Infrared matrix isolation and quantum chemical studies of the nitrous acid complexes with water

The 1:1 and 2:1 complexes between water and trans- and cis-isomers of nitrous acid have been isolated in argon matrices and studied using FTIR spectroscopy and DFT(B3LYP) calculations with a 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. The analysis of the experimental spectra indicate that 1:1 complexes trapped in solid argon involve very strong hydrogen bond in which acid acts as the proton donor and water as the proton acceptor. The perturbed OH stretches are −248, −228 cm⁻¹ red shifted from their free-molecules values in complexes formed by trans- and cis-HONO isomers, respectively. The calculated spectral parameters for the two complexes are in good agreement with experimental data. The calculations also predict stability of two more 1:1 weakly bound complexes formed by each isomer. In these the water acts as the proton donor and one of the two oxygen atoms of the acid as the acceptor. The experimental spectra demonstrate also formation of 2:1 complex between water and trans-HONO isomer in an argon matrix. The performed calculations indicate that the complex involves a seven-membered ring in which OH group of HONO forms very strong hydrogen bond with the oxygen atom of one water molecule and nitrogen atom acts as a weak proton acceptor for the hydrogen atom of the second water molecule of the water dimer. The observed perturbations of the OH stretch of trans-HONO (750 cm⁻¹ red shift) is much larger than that predicted by calculations (556 cm⁻¹ red shift); this difference is attributed to strong solvation effect of argon matrix on very strong hydrogen bond.     

Reactions of Allyl Alcohols of the Pinane Series and of Their Epoxides in the Presence of Montmorillonite Clay

The reactivity of allyl alcohols of the pinane series and of their epoxides in the presence of montmorillonite clay in intra‐ and intermolecular reactions was studied. Mutual transformations of (+)‐trans‐pinocarveol ((+)‐ 2 ) and (?)‐myrtenol ((?)‐ 3a ) were major reactions of these compounds on askanite–bentonite clay (Schemes 1 and 2). However, the two reactions gave different isomerization products, indicating that the reactivity of the starting alcohol (+)‐ 2 or (?)‐ 3a was different from that of the same compound (+)‐ 2 or (?)‐ 3 formed in the course of the reactions. (?)‐cis‐ and (+)‐trans‐Verbenol ((?)‐ 16 and (+)‐ 12 , resp.), as well as (?)‐cis‐verbenol epoxide ((?)‐ 20 ) reacted with both aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes on askanite–bentonite clay giving various heterocyclic compounds (Schemes 4, 5 and 7); the reaction path depended on the structure of both the terpenoid and the aldehyde.     

Effect of steps on the decomposition of CH3O at PdZn alloy surfaces

The decomposition of methoxide (CH(3)O) on a PdZn alloy is considered to be the rate-limiting step of steam re-forming of methanol over a Pd/ZnO catalyst. Our previous density functional (DF) studies (Langmuir 2004, 20, 8068; Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2004, 6, 4499) revealed only a very low propensity of defect-free flat (111) and (100) PdZn surfaces to promote C-H or C-O bond breaking of CH(3)O. Thus, we applied the same DF periodic slab-model approach to investigate these two routes of CH(3)O decomposition on PdZn(221) surfaces that expose Pd, (221)(Pd), and Zn, (221)(Zn), steps. C-H bond cleavage of CH(3)O is greatly facilitated on (221)(Pd): the calculated activation energy is dramatically reduced, to approximately 50 kJ mol(-1) from approximately 90 kJ mol(-1) on flat PdZn surfaces, increasing the rate constant by a factor of 10(8). The lower barrier is mainly due to a weaker interaction of the reactant CH(3)O and an enhanced interaction of the product CH(2)O with the substrate. The activation energy for C-O bond scission did not decrease on the (221)(Pd) step. On the (221)(Zn) step, the calculated reaction barriers of both decomposition routes are even higher than on flat surfaces, because of the stronger adsorption of CH(3)O. Steps (and other defects) appear to be crucial for methanol steam re-forming on Pd/ZnO catalyst; the stepped surface PdZn(221)(Pd) is a realistic model for studying the reactivity of this catalyst.     

