The hydrophobic effect in aqueous solutions of nonelectrolytes. I. Self-interactions of alkylureas

In order to clarify some aspects of the hydrophobic interactions, the enthalpies of dilution of monoethylurea, 1,3-dimethylurea, and 1,3-diethylurea have been determined calorimetrically at 25°C. The calorimetric data, expressed in terms of excess enthalpy, permit the evaluation of the pair and triplet interaction coefficients. The analyses of these and of the analogous coefficientsg _xx andg _xxx, derived from osmotic data, indicate a driving force favorable to the interactions among the hydrated solute molecules. Nevertheless, the positive values of theh _xx andh _xxx coefficients seem to suggest that the source of the effect is a rearrangement of the water molecules rather than a direct association of the solute molecules. There are evidences of a strict correlation between the enthalpic and the entropic effects. Preliminary data were presented at the International Conferences on Chemical Thermodynamics at Baden (1973) and Montpellier (1975). The experimental part was carried out at the Istituto Chimico of the University of Trieste. To whom correspondence should be addressed.     

Multiple Bonds between Transition Metals and “Bare” Main Group Elements: Links between Inorganic Solid State Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry

The last two decades have seen a dramatic development in the study of metal-metal multiple bonds, particular successes being recorded in the field of organometallic chemistry. Syntheses designed to produce novel transition metal complexes with single, double, triple and quadruple metal-metal bonds occupy a most important place in such research, as also do reactivity studies. A striving to establish general principles has provided much of the motivation for such work, but one less obvious goal—the commercial application of the catalytic properties of metal-metal multiple bonding systems, in the medium and long term—should not be overlooked. All aspects of the investigations of metal-metal multiple bonds also apply to a particular class of compound that has, however, enjoyed little lime-light and thus deserves the present review: complexes with multiple bonds between transition metals and substituent-free (“bare”) main group elements. Although based mostly on accidental discoveries, the few noteworthy examples are now beginning to unfold general concepts of synthesis that are capable of being extended and thus are deserving of exploitation in preparative chemistry. The availability of further structural patterns exhibiting multiple bonds between transition metals and ligand-free main group elements might enable preparative organometallic chemistry to expand in a completely new direction (for instance by the stabilizing or activation of small molecules at the metal complex). This essay discusses the chemistry of complexes of bare carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen ligands (carbido-, nitrido-, and oxo-complexes) and their relationships to higher homologues from both a synthetic and a structural point of view.     

Pseudobond ab initio QM/MM approach and its applications to enzyme reactions

This perspective article mainly focuses on the development and applications of a pseudobond ab initio QM/MM approach to study enzyme reactions. The following aspects of methodology development are discussed: the approaches for the QM/MM covalent boundary problem, an efficient iterative optimization procedure, the methods to determine enzyme reaction paths, and the approaches to calculate free energy change in enzyme reactions. Several applications are described to illustrate the capability of the methods. Finally, future directions are discussed.     

The importance of nonconventional structures in the binding of Ni<Superscript>+</Superscript> to ethynylsilanes and ethynylgermanes

The influence of the nature of the heteroatom on the Ni⁺ gas-phase binding energies of HCC–XH₃ (X is C, Si, or Ge) compounds has been investigated through the use of high-level density functional theory methods. The structures of the corresponding Ni⁺ complexes were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Final energies were obtained in single-point B3LYP/6-311+G(2df,2p) calculations. Nonconventional complexes, in which the metal cation interacts simultaneously with the CC system and with one of the X–H bonds of the substituent XH₃ group, play a significant role in the binding of Ni⁺ to HCC–XH₃ (X is Si or Ge) derivatives. Conversely, such nonconventional complexes are not local minima of the propyne–Ni⁺ potential-energy surface. This establishes a clear distinction between unsaturated carbon derivatives and the Si- and Ge-containing analogues as far as bonding to transition-metal monocations is concerned. Actually, the attachment of Ni⁺ to HCC–XH₃ (X is Si or Ge) compounds in the gas phase yields a mixture of conventional and nonconventional complexes. These agostic-type interactions can be viewed as a dative bond from the X–H bonding orbital toward the empty s orbital of the metal, and a back-donation from the valence electron pairs of the metal into the X–H antibonding orbital of the neutral species.Proceedings of the 11th International Congress of Quantum Chemistry satellite meeting in honor of Jean-Louis Rivail     

