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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

In-Class Versus At-Home Quizzes: Which Is Better? A Flipped Learning Study In A Two-Site Synchronously-Broadcast Organic Chemistry Course, Michael A. Christensen, Alyssia M. Lambert, Louis S. Nadelson, Kami M. Dupree, Trish A. Kingsford Dec 2016

In-Class Versus At-Home Quizzes: Which Is Better? A Flipped Learning Study In A Two-Site Synchronously-Broadcast Organic Chemistry Course, Michael A. Christensen, Alyssia M. Lambert, Louis S. Nadelson, Kami M. Dupree, Trish A. Kingsford

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We recently shared our design of a two-semester flipped organic chemistry course, in which we gave students in-class quizzes to incentivize attendance and watching the lecture videos in advance. With a second iteration, we planned to make the video-watching experience more engaging. We accordingly hypothesized that if students completed short at-home quizzes while watching the videos, then attentiveness, engagement, and learning would increase. We tested this with a later section of the course, dividing the material into 13 units. For units 1-6, we gave in-class quizzes; for 7-13, quizzes were at home. Although units 1-6 and 7-13 covered different material, …


Infrared Spectroscopy Of The Nitrogenase Mofe Protein Under Electrochemical Control: Potential-Triggered Co Binding, P. Paengnakorn, Philip A. Ash, Sudipta K. Shaw, Karamatullah Danyal, T. Chen, Dennis R. Dean, Lance C. Seefeldt, Kylie A. Vincent Oct 2016

Infrared Spectroscopy Of The Nitrogenase Mofe Protein Under Electrochemical Control: Potential-Triggered Co Binding, P. Paengnakorn, Philip A. Ash, Sudipta K. Shaw, Karamatullah Danyal, T. Chen, Dennis R. Dean, Lance C. Seefeldt, Kylie A. Vincent

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We demonstrate electrochemical control of the nitrogenase MoFe protein, in the absence of Fe protein or ATP, using europium(III/II) polyaminocarboxylate complexes as electron transfer mediators. This allows the potential dependence of proton reduction and inhibitor (CO) binding to the active site FeMo-cofactor to be established. Reduction of protons to H2 is catalyzed by the wild type MoFe protein and Β-98Tyr→His and Β-99Phe→His variants of the MoFe protein at potentials more negative than -800 mV (vs. SHE), with greater electrocatalytic proton reduction rates observed for the variants compared to the wild type protein. Electrocatalytic proton reduction is strongly …


Assessment Of The Presence And Strength Of H-Bonds By Means Of Corrected Nmr, Steve Scheiner Oct 2016

Assessment Of The Presence And Strength Of H-Bonds By Means Of Corrected Nmr, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The downfield shift of the NMR signal of the bridging proton in a H-bond (HB) is composed of two elements. The formation of the HB causes charge transfer and polarization that lead to a deshielding. A second factor is the mere presence of the proton-accepting group, whose electron density and response to an external magnetic field induce effects at the position of the bridging proton, exclusive of any H-bonding phenomenon. This second positional shielding must be subtracted from the full observed shift in order to assess the deshielding of the proton caused purely by HB formation. This concept is applied …


Highly Selective Halide Receptors Based Upon Chalcogen, Pnicogen, And Tetrel Bonds, Steve Scheiner Oct 2016

Highly Selective Halide Receptors Based Upon Chalcogen, Pnicogen, And Tetrel Bonds, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The interactions of halides with a number of bipodal receptors are examined via quantum chemical methods. The receptors are based upon a dithieno thiophene framework in which two S atoms can engage in a pair of chalcogen bonds with a halide. These two S atoms are replaced by P and As atoms to compare chalcogen with pnicogen bonding, and by Ge which engages in tetrel bonds with the receptor. Zero, one, and two O atoms are added to the thiophene S atom which is not directly involved in the interaction with the halides. Fluoride is bound the most strongly, followed …


Interactions Between Temozolomide And Guanine And Its S And Se‐Substituted Analogues, Okuma Emile Kasende, Aristote Matondo, Jules Tshishimbi Muya, Steve Scheiner Sep 2016

