Theoretical Study of 13C and 17O NMR Shielding Tensors in Transition Metal Carbonyls Based on Density Functional Theory and Gauge-Including Atomic Orbitals

Unmasking Fluorinated Moieties on the Surface of Hydride-Terminated Silicon Nanoparticles

Despite the widespread use of hydrofluoric acid (HF) in the preparation of silicon surfaces, the true nature of fluorinated surface species remains unclear. Here, we employ an array of characterization techniques led by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to uncover the nature of fluorinated moieties on the surface of hydride-terminated silicon nanoparticles (H-SiNPs). A structural model that explains the observed trends in 19F and 29Si magnetic shielding is proposed and further supported by quantum chemical computations. Fluorine is incorporated into local oxidation domains on the surface and clustered at the interface of the oxide and surrounding hydride-terminated surface. Silicon sites capped by a single fluorine are also identified by their distinct 19F and 29Si chemical shifts, providing insight into how fluorine termination influences the electronic structure. The extent of fluorine passivation and the effects of fluorine on the optical properties of SiNPs are also discussed. Finally, challenges associated with Teflon contamination are highlighted that future explorations of nanomaterials may have to contend with.

Oxygen Reduction Assisted by the Concert of Redox Activity and Proton Relay in a Cu(II) Complex

A copper complex, [Cu(dpaq)](ClO₄) (1), of a monoanionic pentadentate amidate ligand (dpaq) has been isolated and characterized to study its efficacy toward electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen in neutral aqueous medium. The Cu(II) mononuclear complex, poised in a distorted trigonal bipyramidal structure, reduces oxygen at an onset potential of 0.50 V vs RHE. Kinetics study by hydrodynamic voltammetry and chronoamperometry suggests a stepwise mechanism for sequential reduction of O₂ to H₂O₂ to H₂O at a single-site Cu-catalyst. The foot-of-the-wave analysis records a turnover frequency of 5.65 × 10² s^-1. At pH 7.0, complex 1 undergoes a quasi-reversible mixed metal-ligand-based reduction and triggers the reduction of dioxygen to water. Electrochemical studies in tandem with quantum chemical investigation, conducted at different redox states, portray the active participation of ligand in completing the process of proton-coupled electron transfer internally. The protonated carboxamido moiety acts as a proton relay, while the quinoline-based orbital supplies the necessary redox equivalent for the conversion of complex 1 to Cu(II)-hydroperoxo species. Thus, a suitable combination of redox non-innocence and proton shuttling functionality in the ligand makes it an effective electron-proton-transfer mediator and subsequently assists the process of oxygen reduction.

Electronic Structure-Reactivity Relationship on Ruthenium Step-Edge Sites from Carbonyl 13C Chemical Shift Analysis

Ru nanoparticles are highly active catalysts for the Fischer-Tropsch and the Haber-Bosch processes. They show various types of surface sites upon CO adsorption according to NMR spectroscopy. Compared to terminal and bridging η¹ adsorption modes on terraces or edges, little is known about side-on η² CO species coordinated to B₅ or B₆ step-edges, the proposed active sites for CO and N₂ cleavage. By using solid-state NMR and DFT calculations, we analyze ¹³C chemical shift tensors (CSTs) of carbonyl ligands on the molecular cluster model for Ru nanoparticles, Ru₆(η²-μ₄-CO)₂(CO)₁₃(η⁶-C₆Me₆), and show that, contrary to η¹ carbonyls, the CST principal components parallel to the C-O bond are extremely deshielded in the η² species due to the population of the C-O π* antibonding orbital, which weakens the bond prior to dissociation. The carbonyl CST is thus an indicator of the reactivity of both Ru clusters and Ru nanoparticles step-edge sites toward C-O bond cleavage.

