Quantitative Infrared Absorption Spectra and Vibrational Assignments of Crotonaldehyde and Methyl Vinyl Ketone Using Gas-Phase Mid-Infrared, Far-Infrared, and Liquid Raman Spectra: s-cis vs s-trans Composition Confirmed via Temperature Studies and ab Initio Methods

PFAS remediation: Evaluating the infrared spectra of complex gaseous mixtures to determine the efficacy of thermal decomposition of PFAS

Due to their widespread production and known environmental contamination, the need for the detection and remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has grown quickly. While destructive thermal treatment of PFAS at low temperatures (e.g., 200-500 °C) is of interest due to lower energy and infrastructure requirements, the range of possible degradation products remains underexplored. To better understand the low temperature decomposition of PFAS species, we have coupled gas-phase infrared spectroscopy with a multivariate curve resolution (MCR) analysis and a database of high-resolution PFAS infrared reference spectra to characterize and quantify a complex mixture resulting from potassium perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS-K) decomposition. Beginning at 375 °C, nine prevalent decomposition products (namely smaller perfluorocarbon species) are identified and quantified.

The chemical assessment of surfaces and air (CASA) study: using chemical and physical perturbations in a test house to investigate indoor processes

The Chemical Assessment of Surfaces and Air (CASA) study aimed to understand how chemicals transform in the indoor environment using perturbations (e.g., cooking, cleaning) or additions of indoor and outdoor pollutants in a well-controlled test house. Chemical additions ranged from individual compounds (e.g., gaseous ammonia or ozone) to more complex mixtures (e.g., a wildfire smoke proxy and a commercial pesticide). Physical perturbations included varying temperature, ventilation rates, and relative humidity. The objectives for CASA included understanding (i) how outdoor air pollution impacts indoor air chemistry, (ii) how wildfire smoke transports and transforms indoors, (iii) how gases and particles interact with building surfaces, and (iv) how indoor environmental conditions impact indoor chemistry. Further, the combined measurements under unperturbed and experimental conditions enable investigation of mitigation strategies following outdoor and indoor air pollution events. A comprehensive suite of instruments measured different chemical components in the gas, particle, and surface phases throughout the study. We provide an overview of the test house, instrumentation, experimental design, and initial observations - including the role of humidity in controlling the air concentrations of many semi-volatile organic compounds, the potential for ozone to generate indoor nitrogen pentoxide (N2O5), the differences in microbial composition between the test house and other occupied buildings, and the complexity of deposited particles and gases on different indoor surfaces.

Conformational diversity and environmental implications of trans-2-pentenal

This study investigates the conformational intricacies of trans-2-pentenal (trans-2PA), a significant biogenic volatile organic compound. To unveil its potential implications in atmospheric chemistry and environmental pollution, we employ advanced infrared resonant vacuum ultraviolet mass-analysed threshold ionisation spectroscopy. Through this method, we identify the major conformers within trans-2PA, encompassing trans-s-trans (tt-) and trans-s-cis (tc-) structures with planar (cis) and non-planar (gauche) configurations introduced by a methyl group. In a pioneering spectroscopic examination, we analyze trans-2PA in both the neutral and cationic states. This approach allows us to gain a comprehensive understanding of its molecular behavior. Our conformer-specific vibrational spectra not only reveal the relative populations of the main conformers, notably tt-cis and tt-gauche conformers, but also shed light on atmospheric oxidation processes and lower tropospheric organic aerosol formation mechanisms. Our findings expand the understanding of the role of trans-2PA in environmental and biological contexts. Additionally, they contribute to a broader understanding of its influence on air quality, climate, and atmospheric dynamics. The collaboration between advanced experimental techniques and computational methods fortifies the scientific underpinning of this study, opening doors to further exploration in the realms of atmospheric chemistry and environmental science.

Unraveling the Conformational Preference of Morpholine: Insights from Infrared Resonant Vacuum Ultraviolet Photoionization Mass Spectroscopy

The preference for different conformations in morpholine has a notable effect on its behavior and reactivity in organic synthesis. Herein, we explored the intricate conformational properties of morpholines through a combination of advanced mass spectrometric techniques and theoretical calculations. Notably, we employed infrared (IR) resonant vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy to measure the unique vibrational spectra of the distinct conformers (Chair-Eq and Chair-Ax) in morpholine for the first time. Through precise VUV photon energy adjustments to coincide with the vibrational excitation via IR absorption, we effectively pinpointed the adiabatic ionization thresholds corresponding to the Chair-Eq (65 442 ± 4 cm-1) and Chair-Ax (65 333 ± 4 cm-1) conformers. This allowed us to accurately determine the conformational stability between the two conformers (109 ± 4 cm-1). By shedding light on the conformational properties of morpholine, this study brings far-reaching implications to the fields of organic synthesis and pharmaceutical research.

