Publications by authors named "Bruna L Marcial"

The bond strength and nature of a set of 32 Togni-like reagents have been investigated at the M062X/def2-TZVP(D) level of theory in acetonitrile described with the SMD continuum solvent model, to rationalize the main factors responsible for their thermodynamic stability in different conformations, and trifluoromethylation capabilities. For the assessment of bond strength, we utilized local stretching force constants and associated bond strength orders, complemented with local features of the electron density to access the nature of the bonds. Bond dissociation energies varied from 31.

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Incorporation of a metal center into halogen-bonded materials can efficiently fine-tune the strength of the halogen bonds and introduce new electronic functionalities. The metal atom can adopt two possible roles: serving as halogen acceptor or polarizing the halogen donor and acceptor groups. We investigated both scenarios for 23 metal-halogen dimers trans-M(Y)(NCHX-3) with M = Pd(II), Pt(II); Y = F, Cl, Br; X = Cl, Br, I; and NCHX-3 = 3-halopyridine.

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Molecular acidity is an important physicochemical property, which is often represented by the pK value as the measure of acidity strength. However, the accurate calculation and prediction of pK values is still an unsolved problem for computational chemistry. In this work, we present for the first time a direct correlation between pK values and local vibrational frequencies for 15 different groups of compounds with various substituents.

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The present study focuses on the direct interaction of chemically modified tetracyclines (CMTs) with the active site of the matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2). Molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and free energy calculations were accomplished for seven CMT derivatives. New sets of parameters are proposed for structural and catalytic zinc atoms in order to study MMPs and their complexes by means of the AMBER force field.

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In this article, we conducted an extensive ab initio study on the importance of the level of theory and the basis set for theoretical predictions of the structure and reactivity of cisplatin [cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cDDP)]. Initially, the role of the basis set for the Pt atom was assessed using 24 different basis sets, including three all-electron basis sets (ABS). In addition, a modified all-electron double zeta polarized basis set (mDZP) was proposed by adding a set of diffuse d functions onto the existing DZP basis set.

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Ab initio structural parameters, relative energies and spectroscopic properties are reported for the 5a,6-anhydrotetracycline-platinum(II) dichloride complex. Distinct coordination modes were analyzed in gas phase and aqueous medium indicating the tricarbonylmethane moiety (O3-Oam-O1) as the most probable Pt(II) complexation sites, supporting experimental proposals. The theoretical (1)H NMR analysis in conjunction with the observed data suggests that the Pt(II) might be bound to the O3-Oam preferentially, even though this site was found slightly unfavorable, based on energetic grounds, relative to O1-Oam.

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