Mama Nsangou

Solvation Energies of the Proton in Methanol

pKas, proton affinities, and proton dissociation free energies characterize numerous properties of drugs and the antioxidant activity of some chemical compounds. Even with a higher computational level of theory, the uncertainty in the proton solvation free energy limits the accuracy of these parameters. We investigated the thermochemistry of the solvation of the proton in methanol within the cluster-continuum model. The scheme used involves up to nine explicit methanol molecules, using the IEF-PCM and the strategy based on thermodynamic cycles. All computations were performed at B3LYP/6-31++G(dp) and M062X/6-31++G(dp) levels of theory. It comes out from our calculations that the functional M062X is better than B3LYP, on the evaluation of gas phase clustering energies of protonated methanol clusters, per methanol stabilization of neutral methanol clusters and solvation energies of the proton in methanol. The solvation free energy and enthalpy of the proton in methanol were obtained after converging the partial solvation free energy of the proton in methanol and the clustering free energy of protonated methanol clusters, as the cluster size increases. Finally, the recommended values for the solvation free energy and enthalpy of the proton in methanol are -257 and -252 kcal/mol, respectively.

DFT study of the effect of solvent on the H-atom transfer involved in the scavenging of the free radicals ●HO2 and ●O2 − by caffeic acid phenethyl ester and some of its derivatives

AbstractH-atom transfer from caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), MBC (3-methyl-2-butenyl caffeate), BC (benzoic caffeate), P3HC (phenethyl-3-hydroxycinnamate), and P4HC (phenethyl-4-hydroxycinnamate) to the selected free radicals ●HO2 and ●O2− was studied. Such a transfer can proceed in three different ways: concerted proton-coupled electron transfer (CPCET), electron transfer followed by proton transfer (ET-PT), and proton transfer followed by electron transfer (PT-ET). The latter pathway is sometimes competitive with SPLET (sequential proton loss electron transfer) in polar media. Analyzing the thermodynamic descriptors of the reactions of CAPE and its derivatives with co-reactive species—in particular, the free energies of reactions, the activation barrier to the CPCET mechanism, and their rate constants—appears to be the most realistic method of investigating the H-atom transfers of interest. These analyses were performed via DFT calculations, which agree well with the data acquired from experimental studies (IC50) and from CBS calculations. The CPCM solvation model was used throughout the work, while the SMD model—employed as a reference—was used only for CAPE. The main conclusion drawn from the analysis was that SPLET is the mechanism that governs the reaction of phenolic acids with ●HO2, while PT-ET governs the reaction of phenols with ●O2−. In kinetic investigations of the CPCET process, the rate constant decreases as the solvent polarity increases, so the reaction velocity slows down. Graphical Abstract3D RPES of the reaction of CAPE with HO_2 radical (left), and free energies of the reaction of CAPE with O_2 radical in various media (right)

Geometrical and vibrational features of phosphate, phosphorothioate and phosphorodithioate linkages interacting with hydrated cations: A DFT study

The effect of hexahydrated monovalent and divalent cations on the geometrical and vibrational features of dimethyl phosphate, dimethyl phosphorothioate and dimethyl phosphorodithioate anions (simple suitable model compounds representing the anionic moieties of natural and some modified nucleic acids) was studied. For this purpose, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out at the B3LYP/6-31++G* level. Our results indicate that only K(+) and Mg(2+) prefer to be located in the bisector plane of the PO(2)(-) angle, whereas Li(+) and Na(+) deviate from this plane. Monovalent and divalent cations are slightly deviated from the OPS(-) bisector plane and are found closer to the free oxygen atom. Moreover, the present calculations have shown that in contrast to the general belief, the g(-)g(-) conformer (with respect to the torsion angles defined around the P-O ester bonds) is not always the energetically most favorable. For instance, the g(-)t conformer presents the lowest energy in the case of dimethyl phosphorothioate. The calculated vibrational wavenumbers obtained for dimethyl phosphate and dimethyl phosphorothioate interacting with hydrated sodium counterion, were compared with those previously recorded by Raman scattering and infrared absorption (IR) in aqueous solutions. It has been evidenced that the use of explicit solvent versus dielectric continuum, considerably improves the agreement between the theoretical and observed characteristic wavenumbers.

Accurate ab initio potential energy curves and spectroscopic properties of the low-lying electronic states of OH− and SH− molecular anions

ABSTRACT Multireference configuration interaction method was used in order to generate accurate potential energy curves of the OH, SH, OH− and SH− electronic states correlating to the three lowest dissociation limits. These curves were used in addition with core–valence correlation and scalar relativistic corrections for the calculations of accurate spectroscopic constants of bound states, which generally are found in excellent agreement with best available experimental and theoretical values in the literature. The spin–orbit interactions between electronic states have been calculated for the cases in which the couplings were assumed to be responsible for perturbations and used to explain the predissociation of A2Σ+ state of OH and SH by dissociative states 14Σ−, 12Σ− and 1 4Π. Dipole moment functions were also computed along internuclear distances and used to explain polarity of these molecules in different calculated electronic states. In addition, stability and metastability of electronic states (X 1Σ+, A1Π and a3Π) of OH− and SH− molecular anions have been studied relatively to curves of neutral parent electronic states. Finally, we have computed adiabatic electron affinity of OH and SH and these values have been found in very good agreement with the best experimental values and resort as among the best achieved values.

Structure, antioxidative potency and potential scavenging of OH and OOH of phenylethyl-3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamate in protic and aprotic media: DFT study

DFT methods including B3LYP, B3PW91 and M05-2x associated to 6-31+G(d,p) were used for the structural and antioxidant potency studies of phenylethyl-3,4-dihydroxy-hydrocinnamate (PDH). Solvents were employed according to their protric and aprotic character. So, calculated structures agree with the experimental data. O4H4 is propitious to scavenge radicals whatever the medium except in water where O3H3 and O4H4 are competitive. The explicit solvents of dichloromethane (DCM) and water present a disparity of OH bond dissociation enthalpy and free energy (BDE and BDFE). These parameters are low in continuum except in water. The ionization potentials (IP) and potential affinities (PA) are low in solvents. BDE, IP and PA are each, approximatively constant in mixed solvent treatment in water using n-H2O (n=3,5,8). Elsewhere, H-atom transfer (HAT) mechanism is favoured in vacuum and DCM, whereas sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) is likely in protic solvents. A discord between HAT and SPLET in benzene is observed. The PDH compound is more antioxidant and resistant to oxidation than caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). The potential of scavenging of OH and OOH whatever the reaction channel shows that they decay rapidly in any media through HAT. PDH is easily deprotonated in the protic solvents and the resulting product is the most antioxidant and the least resistant to oxidation.