Theoretical study of “protonated pyruvate”: A methylhydroxycarbene—carbon dioxide complex—implications for the decarboxylation of pyruvic acid

Two conformers of protonated pyruvate, CH₃C⁺(OH)COO, with the OH group either trans or cis to the methyl group and the carboxylate group in the C? C? C plane have been studied using the ab initio SCF/3-21G method, as well as by some semiempirical AM1 calculations. Both ab initio SCF and AM1 curves for the potential energy as a function of the C? COO distance exhibit a minimum corresponding to a complex of methylhydroxycarbene, CH₃COH, associated with carbon dioxide, but only the AM1 curves predict an inner minimum corresponding to a covalently bonded protonated pyruvate molecule with a C? COO distance of 1.6–1.7 Å. The two models also disagree on the dissociation pathway for pyruvic acid, with the AM1 calculations predicting formation of acetyl and HOCO radicals while the ab initio method predicts dissociation into methylhydroxycarbene and carbon dioxide following an initial intramolecular proton transfer. The weakly bound complexes of methylhydroxycarbene and carbon dioxide have been studied in some detail using ab initio SCF and MP2 methods in conjunction with 6-311G** basis sets, obtaining equilibrium geometries and vibrational frequencies. In addition, the lactone-type isomer of protonated pyruvate, which contains a C? C? O ring, was also studied. The conclusions of these calculations are consistent with those from earlier work using the smaller 3-21G basis set. The most stable complex is predicted to occur between trans-methylhydroxycarbene and carbon dioxide where substantial stabilization is provided by an OH ? OC hydrogen bond. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The 1(5)Π(g) state of C2

We report ab initio spectroscopic constants for the recently identified 1(5)Π(g) state of C(2) [P. Bornhauser, Y. Sych, G. Knopp, T. Gerber, and P. P. Radi, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 044302 (2011)]. The calculations are performed at the multi-reference configuration interaction level of theory with Davidson's correction using aug-cc-pV6Z basis sets and include core-valence correlation and relativistic corrections obtained with quadruple-zeta bases. Such treatment accurately reproduces the experimentally observed constants of the a(3)Π(u) and other states. Thus, we expect our calculated ω(e) value for the 1(5)Π(g) state to be within a few cm(-1), and rotational constants to be within 0.1% of experiment. Agreement with available spectroscopic data is excellent, with the calculations strongly suggesting that the 1(5)Π(g) vibrational level observed by Bornhauser et al. is v = 0.     

LC-MS Quantitative Determination of Atropine and Scopolamine in the Floral Nectar of Datura Species

The present study aimed at determining selected alkaloid components in the nectar of Datura species, to elucidate whether the alkaloid content of the floral nectar can lead to intoxication. A simple and rapid liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry analysis was developed for the quantitative determination of atropine and scopolamine, the main toxic alkaloids of the Datura species. This method allowed the direct coupling of an electrospray mass selective detector to the LC system. Under these conditions, atropine and scopolamine were well separated from other components and detected with mass spectrometry (mass selective detector). Simultaneous determination of atropine and scopolamine was performed with gradient elution on an Ascentis Express C₁₈ (Supelco) reversed-phase column based on a new fused core particle design. Liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry was used in positive ion mode. Atropine and scopolamine produced protonated species at m/z 290 and 304 (which are also the base peaks). Our data confirmed that the alkaloid characteristics for the vegetative and reproductive parts of the Datura plants may also occur in the nectar secreted by the flowers. In Datura species with large flowers and high nectar amounts, the alkaloid content increases proportionately and thus the nectar may be a potential source of intoxication.     

Molecules in electric fields

Finite field perturbation theory coupled with configuration interaction techniques have been used to evaluate the components of the polarisability tensor of H₂ at and near its equilibrium internuclear separation. The values are fitted to a polynomial which then yields the derivatives of the polarisability with respect to internuclear distance. Our results compare favourably with theoretical values obtained by the use of highly accurate correlated wavefunctions.     

