Predicting Chemical Reactivity from the Charge Density through Gradient Bundle Analysis: Moving beyond Fukui Functions

Assessment of the Inhibitory Efficacy of a Thiazole Derivative as an Efficient Corrosion Inhibitor for Augmenting the Resistance of MS in Acidic Environments

Numerous thiazole compounds have been developed as cutting-edge inhibitors because of a rising fascination with using corrosion inhibitors (CIs) and preventative measures to prevent mild steel (MS) from deteriorating. In this study, the ability of a novel thiazole derivative, 2-hydrazono-3-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzo[d]thiazole hydrochloride (HMDBT), to prevent corrosion of MS (MS) in HCl has been reconnoitered using various approaches, Viz. gravimetric analysis, electrochemical (EC) analysis, and different surface characterizations. With an inhibition efficiency (IE %) of 95.35%, the outcomes elucidate that HMDBT functions as a potent MS CI that is environmentally friendly and sustainable. The computed activation and thermodynamic factors were also employed to better explain the process underpinning the inhibiting tendency of HMDBT. According to the computed values, the HMDBT molecules physically and chemically adhered to the MS surface following the Langmuir model, generating a dense protective layer that may be associated with the presence of a benzene ring and heteroatoms (S & N) in the HMDBT architecture. Based on the findings of the EIS studies, an intensification in the CI's concentration from (50 →800) ppm is ushered by increases in polarization resistance (Rp) from (80.72, 354.31) Ω cm2, and attenuation in double-layer capacitance (Cdl) from (198.78 → 44.13) μF cm-2, respectively, confirming the inhibitory proficiency of HMDBT. The IE of the inhibitor was reported around 95.35% by weight loss measurement and 89.94% through EC measurement. Theoretical analysis including density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to investigate the additional effects of HMDBT on the anticorrosion effectiveness and mechanism of inhibition. The theoretical parameters that were calculated provided important assistance in comprehending the inhibitory mechanism that the CI's moieties disclosed and are in strong concord with experimental methods. To create a "green" inhibitor system, the work presented here provided a potent technique to reduce corrosion by adding a potent new inhibitor.

Anaerobic cyanides oxidation with bimetallic modulation of biological toxicity and activity for nitrite reduction

Cyanide is a typical toxic reducing agent prevailing in wastewater with a well-defined chemical mechanism, whereas its exploitation as an electron donor by microorganisms is currently understudied. Given that conventional denitrification requires additional electron donors, the cyanide and nitrogen can be eliminated simultaneously if the reducing HCN/CN- and its complexes are used as inorganic electron donors. Hence, this paper proposes anaerobic cyanides oxidation for nitrite reduction, whereby the biological toxicity and activity of cyanides are modulated by bimetallics. Performance tests illustrated that low toxicity equivalents of iron-copper composite cyanides provided higher denitrification loads with the release of cyanide ions and electrons from the complex structure by the bimetal. Both isotopic labeling and Density Functional Theory (DFT) demonstrated that CN--N supplied electrons for nitrite reduction. The superposition of chemical processes reduces the biotoxicity and enhances the biological activity of cyanides in the CN-/Fe3+/Cu2+/NO2- coexistence system, including complex detoxification of CN- by Fe3+, CN- release by Cu2+ from [Fe(CN)6]3-, and NO release by nitrite substitution of -CN groups. Cyanide is the smallest structural unit of C/N-containing compounds and serves as a probe to extend the electron-donating principle of anaerobic cyanides oxidation to more electron-donor microbial utilization.

The Importance of Spin-Polarized Charge Reorganization in the Catalytic Activity of D-Glucose Oxidase

The reaction of D-glucose oxidase (GOx) with D- and L-glucose was investigated using confocal fluorescence microscopy and Hall voltage measurements, after the enzyme was adsorbed as a monolayer. By adsorbing the enzyme on a ferromagnetic substrate, we verified that the reaction is spin dependent. This conclusion was supported by monitoring the reaction when the enzyme is adsorbed on a Hall device that does not contain any magnetic elements. The spin dependence is consistent with the chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect; it can be explained by the improved fidelity of the electron transfer process through the chiral enzyme due to the coupling of the linear momentum of the electrons and their spin. Since the reaction studied often serve as a model system for enzymatic activity, the results may suggest the general importance of the spin-dependent electron transfer in bio-chemical processes.

