Structural properties of Li atom under quantum and classical plasmas: A composite variational framework

Structural properties of 1s²nl (²L) [n = 2–5, l = 0–4; where, n and l are the principal quantum number and orbital angular momentum quantum number, respectively] states of Li atom embedded in classical weakly coupled plasma (WCP) and dense quantum plasma (DQP) have been discussed. The Debye-Hckel potential or the screened-Coulomb potential (SCP) and exponential-cosine-screened Coulomb potential (ECSCP) have been used to mimic the WCP and DQP, respectively. Li atom has been treated as a composite system with a frozen core Li⁺ ion and a chemically active valence electron. The Rayleigh-Ritz variational method with Hylleraas-type basis set has been used to estimate the energy eigenvalue of 1s² (¹S) state of Li⁺ ion core and a pure exponential basis has been considered to compute the energy of nl (²L) states of the valence electron of Li atom. The influence of ECSCP and SCP on the radial probability distribution of the valence electron of the Li atom has also been studied.     

Transition-Metal-Free Aryl–Aryl Cross-Coupling: C−H Arylation of 2-Naphthols with Diaryliodonium Salts

Transition-metal-free regioselecitive C−H arylation of 2-naphthols with diaryliodonium salts has been developed. The reaction proceeds under very simple experimental conditions and affords a range of products with various substitution patterns. The method allows for the incorporation of electron-deficient aryls, which complements well currently existing metal-free aryl–aryl cross-couplings of phenols that have been so far restricted to the introduction of electron-rich aryl moieties. The mechanism of the reaction was studied by means of DFT calculations, demonstrating that the C−C bond formation occurs via a dearomatization of 2-naphthol substrate, followed by a subsequent rearomatization by tautomerization. The computations show that the use of a low polarity solvent and an insoluble inorganic base is key to securing the high selectivity of the C−C coupling over a competing C−O arylation pathway, by preventing the incipient deprotonation of 2-naphthol.     

Increasing mechanical resilience and enhanced electrical conductivity through the incorporation of CNF reinforcing additives in PA6 nanocomposites

Structural Chemistry - In pursuit of strong, tough, and functional advanced composite materials, a series of polymer nanocomposite blends were prepared from the engineering thermoplastic polyamide...     

Retracted: Effects of nanoparticles to the dynamical behavior of polymer chains in semidilute polymer solution: A dynamic light scattering study

The following article from the Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics: “Effects of nanoparticles to the dynamical behavior of polymer chains in semidilute polymer solution: A dynamic light scattering study,” by Mojammel H. Mondal, published online on 18 January 2011 in Wiley Online Library (onlinelibrary.wiley.com), has been retracted by agreement between the author, the journal Managing Editor, Dr. Victoria Cleave, and Wiley‐Blackwell. The retraction has been made as the research article was submitted without the author's PhD supervisor and principal investigator's knowledge or consent. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Determining Metal Ion Complexation Kinetics with Fluorescent Ligands by Using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) has been extensively used to measure equilibrium binding constants (K) or association and dissociation rates in many reversible chemical reactions across chemistry and biology. For the majority of investigated reactions, the binding constant was on the order of ∼100 M⁻¹, with dissociation constants faster or equal to 10³ s⁻¹, which ensured that enough association/dissociation events occur during the typical diffusion-determined transition time of molecules through the FCS detection volume. However, complexation reactions involving metal ions and chelating ligands exhibit equilibrium constants exceeding 10⁴ M⁻¹. In the present paper, we explore the applicability of FCS for measuring reaction rates of such complexation reactions, and apply it to binding of iron, europium and uranyl ions to a fluorescent chelating ligand, calcein. For this purpose, we exploit the fact that the ligand fluorescence becomes strongly quenched after binding a metal ion, which results in strong intensity fluctuations that lead to a partial correlation decay in FCS. We also present measurements for the strongly radioactive ions of ²⁴¹Am³⁺, where the extreme sensitivity of FCS allows us to work with sample concentrations and volumes that exhibit close to negligible radioactivity levels. A general discussion of the applicability of FCS to the investigation of metal-ligand binding reactions concludes our paper.     

Theoretical investigation of reaction mechanisms of alkaline hydrolysis of 2,3,6-trinitro-β-d-glucopyranose as a monomer of nitrocellulose

The 2,3,6-trinitro-β-d-glucopyranose as a monomer of nitrocellulose in the ⁴C₁ chair conformation was selected for the alkaline hydrolysis of nitrocellulose within S_N2 framework in the gas phase and in the bulk water solution. Both the direct and angular attacks of OH^? in the hydrolysis reactions were considered. Geometries were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level both in the gas phase and in bulk water solution. Effect of bulk water solution was modeled using the PCM approach. Nature of potential energy surfaces of the local minima and transition states was ascertained through harmonic vibrational frequency analysis. Intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations were also performed to validate the computed transition state structures. Effect of electron correlation on computed energies was considered at the MP2/cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. It was found that the angular attack of OH^? in the hydrolysis reaction will require significantly larger activation energy than the direct attack. Computed transition states correspond to the structure where the presence of hydrogen bonds between the OH^? and various sites of nitrocellulose was the necessary stabilizing factor. The ring breaking through the C–O ring bond was not found to be the first step in the alkaline hydrolysis reactions. It was predicted that alkaline hydrolysis would be driven by the addition–elimination (substitution) reaction starting at the C3 site and will progress in the C2 → C6 direction. Entropy of system in water solution will have profound effect on alkaline hydrolysis reaction of nitrocellulose.     

