Insight into the acidic behavior of oxazolidin-2-one,its thione and selone analogs through computational techniques

Deprotonation thermochemistry of Oxazolidin-2-one (OXA), Oxazolidine-2-thione (OXA-S), and Oxazolidine-2-selone (OXA-Se) has been studied in order to find the most acidic site and relative acidities of these heterocyclics at various sites. The deprotonation enthalpies at MP2/6-311++G**//MP2/6-31+G* and B3LYP/6-31+G* levels, while the free energies for deprotonation process and pKa values at B3LYP/6-31+G* level both in gas and aqueous phase (using PCM continuum model) of the anions of the three heterocyclics have been computed at 298 K. Calculated aqueous phase pKa values of OXA vary by ~6–7 units from the experimental aqueous phase pKa values of OXA and its derivatives. The deprotonation at the nitrogen is favored in OXA over the carbon atoms in contrast to the OXA-S and OXA-Se where in the deprotonation at the carbon attached to the nitrogen is most preferred. Deprotonation at this carbon induces an important C–O bond rupture in OXA-S and OXA-Se promoting an energetically favored ring-opening process. The finding offers a rare case when C–H acidity is able to dominate over the N–H acidity. In order to explain the relative stabilities, relative acidities and deprotonation enthalpies various characteristics of these molecules as well as their anions such as molecular electrostatic potential surface (MEP), frontier molecular orbital (FMO) features, chemical hardness, softness have been governed. The three dimensional MEP maps and HOMO–LUMO orbitals encompassing these molecules yield a reliable relative stability and reactivity (in terms of acidity) map displaying the most probable regions for deprotonation. The differential distribution of the electrostatic potential over the neutral and anionic species of OXA, OXA-S, and OXA-Se molecules is authentically reflected by HOMO–LUMO orbitals and NBO charge distribution analysis. The lone pair occupancies, second order delocalization energies for orbital interactions and the distribution of atomic charges over the entire molecular framework as obtained from natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis are found to faithfully replicate the predictions from the MEP maps and HOMO–LUMO band gaps in respect of explaining the relative stabilities and acidities in most of the cases. Good linear correlations have been obtained between HOMO–LUMO gap and pKa values in the aqueous phase for OXA and OXA-S molecules.     

Syntheses, crystal structures and fluorescent properties of two d 10-metal coordination polymers based on 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid

The first examples of two d ¹⁰ metal coordination polymers based on 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid and benzimidazole, namely, [Cd(bim)₄(1,5-nds)] 1 and [Ag(bim)₂]·½1,5-nds 2 (bim = benzimidazole, 1,5-nds = 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid) were synthesized successfully under solvothermal conditions. Their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and further characterized by elemental analyses, IR, TG-DSC, PXRD, UV–Vis, and DFT. 1 exhibits a 3D supramolecular structure which started from 1D helical chain. 2 also shows a 3D architecture which was assembled via π–π interactions and hydrogen bonds. The hydrogen bonds formed by 1,5-nds play an important role in increasing the dimensionality of architectures of 1 (from 1D to 3D) and 2 (from 0D to 1D). Moreover, both 1 and 2 show excellent luminescent properties, 335 nm for 1 (λ _ex = 286 nm) and 341 nm and 389 nm for 2 (λ _ex = 234 nm), and may be the suitable candidates of fluorescent materials. From UV–Vis spectra, the remarkable absorption peaks can be found at 276 nm for 1 and 271 nm for 2. The simulated UV–Vis spectra (290.30 nm for 1 and 271.64 nm for 2) by Gaussian 09 DFT correspond well with the experimental results. From the electron density distribution of frontier molecular orbitals, it is known that the two absorption bands are attributed to the intra-ligand electron transition from HOMO?26 to LUMO and from HOMO?3 to LUMO+1 for 1, from HOMO?1 to LUMO+18 and LUMO+19 for 2.     

Application of DFT and MP2 calculations on structural and water-assisted proton transfer in 3-amino-4-nitrofurazan

Density functional theory (DFT) and MP2 calculations have been employed to study of 3-amino-4-nitrofurazan molecule using the standard 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The chemical properties of the 3-amino-4-nitrofurazan have been extensively studied. The geometries of molecules in the gas phase were optimized and compared with the crystallography of this substance. The results suggest that A form is the most stable form in the gas phase and it is the predominant tautomer in solution according to the DFT and MP2 calculations, respectively. In addition, variation of dipole moments in the gas phase, the specific solvent effects with addition of one molecule of water near the electrophilic centers of tautomers, the transition state of proton transfer assisted by a water molecule, the NBO charges of atoms and the potential energy surface were investigated. The calculated highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) are presented.     

