Free Energy Of Activation Research Articles

Process optimization, thermal hazard evaluation and reaction mechanism of m-xylene nitration using HNO3-Ac2O as nitrating reagent

Nitro-m-xylenes (NMX) was synthesized in semi-batch mode via m-xylene nitration using nitric acid-acetic anhydride (HNO3-Ac2O) as nitrating reagent in this work. The nitration process was optimized by response surface methodology. The yield of NMX could reach 92.40% under the optimal conditions of jacket temperature of 20 °C, 0.15 mol of HNO3 and 0.19 mol of Ac2O. Corresponding large reaction enthalpy (ΔH=240.9 kJ/mol) and adiabatic temperature rise (ΔTad,r =398.1 K) indicated the serious hazards of nitration in a thermal runaway scenario. Pyrolysis of nitration products occurred at about 320–400 °C by differential scanning calorimetry tests. The reaction order of the pyrolysis was determined to be 1.2 by adiabatic kinetic analysis. Thermal risk of the nitration process was assessed to be acceptable and level 1 via the risk matrix and Stoessel criticality diagram analyses, respectively. Furthermore, detailed nitration mechanisms for NO2+ generation and aromatic substitution were presented. The activation free enthalpy and free energy parameters for each step were calculated by density functional theory (DFT). These findings can help understand the exothermic sources of m-xylene nitration and guide the intrinsically safer design and scale-up of the process.

Reference-Quality Free Energy Barriers in Catalysis from Machine Learning Thermodynamic Perturbation Theory.

For the first time, we report calculations of the free energies of activation of cracking and isomerization reactions of alkenes that combine several different electronic structure methods with molecular dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that the use of a high level of theory (here Random Phase Approximation-RPA) is necessary to bridge the gap between experimental and computed values. These transformations, catalyzed by zeolites and proceeding via cationic intermediates and transition states, are building blocks of many chemical transformations for valorization of long chain paraffins originating, e.g., from plastic waste, vegetable oils, Fischer-Tropsch waxes or crude oils. Compared with the free energy barriers computed at the PBE+D2 production level of theory via constrained ab initio molecular dynamics, the barriers computed at the RPA level by the application of Machine Learning thermodynamic Perturbation Theory (MLPT) show a significant decrease for isomerization reaction and an increase of a similar magnitude for cracking, yielding an unprecedented agreement with the results obtained by experiments and kinetic modeling.

Reference‐Quality Free Energy Barriers in Catalysis from Machine Learning Thermodynamic Perturbation Theory

AbstractFor the first time, we report calculations of the free energies of activation of cracking and isomerization reactions of alkenes that combine several different electronic structure methods with molecular dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that the use of a high level of theory (here Random Phase Approximation—RPA) is necessary to bridge the gap between experimental and computed values. These transformations, catalyzed by zeolites and proceeding via cationic intermediates and transition states, are building blocks of many chemical transformations for valorization of long chain paraffins originating, e.g., from plastic waste, vegetable oils, Fischer–Tropsch waxes or crude oils. Compared with the free energy barriers computed at the PBE+D2 production level of theory via constrained ab initio molecular dynamics, the barriers computed at the RPA level by the application of Machine Learning thermodynamic Perturbation Theory (MLPT) show a significant decrease for isomerization reaction and an increase of a similar magnitude for cracking, yielding an unprecedented agreement with the results obtained by experiments and kinetic modeling.

Temperature-Dependent Investigation of ORR Kinetics on Non-Precious Metal-Free Catalysts in Alkaline Media - Doping Effect on Electrocatalysis

