Comparison of levels of electronic structure theory in direct dynamics simulations of C2H5F --> HF + C2H4 product energy partitioning

Direct dynamics simulations at the MP2/6-311++G** level of theory were performed to study C(2)H(5)F --> HF + C(2)H(4) product energy partitioning. The simulation results are compared with experiment and a previous MP2/6-31G* simulation. The current simulation with the larger basis set releases more energy to HF vibration and less to HF + C(2)H(4) relative translation as compared to the previous simulation with the 6-31G* basis set. The HF rotation and vibration energy distributions determined from the current simulation are in overall very good agreement with previous experimental studies of C(2)H(5)F dissociation by chemical activation and IRMPA. A comparison of the simulations with experiments suggests there may be important mass effects for energy partitioning in HX elimination from haloalkanes. The transition state (TS) structures and energies calculated with MP2 and the 6-31G* and 6-311++G** basis sets are compared with those calculated using CCD, CCSD, CCSD(T), and the 6-311++G** basis set.     

Calculation of electron affinities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and solvation energies of their radical anion

Electron affinities (EAs) and free energies for electron attachment (DeltaGo(a,298K)) have been directly calculated for 45 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related molecules by a variety of theoretical methods, with standard regression errors of about 0.07 eV (mean unsigned error = 0.05 eV) at the B3LYP/6-31 + G(d,p) level and larger errors with HF or MP2 methods or using Koopmans' Theorem. Comparison of gas-phase free energies with solution-phase reduction potentials provides a measure of solvation energy differences between the radical anion and neutral PAH. A simple Born-charging model approximates the solvation effects on the radical anions, leading to a good correlation with experimental solvation energy differences. This is used to estimate unknown or questionable EAs from reduction potentials. Two independent methods are used to predict DeltaGo(a,298K) values: (1) based upon DFT methods, or (2) based upon reduction potentials and the Born model. They suggest reassignments or a resolution of conflicting experimental EAs for nearly one-half (17 of 38) of the PAH molecules for which experimental EAs have been reported. For the antiaromatic molecules, 1,3,5-tri-tert-butylpentalene and the dithia-substituted cyclobutadiene 1, the reduction potentials lead to estimated EAs close to those expected from DFT calculations and provide a basis for the prediction of the EAs and reduction potentials of pentalene and cyclobutadiene. The Born model has been used to relate the electrostatic solvation energies of PAH and hydrocarbon radical anions, and spherical halide anions, alkali metal cations, and ammonium ions to effective ionic radii from DFT electron-density envelopes. The Born model used for PAHs has been successfully extended here to quantitatively explain the solvation energy of the C60 radical anion.     

A new local density functional for main-group thermochemistry, transition metal bonding, thermochemical kinetics, and noncovalent interactions

We present a new local density functional, called M06-L, for main-group and transition element thermochemistry, thermochemical kinetics, and noncovalent interactions. The functional is designed to capture the main dependence of the exchange-correlation energy on local spin density, spin density gradient, and spin kinetic energy density, and it is parametrized to satisfy the uniform-electron-gas limit and to have good performance for both main-group chemistry and transition metal chemistry. The M06-L functional and 14 other functionals have been comparatively assessed against 22 energetic databases. Among the tested functionals, which include the popular B3LYP, BLYP, and BP86 functionals as well as our previous M05 functional, the M06-L functional gives the best overall performance for a combination of main-group thermochemistry, thermochemical kinetics, and organometallic, inorganometallic, biological, and noncovalent interactions. It also does very well for predicting geometries and vibrational frequencies. Because of the computational advantages of local functionals, the present functional should be very useful for many applications in chemistry, especially for simulations on moderate-sized and large systems and when long time scales must be addressed.     

Solid-phase microextraction as a novel air sampling technology for improved, GC-olfactometry-based assessment of livestock odors

Air sampling and characterization of odorous livestock gases is one of the most challenging analytical tasks. This is because of low concentrations, physicochemical properties, and problems with sample recoveries for typical odorants. Livestock operations emit a very complex mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other gases. Many of these gases are odorous. Relatively little is known about the link between characteristic VOCs/gases and, specifically, about the impact of characteristic odorants downwind from sources. In this research, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is used for field air sampling of odors downwind from swine and beef cattle operations. Sampling time ranges from 20 min to 1 h. Samples are analyzed using a commercial gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry system. Odor profiling efforts are directed at odorant prioritization, with respect to distance from the source. The results indicate the odor downwind is increasingly defined by a smaller number of high-priority odorants. These "character defining" odorants appear to be dominated by compounds of relatively low volatility, high molecular weight, and high polarity. In particular, p-cresol alone appears to carry much of the overall odor impact for swine and beef cattle operations. Of particular interest is the character-defining odor impact of p-cresol as far as 16 km downwind of the nearest beef cattle feedlot. The findings are highly relevant to scientists and engineers working on improved air sampling and analysis protocols and on improved technologies for odor abatement. More research evaluating the use of p-cresol and a few other key odorants as a surrogate for overall odor dispersion modeling is warranted.     

