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Biomedical subjects

A D McLean

Publications and source records attributed to A D McLean.

48 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Ab initio determination of the proton affinities of small neutral and anionic molecules.

The proton affinity of a molecule in the gas phase is a fundamental measure of its basicity and is the factor controlling the course of many ion-molecule reactions. In this article, ab initio molecular orbital theory at the MP4/6-311 ++ G(3df, 3pd) level of theory is demonstrated to predict proton affinities (PA's) for small neutral and anionic bases to within 2 kcal mol-1. Furthermore, the errors are random, indicating that there are likely no systematic errors in either the experimental or theoretical PA's. Also, this level of theory is used to calibrate less sophisticated theoretical models which are suitable for larger molecules; the MP4/6-311 ++ G(2d, 2p) and MP2/6-311 ++ G(d, p) theoretical models should be particularly useful. A procedure for predicting the vibrational frequencies for anion is proposed and applied to CH3-, NH2-, OH-, and CN-.

Anions↗
PubMed1985

Theoretical investigation of the interstellar CH3NC/CH3CN ratio.

Calculations have been performed to determine the abundance ratio of the metastable isomer CH3NC to the stable isomer CH3CN in dense interstellar clouds. According to gas phase, ion-molecule treatments, these molecules are both synthesized via protonated ion precursors. We have calculated the ratio of the formation rates of the protonated precursor ions-- CH3NCH+ and CH3CNH+ --synthesized via the radiative association reaction between CH3+ and HCN, which is thought to the dominant formation process of the two isomeric ions. Our calculations, which involve both ab initio quantum chemistry and equilibrium determinations, lead to a predicted CH3NCH+/CH3CNH+ formation rate ratio between 0.1 and 0.4. If this ratio is maintained in the neutral species formed from the precursor ions, theory predicts a sizable abundance for methyl isocyanide (CH3NC) and lends credence to its tentative observation.

Acetonitriles↗
PubMed1985

Molecular orbital predictions of the vibrational frequencies of some molecular ions.

Recent spectroscopic advances have led to the first determinations of infrared vibration-rotation bands of polyatomic molecular ions. These initial detections were guided by ab initio predictions of the vibrational frequencies. The calculations reported here predict the vibrational frequencies of additional ions which are candidates for laboratory analysis. Vibrational frequencies of neutral molecules computed at three levels of theory, HF/3-21G, HF/6-31G*, and MP2/6-31G*, were compared with experiment and the effect of scaling was investigated to determine how accurately vibrational frequencies could be predicted. For 92% of the frequencies examined, uniformly scaled HF/6-31G* vibrational frequencies were within 100 cm-1 of experiment with a mean absolute error of 49 cm-1. This relatively simple theory thus seems suitable for predicting vibrational frequencies to guide laboratory spectroscopic searches for ions in the infrared. Hence, the frequencies of 30 molecular ions, many with astrochemical significance,were computed. They are CH2+, CH3+, CH5+, NH2+, NH4+, H3O+, H2F+, SiH2+, PH4+, H3S+, H2Cl+, C2H+, classical C2H3+, nonclassical C2H3+, nonclassical C2H5+, HCNH+, H2CNH2+, H3CNH3+, HCO+, HOC+, H2CO+, H2COH+, H3COH2+, H3CFH+, HN2+, HO2+, C3H+, HOCO+, HCS+, and HSiO+.

Astronomical Phenomena↗
PubMed1985

A theoretical investigation of atmospheric sulfur chemistry. 1. The HSO/HOS energy separation and the heat of formation of HSO, HOS, and HS2.

The energy separation between the ground-state structures of HSO and HOS has been determined by using two independent ab initio methods. In the first method, the optimized geometry of all species was obtained at the HF/6-31G(d) level, as were harmonic vibrational frequencies for zero-point energy corrections. The energies were calculated by using fourth-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory and a 6-31G(d,p) basis set. After corrections for extrapolation of the Moller-Plesset series to infinite order and extension of the basis set to include diffuse sp-, extra d-, and f-type Gaussian functions, the predicted energy separation, including zero-point vibrational effects, is 2.5 kcal/mol. HOS is the more stable isomer. The second method uses a double-zeta basis augmented with an extra set of p functions and two sets of d functions on the sulfur and oxygen atoms and a double-zeta + p basis on hydrogen. With this basis, equilibrium structures of HSO and HOS were obtained from MCSCF calculations; the energy separation between these structures was corrected by using large scale configuration interaction. In good agreement with the first method, HOS is the more stable isomer by 3.1 kcal/mol. Through calculation of the energy change in the reaction HO2 + XY --> O2 + HXY, the first method predicts the heats of formation of HXY = HSO, HOS, and HS2 to be -0.4, -2.9, and 26.7 kcal/mol, respectively.

Atmosphere↗
PubMed1984

The quantum mechanical calculation of rotational spectra. A comparison of methods for C2H2, HCN, HNC, HCO+, N2H+, CO and N2. Predictions for HCNH+, COH+, HBO, HBNH, and HBF+.

Rotational frequencies determined with ab initio molecular orbital theory can play an important role in guiding spectroscopic searches for new molecules and in corroborating the assignment of unidentified lines, from the laboratory and from space. In a systematic study of 22 levels of molecular orbital theory, CISD/6-311G** gave rotational frequencies to an accuracy of +/- 0.4 GHz when an empirical correction is applied to the results for C2H2,HCN, HNC, HCO+, N2H+, CO, and N2. Larger errors can be expected when there are large vibrational effects on the rotational constants, as exemplified by COH+. Predicted J = 0--> 1 rotational frequencies using these methods are 73.9 +/- 0.4 GHz for HCNH+, 78.6 +/- 0.4 GHz for HBO, 65.8 +/- 0.4 GHz for HBNH, and 72.1 +/- 0.4 GHz for HBF+.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1984

Calculations concerning the HCO+/HOC+ abundance ratio in dense interstellar clouds.

Calculations have been performed to determine the rate coefficients of several reactions involved in both the formation and depletion of interstellar HCO+ and HOC+. The abundance of HOC+ deduced from these calculations is consistent with the tentative identification of HOC+ in Sgr B2 by Woods et al. The large HCO+/HOC+ abundance ratio observed by Woods et al. is due at least in part to a more rapid formation rate for HCO+ and probably due as well as to a more rapid depletion rate for HOC+.

Aldehydes↗