Bifunctional acid–base catalyzed reactions in zeolites from the HSAB viewpoint

Opposite regiospecific ring opening of 2-(cyanomethyl)aziridines by hydrogen bromide and benzyl bromide: experimental study and theoretical rationalization

Ring opening of 1-arylmethyl-2-(cyanomethyl)aziridines with HBr afforded 3-(arylmethyl)amino-4-bromobutyronitriles via regiospecific ring opening at the unsubstituted aziridine carbon. Previous experimental and theoretical reports show treatment of the same compounds with benzyl bromide to furnish 4-amino-3-bromobutanenitriles through ring opening at the substituted aziridine carbon. To gain insights into the regioselective preference with HBr, reaction paths have been analyzed with computational methods. The effect of solvation was taken into account by the use of explicit solvent molecules. Geometries were determined at the B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p) level of theory, and a Grimme-type correction term was included for long-range dispersion interactions; relative energies were refined with the meta-hybrid MPW1B95 functional. Activation barriers confirm preference for ring opening at the unsubstituted ring carbon for HBr. HBr versus benzyl bromide ring opening was analyzed through comparison of the electronic structure of corresponding aziridinium intermediates. Although the electrostatic picture fails to explain the opposite regiospecific nature of the reaction, frontier molecular orbital analysis of LUMOs and nucleophilic Fukui functions show a clear preference of attack for the substituted aziridine carbon in the benzyl bromide case and for the unsubstituted aziridine carbon in the HBr case, successfully rationalizing the experimentally observed regioselectivity.

Computational and experimental study of the structure, binding preferences, and spectroscopy of nickel(II) and vanadyl porphyrins in petroleum

We present a computational exploration of five- and six-coordinate Ni(II) and vanadyl porphyrins, including prediction of UV-vis spectroscopic behavior and metalloporphyrin structure as well as determination of a binding energy threshold between strongly bound complexes that have been isolated as single crystals and weakly bound ones that we detect by visible absorption spectroscopy. The excited states are calculated using the tandem of the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM). The excited-state energies in chloroform solvent obtained by using two density functionals are found to correlate linearly with the experimental Soret and alpha-band energies for a known series of five-coordinate vanadyl porphyrins. The established linear correction allows simulation of the excited states for labile octahedral vanadyl porphyrins that have not been isolated and yields Soret and alpha-band bathochromic shifts that are in agreement with our UV-vis spectroscopic results. The PBE0 and PW91 functionals in combination with DNP basis set perform best for both structure and binding energy prediction. The reactivity preferences of Ni(II) and vanadyl porphyrins toward aromatic fragments of large petroleum molecules are explored by using the density functional theory (DFT). Analysis of electrostatic potentials and Fukui functions matching shows that axial coordination and hydrogen bonding are the preferred aggregation modes between vanadyl porphyrins and nitrogen-containing heterocycle fragments. This investigation improves our understanding on the cause for broadening of the Ni and V porphyrin Soret band in heavy oils. Our findings can be useful for the development of metals removal methods for heavy oil upgrading.

Levofloxacin ozonation in water: rate determining process parameters and reaction pathway elucidation

Ozonation of the quinolone antibiotic levofloxacin was investigated with focus on both the levofloxacin degradation rate and degradation product formation. Degradation was about 2 times faster at pH 10 compared to pH 3 and 7 explained by direct ozonation at the unprotonated N4('), one of the tertiary amines of the piperazinyl substituent. H2O2 concentration (2-100 microM) had only limited effect. Liquid chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry revealed degradation at the piperazinyl substituent and the quinolone moiety, with the relative importance of both pathways being strongly affected by changes in pH. Levofloxacin N-oxide concentrations reached up to 40% of the initial levofloxacin concentration during ozonation at pH 10. Degradation at the quinolone moiety resulted in isatin and anthranilic acid type metabolites, probably formed through reaction with hydroxyl radicals. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations predicted radical attack mainly at C2 of the quinolone moiety. This is the carbon atom with the largest Fukui function. Reaction with ozone is expected to mainly occur at N(4)('), characterized by the largest negative charge.