Strong Bases and beyond: The Prominent Contribution of Neutral Push-Pull Organic Molecules towards Superbases in the Gas Phase.

In this review, the principles of gas-phase proton basicity measurements and theoretical calculations are recalled as a reminder of how the basicity PA/GB scale, based on Brønsted-Lowry theory, was constructed in the gas-phase (PA-proton affinity and/or GB-gas-phase basicity in the enthalpy and Gibbs energy scale, respectively). The origins of exceptionally strong gas-phase basicity of some organic nitrogen bases containing N-sp (amines), N-sp (imines, amidines, guanidines, polyguanides, phosphazenes), and N-sp (nitriles) are rationalized. In particular, the role of push-pull nitrogen bases in the development of the gas-phase basicity in the superbasicity region is emphasized.

Nitriles with High Gas-Phase Basicity-Part II Transmission of the Push-Pull Effect through Methylenecyclopropene and Cyclopropenimine Scaffolds Intercalated between Different Electron Donor(s) and the Cyano N-Protonation Site.

This work extends our earlier quantum chemical studies on the gas-phase basicity of very strong N-bases to two series of nitriles containing the methylenecyclopropene and cyclopropenimine scaffolds with dissymmetrical substitution by one or two electron-donating substituents such as Me, NR, N=C (NR), and N=P (NR), the last three being strong donors. For a proper prediction of their gas-phase base properties, all potential isomeric phenomena and reasonable potential protonation sites are considered to avoid possible inconsistencies when evaluating the energetic parameters and associated protonation or deprotonation equilibria B + H = BH. More than 250 new isomeric structures for neutral and protonated forms are analyzed.

Evolution of Chemical Research in Nice, Côte d'Azur: From Early Laboratories to the 'Institut de Chimie de Nice'.

The 'Institut de Chimie de Nice' (ICN), founded in 2012, celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2022. Today, the ICN is part of the University Côte d'Azur (UCA), one out of nine excellence universities in France. ICN is also affiliated to the CNRS.

Enthalpies of Adduct Formation between Boron Trifluoride and Selected Organic Bases in Solution: Toward an Accurate Theoretical Entry to Lewis Basicity.

The Lewis basicity of selected organic bases, modeled by the enthalpies of adduct formation between gaseous BF and bases in dichloromethane (DCM) solution, is critically examined. Although experimental enthalpies for a large number of molecules have been reported in the literature, it may be desirable to estimate missing or uncertain data for important Lewis bases. We decided to use high-level ab initio procedures, combined with a polarized continuum solvation model, in which the solvated species were the clusters formed by specific hydrogen bonding of DCM with the Lewis base and the Lewis base/BF adduct.

Purine tautomeric preferences and bond-length alternation in relation with protonation-deprotonation and alkali metal cationization.

Quantum chemical calculations were carried out for deprotonated (P) and protonated purine (PH) and for adducts with one alkali metal cation (PM and PM, where M is Li or Na) in the gas phase {B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)}, a model of perfectly apolar environment, and for selected structures in aqueous solution {PCM(water)//B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)}, a reference polar medium for biological studies. All potential isomers of purine derivatives were considered, the favored structures indicated, and the preferred sites for protonation/deprotonation and cationization reactions determined. Proton and metal cation basicities of purine in the gas phase were discussed and compared with those of imidazole and pyrimidine.

On the Lewis Basicity of Phosphoramides: A Critical Examination of Their Donor Number through Comparison of Enthalpies of Adduct Formation with SbCl and BF.

The Lewis basicity of a series of phosphoryl compounds was examined using DFT and ab initio methods, including solvation effects. The enthalpies of adduct formation with two archetypal Lewis acids, antimony pentachloride and boron trifluoride, used to define the donor number DN and the BF affinity (BF A) respectively, were examined. The BF adducts allow the use of the high-accuracy G4 approach, whereas for SbCl adducts, three different DFT formalisms, including empirical dispersion corrections, were used because the G4 formalism is not available for third-row elements.

Exceptionally High Proton and Lithium Cation Gas-Phase Basicity of the Anti-Diabetic Drug Metformin.

Substituted biguanides are known for their biological effect, and a few of them are used as drugs, the most prominent example being metformin (1,1-dimethylbiguanide, IUPAC name: N,N-dimethylimidodicarbonimidic diamide). Because of the presence of hydrogen atoms at the amino groups, biguanides exhibit a multiple tautomerism. This aspect of their structures was examined in detail for unsubstituted biguanide and metformin in the gas phase.

Enhanced Basicity of Push-Pull Nitrogen Bases in the Gas Phase.

Nitrogen bases containing one or more pushing amino-group(s) directly linked to a pulling cyano, imino, or phosphoimino group, as well as those in which the pushing and pulling moieties are separated by a conjugated spacer (C═X), where X is CH or N, display an exceptionally strong basicity. The n-π conjugation between the pushing and pulling groups in such systems lowers the basicity of the pushing amino-group(s) and increases the basicity of the pulling cyano, imino, or phosphoimino group. In the gas phase, most of the so-called push-pull nitrogen bases exhibit a very high basicity.

