Exploring the Potential Energy Surface of Pt6 Sub-Nano Clusters Deposited over Graphene.

Catalytic systems based on sub-nanoclusters deposited over different supports are promising for very relevant chemical transformations such as many electrocatalytic processes as the ORR. These systems have been demonstrated to be very fluxional, as they are able to change shape and interconvert between each other either alone or in the presence of adsorbates. In addition, an accurate representation of their catalytic activity requires the consideration of ensemble effects and not a single structure alone. In this sense, a reliable theoretical methodology should assure an accurate and extensive exploration of the potential energy surface to include all the relevant structures and with correct relative energies. In this context, we applied DFT in conjunction with global optimization techniques to obtain and analyze the characteristics of the many local minima of Pt6 sub-nanoclusters over a carbon-based support (graphene)-a system with electrocatalytic relevance. We also analyzed the magnetism and the charge transfer between the clusters and the support and paid special attention to the dependence of dispersion effects on the ensemble characteristics. We found that the ensembles computed with and without dispersion corrections are qualitatively similar, especially for the lowest-in-energy clusters, which we attribute to a (mainly) covalent binding to the surface. However, there are some significant variations in the relative stability of some clusters, which would significantly affect their population in the ensemble composition.

Mechanism Insights into the Iridium(III)- and B(C6F5)3-Catalyzed Reduction of CO2 to the Formaldehyde Level with Tertiary Silanes.

The catalytic system [Ir(CF3CO2)(κ2-NSiMe)2] [1; NSiMe = (4-methylpyridin-2-yloxy)dimethylsilyl]/B(C6F5)3 promotes the selective reduction of CO2 with tertiary silanes to the corresponding bis(silyl)acetal. Stoichiometric and catalytic studies evidenced that species [Ir(CF3COO-B(C6F5)3)(κ2-NSiMe)2] (3), [Ir(κ2-NSiMe)2][HB(C6F5)3] (4), and [Ir(HCOO-B(C6F5)3)(κ2-NSiMe)2] (5) are intermediates of the catalytic process. The structure of 3 has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. Theoretical calculations show that the rate-limiting step for the 1/B(C6F5)3-catalyzed hydrosilylation of CO2 to bis(silyl)acetal is a boron-promoted Si-H bond cleavage via an iridium silylacetal borane adduct.

Nucleophilic Reactivity at a ═CH Arm of a Lutidine-Based CNC/Rh System: Unusual Alkyne and CO2 Activation.

Reaction of an amido pincer complex [(CNC)*Rh(CO)] (1) (CNC* is the deprotonated form of CNC) with carbon dioxide gave a neutral complex [(CNC-CO2)Mes*Rh(CO)] (2), which is the result of a C-C bond-forming reaction between the deprotonated arm of the CNC* ligand and CO2. The molecular structure of 2 showed a zwitterionic complex, where the CO2 moiety is covalently connected to the former ═CH arm of the CNC* pincer ligand. The unusual structure of 1 allowed us to explore the reactivity of the CO2 moiety with selected primary amines RNH2 (benzylamine and ammonia), which afforded cationic complexes [(CNC)MesRh(CO)][HRNC(O)O] (R = Bz (3), H (4)). Compounds 3 and 4 are the result of a C-N coupling between the incoming amine and the CO2 fragment covalently connected to the pincer ligand in 2, a process that involves protonation of the "CH-CO2" fragment in 2 from the respective amines. Once revealed the nucleophilic character of the ═CH fragment in 1, we explored its reactivity with alkynes, a study that enlightened a novel reactivity trend in alkyne activation. Reaction of 1 with terminal alkynes RC≡CH (R = Ph, 2-py, 4-C6H4-CF3) yielded neutral complexes [(CNC-CH═CHR)Mes*Rh(CO)] (R = Ph (5), 2-py (6), 4-C6H4-CF3 (7)) in good yields. Deuterium labeling experiments with PhC≡CD confirmed that complex 5 is the product of a formal insertion of the alkyne into the C(sp2)-H bond of the deprotonated arm in 1. This structural proposal was further confirmed by the X-ray molecular structure of phenyl complex 5, which showed the alkyne covalently linked to the pincer ligand. Besides, this novel transformation was analyzed by DFT methods and showed a metal-ligand cooperative mechanism, based on the initial electrophilic attack of the alkyne to the ═CH arm of the CNCMes* ligand (making a new C-C bond) followed by the action of a protic base (HN(SiMe3)2), which is able to perform a proton rearrangement that leads to the final product 5.

