Search

A consensus has progressively developed that the path towards complex organic molecules could be favoured by the icy mantles of interstellar dust particles. However, the question of whether activation energy is required to promote those reactions is open. This work deals with the simplest process thought to increase complexity i.e. successive additions of a single atom (H). Two situations can be considered, the direct additions of H in the gas phase and the atomic hydrogenation processes on water ice surfaces available in the interstellar medium (ISM). The synthesis of methanol, largely discussed in the literature is revisited as a case study. Computational investigations of the reactions leading from CO to CH3OH show that, with [H...(H2O)n] complexes as hydrogenation vectors, all steps of the process are barrier-less, contrary to the gas phase process and this, whatever the level of theory considered. The key parameter is the position of the CO + [H...(H2O)n] initial system on the global energy scale. At the present level of theory, when H is pre-adsorbed on the ice, the system happens to be high enough above the reaction path, namely, above any intermediates and possible transition states. This is true whatever the dimension of the ice support, even for the simplest model of one H2O molecule. Application of such a simplified synthetic approach, here validated for the synthesis of methanol, could be generalized, providing a simple way to get a fair insight into the important class of atomic hydrogenations on ices in the ISM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, we study several monocarbonyl-metal complexes in order to unravel the contribution of relativistic effects to the metal-ligand bond length and complexation energy. Using scalar density functional theory (DFT) constrained space orbital variation (CSOV) energy decomposition analysis supplemented by all-electron four-component DFT computations, we describe the dependency of relativistic effects on the orbitals involved in the complexation for the Au+ isoelectronic series, namely, the fully occupied 5d orbitals and the empty 6s orbitals. We retrieve the well-known sensitivity of gold toward relativity. For platinum and gold, the four-component results illustrate the simultaneous relativistic expansion of the 5d orbitals and the contraction of the 6s orbitals. The consequences of such modifications are evidenced by CSOV computations, which show the importance of both donation and backdonation within such complexes. This peculiar synergy fades away with mercury and thallium for which coordination becomes driven by the accepting 6s orbitals only, which makes the corresponding complexes less sensitive toward the relativistic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, we study several monocarbonyl-metal complexes in order to unravel the contribution of relativistic effects to the metal-ligand bond length and complexation energy. Using scalar density functional theory (DFT) constrained space orbital variation (CSOV) energy decomposition analysis supplemented by all-electron four-component DFT computations, we describe the dependency of relativistic effects on the orbitals involved in the complexation for the Au+ isoelectronic series, namely, the fully occupied 5d orbitals and the empty 6s orbitals. We retrieve the well-known sensitivity of gold toward relativity. For platinum and gold, the four-component results illustrate the simultaneous relativistic expansion of the 5d orbitals and the contraction of the 6s orbitals. The consequences of such modifications are evidenced by CSOV computations, which show the importance of both donation and backdonation within such complexes. This peculiar synergy fades away with mercury and thallium for which coordination becomes driven by the accepting 6s orbitals only, which makes the corresponding complexes less sensitive toward the relativistic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of the gas-phase laser spectroscopy and quantum chemistry approaches is employed to explain the properties of a two-residue model peptide. The application of the technique in explaining the different dispersive interactions is also explained.