NMR chemical shift analysis decodes olefin oligo- and polymerization activity of d0 group 4 metal complexes

d⁰ metal-alkyl complexes (M = Ti, Zr, and Hf) show specific activity and selectivity in olefin polymerization and oligomerization depending on their ligand set and charge. Here, we show by a combined experimental and computational study that the ¹³C NMR chemical shift tensors of the α-carbon of metal alkyls that undergo olefin insertion signal the presence of partial alkylidene character in the metal-carbon bond, which facilitates this reaction. The alkylidene character is traced back to the π-donating interaction of a filled orbital on the alkyl group with an empty low-lying metal d-orbital of appropriate symmetry. This molecular orbital picture establishes a connection between olefin insertion into a metal-alkyl bond and olefin metathesis and a close link between the Cossee-Arlmann and Green-Rooney polymerization mechanisms. The ¹³C NMR chemical shifts, the α-H agostic interaction, and the low activation barrier of ethylene insertion are, therefore, the results of the same orbital interactions, thus establishing chemical shift tensors as a descriptor for olefin insertion.

Metal alkyls programmed to generate metal alkylidenes by α-H abstraction: prognosis from NMR chemical shift

Metal alkylidenes, which are key organometallic intermediates in reactions such as olefination or alkene and alkane metathesis, are typically generated from metal dialkyl compounds [M](CH₂R)₂ that show distinctively deshielded chemical shifts for their α-carbons. Experimental solid-state NMR measurements combined with DFT/ZORA calculations and a chemical shift tensor analysis reveal that this remarkable deshielding originates from an empty metal d-orbital oriented in the M-C_α-C_α' plane, interacting with the C_α p-orbital lying in the same plane. This π-type interaction inscribes some alkylidene character into C_α that favors alkylidene generation via α-H abstraction. The extent of the deshielding and the anisotropy of the alkyl chemical shift tensors distinguishes [M](CH₂R)₂ compounds that form alkylidenes from those that do not, relating the reactivity to molecular orbitals of the respective molecules. The α-carbon chemical shifts and tensor orientations thus predict the reactivity of metal alkyl compounds towards alkylidene generation.

Metathesis Activity Encoded in the Metallacyclobutane Carbon-13 NMR Chemical Shift Tensors

Metallacyclobutanes are an important class of organometallic intermediates, due to their role in olefin metathesis. They can have either planar or puckered rings associated with characteristic chemical and physical properties. Metathesis active metallacyclobutanes have short M-C_α/α' and M···C_β distances, long C_α/α'-C_β bond length, and isotropic ¹³C chemical shifts for both early d⁰ and late d⁴ transition metal compounds for the α- and β-carbons appearing at ca. 100 and 0 ppm, respectively. Metallacyclobutanes that do not show metathesis activity have ¹³C chemical shifts of the α- and β-carbons at typically 40 and 30 ppm, respectively, for d⁰ systems, with upfield shifts to ca. -30 ppm for the α-carbon of metallacycles with higher d ⁿ electron counts (n = 2 and 6). Measurements of the chemical shift tensor by solid-state NMR combined with an orbital (natural chemical shift, NCS) analysis of its principal components (δ₁₁ ≥ δ₂₂ ≥ δ₃₃) with two-component calculations show that the specific chemical shift of metathesis active metallacyclobutanes originates from a low-lying empty orbital lying in the plane of the metallacyclobutane with local π*(M-C_α/α') character. Thus, in the metathesis active metallacyclobutanes, the α-carbons retain some residual alkylidene character, while their β-carbon is shielded, especially in the direction perpendicular to the ring. Overall, the chemical shift tensors directly provide information on the predictive value about the ability of metallacyclobutanes to be olefin metathesis intermediates.

Density Functional Study of Lithium Hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS) Complexes: Effects of Solvation and Aggregation

The title compound, lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS), has been studied using modern quantum-chemical methods in the form of the B3LYP approach. Monomers, dimers, trimers, and tetramers, microsolvated with up to four THF molecules have been considered. The choice of model complex is seen to be important-for instance, the simpler water molecule is shown to be an inappropriate substitute for the THF solvent. Calculated lithium NMR shieldings are reported, but by themselves, they seem to be insufficient for unequivocal assignments of the different species. The energetics of aggregation and solvation have been studied. Temperature effects are seen to be important, and the degrees of solvation and aggregation are higher at 0 K than at 298 K. The highest degree of THF solvation for the monomer and dimer is found to be three (0 K) and two (298 K), respectively. The highest possible degree of aggregation for unsolvated LiHMDS is four. However, in nonpolar solvents, formation of the LiHDMS dimer from the trimer is thermodynamically preferred. The pathway is likely to involve an intermediate tetramer. In THF solution, di-solvated monomers and dimers are the most likely species.

