Search for: All records

Resonant three-photon ionization spectroscopy has been used to study the late 4d and 5d transition metal carbides RuC, RhC, OsC, IrC, and PtC. These species, like most diatomic transition metals with open nd subshells, exhibit an exceptionally high density of states near the ground separated atom limit. Spin-orbit and nonadiabatic interactions provide a means for the molecules to rapidly dissociate as soon as the bond dissociation energy (BDE) is exceeded. The result is a sharp predissociation threshold that is identified as the BDE. The high BDEs of these five molecules required the use of two tunable lasers to reach the BDE. Measured values of D0(RuC) = 6.312(2) eV, D0(RhC) = 6.007(2) eV, D0(OsC) = 6.427(2) eV, D0(IrC) = 6.404(2) eV, and D0(PtC) = 6.260(2) eV were obtained, where the value is parentheses represents the estimated error limit in units of the last quoted digit. A new electronic state of PtC, tentatively assigned as the c(_^3)Σ_1^+ state, has been found with T0 = 22442 cm-1. These BDEs are combined with recently measured ionization energies to obtain BDEs of the associated cations. Electronic structure calculations are also reported to investigate the chemical bonding in more detail. Trends in the BDEs of the diatomic transition metal carbides are also discussed. 

The rhenium-containing molecules ReC, ReN, ReO, ReS, and ReC2 have been investigated using a pulsed laser ablation supersonic beam molecular source in resonant two-photon ionization experiments with time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection. Sharp predissociation thresholds have been observed, allowing precise bond dissociation energies (BDEs) to be measured as D0(ReC) = 5.731(3) eV, D0(ReN) = 5.635(3) eV, D0(ReO) = 5.510(3) eV, D0(ReS) = 3.947(3) eV, and D0(Re–C2) = 5.359(3) eV. The threshold for two-photon ionization was also measured for ReC, ReN, and ReO, providing ionization energies (IEs) of IE(ReC) = 8.425(12) eV, IE(ReN) = 8.193(20) eV, and IE(ReO) = 8.561(11) eV. These are the first measurements of these thermochemical quantities to be reported in the literature. The combination of BDEs and IEs allowed the BDEs of the cations ReC+, ReN+, and ReO+ to be determined via a thermochemical cycle as D0(Re+-C) = 5.140(12) eV, D0(Re+-N) = 5.275(20) eV, and D0(Re+-O) = 4.783(11) eV. In addition, computations of these thermochemical values were performed using density functional theory [B3LYP/aug-cc-pVQZ(-PP)] to determine the ground states and their geometric parameters. These were further studied at the CCSD(T) level with extrapolation to the complete basis set limit using aug-cc-pVXZ(-PP) basis sets (X = 3, 4, 5) to obtain computational values of the BDEs and IEs as well. The high-level super correlation consistent composite approach (s-ccCA) was also utilized, providing an additional approach for the prediction of thermochemical values. The electronic structure of the molecules is discussed, along with the periodic trends as the ligand is varied. 

High-level ab initio CCSD(T) and spin-orbit icMRCI+Q calculations were used to predict potential energy curves (PECs) for the lowest-lying states of ZrO, ZrS, HfO, and HfS. The prediction of the ground state is basis set dependent at the icMRCI+Q level for ZrO and ZrS due to the small singlet-triplet splitting between the lowest 1Σ+ and 3Δ states. CCSD(T) with a spin orbit correction predicted the 1Σ+ ground state in agreement with experiment. New all-electron basis sets were developed for Hf to improve the results over those predicted by use of effective core potentials (ECPs) that subsume the 4f electrons into the definition of the core. The use of the new DK-4f basis sets rather than ECPs became more important for HfO and HfS where there is a lack of a good core-valence separation. icMRCI+Q, CCSD(T), and DFT calculations for the spectroscopic parameters of ZrO, ZrS, HfO, and HfS were benchmarked with available experimental data. Bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of these four systems were calculated at the Feller-Peterson-Dixon (FPD) level to be 762.1 (ZrO), 543.5 (ZrS), 803.8 (HfO), and 575.1 kJ/mol (HfS), in excellent agreement with experiment. The HfS BDE was remeasured using the R3PI method, providing an updated experimental measurement of D0(HfS) = 5.978 ± 0.002 eV = 576.8 ± 0.2 kJ/mol. This experimental value, combined with experimental measurements of the ionization energies of Hf and HfS, gives the cationic BDE of D0(Hf+-S) = 5.124 ± 0.002 eV = 494.4 ± 0.2 kJ/mol. 