Transition metal clusters and supported species with metal-carbon bonds from first-principles quantum chemistry

We discuss the impact of density functional electronic structure calculations for understanding the organometallic chemistry of transition metal (TM) surface complexes and clusters. Examples will cover three types of systems, mainly of interest in the context of heterogeneous catalysis: (i) supported carbonyl complexes of rhenium on MgO and of rhodium in zeolites, (ii) TM clusters with CO ligands and adsorbates, and (iii) metal clusters exhibiting chemical bonds with atomic carbon. The first group of case studies promotes the concept that surface groups of oxide supports are bonded to TM complexes in the same way as common (poly-dentate) ligands are bonded in coordination compounds. The second group of examples demonstrates various “ligand effects” of TM clusters. Finally, we illustrate how carbido centers stabilize TM clusters and modify the propensity for adsorption at the surface of such clusters.     

Chemical Bonding and Pressure‐Induced Change of the Electron Configuration of Ytterbium in β‐YbAgGa2

Single‐phase polycrystalline samples of the intermetallic compound β‐YbAgGa₂ were synthesized by inductive heating and subsequent annealing for eight weeks at 670 K. Magnetic properties were characterized by susceptibility measurements and indicated intermediate valence of ytterbium at ambient pressure. Angle‐dispersive X‐ray powder diffraction data of orthorhombic β‐YbAgGa₂ indicate stability of the phase in the investigated pressure range from 0.1 MPa (ambient pressure) to 19 GPa. The pressure‐induced volume decrease is accompanied by an increase of the effective valence from 2.17 at ambient conditions to 2.71 at 16 GPa as evaluated by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy at the Yb L_III threshold. Analysis of the chemical bonding in β‐YbAgGa₂ by integrating the electron density of the polyanion in basins as defined by the electron localization function results in an electron count Yb^2.7+[(Ag^0.2—)(Ga1(3b)^1.0—)(Ga2(4b)^1.5—)]. This finding is close to the expected values calculated by means of the Zintl rules and fits well the results of magnetic susceptibility measurements and XAS investigations.     

Kinetics of the CH2Cl + CH3 and CHCl2 + CH3 radical-radical reactions

The CH2Cl + CH3 (1) and CHCl2 + CH3 (2) cross-radical reactions were studied by laser photolysis/photoionization mass spectroscopy. Overall rate constants were obtained in direct real-time experiments in the temperature region 301-800 K and bath gas (helium) density (6-12) x 10(16) atom cm(-3). The observed rate constant of reaction 1 can be represented by an Arrhenius expression k1 = 3.93 x 10(-11) exp(91 K/T) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) (+/-25%) or as an average temperature-independent value of k1= (4.8 +/- 0.7) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). The rate constant of reaction 2 can be expressed as k2= 1.66 x 10(-11) exp(359 K/T) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) (+/-25%). C2H4 and C2H3Cl were detected as the primary products of reactions 1 and 2, respectively. The experimental values of the rate constant are in reasonable agreement with the prediction based on the "geometric mean rule." A separate experimental attempt to determine the rate constants of the high-temperature CH2Cl + O2 (10) and CHCl2 + O2 (11) reaction resulted in an upper limit of 1.2 x 10(-16) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) for k10 and k11 at 800 K.     

BINOL-derived diphosphoramidites bearing unsymmetrical 1,2-diamine link and their application in asymmetric catalysis

New P,P-bidentate diastereomeric diphosphoramidite chiral ligands with mixed stereogenic elements and a C₁ backbone symmetry have been prepared from (S_a)- and (R_a)-1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diol (BINOL) and (S)-N-benzyl-1-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)methanamine and are fully characterized. The use of these ligands provides up to 84% ee in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution of (E)-1,3-diphenylallyl acetate and up to 95% ee in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-dehydrocarboxylic acid esters. The results indicate that the catalytic performance is highly affected by the axial chirality of the binaphthyl moieties of the ligand and the nature of the solvent.     

Aerobic asymmetric oxygenation catalysis: a well forgotten… future?

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