Experimental and Computational Study of the Thermal Decomposition of 3‐Methyl‐3‐buten‐1‐ol in m‐Xylene Solution

An experimental study of the thermal decomposition of a β‐hydroxy alkene, 3‐methyl‐3‐buten‐1‐ol, in m‐xylene solution, has been carried out at five different temperatures in the range of 513.15–563.15 K. The temperature dependence of the rate constants for the decomposition of this compound in the corresponding Arrhenius equation is given by ln k (s^?1) = (25.65 ± 1.52) ? (17,944 ± 814) (kJ·mol^?1)·T^?1. A computational study has been carried out at the M05–2X/6–31+G(d,p) level of theory to calculate the rate constants and the activation parameters by the classical transition state theory. There is a good agreement between the experimental and calculated rate constants and activation Gibbs energies. The bonding characteristics of reactant, transition state, and products have been investigated by the natural bond orbital analysis, which provides the natural atomic charges and the Wiberg bond indices. Based on the results obtained, the mechanism proposed is a one‐step process proceeding through a six‐membered cyclic transition state, being a concerted and slightly asynchronous process. The results have been compared with those obtained previously by us (Struct Chem 2013, 24, 1811–1816) for the thermal decomposition of 3‐buten‐1‐ol, in m‐xylene solution. We can conclude that in the compound studied in this work, 3‐methyl‐3‐buten‐1‐ol, the effect of substitution at position 3 by a weakly activating CH₃ group is the stabilization of the transition state formed in the reaction and therefore a small increase in the rate of thermal decomposition.     

Theoretical study of hyperfine coupling constants and electron spin g factors for X2Σ+ diatomics from Groups 1 and 2

The ESR parameters of the cations Be⁺ ₂, Mg⁺ ₂, Ca⁺ ₂, BeMg⁺, BeCa⁺, MgCa⁺ and the mixed radicals ZBe, ZMg, ZCa (Z = Li, Na, K), all having a X ²Σ⁺ _u(1σ² _g1σ_u)/X ²Σ⁺(1σ²2σ) ground state, have been studied theoretically. The A _iso and A _dip constants have been calculated with UHF, CISD, MP2, B3LYP, PW91PW91 wavefunctions, and 6–311+G(2df) basis sets. The electron spin g factors (magnetic moment μ_s) have been evaluated from correlated (MRDCI) wavefunctions, using a Hamiltonian based on Breit-Pauli theory with perturbation expansions up to second order, and 6–311 + G(2d) basis sets. As expected for s-rich radicals, the hyperfine spectra are governed by the A _iso terms. Both Δg∥ and Δg⊥ values are negative, but Δg∥ lies close to zero. For Δg⊥, the coupling with 1 ²Π_(u) dominates the sum-over-states expansions. Although the singly occupied MOs (SOMO) are mostly of s character, the |Δg⊥| are relatively large, up to 5200 ppm for cationic, and up to 7850 ppm for neutral radicals. These large values are caused by low excitation energies and high magnetic transition moments, the latter due to the fact that the σ?(s-s) SOMO has the same nodal properties as a pσ orbital. Of the radicals considered here, an ESR spectrum is available only for Mg⁺ ₂. Our theoretical A _iso of ?287 MHz reproduces well the matrix result (-291 MHz). Calculated values of ?10 ppm for Δg∥ and of ?1280 ppm for Δg⊥ give an average 〈Δg〉 = ?860 ppm that lies within the experimental range of ?600(±300) ppm in Ne, and of ?1300(±500) ppm in Ar matrices.     

Electrons in dry DNA from density functional calculations

The electronic structure of an infinite polyguanine-polycytosine DNA molecule in its dry A-helix structure is studied by means of density functional calculations. An extensive study of 30 nucleic base pairs is performed to validate the method. The electronic energy bands of DNA close to the Fermi level are then analysed in order to clarify the electron transport properties in this particularly simple DNA realization, probably the best suited candidate for conduction. The energy scale found for the relevant band widths, as compared with the energy fluctuations of vibrational or genetic-sequence origin, makes highly implausible the coherent transport of electrons in this system. The possibility of diffusive transport with subnanometre mean free paths is, however, still open. Information for model Hamiltonians for conduction is provided.     