Interactions Between Temozolomide And Guanine And Its S And Se‐Substituted Analogues, Okuma Emile Kasende, Aristote Matondo, Jules Tshishimbi Muya, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Temozolomide was paired with guanine, 6-selenoguanine, and 6-thioguanine, as well as the SH tautomer of the latter. The potential energy surface of each heterodimer was searched for all minima, using Dispersion-Corrected Density Functional Theory and MP2 methods. Among the dozens of minima, three categories were observed. Stacked geometries place the aromatic systems of the two molecules parallel to one another, while the two systems are roughly perpendicular to one another in a second category. Also found are coplanar structures held together by H-bonds. Dispersion proves to be a dominating attractive force for the stacked structures, less so for perpendicular, and …


Interactions Of Nucleic Acid Bases With Temozolomide. Stacked, Perpendicular, And Coplanar Heterodimers, Okuma Emile Kasende, Steve Scheiner Aug 2016

Interactions Of Nucleic Acid Bases With Temozolomide. Stacked, Perpendicular, And Coplanar Heterodimers, Okuma Emile Kasende, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Temozolomide (TMZ) was paired with each of the five nucleic acid bases, and the potential energy surface searched for all minima, in the context of dispersion-corrected density functional theory and MP2 methods. Three types of arrangements were observed, with competitive stabilities. Coplanar H-bonding structures, reminiscent of Watson–Crick base pairs were typically the lowest in energy, albeit by a small amount. Also very stable were perpendicular arrangements that included one or more H-bonds. The two monomers were stacked approximately parallel to one another in the third category, some of which contained weak and distorted H-bonds. Dispersion was found to be a …


Monitoring The Charge Distribution During Proton And Sodium Ion Conduction Along Chains Of Water Molecules And Protein Residues, Steve Scheiner Aug 2016

Monitoring The Charge Distribution During Proton And Sodium Ion Conduction Along Chains Of Water Molecules And Protein Residues, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Quantum calculations are used to determine the level of delocalization of the charge of a cation as it translates along a chain of water molecules or glycine residues. Charge dispersal is monitored via the molecular electrostatic potential and the dipole moment of the entire system. The positive charge is largely localized on the water molecule on which the proton is situated, but becomes more intense and extended as the proton moves along the chain. The positive charge is more delocalized in protonated polyglycine, where it extends over at least an entire residue. Displacement of the proton along the chain intensifies …


Effects Of Angular Deformation On The Energetics Of The Sn2 Reaction, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner Jul 2016

Effects Of Angular Deformation On The Energetics Of The Sn2 Reaction, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Quantum calculations are applied to a number of model SN2 reactions. The halides F-, Cl-, and Br- were allowed to attack the central C atom of a set of CH2RI molecules, with R= H, CH3, CH=CH2, C≡CH, and C≡N. For each system the X∙∙C∙∙I angle was distorted in set increments from the optimized value, and the activation energy computed for each angle. The energy of the transition state rose in conjunction with this deformation. However, the distortion energy of the initial X-∙∙CH2RI reaction complex was similar in magnitude. As a result, the activation energy of the reaction was quite insensitive …


Interpretation Of Spectroscopic Markers Of Hydrogen Bonds, Steve Scheiner Jul 2016

Interpretation Of Spectroscopic Markers Of Hydrogen Bonds, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Quantum calculations are used to examine whether a AH∙∙D H-bond is unambiguously verified by a downfield shift of the bridging proton’s NMR signal or a red (or blue) shift of the AH stretching frequency in the IR spectrum. It is found that such IR band shifts will occur even if the two groups experience weak or no attractive force, or if they are drawn in so close together that their interaction is heavily repulsive. The mere presence of a proton-acceptor molecule can affect the chemical shielding of a position occupied by a proton-donor by virtue of its electron density, even …


Interactions Between Temozolomide And Quercetin, Okuma Emile Kasende, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner Jul 2016

Interactions Between Temozolomide And Quercetin, Okuma Emile Kasende, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Temozolomide and quercetin are both molecules with important pharmaceutical activity, whose effects can mutually enhance one another when clinically applied simultaneously. Quantum chemical calculations are used to examine how the two molecules might interact with one another. The most stabilizing force arises when the aromatic systems of the two molecules are arranged parallel to one another. These stacked configurations are reinforced by H-bonds, but geometries containing only H-bonds, without the aromatic stacking, are much less stable, even if the H-bonds are short and strong. Comparison between B3LYP and B3LYP-D binding energies allows an evaluation of dispersion energy, which is found …


