Diego Paschoal

The role of the basis set and the level of quantum mechanical theory in the prediction of the structure and reactivity of cisplatin.

In this article, we conducted an extensive ab initio study on the importance of the level of theory and the basis set for theoretical predictions of the structure and reactivity of cisplatin [cis‐diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cDDP)]. Initially, the role of the basis set for the Pt atom was assessed using 24 different basis sets, including three all‐electron basis sets (ABS). In addition, a modified all‐electron double zeta polarized basis set (mDZP) was proposed by adding a set of diffuse d functions onto the existing DZP basis set. The energy barrier and the rate constant for the first chloride/water exchange ligand process, namely, the aquation reaction, were taken as benchmarks for which reliable experimental data are available. At the B3LYP/mDZP/6‐31+G(d) level (the first basis set is for Pt and the last set is for all of the light atoms), the energy barrier was 22.8 kcal mol−1, which is in agreement with the average experimental value, 22.9 ± 0.4 kcal mol−1. For the other accessible ABS (DZP and ADZP), the corresponding values were 15.4 and 24.5 kcal mol−1, respectively. The ADZP and mDZP are notably similar, raising the importance of diffuse d functions for the prediction of the kinetic properties of cDDP. In this article, we also analyze the ligand basis set and the level of theory effects by considering 36 basis sets at distinct levels of theory, namely, Hartree‐Fock, MP2, and several DFT functionals. From a survey of the data, we recommend the mPW1PW91/mDZP/6‐31+G(d) or B3PW91/mDZP/6‐31+G(d) levels to describe the structure and reactivity of cDDP and its small derivatives. Conversely, for large molecules containing a cisplatin motif (for example, the cDDP‐DNA complex), the lower levels B3LYP/LANL2DZ/6‐31+G(d) and B3LYP/SBKJC‐VDZ/6‐31+G(d) are suggested. At these levels of theory, the predicted energy barrier was 26.0 and 25.9 kcal mol−1, respectively, which is only 13% higher than the actual value.

Adsorption study of antibiotics on silver nanoparticle surfaces by surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy

In this work the adsorption of the antibiotics levofloxacin (LV), tetracycline (TC) and benzylpenicillin (BP) on the surface of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) have been investigated through both surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopies. The SERS spectra were obtained using 1064 nm exciting radiation. Theoretical models for the antibiotic molecules were obtained from DFT calculations, and used in the vibrational assignment. The adsorption geometries were proposed based on the changes in the spectral patterns. The LV compound adsorbs through carboxylate group, TC compound interacts with silver atoms through carbonyl from intermediate ring, and BP compound adsorbs by carbonyl moieties from carboxylate and acyclic amide.

Exploring the Potential Energy Surface for the Interaction of Sterically Hindered Trichloro(diethylenetriamine)gold(III) Complexes with Water

The reactivity of gold(III) complexes is analyzed for a series of derivatives of 3-azapentane-1,5-diamine (dien) tridentate ligand that can contain some bulky substituents. Two distinct series of compounds are considered where the dien ligand is either deprotonated (R-dien-H) or protonated (R-dien) at the secondary amine where R = ethyl (Et) or methyl (Me). While the deprotonated species will occur in neutral and basic solutions, the protonated forms are likely to be present in acidic environment. Hydration reaction (water/Cl(-) ligand exchange) of 14 complexes is modeled with quantum chemical calculations. Our calculations predict that the reactivity decreases with the increase in the molecular volume of the substituted dien ligand, and the calculated rate constants are in satisfactory agreement with experimental results. In addition, quantitative structure/reactivity models are proposed where the angle between the entering and leaving groups in the transition state structure (the reactivity angle) is used as a molecular descriptor. These models explain the trend of the relative reactivity of these complexes and can be used to design new ligands for gold(III) complexes aiming to adjust the reactivity of the complex.

Platinum(II) and palladium(II) aryl-thiosemicarbazone complexes: synthesis, characterization, molecular modeling, cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial activity

Platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes [ML2] have been isolated from reaction of K2PtCl4 or K2PdCl4 and ligands (L) derived from thiosemicarbazones. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, Raman, IR, and NMR spectroscopy. In addition, quantum mechanical calculations were used to predict their structures and spectroscopic properties. For the first time, theoretical calculations using 195Pt NMR data were used to support the suggested structures. The results indicate that the thionic sulfur and the azomethine nitrogen are bonded to the metal ion in a trans configuration. Antibacterial activities and cytotoxicities of the complexes to B16-F10 and CT26.WT cell lines were also investigated. Some of the complexes demonstrated superior cytotoxic activity compared to cisplatin. Graphical Abstract

Non-centrosymmetric crystals of new N-benzylideneaniline derivatives as potential materials for non-linear optics.

Three new N-benzylideneaniline derivatives [p-nitrobenzylidene-p-phenylamineaniline (I), 2,4-dinitrobenzylidene-p-phenylamineaniline (II) and p-dinitrobenzylidene-p-diethylamineaniline (III)] containing electron-push-pull groups have been prepared. They present a planar N-benzylideneaniline core and neighbouring functional atoms, which are related through an efficient intramolecular charge transfer (CT). Two of the derivatives crystallize in non-centrosymmetric space groups, a necessary condition for non-linear optical (NLO) responses. The NLO properties were calculated for the molecular conformations determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction as well as for the four molecules packed into each corresponding unit cell, using a quantum-chemical method at the cam-B3LYP/NLO-V level of theory. As expected from antiparallel face-to-face stacking through centrosymmetry, the main NLO descriptors - namely, the first hyperpolarizability (βtot) and its projection on the dipole moment direction (βvec) - are almost zero for the tetramer of derivative III. Interestingly, the calculated first hyperpolarizability decreases in the non-centrosymmetric unit-cell content of derivative II when compared to its single molecule, which may be related to its molecular pillaring, similar to that observed in derivative III. On the other hand, a desirable magnification of the NLO properties was found for packed units of derivative I, which may be a consequence of its parallel face-to-tail stacking with the CT vectors of all molecules pointing in the same direction. Moreover, the CT vector of compound I makes an angle of θ = 33.6° with its crystal polar axis, resulting in a higher-order parameter (cos(3)θ = 0.6) compared with the other derivatives. This is in line with the higher macroscopic second-order NLO response predicted for derivative I, βtot = 120.4 × 10(-30) e.s.u.

Gaussian basis sets for ab initio calculation of NLO properties of polyatomic molecules

In this paper, basis sets for H, C, N and O atoms were adjusted to obtain electric properties of diatomic molecules. The dipole moment, polarizability and first-order hyperpolarizability were calculated for H

Ab initio calculation of electric properties for the BH, CO, CS and N2 molecules

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Assessing the quantum mechanical level of theory for prediction of linear and nonlinear optical properties of push-pull organic molecules

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Exploring the potential energy surface for interaction of a trichloro(diethylenetriamine)gold(III) complex with strong nucleophiles

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NLO-X (X = I–III): New Gaussian basis sets for prediction of linear and nonlinear electric properties

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