This paper reports an experimental and theoretical study of the standard (p(degrees) = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation at T = 298.15 K of the sulfur-containing amino acids l-cysteine [CAS 52-90-4] and l-cystine [CAS 56-89-3]. The standard (p(degrees) = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of crystalline l-cysteine and l-cystine were calculated from the standard molar energies of combustion, in oxygen, to yield CO2(g) and H2SO4.115H2O, measured by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry at T = 298.15 K. The vapor pressures of l-cysteine were measured as function of temperature by the Knudsen effusion mass-loss technique. The standard molar enthalpy of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, was derived from the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The experimental values were used to calculate the standard (p(degrees) = 0.1 MPa) enthalpy of formation of l-cysteine in the gaseous phase, DeltafH(degrees)m(g) = -382.6 +/- 1.8 kJ x mol-1. Due to the low vapor pressures of l-cystine and since this compound decomposes at the temperature range required for a possible sublimation, it was not possible to determine its enthalpy of sublimation. Standard ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the G3(MP2)//B3LYP and/or G3 levels were performed. Enthalpies of formation, using atomization and isodesmic reactions, were calculated and compared with experimental data. A value of -755 +/- 10 kJ x mol-1 was estimated for the enthalpy of formation of cystine. Detailed inspections of the molecular and electronic structures of the compounds studied were carried out. Finally, bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE) of S-H, S-S, and C-S bonds, and enthalpies of formation of l-cysteine-derived radicals, were also computed.

This paper reports an experimental and theoretical study of the gas phase standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation, at T = 298.15 K, of α-alanine (DL) and β-alanine. The standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of crystalline α-alanine (DL) and β-alanine were calculated from the standard molar energies of combustion, in oxygen, to yield CO2(g), N2(g), and H2O(l), measured by static-bomb combustion calorimetry at T = 298.15 K. The vapor pressures of both amino acids were measured as function of temperature by the Knudsen effusion mass-loss technique. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation at T = 298.15 K was derived from the Clausius−Clapeyron equation. The experimental values were used to calculate the standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) enthalpy of formation of α-alanine (DL) and β-alanine in the gaseous phase, Δ(f)H(m)°(g), as −426.3 ± 2.9 and −421.2 ± 1.9 kJ·mol(−1), respectively. Standard ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the G3 level were performed. Enthalpies of formation, using atomization reactions, were calculated and compared with experimental data. Detailed inspections of the molecular and electronic structures of the compounds studied were carried out.

Accurate experimental enthalpies of formation measured using static bomb combustion calorimetry, the “vacuum sublimation” drop calorimetry method, and the Knudsen-effusion method are reported for the first time for four azoles:  1-methylimidazole (1MeIMI), 1-methylpyrazole (1MePYR), 1-benzylimidazole (1BnIMI), and 1-benzylpyrazole (1BnPYR). These values and those corresponding to imidazole (1HIMI), pyrazole (1HPYR), 1-ethylimidazole (1EtIMI), 1-ethylpyrazole (1EtPYR), 1-phenylimidazole (1PhIMI), and 1-phenylpyrazole (1PhPYR) are compared with theoretical values using the G2(MP2) and the B3LYP/6-311*G(3df,2p)//6-31G(d) approaches. In general, there is a very good agreement between calculated and experimental values for the series of N-substituted imidazoles, while the agreement is less good for the series of the N-substituted pyrazoles. Experimentally, the gap between the enthalpies of formation of imidazoles and pyrazoles decreases significantly upon N-substitution, while the theoretical estimates indicate that this decrease is smaller.

High level density functional theory calculations have been carried out for a benchmark set of benzene derivatives, including methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, tert-butyl, phenyl, and benzyl groups as substituents. Geometries were obtained using the B3LYP method and three basis set expansions, namely 6-31G(d), 6-311G(d,p), and 6-311++G(d,p). Final energies were calculated in B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) single-point calculations. Based on these calculations the performance of different theoretical schemes aiming at reproducing substituent effects on enthalpies of formation has been assessed. The poorest performance is obtained when atomization energies or isodesmic reactions are used. No significant improvement is found when using homodesmotic processes. A significant improvement is achieved when the isodesmic processes used involve the unsubstituted parent compound. That means that this procedure can be a good alternative to explore substituent effects on the enthalpies of formation, although the absolute values of this thermodynamical magnitude have still a significant error. The best performance is obtained when different atom equivalent schemes are used, the correlation coefficient of the linear relationship between calculated and experimental values being greater than 0.999.

The enthalpies of combustion, heat capacities, enthalpies of sublimation and enthalpies of formation of 2-methylbenzimidazole (2MeBIM ) and 2-ethylbenzimidazole (2EtBIM ) are reported and the results compared with those of benzimidazole itself (BIM ). Theoretical estimates of the enthalpies of formation were obtained through the use of atom equivalent schemes. The necessary energies were obtained in single-point calculations at the B3LYP/ 6-311 þ G(d,p) on B3LYP/6-31G* optimized geometries. The comparison of experimental and calculated values of benzenes, imidazoles and benzimidazoles bearing H (unsubstituted), methyl and ethyl groups shows remarkable homogeneity. The energetic group contribution transferability is not followed, but either using it or adding an empirical interaction term, it is possible to generate an enormous collection of reasonably accurate data for different substituted heterocycles (pyrazole-derivatives, pyridine-derivatives, etc.) from the large amount of Á f H o m ð gÞ values available for substituted benzenes and those of the parent (pyrazole, pyridine) heterocycles.