Vibrational softening of diatomic molecules

An analysis of a model molecular oscillator is presented: a vibrating diatomic molecule carrying N ₀ electrons. The energy derivatives over the number of electron (N) and the deformation (Q), ∂ ⁿ /∂N ⁿ and ∂ ⁿ /∂Q ⁿ have been analyzed up to second order (n=2), including the appropriate mixed derivatives. The effect of coupling between distortion of the electron density induced by ΔN and the vibrational deformation of the molecule has been studied. Anharmonicity of the oscillator has been shown to be a possible result of that coupling; new relations between the parameters characterizing the anharmonicity of the oscillator and the energy derivatives at density functional theory level have been obtained. Ab initio calculations for a set of diatomic molecules have been performed, yielding values for all the derivatives discussed and demonstrating the effect of coupling with vibrations. Received: 1 June 2000 / Accepted: 20 October 2000 / Published online: 21 March 2001     

Extended floating spherical Gaussian basis sets for molecules. Alternative correlating orbitals for molecular energy calculations

A procedure previously described for representing large basis SCF results in terms of a smaller floating spherical Gaussian orbital (FSGO) basis set is generalized to apply to the virtual orbitals from the SCF calculation. This provides a method for systematically reducing the dimensions of the virtual space or replacing the virtual orbitals with a simpler, compact basis set. The method is illustrated by application to Lill.     

Suppression of mesoscopic order by complementary interactions in supramolecular polymers

We show here that complementary interactions can suppress mesoscopic order and thus lead to a counterintuitive change in material properties. We present results for telechelic supramolecular polymers based on poly(propylene oxide) (PPO), thymine (Thy), and diaminotriazine (DAT). The self-complementary systems based on Thy exhibit lamellar order and 2D crystallization of Thy in the bulk. We show that the microphase segregation is inhibited by addition of DAT: the strong complementary Thy-DAT interaction inhibits crystallization of thymine in microdomains and lamellar structuration. As a result, the supramolecular polymer with only weakly self-complementary stickers is a solid, whereas the supramolecular polymer with strongly complementary stickers is a liquid.     

Calibration-quality adiabatic potential energy surfaces for H3(+) and its isotopologues

Calibration-quality ab initio adiabatic potential energy surfaces (PES) have been determined for all isotopologues of the molecular ion H(3)(+). The underlying Born-Oppenheimer electronic structure computations used optimized explicitly correlated shifted Gaussian functions. The surfaces include diagonal Born-Oppenheimer corrections computed from the accurate electronic wave functions. A fit to the 41,655 ab initio points is presented which gives a standard deviation better than 0.1 cm(-1) when restricted to the points up to 6000 cm(-1) above the first dissociation asymptote. Nuclear motion calculations utilizing this PES, called GLH3P, and an exact kinetic energy operator given in orthogonal internal coordinates are presented. The ro-vibrational transition frequencies for H(3)(+), H(2)D(+), and HD(2)(+) are compared with high resolution measurements. The most sophisticated and complete procedure employed to compute ro-vibrational energy levels, which makes explicit allowance for the inclusion of non-adiabatic effects, reproduces all the known ro-vibrational levels of the H(3)(+) isotopologues considered to better than 0.2 cm(-1). This represents a significant (order-of-magnitude) improvement compared to previous studies of transitions in the visible. Careful treatment of linear geometries is important for high frequency transitions and leads to new assignments for some of the previously observed lines. Prospects for further investigations of non-adiabatic effects in the H(3)(+) isotopologues are discussed. In short, the paper presents (a) an extremely accurate global potential energy surface of H(3)(+) resulting from high accuracy ab initio computations and global fit, (b) very accurate nuclear motion calculations of all available experimental line data up to 16,000 cm(-1), and (c) results suggest that we can predict accurately the lines of H(3)(+) towards dissociation and thus facilitate their experimental observation.     

Explicitly correlated Gaussian calculations of the (2)D Rydberg states of the boron atom

Accurate non-relativistic variational calculations are performed for the seven lowest members of the (2)D Rydberg series (1s(2)2s2p(2), and 1s(2)2s(2)nd, n = 3, [ellipsis (horizontal)], 8) of the boron atom. The wave functions of the states are expanded in terms of all-electron explicitly correlated Gaussian basis functions and the effect of the finite nuclear mass is directly included in the calculations allowing for determining the isotopic shifts of the energy levels. The Gaussian basis is optimized independently for each state with the aid of the analytic energy gradient with respect to the Gaussian parameters. The calculations represent the highest accuracy level currently achievable for the considered states. The computed energies are compared with the available experimental data.     

