Specific Solvent Interactions Research Articles

Unravelling ionic liquid solvent effects for a non-polar Cope rearrangement reaction.

The impact of ionic liquids (ILs) on polar reactions is well recognised, however the impact of ILs on non-polar reactions is less well understood or explored. Pericyclic Cope rearrangements are highly concerted, exhibit minimal charge localisation and pass through an uncharged but well-defined transition state, and thus provide a good mechanism for exploring the impact of IL polarizability on chemical reactivity. Recently, a 10× rate enhancement has been observed for the Cope rearrangement of 3-phenyl-1,5-hexadiene in the IL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [C4C1im][NTf2] compared to benzene. In this work we undertake a DFT based computational study (B3LYP-D3BJ/6-311+G(d,p) and M06-2X-D3/6-311+G(d,p)) of the Cope rearrangement of 3-phenyl-1,5-hexadiene and 3-propyl-hexa-1,5-diene in molecular solvents (acetonitrile, benzene and ethanol) and the IL [C4C1im][NTf2] using the SMD solvation model. The impact of benzene and [C4C1im][NTf2] on the Cope rearrangement of 3-phenyl-1,5-hexadiene is studied in more detail and we provide insight into the reason for the rate enhancement in an IL. The volume of activation is evaluated and the potential impact of 'solvent pressure' is discussed. We identify two potential mechanisms for volume effects to contribute to the rate enhancement. Solvent association energies are evaluated at the DLNPO-CCSD(T) level. Specific solvent interactions are explored through atomic partial charge, molecular orbital and bond critical point analysis, as well as via non-colvalent interaction (NCI) plots, electrostatic potential (ESP) differences and density difference Δρ(r) plots. We find that the cation and anion together form an extensive van der Waals pocket in-which the transition state (TS) sits. Electron density within the TS is anisotropically polarised via a 'push-pull' effect due to the dual cation-anion nature of the IL, stabilising the TS relative to benzene. We also provide experimental evidence that these effects are generalisable to other ILs. Overall, our aim is to provide a deeper moleuclar level understanding of the impact of ILs on non-polar reactions.

Specific versus Nonspecific Solvent Interactions of a Biomolecule in Water.

Solvent interactions, particularly hydration, are vital in chemical and biochemical systems. Model systems reveal microscopic details of such interactions. We uncover a specific hydrogen-bonding motif of the biomolecular building block indole (C8H7N), tryptophan's chromophore, in water: a strong localized N-H···OH2 hydrogen bond, alongside unstructured solvent interactions. This insight is revealed from a combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the electronic structure of indole in aqueous solution. We recorded the complete X-ray photoemission and Auger spectrum of aqueous-phase indole, quantitatively explaining all peaks through ab initio modeling. The efficient and accurate technique for modeling valence and core photoemission spectra involves the maximum-overlap method and the nonequilibrium polarizable-continuum model. A two-hole electron-population analysis quantitatively describes the Auger spectra. Core-electron binding energies for nitrogen and carbon highlight the specific interaction with a hydrogen-bonded water molecule at the N-H group and otherwise nonspecific solvent interactions.

Impact of solvent interactions on 1H and 13C chemical shifts investigated using DFT and a reference dataset recorded in CDCl3 and CCl4.

1H and 13C chemical shifts of 35 small, rigid molecules were measured under standardized conditions in chloroform-d and in tetrachloromethane. The solvent change mainly affects carbon shifts of polar functional groups. This difference due to specific interactions with CDCl3 cannot be adequately reproduced by DFT calculations in implicit solvent. The new dataset provides an accurate basis for the validation and calibration of shift calculations, especially with respect to improved solvent models.

Disentangling Time Scales of Vibrational Cooling, Solvation, and Hydrogen Bond Reorganization Dynamics Using Ultrafast Transient Infrared Spectroscopy of Formylperylene.