Hydrogen abstraction by chlorine atom from amino acids: remarkable influence of polar effects on regioselectivity

Quantum chemistry computations have been used to investigate hydrogen-atom abstraction by chlorine atom from protonated and N-acetylated amino acids. The results are consistent with the decreased reactivity at the backbone α-carbon and adjacent side-chain positions that is observed experimentally. The individual effects of NH(3)(+), COOH, and NHAc substituents have been examined and reveal important insights. The NH(3)(+) group in isolation is found to be deactivating at the α-position, while the acetamido group is activating. For the COOH group, polar effects lead to a contrathermodynamic deactivation of the thermodynamically most favorable α-abstraction. In the N-acetylamino acid, the α-position is deactivated by the combined inductive effect of the substituents and the presence of an early transition structure, again overriding the greater thermodynamic stability of the α-centered radical product. Deactivation of the α-, β-, and γ-positions results in a peculiar stability for amino acids and peptides and their derivatives with respect to radical degradation.     

The Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation reaction: optimising ligand/substrate control of regioselectivity for the synthesis of 3- and 4-aminosugars

An investigation of the factors responsible for the sense and magnitude of regioselectivity in the Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation (AA) has been conducted. Theoretical investigations of ligand-osmium binding geometry and experimental investigations of the Sharpless AA reaction on a series of functionalized pent-2-enoic acid ester substrates demonstrate that the opposite regioselectivity afforded using PHAL and AQN ligands results from a change in substrate orientation with respect to the catalyst. Two distinct ligand binding domains within the catalyst have been proposed that undergo attractive interactions with the substrates. Selective access to each of the four potential regio- and stereo-isomeric AA products could be achieved through the appropriate choice of ligand and substrate. These results have been applied toward the efficient stereoselective synthesis of naturally occurring and regioisomeric 3- and 4-aminosugar derivatives.     

Spectroscopy and thermochemistry of a jet-cooled open-shell polyene: 1,4-pentadienyl radical

The 1,4-pentadienyl (vinylallyl) radical has been observed for the first time by optical spectroscopy. An excitation spectrum is recorded on m/z 67 by resonant two-color two-photon ionization spectroscopy. Several bands are observed with the origin transition identified at 19 449 cm(-1). The spectrum is assigned by a comparison with ab initio frequencies calculated at the CASPT2/cc-pVTZ level of theory, with an accompanying Franck-Condon calculation of the excitation spectrum, including Dushinsky mixing. The b(1) and a(2) outer C-C bond torsional modes are calculated to halve in frequency upon electronic excitation, bringing about their appearance in the excitation spectrum. This can be readily understood by considering the torsional sensitivity of the frontier molecular orbital energies. High-level quantum chemical calculations of the radical stabilization energy, resulting in a value of nearly 120 kJ mol(-1), provide quantitative confirmation that this radical is highly stabilized.     

Generalized finite element method applied to the calculation of continuum states

A new method for the calculation of continuum energy eigenfunctions in one dimension is presented. It is based on a numerical coupling method first exploited in the so-called finite element method which does not require explicit fitting of boundary conditions. Results from simple test calculations for square well and Morse potentials show the method to be highly accurate and efficient.     

The calculation of ionization energies by perturbation,configuration interaction and approximate coupled pair techniques and comparisons with green's function methods for Ne,H2O and N2

The vertical valence ionization potentials of Ne, H₂O and N₂ have been calculated by Rayleigh-Schrödinger perturbation and configuration interaction methods. The calculations were carried out in the space of a single determinant reference state and its single and double excitations, using both the N and N - 1 electron Hartree-Fock orbitals as hole/particle bases. The perturbation series for the ion state were generally found to converge fairly slowly in the N electron Hartree-Fock (frozen) orbital basis, but considerably faster in the appropriate N - 1 electron RHF (relaxed) orbital basis. In certain cases, however, due to near-degeneracy effects, partial, and even complete, breakdown of the (non-degenerate) perturbation treatment was observed. The effects of higher excitations on the ionization potentials were estimated by the approximate coupled pair techniques CPA′ and CPA″ as well as by a Davidson type correction formula. The final, fully converged CPA″ results are generally in good agreement with those from PNO-CEPA and Green's function calculations as well as experiment.