Valence state of a heteroatom and the conjugation problem

Calculations of the electronic structure and geometry ofs-cis-, s-trans- andgauche-conformers of AllPH₄ (1) molecule (All = CH₂CHCH₂) were carried out by the quantum chemicalab initio SCF MO LCAO method with the 3-21G basis. The results obtained were compared to those found earlier for AllPH₂ (2) and AllPF₄ (3). The increase in stability of tilegauche-conformer relative to thetrans-conformer on going from2 to1 is due to the significant contribution of vacant d-orbitals of the P atom in the LUMO, to the increase in interactions of frontier MOs through space, and (to a lesser degree) through bond interaction with the CH₂ bridging group, as well as to transfer of electron density from an allyl fragment. The conjugation in allylphosphines is determined by localization of the HOMO, which correlates with the lone electron pair of the P atom in2 and with σ-MO in1; it should be enhanced in allylphosphines containing the axial P-C bond.     

Quantum chemical study of the Cspiro-O bond dissociation in spiropyran molecules

To study the possibility of photochromic transformations in the crystals of bifunctional compounds, quantum chemical B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations of the C_spiro-O bond dissociation energies were carried out with the Gaussian-03 program for two dissimilar neutral spiropyrans (Sp) and three cations of their salts in the singlet ground state. For C_spiro-O bond dissociation in the cations Sp ⁺ and the neutral systems SpI consisting of Sp ⁺ and I^?, the energy barriers do not exceed 10 kcal mol^?1, increasing when moving from the cations Sp ⁺ to the neutral systems SpI. The changes in the HOMO and LUMO energies when going from the closed to open form of the cations Sp ⁺ correlate with the energy barriers to the corresponding C_spiro-O bond dissociations.     

Guest inclusion in cyclic imides containing flexible tethers

Guest inclusion properties of two cyclic imides which have carboxylic acids connected through flexible tether, namely, 4-(1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-ylmethyl)-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (1) and 4-(1,3-dioxo-1H,3H-benzo[de]isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl)-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (2) are studied. The crystals of host 1 containing one molecule of 1, the crystals of 4,4′-bipyridine (bpy) cocrystal of 1 containing one molecule of 1 and half molecule of bpy (1a), the crystals of 1,4-dioxane solvate of 1 containing two molecule of 1 and one and half molecule of 1,4-dioxane (1b) and the crystals of quinoline solvate of 1 containing one molecule of 1 and one molecule of quinoline (1c) in their crystallographic asymmetric units are investigated. Intermolecular hydrogen bonded two dimensional (2D) sheet structure of 1 and 3D channel network of 1b are comprised of cyclic R ₂ ² (8) hydrogen bond motifs; whereas cleavage of dimeric carboxylic acid R ₂ ² (8) motifs occurs in the structures of 1a and 1c in which 3D host–guest networks are comprised of discrete O–H···N and cyclic R ₂ ² (7) interactions, respectively. Various types of weak interactions between the two symmetry nonequivalent host molecule are found to be responsible for the formation of channels (14 × 11 Å) filled by guest 1,4-dioxane molecules in the crystal lattice of 1b. Two different solvates of 2 containing one molecule of 2 with a water molecule (2a) and one molecule of 2 with a quinoline molecule (2b) in their crystallographic asymmetric units, respectively, are also crystallized in different space groups. The quinoline molecules are held with host molecules by discrete O–H···N and C–H···O interactions and reside inside the voids formed by 3D repeated hexameric assemblies of host molecules in the crystal lattice of 2b.     

