) as 358 +/- 7 kJ mol(-1). Theoretical results from ab initio complete basis-set approaches, including the composite CBS-Q and CBS-QB3 procedures, and basis-set extrapolated coupled-cluster calculations (CCSD(T)) are reported. The CCSD(T) prediction for the C-H BDE of 1,3-cyclopentadiene (353.3 kJ mol(-1)) is in good agreement with the TR-PAC result. On the basis of the experimental and the theoretical values obtained, we recommend 355 +/- 8 kJ mol(-1) for the C-H BDE of 1,3-cyclopentadiene and 271 +/- 8 kJ mol(-1) for the enthalpy of formation of cyclopentadienyl radical.     

1,3 Geminal interactions as the possible trend setting factors for C-H and C-C bond energies in alkanes. Support from a density functional theory based bond energy decomposition study

A bond energy decomposition analysis has been carried out to rationalize the well-established experimental fact that C-C and C-H bond energies decrease with increasing substitution on the carbon. It is shown that this trend is set by steric 1,3 repulsive interactions (geminal repulsion) that increase in the order 1,3 hydrogen-hydrogen < 1,3 hydrogen-carbon < 1,3 carbon-carbon. On the other hand, the radical stabilization energy has little influence on the observed trend for the C-H bond energy in H-CR(1)R(2)R(3) or the C-C bond energy in H(3)C-CR(1)R(2)R(3). Thus, it varies in H-CR(1)R(2)R(3) from -7.2 kcal/mol (H-CH3) to -6.5 kcal/mol (H-C(CH3)3) and in H(3)C-CR(1)R(2)R(3) from -19.0 kcal/mol (H(3)C-CH(3)) to -16.9 kcal/mol (H(3)C-C(CH(3))(3)). It was further found that the average intrinsic C-H bond energy in H-CR(1)R(2)R(3) of 129.2 kcal/mol is smaller than the average intrinsic C-C bond energy in H(3)C-CR(1)R(2)R(3) of 143.4 kcal/mol. However, after the inclusion of steric effects, the overall C-H bond becomes stronger than the C-C bond. The role of steric 1,3 repulsive interactions as the trend setting factor has most recently been suggested by Gronert (J. Org. Chem. 2006, 71, 1209) based on an empirical fit of alkane atomization energies.     

Theoretical prediction of the heats of formation of C2H5O* radicals derived from ethanol and of the kinetics of beta-C-C scission in the ethoxy radical

Thermochemical parameters of three C(2)H(5)O* radicals derived from ethanol were reevaluated using coupled-cluster theory CCSD(T) calculations, with the aug-cc-pVnZ (n = D, T, Q) basis sets, that allow the CC energies to be extrapolated at the CBS limit. Theoretical results obtained for methanol and two CH(3)O* radicals were found to agree within +/-0.5 kcal/mol with the experiment values. A set of consistent values was determined for ethanol and its radicals: (a) heats of formation (298 K) DeltaHf(C(2)H(5)OH) = -56.4 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol (exptl: -56.21 +/- 0.12 kcal/mol), DeltaHf(CH(3)C*HOH) = -13.1 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol, DeltaHf(C*H(2)CH(2)OH) = -6.2 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol, and DeltaHf(CH(3)CH(2)O*) = -2.7 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol; (b) bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of ethanol (0 K) BDE(CH(3)CHOH-H) = 93.9 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol, BDE(CH(2)CH(2)OH-H) = 100.6 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol, and BDE(CH(3)CH(2)O-H) = 104.5 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol. The present results support the experimental ionization energies and electron affinities of the radicals, and appearance energy of (CH(3)CHOH+) cation. Beta-C-C bond scission in the ethoxy radical, CH(3)CH2O*, leading to the formation of C*H3 and CH(2)=O, is characterized by a C-C bond energy of 9.6 kcal/mol at 0 K, a zero-point-corrected energy barrier of E0++ = 17.2 kcal/mol, an activation energy of Ea = 18.0 kcal/mol and a high-pressure thermal rate coefficient of k(infinity)(298 K) = 3.9 s(-1), including a tunneling correction. The latter value is in excellent agreement with the value of 5.2 s(-1) from the most recent experimental kinetic data. Using RRKM theory, we obtain a general rate expression of k(T,p) = 1.26 x 10(9)p(0.793) exp(-15.5/RT) s(-1) in the temperature range (T) from 198 to 1998 K and pressure range (p) from 0.1 to 8360.1 Torr with N2 as the collision partners, where k(298 K, 760 Torr) = 2.7 s(-1), without tunneling and k = 3.2 s(-1) with the tunneling correction. Evidence is provided that heavy atom tunneling can play a role in the rate constant for beta-C-C bond scission in alkoxy radicals.     

Co-C bond dissociation energy and reaction volume change of 2',5'-dideoxyadenosylcobalamin studied by laser-induced time-resolved photoacoustic calorimetry

Time resolved photoacoustic calorimetry (PAC) was applied to a study of the photolysis of a coenzyme B(12) analog 2',5'-dideoxyadenosylcobalamin, which lacks an -OH group at the 2' position of ribofuranose ring. In aqueous solution, we report for the first time the quantum yield Phi(d) (0.25+/-0.02), Co-C bond dissociation energy (BDE; 31.8+/-2.5 kcal mol(-1)) and reaction volume change deltaV(R) (6.5+/-0.5 ml mol(-1)) due to conformation changes of the corrin ring and its side chains accompanying the cleavage of the Co-C bond. These values for the analog are very similar to those for the natural cofactor. Based our results and previous studies, a possible explanation for the similarity in their structure and properties versus the large difference in their enzymatic activity is discussed.