Interaction of (1-phenylethyl)indole-2-carbonitrile with C-nucleophiles

Methods of obtaining ketones and enamino esters have been developed on the basis of reactions of 1-(1-phenylethyl)indole-2-carbonitrile with organomagnesium and organozinc compounds. Removal of a benzyl group from the indole nitrogen atom by the Grignard reagent has been discovered. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1179–1183, August, 2006.     

Steric control over hydrogen bonding in crystalline organic solids: a structural study of N,N'-dialkylthioureas

Hydrogen bonding in crystalline N,N'-dialkylthioureas was examined with the help of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, DFT calculations, and Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) analysis. A CSD survey indicated that unlike the related urea derivatives, which persistently self-assemble into one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chains, the analogous thioureas can form two different hydrogen-bonding motifs in the solid state: chains, structurally similar with those found in ureas, and dimers, that further associate into hydrogen-bonded layers. The formation of one motif or another can be manipulated by the bulkiness of the organic substituents on the thiourea group, which provides a clear example of steric control over the hydrogen bonding arrangement in crystalline organic solids.     

Investigation of solution and solid-state properties of poly(R,R,4,4-cyclohexylidene diphenylene diphenyl-4,4-disulfonate)

Solution and solid-state properties of poly(R,R^′,4,4^′-cyclohexylidene diphenylene diphenyl-4,4^′-disulfonate) (PS-6: R=R^′=H; PS-7: R=CH₃, R^′=H; PS-8: R=R^′=Cl; PS-9: R=CH₃, R^′=Cl and PS-10: R=R^′=Br) have been determined and discussed in terms of nature of the substituents. Ultrasonic velocity (2 MHz) and acoustical parameters of PS-7 and PS-9 solutions in chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane and tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 30, 35 and 40 °C have been evaluated to understand the effect of methyl and chlorine groups, concentration, and temperature on molecular interactions. The data are interpreted in light of solvent-polymer and polymer-polymer interactions. Predominant solvation is observed in THF system and the least in chloroform system at all three temperatures. The structural change is observed above 2%. Both the polymers possess structure-forming tendency and it is supported by positive values of S_n.The densities of PS-7 and PS-9 determined by floatation method are in excellent agreement with calculated values but those determined by specific volume method differ remarkably from calculated values due to solvation effect. PS-7 and PS-9 possess respectively tensile strength of 38.4 and 1.1 N/mm²; electric strength of 16.2 and 25.0 kV/mm and volume resistivity of 5.7×10¹⁶ and 1.0×1017Ωcm. The low tensile strength of PS-9 is due to low molecular weight, rigid and brittle nature of the polymer chains. PS-6 to PS-9 are thermally stable up to about 349-379 °C while PS-10 up to about 279 °C and involved two-step degradation. DTA thermograms indicated T_g at about 204-226 °C. High activation energy indicated rigid nature of the polymer chains and the positive magnitudes of ΔS* indicated less ordered transition state. The nature of the substituents (CH₃, Cl and Br) affected thermal, mechanical and electrical properties.     

DNA codes for nanoscience

The nanometer scale is a special place where all sciences meet and develop a particularly strong interdisciplinarity. While biology is a source of inspiration for nanoscientists, chemistry has a central role in turning inspirations and methods from biological systems to nanotechnological use. DNA is the biological molecule by which nanoscience and nanotechnology is mostly fascinated. Nature uses DNA not only as a repository of the genetic information, but also as a controller of the expression of the genes it contains. Thus, there are codes embedded in the DNA sequence that serve to control recognition processes on the atomic scale, such as the base pairing, and others that control processes taking place on the nanoscale. From the chemical point of view, DNA is the supramolecular building block with the highest informational content. Nanoscience has therefore the opportunity of using DNA molecules to increase the level of complexity and efficiency in self-assembling and self-directing processes.