Photocatalytic oxidation of VX simulant 2-(butylamino)ethanethiol

Computational exploration of Cu(II)-en chelate-catalyzed hydrolysis of O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate

CONTEXT

In contrast to un-catalyzed hydrolysis of organophosphorus (OP) compounds, metal ions or/and their complexes with chelating ligands show catalytic effects in several ways depending upon the nature of the metal, ligand, substrate, and medium. It is known that Cu(II)-en chelate containing copper complexes accelerate the hydrolysis of OP compounds. However, the mechanism for this rate enhancement in the Cu(II)-en chelate catalytic hydrolysis reaction of sarin remains unexplored. We have examined possible mechanisms involving a Cu(II)-en with hydroxide nucleophile for the reaction pathway of the hydrolysis of O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (sarin) computationally. The density functional (B3LYP) employed in this study has reproduced the experimental Gibb's free energy of activation value 15.5 kcal/mol for alkaline hydrolysis of sarin. Earlier proposal of push-pull mechanism for metal ion chelate-catalyzed hydrolysis of OP compounds has been found to be unfavorable in the present study. The role of water molecules in catalyzing the hydrolysis of sarin with Cu(II)-en chelate is crucial. The catalytic process involving Cu(II)-en chelate with one water molecule is the more plausible pathway to achieve the hydrolysis of sarin with Cu(II)-en chelate complexes.

METHODS

The most popular B3LYP method was used for optimization of given geometries. Except LANL2DZ for Cu atom, all the atoms are described using the 6-31 + G(d) basis set. The stability test has been performed for the wave functions as we are dealing with the open-shell molecules in order to ensure stable electronic configuration form, and the stable wavefunction is used as the initial configuration for the subsequent optimization. Harmonic frequency calculations and thermodynamic corrections were performed at the same level of theory. PCM method has been used for solvation effects. In order to ensure that each saddle point is linked to a minimum, IRC calculations were performed in forward and reverse directions to ensure the eigenvectors associated with the unique negative eigenvalues of the Hessian matrix. All energies discussed are solvated Gibbs free energies corrected to 298.15 K for the relative stability of the chemical structure. All calculations were performed using the Gaussian 09 code.

Analysis of the Precursors, Simulants and Degradation Products of Chemical Warfare Agents

Recent advances in analysis of precursors, simulants and degradation products of chemical warfare agents (CWA) are reviewed. Fast and reliable analysis of precursors, simulants and CWA degradation products is extremely important at a time, when more and more terrorist groups and radical non-state organizations use or plan to use chemical weapons to achieve their own psychological, political and military goals. The review covers the open source literature analysis after the time, when the chemical weapons convention had come into force (1997). The authors stated that during last 15 years increased number of laboratories are focused not only on trace analysis of CWA (mostly nerve and blister agents) in environmental and biological samples, but the growing number of research are devoted to instrumental analysis of precursors and degradation products of these substances. The identification of low-level concentration of CWA degradation products is often more important and difficult than the original CWA, because of lower level of concentration and a very large number of compounds present in environmental and biological samples. Many of them are hydrolysis products and are present in samples in the ionic form. For this reason, two or three instrumental methods are used to perform a reliable analysis of these substances.

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of Ag–TiO2 nanoparticulate film

Ag–TiO₂ nanoparticulate film was synthesized by dip coating followed by adsorption and photoreduction. This film has demonstrated enhanced rate of photocatalytic degradation of MP when compared to TiO₂ nanoparticulate film.

Degradation of VX surrogate profenofos on surfaces via in situ photo-oxidation

Surface degradation of profenofos (PF), a VX nerve gas surrogate, was investigated using in situ photo-oxidation that combines simple instrumentation and ambient gases (O2 and H2O) as a function of exposure conditions ([O3], [OH], UV light λ = 185 and/or 254 nm, relative humidity) and PF film surface density (0.38-3.8 g m(-2)). PF film 0.38 g m(-2) fully degraded after 60 min of exposure to both 254 and 185 nm UV light in humidified air and high ozone. The observed pseudo-first-order surface reaction rate constant (kobs = 0.075 ± 0.004 min(-1)) and calculated hydroxyl concentration near the film surface ([OH]g = (9 ± 2) × 10(7) molecules cm(-3)) were used to determine the second-order rate constant for heterogeneous reaction of PF and OH (k(OH)PF = (5 ± 1) × 10(-12) cm(3) molec(-1) s(-1)). PF degradation in the absence of 185 nm light or without humidity was lower (70% or 90% degradation, respectively). With denser PF films ranging from 2.3 to 3.8 g m(-2), only 80% degradation was achieved until the PF droplet was redissolved in acetonitrile which allowed >95% PF degradation. Surface product analysis indicated limited formation of the nontoxic phosphoric acid ester but the formation of nonvolatile chemicals with increased hydrophilicity and addition of OH.