Electrochemical and computational insights into the utilization of 2, 2- dithio bisbenzothiazole as a sustainable corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in low pH medium

Industries today place a high premium on environmentally friendly supplies that may effectively inhibit metal dissolution at a reasonable cost. Hence, in this paper, we assessed the corrosion inhibition effectiveness of the Thiazole derivative namely, 2, 2-Dithio Bisbenzothiazole (DBBT) against mild steel (MS) corrosion in 1 M HCl. Several experimental approaches, including gravimetric analysis, potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and surface exploration using scanning electron/atomic force microscopy (SEM/AFM) and contact angle (CA), were utilized to conduct the measurements. In 1 M HCl corrosive medium at 298 K in the subsistence of 800 ppm of DBBT, this experiment indicated DBBT as an environment-friendly and sustainable corrosion inhibitor (CI) for MS, demonstrating an inhibition efficiency (IE %) of 97.71%. To deliver a deeper knowledge of the mechanism behind inhibitive behavior, the calculated thermodynamic and activation characteristics were applied. The calculated Gibbs free energy values indicated that the CI interacted physically and chemically with the MS surface, validating physio-chemical adsorption. The findings of the EIS research revealed that an upsurge in the doses of the CI is escorted by an upsurge in polarization resistance (Rp) from (88.05 → 504.04) Ωcm2, and a diminution in double layer capacitance (Cdl) from (97.46 → 46.33) μFcm-2 at (50 → 800) ppm respectively, affirming the inhibitive potential of DBBT. Additionally, the greatest displacement in Ecorr value being 76.13 mV < 85 mV, indicating that DBBT act as a mixed-form CI. To study the further impacts of DBBT on the inhibition capabilities of the compound under investigation, density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were employed. Chemical and electrochemical approaches are in agreement with the computational analysis indicating DBBT is the most efficient CI.

Electronic current densities and origin-independent property densities induced by optical fields

The interaction of a molecule with optical fields is customarily interpreted by means of induced time-dependent electric polarizabilities, magnetizabilities and mixed electric-magnetic polarizabilities. In general, these properties can be rationalized by integrals of density functions formulated in terms of induced charge and current densities. In this perspective, we focus on what has been done so far at the theoretical level, and on what can be expected to be unveiled from the topological study of suitable density functions, endowed with the fundamental requirement of origin invariance. Densities characterized by such a property can be integrated all over the configuration space to obtain electric dipole polarizability and optical rotatory power. Corresponding maps visualize domains mainly involved in the molecular response. The diagonal components of origin-independent density tensor functions that, on integration, yield corresponding electric dipole polarizability tensor of benzene, naphthalene, phenanthrene and ovalene, have been computed, confirming the ubiquitous presence of counter-polarization regions in the proximity of the atomic nuclei. They are associated with toroidal electron currents, induced by time derivative of the electric field of impinging radiation. Electron (de)localization in these systems is readily observed and estimated. The optical rotation density of the carbonyl chromophore is studied in detail. Its essential feature is the separation in quadrants of alternating sign of density about the CO bond. The presence of an extrachromophoric perturbation determines asymmetry in the extension of the quadrant distribution, thus causing optical rotation.

Self Cycloaddition of o-Naphthoquinone Nitrosomethide to (±) Spiro{naphthalene(naphthopyranofurazan)}-one Oxide: An Insight into its Formation

2-Hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde oxime was oxidized by AgO (or Ag2O), in presence of N-methyl morpholine N-oxide (NMMO), to the title spiro adduct-dimer (±)-Spiro{naphthalene-1(2H),4'-(naphtho[2',1':2,3]pyrano[4,5-c]furazan)}-2-one-11'-oxide by a Diels-Alder(D-A) type self-cycloaddition, through the agency of an o-naphthoquinone nitrosomethide (o-NQM). Moreover, 2-hydroxy-8-methoxy-1-naphthaldehyde oxime was prepared and subjected to the same oxidation conditions. Its sterically guided result, 9-methoxynaphtho[1,2-d]isoxazole, was isolated, instead of the expected spiro adduct. The peri intramolecular H bonding in the oxime is considered to have a key contribution to the outcome. Geometry and energy features of the oxidant- and stereo-guided selectivity of both oxidation outcomes have been explored by DFT, perturbation theory and coupled cluster calculations. The reaction free energy of the D-A intermolecular cycloaddition is calculated at -82.0 kcal/mol, indicating its predominance over the intramolecular cyclization of ca. -37.6 kcal/mol. The cycloaddition is facilitated by NMMO through dipolar interactions and hydrogen bonding with both metal complexes and o-NQM. The 8(peri)-OMe substitution of the reactant oxime sterically impedes formation of the spiro adduct, instead it undergoes a more facile cyclodehydration to the isoxazole structure by ca. 4.9 kcal/mol.

Mercury-instructed assembly (MiA): architecting clathrin triskelion-inspired highly functional C3-symmetric triskelion nanotorus functional structures into microtorus structures

To detect heavy metal toxicity using self-assembled nanostructures, a clathrin triskelion-inspired highly functional C₃-symmetric trimerized biotinylated di-tryptophan peptide was used. This triskelion peptide is known to self-assemble into nanotorus-like structures and can therefore act as a nanocage for various analytes. In this work, in addition to spectroscopy, force and electron microscopy were successfully used to detect the effect of toxic metal ions such as zinc, cadmium, and mercury by exploiting the change in the nanotorus morphology. Different concentrations of mercury led to the expansion of nanotorus structures into microtori. Therefore, we provide a unique application of heavy metal toxicity by utilizing "material nanoarchitectonics" to architect nanotorus structures into higher-order microtorus structures, as instructed by mercury. Such a strategy can make heavy metal sensing easier for materials scientists and open new avenues for biomedical/environmental science applications.

