Gas phase enthalpies of formation, isomerization, and disproportionation of mono- through tetra-substituted tetrahedranes: A G4MP2/G4 theoretical study

Gas phase (298.15 K, 1 atm) enthalpies of formation (Δ~f~H°~(g)~), enthalpies of disproportionation to two corresponding acetylene molecules (Δ~rxn~H°~(g),Td→acet~), and enthalpies of isomerization from a tetrahedrane geometry to a 1,3-cyclobutadiene structure (Δ~isom~H°~(g),Td→CBD~) were calculated for the mono- through tetra-substituted hydro, fluoro, chloro, bromo, methyl, ethynyl, and cyano carbon tetrahedrane derivatives at the G4MP2 and G4 levels of theory. All derivatives have endothermic Δ~f~H°~(g)~ indicative of the cage strain in these systems. In all cases, Δ~rxn~H°~(g),Td→acet~ and Δ~isom~H°~(g),Td→CBD~ are predicted to be substantially exothermic. High quality linear regression fits within a homologous series were obtained between the number of substituents and the G4MP2/G4 estimated Δ~f~H°~(g)~. Via calculations on lower homolog members, this strategy was employed to allow extrapolated G4 and/or G4MP2 Δ~f~H°~(g)~ (as well as some Δ~rxn~H°~(g),Td→acet~ and Δ~isom~H°~(g),Td→CBD~) to be obtained for the mono- through tetra-substituted t-butyl, trifluoromethyl, and trimethylsilyl carbon tetrahedrane derivatives

Octanol/water distribution coefficients of the C~1~ through C~7~ perfluoro-n-alkyl sulfonates: Comparison of the IEFPCM-UFF, CPCM, and SMD solvation models

The octanol/water distribution coefficients (log D~ow~) of the C~1~ through C~7~ perfluoro-n-alkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) were calculated using the M062X/6-311++G(d,p) and MP2/6-311++G(d,p)//M062X/6-311++G(d,p) levels of theory and the IEFPCM-UFF, CPCM, and SMD solvation models. At both levels of theory with all solvation models, absolute log D~ow~ calculated for the straight chain C~1~ through C~7~ PFSAs display a substantial negative bias against available experimental data and expected trends by several log units. However, the SMD solvation model achieves accurate relative log D~ow~ accuracy, yielding fragmental contributions of a -CF~2~- group towards the log D~ow~ of 0.51+/-0.02 to 0.54+/-0.01 units (-3.0+/-0.1 to -3.1+/-0.1 kJ/mol), in good agreement with the experimental value of 0.61 units (-3.4+/-0.1 kJ/mol). In contrast, the IEFPCM-UFF and CPCM solvation models exhibit either invariant log D~ow~ with increasing perfluoro-n-alkyl chain length (CPCM) or a modestly decreasing trend (IEFPCM-UFF)

Theoretical studies in the molecular Platonic solids: Pure and mixed carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon tetrahedranes

Calculations were conducted at the G4MP2 and G4 composite method levels of theory on the 35 potential carbon, nitrogen, silicon, and phosphorus tetrahedrane derivatives with the general form C~a~N~b~Si~c~P~d~H~(4-b-d)~ (where a+b+c+d=4). At both levels of theory, optimized electronic ground state neutral singlet gas phase (298.15 K, 1 atm) geometries were obtained for 24 of the 35 possible C/N/Si/P tetrahedrane derivatives. Corresponding enthalpies of formation were calculated using the atomization method. Triplet state neutral tetrahedron starting geometries for all compounds either resulted in cage opening or failed to converge. Only 9 cationic and 3 anionic forms converged to stable geometries that retained the tetrahedron cage and were absent imaginary frequencies, thereby allowing the calculation of adiabatic ionization energies and electron affinities

Performance of the major semiempirical, ab initio, and density functional theory methods in evaluating isomerization enthalpies for linear to branched heptanes

The gas phase standard state (298.15 K, 1 atm) isomerization enthalpy prediction performance of the major semiempirical, ab initio, and density functional levels of theory was investigated using the linear to branched heptanes. The M062X density functional, MP2 (and higher) levels of Moller-Plesset perturbation theory, and the CBS and Gaussian-n composite methods are best suited for thermodynamic studies of alkane derivative isomerizations expected during the processing of petroleum, biomass, coal, or other fuels. Where large molecular systems prohibit the use of higher levels of theory, the PM6 and PDDG semiempirical methods may offer an appropriate computational cost-accuracy compromise. Non-M062X density functionals are not recommended for theoretical studies of alkane derivative isomerizations

