Extension of Gaussian‐1 (G1) theory to bromine‐containing molecules

A Tale of Two Tails: Rotational Spectroscopy of N-Ethyl Maleimide and N-Ethyl Succinimide

Broadband microwave spectra of N-ethyl maleimide (NEM) and N-ethyl succinimide (NES) have been recorded using chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy in the Ka-band (26.5-40 GHz). The spectra for both molecules were fit to a Watson A-reduced Hamiltonian in the Ir representation to obtain best fit experimental rotational constants (NEM: A0 = 2143.1988(29), B0 = 1868.7333(22), C0 = 1082.98458(36); NES: A0 = 2061.47756(14), B0 = 1791.73517(12), C0 = 1050.31263(11)), centrifugal distortion constants, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants. While the heavy atoms of the five-membered ring of both molecules are planar, the ethyl chain has its terminal methyl group perpendicular to the ring. Along the relaxed potential energy curve for the ethyl dihedral angle (θ1 = C(6)-C(5)-N-C(4)), the ethyl group experiences significant steric strain when it is in the plane of the ring, associated with the interaction of the ethyl group with the two carbonyl oxygens. This leads to calculated barriers of θ1 = 1469 cm-1 and θ1 = 1680 cm-1 in N-ethyl maleimide and N-ethyl succinimide, respectively.

2-Aryl-1-hydroxyimidazoles possessing antiviral activity against a wide range of orthopoxviruses, including the variola virus

Scientific interest in orthopoxvirus infections and search for new highly effective compounds possessing antiviral activity against orthopoxviruses have significantly increased as a result of worldwide mpox outbreak in 2022. The present work deals with the synthesis of new 2-arylimidazoles exhibiting in vitro activity not only against the vaccinia virus, cowpox virus and ectromelia (mousepox) virus but also against the variola virus. Among the imidazole derivatives under consideration (1-hydroxyimidazoles, 1-methoxyimidazoles, 1-benzyloxyimidazoles, and imidazole N-oxides), the most promising antiviral activity is demonstrated by 1-hydroxyimidazoles, which may exist as two prototropic tautomers. Both of these tautomers may be manifested in different crystal structures of these compounds, according to single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, while predominantly one of them (N-hydroxy-tautomeric form) is present in DMSO-d 6 solutions and in the gaseous state, as shown by NMR spectroscopy and quantum-chemical calculations. The leader compound 1-hydroxy-2-(4-nitrophenyl)imidazole 4a demonstrated the highest selectivity indices against the vaccinia virus (SI = 1072) and the variola virus (SI = 373).

Dual Structure of a Vanadyl-Based Molecular Qubit Containing a Bis(β-diketonato) Ligand

We designed [VO(bdhb)] (1') as a new electronic qubit containing an oxovanadium(IV) ion (S = 1/2) embraced by a single bis(β-diketonato) ligand [H2bdhb = 1,3-bis(3,5-dioxo-1-hexyl)benzene]. The synthesis afforded three different crystal phases, all of which unexpectedly contain dimers with formula [(VO)2(bdhb)2] (1). A trigonal form (1h) with a honeycomb structure and 46% of solvent-accessible voids quantitatively transforms over time into a monoclinic solvatomorph 1m and minor amounts of a triclinic solventless phase (1a). In a static magnetic field, 1h and 1m have detectably slow magnetic relaxation at low temperatures through quantum tunneling and Raman mechanisms. Angle-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra on single crystals revealed signatures of low-dimensional magnetic behavior, which is solvatomorph-dependent, being the closest interdimer V···V separations (6.7-7.5 Å) much shorter than intramolecular V···V distances (11.9-12.1 Å). According to 1H diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and EPR experiments, the complex adopts the desired monomeric structure in organic solution and its geometry was inferred from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Spin relaxation measurements in a frozen toluene-d8/CD2Cl2 matrix yielded Tm values reaching 13 μs at 10 K, and coherent spin manipulations were demonstrated by Rabi nutation experiments at 70 K. The neutral quasi-macrocyclic structure, featuring nuclear spin-free donors and additional possibilities for chemical functionalization, makes 1' a new convenient spin-coherent building block in quantum technologies.

Hydrogenation of Terminal Alkenes Catalyzed by Air-Stable Mn(I) Complexes Bearing an N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Based PCP Pincer Ligand

Efficient hydrogenations of terminal alkenes with molecular hydrogen catalyzed by well-defined bench stable Mn(I) complexes containing an N-heterocyclic carbene-based PCP pincer ligand are described. These reactions are environmentally benign and atom economic, implementing an inexpensive, earth abundant non-precious metal catalyst. A range of aromatic and aliphatic alkenes were efficiently converted into alkanes in good to excellent yields. The hydrogenation proceeds at 100 °C with catalyst loadings of 0.25-0.5 mol %, 2.5-5 mol % base (KOt Bu) and a hydrogen pressure of 20 bar. Mechanistic insight into the catalytic reaction is provided by means of DFT calculations.