A study of the adsorption of the amphiphilic penicillins cloxacillin and dicloxacillin onto human serum albumin using surface tension isotherms

The interaction of human serum albumin (HSA) with two structurally similar anionic amphiphilic penicillins, cloxacillin and dicloxacillin, at 25 °C has been examined by surface tension measurements under conditions at which the HSA molecule was positively (pH 4.5) or negatively charged (pH 7.4). Measurements were at fixed HSA concentrations (0.0125 and 0.125% w/v) and at drug concentrations over a range including, where possible, the critical micelle concentration (cmc). Interaction between anionic drugs and positively charged HSA at pH 7.4 resulted in an increase of the cmc of each drug as a consequence of its removal from solution by adsorption. Limited data for cloxacillin at pH 4.5 indicated an apparent decrease of the cmc in the presence of HSA suggesting a facilitation of the aggregation by association with the protein. Changes in the surface tension-log (drug concentration) plots in the presence of HSA have been discussed in terms of the adsorption of drug at the air-solution and protein-solution interfaces. Standard free energy changes associated with the micellization of both drugs and their adsorption at the air-solution interface have been calculated and compared.     

Theoretical prediction of a linear isomer for NeBr2(X1Γg + an ab initio approach

A supermolecular approach is used to predict the stationary structures of the NeBr₂(X¹Γ_g ⁺) van der Waals cluster. The intermolecular potential is calculated using the single and double excitation coupled-cluster method with non-iterative perturbation treatment of triple excitations [CCSD(T)]. Relativistic effects are included for the Br atoms using effective core potentials (ECPs) and their efficiency is tested for Br₂ and NeBr₂ molecules. Our results for NeBr₂ show minima for both linear and T-shaped configurations, in accord with previous ab initio calculations for rare gas-Br₂ species. The dependence of the interaction potential, as a function of the Br-Br bond, is also presented. Finally, vibrational analysis is carried out to examine the stability of the two isomers including zero-point vibrational energy effects.     

A study of the behaviour of ampicillin in aqueous solution and thermodynamic characterization of its aggregation

The aggregation of ampicillin in water has been examined by conductivity measurements over the temperature range 288.15–313.15 K and light scattering. These measurements indicate the formation of two critical concentrations over the range 0–0.35 mol kg^?1. Aggregation number and effective aggregate charge were calculated from the static light scattering data according to the Anacker and Westwell treatment. Thermodynamic parameters of aggregate formation were obtained from a form of the mass action model applicable to systems of low aggregation number. This method was applied at both critical concentrations. A valence of one was used for the monomers present in the first equilibrium. The second equilibrium was between aggregates of two different sizes, in this case, the valence of the aggregates being the effective charge calculated from the Anacker and Westwell treatment. Experimental results show that free energies of micellization for ampicillin are higher for the first critical concentration and in the same range, but lower than for other penicillins. The enthalpies of micellization become negative when the temperature is increased, but the variation is three times greater for the first critical concentration than for the second.     

Thermodynamics of micellization of C7 and C8 lecithins

The surface tensions of the lecithins diheptanoyl- and dioctanoylphosphatidylcholine in phosphate medium, pH 7.4, have been measured over the temperature range 288.15–313.15K. Critical micelle concentrations, thermodynamic micellization parameters, adsorption parameters, transfer data of micelles to the aqueous surface and surface area minima per molecule were obtained from these measurements. Critical micelle concentrations slightly decrease with temperature. The micellization processes became increasingly exothermic with increase in temperature. The variation of Gibbs energies of transfer indicates that the processes are most favourable at low temperatures. From a study of entropy-enthalpy compensation phenomenon a compensation temperature of 300^?1 K^?1 was found, and from the intercept an analysis of the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance was carried out.     

Thermodynamic and transport properties of nitrogen and butane mixtures

A force field has been developed to describe the phase behaviour, interfacial, and transport properties of nitrogen and hydrocarbon mixtures under conditions relevant to those found in the high pressure extraction of oil from underground reservoirs. A Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo method is used to parametrize intermolecular potentials for the pure components by matching experimental and simulated liquid and vapour coexisting densities. Also the surface tension, diffusion coefficient and shear viscosity of nitrogen and its mixtures with butane have been determined. The latter properties were obtained by canonical molecular dynamics simulations. The diffusion coefficient and shear viscosity were calculated by a Green-Kubo method. Results for pure nitrogen are given for temperatures ranging from 70 K to 110K. For mixtures of nitrogen with butane, results are presented at 339.4 K and 380.2 K. Good agreement is found between the results of simulations and available experimental data.     

A Note on the Numerical Treatment of the k-epsilon Turbulence Model*

Numerical solution of the equations arising from the κ mdash; ε turbulence model has difficulties inherent to nonlinear convection-reaction-diffusion equations with strong reaction terms, resulting in that numerical schemes easily become unstable. We present a formulation that stresses on the robustness of the solution method, tackling common problems that produce instability. The main contribution concerns the loss of positivity of κ and ε, which is addressed by acting on the coefficients of the reaction and diffusion terms rather than on the turbulent variables themselves. In addition, a linearized implicit, non-iterative, treatment of the wall law is proposed.