Hydrolysis and Extraction Properties of Aroylhydrazones Derived from Nicotinic Acid Hydrazide

The kinetics of hydrolysis of N′-salicylidene-3-pyridinecarbohydrazide (1) and N′-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylmethylidene)-3-pyridinecarbohydrazide (2) were investigated in the dioxane/water (1/1, volume ratio) solvent system in acidic and basic media, and the corresponding reaction mechanisms were proposed. The kinetic results suggest that in the acidic solutions the rate-determining step of the hydrolysis reaction is the attack of a water molecule on the protonated azomethine group, whereas in the basic medium it is the attack of water on the completely deprotonated hydrazone. By analyzing the temperature dependence of the reaction rates, the thermodynamic activation parameters, i.e. activation enthalpy and entropy, were also evaluated and discussed. The complexation reactions of vanadium(V) with aroylhydrazones 1 and 2 as well as the extraction of V(V) from aqueous to an organic phase were studied spectrophotometrically. The optimum conditions for complex formation and extraction of vanadium(V) into chloroform solutions of compounds 1 or 2 have been evaluated. Based on the results obtained by Job’s method and the equilibrium shift method, the stoichiometries of the complexes were determined to be 1:1. The effect of foreign ions on V(V) extraction by compound 2 has been determined as well.     

Polar [4+2+] diels-alder cycloaddition to nitrilium and immonium ions in the gas phase: Applications of multiple stage mass spectrometry in a pentaquadrupole instrument

Multiple stage MS² and MS³ mass spectrometric experiments, performed using a pentaquadrupole instrument, are employed to explore the gas-phase ion-molecule chemistry of several nitrilium [R-C≡N⁺-H (1), R-C≡N⁺-CH₃ (2), and H-C≡N⁺-C₂H₅ (3)] as well as immonium ions RR¹C=N⁺R²R³ (4) with the neutral diene isoprene. Polar [4+2⁺] Diels-Alder cycloaddition is observed for nitrilium ions when the energy gap between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the ion and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the isoprene is small and the competing proton transfer reaction is endothermic. Thus, C-protonated methyl isonitrile H-C≡N⁺-CH₃ (2a) and its higher homolog H-C≡N⁺-C₂H₅ (3a) form abundant [4+2⁺] cycloadducts with isoprene, but several protonated nitriles 1 do not; instead they show exothermic proton transfer as the main ion-molecule reaction. Replacement of the methyne hydrogen in 2a by a methyl, ethyl, or phenyl group (2b–d) raises the LUMO-HOMO gap, which greatly decreases the total yield of ion-molecule products and precludes cycloaddition. On the other hand, the electron-withdrawing acetyl and bromine substituents in 2e and 2f substantially lower the LUMO energy of the ions and cycloaddition reaction occurs readily. The simplest member of the immonium ion series, CH₂=NH ₂ ⁺ (4a), reacts readily by cycloaddition, whereas alkyl substitution on either the carbon or nitrogen (4b–f) dramatically lowers the overall reactivity, which substantially decreases or even precludes cycloaddition. In strong contrast, the N-phenyl (4g) and N-acetyl (4h) ions and the N-vinyl-substituted immonium ion, N-protonated 2-aza-butadiene (4i), react extensively with isoprene, mainly by [4+2⁺] cycloaddition. However, the isomeric C-vinyl-substituted ion (4j) displays only modest reactivity in both the proton-transfer and the cycloaddition channels. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the cycloadducts performed by on-line MS³ experiments demonstrates that they are covalently bound and supports their assignments as cycloaddition products. Retro Diels-Alder fragmentation is a major process for cycloadducts of both the immonium and the nitrilium ions, but other fragmentation processes also are observed. The cycloadduct of 4a with butadiene displays CID fragmentation identical to that of the authentic ion produced by protonation of 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, which thus strengthens the [4+2⁺] cycloaddition proposal. AM1 calculations also support the formation of the [4+2⁺] cycloadducts, which are shown in several cases to be much more stable than the products of simple addition, that is, the ring-open isomers.     

The role of cesium fluoride in aryl propargyl ether Claisen rearrangement and its mechanistic elucidation: a theoretical study

The role of cesium fluoride (CsF) in aryl propargyl ether Claisen rearrangement and its mechanistic pathway have been investigated in gas and solvent phase using the density functional theory implemented in Gaussian 09. Our results indicate that the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement is the rate-limiting step with ΔG ^? value of 37.1 kcal/mol in solvent phase. Furthermore, the results show that the enolization of α-allenylketone intermediate (Int1-CsF) has a higher free energy barrier, which implies that the formation of benzopyran is not favored in the presence of CsF. However, the abstraction of the α-hydrogen atom in Int1-CsF with CsF shows a very low free energy barrier and is the most favored pathway for aryl propargyl ether Claisen rearrangement in the presence of CsF to form benzofuran. In the case of substituted aryl propargyl ethers, a methoxy group on the benzene ring lowers the activation barrier. The HOMO–LUMO, conformational and NBO analysis indicate that increasing methyl substitution on the propargyl residue enhances the rearrangement reaction.     

