FTIR and FT‐Raman spectra and density functional computations of the vibrational spectra,molecular geometry and atomic charges of the biomolecule: 5‐bromouracil

FTIR and FT‐Raman spectra of 5‐bromouracil in the powder form were recorded in the region 400–4000 cm⁻¹ and 50–4000 cm⁻¹, respectively. The observed wavenumbers were analysed and assigned to different normal modes of vibration of the molecule. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to support the assignments of the observed wavenumbers. The performance of the B3LYP hybrid density functional (DFT) method was compared with other methods. With the 6–31 G** and 6–311 + G(2d,p) basis sets, the calculated geometry, dipole moments and harmonic vibrations were determined. A comparison with the uracil molecule was made, and specific scale factors were deduced and employed in the predicted wavenumbers of 5‐bromouracil. The total atomic charges and thermodynamic parameters were calculated, and are discussed briefly. Structure and harmonic vibrations of 5‐bromouracil were also calculated in the presence of water within a simple model with one molecule. It is observed that the bromine atom at position 5 exhibits smaller inductive effects than the fluorine atom, producing a small distortion of the electrostatic potential around the ring and a reduction of the molecular dipole moment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman and infrared investigations at room temperature of the internal modes behaviour in solid nitromethane‐h3 and ‐d3 up to 45 GPa

Raman and infrared spectra of internal phonons in solid nitromethane‐h₃ and ‐d₃ were measured as a function of pressure in the range 0–40 GPa at room temperature. Experiments were performed in diamond anvil cells. The evolution of the splitting of the various modes in condition of nearly hydrostatic compression supports the maintenance of the P2₁2₁2₁ crystal structure until the material chemically transforms into an amorphous phase. The observed pressure‐induced shifts of vibrational wavenumbers are consistent with computations recently reported in the literature. Infrared and Raman spectroscopies deliver complementary information on the internal modes behaviour. The continuous evolution of the infrared band shapes suggests a weak molecular distortion during the compression process. The strong modifications that are observed in the Raman bands of the nitro group are attributed to polarization effects arising from a rearrangement of the molecules inside the unit cell in the pressure range 10–12 GPa, a consequence of a close intermolecular O…H approach. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous acquisition of all four forms of circular polarization Raman optical activity: results for α‐pinene and lysozyme

A new circularly polarized (CP) Raman spectrometer is described that demonstrates simultaneous acquisition of all four forms of circular polarization Raman optical activity (ROA). The instrument is a design extension of a commercially available back scattering circular polarization (SCP) ROA spectrometer. Circular polarization of the incident beam is introduced with a quarter‐wave plate, and a half‐wave plate alternately positioned in and out of the beam controls the modulation between right circular polarization (RCP) or left circular polarization (LCP) states. Combining this modulation with the simultaneous detection of RCP and LCP scattered Raman radiation allows the measurement of incident circular polarization (ICP), SCP, in‐phase dual circular polarization(DCP_I) and out‐of‐phase DCP_II‐ROA. In addition, three different forms of backscattered Raman spectra, namely unpolarized, highly polarized, and depolarized Raman spectra, as well as a degree of circularity spectrum are obtained. The performance of the new all‐CP ROA spectrometer is evaluated with neat α‐pinene and aqueous hen lysozyme solution. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.