Formation of long, multicenter pi-[TCNE](2)(2-) dimers in solution: solvation and stability assessed through molecular dynamics simulations

Purely organic radical ions dimerize in solution at low temperature, forming long, multicenter bonds, despite the metastability of the isolated dimers. Here, we present the first computational study of these pi-dimers in solution, with explicit consideration of solvent molecules and finite temperature effects. By means of force-field and ab initio molecular dynamics and free energy simulations, the structure and stability of pi-[TCNE](2)(2-) (TCNE = tetracyanoethylene) dimers in dichloromethane have been evaluated. Although the dimers dissociate at room temperature, they are stable at 175 K and their structure is similar to the one in the solid state, with a cofacial arrangement of the radicals at an inter-planar separation of approximately 3.0 angstrom. The pi-[TCNE](2)(2-) dimers form dissociated ion pairs with the NBu4+ counterions, and their first solvation shell comprises approximately 20 CH2Cl2 molecules. Among them, the eight molecules distributed along the equatorial plane of the dimer play a key role in stabilizing the dimer through bridging C-H center dot center dot center dot N contacts. The calculated free energy of dimerization of TCNE center dot- in solution at 175 K is -5.5 kcal mol(-1). These results provide the first quantitative model describing the pairing of radical ions in solution, and demonstrate the key role of solvation forces on the dimerization process

π-Dimerization of Heptathienoacene Radical Cations

Oligothienoacenes, the fused-ring analog of pi-linked oligothiophenes, belong to the most promising candidates for organic electronic applications. This is in part due to their fully planar structure that avoids conformational disorder and allows for densely packed solid-state structures resulting in high charge carrier mobilities. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the study of the pi-dimerization of conjugated radical cations with a dual purpose: (i) elucidation of the nature of the charge-transport phenomena in p-doped semiconducting polymers and (ii) development of supramolecular bonding ideas for applications in material science, such as actuators. However, the π-dimerization of planar conjugated radical cations in solution is scarce and usually encountered at low temperatures. In this work, we investigate the exceptional pi-dimerization capability showed by radical cations of a heptathienoacene alpha,beta-substituted with four n-decyl side groups (D4T7•+) by using a joint experimental and theoretical approach. D4T7 radical cations are found to exhibit an exceptional ability to form pi-dimer dications even at ambient temperature. Our results evidence the presence of two different transitory oxidized species formed during the course of the one-electron oxidation: (i) different conformations of the [D4T7•+]2 pi-dimer dications and (ii) the intermediate [D4T7]2•+ pi-dimer radical cations.[5] The nature and structure of these transitory species and ultimate pi-dimer dication are rigorously analyzed with the help of the DFT and TD-DFT calculations. Our study would provide valuable guidance for the further development of pi-dimer based supramolecular architectures.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Long, Multicenter Bonding Present in Radical-Radical Interactions: A Computational Study

