A sodium atom in a large water cluster: electron delocalization and infrared spectra

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations modeling low-energy collisions of a sodium atom with a cluster with more than 30 water molecules are presented. We follow the dynamics of the atom-cluster interaction and the delocalization of the valence electron of sodium together with the changes in the electron binding energy. This electron tends to be shared by the nascent sodium cation and the water cluster. IR spectra of the sodium-water cluster are both computationally and experimentally obtained, with a good agreement between the two approaches.     

Curvature coupling dependence of membrane protein diffusion coefficients

We consider the lateral diffusion of a protein interacting with the curvature of the membrane. The interaction energy is minimized if the particle is at a membrane position with a certain curvature that agrees with the spontaneous curvature of the particle. We employ stochastic simulations that take into account both the thermal fluctuations of the membrane and the diffusive behavior of the particle. In this study, we neglect the influence of the particle on the membrane dynamics, thus the membrane dynamics agrees with that of a freely fluctuating membrane. Overall, we find that this curvature coupling substantially enhances the diffusion coefficient. We compare the ratio of the projected or measured diffusion coefficient and the free intramembrane diffusion coefficient, which is a parameter of the simulations, with analytical results that rely on several approximations. We find that the simulations always lead to a somewhat smaller diffusion coefficient than that from our analytical approach. A detailed study of the correlations of the forces acting on the particle indicates that the diffusing inclusion tries to follow favorable positions on the membrane such that forces along the trajectory are on average smaller than they would be for random particle positions.     

Optimization of augmentation functions for correlated calculations of spin-spin coupling constants and related properties

A new hierarchy of augmented basis sets optimized for the calculation of molecular properties such as indirect spin-spin coupling constants is presented. Based on the Dunning hierarchy of cc-pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, and 5) basis sets augmentation functions with tight exponents have been optimized for coupled-cluster calculations of indirect spin-spin coupling constants. The optimal exponents for these tight functions have been obtained by optimizing the sum of the absolute values of all contributions to the coupling constant. On the basis of a series of test cases (CO, HF, N(2), F(2), H(2)O, NH(3), and CH(4)) we propose a set of tight s, p, and d functions to be added to the uncontracted Dunning basis sets, and, subsequently, to recontract. The resulting ccJ-pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, and 5) basis sets demonstrate excellent cost efficiency in benchmark calculations. These new basis sets should generally be applicable for the calculation of spin-spin coupling constants and other properties that have a strong dependence on powers of 1r or even contain a delta distribution for correlated ab initio methods.     

ω,ω′-Urea- and -dithioacetal-derivatives of hypericin

An ω,ω′-disubstituted hypericin derivative bearing two dicyclohexylurea moieties separated by propionyl chains from the chromophore and an ω,ω′-dithioacetal of hypericin were prepared. Both showed excellent production of oxidizing species comparable to hypericin when irradiated with appropriate light as shown by the photodestruction of bilirubin IXα.     

NHC-Adducts of Cyclopentadienyl-Substituted Alanes

The mono- and bis-iodo-substituted NHC-stabilized alanes (NHC) ⋅ AlH₂I and (NHC) ⋅ AlHI₂ offer a convenient entry for further substitution reactions at aluminum. Reactions of (NHC) ⋅ AlH₂I 1 – 4 with one equivalent of NaCp afforded the adducts (NHC) ⋅ AlH₂Cp 9 – 12 (NHC=Me₂Im^Me ( 9 ), iPr₂Im^Me ( 10 ), iPr₂Im ( 11 ), Dipp₂Im ( 12 )). Alane adducts with two Cp substituents (NHC) ⋅ AlHCp₂ 13 – 16 (NHC=Me₂Im^Me ( 13 ), iPr₂Im^Me ( 14 ), iPr₂Im ( 15 ), Dipp₂Im ( 16 )) were prepared by the analogous reaction of (NHC) ⋅ AlHI₂ 5 – 8 using two equivalents of NaCp. The unusual dimeric adducts ((NHC) ⋅ AlH₂Cp ⋅ CpMgI)₂ 17 – 19 (NHC=Me₂Im^Me ( 17 ), iPr₂Im^Me ( 18 ), iPr₂Im ( 19 )) were obtained from the reaction of 1 – 3 with MgCp₂.     

Morphologies of diblock copolymer thin films before and after crystallization

Spin-coated thin films of about 100nm of low-molecular-weight hydrogenated poly(butadiene-b- ethyleneoxide) (PB_h-PEO) diblock copolymers have been crystallized at various constant temperatures. Crystallization has been observed in real time by light microscopy. Detailed structural information was obtained by atomic force microscopy, mainly enabled by the large viscoelastic contrast between amorphous and crystalline regions. The behavior in thin films is compared to the bulk properties of the polymer. Crystallization started from an annealed microphase separated melt where optical microscopy indicated a lamellar orientation parallel to the substrate. A small difference in the length of the crystallizable block produced significantly different crystallization behavior, both in the bulk and in thin films. For thin films of the shortest diblock copolymer (45% PEO content) and for an undercooling larger than about 10 degrees, crystallization created vertically oriented lamellae. These vertical lamellae could be preferentially aligned over several micrometers when crystallization occurred close to a three-phase contact line. Annealing at temperatures closer to the melting point or keeping the sample at room temperature for several months allowed the formation of a lamellar structure parallel to the substrate. A tentative interpretation based on kinetically caused chain folding and relaxation within the crystalline state, with implications on general aspects of polymer crystallization, is presented. Received 19 March 1999 and Received in final form 14 December 1999     

Finite Element Analysis of Eigendynamics of Rolling Tires

The eigenvalue analysis of rolling tires is one part of the simulation of tire rolling noise radiation for the reduction of traffic noise. In this paper the general strategies of numerical eigenvalue analysis for nonsymmetric matrices are shown. The special effects observed on rotating bodies are discussed in details. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)