Binuclear Vanadium Carbonyls: The Limits of the 18-Electron Rule

The fact that the stable mononuclear vanadium carbonyl V(CO)6 fails to satisfy the 18-electron rule has led to an investigation of the binuclear vanadium carbonyls V2(CO)n (n = 10-12) using methods from density functional theory. There are several important experimental studies of these homoleptic binuclear vanadium carbonyls. The global minimum for V2(CO)12 is a singlet structure having two V(CO)6 units linked by a long V-V single bond (3.48 A by B3LYP or 3.33 A by BP86) without any bridging CO groups. For V2(CO)11 the global minimum is a singlet structure V2(CO)10(eta2-mu-CO) with a four-electron pi-donor bridging CO group. For V2(CO)10 the global minimum is an unsymmetrical singlet (OC)4VV(CO)6 structure with three semibridging CO groups and a V-V distance of 2.54 A (B3LYP) or 2.51 A (BP86), suggesting a VV triple bond. The theoretical nu(CO) frequencies of this V2(CO)10 isomer agree approximately with those assigned by Ishikawa et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1987, 109, 6644) to a V2(CO)10 isomer produced in the photolysis of gas-phase V(CO)6. In contrast, the laboratory bridging nu(CO) frequency assigned to V2(CO)12 by Ford et al. (Inorg. Chem. 1976, 15, 1666) seems more likely to arise from the lowest-lying triplet isomer of V2(CO)11.

Relevance of the Ligand Exchange Rate and Mechanism of fac-[(CO)3M(H2O)3]+ (M = Mn, Tc, Re) Complexes for New Radiopharmaceuticals

The water exchange process on fac-[(CO)3Mn(H2O)3]+ and fac-[(CO)3Tc(H2O)3]+ was kinetically investigated by 17O NMR as a function of the acidity, temperature, and pressure. Up to pH 6.3 and 4.4, respectively, the exchange rate is not affected by the acidity, thus demonstrating that the contribution of the monohydroxo species fac-[(CO)3M(OH)(H2O)2] is not significant, which correlates well with a higher pKa for these complexes compared to the homologue fac-[(CO)3Re(H2O)3]+ complex. The water exchange rate K298ex/s(-1) (DeltaHex double dagger/kJ mol(-1); DeltaSex double dagger/J mol(-1) K(-1); DeltaV double dagger/cm3 mol-1) decreases down group 7 from Mn to Tc and Re: 23 (72.5; +24.4; +7.1) > 0.49 (78.3; +11.7; +3.8) > 5.4 x 10(-3) (90.3; +14.5; -). For the Mn complex only, an O exchange on the carbonyl ligand could be measured (K338co = 4.3 x 10(-6) s(-1)), which is several orders of magnitude slower than the water exchange. In the case of the Tc complex, the coupling between 17O (I = 5/2) and 99Tc (I = 9/2) nuclear spins has been observed (1J99Tc,17O = 80 +/- 5 Hz). The substitution of water in fac-[(CO)3M(H2O)3]+ by dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is slightly faster than that by CH3CN: 3 times faster for Mn, 1.5 times faster for Tc, and 1.2 times faster for Re. The pressure dependence behavior is different for Mn and Re. For Mn, the change in volume to reach the transition state is always clearly positive (water exchange, CH3CN, DMS), indicating an Id mechanism. In the case of Re, an Id/Ia changeover is assigned on the basis of reaction profiles with a strong volume maximum for pyrazine and a minimum for DMS as the entering ligand.