Crotonaldehyde Adsorption on Cu-Pt Surface Alloys: A Quantum Mechanics Study

The adsorption of crotonaldehyde on Cu-Pt alloy surfaces was characterized by density functional theory (DFT). Two surfaces were considered: Cu2Pt/Cu(111) and Cu3Pt/Cu(111). It was determined that the presence of Pt on the surface, even when isolated as single atoms fully surrounded by Cu, provides additional stability for the adsorbates, increasing the magnitude of the adsorption energy by as much as 40 kJ/mol. The preferred bonding on both surfaces is via multiple coordination, with the most stable configuration being a cis arrangement with di-σ bonding of the C=O bond across a Cu–Cu bridge and an additional π bonding to a Pt atom. The fact that Pt significantly affects the adsorption of unsaturated aldehydes such as crotonaldehyde explains why the kinetics of their hydrogenation using single-atom alloy (SAA) catalysts vary with alloy composition, as we previously reported, and brings into question the simple model in which the role of Pt is only to promote the dissociation of H2.

Identification of individual conformers in C4H6O isomers using conformer-specific vibrational spectroscopy

We measured the conformer-specific vibrational spectra of C4H6O isomers in neutral and cationic states using IR resonant vacuum ultraviolet mass-analyzed threshold ionization (VUV-MATI) spectroscopy for the first time. Notably, the measured IR dip and hole-burn VUV-MATI spectra for each isomer represent the identifiable vibrational spectra of individual conformers in both states. Furthermore, we estimated the relative populations of individual conformers in crotonaldehyde (CA) and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) isomers using the IR dip intensity, the corresponding Franck-Condon factor, and the IR absorption cross section. Our analysis revealed that the compositional ratio of s-trans to s-cis conformers in the CA isomer remained at 95.8 : 4.2 even under supersonic expansion, whereas that in the MVK isomer was determined as 90.6 : 9.4, which is consistent with previous research. These findings reveal that the conformational stability of each isomer depends on the position of the methyl group relative to the carbonyl group.

Confirmation of PNNL Quantitative Infrared Cross-Sections for Isobutane

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) gas-phase database is a compilation of quantitative experimental (5, 25, and 50 °C) infrared spectra of ca. 500 molecules, designed for in situ, standoff or remote sensing of gases and vapors at or near atmospheric pressure. The data are characterized by calibration on both the wavenumber and intensity axes. Recent papers have called into question the PNNL intensity values for isobutane, [2-methylpropane, HC(CH₃)₃], suggesting discrepancies of 30-40%. In this study, we remeasure and re-examine the intensity values of isobutane using both similar and alternate methods to those used to generate the original PNNL database spectra. Indirect confirmation from literature data of homologous molecules and direct confirmation from new results confirm that for many band integrals across the isobutane spectrum, the original PNNL data are indeed accurate to within the reported 3% experimental uncertainty.

Enhanced Pharmaceutically Active Compounds Productivity from Streptomyces SUK 25: Optimization, Characterization, Mechanism and Techno-Economic Analysis

The present research aimed to enhance the pharmaceutically active compounds’ (PhACs’) productivity from Streptomyces SUK 25 in submerged fermentation using response surface methodology (RSM) as a tool for optimization. Besides, the characteristics and mechanism of PhACs against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were determined. Further, the techno-economic analysis of PhACs production was estimated. The independent factors include the following: incubation time, pH, temperature, shaker rotation speed, the concentration of glucose, mannitol, and asparagine, although the responses were the dry weight of crude extracts, minimum inhibitory concentration, and inhibition zone and were determined by RSM. The PhACs were characterized using GC-MS and FTIR, while the mechanism of action was determined using gene ontology extracted from DNA microarray data. The results revealed that the best operating parameters for the dry mass crude extracts production were 8.20 mg/L, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) value was 8.00 µg/mL, and an inhibition zone of 17.60 mm was determined after 12 days, pH 7, temperature 28 °C, shaker rotation speed 120 rpm, 1 g glucose /L, 3 g mannitol/L, and 0.5 g asparagine/L with R² coefficient value of 0.70. The GC-MS and FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of 21 PhACs, and several functional groups were detected. The gene ontology revealed that 485 genes were upregulated and nine genes were downregulated. The specific and annual operation cost of the production of PhACs was U.S. Dollar (U.S.D) 48.61 per 100 mg compared to U.S.D 164.3/100 mg of the market price, indicating that it is economically cheaper than that at the market price.