Time Trends for Livestock Production in Saskatchewan, Canada: 1905-2011

Saskatchewan, Canada, with a total land area of 651,900 km^2^, is one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions. A broad variety of livestock are raised in the province, including cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep/goats, llama, ostrich, elk, deer, and bison. In 2010, the total revenue from the Saskatchewan livestock sector was CAD$1.6 billion. Over the past century, changing industry economics and advances in scientific, technical, and engineering knowledge and practices have affected the amount and type of livestock produced. The current work examines time trends for livestock production since Saskatchewan was created in 1905. While production trends vary widely by livestock type, most sectors display clearly increasing amounts of industry consolidation over time, warranting more detailed investigations into the socio-economical and technological drivers behind such changes

Potential Impacts of Tailings and Tailings Cover Fertilization on Arsenic Mobility in Surface and Ground Waters

A number of mining sites worldwide, particularly gold mines, have tailings management facilities (TMFs) that contain high levels of arsenic. Current closed mine site regulatory agencies tend to prefer revegetation of TMFs as part of the mandated reclamation activities. At many sites, often in polar regions, vegetation is difficult to establish either directly on the tailings or on the coarse-rock covers due to nutrient poor soils, phytotoxicity problems, and/or a less than optimum climate. Addition of phosphorus-based fertilizers to the tailings and/or cover material is commonly considered in order to promote the revegetation process and – ideally – allow the site owners to discharge their closure duties as rapidly as possible. However, due to the similar geochemistry of arsenic and phosphorus oxyanion species, this type of mine closure strategy may have unintended consequences regarding arsenic mobility on and off the site. This document reviews the current state-of-the-art regarding mobilization of arsenic by phosphate ions, and identifies relevant risks and opportunities of using this information to better manage closed mine sites

Historical Trends in Annual Water Yields for the Okanagan Basin, British Columbia, Canada

The Okanagan Basin in south-central British Columbia, Canada, includes the Okanagan River watershed upstream from the outlet of Osoyoos Lake, with a total area of 8,046 km^2^. Over the past century, the population of the Basin has grown rapidly, and this trend is expected to continue. Water management issues attract significant attention in the region, given projected declines in supply and increases in demand. Historical streamflow data was obtained for three hydrometric stations on the Okanagan River between the outlet of Okanagan Lake at Penticton and near the U.S. border at Oliver. Collectively, the historical data series indicate no temporal changes in regional annual water yields for the Okanagan Basin over the past century, despite large increases in population and agricultural activity over this time. Although rapid and extensive human settlement and development of the region, along with possible climate change signatures during the 20th century, has potentially altered the inflow hydrographs to tributary streams in the Basin, the overall water yield of the region appears to be stable and possibly increasing

Gas phase hydration, bond dissociation enthalpies, and acidity of aldehydes: A CBS-Q//B3, G4MP2, and G4 theoretical study of substituent effects

CBS-Q//B3, G4MP2, and G4 composite method calculations were used to estimate gas phase standard state (298.15 K, 1 atm) free energies of hydration (Δ~hydr~G°~(g)~), hydration equilibrium constants (log K~hydr,(g)~), bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs), and enthalpies (Δ~d~H°~(g)~) and free energies (Δ~d~G°~(g)~) of aldehydic proton acid dissociation for various substituted aldehydes with electron withdrawing and electron releasing groups. Good quality log K~hydr,(g)~ correlations with the Swain-Lupton resonance effect parameters R and R^+^ were found, allowing extension of the model to predict log K~hydr,(g)~ values for 487 substituted aldehydes having available R-values and 108 substituted aldehydes having available R^+^-values. Good correlations were also found between experimental aqueous phase hydration equilibrium constants (log K~hydr,(aq)~) and summative R/R^+^-values for peripheral substituents on a range of carbonyl derivatives (aldehydes, ketones, esters, and amides), suggesting the structure-reactivity modeling approach can be extended to include all possible combinations of R~1~C(O)R~2~ carbonyl substitution in both gas and aqueous systems. Computationally derived BDEs and Δ~d~H°~(g)~ / Δ~d~G°~(g)~ were in good agreement with the limited experimental and theoretical datasets. BDEs did not generally correlate with any of the Hammett substituent constants or Swain-Lupton parameters considered. Gas phase acidities exhibited high correlation coefficients with Hammett inductive substituent constants (σ~I~) and field effect parameters (F), allowing these to be employed as surrogates for estimating the gas phase aldehydic proton acidities of a larger potential compound range

Gas phase homolytic bond dissociation enthalpies of common laboratory solvents: A G4 theoretical study

Gas phase standard state (298.15 K, 1 atm) calculations were conducted at the Gaussian-4 (G4) composite method level of theory to estimate the bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) of various common laboratory solvents. Excellent agreement was obtained between experimental and G4 estimated BDEs. The current study demonstrates the BDE prediction accuracy of the G4 method, and is also intended to function as a potentially useful resource in any reevaluations of the preferred BDEs for these common laboratory solvents