Associations of Alkyl Carbonates: Intermolecular C−H···O Interactions

Origin of Li+ Solvation Ability of Electrolyte Solvent: Ring Strain

Developing new organic solvents to support the use of Li metal anodes in secondary batteries is an area of great interest. In particular, research is actively underway to improve battery performance by introducing fluorine to ether solvents, as these are highly compatible with Li metal anodes because fluorine imparts high oxidative stability and relatively low Li-ion solvation ability. However, theoretical analysis of the solvation ability of organic solvents mostly focuses on the electron-withdrawing capability of fluorine. Herein, we analyze the effect of the structural characteristics of solvents on their Li+ ion solvation ability from a computational chemistry perspective. We reveal that the structural constraints imposed on the oxygen binding sites in solvent molecules vary depending on the structural characteristics of the N-membered ring formed by the interaction between the organic solvent and Li+ ions and the internal ring containing the oxygen binding sites. We demonstrate that the structural strain of the organic solvents has a comparable effect on Li+ solvation ability seen for the electrical properties of fluorine elements. This work emphasizes the importance of understanding the structural characteristics and strain when attempting to understand the interactions between solvents and metal cations and effectively control the solvation ability of solvents.

Atomic thermodynamics and microkinetics of the reduction mechanism of electrolyte additives to facilitate the formation of solid electrolyte interphases in lithium-ion batteries

The formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) between the anode surface and the electrolyte of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has been considered to be the most important yet the least understood issue of LIBs. To further our understanding in this regard, the density functional theory (DFT) B3PW91/6-311++G(3df,3pd) together with the implicit solvent model and the transition state theory were used for the first time to comprehensively explore the electroreduction mechanism of a novel additive, 4-chloromethyl-1,3,2-dioxathiolane-2-oxide (CMDO), and a few other solvents and additives, such as ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), and even ethylene sulfite (ES), for comparison. The one-electron reduction potential of Li+-coordinated compounds Li+(X) for forming decomposition precursors [c-Li+(X˙-)] decreases in the following sequence: CMDO (1.9-2.2 V vs. Li+/Li) ∼ ES(1.9 V) > FEC (0.7 V) > EC (0.47 V) > PC (0.45 V) > DMC (0.38 V); this implies that CMDO is reduced prior to other solvents or additives in the mixture. Although the ring opening of [c-Li+(CMDO˙-)] is the least kinetically favorable, as reflected by the highest energy barrier (E a), i.e., CMDO (18.8-22.9 kcal mol-1) ∼ ES (23.4) > FEC (16.2) > PC (12.5) > EC (11.2) > DMC (8.0), CMDO still shows the highest overall reaction rate constant (∼1053 s-1) for forming an open ring radical [o-Li+(CMDO˙)-]. In addition, the termination reaction of [o-Li+(CMDO˙)-] for forming LiCl is thermodynamically more favorable than that of Li2SO3 or organic disulfite (LiSO3)2-R, which supports the experimental observation that the halogen-containing LiF or LiCl additives are predominant over all other halogen-containing species in the SEI layer. Moreover, the hybrid model by including the second solvation shell of Li+ via a supercluster [(CMDO)Li+(PC)2](PC)9 and the implicit solvent model (SMD) can result in a reduction potential (∼1.7 V) that is in excellent agreement with the experimental reduction peak.

Two new bioactive diterpenes identified from Isodon interruptus

In the course of our ongoing studies to discover bioactive chemical constituents from plants in the genus Isodon, two new diterpenes, kunminolide A (1) and rabdokunmin F (2) were isolated from the leaves of the medicinal plant Isodon interruptus. Kunminolide A (1) is a novel abietane-like diterpene with a novel skeleton, herein designated as 9, 10-seco-neoabietane. Rabdokunmin F (2) is an ent-kaurene diterpene with C-18 oxidized to a carboxylic acid group. The structures were determined by spectroscopic means including analysis of 1D- and 2D-NMR spectral data. Crystals of 1 obtained from methanol were suitable for X-ray analysis, which confirmed the chemical structure. Kunminolide A (1) demonstrated chemopreventive potential by inducing QR1 activity with a CD value of 14.3 µM, and rabdokunmin F (2) was found to have cytotoxic activities with IC₅₀ values in the range of 1.1-3.0 µM.

