Pressure-dependent mechanical stability of simple cubic carbon

The pressure-dependent energetic and mechanical stabilities of simple cubic carbon were studied using first-principles calculations. The enthalpies of graphite, diamond, BC8, and simple cubic carbon were calculated, and it was found that simple cubic carbon was the most energetically stable polytype above 2700 GPa. Elastic constants were calculated as a function of pressure. Simple cubic carbon was mechanically unstable below 400 GPa, but became mechanically stable above 400 GPa. Our calculated results also indicated that the bulk module of simple cubic carbon increased linearly with increasing pressure.     

Ab initio investigation on the reaction path and rate for the gas-phase reaction of HO + H2O <--> H2O + OH

This article describes an ab initio investigation on the potential surfaces for one of the simplest hydrogen atom abstraction reactions, that is, HO + H2O <--> H2O + OH. In accord with the findings in the previously reported theoretical investigations, two types of the hydrogen-bonding complexes [HOH--OH] and [H2O--HO] were located on the potential energy surface. The water molecule acts as a hydrogen donor in the [HOH--OH] complex, while the OH radical acts as a hydrogen donor in the [H2O--HO] complex. The energy evaluations at the MP2(FC) basis set limit, as well as those through the CBS-APNO procedure, have provided estimates for enthalpies of association for these complexes at 298 K as -2.1 approximately -2.3 and -4.1 approximately -4.3 kcal/mol, respectively. The IRC calculations have suggested that the [H2O--HO] complex should be located along the reaction coordinate for the hydrogen abstraction. Our best estimate for the classical barrier height for the hydrogen abstraction is 7.8 kcal/mol, which was obtained from the CBS-APNO energy evaluations. After fitting the CBS-APNO potential energy curve to a symmetrical Eckart function, the rate constants were calculated by using the transition state theory including the tunneling correction. Our estimates for the Arrhenius parameters in the temperature region from 300 to 420 K show quite reasonable agreement with the experimentally derived values.     

Non-catalytic and selective alkylation of phenol with propan-2-ol in supercritical water

Phenol can be alkylated with propan-2-ol without catalyst in supercritical water at 673 K with mainly ortho substituted alkylphenols being obtained and alkylation reaction rate increasing with increasing water density.     

High-level ab initio computations of structures and interaction energies of naphthalene dimers: origin of attraction and its directionality

The intermolecular interaction energies of naphthalene dimers have been calculated by using an aromatic intermolecular interaction model (a model chemistry for the evaluation of intermolecular interactions between aromatic molecules). The CCSD(T) (coupled cluster calculations with single and double substitutions with noniterative triple excitations) interaction energy at the basis set limit has been estimated from the second-order M?ller-Plesset perturbation interaction energy near saturation and the CCSD(T) correction term obtained using a medium-size basis set. The estimated interaction energies of the set of geometries explored in this work show that two structures emerge as being the lowest energy, and may effectively be considered as isoenergetic on the basis of the errors inherent in out extrapolation procedure. These structures are the slipped-parallel (Ci) structure (-5.73 kcal/mol) and the cross (D2d) structure (-5.28 kcal/mol). The T-shaped (C2v) and sandwich (D2h) dimers are substantially less stable (-4.34 and -3.78 kcal/mol, respectively). The dispersion interaction is found to be the major source of attraction in the naphthalene dimer. The electrostatic interaction is substantially smaller than the dispersion interaction. The large dispersion interaction is the cause of the large binding energies of the cross and slipped-parallel dimers.     

Automated micro stopped-flow/continuous-flow apparatus for serial measurement of enzyme reactions and its application as a real-time analyser for column chromatography

By functional combination of two modes of stopped-flow (SF) and flow-injection analysis (FIA), an automated micro apparatus is constructed for serial measurement of enzyme reactions. The complete operation of the apparatus, including kinetic data aquisition, is controlled by a personal computer. The apparatus has three specific features: (a) the volume required per measurement of a time course in an enzyme reaction is as small as 30 μl for each of enzyme and assay solution; (b) the time course can be traced by sampling ten observation points in a maximum of 1 s; and (c) the serial measurement of such a time course can be performed with automated cyclic operation (10 s per operating cycle as the lower limit). In addition to enzymatic activity, simultaneous monitoring of protein concentration, pH and conductivity in the enzyme solution can be sequentially conducted by the automated micro SF/FIA apparatus equipped with appropriate detectors. The successful application of such a four-channel apparatus to ion-exchange and affinity column chromatography of calf bone alkaline phosphatase proves that it is useful as a practical real-time analyser for enzyme activity together with other parameters to be monitored in liquid chromatography.     