Toxicity of Three Optical Brighteners: Potential Pharmacological Targets and Effects on Caenorhabditis elegans

Optical brighteners (OBs) have become an integral part of our daily lives and culture, with a growing number of applications in various fields. Most industrially produced OBs are derived from stilbene, which has been found in environmental matrices. The main objectives for this work are as follows: first, to identify protein targets for DAST, FB-28, and FB-71, and second, to assess their effects in some behaviors physiologic of Caenorhabditis elegans. To achieve the first objective, each OB was tested against a total of 844 human proteins through molecular docking using AutoDock Vina, and affinities were employed as the main criteria to identify potential target proteins for the OB. Molecular dynamics simulations took and validated the best 25 docking results from two protein databases. The highest affinity was obtained for the Hsp70-1/DAST, CD40 ligand/FB-71, and CD40 ligand/FB-28 complexes. The possible toxic effects that OBs could cause were evaluated using the nematode C. elegans. The lethality, body length, locomotion, and reproduction were investigated in larval stage L1 or L4 of the wild-type strain N2. In addition, transgenic green fluorescent protein (GFP) strains were employed to estimate changes in relative gene expression. The effects on the inhibition of growth, locomotion, and reproduction of C. elegans nematodes exposed to DAST, FB-71, and FB-28 OBs were more noticeable with respect to lethality. Moreover, an interesting aspect in OB was increased the expression of gpx-4 and sod-4 genes associated with oxidative stress indicating a toxic response related to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In all cases, a clear concentration-response relationship was observed. It is of special attention that the use of OBs is increasing, and their different sources, such as detergents, textiles, plastics, and paper products, must also be investigated to characterize the primary emissions of OBs to the environment and to develop an adequate regulatory framework.

Designing Benzodithiophene-Based Small Molecule Donors for Organic Solar Cells by Regulation of Halogenation Effects

The donors are key components of organic solar cells (OSCs) and play crucial roles in their photovoltaic performance. Herein, we designed two new donors (BTR-γ-Cl and BTR-γ-F) by finely optimizing small molecule donors (BTR-Cl and BTR-F) with a high performance. The optoelectronic properties of the four donors and their interfacial properties with the well-known acceptor Y6 were studied by density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. Our calculations show that the studied four donors have large hole mobility and strong interactions with Y6, where the BTR-γ-Cl/Y6 has the largest binding energy. Importantly, the proportion of charge transfer (CT) states increases at the BTR-γ-Cl/Y6 (50%) and BTR-γ-F/Y6 (45%) interfaces. The newly designed donors are more likely to achieve CT states through intermolecular electric field (IEF) and hot exciton mechanisms than the parent molecules; meanwhile, donors containing Cl atoms are more inclined to produce CT states through the direct excitation mechanism than those containing F atoms. Our results not only provided two promising donors but also shed light on the halogenation effects on donors in OSCs, which might be important to design efficient photovoltaic materials.

Metal-Free Catalytic Hydrogenolysis of Chlorosilanes into Hydrosilanes with "Inverse" Frustrated Lewis Pairs

The challenging metal-free catalytic hydrogenolysis of silyl chlorides to hydrosilanes is unlocked by using an inverse frustrated Lewis pair (FLP), combining a mild Lewis acid (Cy2 BCl) and a strong phosphazene base (BTPP) in mild conditions (10 bar of H2 , r. t.). In the presence of a stoichiometric amount of the base, the hydrosilanes R3 SiH (R=Me, Et, Ph) are generated in moderate to high yields (up to 95 %) from their chlorinated counterparts. A selective formation of the valuable difunctional monohydride Me2 SiHCl is also obtained from Me2 SiCl2 . A mechanism is proposed based on stoichiometric experiments and DFT calculations; it highlights the critical role of borohydride species generated by the heterolytic splitting of H2 .

Synthesis, DFT and molecular docking of novel (Z)-4-bromo-N-(4-butyl-3 (quinolin-3-yl)thiazol-2(3H)-ylidene)benzamide as elastase inhibitor

A new compound, C23H20BrN3OS, containing a quinoline-based iminothiazoline with a thiazoline ring, was synthesized and its crystal and molecular structures were analyzed through single crystal X-ray analysis. The compound belongs to the triclinic system P - 1 space group, with dimensions of a = 9.2304 (6) Å, b = 11.1780 (8) Å, c = 11.3006 (6) Å, α = 107.146 (5)°, β = 93.701 (5)°, γ = 110.435 (6)°, Z = 2 and V = 1025.61 (12) Å3. The crystal structure showed that C-H···N and C-H···O hydrogen bond linkages, forming infinite double chains along the b-axis direction, and enclosing R22(14) and R22(16) ring motifs. The Hirshfeld surface analysis revealed that H…H (44.1%) and H…C/C…H (15.3%) interactions made the most significant contribution. The newly synthesized (Z)-4-bromo-N-(4-butyl-3 (quinolin-3-yl)thiazol-2(3H)-ylidene)benzamide, in comparison to oleanolic acid, exhibited more strong potential against elastase with an inhibition value of 1.21 µM. Additionally, the derivative was evaluated using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies, which showed that the quinoline based iminothiazoline derivative has the potential to be a novel inhibitor of elastase enzyme. Both theoretical and experimental findings suggested that this compound could have a number of biological activities.

Arsenite oxidase in complex with antimonite and arsenite oxyanions: Insights into the catalytic mechanism

Arsenic contamination of groundwater is among one of the biggest health threats affecting millions of people in the world. There is an urgent need for efficient arsenic biosensors where the use of arsenic metabolizing enzymes can be explored. In this work, we have solved four crystal structures of arsenite oxidase (Aio) in complex with arsenic and antimony oxyanions and the structures determined correspond to intermediate states of the enzymatic mechanism. These structural data were complemented with density-functional theory calculations providing a unique view of the molybdenum active site at different time points that, together with mutagenesis data, enabled to clarify the enzymatic mechanism and the molecular determinants for the oxidation of As(III) to the less toxic As(V) species.