Electron Density Geometry and the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules

A novel form of charge density analysis, that of isosurface curvature redistribution, is formulated and applied to the toy problem of carbonyl oxygen activation in formaldehyde. The isosurface representation of the electron charge density allows us to incorporate the rigorous geometric constraints of closed surfaces toward the analysis and chemical interpretation of the charge density response to perturbations. Visual inspection of 2D isosurface motion resulting from applied external electric fields reveals how the isosurface curvature flows within and between atoms and that a molecule can be uniquely and completely partitioned into chemically significant regions of positive and negative curvatures. These concepts reveal that carbonyl oxygen activation proceeds primarily through curvature and charge redistribution within rather than between Bader atoms. Using gradient bundle analysis─the partitioning of formaldehyde into infinitesimal volume elements bounded by QTAIM zero-flux surfaces─the observations from visual isosurface inspection are verified. The results of the formaldehyde carbonyl analysis are then shown to be transferable to the substrate carbonyl in the ketosteroid isomerase enzyme, laying the groundwork for extending this approach to the problems of enzymatic catalysis.

Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity and Its Implications for Biological Functions

Chirality in life has been preserved throughout evolution. It has been assumed that the main function of chirality is its contribution to structural properties. In the past two decades, however, it has been established that chiral molecules possess unique electronic properties. Electrons that pass through chiral molecules, or even charge displacements within a chiral molecule, do so in a manner that depends on the electron's spin and the molecule's enantiomeric form. This effect, referred to as chiral induced spin selectivity (CISS), has several important implications for the properties of biosystems. Among these implications, CISS facilitates long-range electron transfer, enhances bio-affinities and enantioselectivity, and enables efficient and selective multi-electron redox processes. In this article, we review the CISS effect and some of its manifestations in biological systems. We argue that chirality is preserved so persistently in biology not only because of its structural effect, but also because of its important function in spin polarizing electrons. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 51 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Transition metal ions induced secondary structural transformation in a hydrophobized short peptide amphiphile

Transition metal ions mediate the secondary structural transformation of hydrophobized sPA and can be applied to the design and development of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials.

Efficient tribological properties of azomethine-functionalized chitosan as a bio-lubricant additive in paraffin oil: experimental and theoretical analysis

A simple condensation of chitosan (from shrimp shells) and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde was performed to yield bio-lubricant additive comprised of azomethine functional groups to be used with paraffin lube oil in industries. The synthesized Schiff base derivative of chitosan (SBC) additive was characterized using a CHN analyzer and FT-IR spectroscopy, and the thermal stability was explored using thermogravimetry. The rheological properties of SBC additives in paraffin oil were studied and are discussed herein. The tribological properties of SBC were tested in paraffin as the base oil employing a four-ball tester with different experimental conditions (viz. the concentration of the additive, applied load, speed and time duration), following ASTM D4172A standards. The optimum concentration of the additive in the base oil was found to be 150 ppm, exhibiting minimum coefficient of friction, but with higher concentrations of additive in base oils, the coefficient of friction increased. UV-Vis spectroscopy studies were also performed to confirm the formation of SBC and dispersion stability. The determined tribological parameters, such as the coefficient of friction, mean wear scar diameters and mean wear scar volumes, were found to significantly reduce the coefficient of friction of paraffin oil upon the addition of SBC. The state of steel balls upon exposure to various experimental conditions was analyzed and explained based on outcomes from FESEM, EDX, ferrography and AFM spectroscopy. The insights into interactions of the synthesized SBC with the metal surface were explored using ab initio density functional theory, Fukui indices, molecular dynamics simulation and radial distribution function.

Schiff base derivative of chitosan as biolubricant additive explored in paraffin lube oil.

Molecular QTAIM Topology Is Sensitive to Relativistic Corrections

The topology of the molecular electron density of benzene dithiol gold cluster complex Au₄ -S-C₆ H₄ -S'-Au'₄ changed when relativistic corrections were made and the structure was close to a minimum of the Born-Oppenheimer energy surface. Specifically, new bond paths between hydrogen atoms on the benzene ring and gold atoms appeared, indicating that there is a favorable interaction between these atoms at the relativistic level. This is consistent with the observation that gold becomes a better electron acceptor when relativistic corrections are applied. In addition to relativistic effects, here, we establish the sensitivity of molecular topology to basis sets and convergence thresholds for geometry optimization.