Computer simulation study of the solvation of lithium ions in ternary mixed carbonate electrolytes: free energetics, dynamics, and ion transport

A ternary mixed carbonate electrolyte composed of ethylmethyl carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and Li⁺PF₆⁻ salt.

New insights into the electroreduction of ethylene sulfite as an electrolyte additive for facilitating solid electrolyte interphase formation in lithium ion batteries

To help understand the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation facilitated by electrolyte additives of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) the supermolecular clusters [(ES)Li+(PC)m](PC)n (m = 1-2; n = 0, 6 and 9) were used to investigate the electroreductive decompositions of the electrolyte additive ethylene sulfite (ES) as well as the solvent propylene carbonate (PC) with density functional theory. The results show that ES can be reduced prior to PC, resulting in a reduction precursor that will then undergo a ring opening decomposition to yield a radical anion. A new concerted pathway (path B) was located for the ring opening of the reduced ES, which has a much lower energy barrier than the previously reported stepwise pathway (path A). The transition state for the ring opening of PC induced by the reduced ES (path C, indirect path) is closer to that of path A than path B in energy. The direct ring opening of the reduced PC (path D) has a lower energy barrier than paths A, B and C, yet it is less favorable than the latter paths in terms of thermodynamics (vertical electron affinity or reduction potential and dissociation energy). The overall rate constant including the initial reduction and the subsequent ring opening for path B is the largest among the four paths, followed by paths A > C > D, which further signifies the importance of the concerted new path in facilitating the SEI formation. The hybrid models, the supermolecular clusters augmented by a polarized continuum model, PCM-[(ES)Li+(PC)2](PC)n (n = 0, 6 and 9), were used to further estimate the reduction potential by taking into account both explicit and implicit solvent effects. The second solvation shell of Li+ in [(ES)Li+(PC)2](PC)n (n = 6 and 9) partially compensates the overestimation of solvent effects arising from the PCM for the naked (ES)Li+(PC)2, and the theoretical reduction potential of PCM-[(ES)Li+(PC)2](PC)6 (1.90-1.93 V) agrees very well with the experimental one (1.8-2.0 V).

Intermolecular structure and hydrogen-bonding in liquid 1,2-propylene carbonate and 1,2-glycerol carbonate determined by neutron scattering

Propylene carbonate CO⋯H–C hydrogen-bonding motifs are disrupted in glycerol carbonate by the presence of the hydroxyl group.

Spectroscopic and Theoretical Study of Spin-Dependent Electron Transfer in an Iron(III) Superoxo Complex

It was shown previously (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 10846) that bubbling of O2 into a solution of Fe(II)(BDPP) (H2BDPP = 2,6-bis[[(S)-2-(diphenylhydroxymethyl)-1-pyrrolidinyl]methyl]pyridine) in tetrahydrofuran at -80 °C generates a high-spin (SFe = (5)/2) iron(III) superoxo adduct, 1. Mössbauer studies revealed that 1 is an exchange-coupled system, [Formula: see text], where SR = (1)/2 is the spin of the superoxo radical, of which the spectra were not well enough resolved to determine whether the coupling was ferromagnetic (S = 3 ground state) or antiferromagnetic (S = 2). The glass-forming 2-methyltetrahydrofuran solvent yields highly resolved Mössbauer spectra from which the following data have been extracted: (i) the ground state of 1 has S = 3 (J < 0); (ii) |J| > 15 cm(-1); (iii) the zero-field-splitting parameters are D = -1.1 cm(-1) and E/D = 0.02; (iv) the major component of the electric-field-gradient tensor is tilted ≈7° relative to the easy axis of magnetization determined by the MS = ±3 and ±2 doublets. The excited-state MS = ±2 doublet yields a narrow parallel-mode electron paramagnetic resonance signal at g = 8.03, which was used to probe the magnetic hyperfine splitting of (17)O-enriched O2. A theoretical model that considers spin-dependent electron transfer for the cases where the doubly occupied π* orbital of the superoxo ligand is either "in" or "out" of the plane defined by the bent Fe-OO moiety correctly predicts that 1 has an S = 3 ground state, in contrast to the density functional theory calculations for 1, which give a ground state with both the wrong spin and orbital configuration. This failure has been traced to a basis set superposition error in the interactions between the superoxo moiety and the adjacent five-membered rings of the BDPP ligand and signals a fundamental problem in the quantum chemistry of O2 activation.