Parametric studies of diethyl phosphoramidate photocatalytic decomposition over TiO2

The present study is focused on influences of parameters including pH, temperature, TiO(2) catalyst concentration, and reactant concentration on the rate of photocatalytic diethyl phosphoramidate (DEPA) decomposition with Hombikat UV 100 (HK) and Degussa P25 (P25) TiO(2). Total mineralization of DEPA is observed. Two regimes of pH, namely in acid and near-neutral environments were found where maximum total carbon (TC) decomposition was observed. The electrostatic effects on adsorption over the TiO(2) surface explain the above phenomena. The maximum rate is observed for P25 at DEPA concentration 1.3 mM whereas the rate grows continuously with DEPA concentration rise for HK. The temperature dependence of TC decomposition rate in the range of 15-63°C with both HK and P25 follows the Arrhenius equation. The activation energy for total carbon decomposition with HK and P25 are 29.5±1.0 and 24.3±3.1 kJ/mol, respectively. The decomposition rate of DEPA is larger over P25 than over HK. The rate over P25 increases faster than that with HK for each unit of the titania added when the TiO(2) concentration is less than 375 mg/l. The higher light absorption and particles aggregation of P25 are responsible for the decrease of reaction rate we observed at catalyst concentration above a certain level. In contrast, the rate over HK increases monotonically with the concentration of the photocatalyst used.

Photocatalytic decomposition of acephate in irradiated TiO2 suspensions

In the present study, the photocatalytic degradation of acephate (O,S-dimethyl acetyl phosphoramidothioate ((CH(3)O)(CH(3)S)P(O)NHCOCH(3))) in aqueous TiO2 suspensions is extensively investigated, pertaining to the concentration of photocatalyst and substrate on degradation rate of acephate. It is found that the acephate can be degradated and mineralized. The high-degradation rate is obtained with 4 g/L concentration of TiO2. Moreover, Langmuir-Hinshelowood rate expression is employed for the degradation of acephate with adsorption constant and rate constant, i.e., 2.0 L/mmol and 0.6 mmol/(min L), respectively. The main target is to identify the products by a number of analytical techniques, such as HPLC, IC, ESR and GC-MS. Under acidic condition, the primary products are phosphorothioic acid, O,O',S-trimethyl ester (CH(3)O(CH(3)S)P(O)OCH(3)) and phosphoramidothioic acid, O,S-dimethyl ester (CH(3)O(CH(3)S)P(O)NH(2)), etc. It indicates that the decomposition of acephate begin from the destruction of C-N and P-N bonds. Subsequently, the P-S, P-O, P-C bonds may be oxidized gradually or simultaneously, and the final products such as CO(2), H(3)PO(4), were formed. About 100% sulfur atoms are transformed into SO(4)(2-) in 180 min, however; only 3% nitrogen atoms and 2% phosphorus atoms were transformed into NO(3)(-) and PO(4)(3-).

Synergism of activated carbon and undoped and nitrogen-doped TiO2 in the photocatalytic degradation of the chemical warfare agents soman, VX, and yperite

Efficient photocatalytic decomposition of chemical warfare agents is a process that may find application in emergency situations or for the controlled destruction of chemical warfare stockpiles. A series of heterogeneous photocatalysts comprising TiO2-activated carbon or N-TiO2-activated carbon composites exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity to effect the complete decomposition of yperite, soman, and VX in high concentrations. The remarkable photocatalytic activity arises from the synergism between adsorption on active carbon and photoactivity by titania. Nitridation makes the composite also active under visible-light irradiation.

Ab initio molecular orbital and density functional studies on the solvolysis of sarin and O,S-dimethyl methylphosphonothiolate, a VX-like compound

[reaction: see text] Potential energy surfaces for the alkaline hydrolysis of sarin and O,S-dimethyl methylphosphonothiolate, a VX model compound, and the perhydrolysis of the latter have been computed at the MP2/6-31+G(d)//mPW1K/MIDI! level of theory. The effect of aqueous solvation was accounted for via the integral equation formalism polarizable continuum model (IEF-PCM) at the HF/6-31+G(d) level. Excellent agreement with the experimental enthalpy of activation for alkaline hydrolysis of sarin was found. For the alkaline hydrolysis of O,S-dimethyl methylphosphonothiolate, it was found that the P-O and P-S bond cleavage processes are kinetically competitive but that the products of P-S bond cleavage are thermodynamically favored. For the perhydrolysis of O,S-dimethyl methylphosphonothiolate, it was found that P-O bond cleavage is not kinetically competitive with P-S bond cleavage. In both cases, the data support initial formation of trigonal bipyramidal intermediates and demonstrate kinetic selectivity for nucleophilic attack on the face opposite the more apicophilic methoxide ligand.