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López-Carballeira D, Polcar T. High throughput selection of organic cathode materials. J Comput Chem 2024; 45:264-273. [PMID: 37800977 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Efficient and affordable batteries require the design of novel organic electrode materials to overcome the drawbacks of the traditionally used inorganic materials, and the computational screening of potential candidates is a very efficient way to identify prospective solutions and minimize experimental testing. Here we present a DFT high-throughput computational screening where 86 million molecules contained in the PUBCHEM database have been analyzed and classified according to their estimated electrochemical features. The 5445 top-performing candidates were identified, and among them, 2306 are expected to have a one-electron reduction potential higher than 4 V versus (Li/Li+ ). Analogously, one-electron energy densities higher than 800 Whkg-1 have been predicted for 626 molecules. Explicit calculations performed for certain materials show that at least 69 candidates with a two-electron energy density higher than 1300 Whkg-1 . Successful molecules were sorted into several families, some of them already commonly used electrode materials, and others still experimentally untested. Most of them are small systems containing conjugated CO, NN, or NC functional groups. Our selected molecules form a valuable starting point for experimentalists exploring new materials for organic electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego López-Carballeira
- Department of Control Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Polcar
- Department of Control Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
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2
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Gerlach M, Karaev E, Schaffner D, Hemberger P, Fischer I. Threshold Photoelectron Spectrum of m-Benzyne. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:11295-11299. [PMID: 36449562 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Due to their unusual electronic structure, the biradical m-benzyne, C6H4, and its cation are of considerable interest in chemistry. Here, the photoion mass-selected threshold photoelectron spectrum of the m-benzyne biradical is presented. An adiabatic ionization energy of 8.65 ± 0.015 eV is derived, while a vibrational progression of 0.10 eV is assigned to the ν9+ ring breathing mode, in excellent agreement with computations. The experimental spectrum was reproduced well by Franck-Condon spectral modeling of the 2A1 ← X 1A1 transition, in which the cation retains a monocyclic C6 framework. The energetically close-lying bicyclic 2A2 cation state exhibits low Franck-Condon factors, due to the large change in geometry, and thus cannot be observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Gerlach
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - E Karaev
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - D Schaffner
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - P Hemberger
- Laboratory for Synchrotron Radiation and Femtochemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
| | - I Fischer
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
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López-Carballeira D, Polcar T. A new protocol for the identification of singlet fission sensitizers through computational screening. J Comput Chem 2021; 42:2241-2249. [PMID: 34590727 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.26753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Although singlet fission presents deep advantages or the generation of solar energy, the list of efficient singlet fission sensitizers is still very short, encouraging the theoreticians to focus their efforts on selecting and designing new candidates. Here, it is presented a computational protocol for the efficient screening of databases to select those species matching the energy requirements for singlet fission. Hence, out of the initial 29,123 species, 254 molecules (0.87%) were found to match singlet fission energy conditions. The consideration of practical concerns such as availability or stability reduced the number to just 24 (0.08%), among which the aminoanthraquinone derivatives are found particularly promising. The proposed protocol correct the deficiencies of the preceding ones, reaching DFT accuracy and minimizing the risk of getting false negatives especially at the early stages of the screening. In addition, this protocol can be used in future high-throughput investigations using datasets composed of millions of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego López-Carballeira
- Department of Control Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Polcar
- Department of Control Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
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García de la Concepción J, Ávalos M, Jiménez JL, Cintas P, Light ME. A fully diastereoselective oxidation of a mesoionic dipole with triplet molecular oxygen. Org Biomol Chem 2020; 18:6328-6339. [PMID: 32756727 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob01428a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Oxidations with molecular oxygen are ubiquitous processes in biological systems where cofactor-dependent enzymes activate either oxygen or hydrogen peroxide to induce multichannel pathways. In stark contrast, such slow atmospheric oxidations are seldom harnessed in chemical synthesis and analysis. The present study unveils an unusual aerobic oxidation of a mesoionic dipole leading easily to a more functionalized skeleton. Although the synthetic scope has not been explored, two key considerations emerge from this transformation, as it proceeds with complete diastereoselection and could be successfully extrapolated to structurally related mesoionic chirons without racemization. How this oxidation actually occurs proved to be puzzling from the onset and only high-level computation reveals a cascade transformation, whose results reconcile theory and experiment. Hopefully, the mechanistic insights should help us to understand better the autoxidative reactions of organic molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan García de la Concepción
