Structure-Property Relationships in Benzofurazan Derivatives: A Combined Experimental and DFT/TD-DFT Investigation

In this work we seek to understand and to quantify the reactivity of benzofurazan derivatives toward secondary cyclic amines, like pyrrolidine, piperidine and morpholine, acting as nucleophile groups in SNAr reactions. For this aim, physico-chemical and structural descriptors were determined experimentally and theoretically using the DFT/B3LYP/6-31+ g (d,p) methodology. Thus, different 4-X-7-nitrobenzofurazans (X = OCH3, OC6H5 and Cl) and products corresponding to the electrophilic aromatic substitution by pyrrolidine, piperidine and morpholine, were investigated. Particularly, the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of the studied compounds, determined by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and DFT calculations, were used to evaluate the electrophilicity index (ω). The latter was exploited, according to Parr’s approach, to develop a relationship which rationalizes the kinetic data previously reported for the reactions of the 4-X-7-nitrobenzofurazans with nucleophiles cited above. Moreover, the Parr’s electrophilicity index (ω) of these benzofurazans determined in this work were combined with their electrophilicity parameters (E), reported in preceding papers, was found to predict the unknown electrophilicity parameters E of 4-piperidino, 4-morpholino and 4-pyrrolidino-7-nitrobenzofurazan. In addition, the relationship between the Parr’s electrophilicity index (ω) and Hammett constants σ, has been used as a good model to predict the electronic effect of the nucleophile groups. Finally, we will subsequently compare the electrophilicity index (ω) and the electrophilicity parameters (E) of these series of 7-X-4-nitrobenzofurazans with the calculated dipole moment (μ) in order to elucidate general relationships between E, ω and μ.

Study on the chemical potential of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, and myricetin using the molecular modeling

In the present paper, the chemical potential of four flavonoids i.e. apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, and myricetin, of interest in the pharmaceutical industry was investigated using molecular modelling. The equilibrium geometry of molecular structures was calculated in the gas phase and ground state by using B3LYP hybrid functional in conjunction with a 6-311G(d,p) basis set. In order to assess the chemical potential of investigated flavonoids, the main quantum molecular descriptors, such as the dipole moment, the energy of the highest/lowest occupied/unoccupied molecular orbital, the gap energy, the electronegativity, the chemical hardness/softness, and the electrophilicity index have been computed. Also, the influence of the hydroxylation degree of chemical compounds on the chemical potential is discussed.

Assessing the Effects of Substitution and Substituent Position on the Reactivity of Salicylideneaniline Ligands to Coordinate Transition Metal(II) Ions: a DFT Study

The present scientific contribution aims to investigate computationally the effects of substitution and substituent position on the reactivity of a series of salicylideneaniline derivatives ligands containing 13 molecules. Global reactivity parameters such as the EHOMO, ELUMO, gap energy, electronegativity, chemical hardness, chemical softness, electrophilicity index, and molecular electrostatic potential analysis (MESP) have been calculated at DFT/B3LYP/TZP level of theory and then well discussed to give valuable explanations for the effects of substitution and substituent position on the reactivity of the studied ligands.

A Comparative Analysis of the Global Electrophilicity Power of Some Cationic Dyes. Understanding Selective Removal Dyes From Mixture Solution

Some bibliographic findings of dyes' adsorption from a mixture state suggest that certain dyes are more likely to be adsorbed first on the adsorbent surface than others, and therefore attracted strongly to the adsorbent surface. To explain the phenomenon, DFT calculations are applied. In this fact, the global electrophilicity index ω of some cationic dyes has been evaluated. The results show that, for studied electrophilic dyes, the molecule with the greatest global electrophilicity power is favored to be adsorbed on the surface's anionic sites. In addition, local electrophilic Parr and Fukui functions were introduced to characterize the most reactive adsorption sites properly and indicate successfully the same adsorption centers. The success of DFT calculations in explaining and predicting the selective dye was assessed.

Phytoconstituents of Methanolic Extract of Fenugreek Seeds as a Green Corrosion Inhibitor of Metals (Fe, Al and Cu)

DFT calculations were carried out on significant Fenugreek seed compounds (1-Methylpyridinium-3-carboxylate MPC, Apigenin-8-C-glucose ACG, and 2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine IBMP) as a green source of ecologically friendly Fe, Al, and Cu metal corrosion inhibitors. Complete geometry optimizations were performed by DFT-B3LYP/6-31G* to determine any relationship between the chemical structure and corrosion inhibition, mostly on metals' surfaces. Global computational parameters of the inhibitors and thermodynamic Gibbs process of adsorption of metals were calculated and used to evaluate each corrosion inhibitor's performance. Our findings showed that MPC has the maximum anti-corrosion efficiency across all molecules with a physical adsorption mechanism. It exhibited significant inhibition efficiency with Cu when compared with Fe and Al, based on the highest electrophilicity index (ω) values compared to other inhibitors and its impact on metals in the following manner: Cu>Fe>Al. In regards, the range of inhibitors increased by the following order: IBMP>ACG>MPC. Remarkable corrosion inhibition of MPC is demonstrated by its unique high electrophilicity, softness (σ), and lowest ∆Egap on the metal surface. These outcomes are close to the experimental