Rhodium-NHC-Catalyzed gem-Specific O-Selective Hydropyridonation of Terminal Alkynes.

The dinuclear complex [Rh(µ-Cl)(η2 -coe)(IPr)]2 is an efficient catalyst for the O-selective Markovnikov-type addition of 2-pyridones to terminal alkynes. DFT calculations support a hydride-free pathway entailing intramolecular oxidative protonation of a π-alkyne by a κ1 N-hydroxypyridine ligand. Subsequent O-nucleophilic attack on a metallacyclopropene species affords an O-alkenyl-2-oxypyridine chelate rhodium intermediate as the catalyst resting state. The release of the alkenyl ether is calculated as the rate-determining step.

Human riboflavin kinase: Species-specific traits in the biosynthesis of the FMN cofactor.

Human riboflavin kinase (HsRFK) catalyzes vitamin B2 (riboflavin) phosphorylation to flavin mononucleotide (FMN), obligatory step in flavin cofactor synthesis. HsRFK expression is related to protection from oxidative stress, amyloid-ß toxicity, and some malignant cancers progression. Its downregulation alters expression profiles of clock-controlled metabolic-genes and destroys flavins protection on stroke treatments, while its activity reduction links to protein-energy malnutrition and thyroid hormones decrease. We explored specific features of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of HsRFK activity, showing that both reaction products regulate it through competitive inhibition. Fast-kinetic studies show that despite HsRFK binds faster and preferably the reaction substrates, the complex holding both products is kinetically most stable. An intricate ligand binding landscape with all combinations of substrates/products competing with the catalytic complex and exhibiting moderate cooperativity is also presented. These data might contribute to better understanding the molecular bases of pathologies coursing with aberrant HsRFK availability, and envisage that interaction with its client-apoproteins might favor FMN release. Finally, HsRFK parameters differ from those of the so far evaluated bacterial counterparts, reinforcing the idea of species-specific mechanisms in RFK catalysis. These observations support HsRFK as potential therapeutic target because of its key functions, while also envisage bacterial RFK modules as potential antimicrobial targets.

Impact of Green Cosolvents on the Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Formic Acid: The Case of Iridium Catalysts Bearing NHC-phosphane Ligands.

The catalysts [Ir(COD)(κ3-P,C,P'-PCNHCP)]BF4 and [Ir(COD)(κ2-P,C-PCNHCO)]BF4 proved to be active in the solventless dehydrogenation of formic acid. The impact of various cosolvents on the activity was evaluated, showing an outstanding improvement of the catalytic performance of [Ir(COD)(κ2-P,C-PCNHCO)]BF4] in "green" organic carbonates: namely, dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and propylene carbonate (PC). The TOF1h value for [Ir(COD)(κ2-P,C-PCNHCO)]BF4 increases from 61 to 988 h-1 upon changing from solventless conditions to a 1/1 (v/v) DMC/HCOOH mixture. However, in the case of [Ir(COD)(PCNHCP)]BF4, only a marginal improvement from 156 to 172 h-1 was observed under analogous conditions. Stoichiometric experiments allowed the identification of various key reaction intermediates, providing valuable information on their reactivity. Experimental data and DFT calculations point to the formation of dinuclear species as the catalyst deactivation pathway, which is prevented in the presence of DMC and PC.

Tunable from Blue to Red Emissive Composites and Solids of Silver Diphosphane Systems with Higher Quantum Yields than the Diphosphane Ligands.

PMMA composites and solids of complexes of formulas [AgX(P-P)]n [n = 1 and 2; X = Cl, NO3, ClO4, CF3COO, and OTf; P-P = dppb, xantphos, (PR2)2C2B10H10 (R = Ph and iPr)] display the whole palette of colors from blue to red upon selection of the anionic ligand (X) and the diphosphane (P-P). The diphosphane seems to play the most important role in tuning the emission energy and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) behavior. The PMMA composites of the complexes exhibit higher quantum yields than that of the diphosphane ligands and those with dppb are between 28 and 53%. Remarkably, instead of blue-green emissions which dominate the luminescence of silver diphosphane complexes in rigid phases, those with carborane diphosphanes are yellow-orange or orange-red emitters. Theoretical studies have been carried out for complexes with P-P = dppb, X = Cl; P-P = dppic, X = NO3; P-P = dppcc, X = Cl, NO3, and OTf and the mononuclear complexes [AgX(xantphos)] (X = Cl, Br). Optimization of the first excited triplet state was only possible for [AgX(xantphos)] (X = Cl and Br). A mixed MLCT and MC nature could be attributed to the S0 → T1 transition in these three-coordinated complexes.