The preparation of 3‐substituted 1,2‐benzisothiazole‐1,1‐dioxides from the condensation‐cyclization of dilithiated β‐ketoesters with methyl 2‐(aminosulfonyl)benzoate or 1,2‐benzisothiazol‐3(2H)‐one‐1,1‐dioxide

Several β‐ketoesters were dilithiated with an excess of lithium diisopropylamide, followed by condensation with methyl 2‐(aminosulfonyl)benzoate to give intermediates that were not isolated but cyclized to 3‐substituted 1,2‐benzisothiazole‐1,1‐dioxides. In most instances involving the ester‐sulfonamide, a single β‐ketoester tautomer is usually formed after recrystallization from ethanol. The same dilithiated β‐ketoesters generally condense less well with 1,2‐benzisothiazol‐3(2H)‐one‐1,1‐dioxide (saccharin) under the same conditions to afford the same products usually in the same or lower yields. The use of N,N,N',N'‐tetramethylethylenediamine during these syntheses has sometimes resulted in improved yields of products.     

Dications of 3-phenylindenylidenefluorenes: evaluation of antiaromaticity of indenyl and fluorenyl cations by magnetic measures

Dications of p-substituted 3-phenylindenylidenefluorenes were prepared to examine the response of the resulting indenyl and fluorenyl cationic systems to magnetic measures of antiaromaticity. All measures, (1)H NMR shifts, nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS(1)(zz)), and magnetic susceptibility exaltation, Lambda, supported the antiaromaticity of the dications 3a-f2+. The 1H NMR shifts and NICS(1)(zz) showed that the indenyl ring system was less antiaromatic than the fluorenyl ring system, contrary to the antiaromaticity of indenyl monocations compared to fluorenyl monocations. The presence of a phenyl substituent in the 3-position was able to stabilize the indenylidene cation through resonance, decreasing its antiaromaticity, but even in the absence of the 3-phenyl substituent, the indenyl system of indenylidenefluorene dications was less antiaromatic than the fluorenyl system. The decreased antiaromaticity of the 3-phenylindenylidenefluorene dications over the unsubstituted indenylidenefluorene dication was supported by (anti)aromatic (de)stabilization energy calculations, ASE.     

A facile, general synthesis of 3,4-difluoro-6-substituted-2-pyrones

Reaction of (2E)-2,3-difluoro-3-iodoacrylic acid with a variety of terminal acetylenes under cocatalysis of PdCl2(PPh3)2 and CuI gave difluorinated 2-pyrones as the sole product in good yields.     

Stabilization energies of extensively conjugated propargylic radicals

G3(MP2) and other model chemistry calculations indicate that stabilization energies of extensively conjugated allylic radicals H2(C=C)nCH2*, n = 1-4, increase monotonically as the number of repeating C=C units increase. In contrast, stabilization energies of the analogous propargylic radicals, H(C[triple bond]C)nCH2*, decrease beyond n = 2. Breaking up the number of contiguous conjugated C[triple bond]C units in conjugation with the odd electron enhances rather than diminishes stability. These results complement previous findings of significant differences in the stabilization of conjugated ground-state polyenes vs polyynes.     

Conidial pigmentation is important to tolerance against solar-simulated radiation in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae

The importance of conidial pigmentation to solar UV radiation tolerance in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae, was estimated by comparing the effects of exposure to simulated solar UV radiation on the wild-type parent strain U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungal Cultures (ARSEF) 23, which has dark green conidia, and three groups of color mutants with yellow, purple and white conidia. The comparisons included inactivation levels and the kinetics of germination of conidia exposed or not exposed to simulated solar UV radiation. In addition to significantly inactivating the conidia of different mutants, exposure to radiation delayed for several hours the germination of surviving conidia of the wild type and all mutants. In general, mutants with white conidia were more sensitive to simulated solar UV radiation than mutants with purple conidia, which were more sensitive than mutants with yellow conidia, which in turn were more sensitive than the green wild strain. A significant variation in tolerance to simulated solar radiation was observed among mutants within each color group, particularly among mutants with yellow conidia. Revertants with green conidia, DWR 179 and DWR 176, were obtained from the very sensitive UV mutants DWR 148 (yellow conidia) and DWR 149 (purple conidia), respectively. These revertants had levels of tolerance to simulated solar UV radiation similar to those of the wild-type ARSEF 23. This observation is strong evidence of the importance of green conidial pigmentation for tolerance to simulated solar UV radiation, a factor that could be manipulated to produce M. anisopliae strains with more tolerance to solar UV radiation.     

Development and characterization of on-chip biopolymer membranes

In lab-on-a-chip applications, filtration is currently performed prior to sample loading or through pre-cast membranes adhered to the substrate. These membranes cannot be patterned to micrometer resolution, and their adhesion may be incompatible with the fabrication process or may introduce contaminants. We have developed an on-chip separation process using a biocompatible polymer that can be patterned and has controllable molecular rejection properties. We spun cast cellulose acetate (CA) membranes directly onto silicon wafers. Characterization of the molecular flux across the membrane showed that molecular weight and charge are major factors contributing to the membranes' rejection characteristics. Altering casting conditions such as polymer concentration in the casting solution and the quenching-bath composition and/or temperature allowed control of the molecular weight cut-off (MWCO). Three MWCOs; 300, 350, and 700 Da have been achieved for non-linear molecules. Molecular shape is also very important as much higher molecular weight single-stranded DNA was electrophoresed across the membranes while heme with a similar negative charge density was rejected. This was due to DNA's small molecular cross section. This is an important result because heme inhibits polymerase chain reactions (PCR) reducing the detection and characterization of DNA from blood samples.