Feature Analysis in High-Dimensional Data: Structure-Activity Relationships of Lewis Acid-Transition-Metal Complex-Catalyzed H2 Activation

Lewis acid-transition metal (LA-TM) catalysts have been proven to have an advantage in catalyzing hydrogen activation. Herein, a high-dimensional structure-activity relationship study is performed for LA-TM-catalyzed hydrogen activation by density functional theory calculations. The DPB-Ni complex is taken as the representative catalyst, and the explored Lewis acid sites and transition-metal centers include B, Al, Ga and Ni, Pd, Pt, respectively. Totally, four general hydrogen activation mechanisms are systematically studied among the nine catalytic systems. The Ga-Ni system undergoes the lowest free energy of activation (11.0 kcal/mol), which is considered to be the optimal combination of the Lewis acid site and transition-metal center. Furthermore, more than 100 parameters are used to analyze the structure-activity relationship, including the physical structure, the bond order, the atom charge, and many other properties. Key parameters of important structures are dug out to show a high correlation with the activity of the LA-TM systems, including the M-H₂ distance, the H-H bond length, the second-order perturbation stabilization energy of M-H₂, the bond order of the LA-TM, and so on. The multivariable analysis indicates that the feature related to the basic elemental properties and the global feature codetermine the activity of the catalyst. In the LA-TM system, the combination of Ip_LA/Ip_TM (Ip, the first ionization energy, the feature related to basic elemental properties) and the chemical hardness (the global feature) can better explain the activity of the catalyst. The Ip_LA/Ip_TM reflects the difficulty of breaking the LA-TM bond, affecting the reaction site of activating hydrogen. The hardness reflects the stability and reactivity of LA-TM-RC complexes. The above two features with the addition of the LA-TM bond length (the local feature) can better reflect the activity of the LA-TM system-catalyzed H₂ activation. The feature combinations and the method of multidimensional data analysis should be informative guidance for the rational design of efficient LA-TM catalysts for H₂ activation.

Trapping of Ag+ into a Perfect Six-Coordinated Environment: Structural Analysis, Quantum Chemical Calculations and Electrochemistry

Self-assembly of (Bu4N)4[β-Mo8O26], AgNO3, and 2-bis[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-imino]acenaphthene (dpp-bian) in DMF solution resulted in the (Bu4N)2[β-{Ag(dpp-bian)}2Mo8O26] (1) complex. The complex was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), diffuse reflectance (DR), infrared spectroscopy (IR), and elemental analysis. Comprehensive SCXRD studies of the crystal structure show the presence of Ag+ in an uncommon coordination environment without a clear preference for Ag-N over Ag-O bonding. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to qualify the nature of the Ag-N/Ag-O interactions and to assign the electronic transitions observed in the UV-Vis absorption spectra. The electrochemical behavior of the complex combines POM and redox ligand signatures. Complex 1 demonstrates catalytic activity in the electrochemical reduction of CO2.

Molecular electrostatic potential as a general and versatile indicator for electronic substituent effects: statistical analysis and applications

It is necessary to quantitatively determine substituent effects to accurately elucidate reaction mechanisms in the field of organic chemistry. This paper reports that the molecular electrostatic potential (MESP) can be used as a general and versatile measure for the substituent effects in various chemical reactions by performing extensive density functional theory (DFT) calculations for more than 400 molecules, followed by statistical analyses. We observed a robust and linear correlation between the electrostatic potential and the substituent parameters for various cases of reactive systems, regardless of the DFT functionals, basis sets, and solvation models used. In addition, we statistically analysed the normality of the residuals from the linear regression to demonstrate that strong linear relationships hold universally, which indicates that the electrostatic potential can serve as a physically meaningful quantity for the predictive estimation of substituent effects. In contrast, conventionally used methods based on the charge deviation in the aromatic carbons, as computed using various charge analysis methods, (e.g., Hirshfeld charge analysis) do not demonstrate the statistical normality. Furthermore, we illustrate that MESP can be extensively adopted to strengthen the validity of the linear free energy relationships (LFERs) under various chemical conditions. The results revealed that the MESP shift derived by a functional group on a mono-substituted benzene ring is a strong predictor for the substituent effects on the electronic behaviours in chemical reactions; thus, it can serve as an alternative to other empirical parameters such as the Hammett or Swain-Lupton parameters, or the charge shift.

Niobium and Tantalum Halocyanide Clusters: The Complete Family

Synthetic procedures providing straightforward access to the whole family of Nb and Ta halide clusters with terminal cyanide ligands have been developed. Corresponding [M₆X₁₂(CN)₁₂]^4- (M = Nb, Ta; X = Cl, Br) can be accessed by ligand-exchange procedures from K₄Nb₆X₁₈ (X = Cl, Br) and Bu₄NCN, (Et₄N)₂[Ta₆Cl₁₈] and Bu₄NCN and from [Ta₆Br₁₂(H₂O)₄Br₂]·4H₂O and KCN in moderate to high yields (50-80%). The products were isolated as Bu₄N salts. The compounds were investigated both experimentally and by quantum chemistry, revealing correlations between structural, electrochemical, electrostatic, electronic, and topological features as a function of type of metal, halide, and charge.