Unraveling dynamics of solvation and hydrogen bond (H-bond) reorganization between a solute and solvent is crucial to understand the importance of specific and nonspecific interactions in a solution-phase chemical reaction. Ultrafast time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectroscopy provides direct opportunity to monitor site-specific intermolecular dynamics on a real-time scale by probing vibrational marker bands in the excited state of a solute. Herein, we report the real-time dynamics of vibrational cooling, solvation, and hydrogen bond reorganization of formylperylene (FPe) through TRIR spectroscopy of carbonyl (C═O) stretching mode in nonpolar, polar aprotic, and polar protic solvents. High sensitivity of the C═O stretch frequency (υ̅C═O) to photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer processes induced by specific and nonspecific solvent interactions led us to monitor the dynamics of dipolar solvation, site-specific H-bond formation, and reorganization processes by the TRIR method. In nonpolar cyclohexane, the υ̅C═O stretch band appears at 1610 cm-1 and exhibits negligible spectral shift over several tens of picoseconds. In acetonitrile, the υ̅C═O peak shifts to 1594 cm-1 and exhibits a further temporal red shift of about 5 cm-1 with a characteristic solvation time scale of acetonitrile (τ ∼ 0.5 ps). In methanol, υ̅C═O exhibits two bands corresponding to free and H-bonded FPe in early time scale. The free FPe population converts to the hydrogen-bonded population with a lifetime of about 10 ps. Vibrational cooling (τvc ∼ 12-20 ps) in the excited electronic state of FPe could independently be monitored from the temporal dynamics of the ring vibration mode, which is less sensitive to solvation and hydrogen bonding. The present study provides insight into the specific and nonspecific solvation-controlled charge transfer dynamics in aprotic and protic solvents using FPe as a probe.

Characterization of the Photophysical Behavior of DFHBI Derivatives: Fluorogenic Molecules that Illuminate the Spinach RNA Aptamer.

( Z)-5-(3,5-Difluoro-4-hydroxybenzylidene)-2,3-dimethyl-3,5-dihydro-4 H-imidazol-4-one (DFHBI) and its analogues are fluorogenic molecules that bind the Spinach aptamer (a small RNA molecule), which was selected for imaging RNA. They are extremely weakly fluorescent in liquid solvents. It had been hypothesized that photoisomerization is a very efficient nonradiative process of deactivation. We show, consistent with the results of other studies, that if the isomerization is impeded, the fluorescence signal is enhanced significantly. In addition, we provide a thorough characterization of the photophysical behavior of DFHBI and its derivatives, notably that of ( Z)-5-(3,5-difluoro-4-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-methyl-3-((perfluorophenyl)methyl)-3,5-dihydro-4 H-imidazol-4-one (PFP-DFHBI) in various solvent environments. Solvent-dependent studies were performed with various mixtures of solvents. The results suggest that hydrogen bonding or strong interactions of the solvents with the phenolic-OH group change the absorption band near 420-460 nm and the nature of emission near 430 and 500 nm through various degrees of stabilization and the transformation between the neutral and the anionic species at both ground and excited states. These observations are confirmed by using a methoxy-substituted molecule (( Z)-5-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-2,3-dimethyl-3,5-dihydro-4 H-imidazol-4-one), where the 420-460 nm band is absent in the presence of methanol and the spectra are similar to those of PFP-DFHBI in noninteracting solvents, such as acetonitrile and dichloromethane. Thus, in addition to the major role of photoisomerization as a nonradiative process of deactivation of the excited state, the fluorescence of DFHBI-type molecules is very sensitively dependent upon the pH of the medium as well as upon solvent-specific interactions, such as hydrogen-bonding ability and polarity.

Reverse osmosis separation of particular organic solvent mixtures by a perfluorodioxole copolymer membrane

