A polarizable continuum model for molecules at diffuse interfaces

In this work we illustrate an extension of the polarizable continuum model to describe solvation effects on molecules at the interface between two fluid phases (liquid/liquid, liquid/vapor). This extension goes beyond the naive picture of the interface as a plane dividing two distinct dielectrics, commonly employed in continuum models. The main feature of the model is the use of a diffuse interface with an electric permittivity depending on the position. This characteristic clearly allows the study of simple interfaces as well as more complex membrane or multilayer structures. Moreover the smooth variation of the permittivity in the diffuse interface, in contrast to the sharp boundary between two regions, overcomes the numerical divergences due to charges placed at the boundary. The implementation of the model relies on the integral equation formalism, which allows one to calculate the reaction field acting on a molecule immersed in a dielectric environment once the proper Green's function is known. In the present case, such a Green's function is obtained numerically, allowing a large flexibility in the choice of the dielectric permittivity profile. The applications have been selected with the aim of illustrating the capabilities of the model; its present limitations are also discussed.     

Neutral organic lewis acids of π type

The interaction of some neutral acids of π type, bearing appropriate unsymmetrical substitutions at the C?C group with some selected bases (H₂O, NH₃, OH^?), is compared with that of the parent compound of a new set of neutral π acids, bearing symmetrical substitutions at the C?C group with the same bases. The analyses of the interaction energy, performed according to two decomposition schemes, with and without the counterpoise corrections, make clear the similarity of symmetrically and unsymmetrically substituted neutral organic acids.     

Solvation dynamics in acetonitrile: a study incorporating solute electronic response and nuclear relaxation

The solvent reorganization process after electronic excitation of a polar solute in a polar solvent such as acetonitrile is related mainly to the time evolution of the solute-solvent electrostatic interaction. Modern laser-based techniques have sufficient time resolution to follow this decay in real time, providing information to be confirmed and interpreted by theories and models. We present here a study aimed at the investigation of the different steps involved in the process taking place after a vertical S(0) --> S(1) excitation of a large size chromophore, coumarin 153 (C153), in acetonitrile, from both the solute and the solvent points of view. To do this, we use accurate quantum mechanical calculations for the solute properties within the polarizable continuum model (PCM) and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, both equilibrium and nonequilibrium, for C153 in the presence of the solvent. The geometry of the solute is allowed to change in order to study the role of internal motions in the time-dependent solvation process. The solvent response function has been obtained from the simulation data and compared to experiment, while the comparison between equilibrium and nonequilibrium MD results for the solvation response confirms the validity of the linear response approximation in the C153-acetonitrile system. The MD trajectories have also been used to monitor the structure of the solvation shell and to determine its change in response to the change in the solute partial charges.     

On the direct calculation of the time evolution of excited molecular states in the presence of nonadiabatic interactions

The possibility is explored of calculating the time evolution of a given initial molecular state, in the presence of sufficiently strong nonadiabatic interactions, with a fully quantum-mechanical approach. Two methods are presented. The first one is based on the determination of the molecular eigenstates, with expansion of the nuclear wavefunctions on a Hermite basis. The second method is based on the Padé 1,1 approximation of the time evolution operator and on a finite difference representation of the time-dependent nuclear wavefunctions. Both methods are applied to simple models of a diatomic molecule.     

Sodium Taurocholate-Induced Lamellar-Micellar Phase Transitions of DPPC

The thermotropic transitions of 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and the structural changes of its lamellar phases have been studied between 0 and 50°C by both DSC and synchrotron small angle X-ray diffraction/scattering as a function of temperature (XRDT) and sodium taurocholate concentration [TC] in the 0–40 mM range ([DPPC]=50 mM) at pH 7.4. The existence of multiple phase transitions (up to 5 peaks within a 5°C interval) in a narrow domain of temperature between 25 and 42°C depending on the [TC]/[lipid] ratio was observed in the DSC curves. XRDT showed that at low ratios they might correspond to transitions between lamellar phases, the structural characteristics of which are given. At higher ratios a lamellar to micellar transition was observed, and the temperature at which it was observed decreased as a function of the TC content. The relationships with DPPC vesicle bilayer permeabilization and solubilization are discussed.     