n the Validity of Minimum Magnetizability Principle in Chemical Reactions

A new principle known as Minimum Magnetizability Principle has recently been introduced in the context of Density Functional Theory. In order to validate this principle, changes in the magnetizability (Δξ) and its cube-root (Δξ1/3) are computed at B3LYP/LanL2DZ level of theory for some elementary chemical reactions. The principle is found to be valid for 77% of reactions under study. It is observed that the molecules with the lowest sum of ξ or ξ1/3 are generally the most stable. The principle fails to work in the presence of hard species. A comparative study is also made with change in hardness (Δη), electrophilicity index (Δω), polarizability (Δα) and their cube-roots (Δη1/3, Δω1/3, Δα1/3). It is observed that the Minimum Magnetizability Principle is nearly as reliable as Minimum Electrophilicity Principle. It appears that this principle could be helpful in predicting the direction of diverse reactions as well as stable geometrical arrangements.

Spin-Orbit Coupling Effect on the Electrophilicity Index, Chemical Potential, Hardness and Softness of Neutral Gold Clusters: A Relativistic Ab-initio Study

Electrophilicity index (𝜔) is related to the energy lowering associated with a maximum amount of electron flow between a donor and an acceptor and possesses adequate information regarding structure, stability, reactivity and interactions. Chemical potential (μ) measures charge transfer from a system to another having a lower value of μ, while chemical hardness (η) is a measure of characterizing relative stability of clusters. The main purpose of the present research work is to examine the Spin-Orbit Coupling (SOC) effect on the behavior of the electrophilicity index, chemical potential, hardness and softness of neutral gold clusters Aun (n=2-6). Using the second-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonian, geometries are optimized at the DKH2-B3P86/DZP-DKH level of theory. Spin-orbit coupling energies are computed using the fourth-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonian, generalized Hartree-Fock method and all-electron relativistic double-ζ level basis set. Then, spin-orbit coupling (SOC) corrections to the electrophilicity index, chemical potential, hardness and softness are calculated. It is revealed that spin-orbit correction to the vertical chemical hardness has important effect on Au3 and Au6, i.e. SOC decreases (increases) the hardness of gold trimer (hexamer). Due to the relationship between hardness and softness, σ = , inclusion of spin-orbit coupling increases (decreases) the softness of Au3 (Au6) and thus destabilizes (stabilizes) it. Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) also has more important effect on the chemical potential of Au3 by decreasing its value. It is found that spin-orbit coupling has considerable effect on the electrophilicity index of gold trimer and greatly increases its value. Furthermore, SOC increases the maximal charge acceptance of Au3 more and thus destabilizes it more. As a result, spin-orbit coupling effect appears to be important in calculating the electrophilicity index of the gold trimer. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2021-02-01-05 Full Text: PDF

FT-IR, Molecular Structure and Nonlinear Optical Properties of 2-(pyranoquinolin-4-yl)malononitrile (PQMN): A DFT Approach

A combined experimental and theoretical study for Fourier transform infrared spectra for 2-(pyranoquinolin-4-yl)malononitrile (PQMN) compound has been made. In advance, we investigate many physical characteristics based on DFT/B3LYP using 6-311G(d,p) basis set such as optimum structure, vibrational frequencies, thermo-chemistry, overall dipole moment, HOMO/LUMO Bandgap, nuclear repulsive energy and ionization energies, electronic affinity and chemical potential, global electrophilicity index, global hardness and finally softness (ζ). Also, we studied the non-linear optical (NLO) properties of PQMN. Results emphasize both degeneracy and diamagnetic properties of PQMN. PQMN Frontiers’ molecular orbitals (FMOs) split into two distinguished alpha (spin ↑) and beta (spin ↓) states with the same energy 3.7 eV, although its singlet spins state. Moreover, the calculated dipole moment (DM) value (13.3 Debye) for PQMN explains the mystery behind its reactive tendency with the nearby media. PQMN is a unique model for a degenerate diamagnetic semiconductor that can be easily used for optoelectronic manufactured devices such as solar cells and spintronic devices.

Comparative studies of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and azo-hydrazone tautomerism in naphthalene-based fluorescent acid azo dyes by computational study

We found that benzothiazole is responsible for enhancing fastness properties of dyes. On comparing the total electronic energies of naphthol tautomers (−1425.16 eV) and its analogs (−2146.59 eV), we found that benzothiazolyl series is more stable than the naphthol series. Frontier Molecular Orbitals (FMOs) also show flow of charge transfer from the donor to the acceptor in benzothiazole-containing compounds, whereas it is absent in plane naphthol series. Among the benzothiazolyl isomers, the hydrazone form is found to be more stable and responsible for fluorescence possession. Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO)–Lowest Occupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) energy band gap also indicates the same. Electrophilicity index and hyper-hardness values of both the series were found to be positive which directly ratifies photostability and reactivity. Benzothiazolyl series was found to be more stable, hence light fastness, enhanced.