FTIR and DFT studies of LiTFSI solvation in 3-methyl-2-oxazolidinone

Combined computational/FTIR spectroscopic analyses of 3-methyl-2-oxazolidinone (NMO) solutions with varying molar ratios of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) are reported. Based on the second derivative spectral profile, overlapping peaks are distinguished as well as assigned to the vibrational modes of implicitly and explicitly interacting NMO molecules. Thereby, the geometry of a monomeric, a dimeric and a simplified solvation structure [Li(NMO)1](+) are optimized with a polarizable continuum model at a B3LYP theoretical level. With increasing contents of LiTFSI, the formation of Li(+) solvation structures is scrutinized by semi-quantitative analysis of deconvoluted integral peak areas for three different ring-related vibrations and C=O-stretch vibration. A discrepancy in the obtained data is observed implying the influence of the TFSI anion the ring-related vibrations are prone to. The solvation number of 4 is determined according to the C=O-signal in diluted solution, which is proven by the computed Gibbs free energy for solvation of [Li(NMO)4](+) in a NMO medium (-41.7 kcal mol(-1)).

Competitive lithium solvation of linear and cyclic carbonates from quantum chemistry

The composition of the lithium cation (Li(+)) solvation shell in mixed linear and cyclic carbonate-based electrolytes has been re-examined using Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) as a function of salt concentration and cluster calculations with ethylene carbonate:dimethyl carbonate (EC:DMC)-LiPF6 as a model system. A coordination preference for EC over DMC to a Li(+) was found at low salt concentrations, while a slightly higher preference for DMC over EC was found at high salt concentrations. Analysis of the relative binding energies of the (EC)n(DMC)m-Li(+) and (EC)n(DMC)m-LiPF6 solvates in the gas-phase and for an implicit solvent (as a function of the solvent dielectric constant) indicated that the DMC-containing Li(+) solvates were stabilized relative to (EC4)-Li(+) and (EC)3-LiPF6 by immersing them in the implicit solvent. Such stabilization was more pronounced in the implicit solvents with a high dielectric constant. Results from previous Raman and IR experiments were reanalyzed and reconciled by correcting them for changes of the Raman activities, IR intensities and band shifts for the solvents which occur upon Li(+) coordination. After these correction factors were applied to the results of BOMD simulations, the composition of the Li(+) solvation shell from the BOMD simulations was found to agree well with the solvation numbers extracted from Raman experiments. Finally, the mechanism of the Li(+) diffusion in the dilute (EC:DMC)LiPF6 mixed solvent electrolyte was studied using the BOMD simulations.

Theoretical insight into the interplay between lithium and halogen–hydride bonds: An ab initio study

Quantum chemical calculations have been performed to analyze the intermolecular interactions in the ternary NCLi ⋯ NCX ⋯ HMgY complexes ( X = F , Cl , Br ; Y = H , F , Cl , Br , Li ). A cooperative effect is observed between the lithium and halogen–hydride bonds in these complexes. The cooperative energy ranges from -1.81 kJ/mol to -5.21 kJ/mol, -3.59 kJ/mol to -9.86 kJ/mol and -4.77 kJ/mol to -14.27 kJ/mol for X = F , Cl and Br , respectively (at MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level). The geometrical and interaction energies analysis reveal that the lithium bond has a greater enhancing effect on the halogen–hydride bond. The results of many-body analysis indicate that two- and three-body interaction energies have a positive contribution to the total interaction energy. The electronic characteristics of the complexes have been analyzed through molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), atoms in molecules (AIM), electron localization function (ELF) and natural bond orbital (NBO) methodologies.

Towards high throughput screening of electrochemical stability of battery electrolytes

