The Curtius rearrangement of some organic azides: A DFT mechanistic study

The reaction mechanism for the thermal Curtius reaction of formyl azide has been investigated using B3LYP/6‐311+G(d,p). It is found that, while the synisomer undergoes nitrogen elimination via a concerted mechanism, yielding isocyanic acid directly, the anti‐isomer cannot undergo reaction via the concerted mechanism and first eliminates nitrogen, yielding oxazirene, via a transition state which is higher in energy than that for the concerted mechanism. Singlet formyl nitrene does not exist as an independent moiety. Rather, the strong N? O interaction yields the cyclic isomer oxazirene. The isomerization of oxazirene to isocyanic acid goes through a transition state which is even higher in energy than that for nitrogen elimination. It is hence proposed that this reaction should take place via the concerted mechanism only, the anti‐isomer undergoing isomerization first to the syn isomer since the activation barrier for this step is very small. The same mechanism is found to prevail for acetyl and benzoyl azide. These findings are in accord with all experimental data. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Intramolecular hydrogen bonding in 3‐imino‐propenylamine: Theoretical investigations

Intramolecular H‐bonds existing for derivatives of 3‐imino‐propenylamine have been studied using the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory. The nature of these interactions, known as resonance‐assisted hydrogen bonds, has been discussed. Vibrational frequencies for α‐derivatives were calculated at the same level of theory. The topological properties of the electron density distributions for N? H···N intramolecular bridges have been analyzed in terms of the Bader theory of atoms in molecules (AIM). Calculation for 3‐imino‐propenylamine derivatives in water solution were also carried out at B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory. Finally, the analysis of hydrogen bond in this molecule and their derivatives by quantum theory of natural bond orbital methods fairly support the ab initio results. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Theoretical studies on the role of pi-electron delocalization in determining the conformation of N-benzylideneaniline with three types of LMO basis sets

To understand the role of pi-electron delocalization in determining the conformation of the NBA (Ph-N==CH-Ph) molecule, the following three LMO (localized molecular orbital) basis sets are constructed: a LFMO (highly localized fragment molecular orbital), an NBO (natural bond orbital), and a special NBO (NBO-II) basis sets, and their localization degrees are evaluated with our suggesting index D(L). Afterward, the vertical resonance energy DeltaE(V) is obtained from the Morokuma's energy partition over each of three LMO basis sets. DeltaE(V) = DeltaE(H) (one electron energy) + DeltaE(two) (two electron energy), and DeltaE(two) = DeltaE(Cou) (Coulomb) + DeltaE(ex) (exchange) + DeltaE(ec) (or SigmaDeltaE(n)) (electron correction). DeltaE(H) is always stabilizing, and DeltaE(Cou) is destabilizing for all time. In the case of the LFMO basis set, DeltaE(Cou) is so great that DeltaE(two) > |DeltaE(H)|. Therefore, DeltaE(V) is always destabilizing, and is least destabilizing at about the theta = 90 degrees geometry. Of the three calculation methods such as HF, DFT, and MPn (n = 2, 3, and 4), the MPn method provides DeltaE(V) with the greatest value. In the case of the NBO basis set, on the contrary, DeltaE(V) is stabilizing due to DeltaE(Cou) being less destabilizing, and it is most stabilizing at a planar geometry. The LFMO basis set has the highest localization degree, and it is most appropriate for the energy partition. In the NBA molecule, pi-electron delocalization is destabilization, and it has a tendency to distort the NBA molecular away from its planar geometry as far as possible.     

Theoretical Studies on the Dihydrogen Bonding Between Shortchain Hydrocarbon and Magnesium Hydride

The C--H…H dihydrogen-bonded complexes of methane, ethylene, acetylene, and their derivatives with magnesium hydride were systematically investigated at MP2/aug-cc-PVTZ level. The results confirm that the strength of dihydrogen bonding increases in the following order of proton donors： C（sp3）-H〈C（sp2）-H〈C（sp）-H and chlorine substituents enhance the C-H…H interaction. In the majority of the complexes with a cyclic structure, the Mg-H proton-accepting bond is more sensitive to the surroundings than C-H proton-donating bond. The nature of the electrostatic interaction in these C-H…H dihydrogen bonds was also unveiled by means of the atoms in mo- lecules（AIM） analysis. The natural bond orbital（NBO） analysis suggests that the charge transfer in the cyclic com- plexes is characteristic of dual-channel. The direction of the net charge transfer in the cyclic complexes is contrary to that previously found in dihydrogen bonded systems.     