Reverse osmosis (RO) separation of organic solvent mixtures where solvent molecular weights are < 100 Da is challenging especially for powerful solvents that swell most uncrosslinked polymers. To avoid polymer swelling by solvents, a particular perfluoropolymer, perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole copolymerized with tetrafluoroethylene, (PDD-TFE), designated CMS-7, was studied. This amorphous glassy extremely hydrophobic copolymer has a very high free volume (FV) fraction. The maximum dimension of FV regions is less than ~ 0.65 nm allowing only single solvent molecule permeation. Further, interactions between polarity, dimensions and shapes of solvent molecules with those of polymer FV elements can lead to extraordinarily selective permeation. RO separation of the following binary systems through a thin 1.67 µm film of this polymer supported on an e-PTFE support was studied over 1000–3500 kPa feed pressure: N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)-toluene; dimethylformamide (DMF)-toluene; dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-toluene; NMP-methanol; n-butanol-ethanol. Pure toluene appeared as permeate for three polar aprotic-aromatic systems from highly toluene-rich feeds; the membrane rejected polar molecules having dimensions similar to those of toluene. High osmotic pressure of the feed mixtures employed vis-à-vis feed pressures used reduced toluene permeation flux and the range of separable feed mixtures. Pure methanol permeate was obtained from particular polar aprotic-polar protic NMP-methanol mixtures due to significantly smaller methanol dimensions. Pure ethanol permeate was also similarly obtained from a particular mixture with n-butanol, a case of polar protic1-polar protic2 system where ethanol molecules were smaller. Such novel and clean-cut pressure-driven separations may be due to various combinations of the dimensions of the solvent molecules and the polymer FV regions, high polymer hydrophobicity, polarity of the aprotic/protic solvents and very low swelling of the polymer. Solvent sorption studies of dense polymers provide an insight into swelling of the polymer by the solvent and potential solvent-specific interactions. Sorption studies using 25 µm polymer samples for polar aprotic solvents, NMP, DMF, DMSO, yielded very low levels of sorption, 0.4–0.9 wt%; those for toluene and methanol were already known to be only 1.34 and 1.2 wt% respectively. Permeation behaviors of other solvent mixtures, toluene-n-heptane, NMP-tetrahydrofuran, methanol-water, ethanol-water as well as individual phases of the immiscible mixture of NMP and the nonpolar solvent n-heptane were also studied. To improve understanding, permeation of pure water in reverse osmosis mode was also investigated.

Solubility and Preferential Solvation of Piroxicam in Neat Solvents and Binary Systems

AbstractThe solubilization and solvatochromic behavior of piroxicam (PRX) were analyzed using UV-vis spectroscopy in neat (protic and aprotic) and binary solvent mixtures. The effects of solvent dipolarity/polarizability and solvent–solute hydrogen bonding interactions on the absorption maxima were evaluated by means of the linear solvation energy relationship concept of Kamlet and Taft. This analysis indicated that both interactions play an important role in the position of the absorption maxima in neat solvents. While, the PRX solubility depends on the solute–solvent specific interactions, polarizability and the cohesive forces of the solvent, manifested mainly by means of the Hildebrand’s solubility parameter. Preferential solvation (PS) was studied in 10 binary mixtures. A non-ideal behavior of the wavenumber curve as the function of analytical mole fraction of co-solvent was detected. Index of preferential solvation, as well as the influence of solvent parameters were calculated. The process of dissolution was analyzed in aqueous binary mixtures of ethanol, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. They were not spontaneous in all proportions, but when water concentration decreases in the mixtures, the process becomes more spontaneous.

Liquid water changes its structure at 43 °C

Analysis of the changes in specific (HBD acidity and HBA basicity) and general nonspecific (polarizability and dipolarity) solvent interactions in liquid water, as determined by means of solvatochromic probes, shows that this liquid undergoes an internal structural change with increasing temperature, connected with a small increase of its polarizability and basicity as well as a comparatively larger decrease of its dipolarity. This change in the structure of water shows up in a non-uniform change in the behavior of these solvent parameters in going to temperatures higher than 43°C. Liquid water simultaneously decreases its acidity with the rise of temperature.

A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Stereodynamics of Monoaza[5]helicenes: Solvent-Induced Increase of the Enantiomerization Barrier in 1-Aza-[5]helicene.

Helicenes and heterohelicenes are attractive compounds with great potential in materials sciences to be used in optoelectronics as ligand backbones in enantioselective catalysis and as chiral sensors. The properties of these materials are related to the stereodynamics of these helical chiral compounds. However, little is known about features controlling stereodynamics in helicenes; in particular, for heterohelicenes the position of the heteroatom could be relevant in this respect. Herein the complete stereodynamic characterization of monoaza[5]helicenes is shown by enantioselective dynamic HPLC and DFT calculations. At variance with previous theoretical calculations, 1-aza[5]helicene shows a surprisingly high enantiomerization barrier, which is triggered by specific solvent interactions.