Can Nitriles Be Stronger Bases Than Proton Sponges in the Gas Phase? A Computational Analysis.

DFT calculations have been performed for a series of push-pull nitriles [(R2N)n(X═Y)iC≡N, where i = 0, 1, or 2, n = 1, 2, or 3, R2N = H2N, Me2N, or C4H8N, X = CH, N, or P, Y = CH or N]. The possible protonation N-sites (N-cyano, N-imino, and N-amino) have been examined and their proton affinities (PA) estimated. For all compounds in the series, even for those containing the guanidino, phosphazeno, and diphosphazeno pushing groups, the N-cyano atom is the favored site of protonation.

Change of the favored routes of EI MS fragmentation when proceeding from N1, N1-dimethyl-N2-arylformamidines to 1,1,3,3-tetraalkyl-2-arylguanidines: substituent effects.

Although series of N(1), N(1)-dimethyl-N(2)-arylformamidines and of 1,1,3,3-tetraalkyl-2-arylguanidines are structurally analogous and similar electron-ionization mass spectral fragmentation may be expected, they display important differences in the favored routes of fragmentation and consequently in substituent effects on ion abundances. In the case of formamidines, the cyclization-elimination process (initiated by nucleophilic attack of the N-amino atom on the 2-position of the phenyl ring) and formation of the cyclic benzimidazolium [M-H](+) ions dominates, whereas the loss of the NR(2) group is more favored for guanidines. In order to gain information on the most probable structures of the principal fragments, quantum-chemical calculations were performed on a selected set.

A study of the cesium cation bonding to carboxylate anions by the kinetic method and quantum chemical calculations.

Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the Cs(+) heterodimer adducts of the nitrate anion (NO(3)(-)) and a variety of substituted benzoates (XBenz(-)) [(XBenz(-))(Cs(+))(NO(3)(-))](-) produces essentially nitrate and benzoate ions. A plot of the natural logarithm of their intensity ratio, ln[I (NO(3)(-))/I(XBenz(-))], versus the calculated cesium cation affinity (DFT B3LYP) of the substituted benzoate ions (equivalent to the enthalpy of heterolytic dissociation of the salt) is reasonably linear. This suggests that the kinetic method can be used as a source of data on the intrinsic interaction between the anionic and the cationic moieties in a salt.

Computational study of cesium cation interactions with neutral and anionic compounds related to soil organic matter.

The gas-phase cesium cation affinities (CsCAs) and basicities (CsCBs) for 56 simple neutral compounds (mostly aromatic molecules) and 41 anions (carboxylates and phenolates) were calculated using density functional theory (DFT), in the context of the interaction of Cs(+) with soil organic matter (SOM). The B3LYP/def2-TZVP method gives in general CsCAs and CsCBs in a good agreement with experimental data. The strong deviations in case of NO(3)(-) and CsSO(4)(-) anions need further experimental investigations as the high-level CCSD(T) calculations support B3LYP results.

Interaction of the cesium cation with mono-, di-, and tricarboxylic acids in the gas phase. A Cs+ affinity scale for cesium carboxylates ion pairs.

Humic substances (HS), including humic and fulvic acids, play a significant role in the fate of metals in soils. The interaction of metal cations with HS occurs predominantly through the ionized (anionic) acidic functions. In the context of the effect of HS on transport of radioactive cesium isotopes in soils, a study of the interaction between the cesium cation and model carboxylic acids was undertaken.

ICP-MS determination of trace elements in aerosols using a dynamic reaction cell: first results in PM10 comparing road and aerial traffic in Nice area (France).

An analytical methodology was developed for the determination of 21 trace elements in suspended particulate matter (PM) using a microwave digestion procedure associated with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The dynamic reaction cell (DRC) of the instrument was carefully optimized to eliminate polyatomic species causing spectral interferences for three specified elements (Cr, Fe, Mn). With this method, the detection limits based on the analysis of seven quartz fibre filters (QFF) considering a one-week sample (250 m3) varied between 0.

Complexes between lithium cation and diphenylalkanes in the gas phase: the pincer effect.

The gas-phase lithium cation basicities (LCB values, Gibbs free energies of binding) of alpha,omega-diphenylalkanes Ph-(CH(2))(n)-Ph (n=2, 3, or 7) and 1,1-diphenylethane Ph-CH(Me)-Ph were investigated by means of Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry. Their structures, and those of the corresponding Li(+) complexes were optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level and their relative stabilities calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. Whereas the most stable conformers of the free diphenylalkanes were found to adopt a completely stretched aliphatic chain connecting the two benzene rings, the most stable Li(+) complexes correspond to conformers in which the alkali metal cation interacts simultaneously with both benzene rings through the folding of the aliphatic chain ("pincer effect").

Ab initio and experimental thermodynamic and kinetic study of proton-assisted bond activation in gaseous hydrocarbons: deconvolution of reaction efficiencies in the case of adamantane.