High throughput screening of solvents and additives with potential applications in lithium batteries is reported. The initial test set is limited to carbonate and phosphate-based compounds and focused on their electrochemical properties. Solvent stability towards first and second reduction and oxidation is reported from density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed on isolated solvents surrounded by implicit solvent. The reorganization energy is estimated from the difference between vertical and adiabatic redox energies and found to be especially important for the accurate prediction of reduction stability. A majority of tested compounds had the second reduction potential higher than the first reduction potential indicating that the second reduction reaction might play an important role in the passivation layer formation. Similarly, the second oxidation potential was smaller for a significant subset of tested molecules than the first oxidation potential. A number of potential sources of errors introduced during screening of the electrolyte electrochemical properties were examined. The formation of lithium fluoride during reduction of semifluorinated solvents such as fluoroethylene carbonate and the H-transfer during oxidation of solvents were found to shift the electrochemical potential by 1.5-2 V and could shrink the electrochemical stability window by as much as 3.5 V when such reactions are included in the screening procedure. The initial oxidation reaction of ethylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate at the surface of the completely de-lithiated LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 high voltage spinel cathode was examined using DFT. Depending on the molecular orientation at the cathode surface, a carbonate molecule either exhibited deprotonation or was found bound to the transition metal via its carbonyl oxygen.

Density functional theory calculations for the interaction of Li+ cations and PF6– anions with nonaqueous electrolytes

The interaction of lithium (Li+) cation and hexafluorophosphate (PF6–) anion with nonaqueous electrolytes is studied by using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p) level in the gas phase in terms of the coordination of Li+ and PF6– with these solvents. Ethylene carbonate (EC) coordinates with Li+ and PF6– most strongly and reaches the anode and cathode most easily because of its highest dielectric constant among all the solvent molecules, resulting in its preferential reduction on the anode and oxidation on the cathode. For cyclic carbonates EC and propylene carbonate (PC), the structure Li+(S)4 is found to be the most stable. However, for linear carbonates dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), the formation of PF6–(S)n=1–3 is not favorable. Such analysis may be useful in applications for lithium ion batteries.

Theoretical insight into oxidative decomposition of propylene carbonate in the lithium ion battery

The detailed oxidative decomposition mechanism of propylene carbonate (PC) in the lithium ion battery is investigated using density functional theory (DFT) at the level of B3LYP/6-311++G(d), both in the gas phase and in solvent. The calculated results indicate that PC is initially oxidized on the cathode to a radical cation intermediate, PC(*+), and then decomposes through three pathways, generating carbon dioxide CO(2) and radical cations. These radical cations prefer to be reduced on the anode or by gaining one electron from PC, forming propanal, acetone, or relevant radicals. The radicals terminate by forming final products, including trans-2-ethyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxolane, cis-2-ethyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxolane, and 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane. Among all the products, acetone is most easily formed. The calculations in this paper give detailed explanations of the experimental findings that have been reported in the literature and clarify the role of intermediate propylene oxide in PC decomposition. Propylene oxide is one of the important intermediates. As propylene oxide is formed, it isomerizes forming a more stabile product, acetone.

C-H...N and C-H...O intramolecular hydrogen bonding effects in the 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectra of the configurational isomers of 1-vinylpyrrole-2-carbaldehyde oxime substantiated by DFT calculations

According to the (1)H, (13)C and (15)N NMR spectroscopic data and DFT calculations, the E-isomer of 1-vinylpyrrole-2-carbaldehyde adopts preferable conformation with the anti-orientation of the vinyl group relative to the carbaldehyde oxime group and with the syn-arrangement of the carbaldehyde oxime group with reference to the pyrrole ring. This conformation is stabilized by the C-H...N intramolecular hydrogen bond between the alpha-hydrogen of the vinyl group and the oxime group nitrogen, which causes a pronounced high-frequency shift of the alpha-hydrogen signal in (1)H NMR (approximately 0.5 ppm) and an increase in the corresponding one-bond (13)C-(1)H coupling constant (ca 4 Hz). In the Z-isomer, the carbaldehyde oxime group turns to the anti-position with respect to the pyrrole ring. The C-H...O intramolecular hydrogen bond between the H-3 hydrogen of the pyrrole ring and the oxime group oxygen is realized in this case. Due to such hydrogen bonding, the H-3 hydrogen resonance is shifted to a higher frequency by about 1 ppm and the one-bond (13)C-(1)H coupling constant for this proton increases by approximately 5 Hz.