Energy- and atom-efficient chemical synthesis with endergonic photocatalysis

Endergonic photocatalysis is the use of light to perform catalytic reactions that are thermodynamically unfavourable. While photocatalysis has become a powerful tool in facilitating chemical transformations, the light-energy efficiency of these processes has not gathered much attention. Exergonic photocatalysis does not take full advantage of the light energy input, producing low-energy products and heat, whereas endergonic photocatalysis incorporates a portion of the photon energy into the reaction, yielding products that are higher in free energy than the reactants. Such processes can enable catalytic, atom-economic syntheses of reactive compounds from bench-stable materials. With respect to environmental friendliness and carbon neutrality, endergonic photocatalysis is also of interest to large-scale industrial manufacturing, where better energy efficiency, less waste and value addition are highly sought. We therefore assess here the thermochemistry of several classes of reported photocatalytic transformations to showcase current advances in endergonic photocatalysis and point to their industrial potential.

Alterations to the broad-spectrum formin inhibitor SMIFH2 modulate potency but not specificity

SMIFH2 is a small molecule inhibitor of the formin family of cytoskeletal regulators that was originally identified in a screen for suppression of actin polymerization induced by the mouse formin Diaphanous 1 (mDia1). Despite widespread use of this compound, it is unknown whether SMIFH2 inhibits all human formins. Additionally, the nature of protein/inhibitor interactions remains elusive. We assayed SMIFH2 against human formins representing six of the seven mammalian classes and found inhibitory activity against all formins tested. We synthesized a panel of SMIFH2 derivatives and found that, while many alterations disrupt SMIFH2 activity, substitution of an electron-donating methoxy group in place of the bromine along with halogenation of the furan ring increases potency by approximately five-fold. Similar to SMIFH2, the active derivatives are also pan-inhibitors for the formins tested. This result suggests that while potency can be improved, the goal of distinguishing between highly conserved FH2 domains may not be achievable using the SMIFH2 scaffold.

Microwave-enhanced synthesis of 26-amino-22-oxocholestanes and their cytotoxic activity

The synthesis of a series of 26-amino-22-oxocholestanes derived from diosgenin was accomplished via the substitution of an iodine atom at C-26 by primary and secondary amines. The reactions were conducted in refluxing acetonitrile and through microwave-assisted heating. The latter shows significant improvements in terms of reaction times going from hours to a few minutes or even seconds for completion. Only one of the selected amines, 4-aminourazole, did not yield the substitution product and the imine formation pathway was investigated instead, achieving the 26-iminourazole-22-oxocholestane. All the final products have been characterized and the cytotoxic activity of three of them has been evaluated in SiHa, MCF-7 and MDA tumor cell lines by the sulforhodamine B assay.

Ab Initio Study of Hydrostable Metal-Organic Frameworks for Postsynthetic Modification and Tuning toward Practical Applications

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a subclass of nanoporous coordination polymers, have emerged as one of the most promising next-generation materials. The postsynthetic modification method, a strategy that provides tunability and control of these materials, plays an important role in enhancing its properties and functionalities. However, knowing adjustments which leads to a desired structure-function a priori remains a challenge. In this comprehensive study, the intermolecular interactions between 21 industrially important gases and a hydrostable STAM-17-OEt MOF were investigated using density functional theory. Substitutions on its 5-ethoxy isophthalate linker included two classes of chemical groups, electron-donating (-NH₂, -OH, and -CH₃) and electron-withdrawing (-CN, -COOH, and -F), as well as the effect of mono-, di-, and tri-substitutions. This resulted in 651 unique MOF-gas complexes. The adsorption energies at the ground state and room temperature, bond lengths, adsorption geometry, natural bond orbital analysis of the electric structure, HOMO-LUMO interactions, and the predicted zwitterionic properties are presented and discussed. This study provides a viable strategy for the functionalization, which leads to the strongest affinity for each gas, an insight into the role of different chemical groups in adsorbing various gas molecules, and identifies synthetic routes for moderating the gas adsorption capacity and reducing water adsorption. Recommendations for various applications are discussed. A custom Python script to assess and visualize the hypothetical separation of two equal gas mixtures of interest is provided. The methodology presented here provides new opportunities to expand the chemical space and physical properties of STAM-17-OEt and advances the development of other hydrostable MOFs.

Updated Calibrated Model for the Prediction of Molecular Frontier Orbital Energies and Its Application to Boron Subphthalocyanines

A diverse range of computational methods have been used to calibrate against available data and to compare against the correlation for the prediction of frontier orbital energies and optical gaps of novel boron subphthalocyanine (BsubPc) derivatives and related compounds. These properties are of fundamental importance to organic electronic material applications and development, making BsubPcs ideal candidates in pursuit of identifying promising materials for targeted applications. This work employs a database of highly accurate experimental data from materials produced and characterized in-house. The models presented herein calibrate these properties with R² values > 0.95. We find that computationally inexpensive semiempirical methods such as PM6 and PM7 outperform most density functional theory methods for calibration. We are excited to share these results with the field as it empowers the community to determine key physical properties of BsubPcs with confidence using free software and a standard laptop prior to the arduous synthesis and purification thereof. This study is a follow up to our previous work calibrating PM3, RM1, and B3LYP-6-31G(d), which used a smaller set of BsubPc derivatives at a past point when less data were available.

