Density-functional generalized-gradient and hybrid calculations of electromagnetic properties using Slater basis sets

In this paper we extend our density-functional theory calculations, with generalized gradient approximation and hybrid functionals, using Slater-type orbitals (STOs), to the determination of second-order molecular properties. The key to the entire methodology involves the fitting of all STO basis function products to an auxiliary STO basis, through the minimization of electron-repulsion integrals. The selected properties are (i) dipole polarizabilities, (ii) nuclear magnetic shielding constants, and (iii) nuclear spin-spin coupling constants. In all cases the one-electron integrals involving STOs were evaluated by quadrature. The implementation for (ii) involved some complexity because we used gauge-including atomic orbitals. The presence of two-electron integrals on the right-hand side of the coupled equations meant that the fitting procedure had to be implemented. For (iii) in the hybrid case, fitting procedures were again required for the exchange contributions. For each property we studied a number of small molecules. We first obtained an estimate of the basis set limit using Gaussian-type orbitals (GTOs). We then showed how it is possible to reproduce these values using a STO basis set. For (ii) a regular TZ2P quality STO basis was adequate; for (i) the addition of one set of diffuse functions (determined by Slater's rules) gave the required accuracy; for (iii) it was necessary to add a set of 1s functions, including one very tight function, to give the desired result. In summary, we show that it is possible to predict second-order molecular properties using STO basis sets with an accuracy comparable with large GTO basis sets. We did not encounter any major difficulties with either the selection of the bases or the implementation of the procedures. Although the energy code (especially in the hybrid case) may not be competitive with a regular GTO code, for properties we find that STOs are more attractive.     

Photochemie organischer Festkörper

In den Jahren seiner Tätigkeit am Weizmann Institut of Science begann G. M. J. Schmidt seine Arbeiten über die Beziehungen zwischen der Struktur organischer Kristalle und der in ihnen stattfindenden chemischen Reaktionen, ein Forschungsvorhaben, das sich in der Folge als außergewöhnlich fruchtbar erwiesen hat. So wuchs seine ?Festkörper-Gruppe”? und wurde divergenter - Röntgenstrukturanalytiker, Organiker, Spektroskopiker und schließlich sogar Theoretiker wirkten mit. Professor Schmidt starb 1971. Als eines der Mitglieder dieser Gruppe folge ich nun der Einladung, über neuere Entwicklungen auf meinem Interessengebiet zu berichten. Ein Großteil der bisher untersuchten Reaktionen organischer Kristalle wird durch Licht oder andere Strahlung induziert. Dies ist eine natürliche Folge davon, daß Strahlung, ungleich den meisten chemischen Reaktanden, leicht die Oberfläche des Kristalls durchdringen und so die zu aktivierenden Orte erreichen kann. In diesem Beitrag sollen einige der in der Photochemie organischer Kristalle wirksamen Prinzipien aufgezeigt und anhand von Beispielen verdeutlicht werden, wobei nicht beabsichtigt ist, alle bisher untersuchten unterschiedlichen Reaktionstypen und Systeme zu erfassen. Es ist geboten, hier in Anerkennung auch eines anderen großen Wissenschaftlers zu gedenken, der vor kurzer Zeit verschied - Theodor Förster. Manche der Ideen, auf die ich im folgenden eingehe, wurzeln, wie so vieles in der jüngsten Entwicklung der Photochemie, in Professor Försters früheren Arbeiten.     

Electrostatic free energy of weakly charged macromolecules in solution and intermacromolecular complexes consisting of oppositely charged polymers

When oppositely charged polyelectrolytes are mixed in water, attraction between oppositely charged groups may lead to the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes (associative phase separation, complex coacervation, interpolymer complexes). Theory is presented to describe the electrostatic free energy change when ionizable (annealed) (macro-)molecules form a macroscopic polyelectrolyte complex. The electrostatic free energy includes an electric term as well as a chemical term that is related to the dissociation of the ionic groups in the polymer. An example calculation for complexation of polyacid with polybase uses a cylindrical diffuse double layer model for free polymer in solution and electroneutrality within the complex and calculates the free energy of the system when the polymer is in solution or in a polyelectrolyte complex. Combined with a term for the nonelectrostatic free energy change upon complexation, a theoretical stability diagram is constructed that relates pH, salt concentration, and mixing ratio, which is in qualitative agreement with an experimental diagram obtained by Bungenberg de Jong (1949) for complex coacervation of arabic gum and gelatin. The theory furthermore explains the increased tendency toward phase separation when the polymer becomes more strongly charged and suggests that complexation of polyacid or polybase with zwitterionic polymer (e.g., protein) of the same charge sign (at the "wrong side" of the iso-electric point) may be due (in part) to an induced charge reversal of the protein.     