Theoretical study of spectroscopy,interaction, and dissociation of linear and T-shaped isomers of RgClF (Rg = He,Ne, and Ar) van der Waals complexes

Spectroscopy, interaction energy, and dissociation of linear and T-shaped isomers of HeClF, NeClF, and ArClF van der Waals complexes in their ground state have been studied in detail using MP2 and CCSD(T) methods in conjunction with correlation consistent valence triple and quadruple zeta basis sets. A method, called potential method, has been developed to remove the discrepancy between theoretical and experimental values for the depth of the potential well and dissociation energies for these complexes. This is also supported by the supermolecular approach. Most of the structural and spectroscopic properties of these complexes are first reported and the rest agree very well with the experimental and theoretical values wherever available. Two local minima corresponding to linear and asymmetric T-shaped are found for RgClF complexes. For NeClF complex, the predicted values for the equilibrium bond length and well depth are R _NeCl = 3.096 Å and \( D_{\text{e}}^{\text{p}} \) = 161.50 cm^?1 for the linear isomer and R _NeCl = 3.503 Å and \( D_{\text{e}}^{\text{p}} \) = 126.10 cm^?1 for the T-shaped isomer. Various dissociation channels are also investigated in detail.     

Nucleophilic degradation of fenitrothion insecticide and performance of nucleophiles: a computational study

Ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to understand the destruction chemistry of an important organophosphorus insecticide O,O-dimethyl O-(3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl) phosphorothioate, fenitrothion (FN), toward nucleophilic attack. Breaking of the P-OAr linkages through nucleophilic attack is considered to be the major degradation pathway for FN. One simple nucleophile, hydroxide (OH(-)), and two different α-nucleophiles, hydroperoxide (OOH(-)) and hydroxylamine anion (NH(2)O(-)), have been considered for this study. Nucleophilic attack at the two different centers, S(N)2@P and S(N)2@C, has been monitored, and the computed reaction energetics confirms that the S(N)2@P reactions are favorable over the S(N)2@C reactions for all the nucleophiles. All electronic structure calculations for the reaction are performed at DFT-B3LYP/6-31+G(d) level of theory followed by a refinement of energy at ab initio MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) level. The effect of aqueous polarization on both the S(N)2 reactions is taken into account employing the conductor-like screening model (COSMO) as well as polarization continuum model (PCM) at B3LYP/6-31+G(d) level of theory. Relative performance of the two α-nucleophiles, OOH(-) and NH(2)O(-), at the P center has further been clarified using natural bond orbital (NBO), conceptual DFT, and atoms in molecules (AIM) approaches. The strength of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the transition states and topological properties of the electron density distribution for -X-H···S (X = O, N) intermolecular hydrogen bonds are the subject of NBO and AIM analysis, respectively. Our calculated reaction energetics and electronic properties suggest that the relative order of nucleophilicity for the nucleophiles is OOH(-) > NH(2)O(-) > OH(-) for the S(N)2@P, whereas for the S(N)2@C the order, which gets little altered, is NH(2)O(-) > OOH(-) > OH(-).     

Nucleation kinetics of the formation of low dimensional calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals in isopropyl alcohol medium

Calcium sulfate dihydrate, constituted as uniform crystals of low dimensions, is a potential biomaterial for clinical applications like bone graft substitution and drug delivery. In this work, isopropyl alcohol has been used as a solvent to obtain low dimensional calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals from calcium nitrate ‐ sulfuric acid system. Reactants in 0.5 molar concentration at ambient conditions generated uniform rod‐shaped crystals of length 3–5 µm. Analysis using X‐ray Diffractometry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry showed the material to be well crystallized, phase‐pure calcium sulfate dihydrate. The nucleation kinetics has been studied by observing the induction time of phase formation in solutions of millimolar concentrations through turbidimetry at 300 K. The data have been analysed using classical nucleation theory to deduce parameters like interfacial tension (or surface free energy), nucleation rate and critical radius. The surface free energy obtained (5.6 mJ/m²) is comparatively lower than that reported for aqueous precipitation, which could be attributed to the presence of isopropyl alcohol. On escalating the supersaturation ratio, the nucleation rate drastically increased and the critical radius decreased exponentially. Particles formed at supersaturation 1.39 showed a monomodal distribution centered at 8.2 nm in Dynamic Light Scattering analysis. Comparable particle sizes were obtained in Transmission Electron Microscopy.