A tetrazole-based fluorescence "turn-on" sensor for Al(III) and Zn(II) ions and its application in bioimaging.

A tetrazole derivative 1-[(1H-tetrazol-5-ylimino)methyl]naphthalen-2-ol (H2L) as a fluorescent chemosensor for Al(3+) in DMSO and Zn(2+) in DMF was designed and synthesized. From (1)H NMR data, the Job plot and the ESI-MS spectrum, 1 : 1 stoichiometric complexation between H2L and Al(3+)/Zn(2+) was found in DMSO and DMF, respectively. The theoretical calculations at the level of B3LYP/6-311G** for the ground state and TD-B3LYP/6-311G** for the excited state revealed the sensing mechanism is the inhibition of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT).

Theoretical investigation of the first-shell mechanism of acetylene hydration catalyzed by a biomimetic tungsten complex.

The reaction mechanism of the hydration of acetylene to acetaldehyde catalyzed by [W(IV)O(mnt)(2)](2-) (where mnt(2-) is 1,2-dicyanoethylenedithiolate) is studied using density functional theory. Both the uncatalyzed and the catalyzed reaction are considered to find out the origin of the catalysis. Three different models are investigated, in which an aquo, a hydroxo, or an oxo coordinates to the tungsten center.

Modeling, preparation, and characterization of a dipole moment switch driven by Z/E photoisomerization.

We report the results of a multidisciplinary research effort where the methods of computational photochemistry and retrosynthetic analysis/synthesis have contributed to the preparation of a novel N-alkylated indanylidene-pyrroline Schiff base featuring an exocyclic double bond and a permanent zwitterionic head. We show that, due to its large dipole moment and efficient photoisomerization, such a system may constitute the prototype of a novel generation of electrostatic switches achieving a reversible light-induced dipole moment change on the order of 30 D. The modeling of a peptide fragment incorporating the zwitterionic head into a conformationally rigid side chain shows that the switch can effectively modulate the fluorescence of a tryptophan probe.

Theoretical studies on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent transamination of alpha-amino acids.

Density functional methods have been applied to investigate the irreversible transamination between glyoxylic acid and pyridoxamine analog and the catalytic mechanism for the critical [1,3] proton transfer step in aspartate aminotransferase (AATase). The results indicate that the catalytic effect of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) may be attributed to its ability to stabilize related transition states through structural resonance. Additionally, the PLP hydroxyl group and the carboxylic group of the amino acid can shuttle proton, thereby lowering the barrier.

Highly efficient and site-selective [3 + 2] cycloaddition of carbene-derived ambident dipoles with ketenes for a straightforward synthesis of spiro-pyrrolidones.

The [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of 2-arylthiocarbamoyl benzimidazolium, -imidazolinium, and -triazolium inner salts (the ambident C-C-N and C-C-S 1,3-dipoles derived from carbenes) with ketenes proceeded efficiently in a highly site-selective manner to produce the C-C-N cycloaddition products benzimidazoline-, imidazolidine-, or triazoline spiro-pyrrolidones in 58-93% yields. Theoretical calculation suggests a stepwise mechanism for the reaction and indicates that the C-C-N cycloaddition of the dipoles with ketenes is both a dynamically and thermodynamically favored reaction pathway. Their easy availability, high reactivity, and reaction selectivity render the benzimidazolium, -imidazolinium, and -triazolium inner salts powerful and versatile 1,3-dipoles in the construction of novel spiro heterocyclic systems, which are not easily accessible by other methods.

Water-assisted transamination of glycine and formaldehyde.

A computational study on the transamination reaction of molecular complexes that consist of NH2CH2COOH + CH2O + nH2O, where n = 0, 1, 2, is presented. This work has allowed the description of the geometries of all the intermediates and transition states of the reactions, which can be described by five steps: carbinolamine formation, dehydration, 1,3 proton transfer, hydrolysis, and carbinolamine elimination. Among the five steps of the reaction, hydrolysis and elimination occur with the existence of general acid catalysis related to the carboxylic group.

Combined nonadiabatic transition-state theory and ab initio molecular dynamics study on selectivity of the alpha and beta bond fissions in photodissociation of bromoacetyl chloride.

The selectivity of the alpha C-Cl and beta C-Br bond fissions upon n-->pi(*) excitation of bromoacetyl chloride has been investigated with combined nonadiabatic Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory and ab initio molecular dynamics calculations, which are based on the potential energy profiles calculated with the complete active space self-consistent field and multireference configuration interaction methods. The Zhu-Nakamura [J. Chem.

Insights into the photochemical processes of ClC(O)SCl from ab initio calculations.

All possible unimolecular processes upon photolysis of ClC(O)SCl in the UV-visible region have been characterized in the present paper through the optimized stationary structures and computed potential-energy profiles of the S0, S1, T2, and S2 states with the MP2, B3LYP, CASSCF, and MR-CI methods in conjugation with the cc-pVDZ basis set. Upon photoexcitation in the range of 300-400 nm, the ClC(O)SCl molecules are excited to the S1 state. From this state, the dissociation into ClC(O)S + Cl takes place immediately and subsequently Cl2 and SCO are formed.

Striving to understand the photophysics and photochemistry of thiophosgene: a combined CASSCF and MR-CI study.

The potential energy surfaces for Cl(2)CS dissociation into ClCS + Cl in the five lowest electronic states have been determined with the combined complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and MR-CI method. The wavelength-dependent photodissociation dynamics of Cl(2)CS have been characterized through computed potential energy surfaces, surface crossing points, and CASSCF molecular dynamics calculations. Irradiation of the Cl(2)CS molecules at 360-450 nm does not provide sufficient internal energy to overcome the barrier on S(1) dissociation, and the S(1)/T(2) intersection region is energetically inaccessible at this wavelength region; therefore, S(1) --> T(1) intersystem crossing is the dominant process, which is the main reason S(1)-S(0) fluorescence breaks off at excess energies of 3484-9284 cm(-1).