Crystallographic evidence for different modes of interaction of BF3/BF4 species with water molecules and 18-crown-6

We report the crystal and molecular structures of the complex of 18-C-6 with H₃O⁺BF₄⁻ (I) and the complex of 18-C-6 with BF₃OH₂·H₂O (II). The different modes of appearance of the “BF₃” species as BF₃, BF₃OH₂, BF₃OH₂·H₂O and BF₄⁻, as well as their structurally significant intermolecular and intramolecular interactions, are discussed. In complex I the oxonium ion is bound at the centre of the 18-C-6 macrocycle. The oxonium oxygen is located practically equidistant (2.68–2.73 Å) from the six macrocyclic ethereal oxygens. The BF₄⁻ counter-ion is positioned 7.3 Å away from the oxonium ion in the same general plane of the crown ether. This anion is not involved in any direct intermolecular contacts, a fact that may explain why it is spherically disordered. In complex II there is no guest molecule (or ion) present in the “cavity” of the macrocycle, but there are two hydrogen-bonded systems of BF₃OH₂·H₂O that are interacting with the crown ether on either side of the general macrocyclic plane. Complex II features three types of hydrogen bonds—the O(water)-HO(crown) bonds (2.83 and 2.85 Å), the O(water)H-O(BF₃) bond (2.49 Å) and the O(BF₃)-HO(crown) bond (2.65 Å). The strong intermolecular O(crown)O(water)O(BF₃) and O(crown)O(BF₃) interactions stabilize the normally unstable BF₃OH₂·H₂O species.     

Synthesis, binding affinity, and relaxivity of target-specific MRI contrast agents

Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most important imaging modalities of the central nervous system (CNS), one of the main drawbacks of MRI is its limited specificity. This can potentially be partially alleviated by target-specific contrast agents. In the present paper we describe a simple high yield synthesis of two such gadolinium-based spiperone targeted MRI contrast agents, 1a and 1b. The R₁ relaxivities of 1a and 1b were evaluated and found to be 5.94 and 8.31 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively at 9.4T, while their R₂ relaxivities at the same magnetic field were found to be 18.05 and 22.60 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. In addition and very importantly compound 1a, which is a gadolinium-based, spiperone-targeted MRI contrast agent, was found to preserve some of the spiperone affinity toward the dopamine D2 receptor. Compounds 1a and 1b thus represent potential agents for in vitro dopamine receptor imaging using MRI in experimental models. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Structure of microemulsions with gemini surfactant studied by solvatochromic probe and diffusion NMR

The structure of microemulsions prepared by the anionic gemini surfactant didodecyl diphenyl ether disulfonate (C12-DADS) was investigated by a solvatochromic probe and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) diffusion measurements. The NMR measurements indicate the presence of bicontinuous and oil-in-water microemulsions depending on microemulsion composition. The absorbance spectra of the solvatochromic probe, Nile red, indicate the solubilization of the probe in different sites, in agreement with the NMR findings. It was also found that the microemulsions were capable of dissolving the hydrophobic probe, Nile red, up to four times better than expected if it were simply dissolved in the toluene phase.     

Electrokinetic effects of adsorbed neutral polymers

On the basis of a previously developed hydrodynamic model for adsorbed polymers the charge flow along a charged interface with adsorbed (uncharged) polymer is calculated. An effective electrokinetic layer thickness is defined and its dependence on the characteristics of the adsorbed polymer and the ionic strength is studied. It is found that tails are very important for the hydrodynamic effects considered because they effectively screen the solvent flow from inner parts of the absorbed layer. The electrokinetic layer thickness increases with decreasing ionic strength, and tends to a limit equal to the hydrodynamic thickness at very low ionic strength.     

Solvent effects on relaxation of the 1B2u state of benzene

Values of triplet yields for dilute solutions of benzene in methylcylohexane, cyclohexane, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, perfluoro-n- hexane, and water, and also fluorescence yields and lifetimes in perfluoro-n-hexane are reported. The calculated rate constants for fluorescence and intersystem crossing are only slightly affected by solvent, except for water. The enhancement of “internal conversion” by increasing solvent polarity is interpreted as a result of an increase in the pre-exponential factor for a possible ¹(π,π^*) → ¹(σ,π^*) transition.     

Derivation of class II force fields. VIII. Derivation of a general quantum mechanical force field for organic compounds

A class II valence force field covering a broad range of organic molecules has been derived employing ab initio quantum mechanical "observables." The procedure includes selecting representative molecules and molecular structures, and systematically sampling their energy surfaces as described by energies and energy first and second derivatives with respect to molecular deformations. In this article the procedure for fitting the force field parameters to these energies and energy derivatives is briefly reviewed. The application of the methodology to the derivation of a class II quantum mechanical force field (QMFF) for 32 organic functional groups is then described. A training set of 400 molecules spanning the 32 functional groups was used to parameterize the force field. The molecular families comprising the functional groups and, within each family, the torsional angles used to sample different conformers, are described. The number of stationary points (equilibria and transition states) for these molecules is given for each functional group. This set contains 1324 stationary structures, with 718 minimum energy structures and 606 transition states. The quality of the fit to the quantum data is gauged based on the deviations between the ab initio and force field energies and energy derivatives. The accuracy with which the QMFF reproduces the ab initio molecular bond lengths, bond angles, torsional angles, vibrational frequencies, and conformational energies is then given for each functional group. Consistently good accuracy is found for these computed properties for the various types of molecules. This demonstrates that the methodology is broadly applicable for the derivation of force field parameters across widely differing types of molecular structures. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 22: 1782-1800, 2001