Molecular modelling using semiempirical methods AM1, PM3, PM5 and, MINDO as well as the Density Functional Theory method BLYP/DZVP respectively were used to calculate the structure and vibrational spectra of d-glucose and d-fructose in their open chain, α-anomer and β-anomer monohydrate forms. The calculated data show that both molecules are not linear; ground state and the number for the point-group C is equal to 1. Generally, the results indicate that there are similarities in bond lengths and vibrational modes of both molecules. It is concluded that DFT could be used to study both the structural and vibrational spectra of glucose and fructose.

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In this work, we have explored new stable structures of the Au32Z (Z = +1, 0, -1) clusters. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory within the generalized-gradient approximation were performed. Our results show that, in the anion state (Au32-), low-symmetry (disordered) structures are preferred over the caged fullerene-like isomer. In addition, the cationic cluster (Au32+) also exhibits a disordered low-symmetry structure as its lowest energy configuration, but it is much closer in energy to the fullerene-like isomer. These results, obtained at T = 0 K, indicate that disordered structures for the Au32- and Au32+ clusters may be detected not only at room temperature, as was experimentally verified for the Au32- one, but also at much lower temperatures.

Prebiotic possibilities for the synthesis of interstellar ribose through a protic variant of the formose reaction under gas-phase conditions were studied in the absence of any known catalyst. The ion-molecule reaction products, diose and triose, were sought by mass spectrometry, and relevant masses were observed. Ab initio calculations were used to evaluate protic formose mechanism possibilities. A bilateral theoretical and experimental effort yielded a physical model for glycoaldehyde generation whereby a hydronium cation can mediate formaldehyde dimerization followed by covalent bond formation leading to diose and water. These results advance the possibility that ion-molecule reactions between formaldehyde (CH(2)O) and H(3)O(+) lead to formose reaction products and inform us about potential sugar formation processes in interstellar space.