Attosecond dispersive soft X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy in graphite

Phase transitions of solids and structural transformations of molecules are canonical examples of important photo-induced processes, whose underlying mechanisms largely elude our comprehension due to our inability to correlate electronic excitation with atomic position in real time. Here, we present a decisive step towards such new methodology based on water-window-covering (284 eV to 543 eV) attosecond soft X-ray pulses that can simultaneously access electronic and lattice parameters via dispersive X-ray absorption fine-structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. We validate attoXAFS with an identification of the {\sigma}* and {\pi}* orbital contributions to the density of states in graphite simultaneously with its lattice's four characteristic bonding distances. This work demonstrates the concept of attoXAFS as a powerful real-time investigative tool which is equally applicable to gas-, liquid- and condensed phase

Quadruple bonding between iron and boron in the BFe(CO)3- complex.

While main group elements have four valence orbitals accessible for bonding, quadruple bonding to main group elements is extremely rare. Here we report that main group element boron is able to form quadruple bonding interactions with iron in the BFe(CO)3- anion complex, which has been revealed by quantum chemical investigation and identified by mass-selected infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the gas phase. The complex is characterized to have a B-Fe(CO)3- structure of C3v symmetry and features a B-Fe bond distance that is much shorter than that expected for a triple bond. Various chemical bonding analyses indicate that the complex involves unprecedented B≣Fe quadruple bonding interactions. Besides the common one electron-sharing σ bond and two Fe→B dative π bonds, there is an additional weak B→Fe dative σ bonding interaction. This finding of the new quadruple bonding indicates that there might exist a wide range of boron-metal complexes that contain such high multiplicity of chemical bonds

Mössbauer study of a tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl) porphyrin iron (III) chloride in comparison with the fluorine unsubstituted analogue

Mossbauer investigations, in association with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, have been conducted for the molecular and electronic structures of iron (III) [tetrakis (pentafluorophenyl)] porphyrin chloride [(F_{20}TPP)Fe:Cl], as a Fe(III)-tetraphenylporphyrin complex containing chloride axial ligand and substituted hydrogen atoms by fluorine ones in the four phenyl rings, in comparison with its fluorine unsubstituted analogue [(TPP)Fe:Cl]. It was found that the parameters of Mossbauer spectra of both complexes are close to one another, and correspond to the high-spin state of Fe(III) ions, but they show the different temperature dependence and the quadrupole doublets in Mossbauer spectra show different asymmetry at low temperatures. Results of DFT calculations are analyzed in the light of catalytic activity of the halogenated complex

Towards Hydrazine Based Hydrogen Storage Materials Incorporating Late Transition Metals: a DFT Study

AbstractOur established method of modeling transition metal based H2 storage materials is extended to include the desirable and achievable targets of hydrazine linked Cu(I), Cu(II) and Ni(II). Two coordinate Cu(I) H2 binding site representations bind two H2 molecules through the reversible Kubas interaction with a theoretical maximum storage capacity of 4.27%wt

Supplementary data for the article: Steen, J. D.; Stepanovic, S.; Parvizian, M.; De Boer, J. W.; Hage, R.; Chen, J.; Swart, M.; Gruden, M.; Browne, W. R. Lewis versus Brønsted Acid Activation of a Mn(IV) Catalyst for Alkene Oxidation. Inorganic Chemistry 2019, 58 (21), 14924–14930. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b02737

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b02737]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3691

The Unusual Structural Behavior of Heteroleptic Aryl Copper(I) Thiolato Molecules : Cis vs Trans Structures and London Dispersion Effects

A series of heteroleptic aryl copper(I) thiolato complexes of formula {Cu2(SAr)Mes}2 (Ar = C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-Me3)2 (ArMe6), 1; C6H3-2,6-(C6H3-2,6-iPr2)2 (AriPr4), 2; C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-iPr3)2 (AriPr6), 3) and {Cu4(SAr)Mes3} (Ar = C6H-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-iPr3)2-3,5-iPr2 (AriPr8), 4) were synthesized by the reactions of the corresponding bulky terphenyl thiols with mesitylcopper(I) with elimination of mesitylene. All complexes were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and spectroscopy (NMR, infrared, and UV-vis). The data for 1-3 revealed tetrametallic Cu4 core structures in which two thiolato or two mesityl ligands bridge the metals. Although 1 and 2 feature the expected conventional alternating thiolato and mesityl bridging patterns, 3 has a previously unknown structural arrangement in which the two thiolato ligands are adjacent to each other. Since complex 3 has a more crowding aryl group on the thiolato ligands, the cis arrangement of the ligands in 3 is sterically counterintuitive and is likely due to London dispersion (LD) energy effects. Complex 4 also has an unusual structural pattern in which only a single thiolato ligand is incorporated in the structure probably for steric reasons. It has a planar trapezoidal Cu4 core in which three Cu-Cu edges are bridged by the mesityl groups while the remaining Cu-Cu edge is thiolato ligand bridged. Dispersion connected DFT calculations show that 3 has the highest LD effect stabilization arising from the increased numbers of C-H···H-C interactions of the isopropyl ligand substituents.Peer reviewe

Isotopic disequilibrium of Cu in marine ferromanganese crusts: Evidence from ab initio predictions of Cu isotope fractionation on sorption to birnessite