Selective Synthesis of Azoloyl NH-1,2,3-Triazoles and Azolyl Diazoketones: Experimental and Computational Insights

Here, we report that the reaction of enaminones, from a class of azole series, with sulfonyl azides leads to a difficult-to-separate mixture of two pairs of compounds: (1) 4-azoloyl-NH-1,2,3-triazoles with sulfonamides and (2) azolyl diazoketones with N-sulfonamidines, as a result of the implementation of two competing reactions. On one hand, the electron-donating methyl or methoxy group in the aryl para-position of arylsulfonyl azides favors the production of NH-1,2,3-triazoles together with sulfonamides. On the other hand, the use of highly electrophilic 4-nitrophenylsulfonyl azide promotes the formation of diazoketones and sulfonamidines. It is shown that the direction of each reaction is not only controlled by the nature of the initial enaminones and sulfonyl azides but also depends on the tested solvent. The problem of removing sulfonamides and amidines from the desired products was solved for the first time using new water-soluble enaminones. Based on the experimental and computational studies, the factors contributing to the selective course of alternative reactions were identified, and methods for the synthesis of azoloyl-NH-1,2,3-triazoles and azolyl diazoketones were developed. Density functional theory (DFT) results have shown that the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition is totally driven toward one single regioisomer with a high asynchronous bond formation, and the introduction of an electron-deficient group in sulfonyl azides induces faster cycloaddition. Additionally, DFT calculations were used to gain further mechanistic insights on the reaction studied here.

An inexpensive density functional theory-based protocol to predict accurate 19 F-NMR chemical shifts

Thanks to its advantages, ¹⁹ F-NMR is an increasingly popular technique for the structural characterization of F-containing molecules, among which polymers, materials, fluorophores, pharmaceuticals, and so forth. However, the computational calculation of the ¹⁹ F-NMR chemical shifts, both for prediction and interpretation of experimental spectra, remains a challenge. In this work a density functional theory (DFT) based protocol for the calculation of the chemical shifts is established within the framework of the gauge-independent atomic orbital method, upon verifying the performance of Hartree-Fock and 60 DFT functionals coupled with seven different basis sets. The benchmark is conducted using two sets of molecules, namely one used for testing methods and another used for probing; the former set consists of 134 molecules, the latter 50, yet both of them with F in different chemical environments. Following Bally-Rablen-Tantillo strategy, the scaling parameters and other statistical quantities were computed for each method upon least squares linear regression between experimental and computed chemical shifts. The designed computational workflow is computationally inexpensive and represents a significant improvement with respect to the current state of the art.

Mechanistic insights into the selectivity of norcarane oxidation by oxoMn(V) porphyrin complexes

OxoMn(V) porphyrin complexes perform competitive hydroxylation, desaturation, and radical rearrangement reactions using diagnostic substrate norcarane. Initial C-H cleavage proceeds through the two hydrogen abstraction steps from the two adjacent carbon on the norcarane, then the selective reaction is performed to generate various products. Using density functional theory calculations, we show that the hydroxylation and desaturation reactions are triggered by a rate-determining H-abstraction step, whereas the rate-determining step for the radical rearrangement is located at the rebound step ( TS2 ). We find that the  endo- 2  reaction is favorable over other reactions, which is consistent with the experimental result. Furthermore, the competitive pathways for norcarane oxidation depend on the non-covalent interaction between norcarane and porphyrin-ring, and orbital energy gaps between donor and acceptor orbitals because of stable or unstable acceptor orbital. The stereo- and regio-selectivities of norcarane oxidation are hardly sensitive to the zero-point energy and thermal free energy corrections.

Studies of a bola-type bis(dithiafulvene) molecular system: synthesis, crystal structure, and electrochemical properties

A bis(dithiafulvene) compound that contains a 1,3-diphenoxypropane central unit was designed and investigated in this work.

Thiolate-assisted copper(i) catalyzed C–S cross coupling of thiols with aryl iodides: scope, kinetics and mechanism

The scope and mechanism of the C–S cross coupling of thiophenols with aryl iodides using a Cu(i) catalyst in a ligand-free environment is disclosed.

Density functional theory simulation of the deoxygenation of lignite model compounds in the aqueous phase under a CO atmosphere catalyzed by OH− ions

The most probable active H species (H−) in the CO–OH− system and the catalytic cycle of OH− in this process were identified.

Binding of Saturated and Unsaturated C6-Hydrocarbons to the Electrophilic Anion [B12Br11]−: A Systematic Mechanistic Study

The highly reactive gaseous ion [B12Br11]– is a metal-free closed-shell anion which spontaneously forms covalent bonds with hydrocarbon molecules, including alkanes. Herein, we systematically investigate the reaction mechanism for binding...

Hydrosilylation of Aldehydes and Ketones Catalyzed by a 2-Iminopyrrolyl Alkyl-Manganese(II) Complex

A well-defined and very active single-component manganese(II) catalyst system for the hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones is presented. First, the reaction of 5-(2,4,6-iPr₃C₆H₂)-2-[N-(2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃)formimino]pyrrolyl potassium (KL) and [MnCl₂(Py)₂] afforded the binuclear 2-iminopyrrolyl manganese(II) pyridine chloride complex [Mn₂{κ²N,N'-5-(2,4,6-iPr₃C₆H₂)-NC₄H₂-2-C(H)═N(2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃)}₂(Py)₂(μ-Cl)₂] 1. Subsequently, the alkylation reaction of complex 1 with LiCH₂SiMe₃ afforded the respective (trimethylsilyl)methyl-Mn(II) complex [Mn{κ²N,N'-5-(2,4,6-iPr₃C₆H₂)-NC₄H₂-2-C(H)═N(2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃)}(Py)CH₂SiMe₃] 2 in a good yield. Complexes 1 and 2 were characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, Evans' method, FTIR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. While the crystal structure of complex 1 has been identified as a binuclear entity, in which the Mn(II) centers present pentacoordinate coordination spheres, that of complex 2 corresponds to a monomer with a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry. Complex 2 proved to be a very active precatalyst for the atom-economic hydrosilylation of several aldehydes and ketones under very mild conditions, with a maximum turnover frequency of 95 min^-1, via a silyl-Mn(II) mechanistic route, as asserted by a combination of experimental and theoretical efforts, the respective silanes were cleanly converted to the respective alcoholic products in high yields.