The recent detection of SiN in the outer envelope of the IRC+10216 carbon star has renewed the interest for the gas phase interstellar silicon chemistry. In this contribution, we present a theoretical study of the H2SiN+ molecular ion, the silicon hydrogenated counterpart of the previously studied SiNH+2. On many points, the differences relative to the SiNH+2 isomer have been found to be dramatic. As an example, the dipole moment is computed to be 3.8 D while being only 0.5 D in SiNH+2. The radio, infrared and electronic signatures have been evaluated at a quantitative level. The rotational constants and vibrational frequencies have been determined using Möller–Plesset MPn (n=2,3,4), coupled cluster (CCSDT) and complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) methods for H2SiN+ and some of its isotopomers. These quantities have been corrected using a scaling procedure derived from previous studies on the HNSi, HSiN, HSiNH2, H2SiNH, and SiNH+2 species in order to provide quantitative results. The failure of single-reference perturbation theories to predict a relevant infrared spectrum is discussed. Intense bands around 550, 950, and 2300 cm-1 are predicted. The electronic spectrum has been obtained using a coupled multiconfiguration SCF–perturbation treatment (MC/P): It is characterized by a large number of excited states, none of them having a strong transition moment. The lowest excited state is predicted to lie 0.54 eV above the ground state, but the first allowed transition having a nonnegligible oscillator strength has to be searched at 6.44 eV. © 1996 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present contribution reports investigations on the metal-ligand bond lengths and interaction energies in selected carbon monoxide complexes of metal cations sharing the ns2 np0 valence configuration. 1- and 4-component DFT geometry optimizations have been performed for cations ranging from Ge2+ to Uuq2+, the dication of element 114 (Ununquadium). The nature of the bonding has been studied by means of energy decomposition analysis. The magnitude of the relativistic effects is shown to evolve slowly and to become predominant for Uuq for the molecular properties investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The competitive complexation of Ca2+, Fe2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Pb2+ toward ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA), dimercaprol and D-penicillamine, three liganding agents commonly used in chelation therapy against heavy metal, especially lead, poisonings is examined by means of B3LYP calculations, natural population analyses, and the topological analysis of the electron localization function. It is shown that Pb2+ can displace any of Ca2+, Fe2+, Cu2+, or Zn2+ chelated by any of dimercaprol or D-penicillamine, but can only displace Ca2+ if EDTA is concerned. The first two chelators thus appear as better entities than EDTA to be used in chelation therapy, where in vivo selective complexation is essential. Moreover, the comparison of the bonding characteristics of Pb2+ with those of the other cations allows deriving three features to be taken into account in designing new chelators expecting to have an increased selectivity toward this cation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Quantum Chemistry is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We here report the investigations on the role of the charge transfer (CT) from copper toward dioxygen on the activation barrier of the C&bond;H bond breaking in a model [Cu(trenCH3)(O2)]+ adduct. By playing on the donating capability of the trenCH3 ligand, by means of a supplementary pseudopotential applied on the apical nitrogen atom, the existence of an optimum CT to achieve the rupture of the C&bond;H bond is revealed. When considering the dioxygen/superoxide/peroxide range in its whole, it appears that both dioxygen- and peroxide-type complexes are poor oxidant toward the C&bond;H bond. At variance, superoxide dominant complexes are confirmed to be better suited for a reactive purpose. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topological analysis of the electron localization function (ELF) provides a convenient mathematical framework enabling an unambiguous characterization of bonds and more particularly in terms of bond types. In this contribution, we present an overview of the applications of this approach to biological and biomimetic systems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, we propose a deeper understanding of the electronic effects affecting the nucleation of water around the Au + and Hg 2+ metal cations using quantum chemistry. To do so, and in order to go beyond usual energetical studies, we make extensive use of state of the art quantum interpretative techniques combining ELF/NCI/QTAIM/EDA computations to capture all ranges of interactions stabilizing the well characterized microhydrated structures. The Electron Localization Function (ELF) topological analysis reveals the peculiar role of the Au+ outer-shell core electrons (subvalence) that appear already spatially preorganized once the addition of the first water molecule occurs. Thus, despite the addition of other water molecules, the electronic structure of Au(H 2 O) + appears frozen due to relativistic effects leading to a maximal acceptation of only two waters in gold's first hydration shell. As the values of the QTAIM (Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules) cations's charge is discussed, the Non Covalent Interactions (NCI) analysis showed that Au + appears still able to interact through longer range van der Waals interaction with the third or fourth hydration shell water molecules. As these types of interaction are not characteristic of either a hard or soft metal cation, we introduced the concept of a "pseudo-soft" cation to define Au + behavior. Then, extending the study, we performed the same computations replacing Au + with Hg 2+ , an isoelectronic cation. If Hg 2+ behaves like Au + for small water clusters, a topological, geometrical, and energetical transition appears when the number of water molecules increases. Regarding the HSAB theory, this transition is characteristic of a shift of Hg 2+ from a pseudosoft form to a soft ion and appears to be due to a competition between the relativistic and correlation effects. Indeed, if relativistic effects are predominant, then mercury will behave like gold and have a similar subvalence/geometry; otherwise when correlation effects are predominant, Hg 2+ behaves like a soft cation.

