Semiexperimental Equilibrium Structures for the Equatorial Conformers of N-Methylpiperidone and Tropinone by the Mixed Estimation Method

The Spectroscopic Characterization of Halogenated Pollutants through the Interplay between Theory and Experiment: Application to R1122

In the last decade, halogenated ethenes have seen an increasing interest for different applications; in particular, in refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pumping. At the same time, their adverse effects as atmospheric pollutants require environmental monitoring, especially by remote sensing spectroscopic techniques. For this purpose, an accurate characterization of the spectroscopic fingerprint—in particular, those of relevance for rotational–vibrational spectroscopy—of the target molecules is strongly needed. This work provides an integrated computational–theoretical investigation on R1122 (2-Chloro-1,1-difluoro-ethylene, ClHC=CF2), a compound widely employed as a key intermediate in different chemical processes. State-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations relying on CCSD(T)-based composite schemes and hybrid CCSD(T)/DFT approaches are used to obtain an accurate prediction of the structural, rotational and vibrational spectroscopic properties. In addition, the equilibrium geometry is obtained by exploiting the semi-experimental method. The theoretical predictions are used to guide the analysis of the experimentally recorded gas-phase infrared spectrum, which is assigned in the 400–6500 cm−1 region. Furthermore, absorption cross sections are accurately determined over the same spectral range. Finally, by using the obtained spectroscopic data, a first estimate of the global warming potential of R1122 vibrational spectra is obtained.

Accurate Biomolecular Structures by the Nano-LEGO Approach: Pick the Bricks and Build Your Geometry

The determination of accurate equilibrium molecular structures plays a fundamental role for understanding many physical–chemical properties of molecules, ranging from the precise evaluation of the electronic structure to the analysis of the role played by dynamical and environmental effects in tuning their overall behavior. For small semi-rigid systems in the gas phase, state-of-the-art quantum chemical computations rival the most sophisticated experimental (from, for example, high-resolution spectroscopy) results. For larger molecules, more effective computational approaches must be devised. To this end, we have further enlarged the compilation of available semi-experimental (SE) equilibrium structures, now covering the most important fragments containing H, B, C, N, O, F, P, S, and Cl atoms collected in the new SE100 database. Next, comparison with geometries optimized by methods rooted in the density functional theory showed that the already remarkable results delivered by PW6B95 and, especially, rev-DSDPBEP86 functionals can be further improved by a linear regression (LR) approach. Use of template fragments (taken from the SE100 library) together with LR estimates for the missing interfragment parameters paves the route toward accurate structures of large molecules, as witnessed by the very small deviations between computed and experimental rotational constants. The whole approach has been implemented in a user-friendly tool, termed nano-LEGO, and applied to a number of demanding case studies.

How flexible is the disulfide linker? A combined rotational–computational investigation of diallyl disulfide

The symmetrically substituted diallyl disulfide adopts an asymmetric conformation in the gas phase, as observed in the rotational spectrum.

N-Methyl Inversion and Accurate Equilibrium Structures in Alkaloids: Pseudopelletierine

A rotational spectroscopy investigation has resolved the conformational equilibrium and structural properties of the alkaloid pseudopelletierine. Two different conformers, which originate from inversion of the N-methyl group from an axial to an equatorial position, have been unambiguously identified in the gas phase, and nine independent isotopologues have been recorded by Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy in a jet expansion. Both conformers share a chair-chair configuration of the two bridged six-membered rings. The conformational equilibrium is displaced towards the axial form, with a relative population in the supersonic jet of N_axial /N_equatorial ≈2/1. An accurate equilibrium structure has been determined by using the semiexperimental mixed-estimation method and alternatively computed by quantum-chemical methods up to the coupled-cluster level of theory. A comparison with the N-methyl inversion equilibria in related tropanes is also presented.

Development and Implementation of Advanced Fitting Methods for the Calculation of Accurate Molecular Structures

The determination of accurate equilibrium molecular structures plays a fundamental role for understanding many physical-chemical properties of molecules, ranging from the precise evaluation of the electronic structure to the analysis of dynamical and environmental effects in tuning their overall behavior. For this purpose the so-called semiexperimental approach, based on a nonlinear least-squares fit of the moments of inertia associated with a set of available isotopologues, allows one to obtain very accurate results, without the unfavorable computational cost characterizing high-level quantum chemical methods. In the present work the MSR (Molecular Structure Refinement) software for the determination of equilibrium structures by means of the semiexperimental approach is presented, and its implementation is discussed in some detail. The software, which is interfaced with a powerful graphical user interface, includes different optimization algorithms, an extended error analysis, and a number of advanced features, the most remarkable ones concerning the choice of internal coordinates and the method of predicate observations. In particular, a new black-box scheme for defining automatically a suitable set of nonredundant internal coordinates of A₁ symmetry in place of the customary Z-matrix has been designed and tested. Finally, the implementation of the method of the predicate observations is discussed and validated for a set of test molecules. As an original application, the method is employed for the determination of the semiexperimental structure for the most stable conformer of glycine.