1) Protonation at all possible sites of adamantane (C(10)H(16)) was studied at the MP2/6-311++G(3df,2p)//MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level. This provided values of the changes in the thermodynamic state functions for these processes. Whenever direct comparison was possible, the agreement with experimental data was very good.

Bonding energetics in clusters formed by cesium salts: a study by collision-induced dissociation and density functional theory.

In relation to the interaction between (137)Cs and soil organic matter, electrospray mass spectrometry experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out on the dissociation of positively charged adducts formed by cesium nitrate and cesium organic salts attached to a cesium cation [Cs(CsNO(3))(CsA)](+) (A = benzoate, salicylate, hydrogen phthalate, hydrogen maleate, hydrogen fumarate, hydrogen oxalate, and hydrogen malonate ion). These mixed clusters were generated by electrospray from methanol solutions containing cesium nitrate and an organic acid. Collision-induced dissociation of [Cs(CsNO(3))(CsA)](+) in a quadrupole ion trap gave [Cs(CsNO(3))](+) and [Cs(CsA)](+) as major product ions.

SPME sampling of BTEX before GC/MS analysis: examples of outdoor and indoor air quality measurements in public and private sites.

This article presents the results of an exploratory application of the Solid Phase MicroExtraction (SPME) technique to the analysis of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) at the microg/m3 level in outdoor and indoor air. The salient features of the method validation are reported. As shown by the various examples of field sampling described, SPME technique appears as a method of choice for fast qualitative analysis and quantitative determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).

Thermogravimetric calibration of permeation tubes used for the preparation of gas standards for air pollution analysis.

Sources of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) reference-materials at ppm and ppb levels are needed for calibration of air monitoring instruments. The permeation-tube technique is considered effective for the preparation of low concentration standards of high accuracy and stability. In this work, purpose-built PTFE permeation tubes, containing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene or m-xylene (BTEX) were accurately and rapidly calibrated.

Acidity trends in alpha,beta-unsaturated sulfur, selenium, and tellurium derivatives: comparison with C-, Si-, Ge-, Sn-, N-, P-, As-, and Sb-containing analogues.

The gas-phase acidity of CH3-CH2XH (X=S, Se, Te), CH2=CHXH (X=S, Se, Te) and PhXH (X=S, Se) compounds was measured by means of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. To analyze the role that unsaturation plays on the intrinsic acidity of these systems, a parallel theoretical study, in the framework of the G2 and the G2(MP2) theories, was carried out for all ethyl, ethenyl (vinyl), ethynyl, and phenyl O-, S-, Se-, and Te-containing derivatives. Unsaturated compounds are stronger acids than their saturated analogues, because of the strong pi-electron donor ability of the heteroatoms that contributes to a large stabilization of the unsaturated anions.

Investigations of cluster ions formed between cesium cations and benzoic, salicylic and phthalic acids by electrospray mass spectrometry and density-functional theory calculations. Toward a modeling of the interaction of Cs+ with humic substances.

A concerted theoretical (density-functional theory) and experimental electrospray mass spectrometry study was conducted on the formation of cesium cation adducts with small molecules taken as models of specific interactions sites in humic substances. Electrospray experiments with phenol, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, and phthalic acid, in methanolic solution containing cesium nitrate, were performed using a quadrupole ion trap. The formation of positively charged mixed clusters, [Cs(CsNO3)(n)(CsA1)(m)(Cs2A2)(p)]+ (A1 = benzoate, salicylate, and hydrogenophthalate, A2 = phthalate), was observed.

Determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes in air by solid phase micro-extraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

The aim of the study was to analyse BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) in air by solid phase micro-extraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME/GC/MS), and this article presents the features of the calibration method proposed. Examples of real-world air analysis are given. Standard gaseous mixtures of BTEX in air were generated by dynamic dilution.

Experimental and theoretical evidence of basic site preference in polyfunctional superbasic amidinazine: N(1),N(1)-dimethyl-N(2)-beta-(2-pyridylethyl)formamidine.

The gas-phase basicity (GB) of the flexible polyfunctional N(1),N(1)-dimethyl-N(2)-beta-(2-pyridylethyl)formamidine (1) containing two potential basic sites (the ring N-aza and the chain N-imino) is obtained from proton-transfer equilibrium constant measurements, using Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Comparison of the experimental GB obtained for 1 with those reported for model amidines and azines indicates that the chain N-imino in the amidine group is the favored site of protonation. Semiempirical (AM1) and ab initio calculations (HF, MP2, and DFT), performed for 1 and its protonated forms, confirm this interpretation.

A quadrupole ion trap and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance concerted study of the kinetics of an ion/molecule association reaction: a chemometric approach.

The effects of different experimental parameters on rate constant measurements performed by mass spectrometry were investigated with a two-level fractional factorial design. This chemometric technique allows a study of the effects of selected factors and of their interactions on the response of an experiment by performing a limited number of analyses. The selected factors were: sample pressure, energy of the ionising electrons, reaction time and ionisation time.