Effect of titanium dioxide solubility on the formation of BaTiO3 nanoparticles in supercritical water

Fine BaTiO₃ nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis under supercritical condition (400 °C and 30 MPa) from mixture of barium hydroxide and titanium dioxide as starting precursors. First, conditions for synthesizing BaTiO₃ were examined by using batch reactors. High pH condition, pH > 13, is necessary to obtain phase pure BaTiO₃. The reason was discussed based on the solubility of titanium dioxide, which that dissolution–recrystallization process is essential for the synthesis of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles. Rapid heating of the starting precursors by mixing with high temperature water in a flow reactor is effective to synthesize smaller size and narrower particle size distribution for the BaTiO₃ nanoparticles, compared with the case of slow heating with a batch reactor.     

Analysis of the intermolecular interaction between CH(3)OCH(3), CF(3)OCH(3), CF(3)OCF(3), and CH(4): high level ab initio calculations

The intermolecular interaction energies of the CH₃OCH₃? CH₄, CF₃OCH₃? CH₄, and CF₃OCF₃? CH₄ systems were calculated by ab initio molecular orbital method with the electron correlation correction at the second order Møller–Plesset perturbation (MP2) method. The interaction energies of 10 orientations of complexes were calculated for each system. The largest interaction energies calculated for the three systems are ?1.06, ?0.70, and ?0.80 kcal/mol, respectively. The inclusion of electron correlation increases the attraction significantly. It gains the attraction ?1.47, ?1.19, and ?1.27 kcal/mol, respectively. The dispersion interaction is found to be the major source of the attraction in these systems. In the CH₃OCH₃? CH₄ system, the electrostatic interaction (?0.34 kcal/mol) increases the attraction substantially, while the electrostatic energies in the other systems are not large. Fluorine substitution of the ether decreases the electrostatic interaction, and therefore, decreases the attraction. In addition the orientation dependence of the interaction energy is decreased by the substitution. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 23: 1472–1479, 2002     

Lewis acidity/basicity of pi-electron systems: theoretical study of a molecular interaction between a pi system and a Lewis acid/base

Molecular interactions between pi systems having different pi-electron character (benzene, hexafluorobenzene, and borazine), and a Lewis acid/base (borane and ammonia) were theoretically studied. An attractive interaction between benzene, the electron-rich pi system, and borane was observed. On the other hand, repulsive interactions between benzene and ammonia was observed when the lone pair of nitrogen points toward the benzene ring. In contrast, an attractive interaction between hexafluorobenzene, an electron-deficient pi system, and ammonia was observed. Unexpectedly, a weak attractive interaction between hexafluorobenzene and borane was also observed. Borazine shows an interaction both to borane and ammonia. The attraction between the nitrogen atom of borazine and borane was larger than that between the boron atom of borazine and ammonia.     

Environmental assessment of CFC alternatives: Rate constants for the reactions of OH radicals with fluorinated compounds

The rate constants for the reactions of OH radicals with CF₃OCHFCF₃, and CF₃CHFCF₃ have been measured over the temperature range 250-430 K. Kinetic measurements have been carried out using the flash photolysis, and laser photolysis methods combined, respectively, with the laser induced fluorescence technique. The influence of impurities in the samples has been investigated by using gas chromatography. No sizable effect of impurities was found on the measured rate constants of these fluorinated compounds, if the purified samples were used in the measurements. The following Arrhenius expressions were determined: k(CF₃OCHFCF₃) = (4.39 ± 1.38) × 10⁻¹³ exp[−(1780 ± 100)/T] cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹, and k(CF₃CHFCF₃) = (6.19 ± 2.07) × 10⁻¹³ exp[−(1830 ± 100)/T] cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹.     

Ab initio study on the structures of fluorinated formates and hydrogen abstraction reaction with OH radical

The conformational potential energy surfaces for mono- and difluoromethyl formate have been determined by using a modified G2(MP2) level of calculations. The structures and vibrational frequencies for the conformers of mono- and difluoromethyl formate have been reported. The hydrogen abstraction reaction channels between these two formates and OH radicals have been studied at the same level of theory. Using the standard transition state theory and taking into account the effect of tunneling across the reaction barrier, we have estimated the rate constant for hydrogen abstraction by OH radical. The effect of successive fluorine substitution for methyl hydrogen on the conformational stability and on the hydrogen abstraction rate has been analyzed.