In Nature, the family of copper monooxygenases comprised of peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM), dopamine β-monooxygenase (DβM), and tyramine β-monooxygenase (TβM) is known to perform dioxygen-dependent hydroxylation of aliphatic C-H bonds by using two uncoupled metal sites. In spite of many investigations, including biochemical, chemical, and computational, details of the C-H bond oxygenation mechanism remain elusive. Herein we report an investigation of the mechanism of hydroxylation by PHM by using hybrid quantum/classical potentials (i.e., QM/MM). Although previous investigations using hybrid QM/MM techniques were restricted to geometry optimizations, we have carried out ab initio molecular dynamics simulations in order to include the intrinsic flexibility of the active sites in the modeling protocol. The major finding of this study is an extremely fast rebound step after the initial hydrogen-abstraction step promoted by the cupric-superoxide adduct. The hydrogen-abstraction/rebound sequence leads to the formation of an alkyl hydroperoxide intermediate. Long-range electron transfer from the remote copper site subsequently triggers its reduction to the hydroxylated substrate. We finally show two reactivity consequences inherent in the new mechanistic proposal, the investigation of which would provide a means to check its validity by experimental means., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Pb(2+) complexes can attain several different topologies, depending of the shape of the Pb 6s6p lone pair. In this paper, we study structures with a bisdirected Pb lone pair with quantum mechanics (DFT) and QM/MM calculations. We study small symmetric Pb(2+) models to see what factors are needed to get a bisdirected lone pair. Two important mechanisms have been found: First, the repulsion of the lone pair of Pb(2+) with other lone pairs in the equatorial plane leads to a bisdirected structure. Second, a bisdirected lone pair can also arise due to interactions with double bonds, lone pairs, or hydrogen atoms. Moreover, we have analyzed Pb(2+) sites in proteins and to see if a bisdirected lone pair can exist in an asymmetrical environment. Several instances of bisdirected lone pairs were discovered.

We have quantified the extent of the nonadditivity of the short-range exchange-repulsion energy, E(exch-rep), in several polycoordinated complexes of alkali, alkaline-earth, transition, and metal cations. This was done by performing ab initio energy decomposition analyses of interaction energies in these complexes. The magnitude of E(exch-rep(n-body, n > 2)) was found to be strongly cation-dependent, ranging from close to zero for some alkali metal complexes to about 6 kcal/mol for the hexahydrated Zn(2+) complex. In all cases, the cation-water molecules, E(exch-rep(three-body)), has been found to be the dominant contribution to many-body exchange-repulsion effects, higher order terms being negligible. As the physical basis of this effect is discussed, a three-center exponential term was introduced in the SIBFA (Sum of Interactions Between Fragments Ab initio computed) polarizable molecular mechanics procedure to model such effects. The three-body correction is added to the two-center (two-body) overlap-like formulation of the short-range repulsion contribution, E(rep), which is grounded on simplified integrals obtained from localized molecular orbital theory. The present term is computed on using mostly precomputed two-body terms and, therefore, does not increase significantly the computational cost of the method. It was shown to match closely E(three-body) in a series of test cases bearing on the complexes of Ca(2+), Zn(2+), and Hg(2+). For example, its introduction enabled to restore the correct tetrahedral versus square planar preference found from quantum chemistry calculations on the tetrahydrate of Hg(2+) and [Hg(H(2)O)(4)](2+)., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

In this article, we resort to first-principles molecular dynamic simulations to examine the thermal effects on the structure of [Pb(CO)(n)](2+) complexes. Values of n are chosen to sample structures where hemidirected (n = 2, 4 and 6) or holodirected (n = 7 and 8) structures are found when using static approaches. In all cases, highly flexible structures are observed. In particular, hemidirectional distortions are characterized using geometrical and topological analysis. The octacarbonyl complex exhibits the decoordination of one of its carbonyl ligands at 300 K.

Although potentially powerful, molecular oxygen is an inert oxidant due to the triplet nature of its ground state. Therefore, many enzymesse various metal cations (M) to produce singlet active species M(n) O(2) . In this communication we investigate the topology of the Electron Localization Function (ELF) within five biomimetic complexes which are representative of the strategies followed by metalloenzymes to activate O(2) . Thanks to its coupling to the constrained DFT methods the ELF analysis reveals the tight connection between the spin state of the adduct and the spatial organization of the oxygen lone pairs. We suggest that enzymes could resort to spin state control to tune the regioselectivity of substrate oxidations., (Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Reduced Variational Space (RVS) calculations are reported that afford insight into the energetic origins of the hemi- and holo-directing behavior of [Pb(H2O)n](2+) complexes. It is shown that the distribution of ligands around the Pb(2+) center arises from a delicate balance between the first-order Coulomb plus exchange-repulsion energy that favors holo-directionality, and the second-order charge transfer plus polarization term that favors hemi-directionality. It is additionally demonstrated that the pseudopotential/basis set combination used to study such complexes should be carefully selected, as artifacts can arise when using large-core pseudopotentials. Finally, based on these findings, we introduce a new SIBFA force field parametrization for Pb(2+). Results yield close agreement with ab initio complexation energies in a series of [Pb(H2O)n](2+) complexes and successfully encapsulate the hemi- and holo-directing properties. SIBFA thus appears to be the first classical force field to be able to model the holo-/hemi-directed transition within Pb complexes, avoiding the need for explicit wave function treatment and consequently providing the opportunity to deal with large leaded systems of biological interest.

