Tuning the Electronic Properties by Width and Length Modifications of Narrow- Diameter Carbon Nanotubes for Nanomedicine

Electrophilicity of Hoveyda-Grubbs Olefin Metathesis Catalysts as the Driving Force that Controls Initiation Rates

The dissociative mechanism of initiation for a series of Hoveyda-Grubbs type metathesis catalysts modified at the para and meta positions in the isopropoxybenzylidene ligand is investigated by means of DFT calculations. The electron donating/withdrawing capacity of the ligand was screened through the incorporation of various substituents such as halogens, nitro, alkoxides, ketones, esters, amines, and amides. Variations in structural parameters, energy barriers for the Ru-O bond dissociation, and Ru-O bond strength were examined as a function of the Hammett constant. It was found that electronic properties of the catalysts such as chemical potential, hardness, and electrophilicity correlate linearly with the dissociative energy barriers. These findings enable a systematic rationalization and prediction of rate of precatalyst initiation through the calculation of only the HOMO-LUMO gap of catalysts, as the faster the initiation, the more electrophilic the catalyst.

Effects of selected functional groups on nanoplastics transport in saturated media under diethylhexyl phthalate co-contamination conditions

The production and degradation of plastic remains can result in nanoplastics (NPs) formation. However, insufficient information regarding the environmental behaviors of NPs impedes comprehensive assessment of their significant threats. In this study, the transport behavior of unmodified NPs (PSNPs), carboxyl-modified NPs (PSNPs-COOH), and amino-modified NPs (PSNPs-NH₂) was investigated using column experiments in the presence and absence of goethite (GT) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). Quantum chemical computation was performed to reveal the transport mechanisms. The results showed that GT decreased the transport of NPs and the presence of DEHP decreased it further. Van der Waals forces and small electrostatic interactions coexisted between the PSNPs and GT and caused deposition. Ligand exchange caused greater deposition of PSNPs-COOH on GT-coated sand than that of PSNPs. Although hydrogen bonding existed between the DEHP and NPs with functional groups, an increase in the positive charge and chemical heterogeneity of the collector was the main reason for DEHP promoting the deposition of NPs. Because of low absolute negative zeta potential values, PSNPs-NH₂ was sensitive to chemical heterogeneity, and thus fully deposited (over 96.9%) in GT and GT-DEHP-coated columns. Generally, the deposition of NPs due to chemical heterogeneity was more significant than that due to the formation of chemical bonds and van der Waals, electrostatic, and hydrogen interactions. Our results highlight that the surface charge and functional groups significantly influence the transport behaviors of NPs and elucidate the fate of NPs in the terrestrial environment.

Ca2+ mediated mechanism of octa-brominated dioxin/furan formation via BDE-209 thermolysis: Introducing the Mayer bond order difference

Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) that form during industrial thermal processes, such as the cement kiln co-processing of BDE-209, are highly toxic contaminants. Nevertheless, the formation mechanisms of octa-brominated dioxins/furans (OBDD/Fs), most PBDD/F congeners, and one precursor of the more toxic lower PBDD/Fs from BDE-209 have received little attention. In cement kiln co-processes, the Ca²⁺-mediated regulation of OBDD/F formation is still debated. In this study, simulation experiments revealed that the average brominating degree of PBDD/Fs was 7.8, indicating that OBDD/Fs are dominant congeners (93.6 % median). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations found a new transition state (TS1) with a lower energy barrier than that found in a previous study. Three major OBDD/F formation reactions suggested that the presence of Ca²⁺ was thermodynamically beneficial to the formation of OBDD/Fs. This promotion effect can be attributed to the transfer of electron density leading to a change in the Mayer bond order (MBO) among elements when Ca²⁺ was bound. Intriguingly, in the transition state structures of the Ca²⁺-bound and Ca²⁺-free systems, the MBO difference among the old and new bonds can reveal the difficulty of Ca²⁺-mediated OBDD/F formation reactions from BDE-209.

Geometry, Energy, and Some Electronic Properties of Carbon Polyprismanes: Ab Initio and Tight-Binding Study

We report geometry, energy, and some electronic properties of [n,4]- and [n,5]prismanes (polyprismanes): a special type of carbon nanotubes constructed from dehydrogenated cycloalkane C4- and C5-rings, respectively. Binding energies, interatomic bonds, and the energy gaps between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) have been calculated using density functional approach and nonorthogonal tight-binding model for the systems up to thirty layers. It is found that polyprismanes become more thermodynamically stable as their effective length increases. Moreover, they may possess semiconducting properties in the bulk limit.

How does the addition of steric hindrance to a typical N-heterocyclic carbene ligand affect catalytic activity in olefin metathesis?

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to predict and rationalize the effect of the modification of the structure of the prototype 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand. The modification consists in the substitution of the methyl groups of ortho isopropyl substituent with phenyl groups, and here we plan to describe how such significant changes affect the metal environment and therefore the related catalytic behaviour. Bearing in mind that there is a significant structural difference between both ligands in different olefin metathesis reactions, here by means of DFT we characterize where the NHC ligand plays a more active role and where it is a simple spectator, or at least its modification does not significantly change its catalytic role/performance.

Complete σ* intramolecular aromatic hydroxylation mechanism through O2 activation by a Schiff base macrocyclic dicopper(I) complex

In this work we analyze the whole molecular mechanism for intramolecular aromatic hydroxylation through O2 activation by a Schiff hexaazamacrocyclic dicopper(I) complex, [Cu(I) 2(bsH2m)](2+). Assisted by DFT calculations, we unravel the reaction pathway for the overall intramolecular aromatic hydroxylation, i.e., from the initial O2 reaction with the dicopper(I) species to first form a Cu(I)Cu(II)-superoxo species, the subsequent reaction with the second Cu(I) center to form a μ-η(2):η(2)-peroxo-Cu(II) 2 intermediate, the concerted peroxide O-O bond cleavage and C-O bond formation, followed finally by a proton transfer to an alpha aromatic carbon that immediately yields the product [Cu(II) 2(bsH2m-O)(μ-OH)](2+).