Solvent dependence of protonation equilibria for gallic acid in water and different acetonitrile–water cosolvent systems

The stoichiometric dissociation constants (pK) of gallic acid were determined in water and several mixed solvents comprising 10–90% (v/v) acetonitrile in water at a temperature of 24.0±0.5°C and an ionic strength of 0.10moldm−3 KCl medium. In this study, the protonation equilibrium values were calculated from potentiometric measurements and the influence of organic solvent composition on the equilibria was correlated with Born electrostatic model and the Kamlet, Abboud and Taft (KAT) solvatochromic parameters of acetonitrile–water mixtures. The pK values obtained increase when the amount of acetonitrile solvent increases in system investigated. The KAT single and multiple correlation analysis suggest that the specific and non-specific solvent interactions including hydrogen-bond donor ability (α), hydrogen-bond acceptor ability (β) and dipolarity/polarizability (π*) are dominating factors which control the protonation equilibria in system under study.

Structure and dynamics of H2O vis-á-vis phenylalanine recognition at a DPPC lipid membrane via interfacial H-bond types: insights from polarized FT-IRRAS and ADMP simulations.

Preferential and enantioselective interactions of L-/D-Phenylalanine (L-Phe and D-Phe) and butoxycarbonyl-protected L-/D-Phenylalanine (LPA and DPA) as guest with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (L-DPPC) as host were tapped by using real time Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (FT-IRRAS). Polarization-modulated FT-IRRAS of DPPC monolayers above the phenylalanine modified subphases depicted fine structure/conformation differences under considerations of controlled 2D surface pressure. Selective molecular recognition of D-enantiomer over L-enantiomer driven by the DPPC head group via H-bonding and electrostatic interactions was evident spectroscopically. Accordingly, binding constants (K) of 145, 346, 28, and 56 M(-1) for LPA, DPA, L-Phe, and D-Phe, respectively, were estimated. The real time FT-IRRAS water bands were strictly conformation sensitive. The effect of micro-solvation on the structure and stability of the 1:1 diastereomeric L-lipid⋯, LPA/DPA and L-lipid⋯, (L/D)-Phe adducts was investigated with the aid of Atom-centered Density Matrix Propagation (ADMP), a first principle quantum mechanical molecular dynamics approach. The phosphodiester fragment was the primary site of hydration where specific solvent interactions were simulated through single- and triple- "water-phosphate" interactions, as water cluster's "tetrahedral dice" to a "trimeric motif" transformation as a partial de-clusterization was evident. Under all the hydration patterns considered in both static and dynamic descriptions of density functional theory, L-lipid/D-amino acid enantiomer adducts continued to be stable structures while in dynamic systems, water rearranged without getting "squeezed-out" in the process of recognition. In spite of the challenging computational realm of this multiscale problem, the ADMP simulated molecular interactions complying with polarized vibrational spectroscopy unraveled a novel route to chiral recognition and interfacial water structure.

Synthesis, chemical–optical characterization and solvent interaction effect of novel fluorene-chromophores with D–A–D structure

Abstract The synthesis, chemical characterization and optical studies of three novel fluorene derivatives is reported. These compounds comprise a D–A–D architecture with fluorene moieties as donor groups and fluorenone or benzothiadiazole derivatives as acceptor groups. Theoretical analysis confirmed the existence and the nature of two principal electronic transitions (π → π* and intramolecular charge transfer). Spectroscopic studies in solution revealed that the intramolecular charge transfer character, and in turn the two-photon activity i.e., the fluorescence induced by two-photon absorption, is strongly affected by solvent polarity. The influence of specific solvent–solute interactions over emission properties was also studied through Lippert–Mataga plot. Evaluation of the two-photon absorption cross-sections, gave a maximum value of 105 GM (1 GM = 10−50 cm4 s) in toluene and a minimum value of 23 GM in THF solutions at 750 nm for the fluorenone derivative, a molecule with poor intramolecular charge transfer character and thus weak two-photon absorption; however the benzothiadiazole derivative, with stronger intramolecular charge transfer transition, produced a maximum value of 1000 GM in THF and a minimum value of 236 GM in methanol. Fluorescence quantum efficiency of these compounds was also affected by the medium, with fluorescence quenching in protic solvents such as methanol due to specific solvent interactions (i.e., hydrogen-bonding). Nevertheless, in a more polar medium such as water, nanoaggregates synthesized from the benzothiadiazole derivative exhibited good two-photon activity, i.e., ∼500 GM and fluorescence quantum efficiency of 0.83. Furthermore, these nanoaggregates exhibited more resistance against photodegradation processes than any of the organic solutions tested.