In this contribution, we study several monocarbonyl-metal complexes in order to unravel the contribution of relativistic effects to the metal-ligand bond length and complexation energy. Using scalar density functional theory (DFT) constrained space orbital variation (CSOV) energy decomposition analysis supplemented by all-electron four-component DFT computations, we describe the dependency of relativistic effects on the orbitals involved in the complexation for the Au(+) isoelectronic series, namely, the fully occupied 5d orbitals and the empty 6s orbitals. We retrieve the well-known sensitivity of gold toward relativity. For platinum and gold, the four-component results illustrate the simultaneous relativistic expansion of the 5d orbitals and the contraction of the 6s orbitals. The consequences of such modifications are evidenced by CSOV computations, which show the importance of both donation and backdonation within such complexes. This peculiar synergy fades away with mercury and thallium for which coordination becomes driven by the accepting 6s orbitals only, which makes the corresponding complexes less sensitive toward the relativistic effects.

Following a previous study by de Courcy et al. ((2009) Interdiscip. Sci. Comput. Life Sci. 1, 55-60), we demonstrate in this contribution, using quantum chemistry, that metal cations exhibit a specific topological signature in the electron localization of their density interacting with ligands according to its "soft" or "hard" character. Introducing the concept of metal cation subvalence, we show that a metal cation can split its outer-shell density (the so-called subvalent domains or basins) according to it capability to form a partly covalent bond involving charge transfer. Such behaviour is investigated by means of several quantum chemical interpretative methods encompasing the topological analysis of the Electron Localization Function (ELF) and Bader's Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) and two energy decomposition analyses (EDA), namely the Restricted Variational Space (RVS) and Constrained Space Orbital Variations (CSOV) approaches. Further rationalization is performed by computing ELF and QTAIM local properties such as electrostatic distributed moments and local chemical descriptors such as condensed Fukui Functions and dual descriptors. These reactivity indexes are computed within the ELF topological analysis in addition to QTAIM offering access to non atomic reactivity local index, for example on lone pairs. We apply this "subvalence" concept to study the cation selectivity in enzymes involved in blood coagulation (GLA domains of three coagulation factors). We show that the calcium ions are clearly able to form partially covalent charge transfer networks between the subdomain of the metal ion and the carboxylate oxygen lone pairs whereas magnesium does not have such ability. Our analysis also explains the different role of two groups (high affinity and low affinity cation binding sites) present in GLA domains. If the presence of Ca(II) is mandatory in the central "high affinity" region to conserve a proper folding and a charge transfer network, external sites are better stabilised by Mg(II), rather than Ca(II), in agreement with experiment. The central role of discrete water molecules is also discussed in order to understand the stabilities of the observed X-rays structures of the Gla domain. Indeed, the presence of explicit water molecules generating indirect cation-protein interactions through water networks is shown to be able to reverse the observed electronic selectivity occuring when cations directly interact with the Gla domain without the need of water.