The kinetic analysis of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on non-precious catalysts is cumbersome due to the formation of more than one major products ( and ). In the present study, ORR is investigated on Vulcan XC-72 (C) and a metal-free nitrogen-doped (~≤ 1%) carbon (N/C-900) catalysts in 0.1 M KOH [1]. The experiments are conducted in the temperature range of 293–323 K using a rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) assembly to quantify the product distribution, viz., and . The measured kinetic current () is partitioned into and on the basis of the potential-dependent product distribution ( and ) .and is used in the estimation of kinetic parameters [2]. The α values are derived from Butler-Volmer (B-V) theory, Tafel equation at high overpotentials (η), and from the derivative of the change in Gibbs free energy of activation () with respect to η. The α values obtained from all the three methods are different. Therefore, the origin of the difference in the α values is the subject of the present investigation. The seemingly unreasonable values of (> 1.0)on N/C-900 may be due to the alternative lower energy path for the formation of activated complex along with the change in the free energy of the reactant [3,4]. On C, it does not provide any alternative pathway for the formation of activated complex and perhaps η influences only the energy state of the reactant. Therefore, the free energy of activation for the formation of activated complex is a stronger function of η on N/C-900 and an indication of strong electrocatalysis. References B. Bera, T. Kar, A. Chakraborty, M. Neergat, J. Electroanal. Chem., 805, 184–192 (2017).R. Das, D. Choudhury, R. Maurya, S. Sharma, M. Neergat, Langmuir,39 (12), 4351–4361 (2023).U. Stimming, J. Wang, A. Bund, ChemPhysChem, 20 (22), 3004–3009 (2019).R. Maurya, R. Das, A. K. Tripathi, M. Neergat, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 25, 700–707 (2023). *Corresponding author: Tel.: +91 22 2576 7893; Fax: +91 22 2576 4890E-mail: nmanoj@iitb.ac.in (M. Neergat)

DFT-ONIOM study of ammonia activation by MM'APO-5 (M,M' = Ti, Zr, Co) bimetallic molecular sieves. The influence of the neighboring metal from a theoretical point of view

ONIOM-DFT calculations have been carried out in order to determine how the neighboring metal influences the activation free energies (ΔG≠) and the mechanisms of NH3 activation in a series of mono and disubstituted aluminophosphates MM’APO-5, (M, M’ = Co, Ti Zr). The results revealed that metal clustering is thermodynamically favorable (ΔG < 0) for all MAPO-5s and MM’APO-5s studied here. The aluminophosphates TiAPO-5 and ZrAPO-5 are unable to activate NH3 due to their inability to stabilize the key intermediate MNH2. The calculated activation free energy values (ΔG≠) suggest that CoZrAPO-5 is better suited for NH3 activation, as its values are lower than those of CoTiAPO-5 in the mechanism studied.

Volumetric Behaviour of Binary Mixture of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) at 303K

The study of volume changes in binary mixtures is attracting considerable interest from researchers due to the degree of molecular interaction between the mixed solvent molecules and their importance in many chemical industries and engineering disciplines. The experimental values of densities (ρ) and viscosities (η) of pure and binary mixtures of dual-purpose kerosene (DPK) and automotive gas oil (AGO) were obtained over the whole range of mixture composition at a temperature of 303 K. The experimental data obtained were employed to determine the excess molar volume (V_m^E), excess viscosity (VE), and excess Gibb’s free energy of activation (ΔGE) based on the molecular interactions arising due to the structural effect of the mixture. The measured viscosity values were correlated with Grunberg and Nissan, Kendel and Monroe, and Frenkel’s semi-empirical models to evaluate the best fit for the system. The results acquired were explained according to their structural differences, strength, and nature of intermolecular interactions in the binary mixture. The experimental result revealed that the binary mixture of DPK and AGO shows positive excess molar volume and negative excess viscosity. Weak, specific interactions were responsible for the dispersion force in the binary mixtures.

