Molecular potential-energy surfaces for chemical reaction dynamics

This paper reviews the construction of molecular potential-energy surfaces by an interpolation method which has been developed over the last several years. The method uses ab initio quantum chemistry calculations of the molecular electronic energy in an automated procedure to construct global potential- energy surfaces which can be used to simulate chemical reactions with either classical or quantum dynamics. The methodology is explained and several applications are presented to illustrate the approach. Received: 22 February 2002 / Accepted: 2 May 2002 / Published online: 6 November 2002 Correspondence to: M. A. Collins e-mail: collins@rsc.anu.edu.au Acknowledgements. The methods described in this overview are the result of collaborations with former members of my group, in particular with Josef Ischtwan, Meredith Jordon, Keiran Thompson and Ryan Bettens. I am also indebted for inspiration gained from many discussions with my colleagues Leo Radom and Donghui Zhang (National University of Singapore). This work has been supported by the Supercomputer Facility of the Australian National University and the Australian Partnership for Advanced Computing.     

Polystyrene resins with immobilized polyamines: Preparation,characterization, and ability to bind Cu(II) ions

Three polyamine ligands, ethylenediamine (EDA), diethylenetriamine (DTA), and triethylenetetramine (TETA), were bound to three chloromethylated “popcorn” polystyrene resins (16, 50, and 100% phenyl ring substitution) with the use of pyridine as the reaction medium. The rate of chloride displacement decreased with increasing molecular weight of the amine and higher degree of resin chloromethylation, while the extent of multiple attachments to the polymer matrix increased. The additional crosslinking, a result of multiple attachments, caused the polyamine resins to swell to a lesser extent in pyridine and water. The ability of the insoluble polyamine–polystyrene resins to chelate Cu²⁺ ions from dilute solutions (200 ppm) was determined at pH 5. With EDA resins the capacity for Cu²⁺ increased with increasing amount of the bound polyamine, with DTA it remained unchanged, while with TETA it was found to decrease.     

Marine adhesives. IV: Hexosamine content of Balanus eburneus adhesive

The adhesive secreted by the barnacle, Balanus eburneus, has been demonstrated to contain two hexosamines, glucosamine and galactosamine. Degradation of the hexosamines during hydrolysis of the adhesive appears to be the reason why previous studies of the adhesive have indicated the absence of hexosamines, or the presence of only one hexosamine.     

Polarographic reduction of pyridinium ion in pyridine tetraethylammonium perchlorate as background electrolyte

Tetraethylammonium perchlorate, compared to lithium perchlorate as background electrolyte for the reduction of pyridinium ion in pyridine, is effective over a wider potential range, but is more difficult to obtain in a pure state; slight amounts of impurities do not, however, affect the pyridinium wave. The pyridinium wave produced in 0.1 M Et₄NClO₄ may occur at a more negative potential than the main pyridinium wave in 0.1 M LiClO₄, depending on the source of the pyridinium ion, but still appears to be due to a diffusion-controlled reduction, whose limiting current is linearly proportional to concentration; the prewave observed in LiCl0₄ background generally does not appear in Et₄NClO₄ background. Specific differences in the effect of Li(I), Na(I) and Et₄N(I) background cation appear to be due to electrocapillary phenomena and perhaps to the extent of solvation of the ions. The constancy of current for solutions containing acetic acid with added acetate, pyridinium nitrate with added nitrate, and benzoic acid with added benzoate indicate that the pyridinium reduction is independent of anion concentration.     

Computational study on the ring-opening reaction of protonated oxirane and methylpropene

A computational study on the intermolecular reaction of protonated oxirane with methylpropene, as a model for initiation of oxidosqualene cyclisation, shows that the S_N2-like ring opening is strongly exothermic with a low barrier to reaction and establishes the geometry of the intermolecular reaction.     

Visible Light Induced Water Cleavage in CdS Dispersions Loaded with Pt and RuO2, Hole Scavenging by RuO2

Illumination of aqueous CdS dispersions loaded with Pt and RuO₂ by visible light produces hydrogen and oxygen in stoichiometric proportion. No degradation of the photocatalyst is noted after 60 h of irradiation time. The RuO₂ deposit on the particle surface greatly accelerates the transfer of holes from the semiconductor valence band to the aqueous solution thus inhibiting photocorrosion.     

Rates of base-catalysed cleavage of pyridyl-, quinolyl-, picolyl- and (quinolylmethyl)-trimethylsilanes

Rates of cleavage of some picoyl- and (quinolylmethyl)-trimethylsilanes (RSiMe₃, where R = PyCH₂ or QnCH₂SiMe₃) have been measured in “90%” aqueous methanolic sodium methoxide at 50°C. Relative reactivities are: 2-PyCH₂, 1.0; 3-PyCH₂, 0.030; 4-PyCH₂, 8.9; 2-QnCH₂, 41; 3-QnCH₂, 0.161; 4-QnCH₂, 37. The rates correlate well with those for base-catalysed hydrogen-exchange in the parent carbon acids RH. Approximate pK_a's (based on the scale of ion-pair acidities in CsNHC₆H₁₁H₂NC₆H₁₁, with pK_a of 9-phenylfluorene = 18.6) for the carbon acids, RH, can be derived as follows: 2-PyCH₃, 29.5; 3-PyCH₃, 34; 4-PyCH₃, 27; 2-QnCH₃, 25; 3-QnCH₃, 32; 4-QnCH₃, 25.Rates of cleavage of pyridyl- and quinolyl-trimethylsilanes (PySiMe₃ and QnSiMe₃) by sodium hydroxide in 4 : 1 v/v Me₂SO/H₂O at 50°C have also been measured; and the relative reactivities are: 2-Py, 1.0; 3-Py, 2.9; 4-Py, 8.4; 2-Qn, 15.9; 3-Qn, 12.7; 4-Qn, 184. The sequence of reactivity differes from that for base-catalysed hydrogen-exchange at the relevant positions of pyridine and quinoline, indicating that the reactivities are not determined in both cases (if in either) solely by the stabilities of the corresponding carbanions.     

The reaction of N-aminophthalimide with isothiocyanates

N-Aminophthalimide ( I ) reacted in refluxing isopropyl alcohol with a number of isothiocyanates to give the related 1:1 addition products, N-(3-substitutedthioureido)phthalimides III. On the other hand, heating I directly with an excess of neat arylisothiocyanates produced the N-arylphthalimides IV. As shown for IIIa, the 1:1 addition products are conveniently deblocked by the Ing-Manske procedure to yield the 4-substituted thiosemicarbazide.