The coordination of neutral ligands (L = OC, HCN, NH3, PH3, SH2, HNCO and H2O) to Pb2+ is investigated and analyzed by means of the topological analysis of the Electronic Localization Function (ELF). It is shown that the mean charge density of the V(Pb) basin ((V(Pb))) can reach a ligand-independent limiting value from n = 6, a coordination number from which the [PbL(n)]2+ complexes adopt holodirected structures. The investigations performed on anionic series (L = HS-, OH-, CN-, F-, Cl-, and Br-) lead to optimized stable structures in which the coordination number does not exceed n = 4, even in the presence of a model aqueous solvent. This different behavior with respect to the neutral ligand series is interpreted by means of natural populations and electrostatic repulsions. The main result of this contribution is that stable Pb(II) complexes could be those exhibiting reasonable values of (V(Pb)), namely those not exceeding the saturation plateau evidenced in the present piece of work., (Copyright 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A Zn(II)-funnel complex based on a calix[6]arene ligand decorated with three tris(imidazolyl) arms at one end of the cone and three NH(2) substituents at the other end, acts as a multipoint recognition host for polyfunctionalized guests. The selectivity is ensured by coordination to Zn(II), CH-pi interaction within the calix cone, and H-bonding at both rims of the cavity. As a result of these multiple interactions, the host can wrap and orient an unsymmetrical triamine guest with a high selectivity. Furthermore, a proton-monitored switch between the regio-isomeric adducts allows reversible inversion of the directionality of the system. Thanks to this directional control, the regioselective mono-carbamoylation of the unsymmetrical triamine guest was successfully achieved on a preparative scale. This case study shows that a funnel-like receptor can be used as a supramolecular protecting tool allowing a transformation which would be impracticable with conventional covalent chemistry.

A mononuclear cuprous complex is proposed as a novel in silico model for the Cu(M) active site of noncoupled copper monooxygenases. To the best of our knowledge, it is one of the first biomimicking models that allows one to recover the intimate structural features of the enzymatic oxygenated adducts and to gain clear-cut insights relevant to dioxygen activation by these enzymes.

A multipoint recognition system based on a calix[6]arene is described. The calixarene core is decorated on alternating aromatic subunits by 3 imidazole arms at the small rim and 3 aniline groups at the large rim. This substitution pattern projects the aniline nitrogens toward each other when Zn(II) binds at the Tris-imidazole site or when a proton binds at an aniline. The XRD structure of the monoprotonated complex having an acetonitrile molecule bound to Zn(II) in the cavity revealed a constrained geometry at the metal center reminiscent of an entatic state. Computer modeling suggests that the aniline groups behave as a tritopic monobasic site in which only 1 aniline unit is protonated and interacts with the other 2 through strong hydrogen bonding. The metal complex selectively binds a monoprotonated diamine vs. a monoamine through multipoint recognition: coordination to the metal ion at the small rim, hydrogen bonding to the calix-oxygen core, CH/pi interaction within the cavity's aromatic walls, and H-bonding to the anilines at the large rim.

The aim of the paper is to characterize Cu complexes in the P(Ar)N(3) environment provided by ligands derived from triphenylphosphine P(C(6)H(4)CH(2)NHR)(3) and compare their coordination behavior and reactivity with those obtained with all-nitrogen ligands such as tren. It is shown that coordination of the PN(3) ligand (R = iPr) to Cu(I) and Cu(II) leads to complexes whose coordination sphere is hardly controlled as they readily undergo decoordination of either one N or the P donor together with oxidation of the latter. In strong contrast, when grafted on the small rim of a calix[6]arene, the P(Ar)N(3) is geometrically constrained into a tripod that enforces the metal center to remain in the same environment with a P-Cu bond for both oxidation states. These calix[6]PN(3)-based Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes react readily with exogenous ligands, making a comparison with calix[6]tren-based copper complexes possible. Indeed, reactivity studies in solution highlight very different behaviors. The complex [Cu(calix[6]PN(3))](2+) shows an unusual affinity for weak sigma-donors (e.g., MeCN > EtOH), while the analogous cuprous complex, [Cu(calix[6]PN(3))](+), displays a surprising affinity for hard O-donor ligands (EtOH, DMF), which has never been observed for the tren analogues. Even more surprising is the lack of reactivity of [Cu(calix[6]PN(3))](+) toward dioxygen, which contrasts strongly with the high reactivity of the [Cu(calix[6]tren)](+) complex. In an attempt to explain the observed differences in binding properties and reactivity, Density Functional Theory calculations and electronic spectra simulations were undertaken. They suggest that coordination of the soft P(Ar)(3) center allows to tune the metal ion properties, either by absorbing excess electron density from Cu(I), or by increasing the electronic density of Cu(II). This is due to the simultaneous presence of the phosphorus atom (sigma-donor) in apical position and the aromatic groups (pi-acceptors) bound to the P-atom.

The exchange of Me(6)Li aggregated to a lithium amide by (7)LiCl leads to a specific isotope distribution whose microscopic origin is assigned to an edge-to-edge interaction between the R(2)NLi-MeLi aggregate and (LiCl)(2) by NMR and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics.

