Assessment of various density functionals for intermolecular N→Sn interactions: The test case of poly(trimethyltin cyanide)

Testing of Exchange-Correlation Functionals of DFT for a Reliable Description of the Electron Density Distribution in Organic Molecules

Researchers carrying out calculations using the DFT method face the problem of the correct choice of the exchange-correlation functional to describe the quantities they are interested in. This article deals with benchmark calculations aimed at testing various exchange-correlation functionals in terms of a reliable description of the electron density distribution in molecules. For this purpose, 30 functionals representing all rungs of Jacob's Ladder are selected and then the values of some QTAIM-based parameters are compared with their reference equivalents obtained at the CCSD/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The presented results show that the DFT method undoubtedly has the greatest problems with a reliable description of the electron density distribution in multiple strongly polar bonds, such as C=O, and bonds associated with large electron charge delocalization. The performance of the tested functionals turned out to be unsystematic. Nevertheless, in terms of a reliable general description of QTAIM-based parameters, the M11, SVWN, BHHLYP, M06-HF, and, to a slightly lesser extent, also BLYP, B3LYP, and X3LYP functionals turned out to be the worst. It is alarming to find the most popular B3LYP functional in this group. On the other hand, in the case of the electron density at the bond critical point, being the most important QTAIM-based parameter, the M06-HF functional is especially discouraged due to the very poor description of the C=O bond. On the contrary, the VSXC, M06-L, SOGGA11-X, M06-2X, MN12-SX, and, to a slightly lesser extent, also TPSS, TPSSh, and B1B95 perform well in this respect. Particularly noteworthy is the overwhelming performance of double hybrids in terms of reliable values of bond delocalization indices. The results show that there is no clear improvement in the reliability of describing the electron density distribution with climbing Jacob's Ladder, as top-ranked double hybrids are also, in some cases, able to produce poor values compared to CCSD.

Interaction of glyphosate in matrices of cellulose and diethylaminoethyl cellulose biopolymers: theoretical viewpoint of the adsorption process

Glyphosate is an herbicide widely used in agricultural activities causing contamination of soils and bodies of water and damage to the biodiversity of ecosystems. In this context, the present study aimed to theoretically study the adsorption potential of the biopolymer cellulose (CE) and its diethylaminoethyl cellulose derivative (DEAEC) with the herbicide glyphosate (GLY). Theoretical calculations were performed using the density functional theory. Molecular electrostatic potential and frontier molecular orbital analyses were performed, which allowed identifying the possible sites of interaction of biopolymers that were in the functional groups -OH and O- of cellulose and in the groups -O- and -NH+(CH2CH3)2 of the DEAEC. Reactivity indices chemical softness and hardness showed that both adsorbents could interact with adsorbate. Simulated IR indicated that the interactions could be evinced in experimental measurements by changes in the bands of glyphosate (ν(P = O), δ(P-O-H), δ(C-N-H)) or in the bands of CE and DEAEC (ν(C-O), ν(C-H), ν(N-H)). The binding energies showed that the GLY interacts more effectively with CE than DEAEC. The ΔH prove that all processes are exothermic and the CE-GLY1 interaction showed value of ΔG < 0. The topological results showed a greater number of interactions with electrostatic nature. The results found in the study show that the theoretical data provides useful information to support the use of biopolymers as matrices for glyphosate adsorption or other contaminants.

Highly Selective Halide Receptors Based on Chalcogen, Pnicogen, and Tetrel Bonds

The interactions of halides with a number of bipodal receptors were examined by quantum chemical methods. The receptors were based on a dithieno thiophene framework in which two S atoms can engage in a pair of chalcogen bonds with a halide. These two S atoms were replaced by P and As atoms to compare chalcogen with pnicogen bonding, and by Ge which engages in tetrel bonds with the receptor. Zero, one, and two O atoms were added to the thiophene S atom which is not directly involved in the interaction with the halides. Fluoride bound the most strongly, followed by Cl^- , Br^- , and I^- , respectively. Replacing S by the pnicogen bonds of P strengthened the binding, as did moving down to As in the third row of the periodic table. A further large increment is associated with the switch to the tetrel bonds of Ge. Even though the thiophene S atom is remote from the binding site, each additional O atom added to it raises the binding energy, which can be quite large, as much as 63 kcal mol^-1 for the Ge⋅⋅⋅F^- interaction. The receptors have a pronounced selectivity for F^- over the other halides, as high as 27 orders of magnitude. The data suggest that incorporation of tetrel atoms may lead to new and more powerful halide receptors.