[eng] It is well established that organic radical-anions, such as reduced tetracyanoethylene (i.e., [TCNE]•(-)), may form dianionic dimers exhibiting long, multicenter bonding. This bond arises from the overlap of the b(2g) SOMOs of [TCNE]•- to form a doubly-occupied bonding and an empty antibonding combination of orbitals of b2u and b1g symmetry, respectively, leading to a diamagnetic pi-[TCNE](2(2-)) dimer. Long, multicenter bonds were first experimentally and theoretically characterized in crystals of [TCNE]•- salts, whose dimers exhibit an intermonomer distance of ~2.9 Å, and they were found to present the same electronic properties as conventional covalent bonds. Further studies in dichloromethane solution at low temperature determined its equilibrium constant KD and enthalpy and entropy of dimerization (delta-HD and delta-SD) by UV-vis and EPR measurements. Since their first characterization several other organic radicals have been shown to exhibit long, multicenter bonding; among them, other radicalanions such as tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) or tetracyanopyrazine (TCNP), radical-cations such as tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), or neutral radicals such as phenalenyl derivatives. Salts of the aforementioned organic radical-ions are well known to exhibit technologically important properties such as magnetic ordering, metal-like electrical conductivity, and even superconductivity. TCNE, TCNQ, and TCNP, to list a few examples, are building blocks in molecule-based bulk ferromagnets having magnetic ordering temperatures above room temperature. However, the electron pairing resulting from the formation of long, multicenter dimers would impede these physical properties. Moreover, recent experimental and theoretical work showed the presence of long, multicenter bonded pi-[TTF](2(2+)) dimers in supramolecular aggregates at room temperature. These supramolecular aggregates were recently proposed as an emerging class of materials with potential ability on molecular switching applications. It is thus of high importance to achieve a complete understanding on the formation and nature of such interactions. The present thesis focuses in the computational study of long, multicenter bonding. The work is divided into two parts: a first part where the fundamentals of long, multicenter bonding are evaluated, and a second part where room-temperature long, multicenter bonding is studied. In the first part, an extensive characterization with a wide variety of density functionals and active spaces is performed in the gas phase, for the pi-[TCNE](2(2-)), pi-[TTF](2(2+)), pi-[TCNB](2(2-)), and pi-[TCNP](2(2-)) dimers. Moreover, a comprehensive study of the pi-[TCNE](2(2-)) dimer in explicit dichloromethane solution is performed by means of molecular dynamics. Finally, the last two articles focus in solid state long, multicenter bonded dimers. The relative orientation of the pi-[TCNB] (2(2-)) and pi-[TCNP]2(2(2-)) dimers is challenged in the former, while a thorough characterization of the four polymorphs of the [TTF][TCNE] charge-transfer crystal is done in the latter. In the latter, the two established kinds of pi-[TCNE](2(2-)) dimers, actually only found in the pi and pi- polymorphs of [TTF][TCNE], are revised. The second part of the thesis focuses in room-temperature long, multicenter bonding. There are two categories where long, multicenter bonding is still preserved at room temperature: oligomeric donors or acceptors and supramolecular aggregations. In this thesis, some examples of both categories of room-temperature long, multicenter bonding are analyzed. The dimerization of oxidized alpha, beta-substituted heptathienoacene, [D4T7]•+ is investigated, as well as the effect of adding bulky substituents. Furthermore, the room-temperature formation of pi- [TTF] (2(2+)) involving its inclusion in the cavity of a CB[8], and as a building block of a molecular clip and a [3]catenane is also carefully studied. It is quantitatively shown in the thesis that the extra stability, which permits the room-temperature observation of long, multicenter bonding, is due to an increase of dispersion interactions while a decrease of the internal repulsion between the radical-ions.[cat] La següent tesi s’emmarca dins l’estudi dels enllaços multicentre a llarga distància entre radicals orgànics. Aquests enllaços varen ser observats per primer cop a finals dels anys 60, però no fou fins al 2001 quan, a través d’un estudi teòric-experimental, es caracteritzaren. Els enllaços multicentre a llarga distància s’originen entre radicals orgànics a distàncies força majors que els enllaços covalents, però inferiors a distàncies de van der Waals (típicament, el dímer pi[TCNE](2)(2-) té una distància d’equilibri de 2.89 Å). En la seva distància d’equilibri, els orbitals SOMO dels radicals se solapen i combinen formant una combinació enllaçant doblement ocupada (l’HOMO) i una combinació antienllaçant desocupada (el LUMO), resultant-ne un dímer diamagnètic. El treball realitzat en aquesta tesi es divideix en dues parts, l’estudi fonamental dels enllaços multicentre a llarga distància i l’estudi d’aquest fenomen a temperatura ambient. En la primera part, es realitza un extens estudi metodològic de quatre dímers que presenten aquest tipus d’enllaç, pi-[TCNE] (2)(2)-, pi-[TCNB] (2)(2-), pi-TCNP] (2)(2-) i pi-[TTF] (2)(2+), pels quals es calibren diversos espais actius i fins a 23 funcionals de la densitat. A més a més, es realitza un estudi del dímer de pi-[TCNE] (2)(2-) en fase condensada, on s’obtenen dades de la seva solvatació i del seu comportament a diferents temperatures. També es fa un estudi en estat sòlid dels dímers pi-[TCNB] (2)(2-) i pi-[TCNP] (2)(2-), on es compara la naturalesa de la seva interacció en fase gas i estat sòlid i s’estudia la seva orientació relativa. Finalment s’han estudiat les quatre formes polimòrfiques del cristall de [TTF][TCNE], on s’ha caracteritzat l’enllaç a llarga distància entre pi-[TTF•••TCNE]. En la segona part, certs exemples de les dues famílies de compostos que exhibeixen enllaços multicentre a llarga distància a temperatura ambient han estat estudiades. Aquestes dues famílies són els oligòmers de donadors o acceptors i els agregats supramoleculars. Un oligòmer de tiofè, l’oligotienoacè (anells de tiofè fusionats) de set membres, ha estat estudiat. S’ha avaluat l’impacte de substituents laterals, així com l’efecte de la solvatació i de tenir un excés de contraions en la dissolució. De la segona família de compostos s’ha estudiat la inclusió d’un dímer pi-[TTF] (2)(2+) dins la cavitat d’un macrocicle cucurbit[8]uril, així com la dimerització de clips moleculars que contenen TTF i un compost mecànicament entrellaçat [3]catenan el qual conté TTF en els macrocicles exteriors