In this contribution, we focus to the currently unknown [Pb(CO)(n)](2+) model series (n=1 to 10), a set of compounds which allows us to investigate in-depth the holo- and hemidirectional character that lead complexes can exhibit. By means of DFT computations performed using either relativistic four-component formalisms coupled to all-electron basis sets for [Pb(CO)](2+), [Pb(OC)](2+) and [Pb(CO)(2)](2+), or scalar relativistic pseudopotentials for higher n values, the structure and the energetics of these species are investigated. The results are complemented by Constrained Space Orbital Variations (CSOV) and Electron Localization Function (ELF) comprehensive analyses in order to get better insights into the poorly documented chemical fundamentals of the Pb(2+) cation. Whereas the discrimination between holo- and hemidirected structures is usually done according to the geometry, we here provide a quantitative indicator grounded on (V(Pb)), the mean charge density of the valence monosynaptic V(Pb) ELFic basin associated to the metal cation. Free-enthalpy relying discussions show, moreover, that those gas-phase complexes having n=7, 8 or 9 may be experimentally instable and should dissociate into [Pb(CO)(6)](2+) and a number of CO ligands. According to second-order differences in energy, it is anticipated that the n=3 or 6 structures should be the most probable structures in the gas phase. Gathering all data from the present theoretical study allows us to propose some concepts that the versatile structural chemistry of Pb(2+) complexes could rely on.

Singlet and triplet H-transfer reaction paths from C-H and N-H bonds were examined by means of DFT and spin-flip TD-DFT computations on the [(tren Me1)CuO2]+ adduct. The singlet energy surfaces allow its evolution towards H2O2 and an imine species. Whereas N-H cleavage appears to be a radical process, C-H rupture results in a carbocation intermediate stabilized by an adjacent N atom and an electrostatic interaction with the [CuIOOH] metal core. Upon injection of an additional electron, the latter species straightforwardly forms a hydroxylated product. Based on these computational results, a new mechanistic description of the reactivity of copper monooxygenases is proposed.

The active sites of copper enzymes have been the subject of many theoretical and experimental investigations from a number of years. Such studies have embraced topics devoted to the modeling of the first coordination sphere at the metallic cations up to the development of biomimetic, or bioinspired, catalytic systems. At least from the theoretical viewpoint, fewer efforts have been dedicated to elucidate how the two copper cations act concertedly in noncoupled dicopper enzymes such as peptidylglycine alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM) and dopamine beta-monooxygenase (DbetaM). In these metalloenzymes, an electronic transfer is assumed between the two distant copper cations (11 A). Recent experimental results suggest that this transfer occurs through water molecules, a phenomenon which has been theoretically evidenced to be of high efficiency in the case of cytochrome b5 (Science, 2005, 310, 1311). In the present contribution dedicated to PHM, we overpass the common theoretical approaches dedicated to the electronic and geometrical structures of sites CuM or CuH restricted to their first coordination spheres and aim at directly comparing theoretical results to the experimentally measured activity of the PHM enzyme. To achieve this goal, molecular dynamics simulations were performed on wild-type and various mutants of PHM. More precisely, we provide an estimate of the electron-transfer efficiency between the CuM and CuH sites by means of such molecular dynamics simulations coupled to Marcus theory joined to the Beratan model to approximate the required coupling matrix elements. The theoretical results are compared to the kinetics measurements performed on wild and mutated PHM. The present work, the dynamic aspects of which are essential, accounts for the experimental results issued from mutagenesis. It supports the conclusion that an electronic transfer can occur between two copper(I) sites along a bridge involving a set of hydrogen and chemical bonds. Residue Gln170 is evidenced to be the keystone of this water-mediated pathway.

The proper description of low-spin states of open-shell systems, which are commonly encountered in the field of bioinorganic chemistry, rigorously requires using multireference ab initio methodologies. Such approaches are unfortunately very CPU-time consuming as dynamic correlation effects also have to be taken into account. The broken-symmetry unrestricted (spin-polarized) density functional theory (DFT) technique has been widely employed up to now to bypass that drawback, but despite a number of relative successes in the determination of singlet-triplet gaps, this framework cannot be considered as entirely satisfactory. In this contribution, we investigate some alternative ways relying on the spin-flip time-dependent DFT approach [Y. Shao et al. J. Chem. Phys. 118, 4807 (2003)]. Taking a few well-documented copper-dioxygen adducts as examples, we show that spin-flip (SF)-DFT computed singlet-triplet gaps compare very favorably to either experimental results or large-scale CASMP2 computations. Moreover, it is shown that this approach can be used to optimize geometries at a DFT level including some multireference effects. Finally, a clear-cut added value of the SF-DFT computations is drawn: if pure ab initio data are required, then the electronic excitations revealed by SF-DFT can be considered in designing dramatically reduced zeroth-order variational spaces to be used in subsequent multireference configuration interaction or multireference perturbation treatments.