pH-dependent syntheses and crystal structures, characterizations, and DFT calculations of complexes with 2,2′-biimidazole and terephthalic acid ligands

The divalent transition metal complexes [Zn(L)₂(H₂O)₂](Tere) (I), [Cd(L)₂(H₂O)₂](Tere]) (II) and [Cd(L)₂(HTere)₂] (III) (L = 2,2’-biimidazole, Tere = terephthalate) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, thermal analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Complexes II and III have the same starting materials but possess different frame-works and are prepared from H₂Biim and H₂Tere under hydrothermal conditions with different pH values. The crystal structures show I and II have the same coordination circumstances and are coordinated by two H₂O molecules and two neutral bidentate 2,2′-biimidazole ligands. The terephthalate acts as the counter anion. In contrast, complex III contains protonated carboxylate groups coordinated to the metal centre to give neutral species. Furthermore, based on the optimized structures, molecular frontier orbitals, Mulliken charges and IR spetra of complex I and III are investigated by density functional theory. Calculated results show that the energy gap (ΔE _L-H) between HOMO and LUMO of complex III is bigger than that of I. It is revealed that complex III is more stable, and this calculated estimation corresponds with experimental analysis of TGA curves.     

Solvent-induced molecular gel formation at room temperature and the preparation of related gel-emulsions

The gelation behaviors of four recently reported amphiphilic cholesteryl derivatives (1, 2, 3 and 4) have been evaluated. It was found that the gel formation process can be controlled by introduction of water at room temperature. Addition of water to an acetone solution of 4 immediately results in the system becoming turbid, and a gel subsequently forms within a few minutes. Interestingly, 4 is a super-gelator for a mixed solvent of acetone and water at room temperature, in particular when their volume ratio is close to 1:1 at which the critical gelation concentration (CGC) is 0.06% (w/v). It was found that the introduction of water favors the formation of gel networks, and the gel possesses smart and reversible thixotropic properties. FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy confirmed that hydrogen bonding is one of the main driving forces for the gelation of the solvents. XRD demonstrated that 4 self-assembled into a layered structure within the acetone-water mixed solvent gel. Furthermore, 1 and 2 can be used as excellent stabilizers for gel emulsions of alkanes and water. The maximum of the dispersed phase, water, in one of the gel-emulsions can be as high as 97% (v/v).     

Conformational analysis of 2-acetylcyclopentanone by the density functional and MP2 methods

Two-dimensional potential energy surfaces for internal rotation of the acetyl substituent and inversion of the five-membered ring in the gas phase and in acetonitrile were constructed by the B3LYP/6-31G(d) method for the diketo form of the 2-acetylcyclopentanone (2-ACPN) molecule. The diketo form of 2-ACPN exists in the gas phase and in low-polarity cyclohexane as a mixture of four rotamers K1, K2, K3, and K4. The fifth isomeric form K3a exists in polar acetonitrile. The estimation of the tautomeric composition of 2-ACPN taking into account the influence of the cyclohexane medium in the framework of the polarizable continuum model (PCM) using the MP 2/cc-pVTZ method agrees better with experimental data than the estimate obtained by the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ method. The constants of the enol-enol and keto-enol tautomeric equilibria of the 2-ACPN tautomers in solutions of aprotic solvents were estimated.     

Determination of nickel using cold-induced aggregation microextraction based on ionic liquid followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

Cold-induced aggregation microextraction (CIAME) combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was applied to preconcentration and determination of nickel(II) ions in natural water samples. The proposed method used 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([Hmim][PF ₆ ]) as the extraction solvent and 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN) as the complexing agent. The extraction solvent was dissolved in the sample solution at 45°C. After dissolving, the solution was cooled in the ice bath and a cloudy solution of IL fine droplets was formed due to the decrease of IL solubility. After centrifugation, the fine droplets of extractant phase were settled at the bottom of the conical-bottom centrifuge tube. Analysis was carried out by a FAAS. Several important parameters influencing the CIAME extraction efficiency such as pH, complexing agent concentration, extraction solvent volume, salt effect, solution temperature, extraction time, centrifugation time and heating time were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.8 ng/mL, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.4% for 50 ng/mL of nickel. The performance of the method was evaluated for extraction and determination of nickel in tap, mineral and seawater samples, and satisfactory results were obtained.     