Lyotropic Liquid Crystals of Colloidal Gibbsite Nanoplatelets: Phase Transition, Kinetic Characterization, and Confinement Effect

Abstract2D gibbsite nanoplatelets, [γ‐Al(OH)3], are widely used as an inorganic mineral platform for 2D lyotropic liquid crystal (LC) colloids. These particles are synthesized and enlarged using an improved hydrolysis method, resulting in highly crystalline (96.5%), low polydispersity (15.1%), and readily dispersible colloids in water. The aqueous mesomorphic system is characterized for the isotropic‐to‐nematic phase transition by analyzing number density and shear viscosity. Thermal stability is assessed through thermogravimetric analysis. Additionally, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for 2D gibbsite nanoparticles are determined for the first time using three models (Coats‐Redfern, Friedman, and Kissinger). In particular, the activation and Gibbs free energies for the first dehydration stage of gibbsite yield ranges of 98‒128 kJ mol−1 and 135‒161 kJ mol−1, respectively. To investigate the confinement effect of colloidal gibbsite‐LCs, an isotropic gibbsite dispersion is introduced into a tube, leading to the uniform formation of gibbsite‐LC layers along two distinct pathways: tangential to the liquid‐air interface and as concentric circles along the tube walls. These findings offer valuable insights into potential applications, particularly in the domain of gas barrier inorganic films across various specialized fields.

Accurate Computation of Thermodynamic Activation Parameters in the Chorismate Mutase Reaction from Empirical Valence Bond Simulations.

Chorismate mutase (CM) enzymes have long served as model systems for benchmarking new methods and tools in computational chemistry. Despite the enzymes' prominence in the literature, the extent of the roles that activation enthalpy and entropy play in catalyzing the conversion of chorismate to prephenate is still subject to debate. Knowledge of these parameters is a key piece in fully understanding the mechanism of chorismate mutases. Within this study, we utilize EVB/MD free energy perturbation calculations at a range of temperatures, allowing us to extract activation enthalpies and entropies from an Arrhenius plot of activation free energies of the reaction catalyzed by a monofunctional Bacillus subtilis CM and the promiscuous enzyme isochorismate pyruvate lyase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In comparison to the uncatalyzed reaction, our results show that both enzyme-catalyzed reactions exhibit a substantial reduction in activation enthalpy, while the effect on activation entropy is relatively minor, demonstrating that enzyme-catalyzed CM reactions are enthalpically driven. Furthermore, we observe that the monofunctional CM from B. subtilis more efficiently catalyzes this reaction than its promiscuous counterpart. This is supported by a structural analysis of the reaction pathway at the transition state, from which we identified key residues explaining the enthalpically driven nature of the reactions and also the difference in efficiencies between the two enzymes.

Exploring the Conductivity, Solubility, and thermodynamic properties of sulfonated waste styrofoam through experimental and theoretical studies

In this work, sulfonated WPS (SWPS) was synthesized using concentrated sulfuric acid (Con. H2SO4) at various concentrations (0.01–0.05 mol.dm−3) and temperatures (313 K, 333 K, and 353 K) and the structure was confirmed by various analytical techniques. The degree of sulfonation (DS) values was determined using cation exchange capacity (CEC), 1H NMR, and UV–visible spectroscopy, and to investigate the influence of temperature and various concentration of H2SO4 during the sulfonation reaction. The conductivity of the SWPS was calculated and found to range from 0.23 × 10−6 S.cm−1 to 40.2 × 10−6 S.cm−1. The theoretical solubility parameters of SWPS were determined and compared with experimental values. Using Frenkel-Erying equation, Thermodynamic parameters of SWPS was calculated and also evaluated the correlation between the intrinsic viscosity (η) and viscous flow activation free energy (ΔGv). Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the sulfonation reaction of WPS and the potential applications of SWPS as a functional material.

Effective biosorption of Al ions from drinking water by lignocellulosic biomass rice straw

