scholarly journals The quest of chirality in the interstellar medium

2020 ◽  
Vol 633 ◽  
pp. A49
Author(s):  
Y. Ellinger ◽  
F. Pauzat ◽  
A. Markovits ◽  
A. Allaire ◽  
J.-C. Guillemin
Keyword(s):  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Propylene Oxide ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Energy Scale ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Water Ice ◽  
Rotational Spectra ◽  
Complex Organic Molecule

Context. All but one complex organic molecule (COM) detected so far in the interstellar medium (ISM) are achiral; propylene oxide (c-C2H3O)-CH3 is the only exception to this. Finding other chiral species is a priority for astrobiology to progress in the understanding of the emergence of life. Whatever the conditions of their formation, i.e., gas phase or grain chemistry, the detection relies on rotational spectra. This means that, if adsorbed after formation in the gas phase or directly formed on the icy grains, these COMs must escape in the gas phase as free flyers to be detectable. Aims. Learning the lesson drawn from the only observation of a chiral compound and considering the structural constraints imposed to a molecule to be chiral, we look at what species could satisfy these conditions and be potential targets for a radio astronomy search in the ISM gas phase. Methods. This question was addressed by combining two complementary approaches that rely on density functional theory. The structure, energetics, and spectroscopic parameters of each potential candidate were determined using molecular calculations. The propensity for a molecule to remain trapped on the ice coating of the grains was evaluated by numerical simulations making use of a solid state periodic model. Results. Replacing the -CH3 group on rigid propylene oxide by -CN, -CCH, -NH2, -OH, or -HCO gives oxirane daughter molecules whose adsorption energies divide into two classes: below and above the adsorption energy of H2O on solid water-ice ~13.5 kcal mol−1. Conclusions. The best chiral candidate would be a rigid molecule for an easier determination of its radio spectra. This molecule would be composed of a central carbon linked to one hydrogen and three different chemical groups as simple as possible. If not the most stable isomer, this candidate should be as close as possible on the energy scale, possess a significant dipole moment, and be less strongly attached to the ice than H2O itself.

Quantum chemical study on the formation of isopropyl cyanide and its linear isomer in the interstellar medium

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Keshav Kumar Singh ◽  
Poonam Tandon ◽  
Alka Misra ◽  
Shivani ◽  
Manisha Yadav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Quantum Chemical ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Quantum Chemical Study ◽  
Chemical Study ◽  
Dark Cloud ◽  
Water Ice ◽  
Hydrocarbon Radicals

Abstract The formation mechanism of linear and isopropyl cyanide (hereafter n-PrCN and i-PrCN, respectively) in the interstellar medium (ISM) has been proposed from the reaction between some previously detected small cyanides/cyanide radicals and hydrocarbons/hydrocarbon radicals. n-PrCN and i-PrCN are nitriles therefore, they can be precursors of amino acids via Strecker synthesis. The chemistry of i-PrCN is especially important since it is the first and only branched molecule in ISM, hence, it could be a precursor of branched amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, etc. Therefore, both n-PrCN and i-PrCN have significant astrobiological importance. To study the formation of n-PrCN and i-PrCN in ISM, quantum chemical calculations have been performed using density functional theory at the MP2/6-311++G(2d,p)//M062X/6-311+G(2d,p) level. All the proposed reactions have been studied in the gas phase and the interstellar water ice. It is found that reactions of small cyanide with hydrocarbon radicals result in the formation of either large cyanide radicals or ethyl and vinyl cyanide, both of which are very important prebiotic interstellar species. They subsequently react with the radicals CH2 and CH3 to yield n-PrCN and i-PrCN. The proposed reactions are efficient in the hot cores of SgrB2 (N) (where both n-PrCN and i-PrCN were detected) due to either being barrierless or due to the presence of a permeable entrance barrier. However, the formation of n-PrCN and i-PrCN from the ethyl and vinyl cyanide always has an entrance barrier impermeable in the dark cloud; therefore, our proposed pathways are inefficient in the deep regions of molecular clouds. It is also observed that ethyl and vinyl cyanide serve as direct precursors to n-PrCN and i-PrCN and their abundance in ISM is directly related to the abundance of both isomers of propyl cyanide in ISM. In all the cases, reactions in the ice have smaller barriers compared to their gas-phase counterparts.