Adsorption of crotonaldehyde on metal surfaces: Cu vs Pt

The thermal chemistry of crotonaldehyde on the surface of a polished polycrystalline copper disk was characterized by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and contrasted with previous data obtained on a Pt(111) single crystal substrate. A clear difference in the adsorption mode was identified between the two surfaces, highlighted by the prevalence of RAIRS peaks for the C=C bond on Cu vs for C=O on Pt. Adsorption was also determined to be much weaker on Cu vs Pt, with an adsorption energy on the former ranging from -50 kJ/mol to -65 kJ/mol depending on the surface coverage. The experimental data were complemented by extensive quantum mechanics calculations using density functional theory (DFT) to determine the most stable adsorption configurations on both metals. It was established that crotonaldehyde adsorption on Cu occurs via the oxygen atom in the carbonyl group, in a mono-coordinated fashion, whereas on Pt multi-coordination is preferred, centered around the C=C bond. The contrasting surface adsorption modes seen on these two metals are discussed in terms of the possible relevance to selectivity in single-atom alloy hydrogenation catalysis.

Conformer-specific VUV-MATI spectroscopy of methyl vinyl ketone: stabilities and cationic structures of the s-trans and s-cis conformers

Methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), a volatile compound with photochemical activity, has received considerable attention in the fields of environmental chemistry and atmospheric chemistry. We explored the conformational stabilities of MVK in the neutral S0 and the cationic D0 states using conformer-specific vacuum ultraviolet mass-analyzed threshold ionization (VUV-MATI) spectroscopy, which provided identifiable vibrational spectra for cationic MVK conformers. Based on the origin bands of the two individual conformers of MVK identified in the MATI spectra under different supersonic expansion conditions, the accurate adiabatic ionization energies of the s-trans and the s-cis conformers were determined to be 77 867 ± 4 (9.6543 ± 0.0005 eV) and 78 222 ± 4 cm-1 (9.6983 ± 0.0005 eV), respectively. The identifiable vibrational spectra of the two cationic conformers were further confirmed using vibrational assignments based on the Franck-Condon fit. Accordingly, precise cationic structures of the MVK conformers could be determined. The structural changes of the two conformers upon ionization could be attributed to the removal of an electron from the highest occupied molecular orbital of each conformer, which consists of nonbonding molecular orbitals on the oxygen atom in the carbonyl group interacting with the σ orbitals in the molecular plane. Consequently, the s-trans conformer was preferred by 48 ± 18 and 403 ± 18 cm-1 in the neutral ground S0 and the cationic D0 states, respectively, which was supported by density-corrected density functional theory calculations and natural bond orbital analysis.

Absolute Band Intensity of the Iodine Monochloride Fundamental Mode for Infrared Sensing and Quantitative Analysis

Iodine monochloride (ICl) is a potential off-gas product of molten salt reactors; monitoring this heteronuclear diatomic molecule is of great interest for both environmental and safety purposes. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of infrared monitoring of ICl by measuring the far-infrared absorption cross section of its fundamental band near 381 cm^-1. We have performed quantitative studies of the neat gas in a 20 cm cell at 25, 35, 50, and 70 °C at multiple pressures up to ∼9 Torr and investigated the temperature and pressure dependencies of the band's infrared cross section. Quantitative measurements were problematic due to sample adhesion to the cell walls and windows as well as reactions/possible hydrolysis of ICl to form HCl gas. Effects were mitigated by measuring only the neat gas, using short measurement times, and subtracting out the partial pressure of the HCl(g). The integrated band strength is shown to be temperature independent and was found to be equal to 9.1 × 10^-19 (cm²/molecule) cm^-1. As expected, the temperature dependence of the band profile showed only a small effect over this limited temperature range. We have also investigated using the absorption data along with inverse least squares multivariate methods for the quantitative monitoring of ICl effluent concentrations under different scenarios using infrared (standoff) sensing and compare these results with traditional Beer's law (univariate) techniques.