In the oceans, Cu is strongly scavenged by ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts. The isotopic fractionation of Cu between seawater and crusts provides insight into the mechanisms of trace metal cycling in the oceans. Dissolved Cu in seawater is isotopically heavy ( ‰ ) relative to Cu in crusts ( ‰ ). The primary mineral phase sorbing divalent trace metals in Fe-Mn crusts is birnessite. Recent laboratory measurements show that isotopically light Cu is preferentially sorbed on birnessite, with a fractionation factor of ‰ . Here, we use first-principles (quantum mechanical) calculations to predict the isotopic fractionation between aqueous Cu2+ complexes and Cu as a surface complex on birnessite. We find that isotopic fractionation between the Cu(H2O) complex and sorbed Cu should be 0.49‰ (at 25 °C), in close agreement with experiments, confirming that these experimental results reflects equilibrium fractionation. We then predict the isotopic fractionation between dissolved inorganic Cu in seawater and birnessite given the thermodynamic speciation of dissolved Cu at pH 8. We find dissolved inorganic Cu should be 0.94‰ (at 5 °C) heavier than Cu sorbed to birnessite. This value is substantially greater than the observed fractionation between seawater and Fe-Mn crusts (Δsw-fmc ‰ ). Moreover, it is well established that dissolved Cu in seawater is strongly complexed by organic ligands. Based on model Cu complexes and published experimental data, we estimate that fractionation of Cu by organic ligands should increase the equilibrium fractionation between seawater and Fe-Mn crusts by 0.2 to 1.5‰ to yield Δsw-fmc = +1.1 to 2.4‰. We conclude that Cu in marine Fe-Mn crusts in not in isotopic equilibrium with dissolved Cu in seawater, and consider the possible explanations of this surprising finding

Effect of head group and lipid tail oxidation in the cell membrane revealed through integrated simulations and experiments

ABSTRACT: We report on multi-level atomistic simulations for the interaction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the head groups of the phospholipid bilayer, and the subsequent effect of head group and lipid tail oxidation on the structural and dynamic properties of the cell membrane. Our simulations are validated by experiments using a cold atmospheric plasma as external ROS source. We found that plasma treatment leads to a slight initial rise in membrane rigidity, followed by a strong and persistent increase in fluidity, indicating a drop in lipid order. The latter is also revealed by our simulations. This study is important for cancer treatment by therapies producing (extracellular) ROS, such as plasma treatment. These ROS will interact with the cell membrane, first oxidizing the head groups, followed by the lipid tails. A drop in lipid order might allow them to penetrate into the cell interior (e.g., through pores created due to oxidation of the lipid tails) and cause intracellular oxidative damage, eventually leading to cell death. This work in general elucidates the underlying mechanisms of ROS interaction with the cell membrane at the atomic level

The Halogen Effect on the Magnetic Behaviour of Dimethylformamide Solvates in [Fe(halide-salEen)2]BPh4

Funding Research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT): projects UIDB/00100/2020, UIDP/00100/2020, LA/P/0056/2020, UIDB/04046/2020, UIDP/04046/2020, UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020 and LA/P/0008/2020, UIDB/04378/2020, UIDP/04378/2020, and LA/P/0140/2020, PTDC/QUI-QFI/29236/2017, PTDCQUI-QIN0252_2021, CEECIND/00509/2017; Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS): PDR T.0095.21); Portugal2020: CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000018; Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC): R21-7511142525. Acknowledgments Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE) and Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS) acknowledge the financial support of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT): Projects UIDB/00100/2020, UIDP/00100/2020, and LA/P/0056/2020, respectively. BioISI acknowledges FCT for financial support (UIDB/04046/2020, UIDP/04046/2020). This work was supported by the FNRS (PDR T.0095.21). Clara S. B. Gomes acknowledges the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry—LAQV, the Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit—UCIBIO and Associated Laboratory i4HB, which are financed by national funds from FCT (UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020 and LA/P/0008/2020, UIDB/04378/2020 and UIDP/04378/2020, and LA/P/0140/2020, respectively). Sónia Barroso thanks project SmartBioR for financial support (CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000018)and Centro de Química Estrutural for the access to crystallography facilities. Nuno A. G. Bandeira gratefully acknowledges the NanoBioSolutions FCT grant PTDC/QUI-QFI/29236/2017 for the computational infrastructure. Paulo N. Martinho thanks FCT and RSC for financial support (grants PTDCQUI-QIN0252_2021 and R21-7511142525). Paulo N. Martinho also thanks FCT for the contract CEECIND/00509/2017.Complexes [Fe(X-salEen)2]BPh4·DMF, with X = Br (1), Cl (2), and F (3), were crystallised from N,N′-dimethylformamide with the aim of understanding the role of a high boiling point N,N′-dimethylformamide solvate in the spin crossover phenomenon. The counter ion was chosen for only being able to participate in weak intermolecular interactions. The compounds were structurally characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 crystallised in the orthorhombic space group P212121, and complexes 2 and 3 in the monoclinic space group P21/n. Even at room temperature, low spin was the predominant form, although complex 2 exhibited the largest proportion of the high-spin species according to both the magnetisation measurements and the Mössbauer spectra. Density Functional Theory calculations were performed both on the periodic solids and on molecular models for complexes 1–3 and the iodide analogue 4. While all approaches reproduced the experimental structures very well, the energy balance between the high-spin and low-spin forms was harder to reproduce, though some calculations pointed to the easier spin crossover of complex 2, as observed. Periodic calculations with the functional PBE led to very similar ΔEHS-LS values for all complexes but showed a preference for the low-spin form. However, the single-point calculations with B3LYP* showed, for the model without solvate, that the Cl complex should undergo spin crossover more easily. The molecular calculations also reflected this fact, which was more clearly defined when the cation–anion–solvate model was used. In the other models there was not much difference between the Cl, Br, and I complexes.publishersversionpublishe