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Computational modeling of physical processes in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is highly challenging due to the presence of spatial heterogeneities and complex operating conditions which affect their behavior. Density functional theory (DFT) may describe interatomic interactions at the quantum mechanical level, but is computationally too expensive for systems beyond the nanometer and picosecond range. Herein, we propose an incremental learning scheme to construct accurate and data-efficient machine learning potentials for MOFs. The scheme builds on the power of equivariant neural network potentials in combination with parallelized enhanced sampling and on-the-fly training to simultaneously explore and learn the phase space in an iterative manner. With only a few hundred single-point DFT evaluations per material, accurate and transferable potentials are obtained, even for flexible frameworks with multiple structurally different phases. The incremental learning scheme is universally applicable and may pave the way to model framework materials in larger spatiotemporal windows with higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of human soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and the corresponding epoxide hydrolase enzyme from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (EHB) are studied computationally, using the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method. To do this, we modeled the alkylation and the hydrolysis steps of three substrates: trans-1,3-diphenylpropene oxide, trans-stilbene oxide and cis-stilbene oxide. Studying the regioselectivity for trans-1,3-diphenylpropene oxide, we determined that both enzymes prefer ring opening via attack on the benzylic carbon. In agreement with experimental studies, our computations show that the rate-limiting step is hydrolysis of the ester intermediate, with reaction barriers of approximately 13 to 18 kcal/mol. Using the barrier energies of this rate-limiting step, the three epoxides were ranked in order of reactivity. Though the reactivity order was correctly predicted for sEH, the predicted order for EHB did not correspond to experimental observations. Next, the electrostatic contributions of individual residues on the barrier height of the rate-limiting step were also studied. This revealed several residues important for catalysis. The secondary tritium kinetic isotope effect for the alkylation step was determined using a cluster model for the active site of sEH. The calculated value was 1.27, suggesting a late transition state for the rate-limiting step. Finally, we analyzed the reactivity trends using reactivity indicators from conceptual density functional theory, allowing us to identify ease of electron transfer as the primary driving force for the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of defining an appropriate local descriptor corresponding to an arbitrary global descriptor. Although it does not seem easy to rigorously and uniquely define local analogues of derived global descriptors (e.g., the electrophilicity) or the fundamental global descriptors associated with the canonical ensemble (e.g., the hardness), the local response of these global descriptors can be defined unambiguously. We look at the local response of the global electrophilicity and compare it to the conventional, ad hoc, definition of the local electrophilicity. The local response of global nucleofugality and electrofugality is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeolite synthesis is driven by structure-directing agents, such as tetrapropyl ammonium ions (TPA+) for Silicalite-1 and ZSM-5. However, the guiding role of these organic templates in the complex assembly to highly ordered frameworks remains unclear, limiting the prospects for advanced material synthesis. In this work, both static ab initio and dynamic classical modeling techniques are employed to provide insight into the interactions between TPA+ and Silicalite-1 precursors. We find that as soon as the typical straight 10-ring channel of Silicalite-1 or ZSM-5 is formed from smaller oligomers, the TPA+ template is partially squeezed out of the resulting cavity. Partial retention of the template in the cavity is, however, indispensable to prevent collapse of the channel and subsequent hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]