A Bond Charge Model Ansatz for Intrinsic Bond Energies: Application to C-C Bonds.

A simple bond charge model is proposed to predict intrinsic bond energies. Model parameters can be derived from the topology of the electron localization function and equilibrium geometries through classic considerations. Results for carbon-carbon covalent bonds are shown to be very accurate in different chemical environments. Insight can be extracted from the application of the model due to its elementary construction and simple mathematical formulation. The remarkable robustness of the fitted model highlights how different density functional approximations relate geometries, densities, and energies.

Localizing electron density errors in density functional theory.

The accuracy of different density functional approximations is assessed through the use of quantum chemical topology on molecular electron densities. In particular, three simple yet ever-important systems are studied: N2, CO and ethane. Our results exemplify how real-space descriptors can help understand the sources of errors in density functional theory, avoiding unwanted error compensation present in simplified statistical metrics. Errors in "well-built" functionals are shown to be concentrated in chemically meaningful regions of space, and hence they are predictable. Conversely, strongly parametrized functionals show isotropic errors that cannot be traced back to chemically transferable units. Moreover, we will show that energetic corrections are mapped back into improvements in the density in chemically meaningful regions. These results point at the relevance of real-space perspectives when parametrizing or relating energy and density errors.

On the Role of Ferromagnetic Interactions in Highly Active Mo-Based Catalysts for Ammonia Synthesis.

Reactions involving nitrogen fixation and transfer are of great industrial interest. In this regard, unveiling all the physical principles that determine their activity would be enormously beneficial for the rational design of novel catalysts with improved performance. Within this context, this work explores the activity of bulk molybdenum-based transition metal nitrides in ammonia synthesis. Our results highlight that the most active compositions show increasing ferromagnetism in the metal-nitrogen bonds, which constitute the active sites. We observe that the total spin accumulated in the bonds at the active sites is a physically meaningful descriptor to discriminate optimum catalysts. Higher activities are associated with ferromagnetic phases, and the underlying reason is an enhanced overlapping of the electronic wavefunctions; which also make the reaction steps spin-sensitive. These finding provides strong evidence of the general influence of electrons magnetic moment in catalysis, being part of the specific field of spintro-catalysis.

Proteasome versus Thioredoxin Reductase Competition as Possible Biological Targets in Antitumor Mixed Thiolate-Dithiocarbamate Gold(III) Complexes.

New mixed gold(III) derivatives with dithiocarbamate and thiolate ligands have been synthesized and characterized. They display high anticancer activity against colon cancer cell lines without affecting to differentiated enterocytes, high stability in phosphate-buffered saline solution, and resistance to gold reduction in the presence of reducing agents in the majority of the derivatives. Some of them show interaction with thioredoxin reductase as derived from in vitro analysis and computational studies. However, a competition between this enzyme and proteasome is detected in cells, which is corroborated by the determination of proteasomal chymotrypsin-like activity inhibition. In addition, some of these dithiocarbamate gold(III) derivatives reduce cell viability and proliferation by intrinsic apoptotic pathway, with changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation. Consequently, our results show new complexes with proteasome as possible target in colorectal cancer.

Mechanistic Insights on the Reduction of CO2 to Silylformates Catalyzed by Ir-NSiN Species.