Rate coefficients and product branching ratios for (E)-2-butenal + H reactions

Thermal rate constants for the hydrogen abstraction reactions of (E)-2-butenal by hydrogen atoms were calculated, for the first time, using the multipath canonical variational theory with small-curvature tunneling (MP-CVT/SCT). After a torsional potential energy surface exploration, ten conformations of the transition states (including the mirror images) were found and separated into four conformational reaction channels (CRCs). Individual energy paths of each CRC were built, recrossing and quantum tunneling effects estimated, and the thermal rate constants obtained. Due to the hindered rotors, the torsional anharmonicity was incorporated in the rate coefficient through the calculations of the rovibrational partition functions using the extended two-dimensional torsional method (E2DT). For comparison, the one-well (1W-CVT/SCT) and harmonic multipath (MP-CVT/SCT) thermal rate constants were also estimated. In addition, kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations were performed to predict the product branching ratios. For all kinetic approaches, the formation of products of (R1) is predominant. Compared to the harmonic multipath estimation, the percentage of reaction (R4) increases by approximately 9% when the torsional anharmonicity is taken into account. For the reactions (R2) and (R3), the product branching ratio is slightly decreased when compared with the harmonic simulation.

Successive Surface Reactions on Hydrophilic Silica for Modified Magnetic Nanoparticle Attachment Probed by Sum-Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

Successive surface reactions on hydrophilic silica substrates were designed and performed to immobilize ethanolamine-modified magnetic ferrite-based nanoparticle (NP) for surface characterization. The various surfaces were monitored using sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. The surface of the hydrophilic quartz substrate was first converted to a vinyl-terminated surface by utilizing a silanization reaction, and then, the surface functional groups were converted to carboxylic-terminated groups via a thiol-ene reaction. The appearance and disappearance of the vinyl (═CH₂) peak at ∼2990 cm^-1 in the SFG spectra were examined to confirm the success of the silanization and thiol-ene reactions, respectively. Acyl chloride (-COCl) formation from carboxy (-COOH) functional group was then performed for further attachment of magnetic amine-functionalized magnesium ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) via amide bond formation. The scattered NPs attached on the modified silica substrate was then used to study the changes in the spectral profile of the ethanolamine modifier of the NPs for in situ lead(II) (Pb²⁺) adsorption at the solid-liquid interface using SFG spectroscopy. However, due to the limited number of NPs attached and sensitivity of SFG spectroscopy toward expected change in the modifier spectroscopically, no significant change was observed in the SFG spectrum of the modified silica with magnetic NPs during exposure to Pb²⁺ solution. Nevertheless, SFG spectroscopy as a surface technique successfully monitored the modifications from a clean fused substrate to -COCl formation that was used to immobilize the decorated magnetic nanoparticles. The method developed in this study can provide a reference for many surface or interfacial studies important for selective attachment of adsorbed organic or inorganic materials or particles.

Accurate Measurement of the Optical Constants n and k for a Series of 57 Inorganic and Organic Liquids for Optical Modeling and Detection

For optical modeling and other purposes, we have created a library of 57 liquids for which we have measured the complex optical constants n and k. These liquids vary in their nature, ranging in properties that include chemical structure, optical band strength, volatility, and viscosity. By obtaining the optical constants, one can model most optical phenomena in media and at interfaces including reflection, refraction, and dispersion. Based on the works of others, we have developed improved protocols using multiple path lengths to determine the optical constants n/k for dozens of liquids, including inorganic, organic, and organophosphorus compounds. Detailed descriptions of the measurement and data reduction protocols are discussed; agreement of the derived optical constant n and k values with literature values are presented. We also present results using the n/k values as applied to an optical modeling scenario whereby the derived data are presented and tested for models of 1 µm and 100 µm layers for dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) on both metal (aluminum) and dielectric (soda lime glass) substrates to show substantial differences between the reflected signal from highly reflective substrates and less-reflective substrates.

Identification and composition of conformational isomers and their cations in crotonaldehyde by VUV-MATI spectroscopy

Composition of the crotonaldehyde sample at ambient temperature was determined as 93.0%, 3.4%, 3.4%, and 0.2% for the tt-/tc-/ct-/cc-conformers, respectively, for the first time.