High concentration of aluminum (Al) in drinking water is a major intake source of it and can result in serious diseases. Rice straw (RS) as lignocellulosic biomasses has great potential to peak up metal ions from aqueous environment, however, feasibility of Al3+ removal by RS has not been investigated yet. The present study aimed to evaluate the capacity of RS as a novel biosorbent for Al3+ from drinking water. Biosorption characteristics of RS were surveyed through several biological and physiochemical techniques. Additionally, isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic studies were evaluated using various common models. BET profiles revealed the presence of textural mesoporosity on heterogeneous surface, which leading to improve the biosorption capacity. SEM-EDS analysis confirmed the morphological changes as irregularly particles of Al3+ on external surface via physical mechanism. The results of bioassays and FTIR analysis showed carboxylic and hydroxyl groups in lignin and pectin as the main Al3+ binding site. The batch experimental results showed the maximum biosorption capacity of 283.09 mg/g and removal efficiency of 94.86% for Al3+ at biosorbent dosage of 0.05 g/100 mL, contact time of 50 min, pH 7.5, and temperature of 30 °C. The Freundlich model has the best match and suggests the biosorption process as a multi-layer. According to the results of free activation energy, biosorption process was also physical. As thermodynamic result, the biosorption behavior was found spontaneous and endothermic. Consequently, results showed RS as an economical biosorbent for reducing Al3+ of drinking water. Meanwhile, it can be considered as one of the most appropriate methods for management of rice paddies waste.

Synthesis and voltammetric studies of azo dye compounds derived from 3-hydroxyquinolin-2-one in aqueous media

Azo dye derived from 3-hydroxyquinolin-2-one were synthesized and characterized by IR and 1HNMR. DC-polarography and cyclic voltammetry behavior of these compounds is considered in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions in the range of pH 2–12. The investigated azo compounds gave an irreversible dc-polarographic wave owing to the reduction of azo center with the consumption of four electrons controlled by diffusion, through the splitting of the N = N center to the amine group. For nitro derivative a single 8-elctron wave is observed. In cyclic voltammetry a cathodic peak was obtained for all compounds in the entire pH range. The kinetic data of the reduction process was determined and examined in view of the influence of medium and substitutes and the reduction mechanism was found to be H+, e, e, H+. The free energy of activation ∆G* was observed to increase whereas the rate constant kf,h diminishes with rise of the pH of the electrolysis medium. The effect of substituents was studied based on Hammett constants and showed that the electron withdrawing group facilitate the electrode reaction whereas the electron donating ones hinder it.

Investigation of intermolecular interactions of l-Valine and l-Phenylalanine with muscle relaxant drug mephenesin molecule prevalent in aqueous solution by various physico-chemical methods at T=298.15K–313.15K

A complete chemical analysis of significant intermolecular interactions of l-Valine (L-Val) and l-Phenylalanine (L-Phe) with Mephenesin (MEPN) molecules in aqueous solution has been studied by different physicochemical methodologies at various temperatures (T = 298.15 K–313.15 K at an interval of 5 K) and concentrations (0.001 mol kg−1, 0.003 mol kg−1, 0.005 mol kg−1) of aqueous MEPN solution. The limiting apparent molar volume (φV0) and experimental slope (SV*) values are found from the equation of Masson, viscosity A and B-coefficient determined using the equation of Jones-Doles, molar refraction (RM) and limiting molar refraction (RM0) derived by the Lorentz-Lorenz equation, express that in our experimental solution of amino acids (AAs) in aqueous MEPN, the solute-solvent interaction predominates over the solute-solute and solvent-solvent interactions for these ternary solutions. These are also justified by the measurement of various thermodynamic parameters, free energy of activation of viscous flow per mole of solvent(Δμ1°#) and solute (Δμ2°#), activation of viscous flow of enthalpies (ΔH°#) and entropies (ΔS°#). The characteristics of structure-breaking of solutes in the aqueous drug solution have been identified by Hepler's method and dB/dT value. The spectroscopic methods like UV–visible and proton-NMR studies help to explicate the strong AA-MEPN interactions in the solution phase and obtain a good correlation with theoretical studies. Theoretical investigations are checked to authenticate the experimental observations and according to both studies, L-Phe-MEPN interaction is greater than L-Val-MEPN interaction. The experimental and correlated research data are useful for the development of model combinations of AAs with drug molecules in pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry.

Substrate Positioning Dynamics Involves a Non-Electrostatic Component to Mediate Catalysis.