Entropic contributions enhance polarity compensation for CeO2(100) surfaces

Surface structure controls the physical and chemical response of materials. Surface polar terminations are appealing because of their unusual properties but they are intrinsically unstable. Several mechanisms, namely metallization, adsorption, and ordered reconstructions, can remove thermodynamic penalties rendering polar surfaces partially stable. Here, for CeO2(100), we report a complementary stabilization mechanism based on surface disorder that has been unravelled through theoretical simulations that: account for surface energies and configurational entropies; show the importance of the ion distribution degeneracy; and identify low di usion barriers between conformations that ensure equilibration. Disordered configurations in oxides might also be further stabilized by preferential adsorption of water. The entropic stabilization term will appear for surfaces with a high number of empty sites, typically achieved when removing part of the ions in a polar termination to make the layer charge zero. Assessing the impact of surface disorder when establishing new structure–activity relationships remains a challenge

Dynamic charge and oxidation state of Pt/CeO2 single-atom catalysts

The catalytic activity of metals supported on oxides depends on their charge and oxidation state. Yet, the determination of the degree of charge transfer at the interface remains elusive. Here, by combining density functional theory and first-principles molecular dynamics on Pt single atoms deposited on the CeO2 (100) surface, we show that the common representation of a static metal charge is oversimplified. Instead, we identify several well-defined charge states that are dynamically interconnected and thus coexist. The origin of this new class of strong metal–support interactions is the relative position of the Ce(4f) levels with respect to those of the noble metal, allowing electron injection to (or recovery from) the support. This process is phonon-assisted, as the Ce(4f) levels adjust by surface atom displacement, and appears for other metals (Ni) and supports (TiO2). Our dynamic model explains the unique reactivity found for activated single Pt atoms on ceria able to perform CO oxidation, meeting the Department of Energy 150!°C challenge for emissions

Unraveling the structure sensitivity in methanol conversion on CeO2: A DFT + U study

Methanol decomposes on oxides, in particular CeO2, producing either formaldehyde or CO as main products. This reaction presents structure sensitivity to the point that the major product obtained depends on the facet exposed in the ceria nanostructures. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations illustrate how the control of the surface facet and its inherent stoichiometry determine the sole formation of formaldehyde on the closed surfaces or the more degraded by-products on the open facets (CO and hydrogen). In addition, we found that the regular (100) termination is the only one that allows hydrogen evolution via a hydride&ndash;hydroxyl precursor. The fundamental insights presented for the differential catalytic reactivity of the different facets agree with the structure sensitivity found for ceria catalysts in several reactions and provide a better understanding on the need of shape control in selective processes.</p

Reactivity descriptors for ceria in catalysis

ISSN:1873-3883ISSN:0926-337

Reactivity descriptors for ceria in catalysis

Ceria has been very successfully employed in oxidation catalysis, whereas its application in other reac- tions has been less intensively investigated. The catalytic activity of ceria can be further enhanced by the use of dopants, and it exhibits structure sensitivity for numerous processes. The rich chemistry of cerium oxide is gathered and discussed in the present work, where the nature of each step of the most common reactions performed on it is assessed. Chemically intuitive computational and experimental descriptors, namely acid-base, redox, and structural features, are put forward to correlate the observed trends among the different doped and undoped facets. We have attempted to generate a robust framework that maps the chemically sound descriptors to the experimental fingerprints and theoretically calculated parameters