质子化甜菜碱阳离子与双三氟甲磺酰亚胺阴离子相互作用的理论研究

利用密度泛函理论(DFT)方法, 在B3LYP/6-311＋G(d,p)水平下, 对质子化甜菜碱阳离子与双三氟甲磺酰亚胺阴离子形成的气态阴阳离子对([Hbet][Tf₂N])进行理论研究, 通过几何结构优化和频率分析得到势能面上的六个稳定构型. 计算结果表明[Hbet]^＋和[Tf₂N]^－之间能够形成较强的氢键相互作用, 氢键相互作用的稳定化能主要来源于[Tf₂N]^－中O, N原子的孤对电子和[Hbet]^＋中参与形成氢键的O-H, C-H反键轨道之间的相互作用. 自然布局分析(NPA)给出气态[Hbet][Tf₂N]离子对中阴阳离子间的电荷转移比传统离子液体中电荷转移的数值小. AIM (atoms in molecules)分析得到[Hbet]^＋和[Tf₂N]^－之间的氢键相互作用以静电作用为主. 通过实验和理论结果相比较, 初步探讨影响离子液体熔点及其对金属离子选择性溶解的结构因素.     

1-取代-2-氨基苯并咪唑衍生物的理论计算及QSAR研究

在B3LYP/6-31＋g(d)计算水平下, 通过运用密度泛函理论(DFT)量子化学方法, 对7种1-取代-2-氨基苯并咪唑衍生物的电子结构特征进行了研究, 获得了它们的电离能、亲合能、化学硬度、化学软度、化学势、电负性、亲电性、分配系数、折射率、极化率、分子体积和分子表面积等参数. 结果表明, 在2-氨基苯并咪唑衍生物的1位引入取代基团, 对化合物的电荷布居和结构性质都有较大的影响|关联了定量结构-活性关系(QSAR), 7种化合物的半数致死量LD₅₀与极化率等有较好的相关性. 这些结果可为1-取代-2-氨基苯并咪唑衍生物的氧化代谢实验研究和毒性机理揭示等提供重要信息.     

Control of a photoswitching chelator by metal ions: DFT,NBO, and QTAIM analysis

Ability of aroylhydrazones to change conformation upon interaction with light makes them promising candidates for molecular switches. Isomerization can be controlled through complexation with selected metal ions which bind with different affinity. N′‐[1‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)ethyliden]iso‐nicotinoylhydrazide (HAPI) is an example of a dual‐wavelenght photoswitching molecule, whose complexation with metal ions was recently experimentally investigated (Franks et al. J. Inorg. Chem. 2014, 53, 1397). In this contribution, complexes between HAPI and K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Cu⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺ ions were investigated using Density Functional Theory, Natural Bond Order analysis, and Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules. The most important parameters that determine complex stability are found to be ion radius and charge transferred from ligands to the ion: smaller ion radii and larger CT values characterize formation of more stable complexes. Our results explain experimentally observed effect of different metal ions on photoisomerization through determination of metal ion affinity (MIA): photoisomerization is inhibited if MIA exceeds 100 kcal/mol; for MIA between 50 and 100 kcal/mol excess of metal ions prevents isomerization, whereas in case of MIA below 50 kcal/mol metal ions have no influence on light–HAPI interaction. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The production of prop-2-ynylideneamine by thermolysis of N-chloropropargylamine,N-fluoropropargylamine and N-hydroxypropargylamine: a computational study

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations using MP2 and DFT/B3LYP methods at the 6-311++G(d,p) and aug-cc-pvdz basis sets were applied to characterise the kinetics of the thermal dissociation of HC≡CCH₂NHX [where X = OH(I), F(II) and Cl(III)] to produce Z- and E-prop-2-ynylideneamines (HC≡CCH=NH) (IV and V, respectively), which tautomerise to vinyl cyanide (CH₂=CHC≡N) (VI). The optimised geometries and electronic energies of reactants, transition states and products were estimated and discussed. A concerted proton migration and HX abstraction mechanism was proposed for the imine formation. The reliance of these properties on the elected levels of theory was discussed. The activation energies and barrier heights for the Z- and E-forms and their vinyl cyanide tautomers were estimated and analysed. The Z-form was computed to be more stable than the E-form. Using natural bond orbital calculations, the origin of the preference of the Z-form was attributed mainly to the N lone pair delocalisations. Vinyl cyanide was located to have a lower energy (33–35 kcal/mol) than prop-2-ynylideneamine. The provenance of the preference of the former and its tautomerisation mechanism will be addressed in a separate publication.     

8-氧-2'-去氧鸟嘌呤核苷水解机理的理论研究

本文用计算化学的方法研究了有单个水分子参与的8-氧-2'-去氧鸟嘌呤核苷(8-oxodG)的N-糖苷键水解反应机理。研究结果表明,水分子有两个进攻方向,即水分子可以从去氧核糖糖环的上方和下方进攻C1'并且8-氧鸟嘌呤碱基的O8原子和N9原子都可以摘取去氧糖环的Ha-2'。因此,8-oxodG与单个水分子作用的水解反应有四条不同的反应通道,且每条反应通道都包括两步,都形成类双氢呋喃中间体。O8原子摘取去氧糖糖环Ha-2'的反应的两条反应途径的第一步的活化能相近,约为41.98 kcal/mol;而N9原子摘取去氧糖糖环Ha-2'的反应的两条反应途径的第一步的活化能也相近,约为47.31 kcal/mol。碱基上O8原子摘取去氧核糖糖环Ha-2'的反应的两条反应途径更具有优势。