Substrate positioning dynamics (SPD) orients the substrate in the active site, thereby influencing catalytic efficiency. However, it remains unknown whether SPD effects originate primarily from electrostatic perturbation inside the enzyme or can independently mediate catalysis with a significant non-electrostatic component. In this work, we investigated how the non-electrostatic component of SPD affects transition state (TS) stabilization. Using high-throughput enzyme modeling, we selected Kemp eliminase variants with similar electrostatics inside the enzyme but significantly different SPD. The kinetic parameters of these mutants were experimentally characterized. We observed a valley-shaped, two-segment linear correlation between the TS stabilization free energy (converted from kinetic parameters) and substrate positioning index (a metric to quantify SPD). The energy varies by approximately 2 kcal/mol. Favorable SPD was observed for the distal mutant R154W, increasing the proportion of reactive conformations and leading to the lowest activation free energy. These results indicate the substantial contribution of the non-electrostatic component of SPD to enzyme catalytic efficiency.

Molecular Cu Electrocatalyst Escalates Ambient Perfluorooctanoic Acid Degradation.

Groundwater reservoirs contaminated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) need purifying remedies. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is the most abundant PFAS in drinking water. Although different degradation strategies for PFOA have been explored, none of them disintegrates the PFOA backbone rapidly under mild conditions. Herein, we report a molecular copper electrocatalyst that assists in the degradation of PFOA up to 93% with a 99% defluorination rate within 4 h of cathodic controlled-current electrolysis. The current-normalized pseudo-first-order rate constant has been estimated to be quite high for PFOA decomposition (3.32 L h-1 A-1), indicating its fast degradation at room temperature. Furthermore, comparatively, rapid decarboxylation over the first 2 h of electrolysis has been suggested to be the rate-determining step in PFOA degradation. The related Gibbs free energy of activation has been calculated as 22.6 kcal/mol based on the experimental data. In addition, we did not observe the formation of short-alkyl-chain PFASs as byproducts that are typically found in chain-shortening PFAS degradation routes. Instead, free fluoride (F-), trifluoroacetate (CF3COO-), trifluoromethane (CF3H), and tetrafluoromethane (CF4) were detected as fragmented PFOA products along with the evolution of CO2 using gas chromatography (GC), ion chromatography (IC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques, suggesting comprehensive cleavage of C-C bonds in PFOA. Hence, this study presents an effective method for the rapid degradation of PFOA into small ions/molecules.

Ketonization of propionic acid over TS-1 and Ti-Beta zeolites: Mechanism and effects of topology and hydrophobicity

Ketonization of propionic acid has been investigated on Lewis acidic TS-1 and Ti-Beta zeolites to understand the reaction mechanism and effects of pore topology and hydrophobicity. Characterizations showed that TS-1 and Ti-Beta (Si/Ti = 40) exhibited a similar acidity whereas TS-1 was more hydrophobic than the silanol-rich Ti-Beta. TS-1 showed higher activity, selectivity, stability and was more resistance to H2O than Ti-Beta. A combination of infrared spectroscopic, isotopic and kinetic studies showed that the molecularly adsorbed monodentate propionic acid is the most abundant reactive intermediate, and C-C coupling is the rate-determining step. The mechanism of ketonization of propionic acid at isolated tetrahedral Ti centers can be described by a Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The turnover rate on TS-1-40 is ∼ 1.3 times higher than that on Ti-Beta-40, which is consistent with the lower fitted free activation energy, i.e., the energy difference between C-C coupling transition state and two co-adsorbed propionic acids at a Ti center. The slightly lower activation enthalpy on Ti-Beta-40 than TS-1-40 is over-compensated by much larger entropy penalty, due to more silanol groups and hydrogen bonded propionic acids in close proximity to the Ti center for Ti-Beta-40, which impose additional steric hindrance to bulkier C-C coupling complex at transition state and outweigh the difference of steric hindrance of pore confinement between MFI and BEA frameworks. This work provides insight into the ketonization mechanism on Lewis acidic zeolites, and indicates that moderate pore size with hydrophobic property promotes ketonization of carboxylic acid at isolated tetrahedral Ti centers confined in zeolites.