Interaction between glycine/glycine radicals and intrinsic/boron-doped (8,0) single-walled carbon nanotubes: a density functional theory study

The adsorptions of a glycine molecule as well as dehydrogenated radicals on the side walls of both intrinsic and boron-doped (B-doped) single-walled (8,0) carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were investigated by a density functional theory. A glycine molecule tends to physically adsorb on intrinsic SWCNTs yet chemically adsorb on B-doped SWCNTs as a result of a somewhat chemical bond between the electron-rich nitrogen atom of the glycine molecule and the electron-scarce boron atom of the doped SWCNT. Opposite to the previous report (J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 6048-6050), it is found in the present study that both the N-centered and C-centered glycine radicals can form quite stable complexes with intrinsic as well as B-doped (8,0) SWCNTs. When the B-doped SWCNT interacts with glycine radicals, although there is a competition between B and the neighbor C in the nanotube axis direction, glycine radicals preferentially bind to the C site. The encapsulations of a glycine molecule into SWCNTs with various diameters are also discussed. We find that the encapsulation process is endothermic for (8,0) and (9,0) SWCNTs, while it is exothermic for (10,0) SWCNTs, indicating that the critical diameter of the zigzag SWCNT for the encapsulation is 7.83 A, the diameter of (10,0).

Solvent decompositions and physical properties of decomposition compounds in Li-ion battery electrolytes studied by DFT calculations and molecular dynamics simulations

The density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed for the reduction decompositions of solvents widely used in Li-ion secondary battery electrolytes, ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonates (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), and diethyl carbonate (DEC), including a typical electrolyte additive, vinylene carbonate (VC), at the level of B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p), both in the gas phase and solution using the polarizable conductor calculation model. In the gas phase, the first electron reduction for the cyclic carbonates and for the linear carbonates is found to be exothermic and endothermic, respectively, while the second electron reduction is endothermic for all the compounds examined. On the contrary, in solution both first and second electron reductions are exothermic for all the compounds. Among the solvents and the additive examined, the likelihood of undergoing the first electron reduction in solution was found in the order of EC > PC > VC > DMC > EMC > DEC with EC being the most likely reduced. VC, on the other hand, is most likely to undergo the second electron reduction among the compounds, in the order of VC > EC > PC. Based on the results, the experimentally demonstrated effectiveness of VC as an excellent electrolyte additive was discussed. The bulk thermodynamic properties of two dilithium alkylene glycol dicarbonates, dilithium ethylene glycol dicarbonate (Li-EDC) and dilithium 1,2-propylene glycol dicarbonate (Li-PDC), as the major component of solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) films were also examined through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in order to understand the stability of the SEI film. It was found that film produced from a decomposition of EC, modeled by Li-EDC, has a higher density, more cohesive energy, and less solubility to the solvent than the film produced from decomposition of PC, Li-PDC. Further, MD simulations of the interface between the decomposition compound and graphite suggested that Li-EDC has more favorable interactions with the graphite surface than Li-PDC. The difference in the SEI film stability and the behavior of Li-ion battery cycling among the solvents were discussed in terms of the molecular structures.

Infrared (attenuated total reflection) study of propylene carbonate solutions containing lithium and sodium perchlorate

Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy was used to examine the concentration dependent solvation of LiClO4 and NaClO4 electrolytes in propylene carbonate (PC). Factor analysis and curve fitting techniques were performed on the measured spectra and the results compared with ab initio computations to provide evidence for ion-solvent solution geometries. Factor analysis of the measured data allowed the identification of the spectrum of ion-associated PC that is uniquely different from the self-associated PC spectrum. The results indicate Li+ and ClO4- ions are contact ion-paired even at relatively low electrolyte concentrations whereas Na+ and ClO4- ions are not, up to approximately 2 mol dm-3.

Comparison of various types of hydrogen bonds involving aromatic amino acids

Ab initio calculations are used to compare the abilities of the aromatic groups of the Phe, Tyr, Trp, and His amino acids (modeled respectively by benzene, phenol, indole, and imidazole) to form H-bonds of three different types. Strongest of all are the conventional H-bonds (e.g., OH..O and OH..N). His forms the strongest such H-bond, followed by Tyr, and then by Trp. Whereas OH..phi bonds formed by the approach of a proton donor to the pi electron cloud above the aromatic system are somewhat weaker, they nonetheless represent an important class of stabilizing interactions. The strengths of H-bonds in this category follow the trend Trp > His > Tyr approximately Phe. CH.O interactions are weaker still, and only those involving His and Trp are strong enough to make significant contributions to protein structure. A protonated residue such as HisH(+) makes for a very powerful proton donor, such that even its CH..O H-bonds are stronger than the conventional H-bonds formed by neutral groups.