Synthesis, structure, properties and antimicrobial activity of para trifluoromethyl phenylboronic derivatives

The [2-formyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]boronic acid as well as its benzoxaborole and bis(benzoxaborole) derivatives were obtained and their properties studied. The 2-formyl compound displays an unusual structure in the crystalline state, with a significant twist of the boronic group, whereas in DMSO solution it tautomerizes with formation of a cyclic isomer. All the studied compounds exhibit relatively high acidity as well as a reasonable antimicrobial activity. Docking studies showed interactions of all the investigated compounds with the binding pocket of Candida albicans LeuRS. High activity against Bacillus cereus was determined for the 2-formyl compound as well as for the novel bis(benzoxaborole), whereas the studied benzoxaborole shows high antifungal action with MIC values equal to 7.8and 3.9 μg/mL against C. albicans and A. niger respectively. None of the studied compounds exhibits reasonable activity against E. coli.

DFT Study for Adsorbing of Bromine Monochloride onto BNNT (5,5), BNNT (7,0), BC2NNT (5,5), and BC2NNT (7,0)

The study of intermolecular interactions is of great importance. This study attempted to quantitatively examine the interactions between bromine monochloride (BrCl) with pristine boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) armchair (5,5) and zigzag (7,0) as well as armchair (5,5) BC2NNT and zigzag (7,0) BC2NNT in vacuum. Quantum mechanical studies of such systems are possible in the density functional theory (DFT) framework. For this purpose, various functionals, such as B3LYP-D3, [Formula: see text]B97XD, and M062X, have been used. One of the most suitable basis functionals for the systems studied in this research is 6-311G (d), which has been used in both optimization calculations and calculations related to wave function analyses. The main part of this work is the study of various analyses that reveal the nature of the intermolecular interactions between the two components introduced above. The results of conceptual DFT, natural bond orbital, non-covalent interactions, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) were consistent and in favor of physical adsorption in all systems. Gallium had more adsorption energy than other dopants. The HOMO–LUMO energy gaps were as follows: BNNT (5,5): 10.296, BNNT (7,0): 9.015, BC2NNT (5,5): 7.022, and BC2NNT (7,0): 5.979[Formula: see text]eV at B3LYP-D3/6-311G (d) model chemistry. The strongest interaction is related to the BC2NNT (7,0)/BrCl cluster: [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]eV. The results of QTAIM and NCI analysis identified the intermolecular interactions of the type of strong van der Waals interaction for these nanotubes. The sensitivity of the adsorption increased when a gas molecule interacted with carbon-doped BNNT, and the change in the frontier orbital gap could be used to design nanosensors to detect BrCl gas.

Non-covalent interactions of cysteine onto C60, C59Si, and C59Ge: a DFT study

The study of intermolecular interactions is of great importance. This study attempted to quantitatively examine the interactions between cysteine (C₃H₇NO₂S) and fullerene nanocages, C₆₀, in vacuum. As the frequent introduction of elements as impurities into the structure of nanomaterials can increase the intensity of intermolecular interactions, nanocages doped with silicon and germanium have also been studied as adsorbents, C₅₉Si and C₅₉Ge. Quantum mechanical studies of such systems are possible in the density functional theory (DFT) framework. For this purpose, various functionals, such as B3LYP-D3, ωB97XD, and M062X, have been used. One of the most suitable basis functionals for the systems studied in this research is 6-311G (d), which has been used in both optimization calculations and calculations related to wave function analyses. The main part of this work is the study of various analyses that reveal the nature of the intermolecular interactions between the two components introduced above. The results of conceptual DFT, natural bond orbital, non-covalent interactions, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules were consistent and in favor of physical adsorption in all systems. Germanium had more adsorption energy than other dopants. The HOMO-LUMO energy gaps were as follows: C₆₀: 5.996, C₅₉Si: 5.309, and C59Ge: 5.188 eV at B3LYP-D3/6-311 G (d) model chemistry. The sensitivity of the adsorption increased when an amino acid molecule interacted with doped C₆₀, and this capability could be used to design nanocarrier to carry cysteine amino acid.

2-Nitro- and 4-fluorocinnamaldehyde based receptors as naked-eye chemosensors to potential molecular keypad lock

New-generation chemosensors desire small organic molecules that are easy to synthesise and cost-effective. As a new interdisciplinary area of research, the integration of these chemosensors into keypad locks or other advanced communication protocols is becoming increasingly popular. Our lab has developed new chemosensor probes that contain 2-nitro- (1-3) and 4-fluoro-cinnamaldehyde (4-6) and applied them to the anion recognition and sensing process. Probes 1-6 are colorimetric sensors for naked-eye detection of AcO-/CN-/F-, while probes 4-6 could differentiate between F- and AcO-/CN- anions in acetonitrile. Using the density functional theory (DFT), it was found that probes 1-6 acted as effective chemosensors. By using Probe 5 as a chemosensor, we explored colorimetric recognition of multiple anions in more detail. Probe 5 was tested in combination with a combinatorial approach to demonstrate pattern-generation capability and its ability to distinguish among chemical inputs based on concentration. After pattern discrimination using principal component analysis (PCA), we examined anion selectivity using DFT computation. In our study, probe 5 demonstrates excellent performance as a chemosensor and shows promise as a future molecular-level keypad lock system.

