A number of molecular quantities were tested as reactivity indexes for the alkaline hydrolysis reaction of a series of 15 N-phenylacetamides para substituted in the aromatic ring. The Hammett σ constants and the shifts of carbonyl stretching mode frequencies correlate satisfactorily with the predicted Hartree-Frock (HF)/ 6-31+G(d) and density functional theory B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) energy changes for the rate-determining stage of the reaction, namely, the addition of a hydroxide ion and formation of a tetrahedral intermediate. Natural bond orbital atomic charges at the carbonyl carbon atom, the site of the nucleophilic attack, also offer a satisfactory basis for discussing the reactivity of the carbonyl compounds studied. The electrophilicity index ω describes well the overall tendency of the changing reactivity of the studied compounds. A quantitative description of the reactivity of the studied amides in the reaction considered is provided by the theoretically estimated electrostatic potential at the carbonyl carbon atom. The linear regression correlation coefficients for the connection between the energy changes for the rate-determining stage of the amide hydrolysis and the electrostatic potential at the carbonyl carbon atom are over 0.99 with both levels of theory employed. The electrostatic potential at the nuclei is recommended as an accurate local reactivity index.
The performance of four frequently employed population analysis methods is assessed by comparisons with experimentally derived properties of monosubstituted benzene derivatives. The analysis is based on the expected dependence between site reactivities and electron densities at the respective ring carbon atoms. The correspondence between charges obtained from Mulliken, NPA, Hirshfeld, and QTAIM approaches and the σ0 m and σ0 p aromatic substituent constants is examined. The series of molecules investigated includes benzene and 18 monosubstituted derivatives. The atomic charges are derived using the B3LYP, ωB97X-D density functional, and MP2 MO methods combined with the 6-311++G(3df,2pd) basis set. A quantitative correspondence between Hirshfeld charges and σ0 constants is established. Application of Møller–Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2) wave functions appears to be essential in obtaining a more realistic electron density distribution. NPA and QTAIM charges provide in most cases a satisfactory description of the substituent effects. The net transfer of charges between substituents and the aromatic ring is assessed.
Theoretical computations and experimental kinetic measurements were applied in studying the mechanistic pathways for the alkaline hydrolysis of three secondary amides: N‐methylbenzamide, N‐methylacetamide, and acetanilide. Electronic structure methods at the HF/6‐31+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6‐31+G(d,p) levels of theory are employed. The energies of the stationary points along the reaction coordinate were further refined via single point computations at the MP2/6‐31+G(d,p) and MP2/6‐311++G(2d,2p) levels of theory. The role of water in the reaction mechanisms is examined. The theoretical results show that in the cases of N‐methylbenzamide and N‐methylacetamide the process is catalyzed by an ancillary water molecule. The influence of water is further assessed by predicting its role as bulk solvent. The alkaline hydrolysis process in aqueous solution is characterized by two distinct free energy barriers: the formation of a tetrahedral adduct and its breaking to products. The results show that the rate‐determining stage of the process is associated with the second transition state. The entropy terms evaluated from theoretical computations referring to gas‐phase processes are significantly overestimated. The activation barriers for the alkaline hydrolysis of N‐methylbenzamide and acetanilide were experimentally determined. Quite satisfactory agreement between experimental values and computed activation enthalpies was obtained. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Absorption and fluorescence spectra in acetonitrile for a series of substituted aryl hydrazones of N-hexyl-1,8-naphthalimide are studied with the aim of potential application of the compounds for enzyme activity localization. The influence of the substituents on the spectral characteristics has been evaluated. The absorption and fluorescence energies of substituted aryl-1,8-naphthalimide hydrazones have been calculated with the PCM TDDFT formalism. The M06 and PBE0 functionals, combined with the 6-31+G(d) atomic basis set, have been found to accurately model the excited state properties of the present set of solvated fluorophores. Absorption and fluorescence spectral characteristics have been rationalized in terms of experimental and theoretical electronic indices in order to assess their predictive abilities for application in designing analogues with good emitting properties. An excellent linear dependence is established between the experimental fluorescence and Hammett σ(p)(+) substituent constants and on the other hand σ(p)(+) constants correlate with the theoretically calculated values for the electrostatic potential at nuclei (EPN). A model for predicting the fluorescence properties of substituted hydrazones by means of EPN is drawn, including the polysubstituted derivatives, where Hammett constants are not applicable.
The extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) controls vital bone cell functions such as cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. The binding of the native agonist (Ca2+) to CaSR activates the receptor, which undergoes structural changes that trigger a cascade of events along the cellular signaling pathways. Strontium (in the form of soluble salts) has been found to also be a CaSR agonist. The activation of the receptor by Sr2+ is considered to be the major mechanism through which strontium exerts its anti-osteoporosis effect, mostly in postmenopausal women. Strontium-activated CaSR initiates a series of signal transduction events resulting in both osteoclast apoptosis and osteoblast differentiation, thus strengthening the bone tissue. The intimate mechanism of Sr2+ activation of CaSR is still enigmatic. Herewith, by employing a combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and polarizable continuum model (PCM) computations, we have found that the Ca2+ binding sites 1, 3, and 4 in the activated CaSR, although possessing a different number and type of protein ligands, overall structure and charge state, are all selective for Ca2+ over Sr2+. The three binding sites, regardless of their structural differences, exhibit almost equal metal selectivity if they are flexible and have no geometrical constraints on the incoming Sr2+. In contrast to Ca2+ and Sr2+, Mg2+ constructs, when allowed to fully relax during the optimization process, adopt their stringent six-coordinated octahedral structure at the expense of detaching a one-backbone carbonyl ligand and shifting it to the second coordination layer of the metal. The binding of Mg2+ and Sr2+ to a rigid/inflexible calcium-designed binding pocket requires an additional energy penalty for the binding ion; however, the price for doing so (to be paid by Sr2+) is much less than that of Mg2+. The results obtained delineate the key factors controlling the competition between metal cations for the receptor and shed light on some aspects of strontium’s therapeutic effects.
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