Thermodynamic properties of binary mixtures of methyl acetate and some selected ketonesat varying compositions and temperatures

Density and viscosity measurements of binary mixtures of methyl acetate with propanone, butan-2-one and pentan-2-one were carried out at varying compositions (0 to 1) of methyl acetate and temperatures of 25, 30, 35 and 40◦C. The experimental data obtained were correlated with the Redlich-Kister polynomial equation from where excess molar volumes (VE ), excess viscosities (ηE), excess Gibbs free energies of activation for viscous flow (ΔG*E ), fitting coefficients and standard deviations of the mixtures were calculated. The ηE values were positive for mixtures of butan-2-one and pentan-2-one at all compositions and temperatures but gradually decrease with increasing composition and temperature. The mixtures of methyl acetate with propanone showed negative values of excess viscosity at all compositions of methyl acetate. The negative values are observed to be directly proportional to temperature. The values of VE for mixtures of methyl acetate + propanone system display positive deviations at lower compositions (0-0.4) and negative for higher mole fractions. The excess molar volumes of mixtures of butan-2-one and pentan-2-one are negative at the studied compositions and temperatures with a minimum at 0.3 composition and subsequent gradual decrease in negativity with increasing composition. The excess Gibbs free energy of activation for viscous flow (ΔG*E ) are positive at all compositions and temperatures and reaches a maximum at 0.3 composition above which it decreases. These results have been interpreted on the basis of the type and nature of interactions as well as differences in molecular architecture between the solvent mixtures.

Mutation at the entrance of the quinone cavity severely disrupts quinone binding in respiratory complex I

In all resolved structures of complex I, there exists a tunnel-like Q-chamber for ubiquinone binding and reduction. The entrance to the Q-chamber in ND1 subunit forms a narrow bottleneck, which is rather tight and requires thermal conformational changes for ubiquinone to get in and out of the binding chamber. The substitution of alanine with threonine at the bottleneck (AlaThr MUT), associated with 3460/ND1 mtDNA mutation in human complex I, is implicated in Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON). Here, we show the AlaThr MUT further narrows the Q-chamber entrance cross-section area by almost 30%, increasing the activation free energy barrier of quinone passage by approximately 5 kJ mol−1. This severely disrupts quinone binding and reduction as quinone passage through the bottleneck is slowed down almost tenfold. Our estimate of the increase in free energy barrier is entirely due to the bottleneck narrowing, leading to a reduction of the transition state entropy between WT and MUT, and thus more difficult quinone passage. Additionally, we investigate details of possible water exchange between the Q-chamber and membrane. We find water exchange is dynamic in WT but may be severely slowed in MUT. We propose that LHON symptoms caused by 3460/ND1 mtDNA mutation are due to slowed quinone binding. This leads to an increased production of reactive oxidative species due to upstream electron backup at the FMN site of complex I, thus resulting in a mt bioenergetic defect.

Clumped isotope reordering kinetics in strontianite and witherite: Experiments and first-principles simulations

The carbonate clumped isotope (∆47) thermometer is a powerful tool for temperature reconstruction based on the thermodynamical 13C—18O bonding preference. Accurate interpretation of temperatures requires preservation of original carbonate ∆47 signatures, which are susceptible to resetting at elevated temperatures during burial. Kinetic models of carbonate 13C—18O bond reordering derived from experimental studies constrain the evaluation of ∆47 preservation and the reconstruction of thermal histories and initial temperatures for reordered carbonates. However, application of these models to different carbonates is limited because kinetic parameters vary with materials and are believed to be affected by factors such as crystal structure, cation, trace element composition, crystal defects, and internal water whose roles in reordering are still not well-understood. Here we present reordering data for strontianite and witherite from heating experiments and evaluate the effects of crystal structure, cation chemistry, cation vacancy and substitution, and internal water on reordering using constrained ab-initio molecular dynamics (cAIMD) simulations. We show that strontianite and witherite reorder significantly faster than other carbonates. Comparing experimental studies yields the following reordering rate sequence: strontianite > witherite > aragonite > calcite > dolomite. The general trend in Arrhenius activation energy for reordering is strontianite < witherite < aragonite < dolomite < calcite (with calcite values based on the average of individual materials). Our cAIMD simulations reveal a similar trend in free energy of activation for oxygen exchange in these carbonates. We suggest that orthorhombic carbonates are more susceptible to reordering than trigonal carbonates because of the shorter distance between carbonate groups and because the weaker M—O interaction in orthorhombic carbonates reduces the structural distortion and the energy cost during transition state formation. For carbonates sharing the same structure, the weak M—O bonding can be compensated by a large unit cell volume, leading to a non-systematic relationship between the free energy of activation and the cation radius. In simulations with lattice-bound water, the free energy of activation is greatly reduced compared with cation vacancy and substitution. The influence of fluid inclusions on measured reordering rates depends on the fraction of carbonates that can exchange with water as suggested by strontianite δ¹⁸O data. Our results serve as a starting point for a more sophisticated but flexible kinetic model containing material-specific factors (e.g., substituted ions, structure water, etc.) for reordering in abiotic and biotic carbonates.