The hydrosilylation of CO2 with different silanes such as HSiEt3 , HSiMe2 Ph, HSiMePh2 , HSiMe(OSiMe3 )2 , and HSi(OSiMe3 )3 in the presence of catalytic ammounts of the iridium(III) complex [Ir(H)(CF3 CO2 )(NSiN*)(coe)] (1; NSiN*=fac-bis-(4-methylpyridine-2-yloxy); coe=cis-cyclooctene) has been comparatively studied. The activity of the hydrosilylation catalytic system based on 1 depends on the nature of the reducing agent, where HSiMe(OSiMe3 )2 has proven to be the most active. The aforementioned reactions were found to be highly selective toward the formation of the corresponding silylformate. It has been found that using 1 as catalyst precursor above 328 K decreases the activity through a thermally competitive mechanistic pathway. Indeed, the reduction of the ancillary trifluoroacetate ligand to give the corresponding silylether CF3 CH2 OSiR3 has been observed. Moreover, mechanistic studies for the 1-catalyzed CO2 -hydrosilylation reaction based on experimental and theoretical studies suggest that 1 prefers an inner-sphere mechanism for the CO2 reduction, whereas the closely related [Ir(H)(CF3 SO3 )(NSiN)(coe)] catalyst, bearing a triflate instead of trifluoroacetate ligand, follows an outer-sphere mechanism.

Chiral supramolecular organization from a sheet-like achiral gel: a study of chiral photoinduction.

Chiral photoinduction in a photoresponsive gel based on an achiral 2D architecture with high geometric anisotropy and low roughness has been investigated. Circularly polarized light (CPL) was used as a chiral source and an azobenzene chromophore was employed as a chiral trigger. The chiral photoinduction was studied by evaluating the preferential excitation of enantiomeric conformers of the azobenzene units. Crystallographic data and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show how chirality is transferred to the achiral azomaterials as a result of the combination of chiral photochemistry and supramolecular interactions. This procedure could be applied to predict and estimate chirality transfer from a chiral physical source to a supramolecular organization using different light-responsive units.

First demonstration and field trial on multi-user UDWDM-PON full duplex PSK-PSK with single monolithic integrated dual-output-DFB-SOA based ONUs.

We demonstrate a monolithically integrated dual-output DFB-SOA, and conduct the field trial on a multi-user bidirectional coherent ultradense wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (UDWDM-PON). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first achievement of simplified single integrated laser-based neighboring coherent optical network units (ONUs) with a 12.5 GHz channel spaced ultra-dense access network, including both downstream and upstream, taking the benefits of low footprint and low-temperature dependence.

Temperature Dual Enantioselective Control in a Rhodium-Catalyzed Michael-Type Friedel-Crafts Reaction: A Mechanistic Explanation.

By changing the temperature from 283 to 233 K, the S (99 % ee) or R (96 % ee) enantiomer of the Friedel-Crafts (FC) adduct of the reaction between N-methyl-2-methylindole and trans-ß-nitrostyrene can be obtained by using (SRh ,RC )-[(η(5) -C5 Me5 )Rh{(R)-Prophos}(H2 O)][SbF6 ]2 as the catalyst precursor. This catalytic system presents two other uncommon features: 1) The ee changes with reaction time showing trends that depend on the reaction temperature and 2) an increase in the catalyst loading results in a decrease in the ee of the S enantiomer. Detection and characterization of the intermediate metal-nitroalkene and metal-aci-nitro complexes, the free aci-nitro compound, and the FC adduct-complex, together with solution NMR measurements, theoretical calculations, and kinetic studies have allowed us to propose two plausible alternative catalytic cycles. On the basis of these cycles, all the above-mentioned observations can be rationalized. In particular, the reversibility of one of the cycles together with the kinetic resolution of the intermediate aci-nitro complexes account for the high ee values achieved in both antipodes. On the other hand, the results of kinetic measurements explain the unusual effect of the increment in catalyst loading.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Silylation of Acetophenone Derivatives: Formation of Silyl Enol Ethers versus Silyl Ethers.

A series of rhodium-NSiN complexes (NSiN=bis (pyridine-2-yloxy)methylsilyl fac-coordinated) is reported, including the solid-state structures of [Rh(H)(Cl)(NSiN)(PCy3 )] (Cy=cyclohexane) and [Rh(H)(CF3 SO3 )(NSiN)(coe)] (coe=cis-cyclooctene). The [Rh(H)(CF3 SO3 )(NSiN)(coe)]-catalyzed reaction of acetophenone with silanes performed in an open system was studied. Interestingly, in most of the cases the formation of the corresponding silyl enol ether as major reaction product was observed. However, when the catalytic reactions were performed in closed systems, formation of the corresponding silyl ether was favored. Moreover, theoretical calculations on the reaction of [Rh(H)(CF3 SO3 )(NSiN)(coe)] with HSiMe3 and acetophenone showed that formation of the silyl enol ether is kinetically favored, while the silyl ether is the thermodynamic product. The dehydrogenative silylation entails heterolytic cleavage of the Si-H bond by a metal-ligand cooperative mechanism as the rate-determining step. Silyl transfer from a coordinated trimethylsilyltriflate molecule to the acetophenone followed by proton transfer from the activated acetophenone to the hydride ligand results in the formation of H2 and the corresponding silyl enol ether.