scholarly journals The vibrational properties of benzene on an ordered water ice surface

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria H J Clark ◽  
David M Benoit
Keyword(s):  
Gas Phase ◽  
Ir Spectrum ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Normal Modes ◽  
Intensity Pattern ◽  
Water Ice ◽  
Ice Surface ◽  
Vibrational Bands ◽  
Ordered Water

Abstract We present a hybrid CCSD(T)+PBE-D3 approach to calculating the vibrational signatures for gas phase benzene and benzene adsorbed on an ordered water-ice surface. We compare the results of our method against experimentally recorded spectra and calculations performed using PBE-D3-only approaches (harmonic and anharmonic). Calculations use a proton ordered XIh water-ice surface consisting of 288 water molecules, and results are compared against experimental spectra recorded for an ASW ice surface. We show the importance of including a water ice surface into spectroscopic calculations, owing to the resulting differences in vibrational modes, frequencies and intensities of transitions seen in the IR spectrum. The overall intensity pattern shifts from a dominating ν11 band in the gas-phase to several high-intensity carriers for an IR spectrum of adsorbed benzene. When used for adsorbed benzene, the hybrid approach presented here achieves an RMSD for IR active modes of 21 cm-1, compared to 72 cm-1 and 49 cm-1 for the anharmonic and harmonic PBE-D3 approaches, respectively. Our hybrid model for gaseous benzene also achieves the best results when compared to experiment, with an RMSD for IR active modes of 24 cm-1, compared to 55 cm-1 and 31 cm-1 for the anharmonic and harmonic PBE-D3 approaches, respectively. To facilitate assignment, we generate and provide a correspondence graph between the normal modes of the gaseous and adsorbed benzene molecules. Finally, we calculate the frequency shifts, Δν, of adsorbed benzene relative to its gas phase to highlight the effects of surface interactions on vibrational bands and evaluate the suitability of our chosen dispersion-corrected density functional theory.

Intrinsic Stacking Interactions of Natural and Artificial Nucleobases

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew P. Harding ◽  
Laura J. Kingsley ◽  
Glen Spraggon ◽  
Steven Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Gas Phase ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Molecular Descriptors ◽  
Stacking Interactions ◽  
Interaction Energies ◽  
Functional Theory ◽  
Binding Partner ◽  
Heavy Atoms ◽  
Wide Range

The intrinsic (gas-phase) stacking energies of natural and artificial nucleobases were explored using density functional theory (DFT) and correlated ab initio methods. Ranking the stacking strength of natural nucleobase dimers revealed a preference in binding partner similar to that seen from experiments, namely G > C > A > T > U. Decomposition of these interaction energies using symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) showed that these dispersion dominated interactions are modulated by electrostatics. Artificial nucleobases showed a similar stacking preference for natural nucleobases and were also modulated by electrostatic interactions. A robust predictive multivariate model was developed that quantitively predicts the maximum stacking interaction between natural and a wide range of artificial nucleobases using molecular descriptors based on computed electrostatic potentials (ESPs) and the number of heavy atoms. This model should find utility in designing artificial nucleobase analogs that exhibit stacking interactions comparable to those of natural nucleobases. Further analysis of the descriptors in this model unveil the origin of superior stacking abilities of certain nucleobases, including cytosine and guanine.

