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We have systematically studied the catalytic activity of a series of substituted bisphenanthroline Cu complexes adsorbed on glassy carbon electrodes for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in aqueo...

We have been able to “tune” the electrocatalytic activity of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) and iron hexadodecachlorophthalocyanine (16(Cl)FePc) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) by manipulating the “pull effect” of pyridinium molecules axially bounded to the phthalocyanine complexes (FePcs). These axial ligands play both the role of molecular anchors and also of molecular wires. The axial ligands also affect the reactivity of the Fe metal center in the phthalocyanine. The “pull effect” originates from the positive charge located on the pyridinium core. We have explored the influence of the core positions (Up or Down), in two structural pyridiniums isomers on the activity of FePc and 16(Cl)FePc for the ORR. Of all self-assembled catalysts tested, the highest catalytic activity was exhibited by the Au(111)/Up/FePc system. XPS measurements and DFT calculations showed that it is possible to tailor the FePc–N(pyridiniums) Fe–O2 binding energies, by changing the core positions and affecting the “pull effect”...

Gold–graphene interaction at the interface is evaluated through different polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), accounted by C6H6, C24H12, C54H16, and C96H18, focusing into different energetic terms related to the overall interaction. Our results characterize the neutral gold–PAH interaction nature with 45% of dispersion character, 35% of electrostatic, and 20% of covalent character, suggesting that moderate van der Waals character is mostly involved in the interaction, which increases according to the size of the respective PAH. The resulting surface charge distribution in the graphene model is a relevant parameter to take into account, since the ability of the surface charge to be reorganized over the polycyclic structure in both contact and surrounding regions is important in order to evaluate interactions and different interacting conformations. Our results suggest that for a Au12 contact surface of radius 4.13 A, the covalent, electrostatic and dispersion character of the interaction are effectively accou...

The hydrazine oxidation by iron(II) phthalocyanine (Fe(II)Pc) has been studied using an energy profile framework through quantum chemistry theoretical models calculated in the gas phase at the density functional theory B3LYP/LACVP(d) level. We applied two models of charge-transfer mechanisms previously reported (J. Phys. Chem. A 2005, 109, 1196) for the hydrazine oxidation mediated by Co(II)Pc. Model 1 consists of an alternated loss of one electron and one proton, involving anionic and neutral species. Model 2 considers an alternated loss of two electrons and two protons and includes anionic, neutral, and cationic species. Both applied models describe how the charge-transfer process occurs. In contrast with the obtained results for Co(II)Pc, we found that the hydrazine oxidation mediated by Fe(II)Pc is a fully through-bond charge-transfer mechanism. On the other hand, the use of different charge-transfer descriptors (spin density, electronic population, condensed Fukui function) showed a major contribution of the iron atom in comparison with the cobalt atom in the above-mentioned process. These results could explain the higher catalytic activity observed experimentally for Fe(II)Pc in comparison with Co(II)Pc. The applied theoretical models are a good starting point to rationalize the charge-transfer process of hydrazine oxidation mediated by Fe(II)Pc.

Several molecular descriptors, based on topological approaches as well as on a more traditional orbital-based decomposition, have been used to asses relations with hydrogen bond strengths in a series of formic acid dimers and its sulfur derivatives. Particular attention has been devoted to the analysis of the core-valence bifurcation topological index and to the bond order index. Their values are seen to be linearly related to bond energies estimated through a bond-energy-bond-order relationship; also, the mean value of the topological index appears to be related to the complexation energy computed by methods based on density functional theory. The dependence of the index upon the donor-acceptor couple in relation to its applicability is discussed.

Two quantum chemistry theoretical models in the gas phase at the density functional theory B3LYP/LACVP(d) level of calculation are proposed to rationalize the hydrazine oxidation by cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (Co(II)Pc). This oxidation reaction involves the net transfer of four electrons. These theoretical models that are described in terms of energy profiles include a through-space mechanism for the transfer of the first electron of the hydrazine and a through-bond mechanism proposed for the transfer of the three electrons remaining. The main difference between both models arises from a one-electron and one-proton alternate transfer for model 1 and a two-electron and two-proton alternate transfer for model 2. The main problem for experimental studies is to determine if the first transfer corresponds to an electron or a chemical transfer. Under this point of view, we proposed two models which deal with this problem. We conclude that model 1 is more reasonable than model 2 because the whole oxidation process is always exergonic.

The solvent effect has been studied at the PBEO/CEP-121G level of theory on different intramolecular and intermolecular density functional global reactivity indexes for a set of substituted nickel phthalocyanines (NiPc(X) n ; X is the substituent). For all the indexes analyzed, we found that solvent plays a nonnegligible role: in some molecules it induces a stabilization, while in others it has a destabilizing effect. However, we also found along the whole set of NiPc(X) n molecules that the presence of the solvent leads to the same overall trend obtained in the gas phase. To rationalize the behavior of the set NiPc(X) n , we also did an analysis of the partial energy contributions to the total energy considering the environment variable given by the solvent and the chemical variable given by the substituent.