Car-Parrinello (CP) molecular dynamics were applied to sample conformations of various models of organolithium aggregates which are chosen to estimate (1)J(Li,C) NMR coupling constants. The results show that the deviations from the values computed using static (optimized) geometries are small provided no large-amplitude motions occur within the timescale of the simulations. In the case of the vinyllithium dimer, for which rotation of the vinyl chain is observed, this approach allows analysis of the various contributions to the experimentally measured constants. For the trisolvated methyllithium monomer, partial decoordination of solvating dimethyl ether is observed and results in a significant shift of (1)J(Li,C). All these results highlight that a varied physicochemical machinery is hidden behind general empirical formulas, such as the Bauer-Winchester-Schleyer rule used experimentally.

Dioxygen binding at copper enzymatic sites is a fundamental aspect of the catalytic activity observed in many biological systems such as the monooxygenases, especially peptidylglycine alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM), in which two mononuclear Cu(I) sites are involved. Biomimetic models have been developed: dipods, tripods, and, more recently, functionalized calixarenes. The modelling of calixarene systems, although not unreachable for theory yet, requires, however, a number of preliminary investigations to ensure proper calibrations if relevant description of the metal-ligand interaction at the hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics levels of theory is the aim. In this paper, we report quantum chemistry investigations on a coherent series of representative cuprous tripodal species characterized by (1) monodentate ligands [Cu(ImH)3]+ (where ImH is imidazole), [Cu(MeNH2)3]+ and [Cu(MeNH2)4]+ , (2) neutral tripodal ligands [CuCH(ImH)3]+, [Cu(tren)]+ [where tren is tris(2-aminoethyl)amine], and [Cu(trenMe3)]+ [where trenMe3 is tris(2-methylaminoethyl)amine] and (3) a hydrido-tris(pyrazolyl)borate [CuBH(Pyra)3]. The structures of these complexes, the coordination mode (eta(2) side-on or eta(1) end-on) of O2 to Cu(I) and the charge transfer from the metal to dioxygen have been computed. For some systems, the coordination by CH3CN and CO is also reported. Beyond results relative to structural properties, an interesting feature is that it is possible to build from computational results only a set of abacuses linking the nu(16O-16O) vibrational frequency of the coordinated O2 molecule to the O-O bond length or to the net charge of the O2 moiety. Such abacuses may help experimentalists in distinguishing between the four possible ways of binding O2 to CuN3 and CuN4 cuprous centres, namely (1) end-on triplet states, (2) side-on triplet states, (3) end-on singlet states and (4) side-on singlet states. These abacuses are extended to three tripods obtained by the substitution of one nitrogen atom by either a phosphorus or a sulphur atom. Moreover, it is shown that any factor favouring pyramidalization at copper favours charge transfer and thus coordination of the incoming O2 moiety. All these allow insight into the coordination mode of O2 and into the charge transfer from Cu(I) in site Cu(M) of PHM.

Even though lead is a well-known toxicant widely scattered throughout the world since antiquity, its chemistry is poorly documented at the molecular level. Here we investigate the hydration of the Pb(2+) ion by means of first-principles molecular dynamics (Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics, CPMD). We found that the hydrated cation is heptacoordinated in a dynamically holodirected arrangement roughly corresponding to a fluxional distorted pentagonal bipyramid. The time-averaged Pb-O bond length is especially large and amounts to 2.70 A with an associated root-mean-square deviation of 0.26 A. This results from a dynamic exchange between short (<2.6 A), intermediate (2.6-3.0 A) and long (>3.0 A) Pb-O bonds. The latter very long Pb-O distance implies that the determination of the coordination number n(c) from experimental work may not necessarily yield values directly comparable to the theoretical value of n(c)=7, since not all experimental techniques would recognize such a long distance as a bond to the metal cation. Pronounced disorders are evidenced in the second shell, characteristic of a chaotropic cation, and exchanges between the first and second shells cannot be excluded on a timescale of a few tens of picoseconds.