1,3-Dipolar cycloadditions of azomethine ylides with dipolarophiles. II. Synthesis of pyrrolizidines

Substituted pyrrolizidines have been synthesized by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of various dipolarophiles with the azomethine ylide generated by treatment of proline with benzaldehyde in dimethylsulfoxide. The regio- and stereochemical outcome of the reaction as well as the stability of the isomers obtained are discussed.     

Configuration-interaction calculations for the ground state of OF2, NO 2 − , CN−: Canonical orbitals and exclusive orbitals

The C.I. method is applied to already published double- SCF wave functions for OF₂, NO ₂ ^– and CN^–. All doubly excited configurations are considered. The second order approximation values presented for those cases are compared with the exact energy values in some minor cases. An attempt has been made to improve the rate of convergency of the process by transforming the canonical SCF occupied orbitals into localized ones and the virtual canonical orbitals into a particular type of localized orbitals. These latter show also an intuitively acceptable spatial conformation.

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Zusammenfassung Die CI Methode wird auf bereits bekannte Doppel-Zeta-SCF-Wellenfuntionen für die Systeme OF₂, NO ₂ ^– und CN^– angewandt. Dabei werden alle doppelt angeregten Konfigurationen berücksichtigt. Um die Konvergenz zu verbessern, werden versuchsweise die kanonischen und besetzten SCF-Orbitale in lokalisierte Orbitale und die virtuellen kanonischen Orbitale in einen besonderen Typ von lokalisierten Orbitalen transformiert. Die letzteren zeigen eine besonders geeignete räumliche Anpassung.

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Résumé Pour un calcul de intéraction de configurations, comprenant toutes le configurations à double excitation, on a employé des fonctions d'onde SCF sur une base doublée. Pour le calcul complet on a essayé des formules d'approximation, qu'on a pu vérifier avec le calcul exact sur des cas réduits.Pour améliorer la vélocité de convergence du procés on a transformé les orbitales canoniques SCF en orbitales localisées et aprés on a construit, selon un procedé particulier, des orbitales virtuelles localisées qui montrent une conformation dans l'espace qui est intuitivement satisfaisante.

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Work supported by the Consiglio Nazionale delie Ricerche.     

Titanium complexes bearing carbamato ligands as catalytic precursors for propylene polymerization reactions

This report describes propylene polymerization reactions with titanium complexes bearing carbamato ligands, Ti(O₂CNMe₂)Cl₂ ( I ) and Ti(O₂CR₂)₄ [R₂ = NMe₂ ( II ), NEt₂ ( III ) and ( IV )]. Combinations of these complexes and MAO form catalysts for the synthesis of atactic polypropylene, as confirmed by FT‐IR, DSC and ¹³C NMR analysis. Effects of main reaction parameters on the catalyst activity were studied including the type of complex, solvent, temperature, and the [Al]/[Ti] molar ratio. The highest activity was observed when chlorobenzene was used as a solvent and AlMe₃‐depleted MAO was employed as a cocatalyst. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4095–4102     

Thermally Induced Synthesis of Anthracene-, Pyrene- and Naphthalene-Fused Porphyrins

The synthesis of π-extended porphyrins containing anthracenyl moieties still represents an important challenge. Here, we report on the synthesis of a series of unsubstituted naphthyl-, pyrenyl- and anthracenyl-fused zinc porphyrin derivatives. To this aim, meso-substitued porphyrins are synthesized and the fusion of the PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon) on the β-positions are performed through thermally induced dehydro-aromatization. The fused zinc-porphyrin derivatives are fully characterized and their optical absorption and photoluminescence properties are reported. We also demonstrate that zinc can be removed from the porphyrin core, giving rise to pure C, H, N materials. This work constitutes the first step towards the synthesis of the fully-fused tetra-anthracenylporphyrin.