A microfluidic device for open loop stripping of volatile organic compounds

The detection of volatile organic compounds is of great importance for assessing the quality of water. In this contribution, we describe a miniaturized stripping device that allows fast online detection of organic solvents in water. The core component is a glass microfluidic chip that facilitates the creation of an annular-flowing stream of water and nitrogen gas. Volatile compounds are transferred efficiently from the water into the gas phase along the microfluidic pathway at room temperature within less than 5 s. Before exiting the microchip, the liquid phase is separated from the enriched gas phase by incorporating side capillaries through which the hydrophilic water phase is withdrawn. The gas phase is conveniently collected at the outlet reservoir by tubing. Finally, a semiconductor gas sensor analyzes the concentration of (volatile) organic compounds in the nitrogen gas. The operation and use of the stripping device is demonstrated for the organic solvents THF, 1-propanol, toluene, ethylbenzene, benzaldehyde, and methanol. The mobile, inexpensive, and continuously operating system with liquid flow rates in the low range of microliters per minute can be connected to other detectors or implemented in chemical production line for process control.

Ultrasound-assisted emulsification–microextraction for the sensitive determination of ethyl carbamate in alcoholic beverages

A method based on ultrasound-assisted emulsification–microextraction (USAEME) was proposed in this contribution for the determination of ethyl carbamate (EC) in alcoholic beverages using gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. To achieve the determination of EC in alcoholic beverages, the influences on the extraction efficiency of type and volume of extraction solvent, temperature, ionic strength, alcohol content, and extraction time were studied, once the extraction solvent had been selected. The optimized conditions were 200.0 μL of chloroform at 30 °C during 5 min with 15 % (m/v) sodium chloride addition. The detection limit, relative standard deviations, linear range, and recoveries under the optimized conditions were 0.03 μg L^?1, 4.2–6.1 %, 0.1–50.0 μg L^?1, and 80.5–87.9 %, respectively. Moreover, the feasibility of the present method was also validated by real samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that USAEME has been applied to determine a strongly hydrophilic compound in alcoholic beverages.

Synthesis of new water-soluble phosphonate calixazacrowns and their use as drug solubilizing agents

This study presents the selective chloromethylation of calix[4](aza)crown ethers 2a–c, using chloromethyl n-octyl ether and SnCl₄ in chloroform at room temperature in good yield for the first time. Chloromethylated products 2a–c are used as key intermediates to synthesize new water-soluble p-phosphonato calix[4](aza)crown ethers 5a–c. Liquid–liquid phase extraction and phase solubility studies with poor water soluble drug molecules such as nifedipine, niclosamide and furosemide are performed to evaluate their binding properties. Among the studied drugs, furosemide was the most effectively dissolved drug by p-phosphonato calix[4](aza)crown ethers 5a–c in water.     

Crystal structure of boron difluoride acetylnaphtholates

The crystal structure of luminescent isomeric boron difluoride acetylnaphtholates: 2-acetyl-1-naphthoboron difluoride (1) and 1-acetyl-2-naphthoboron difluoride (2) has been studied. Molecules of 1 make infinite stacks of coplanar molecules in crystals, and molecules of 2 are arranged in the crystalline cell in the form of isolated π-dimers. Unlike a planar molecule of 1, the methyl group in α-position of the diketonate ring drops out of the molecule plane in a molecule of 2, thus forcing the chelate ring to bend considerably along the line C(11)-B. The structure features of 1 cause a bathochromic shift of the luminescence band in comparison with 2.     

Donor-acceptor conjugated cooligomers for single molecule solar cells

Five novel donor-acceptor(D-A) conjugated cooligomers(F4B-hP,F5B-hP,F5B2[1,2]-hP,F5B2[1,3]-hP and F7B2[1,2]-hP) were synthesized.The absorption spectra of the cooligomers cover a wide range from 300 nm to 630 nm.The cooligomers could form films featured by alternating D-A lamellar nanostructures with the periods relative to the molecular lengths after thermal annealing or solvent vapor annealing.Single molecule solar cells were fabricated,and F5B-hP exhibited the best device performance.When the film of F5B-hP was thermally annealed,a power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 1.56% was realized.With solvent vapor annealing,the PCE could be further improved to 1.72% with a short-circuit current(J SC) of 5.76 mA/cm 2,an open-circuit voltage(V OC) of 0.87 V and a fill factor(FF) of 0.34.