Computational study of structures and properties of metallaboranes: cobalt bis(dicarbollide)

A density functional study at the BP86/AE1 level is presented for the cobalt bis(dicarbollide) ion [3-Co-(1,2-C2B9H11)2]- (1) and selected isomers and rotamers thereof. Rotation of the two dicarbollide moieties with respect to each other is facile, as judged by the small energetic separation of the three rotamers located (within 11 kJ mol(-1)) and by the low barriers for their interconversion (at most 41 kJ mol(-1)). Among the isomers differing in carbon atom positions that contain two equivalent dicarbollide ligands, the 1,7 ("carbon apart") form [2-Co-(1,7-C2B9H11)2]- is the most stable, 121 kJ mol(-1) below 1. The electronic structure of 1 is characterized in terms of molecular orbitals, population analysis, and excitation energies from time-dependent density functional theory, relevant to UV/Vis spectroscopy. Experimental 11B NMR chemical shifts of 1 are reproduced to better than 5 ppm at the GIAO-B3LYP/II' level, and the computed delta(11B) values are only little affected by rotational averaging or the presence of a polarizable continuum. Larger such effects are found for the as-yet unknown 59Co chemical shift, for which a value in the range between -1800 and -2400 ppm is predicted. Even though the accuracy achieved for the theoretical delta(11B) values is somewhat lower than that for heteroboranes at conventional ab initio levels, the level of density functional employed can afford qualitatively reliable chemical shifts, which can be useful in assignments and structural refinements of heteroboranes containing transition metal.

Influence of N−H···O and C−H···O Hydrogen Bonds on the 17O NMR Tensors in Crystalline Uracil: Computational Study

We report a computational study for the 17O NMR tensors (electric field gradient and chemical shielding tensors) in crystalline uracil. We found that N-H...O and C-H...O hydrogen bonds around the uracil molecule in the crystal lattice have quite different influences on the 17O NMR tensors for the two C=O groups. The computed 17O NMR tensors on O4, which is involved in two strong N-H...O hydrogen bonds, show remarkable sensitivity toward the choice of cluster model, whereas the 17O NMR tensors on O2, which is involved in two weak C-H...O hydrogen bonds, show much smaller improvement when the cluster model includes the C-H...O hydrogen bonds. Our results demonstrate that it is important to have accurate hydrogen atom positions in the molecular models used for 17O NMR tensor calculations. In the absence of low-temperature neutron diffraction data, an effective way to generate reliable hydrogen atom positions in the molecular cluster model is to employ partial geometry optimization for hydrogen atom positions using a cluster model that includes all neighboring hydrogen-bonded molecules. Using an optimized seven-molecule model (a total of 84 atoms), we were able to reproduce the experimental 17O NMR tensors to a reasonably good degree of accuracy. However, we also found that the accuracy for the calculated 17O NMR tensors at O2 is not as good as that found for the corresponding tensors at O4. In particular, at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory, the individual 17O chemical shielding tensor components differ by less than 10 and 30 ppm from the experimental values for O4 and O2, respectively. For the 17O quadrupole coupling constant, the calculated values differ by 0.30 and 0.87 MHz from the experimental values for O4 and O2, respectively.

NMR shielding calculations across the periodic table: diamagnetic uranium compounds. 2. Ligand and metal NMR

In this and a previous article (J. Phys. Chem. A 2000, 104, 8244), the range of application for relativistic density functional theory (DFT) is extended to the calculation of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) shieldings and chemical shifts in diamagnetic actinide compounds. Two relativistic DFT methods are used, ZORA ("zeroth-order regular approximation") and the quasirelativistic (QR) method. In the given second paper, NMR shieldings and chemical shifts are calculated and discussed for a wide range of compounds. The molecules studied comprise uranyl complexes, [UO(2)L(n)](+/-)(q); UF(6); inorganic UF(6) derivatives, UF(6-n)Cl(n), n = 0-6; and organometallic UF(6) derivatives, UF(6-n)(OCH(3))(n), n = 0-5. Uranyl complexes include [UO(2)F(4)](2-), [UO(2)Cl(4)](2-), [UO(2)(OH)(4)](2-), [UO(2)(CO(3))(3)](4-), and [UO(2)(H(2)O)(5)](2+). For the ligand NMR, moderate (e.g., (19)F NMR chemical shifts in UF(6-n)Cl(n)) to excellent agreement [e.g., (19)F chemical shift tensor in UF(6) or (1)H NMR in UF(6-n)(OCH(3))(n)] has been found between theory and experiment. The methods have been used to calculate the experimentally unknown (235)U NMR chemical shifts. A large chemical shift range of at least 21,000 ppm has been predicted for the (235)U nucleus. ZORA spin-orbit appears to be the most accurate method for predicting actinide metal chemical shifts. Trends in the (235)U NMR chemical shifts of UF(6-n)L(n) molecules are analyzed and explained in terms of the calculated electronic structure. It is argued that the energy separation and interaction between occupied and virtual orbitals with f-character are the determining factors.

