Solid energy calibration standards for P K-edge XANES: electronic structure analysis of PPh4Br.

P K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy is a powerful method for analyzing the electronic structure of organic and inorganic phosphorus compounds. Like all XANES experiments, P K-edge XANES requires well defined and readily accessible calibration standards for energy referencing so that spectra collected at different beamlines or under different conditions can be compared. This is especially true for ligand K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which has well established energy calibration standards for Cl (Cs2CuCl4) and S (Na2S2O3·5H2O), but not neighboring P. This paper presents a review of common P K-edge XANES energy calibration standards and analysis of PPh4Br as a potential alternative. The P K-edge XANES region of commercially available PPh4Br revealed a single, highly resolved pre-edge feature with a maximum at 2146.96 eV. PPh4Br also showed no evidence of photodecomposition when repeatedly scanned over the course of several days. In contrast, we found that PPh3 rapidly decomposes under identical conditions. Density functional theory calculations performed on PPh3 and PPh4+ revealed large differences in the molecular orbital energies that were ascribed to differences in the phosphorus oxidation state (III versus V) and molecular charge (neutral versus +1). Time-dependent density functional theory calculations corroborated the experimental data and allowed the spectral features to be assigned. The first pre-edge feature in the P K-edge XANES spectrum of PPh4Br was assigned to P 1s → P-C π* transitions, whereas those at higher energy were P 1s → P-C σ*. Overall, the analysis suggests that PPh4Br is an excellent alternative to other solid energy calibration standards commonly used in P K-edge XANES experiments.

Measurement of Diphosphine σ-Donor and π-Acceptor Properties in d0 Titanium Complexes Using Ligand K-Edge XAS and TDDFT.

Diphosphines are highly versatile ancillary ligands in coordination chemistry and catalysis because their structures and donor-acceptor properties can vary widely depending on the substituents attached to phosphorus. Experimental and theoretical methods have been developed to quantify differences in phosphine and diphosphine ligand field strength, but experimentally measuring individual σ-donor and π-acceptor contributions to metal-phosphorus bonding remains a formidable challenge. Here we report P and Cl K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), density functional theory (DFT), and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) studies of a series of [Ph2P(CH2) nPPh2]TiCl4 complexes, where n = 1, 2, or 3. The d0 metal complexes (Ti4+) revealed both P 1s → Ti-P π and P 1s → Ti-P σ* transitions in the P K-edge XAS spectra, which allowed spectral changes associated with Ti-P σ-bonding and π-backbonding to be evaluated as a function of diphosphine alkane length. DFT and TDDFT calculations were used to assign and quantify changes in Ti-P σ-bonding and π-backbonding. The calculated results for [Ph2P(CH2)2PPh2]TiCl4 were subsequently compared to electronic structure calculations and simulated spectra for [R2P(CH2)2PR2]TiCl4, where R = cyclohexyl or CF3, to evaluate spectral changes as a function of diphosphine ligand field strength. Collectively, our results demonstrate how P K-edge XAS can be used to experimentally measure M-P π-backbonding with a d0 metal and corroborate earlier studies showing that relative changes in covalent M-P σ bonding do not depend solely on changes in diphosphine bite angle.

Reduced scaling Hilbert space variational Monte Carlo.

We show that for both single-Slater-Jastrow and Jastrow geminal power wave functions the formal cost scaling of Hilbert space variational Monte Carlo can be reduced from fifth to fourth order in the system size, thus bringing it in line with the long-standing scaling of its real space counterpart. While traditional quantum chemistry methods can reduce costs related to the two-electron integral tensor through various tensor decomposition methods, we show that such approaches are ineffective in the presence of Hilbert space Jastrow factors. Instead, we develop a simple semi-stochastic approach that can take similar advantage of the near-sparsity of this four-index tensor. Through demonstrations on alkanes of increasing length, we show that accuracy and overall statistical uncertainty are not meaningfully affected and that a total cost crossover is reached as early as 50 electrons when using a minimal basis. Further study will be needed to assess where the crossover occurs in more compact molecular geometries and larger basis sets and to explore how in that context the crossover can be accelerated.

Mechanistic examination of aerobic Pt oxidation: insertion of molecular oxygen into Pt-H bonds through a radical chain mechanism.

DFT calculations were performed in an effort to evaluate the mechanism of O2 insertion into the Pt-H bond of Tp(Me2)Pt(IV)Me2H catalyzed by AIBN or light. Results are consistent with a radical chain mechanism involving H˙ loss to form a Pt(III)˙ species followed by addition of O2 to form Pt(III)OO˙. Subsequent radical propagation involving this Pt(III)OO˙ species and an additional equivalent of the Pt(IV) starting material result in the formation of the observed Pt(IV)OOH and regeneration of the Pt(III)˙. In addition examination of the reaction between AIBN and the Pt(IV) hydroperoxo product demonstrates that radical initiation reactions involving the product occur with a lower barrier than with the initial starting material supporting the idea of autoacceleration in this reaction. Other possible mechanisms were examined in an effort to understand the limited reactivity reported in the absence of light or radical initiators. TDDFT calculations were performed in an effort to understand the reported parallel photo-induced reaction. These calculations found the reactant to be transparent in the relevant light range. An experimental UV-Vis spectrum was obtained and is in agreement with the calculations.

Ligand K-edge XAS, DFT, and TDDFT analysis of pincer linker variations in Rh(i) PNP complexes: reactivity insights from electronic structure.

Here we report P K-edge, Cl K-edge, and Rh L3-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data for Rh[C5H3N-2,6-(XP(t)Bu2)2]Cl, where X = O ((tBu)PONOP; ) or CH2 ((tBu)PNP; ). Solid-state XAS data for and were compared to density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations to identify how changing the PNP pincer linker from O to CH2 affected electronic structure and bonding at Rh(i). Pronounced differences in XAS peak intensities and energies were observed. The P K-edge XAS data revealed a large increase in Rh 4dx(2)-y(2) and P 3p orbital-mixing (Rh-P σ*) in compared to , and pronounced transition energy variations reflected marked differences in orbital energies and compositions. By comparison, the Cl K-edge XAS data revealed only subtle differences in Rh-Cl covalency, although larger splitting between the Rh-Cl π* and σ* transitions was observed in . Analysis of the occupied MOs from DFT (HOMO, HOMO-1, HOMO-2, and HOMO-3) and comparison to the unoccupied MOs involved in XAS revealed a relatively uniform energy increase (ca. 0.3-0.5 eV) for all five 4d-derived molecular orbitals in Rh((tBu)PNP)Cl () compared to Rh((tBu)PONOP)Cl (). The energy shift was relatively invariant with respect to differences in orbital symmetry, bonding type (σ or π), and orbital mixing, which suggested that the increase could be attributed to electrostatic effects. The change in d-orbital energies are consistent with known reactivity differences of Rh((tBu)PONOP)(+) and Rh((tBu)PNP)(+) towards CO, H2, and CH2Cl2, and are explained here by considering how d-orbital energies affect covalent L → M σ bonding and M → L π backbonding.

Correction: Ligand K-edge XAS, DFT, and TDDFT analysis of pincer linker variations in Rh(i) PNP complexes: reactivity insights from electronic structure.

Correction for 'Ligand K-edge XAS, DFT, and TDDFT analysis of pincer linker variations in Rh(i) PNP complexes: reactivity insights from electronic structure' by Jason M. Keith, Scott R. Daly, et al., Dalton Trans., 2016, 45, 9774-9785.