Vibrational Solvatochromism in Vaska’s Complex Adducts

The vibrational solvatochromism of bis(triphenylphosphine) iridium(I) carbonyl chloride (Vaska's complex, VC) was investigated by FTIR spectroscopy. The carbonyl stretching frequency (ν(CO)) was measured in 16 different organic solvents with a wide range of Lewis acidities for VC and its dioxygen (VC-O(2)), hydride (VC-H(2)), iodide (VC-I(2)), bromide (VC-Br(2)), and sulfide (VC-S(X)) adducts. The ν(CO) of the VC-O(2) complex was sensitive to the solvent electrophilicity, whereas minimal correlation was found for VC and the other adducts. The stretching frequency of the trans-O(2) ligand on VC-O(2) was measured to be anticorrelated with ν(CO), supporting a model in which this ligand indirectly affects the carbonyl frequency by modulating the extent of metal-to-CO back-bonding. The ν(CO) values obtained from DFT calculations on VC adducts with solvent continua and explicit hydrogen bonds were used to aid the interpretations of the experimental results. The O(2) ligand is more susceptible to stronger specific solvent interactions and it binds in a fundamentally different mode from the monatomic ligands, providing a more direct communication channel with those metal d-orbitals that have the appropriate symmetry to back-bond into the carbonyl π*-orbital.

X-ray crystal structures of solvated bisimidazole derivatives including a half-way analogous lophine-type compound

The tetrachloro and tetrabromo substituted bisimidazoles 1,4-bis(4,5-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzene (1) and 1,4-bis(4,5-bis(4-bromophenyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzene (2), respectively, as well as a corresponding aldehydic intermediate imidazole 4-(4,5-bis(4-bromophenyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzaldehyde (3) have been synthesized. Respective solvated complexes [1 DMSO (1:2)] (1a), [2 (1,4-dioxane) (1:5)](2a) and [3 DMSO · H2O (1:1:1)] (3a) were isolated and structurally studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Although the central three-membered ring systems in 1 and 2 are almost coplanar, there is no relevant stacking between the molecules. However, 1 and 2 show a distinct difference in conformation with respect to the orientation of the imidazole rings which is cisoid in 1a and transoid in 2a, being attributed to the specific solvent interactions. Hydrogen bonds of N—H···O, C—H···O and C—H···π type are found in all structures while Cl···Cl contacts are characteristic of 1a, Br···O and C—H···Br of 2a, and O—H···O and Br···Br contacts of the crystal structure of 3a. Owing to the formation of solvated crystals, especially the compounds 1 and 2 are represented as potential new inclusion hosts.

Synthesis, structure, and solvatochromic properties of pharmacologically active 5-substituted 5-phenylhydantoins

A series of 5-substituted 5-phenylhydantoins was synthesized and their UV absorption spectra were recorded in the region 200–400 nm in selected solvents of different polarity. The effects of solvent dipolarity/polarizability and solvent–solute hydrogen-bonding interactions were analyzed by means of the linear solvation energy relationship concept proposed by Kamlet and Taft. The lipophilicities of the investigated hydantoins were estimated by calculation of their log P values. The quantitative relationship between the ratio of the contributions of specific solvent interactions and the corresponding lipophilicity parameter is discussed. The correlation equations were combined with the corresponding ED50 values and different physicochemical parameters to generate new equations that demonstrate the reasonable relationships between solute–solvent interactions and the structure–activity parameters. In order to determine a spectroscopic assignment of the absorption bands in different solvents, quantum chemical calculations were done.