Gas-phase interactions of organotin compounds with cysteine

The gas-phase interactions of cysteine with di-organotin and tri-organotin compounds have been studied by mass spectrometry experiments and quantum calculations. Positive-ion electrospray spectra show that the interaction of di- and tri-organotins with cysteine results in the formation of [(R)₂ Sn(Cys-H)]⁺ and [(R)₃ Sn(Cys)]⁺ ions, respectively. MS/MS spectra of [(R)₂ Sn(Cys-H)]⁺ complexes are characterized by numerous fragmentation processes, notably associated with elimination of NH₃ and (C,H₂ ,O₂ ). Several dissociation routes are characteristic of each given organic species. Upon collision, both the [(R)₃ Sn(Gly)]⁺ and [(R)₃ Sn(Cys)]⁺ complexes are associated with elimination of the intact amino acid, leading to the formation of [(R)₃ Sn]⁺ cation. But for the latter complex, two additional fragmentation processes are observed, associated with the elimination of NH₃ and C₃ H₄ O₂ S. Calculations indicate that the interaction between organotins and cysteine is predominantly electrostatic but also exhibits a considerable covalent character, which is slightly more pronounced in tri-organotin complexes. A preferred bidentate interaction of the type -η² -S-NH₂ , with sulfur and the amino group, is observed. As for the [(R)₃ Sn(Cys)]⁺ complexes, their stability is due to the combination of the hydrogen bond taking place between the amino group and the sulfur lone pair and the interaction between the carboxylic oxygen atom and the metal. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Theoretical insight into the interaction between SnX2 (X = H, F, Cl, Br, I) and benzene

For a series of five model complexes composed of a singlet SnX₂ molecule (X = H, F, Cl, Br, I) and a benzene molecule, the first-principles calculations of their energetics and the analysis of their electron density topology have been performed. The CCSD(T)/CBS interaction energy between SnX₂ and C₆H₆ fall into the range between −10.0 and −11.2 kcal/mol, which indicates that the complexes are rather weakly bound. The relevant role of electrostatic and dispersion contributions to the interaction energy between SnX₂ and C₆H₆ is highlighted in the results obtained from the symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT). The electron density topological analysis has been carried out using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and the noncovalent interactions (NCI) visualization index. Both QTAIM and NCI prove the closed-shell, noncovalent and attractive character of the interaction. A very small charge transfer from C₆H₆ to SnX₂ has been detected. The formation of the five complexes is accompanied by the electron density deformations that are spatially restricted mostly to the region around the Sn atom and its adjacent C atom. The results presented in this work shed some light on the nature of the interactions associated with crystalline structural motifs involving low-valent tin complexed with neutral aryl rings.

Theoretical studies of organotin(IV) complexes derived from ONO-donor type schiff base ligands

In this work a molecular modeling study was carried out based on a series of organotin(IV) derivatives which were complexed with ONO-Donor type Schiff base ligands to build up a statistical data pool for researchers. For this purpose, various properties of the selected complexes such as energies, band gaps, chemical reactivity descriptors, polarizabilities, geometric parameters, (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR chemical shifting values were obtained through density functional theory using B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, TPSSTPSS, TPSSh, HCTH, wB97XD, and MN12SX functionals. Empirical dispersion corrections were incorporated for some functionals and solvent effects were also taken into account through applying polarizable continuum model (PCM). (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR chemical shifts were calculated via linear regression analysis using either gauge invariant atomic orbital (GIAO) or continuous set of gauge transformations (CSGT) methods. While structural properties were being explored, quantitative effects of utilized functionals and empirical dispersion corrections over calculated properties were shown in detail.