Determination of 4-nonylphenols in sediments from a eutrophic marine area

The aim of this work was to develop a simple and efficient analytical method for the determination of 4-nonylphenols (4-NPs) in marine sediments. Nonylphenols are a group of xenobiotics of great environmental concern owing to their endocrine-disrupting properties; they are recognised as priority pollutants by the Water Framework Directive. The analytical procedure involves ultrasonic extraction followed by two-step solid phase extraction clean-up and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis, without a derivatisation step. The method was validated and demonstrated to be suitable for marine sediments rich in organic matter from a eutrophic, contaminated area; 4-NP recovery rates were above 90%. This method was applied to the analysis of 4-NPs in recent sediments from the Gulf of Gdańsk (Southern Baltic Sea). Sediments from this area are moderately contaminated with 4-NPs (0–1 cm layer: 1–42 ng/g d.w.; 1–5 cm layer: 2–61 ng/g d.w.).     

Rifamycin antibiotics—new compounds and synthetic methods. Part 3: Study of the reaction of 3-formylrifamycin SV with primary amines and ketones

In the third stage of our study concerning the search for new antibacterial rifamycin antibiotics, the reactions of 3-formylrifamycin SV (1) with a range of primary alkylamines and ketones of general structure R₁–CH₂–CO–R₂ (R₁H or alkyl and R₂alkyl or aryl) has been investigated. A new synthetic method for the preparation of a new group of rifamycin derivatives with an α,β-unsaturated imine substituent at C-3 has been developed.These compounds showed a tendency to reversibly isomerise in organic solvents and, in the presence of water, to rapidly hydrolyse. The structures of four isolated microcrystalline compounds 2, 3, 4, 5 and a reaction's mechanism have been proposed on the basis of mass spectrometry results as well as (1D) and (2D) ¹H and ¹³C NMR analysis. The new synthetic route reported herein is a promising pathway to new reactive rifamycins displaying broader capabilities than the plain 3-formylrifamycin SV.     

Synthesis and Surface Properties of N-Alkyl-N-methylgluconamides and N-Alkyl-N-methyllactobionamides

Three series of nonionic N-alkylaldonamides, N-alkyl-N-methylgluconamides (Cn-MGA, Cn: n-C(10)H(21), n-C(12)H(25), n-C(14)H(29), n-C(16)H(33), and n-C(18)H(37)), N-alkyl-N-methyllactobionamides (Cn-MLA, alkyl as above-mentioned), and N-oleyl-N-methylglucon/lactobionamide, were synthesized in the reaction of an appropriate N-alkyl-N-methylamine with delta-D-glucolactone and lactobionic acid, respectively. Krafft temperatures of aqueous solutions and surface properties of these surfactants at 20 degrees C, i.e., surface excess concentration, Gamma(cmc), surface area demand per molecule, A(min), efficiency in surface tension reduction, pC(20), effectiveness in surface tension reduction, Pi(cmc), critical micelle concentration, CMC, and CMC/C(20) parameter as well as standard free energies of adsorption, DeltaG degrees (ads), and of micellization, DeltaG degrees (mic), were determined. It was shown that introduction of the methyl group to the amide nitrogen increased the solubility of the surfactants, which was confirmed by their Krafft temperatures. Lactobionamides are more water soluble than gluconamides. On the other hand, the Cn-MGA surfactants are more surface active than the respective Cn-MLA ones. This observation is based on the determined adsorption and micellization parameters. The presence of one double bond in a hydrocarbon chain as in oleyl-amides increases their hydrophilic character compared with that of saturated C18 derivatives. No distinct differences were observed between the A(min) values obtained for both series studied, although they differ markedly in the size of the hydrophilic groups. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Thermal curve interpretation by spectral resolution into the basic set of rectangular pulse curves

A new numerical method for the determination of thermokinetics is proposed. This is based on the spectral resolution of a thermal curve into the basic set of unit rectangular pulse curves orthogonalized by Löwdin's transformation. A numerical example shows that the present method can be successfully applied to experimental curves.

---

Zusammenfassung Eine neue numerische Methode zur Bestimmung von Thermokinetika wird vorgeschlagen. Sie beruht auf der spektralen Auflösung einer thermischen Kurve in die Grundfolge von Einheiten rechteckiger Pulskurven, welche durch eine Löwdins Transformation orthogonalisiert worden sind. Ein numerisches Beispiel zeigt, dass diese Methode bei experimentellen Kurven mit Erfolg eingesetzt werden kann.

---

ë- . , .