SearcharxivSearch

arXiv subjects

V. Subramanian

Publications and source records attributed to V. Subramanian.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

A Multiphilic Descriptor for Chemical Reactivity and Selectivity

In line with the local philicity concept proposed by Chattaraj et al. (Chattaraj, P. K.; Maiti, B.; Sarkar, U. J. Phys. Chem. A. 2003, 107, 4973) and a dual descriptor derived by Toro-Labbe and coworkers (Morell, C.; Grand, A.; Toro-Labbe, A. J. Phys. Chem. A. 2005, 109, 205), we propose a multiphilic descriptor. It is defined as the difference between nucleophilic (Wk+) and electrophilic (Wk-) condensed philicity functions. This descriptor is capable of simultaneously explaining the nucleophilicity and electrophilicity of the given atomic sites in the molecule. Variation of these quantities along the path of a soft reaction is also analyzed. Predictive ability of this descriptor has been successfully tested on the selected systems and reactions. Corresponding force profiles are also analyzed in some representative cases. Also, to study the intra- and intermolecular reactivities another related descriptor namely, the nucleophilicity excess (DelW-+) for a nucleophile, over the electrophilicity in it has been defined and tested on all-metal aromatic compounds.

physics.chem-ph

A Conceptual DFT Approach Towards Developing New QSTR Models

Quantitative-structure-toxicity-relationship (QSTR) models are developed for predicting the toxicity (pIGC50) of 252 aliphatic compounds on Tetrahymena pyriformis. The single parameter models with a simple molecular descriptor, the number of atoms in the molecule, provide unbelievable results. Better QSTR models with two parameters result when global electrophilicity is used as the second descriptor. In order to tackle both charge- and frontier-controlled reactions the importance of the local electro (nucleo) philicities and atomic charges is also analyzed. Best possible three parameter QSTR models are prescribed.

physics.chem-ph

An Atom Counting QSPR Protocol

A deceptively simple descriptor, viz. the number of carbon / non-hydrogenic atoms present in a molecule, is proposed for the development of useful quantitative-structure-property-relationship (QSPR) models. It is tested in models pertaining to the estimation of boiling point of alcohols, enthalpy of vaporization of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), n-octanol / water partition coefficient of PCBs and chloroanisoles, pKa values of carboxylic acids, phenols and alcohols etc. Very high values of various regression coefficients (R2, R2CV, R2Ad) suggest the significance of this descriptor which further improves in the resulting two-parameter QSPR models with electrophilicity or its local variant as an additional descriptor.

physics.chem-ph

Are Strong Bronsted Acids Necessarily Strong Lewis Acids?

The Broensted and Lowry acid base theory is based on the capacity of proton donation or acceptance (in the presence or absence of a solvent) whereas the Lewis acid base theory is based on the propensity of electron pair acceptance or donation. We explore through DFT calculation the obvious question whether these two theories are in conformity with each other. We use pKa as the descriptor for the Broensted and Lowry acidity. The DFT descriptors like ionization potential, electron affinity, electronegativity, hardness and global electrophilicity are computed for 58 organic and inorganic acids. The fractional electron transfer, del(N) and the associated energy change, del(E) for the reaction of these acids with trimethyl amine (a strong base) are used as the possible descriptors for the Lewis acidity. A near exponential decrease in del(N) and (-del(E)) values is observed in general with an increase in pKa values. The findings reveal that a stronger Broensted acid in most cases behaves as a stronger Lewis acid as well. However it is not necessarily true for all acids.

physics.chem-ph

Nucleophilicity/Electrophilicity Excess in Analyzing Molecular Electronics

Intramolecular electron transfer capability of all metal aromatic and anti-aromatic aluminum cluster compounds is studied in terms of density functional theory based global and local reactivity descriptors. This study will provide important inputs towards the fabrication of the material required for molecular electronics.

cond-mat.soft

Electrophilicity as a Possible Descriptor of the Kinetic Behaviour

An understanding of the precise nature of a chemical reactivity descriptor is of utmost interest to quantum chemists. In the present investigation an attempt has been made to analyze whether the electrophilicity index is a reliable descriptor of the kinetic behaviour. Relative experimental rates of Friedel- Crafts benzylation, acetylation and benzoylation reactions correlate well with the corresponding calculated electrophilicity values. Chlorination of various substituted ethylenes and nitration of toluene and chlorobenzene are studied as representative examples of electrophilic addition and substitution reactions respectively. The correlation is not very good to assess that which, however, improves drastically by removing a few data points to show that the electrophilicity is a kinetic quantity with inherent thermodynamic information. The correlation between the experimental and the calculated activation energies is studied for some Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov addition reactions and is turned out to be reasonably well. Reaction electrophilicity, local electrophilicity and activation hardness are used together to provide a transparent picture of reaction rates as well as the orientation of aromatic electrophilic substitution reactions. Ambiguity in the definition of the electrophilicity is highlighted.

physics.chem-ph