Fourier Transform Microwave Spectrum of Propene-3-d1 (CH2═CHCH2D), Quadrupole Coupling Constants of Deuterium, and a Semiexperimental Equilibrium Structure of Propene

The ground-state rotational spectrum of propene-3-d₁, CH₂═CHCH₂D, was measured by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Transitions were assigned for the two conformers, one with the D atom in the symmetry plane (S) and the other with the D atom out of the plane (A). The energy difference between the two conformers was calculated to be 6.5 cm^-1, the S conformer having lower energy. The quadrupole hyperfine structure due to deuterium was resolved and analyzed for both conformers. The experimental quadrupole coupling and the centrifugal distortion constants compared favorably to their ab initio counterparts. Ground-state rotational constants for the S conformer are 40582.157(9), 9067.024(1), and 7766.0165(12) MHz. Ground-state rotational constants for the A conformer are 43403.75(3), 8658.961(2), and 7718.247(2) MHz. For the A conformer, a small tunneling splitting (19 MHz) due to internal rotation was observed and analyzed. Using the new rotational constants of this work as well as those previously determined for the ¹³C species and for some deuterium-substituted species from the literature, a new semiexperimental equilibrium structure was determined and its high accuracy was confirmed. The difficulty in obtaining accurate coordinates for the out-of-plane hydrogen atom is discussed.

Axial–equatorial isomerism and semiexperimental equilibrium structures of fluorocyclohexane

Accuracy vs. computational effort: the mixed estimation method provides very accurate semiexperimental equilibrium structures, as illustrated by the subtle differences between axial/equatorial fluorocyclohexane.

The equilibrium molecular structures of 2-deoxyribose and fructose by the semiexperimental mixed estimation method and coupled-cluster computations

The mixed estimation method yields very accurate equilibrium structures, as observed in deoxyribose and fructose.

Accurate molecular structures and infrared spectra of trans-2,3-dideuterooxirane, methyloxirane, and trans-2,3-dimethyloxirane

Oxirane derivatives are the most used benchmarks for chiroptical spectroscopies in view of their small size and relative rigidity. The molecular structure, vibrational harmonic and anharmonic frequencies, and infrared intensities of the ground electronic states are analyzed in this paper. Equilibrium structure and harmonic force fields have been evaluated by means of high-level quantum-chemical calculations at the coupled-cluster level including single and double excitations together with a perturbative treatment of triples (CCSD(T)). Extrapolation to the complete basis-set limit as well as core-correlation effects have also been taken into account. Anharmonic contributions have been computed at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level for trans-2,3-dideuterooxirane. These data can serve as references to evaluate the accuracy of less expensive computational approaches rooted in the density functional theory (DFT). The latter have been used within hybrid CC/DFT approaches, which have been applied to simulate fully anharmonic infrared (IR) spectra. Finally, the best theoretical estimates of the equilibrium structures and vibrational wavenumbers are compared to the most accurate experimental data and show in all cases very good agreement, i.e., within 0.001 Å, 0.1 deg, 10 cm(-1), and 0.5 km mol(-1), for bond lengths, angles, wavenumbers, and IR intensities, respectively.

Microwave spectra of the deuterium isotopologues of cis-hexatriene and a semiexperimental equilibrium structure

Microwave transitions and ground state rotational constants are reported for five newly synthesized deuterium isotopologues of cis-1,3,5-hexatriene (cHTE). These rotational constants along with those of the parent and the three (13)C species are used with vibration-rotation constants calculated from an MP2/cc-pVTZ model to derive an equilibrium structure. That structure is improved by the mixed estimation method. In this method, internal coordinates from good-quality quantum chemical calculations (with appropriate uncertainties) are fit simultaneously with moments of inertia of the full set of isotopologues. The new structure of cHTE is confirmed to be planar and is stabilized by an interaction between the hydrogen atoms H2 and H5, which form a bond and participate in a six-membered ring. cHTE shows larger structural effects of π-electron delocalization than does butadiene with the effects being magnified in the center of the molecule. Thus, strong structural evidence now exists for an increase in π-electron delocalization as the polyene chain lengthens.

Rotational spectroscopy meets theory

Rotational spectroscopy is known to be a technique that is widely used to infer information on molecular structure and dynamics. In the last few decades, its role in the field of atmospheric and astrophysical investigations has rapidly grown. However, several are the challenging aspects in rotational spectroscopy, since the detection and analysis of spectra as well as interpretation of obtained results are not at all straightforward. Quantum chemistry has reached such an accuracy that can be used to disentangle these challenging situations by guiding the experimental investigation, assisting in the determination of the spectroscopic parameters, and extracting information of chemical interest. This perspective provides an overview of the theoretical background and computational requirements needed for the accurate evaluation of the spectroscopic parameters of relevance to rotational spectroscopy. The role of theory in guiding and supporting experiment is detailed through a few examples, and the interplay of experiment and theory is discussed in terms of the information of physical and chemical interest that can be derived.