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias-UEX, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Avda. Elvas S/N, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Martín Ávalos
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias-UEX, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Avda. Elvas S/N, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - José L Jiménez
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias-UEX, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Avda. Elvas S/N, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Pedro Cintas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias-UEX, and IACYS-Unidad de Química Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible, Avda. Elvas S/N, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Mark E Light
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
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López-Carballeira D, Casanova D, Ruipérez F. Potential Use of Squarates and Croconates as Singlet Fission Sensitizers. Chemphyschem 2018; 19:2224-2233. [PMID: 29790641 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201800329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The geometrical and electronic structures of 44 squarate and croconate derivatives are computationally studied by quantum chemistry methods, in the pursuit of new singlet fission sensitizers. A non-negligible singlet open-shell diradical character is observed for most of the studied molecules, which can be controlled through chemical substitution as well as by the size of the central ring. Such a diradical character is related to small singlet-triplet energy gaps, facilitating the accomplishment of the singlet fission energetic requirements. In general, the present results indicate that squarates hold superior singlet fission capabilities than croconates, although we have identified several derivatives within both families as promising singlet fission sensitizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- D López-Carballeira
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Joxe Mari Korta Center, Avda. Tolosa 72, 20018, Donostia - San Sebastián, Spain
| | - D Casanova
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), P.K. 1072, 20080, Donostia, Euskadi, Spain.,IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48103, Bilbao, Euskadi, Spain
| | - F Ruipérez
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Joxe Mari Korta Center, Avda. Tolosa 72, 20018, Donostia - San Sebastián, Spain
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Streuff J, Himmel D, Younas SL. Understanding titanium-catalysed radical-radical reactions: a DFT study unravels the complex kinetics of ketone-nitrile couplings. Dalton Trans 2018; 47:5072-5082. [PMID: 29561012 DOI: 10.1039/c8dt00643a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The computational investigation of a titanium-catalysed reductive radical-radical coupling is reported. The results match the conclusions from an earlier experimental study and enable a further interpretation of the previously observed complex reaction kinetics. Furthermore, the interplay between neutral and cationic reaction pathways in titanium(iii)-catalysed reactions is investigated for the first time. The results show that hydrochloride additives and reaction byproducts play an important role in the respective equilibria. A full reaction profile is assembled and the computed activation barrier is found to be in reasonable agreement with the experiment. The conclusions are of fundamental importance to the field of low-valent titanium catalysis and the understanding of related catalytic radical-radical coupling reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Streuff
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Daniel Himmel
- Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sara L Younas
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
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Electronic properties of the polypyrrole-dopant anions ClO 4- and MoO 42-: a density functional theory study. J Mol Model 2017; 23:336. [PMID: 29119263 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-017-3509-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The conductive properties of polypyrrole chains doped with ClO4- or MoO42- anions and the existence of polarons and bipolarons in these doped polypyrrole chains were investigated by performing computational calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). Doping with these anions was found to decrease the band gap of the polypyrrole. Theoretical calculations revealed that changing the type of oxidative agent applied does not affect the conversion of polypyrrole into a conducting polymer, but the conductivity of the doped polypyrrole does depend on the ratio of oxidant to polypyrrole.
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López-Carballeira D, Ruipérez F. Singlet open-shell diradical nature and redox properties of conjugated carbonyls: a quantum chemical study. Theor Chem Acc 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00214-017-2061-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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López-Carballeira D, Casanova D, Ruipérez F. Theoretical design of conjugated diradicaloids as singlet fission sensitizers: quinones and methylene derivatives. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:30227-30238. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp05120d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
New conjugated diradicaloids as potential candidates for singlet fission sensitizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego López-Carballeira
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
- Joxe Mari Korta Center
- Donostia-San Sebastián
- Spain
| | - David Casanova
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and Kimika Fakultatea
- Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU)
- 20080 Donostia
- Spain
- IKERBASQUE
| | - Fernando Ruipérez
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
- Joxe Mari Korta Center
- Donostia-San Sebastián
- Spain
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