Time resolved spectroscopy of 2-(dimethylamine)fluorene. Solvent effects and photophysical behavior

The effect of different solvents on the fluorescent properties of 2-(dimethylamine)fluorene (DAF) were studied. In aprotic solvents we detected a strongly emissive intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state that decayed by intersystem crossing to triplet. In proton-accepting solvents DAF exhibits in the excited state an intramolecular proton transfer. An ionized species is postulated, which simultaneously twists to a rotated conformation in the excited state. Thus, the specific solvent interactions supplement but do not replace the twist mechanism and accompany the charge transfer accepted as the prerequisite for twisted intramolecular charged transfer (TICT) state formation.

A correlation-based predictor for pair-association in ionic liquids

Pair association in Ionic Liquids is an important quantity that affects many of their physical and chemical properties. However, the association constant is a complex function of the component ions as well as of the solvent environment, and no single theory can compute or predict it with quantitative accuracy. In this work we analyze infinite-dilution association data from a number of recent conductance measurements, and develop a linear model correlating the association constant with two relevant interaction energies, i.e., (1) the dielectrically screened Coulomb attraction and hydrogen bonding between ion-pairs, and (2) the ion solvation energy, which in turn takes into account solvent-specific interactions like hydrogen-bond acidity/basicity and hydrophobic/hydrophilic interactions. The results reveal the unique nature of water as a solvent in that it affects ionic association in ways qualitatively different from other common solvents.

Chlorination of ammonia and aliphatic amines by Cl2: DFT study of medium and substituent effects

AbstractThe mechanism of chlorination of ammonia and aliphatic amines by Cl2 was studied by quantum‐chemical calculations using a series of DFT functionals. Three different reaction pathways were considered for the reaction between Cl2 and NH3 in the gas phase. Several intermediates and transition state structures, not described earlier, were located on the corresponding potential energy surface. It is calculated that the reaction field effects (SCIPCM) on the chlorination is much less pronounced than the effect of a specific solvent interaction which was modeled by an explicit water molecule. It is also found that the calculated energy barrier and the reaction free energy of the chlorination of different amines are dependent on the alkyl‐substituent effects. With increase in the basicity of amine, the chlorination reaction becomes more feasible. Calculated geometries of intermediates and overall reaction energetics are significantly influenced by the method for a treatment of electron correlation (DFT vs. MP2), and by the fraction of HF exchange (χ) in DFT functionals. With increase in the χ in the corresponding functional, the DFT results approach those obtained at the MP2 level, and are closer to experimental values, as well. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Solvent effect on the physical quenching of singlet molecular oxygen by p-quinones

Rate constants for the interaction between singlet molecular oxygen [O2(1 delta g)] and the p-quinones 1,4-benzoquinone (BQ), duroquinone (DQ), 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) and 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (OHAQ) are reported for several solvents at room temperature. The solvent effect on the total quenching rate constant (kt) was analysed employing the semiempirical solvatochromic equation proposed by Kamlet and Taft. The higher values of kt (2-7 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1)) were obtained when the hydrogen-bond donor solvent ability is increased (higher alpha parameter values). The results indicate the importance of specific solvent interactions in governing the rates of the quenching.

Solvent Effects on the Structure-Activity Relationship of Pharmacological Active 3-Substituted-5,5-Diphenylhydantoins

Absorption spectra of eight 3-substituted-5,5-diphenylhydantoins have been recorded in fourteen solvents in the range 200–400 nm. The effect of solvent dipolarity/polarizability and solvent/solute hydrogen bonding interactions are analyzed by means of the linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) concept proposed by Kamlet and Taft. The lipophilic activity of the investigated hydantoins was estimated by the calculation of log 10 P values with the Advanced Chemistry Development Software. The calculated values of log 10 P were correlated with the ratio of the contributions of specific solvent interactions, and, by employing the linear dependence thus obtained, the pharmacological activity of the studied hydantoin derivatives is discussed.