Vibrational Properties of Benzoxaboroles and Their Interactions with Candida albicans’ LeuRS

Benzoxaboroles have emerged over the past decade mainly due to their growing medicinal importance. Regarding the wide application of IR spectroscopy in the pharmaceutical industry, the vibrational properties of over a dozen of benzoxaboroles were described, based on results of DFT calculations as well as IR and Raman spectra measurements. Investigated series of compounds included the currently available antifungal drug (Tavaborole, AN2690) as well as its derivatives. An intense and well-isolated band corresponding to the B-OH group stretching vibrations was present in all experimental IR spectra in the range of 1446–1414 cm−1 and can be considered as characteristic for benzoxaboroles. The vibrational properties of benzoxaboroles are shown to be affected by the formation of intramolecular as well as intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which should also influence the interactions of benzoxaboroles with biomolecules and impact on their biological functions. Docking studies of the benzoxaboroles’ adenosine monophosphate (AMP) spiroboronates into the Candida albicans leucyl-RS synthetase binding pocket showed that the introduction of an amine substituent has a strong influence on their binding. The determined values of inhibition constants manifest high potential of some of the investigated molecules as possible inhibitors of that enzyme.

Impact of fluorination and chlorination on the electronic structure, topology and in-plane ring normal modes of pyridines

Seven partially and fully fluorinated/chlorinated pyridines were investigated by means of FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations, mainly aiming to detect how the nature and position of F and Cl substituents affect the in-plane ring normal modes (RNMs) of pyridines in terms of vibrational wavenumbers, force constants, IR intensities and Raman activities. Taking pyridine as the reference, the RNMs and some derived RNMs through coupling with related C-X (X = F, Cl) stretching vibrations were identified on the basis of their composition in terms of internal coordinates. The impact of fluorination and chlorination on these RNMs was also discussed from the perspective of frontier molecular orbitals (MOs), maps of the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and the molecular topology. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis revealed the consequences of substitutions on the intramolecular charge delocalisation and consequently the ring bond strength. Moreover, the effects of anharmonicity of the potential on vibrational frequencies were presented and discussed.

Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of a mononuclear nonheme copper(II)-iodosylbenzene adduct

Iodosylbenzene (PhIO) and its derivatives have attracted significant attention due to their various applications in organic synthesis and biomimetic studies. For example, PhIO has been extensively used for generating high-valent metal-oxo species that have been regarded as key intermediates in diverse oxidative reactions in biological system. However, recent studies have shown that metal-iodosylbenzene adduct, known as a precursor of metal-oxo species, plays an important role in transition metal-catalyzed oxidation reactions. During last few decades, extensive investigations have been conducted on the synthesis and reactivity studies of metal-iodosylbenzene adducts with early and middle transition metals including manganese, iron, cobalt. Nevertheless, metal-iodosylbenzene adducts with late transition metals such as nickel, copper and zinc, still remains elusive. Herein, we report a novel copper(II)-iodosylbenzene adduct bearing a linear ligand composed of two pyridine rings and an ethoxyethanol side-chain, [Cu(OIPh)(HN₃O₂)]²⁺ (1). The copper(II)-iodosylbenzene adduct was characterized by several spectroscopic methods including UV-vis spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (ESI MS), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) combined with theoretical calculations. Interestingly, 1 can carry out the catalytic sulfoxidation reaction. In sulfoxidation reaction with thioanisole under catalytic reaction condition, not only two-electron but also four-electron oxidized products such sulfoxide and sulfone were yielded, respectively. However, 1 was not an efficient oxidant towards CH bond activation and epoxidation reactions due to the steric hindrance created by the intramolecular H-bonding interaction between HN₃O₂ ligand and iodosylbenzene moiety.

Anions effect construction of 1D naphthalene diimide supramolecular chains by π interactions and fluorescence detect iodide anion

Five diverse 1D supramolecular chains, {[4-pmntd]}_n(1), {H₂[4-pmntd]•2Br^-}_n(2), {H₂[4-pmntd]•2NO₃^-}_n(3), {H₂[4-pmntd]•2ClO₄^-}_n(4), {H₂[4-pmntd]•2BF₄^-}_n(5), (where 4-pmntd was N,N'-bis (4-pyridylmethyl)naphthalene diimide) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray single-crystal structure analysis, IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analyses, fluorescence detection. The anions effect construction of their 1D chain structural diversity through different π interactions. Compound 1 through the adjacent pyridine rings parallel π∙∙∙π interactions formed 1D linear chain structure. Compound 2 through Br^- anion∙∙∙π interactions and halogenbond interactions formed 1D zigzag chain structure. Compound 3 through lone pair∙∙∙π interactions of naphthalene diimide and the adjacent carboxyl group formed 1D stairway chain structure. Compound 4 through ClO₄^- anion∙∙∙π interactions formed 1D ribbon chain structure. Compound 5 through parallel π∙∙∙π interactions of the adjacent naphthalene diimide planes and pyridine rings formed 1D ladder chain structure. The five compounds' fluorescence properties and thermal stabilities were investigated. The compound 2 solution could fluorescence detection for iodide anion via fluorescence quenching.