Phosphorus chemical shift tensors of phosphido ligands in ruthenium carbonyl compounds: (31)P NMR spectroscopy of single-crystal and powder samples and ab initio calculations

The phosphorus chemical shift (CS) tensors of several ruthenium carbonyl compounds containing a phosphido ligand, micro), bridging a Ru [bond] Ru bond were characterized by solid-state (31)P NMR spectroscopy. As well, an analogous osmium compound was examined. The structures of most of the clusters investigated have approximate local C(2v) symmetry about the phosphorus atom. Compared to the "isolated" PH(2)(-) anion, the phosphorus nucleus of a bridging phosphido ligand exhibits considerable deshielding. The phosphorus CS tensors of most of the compounds have spans ranging from 230 to 350 ppm and skews of approximately zero. Single-crystal NMR was used to investigate the orientation of the phosphorus CS tensors for two of the compounds, Ru(2)(CO)(6)(mu(2)-C [triple bond] C [bond] Ph)(mu(2)-PPh(2)) and Ru(3)(CO)(9)(mu(2)-H)(mu(2)-PPh(2)). The intermediate component of the phosphorus CS tensor, delta(22), lies along the local C(2) axis in both compounds. The least shielded component, delta(11), lies perpendicular to the Ru [bond] P [bond] Ru plane while the most shielded component, delta(33), lies perpendicular to the C [bond]P [bond] C plane. The orientation of the phosphorus CS tensor for a third compound, Ru(2)(CO)(6)(mu(2)-PPh(2))(2), was investigated by the dipolar-chemical shift NMR technique and was found to be analogous, suggesting it to be the same in all compounds. Ab initio calculations of phosphorus magnetic shielding tensors have been carried out and reproduce the orientations found experimentally. The orientation of the CS tensor has been rationalized using simple frontier MO theory. Splittings due to (99,101)Ru [bond] (31)P spin-spin coupling have been observed for several of the complexes. A rare example of (189)Os [bond] (31)P spin-spin splittings is observed in the (31)P MAS NMR spectrum of the osmium cluster, where (1)J((189)Os, (31)P) is 367 Hz. For this complex, the (189)Os nuclear quadrupolar coupling constant is on the order of several hundred megahertz.

Mixed uranium chloride fluorides UF6-nCln and methoxyuranium fluorides UF6-n(OCH3)n: a theoretical study of equilibrium geometries, vibrational frequencies, and the role of the f orbitals

The title compounds, the uranium (VI) fluoride chlorides (UF6-nCln, n = 0-6) and methoxyuranium (VI) fluorides [UF6-n(OCH3)n, n = 0-5], have been studied using relativistic density functional theory. Applying the B3LYP hybrid functional and an effective core potential on uranium, equilibrium geometries have been calculated for these molecules. In addition, harmonic vibrational frequencies have been computed for the chloride fluorides. Calculated frequencies have been compared to experiment where possible. All experimentally observed bands have been assigned, based on these calculations. The average deviation between theoretical and experimental frequencies is 15.6 cm-1 for 23 experimental modes. Theory always underestimates the experimental frequencies. This can be explained by the calculated bond lengths that are somewhat too long. The electronic structure of the uranium (VI) chloride fluorides has been investigated using scalar relativistic calculations and the PW91 functional. Periodic trends in the role and bonding contribution of the uranium 5f orbitals are discussed.