First principles calculation of structural, electronic and optical properties of (001) and (110) growth axis (InN)/(GaN)n superlattices

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (1 Jan-Feb) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
B. Bachir Bouiadjra ◽  
N. Mehnane ◽  
N. Oukli
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Electronic Band Structure ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Energy Scale ◽  
First Principles Calculation ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Electronic Band ◽  
Electronic And Optical Properties ◽  
Growth Axis

Based on the full potential linear muffin-tin orbitals (FPLMTO) calculation within density functional theory, we systematically investigate the electronic and optical properties of (100) and (110)-oriented (InN)/(GaN)n zinc-blende superlattice with one InN monolayer and with different numbers of GaN monolayers. Specifically, the electronic band structure calculations and their related features, like the absorption coefficient and refractive index of these systems are computed over a wide photon energy scale up to 20 eV. The effect of periodicity layer numbers n on the band gaps and the optical activity of (InN)/(GaN)n SLs in the both  growth axis (001) and (110) are examined and compared. Because of prospective optical aspects of (InN)/(GaN)n such as light-emitting applications, this theoretical study can help the experimental measurements.

Investigation of Adsorption Effect of Carbon Monoxide on Coniine: A DFT Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siyamak Shahab ◽  
Masoome Sheikhi ◽  
Mehrnoosh Khaleghian ◽  
Marina Murashko ◽  
Mahin Ahmadianarog ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Energy Gap ◽  
Adsorption Effect ◽  
Chemical Shift Tensors ◽  
Solvent Water ◽  
Donor And Acceptor ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Electron Donor And Acceptor

: For the first time in the present study, the non-bonded interaction of the Coniine (C8H17N) with carbon monoxide (CO) was investigated by density functional theory (DFT/M062X/6-311+G*) in the gas phase and solvent water. The adsorption of the CO over C8H17N was affected on the electronic properties such as EHOMO, ELUMO, the energy gap between LUMO and HOMO, global hardness. Furthermore, chemical shift tensors and natural charge of the C8H17N and complex C8H17N/CO were determined and discussed. According to the natural bond orbital (NBO) results, the molecule C8H17N and CO play as both electron donor and acceptor at the complex C8H17N/CO in the gas phase and solvent water. On the other hand, the charge transfer is occurred between the bonding, antibonding or nonbonding orbitals in two molecules C8H17N and CO. We have also investigated the charge distribution for the complex C8H17N/CO by molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) calculations using the M062X/6-311+G* level of theory. The electronic spectra of the C8H17N and complex C8H17N/CO were calculated by time dependent DFT (TD-DFT) for investigation of the maximum wavelength value of the C8H17N before and after the non-bonded interaction with the CO in the gas phase and solvent water. Therefore, C8H17N can be used as strong absorbers for air purification and reduce environmental pollution.

scholarly journals Abundances in the Gaseous Galactic Halo

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-89
Author(s):  
Ulysses J. Sofia
Keyword(s):  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
High Velocity ◽  
Galactic Halo ◽  
Solar Neighborhood ◽  
Local Interstellar Medium ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Metal Abundances ◽  
High Velocity Clouds

Abstract The well measured gas-phase abundances in the low halo suggest that this region of the Galaxy has total (gas plus dust) metal abundances which are close to those in the solar neighborhood. The gas-phase abundances in the halo are generally higher than those seen in the disk, however, this affect is likely due to the destruction of dust in the halo clouds. Observations of high velocity clouds (HVCs) in the halo suggest that these clouds have metal abundances which are substantially lower than those measured for the local interstellar medium. These determinations, however, are often of lower quality than those for the low halo because of uncertainties in the hydrogen abundances along the sightlines, in the incorporation of elements into dust, and in the partial ionization of the clouds.

Graph theory-based reaction pathway searches and DFT calculations for the mechanism studies of free radical-initiated peptide sequencing mass spectrometry (FRIPS MS): a model gas-phase reaction of GGR tri-peptide

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 5057-5069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae-ung Lee ◽  
Yeonjoon Kim ◽  
Woo Youn Kim ◽  
Han Bin Oh
Keyword(s):  
Graph Theory ◽  
Dft Calculations ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Reaction Pathway ◽  
Peptide Sequencing ◽  
Phase Reaction ◽  
Functional Theory ◽  
Fragmentation Mechanisms ◽  
Gas Phase Fragmentation

A new approach for elucidating gas-phase fragmentation mechanisms is proposed: graph theory-based reaction pathway searches (ACE-Reaction program) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

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