Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes

In the present density functional theory (DFT) research, nine different molecules, each with different combinations of A (triel) and E (divalent metal) elements, were reacted to effect methane C–H activation. The compounds modeled herein incorporated the triels A = B, Al, or Ga and the divalent meta...

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Main Authors: Carly C. Carter, Thomas R. Cundari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/12/2794
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author Carly C. Carter
Thomas R. Cundari
author_facet Carly C. Carter
Thomas R. Cundari
author_sort Carly C. Carter
collection DOAJ
description In the present density functional theory (DFT) research, nine different molecules, each with different combinations of A (triel) and E (divalent metal) elements, were reacted to effect methane C–H activation. The compounds modeled herein incorporated the triels A = B, Al, or Ga and the divalent metals E = Be, Mg, or Zn. The results show that changes in the divalent metal have a much bigger impact on the thermodynamics and methane activation barriers than changes in the triels. The activating molecules that contained beryllium were most likely to have the potential for activating methane, as their free energies of reaction and free energy barriers were close to reasonable experimental values (i.e., ΔG close to thermoneutral, ΔG<sup>‡</sup> ~30 kcal/mol). In contrast, the molecules that contained larger elements such as Zn and Ga had much higher ΔG<sup>‡</sup>. The addition of various substituents to the A–E complexes did not seem to affect thermodynamics but had some effect on the kinetics when substituted closer to the active site.
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spelling doaj.art-0737f112f89b49ed85a2a7fa2b48c3802023-11-20T04:09:07ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492020-06-012512279410.3390/molecules25122794Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal ComplexesCarly C. Carter0Thomas R. Cundari1Center of Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling, Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76201, USACenter of Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling, Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76201, USAIn the present density functional theory (DFT) research, nine different molecules, each with different combinations of A (triel) and E (divalent metal) elements, were reacted to effect methane C–H activation. The compounds modeled herein incorporated the triels A = B, Al, or Ga and the divalent metals E = Be, Mg, or Zn. The results show that changes in the divalent metal have a much bigger impact on the thermodynamics and methane activation barriers than changes in the triels. The activating molecules that contained beryllium were most likely to have the potential for activating methane, as their free energies of reaction and free energy barriers were close to reasonable experimental values (i.e., ΔG close to thermoneutral, ΔG<sup>‡</sup> ~30 kcal/mol). In contrast, the molecules that contained larger elements such as Zn and Ga had much higher ΔG<sup>‡</sup>. The addition of various substituents to the A–E complexes did not seem to affect thermodynamics but had some effect on the kinetics when substituted closer to the active site.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/12/2794CH activationmethane activationDFTdivalentcomputationalmethane
spellingShingle Carly C. Carter
Thomas R. Cundari
Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes
Molecules
CH activation
methane activation
DFT
divalent
computational
methane
title Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes
title_full Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes
title_fullStr Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes
title_full_unstemmed Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes
title_short Computational Study of Methane C–H Activation by Main Group and Mixed Main Group–Transition Metal Complexes
title_sort computational study of methane c h activation by main group and mixed main group transition metal complexes
topic CH activation
methane activation
DFT
divalent
computational
methane
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/12/2794
work_keys_str_mv AT carlyccarter computationalstudyofmethanechactivationbymaingroupandmixedmaingrouptransitionmetalcomplexes
AT thomasrcundari computationalstudyofmethanechactivationbymaingroupandmixedmaingrouptransitionmetalcomplexes