Molecular Rearrangement of an Aza-Scorpiand Macrocycle Induced by pH: A Computational Study.

Rearrangements and their control are a hot topic in supramolecular chemistry due to the possibilities that these phenomena open in the design of synthetic receptors and molecular machines. Macrocycle aza-scorpiands constitute an interesting system that can reorganize their spatial structure depending on pH variations or the presence of metal cations. In this study, the relative stabilities of these conformations were predicted computationally by semi-empirical and density functional theory approximations, and the reorganization from closed to open conformations was simulated by using the Monte Carlo multiple minimum method.

Efficient Rhodium-Catalyzed Multicomponent Reaction for the Synthesis of Novel Propargylamines.

[{Rh(µ-Cl)(H)2 (IPr)}2 ] (IPr = 1,3-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazole-2-ylidene) was found to be an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of novel propargylamines by a one-pot three-component reaction between primary arylamines, aliphatic aldehydes, and triisopropylsilylacetylene. This methodology offers an efficient synthetic pathway for the preparation of secondary propargylamines derived from aliphatic aldehydes. The reactivity of [{Rh(µ-Cl)(H)2 (IPr)}2 ] with amines and aldehydes was studied, leading to the identification of complexes [RhCl(CO)IPr(MesNH2 )] (MesNH2 = 2,4,6-trimethylaniline) and [RhCl(CO)2 IPr]. The latter shows a very low catalytic activity while the former brought about reaction rates similar to those obtained with [{Rh(µ-Cl)(H)2 (IPr)}2 ]. Besides, complex [RhCl(CO)IPr(MesNH2 )] reacts with an excess of amine and aldehyde to give [RhCl(CO)IPr{MesNCHCH2 CH(CH3 )2 }], which was postulated as the active species. A mechanism that clarifies the scarcely studied catalytic cycle of A3 -coupling reactions is proposed based on reactivity studies and DFT calculations.

Understanding bond formation in polar one-step reactions. Topological analyses of the reaction between nitrones and lithium ynolates.

The mechanism of the reaction between nitrones and lithium ynolates has been studied using DFT methods at the M06-2X/cc-pVTZ/PCM=THF level. After the formation of a starting complex an without energy barrier, in which the lithium atom is coordinated to both nitrone and ynolate, the reaction takes place in one single kinetic step through a single transition structure. However, the formation of C-C and C-O bonds takes place sequentially through a typical two-stage, one-step process. A combined study of noncovalent interactions (NCIs) and electron localization function (ELFs) of selected points along the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) of the reaction confirmed that, in the transition structure, only the C-C bond is being formed to some extent, whereas an electrostatic interaction is present between carbon and oxygen atoms previous to the formation of the C-O bond. Indeed, the formation of the second C-O bond only begins when the first C-C bond is completely formed without formation of any intermediate. Once the C-C bond is formed and before the C-O bond formation starts the RMS gradient norm dips, approaching but not reaching 0, giving rise to a hidden intermediate.

C-NH2 bond formation mediated by iridium complexes.

In the presence of phosphanes (PR3 ), the amido-bridged trinuclear complex [{Ir(µ-NH2 )(tfbb)}3 ] (tfbb=tetrafluorobenzobarrelene) transforms into mononuclear discrete compounds [Ir(1,2-η(2) -4-κ-C12 H8 F4 N)(PR3 )3 ], which are the products of the CN coupling between the amido moiety and a vinylic carbon of the diolefin. An alternative synthetic approach to these species involves the reaction of the 18 e(-) complex [Ir(Cl)(tfbb)(PMePh2 )2 ] with gaseous ammonia and additional phosphane. DFT studies show that both transformations occur through nucleophilic attack. In the first case the amido moiety attacks a diolefin coordinated to a neighboring molecule following a bimolecular mechanism induced by the highly basic NH2 moiety; the second pathway involves a direct nucleophilic attack of ammonia to a coordinated tfbb molecule.