Intrinsic Dynamic and Static Nature of Halogen Bonding in Neutral Polybromine Clusters, with the Structural Feature Elucidated by QTAIM Dual-Functional Analysis and MO Calculations

The intrinsic dynamic and static nature of noncovalent Br-∗-Br interactions in neutral polybromine clusters is elucidated for Br4-Br12, applying QTAIM dual-functional analysis (QTAIM-DFA). The asterisk (∗) emphasizes the existence of the bond critical point (BCP) on the interaction in question. Data from the fully optimized structures correspond to the static nature of the interactions. The intrinsic dynamic nature originates from those of the perturbed structures generated using the coordinates derived from the compliance constants for the interactions and the fully optimized structures. The noncovalent Br-∗-Br interactions in the L-shaped clusters of the Cs symmetry are predicted to have the typical hydrogen bond nature without covalency, although the first ones in the sequences have the vdW nature. The L-shaped clusters are stabilized by the n(Br)→σ*(Br-Br) interactions. The compliance constants for the corresponding noncovalent interactions are strongly correlated to the E(2) values based on NBO. Indeed, the MO energies seem not to contribute to stabilizing Br4 (C2h) and Br4 (D2d), but the core potentials stabilize them, relative to the case of 2Br2; this is possibly due to the reduced nuclear-electron distances, on average, for the dimers.

Designing Rh(I)-Half-Sandwich Catalysts for Alkyne [2+2+2] Cycloadditions

Metal-mediated [2+2+2] cycloadditions of unsaturated molecules to cyclic and polycyclic organic compounds are a versatile synthetic route affording good yields and selectivity under mild conditions. In the last two decades, in silico investigations have unveiled important details about the mechanism and the energetics of the whole catalytic cycle. Particularly, a number of computational studies address the topic of half-sandwich catalysts which, due to their structural fluxionality, have been widely employed, since the 1980s. In these organometallic species, the metal is coordinated to an aromatic ring, typically the ubiquitous cyclopentadienyl anion, C5H5 –(Cp) or to the Cp moiety of a larger polycyclic aromatic ligand (Cp′). During the catalytic process, the metal continuously ‘slips’ on the ring, changing its hapticity. This phenomenon of metal slippage and its implications for the catalyst’s performance are discussed in this work, referring to the most important computational mechanistic studies reported in literature for Rh(I) half-metallocenes, with the purpose of providing hints for a rational design of this class of compounds.

1 Introduction

2 Mechanism of Metal-Catalyzed Acetylene [2+2+2] Cycloaddition to Benzene and the Problem of the Indenyl Effect

2.1 Acetylene-Acetonitrile [2+2+2] Co-cycloaddition to 2-Methylpyridine: Evidence of the Indenyl Effect

2.2 Heteroaromatic Catalysts and the Evidence of a Reverse Indenyl Effect

2.3 Booth’s Mechanistic Hypothesis and the Evidence of the Indenyl Effect

3 Structure–Reactivity Correlation: The Slippage-Span Model

4 Conclusions and Perspectives

π-Conjugated stannole copolymers synthesised by a tin-selective Stille cross-coupling reaction

The synthesis of four well-defined conjugated polymers TStTT1-4 containing unusual heterocycle units in the main chain, namely stannole units as building blocks, is reported. The stannole-thiophenyl copolymers were generated by tin-selective Stille coupling reactions in nearly quantitative yields of 94% to 98%. NMR data show that the tin atoms in the rings remain unaffected. Weight-average molecular weights (M w) were high (4900-10 900 Da and 9600-21 900 Da); and molecular weight distributions (M w/M n) were between 1.9 and 2.3. The new materials are strongly absorbing and appear blue-black to purple-black. All iodothiophenyl-stannole monomers St1-4 and the resulting bisthiophenyl-stannole copolymers TStTT1-4 were investigated with respect to their optoelectronic properties. The absorption maxima of the polymers are strongly bathochromically shifted compared to their monomers by about 76 nm to 126 nm in chloroform. Density functional theory calculations support our experimental results of the single stannoles St1-4 showing small HOMO-LUMO energy gaps of 3.17-3.24 eV. The optical band gaps of the polymers are much more decreased and were determined to be only 1.61-1.79 eV. Furthermore, both the molecular structures of stannoles St2 and St3 from single crystal X-ray analyses and the results of the geometry optimisation by DFT confirm the high planarity of the molecules backbone leading to efficient conjugation within the molecule.

Quantitative characterisation of the ring normal modes. Pyridine as a study case

In the present work, the vibrational normal modes (NM) of pyridine were revisited. Quantum Chemical calculations were performed to help understand the true nature of some ring related vibrational normal modes (RNM) and how they may be correlated with the electronic structure on the ring. The 27 vibrational normal modes were decomposed into the molecular internal coordinates, and the interest was focused on 7 of them, involving the in-plane ring motion. The electronic structure was analysed through frontier Molecular Orbitals (MO), maps of Molecular Electrostatic Potential surfaces (MEPs) and Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis in a dynamic manner, wherein, each vibration was scanned. The present investigation is aimed to provide the Reader with a quantitative characterisation of the RNMs of pyridine.