A computational study of oxidation of ruthenium porphyrins via ORu(IV) and ORu(VI)O species

An unrestricted density functional theory (UDFT) was applied to study the oxidation of ruthenium porphyrins, [RuP], via an interaction with molecular oxygen. The important role of dimeric [RuP] complexes, i.e. [RuP]-O2-[RuP], in the oxidation mechanism and particular in the cleavage of O-O bond of molecular oxygen has been studied. Geometries and relative Gibbs free energies of the intermediate Ru-complexes, i.e. dimeric oxo-Ru-porphyrins and O2Ru(II)-(or O2- Ru(III))-, ORu(IV)- and ORu(VI)O-porphyrins, were evaluated along the proposed reaction pathway. The detailed thermodynamic data of the oxidation reaction [Ru(II)P] --> O[Ru(IV)P] --> O[Ru(VI)P]O and important aspects of the vibrational spectra of an oxo-[RuP] has been presented.     

Electron transfer in neptunyl(VI)-neptunyl(V) complexes in solution

The rates and mechanisms of the electron self-exchange between Np(V) and Np(VI) in solution have been studied with quantum chemical methods and compared with previous results for the U(V)-U(VI) pair. Both outer-sphere and inner-sphere mechanisms have been investigated, the former for the aqua ions, the latter for binuclear complexes containing hydroxide, fluoride, and carbonate as bridging ligand. Solvent effects were calculated using the Marcus equation for the outer-sphere reactions and using a nonequilibrium PCM method for the inner-sphere reactions. The nonequilibrium PCM appeared to overestimate the solvent effect for the outer-sphere reactions. The calculated rate constant for the self-exchange reaction NpO2(+)(aq) + NpO2(2+)(aq) right harpoon over left harpoon NpO2(2+)(aq) + NpO2(+)(aq), at 25 degrees C is k = 67 M(-1) s(-1), in fair agreement with the observed rates 0.0063-15 M(-1) s(-1). The differences between the Np(V)-Np(VI) and the U(V)-U(VI) pairs are minor.     

Using mechanistic and computational studies to explain ligand effects in the palladium-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alcohols

The experimental and computational mechanistic details of the Pd(OAc)(2)/TEA-catalyzed aerobic alcohol oxidation system are disclosed. Measurement of various kinetic isotope effects and the activation parameters as well as rate law derivation support rate-limiting deprotonation of the palladium-coordinated alcohol. Rate-limiting deprotonation of the alcohol is contrary to the majority of related kinetic studies for Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alcohols, which propose rate-limiting beta-hydride elimination. This difference in the rate-limiting step is supported by the computational model, which predicts the activation energy for deprotonation is 3 kcal/mol higher than the activation energy for beta-hydride elimination. The computational features of the similar Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine system were also elucidated. Details of the study illustrate that the use of TEA results in an active catalyst that has only one ligand bound to the Pd, resulting in a significant lowering of the activation energy for beta-hydride elimination and, therefore, a catalyst that is active at room temperature.