Experimental analysis of volumetric, acoustic, viscometric and optical properties of water with 1-amino-2-propanol, 1,2-diaminopropane and 1,3-diaminopropane at T=298.15 -318.15 K: Molecular Modelling by Graph, PFP and IR spectroscopy investigations

BackgroundLiquid mixtures are used as a solvent in most of the natural systems and chemical processes. Therefore, the physicochemical properties of liquid mixtures at different compositions and at different temperatures have a significant role in the optimization of chemical processes. The present report involves the analysis of the thermophysical properties of water (1) and amines (2). MethodsDensity, ρ, dynamic viscosity, η, refractive index, nD, and speed of sound, u, data were measured for binary mixtures of water (1) and amines (1A2P (1-amino-2-propanol), 1,2-DAP (1,2-diaminopropane) and 1,3-DAP (1,3-diaminopropane) (2) at five different temperatures (T = 298.15 to 318.15 K) and at 0.1 MPa pressure. Based on experimental data, the excess molar volume, VmE, deviation in dynamic viscosity, Δη, excess Gibbs free energy of activation, G*E, deviation in refractive index, ΔnD, excess ultrasonic speed, uE, excess isentropic compressibility, KsE, deviation in free volume, ΔVf, excess available volume, VaE, and excess intermolecular free length, LfE, were calculated and these evaluated properties were fitted to Redlich-Kister polynomial (R.K.). The VmE data was analyzed by Prigogine-Flory-Patterson (PFP) theory. The dynamic viscosity, η, values were studied by different correlations. The VmE and Δη data were also analyzed by Graph theoretical approach (GTA). Raman and FT-IR spectroscopic studies give important information about the intermolecular interactions present between unlike molecules water (1) and amines (2) which is also recognized by GTA. Significant findingsThe value of VmE and KsE values were found negative over the whole composition range, and it follow the sequence as: 1,2-DAP > 1,3-DAP > 1A2P with water at equimolar composition. GTA and PFP well supported the VmE data. GTA studies help in investigating the specific intermolecular interactions between unlike components. Further, Graph theory studies predicted OH—–NH interaction is dominant interaction among all interactions which were also supported by Raman and FTIR spectroscopic studies.

Solvent effects on Diels–Alder reaction in ionic liquids: A reaction density functional study

Extensive experimental studies have been performed on the Diels–Alder (DA) reactions in ionic liquids (ILs), which demonstrate that the IL environment can significantly influence the reaction rates and selectivity. However, the underlying microscopic mechanism remains ambiguous. In this work, the multiscale reaction density functional theory is applied to explore the effect of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF6]) solvent on the reaction of cyclopentadiene (CP) with acrolein, methyl acrylate, or acrylonitrile. By analyzing the free energy landscape during the reaction, it is found that the polarization effect has a relatively small influence, while the solvation effect makes both the activation free energy and reaction free energy decrease. In addition, the rearrangement of local solvent structure shows that the cation spatial distribution responds more evidently to the reaction than the anion, and this indicates that the cation plays a dominant role in the solvation effect and so as to affect the reaction rates and selectivity of the DA reactions.