In the present work, the electronic structure and chemical bonding of the MoC X3Σ− ground state and the six lowest excited states, A3Δ, a1Γ, b5Σ−, c1Δ, d1Σ+, and e5Π, have been investigated in detail using multireference configuration interaction methods and basis sets, including relativistic effective core potentials. In addition, scalar relativistic effects have been considered in the second order Douglas–Kroll–Hess approximation, while spin–orbit coupling has also been calculated. Five of the investigated states, X3Σ−, A3Δ, a1Γ, c1Δ, and d1Σ+, present quadruple σ2σ2π2π2 bonds. Experimentally, the predissociation threshold of MoC was measured using resonant two-photon ionization spectroscopy, allowing for a precise measurement of the dissociation energy of the ground state. Theoretically, the complete basis set limit of the calculated dissociation energy with respect to the atomic ground state products, including corrections for scalar relativistic effects, De(D0), is computed as 5.13(5.06) eV, in excellent agreement with our measured value of D0(MoC) of 5.136(5) eV. Furthermore, the calculated dissociation energies of the states having quadruple bonds with respect to their adiabatic atomic products range from 6.22 to 7.23 eV. The excited electronic states A3Δ2 and c1Δ2 are calculated to lie at 3899 and 8057 cm−1, also in excellent agreement with the experimental values of DaBell et al., 4002.5 and 7834 cm−1, respectively. 

Bacteriophage T4 gene 32 protein (gp32) is a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein essential for DNA replication. gp32 forms stable protein filaments on ssDNA through cooperative interactions between its core and N-terminal domain. gp32′s C-terminal domain (CTD) is believed to primarily help coordinate DNA replication via direct interactions with constituents of the replisome. However, the exact mechanisms of these interactions are not known, and it is unclear how tightly-bound gp32 filaments are readily displaced from ssDNA as required for genomic processing. Here, we utilized truncated gp32 variants to demonstrate a key role of the CTD in regulating gp32 dissociation. Using optical tweezers, we probed the binding and dissociation dynamics of CTD-truncated gp32, *I, to an 8.1 knt ssDNA molecule and compared these measurements with those for full-length gp32. The *I-ssDNA helical filament becomes progressively unwound with increased protein concentration but remains significantly more stable than that of full-length, wild-type gp32. Protein oversaturation, concomitant with filament unwinding, facilitates rapid dissociation of full-length gp32 from across the entire ssDNA segment. In contrast, *I primarily unbinds slowly from only the ends of the cooperative clusters, regardless of the protein density and degree of DNA unwinding. Our results suggest that the CTD may constrain the relative twist angle of proteins within the ssDNA filament such that upon critical unwinding the cooperative interprotein interactions largely vanish, facilitating prompt removal of gp32. We propose a model of CTD-mediated gp32 displacement via internal restructuring of its filament, providing a mechanism for rapid ssDNA clearing during genomic processing. 

The ionization energies (IEs) of RuC, RhC, OsC, IrC, and PtC are assigned by the measurement of their two-photon ionization thresholds. Although late transition metal–carbon bonds are of major importance in organometallic chemistry and catalysis, accurate and precise fundamental thermochemical data on these chemical bonds are mainly lacking in the literature. Based on their two-photon ionization thresholds, in this work, we assign IE(RuC) = 7.439(40) eV, IE(RhC) = 7.458(32) eV, IE(OsC) = 8.647(25) eV, IE(IrC) = 8.933(74) eV, and IE(PtC) = 9.397(32) eV. These experimentally derived IEs are further confirmed through quantum chemical calculations using coupled-cluster single double perturbative triple methods that are extrapolated to the complete basis set limit using a three-parameter mixed Gaussian/exponential extrapolation scheme and corrected for spin–orbit effects using a semiempirical method. The electronic structure and chemical bonding of these MC species are discussed in the context of these ionization energy measurements. The IEs of RuC, RhC, OsC, and IrC closely mirror the IEs of the corresponding transition metal atoms, suggesting that for these species, the (n + 1)s electrons of the transition metals are not significantly involved in chemical bonding. 

Chloroquine has been used as a potent antimalarial, anticancer drug, and prophylactic. While chloroquine is known to interact with DNA, the details of DNA–ligand interactions have remained unclear. Here we characterize chloroquine–double-stranded DNA binding with four complementary approaches, including optical tweezers, atomic force microscopy, duplex DNA melting measurements, and isothermal titration calorimetry. We show that chloroquine intercalates into double stranded DNA (dsDNA) with a KD ~ 200 µM, and this binding is entropically driven. We propose that chloroquine-induced dsDNA intercalation, which happens in the same concentration range as its observed toxic effects on cells, is responsible for the drug’s cytotoxicity.