Nx∙∙Y Halogen Bonds. Comparison With Nh∙∙Y H-Bonds And Cx∙∙Y Halogen Bonds, Binod Nepal, Steve Scheiner Jun 2016

Nx∙∙Y Halogen Bonds. Comparison With Nh∙∙Y H-Bonds And Cx∙∙Y Halogen Bonds, Binod Nepal, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Quantum calculations examine how the NH∙∙Y H-bond compares to the equivalent NX∙∙Y halogen bond, as well as to comparable CH/CX donors. Succinimide and saccharin, and their corresponding halogen-substituted derivatives, are chosen as the prototype NH/NX donors, paired with a wide range of electron donor molecules. The NH∙∙Y H-bond is weakened if the bridging H is replaced by Cl, and strengthened by I; a Br halogen bond is roughly comparable to a H-bond. The lone pairs of the partner molecule are stronger electron donors than are π-systems. Whereas Coulombic forces represent the largest fraction of the attractive force in the H-bonds, …


Nitrogenase Bioelectrocatalysis: Heterogeneous Ammonia And Hydrogen Production By Mofe Protein, Ross D. Milton, Sofiene Abdellaoui, Nimesh Khadka, Dennis R. Dean, Donal Leech, Lance C. Seefeldt, Shelley D. Minteer Jun 2016

Nitrogenase Bioelectrocatalysis: Heterogeneous Ammonia And Hydrogen Production By Mofe Protein, Ross D. Milton, Sofiene Abdellaoui, Nimesh Khadka, Dennis R. Dean, Donal Leech, Lance C. Seefeldt, Shelley D. Minteer

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

notrogenase is the only enzyme known to catalyze the reduction of N2 to 2NH3. In vivo, the MoFe protein component of nitrogenase is exclusively reduced by the ATP-hydrolyzing Fe protein in a series of transient association/dissociation steps that are linked to the hyderolysis of two ATP for each electron transeferred. We report MoFe protein immobilized at an electrode surface, where cobaltocene (as an electron mediator that can be observed in real time at a carbon electrode) is used to reduce the MoFe protein (independent of the Fe protein and of ATP hydrolysis) and support the bioelectrocatalytic reduction of protons to …


Segmentation And Additive Approach: A Reliable Technique To Study Noncovalent Interactions Of Large Molecules At The Surface Of Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes, Ana M. Torres, Steve Scheiner, Ajit K. Roy, Andrés M. Garay-Tapia, John J. Bustamante, Tapas Kar May 2016

Segmentation And Additive Approach: A Reliable Technique To Study Noncovalent Interactions Of Large Molecules At The Surface Of Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes, Ana M. Torres, Steve Scheiner, Ajit K. Roy, Andrés M. Garay-Tapia, John J. Bustamante, Tapas Kar

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

This investigation explores a new protocol, named Segmentation and Additive approach (SAA), to study exohedral noncovalent functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with large molecules, such as polymers, bio-molecules etc, by segmenting the entire system into smaller units to reduce computational cost. A key criterion of the segmentation process is the preservation of the molecular structure responsible for stabilization of the entire system in smaller segments. Noncovalent interaction of linoleic acid (LA, C18H32O2), a fatty acid, at the surface of a (10,0) zigzag nanotubeis considered for test purposes. Three smaller segmented models have been created from the full (10,0)-LA system …


Enhancing The Reduction Potential Of Quinones Via Complex Formation, Binod Nepal, Steve Scheiner May 2016

Enhancing The Reduction Potential Of Quinones Via Complex Formation, Binod Nepal, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Quantum calculations are used to study the manner in which quinones interact with proton-donating molecules. For neutral donors, a stacked geometry is favored over a H-bond structure. The former is stabilized by charge transfers from the N or O lone pairs to the quinone’s π* orbitals. Following the addition of an electron to the quinone, the radical anion forms strong H-bonded complexes with the various donors. The presence of the donor enhances the electron affinity of the quinone. This enhancement is on the order of 15 kcal/mol for neutral donors, but up to as much as 85 kcal/mol for a …


H-Bonding And Stacking Interactions Between Chloroquine And Temozolomide, Okuma Emile Kasende, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner Apr 2016

H-Bonding And Stacking Interactions Between Chloroquine And Temozolomide, Okuma Emile Kasende, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The interactions between temozolomide and chloroquine were examined via Dispersion-Corrected Density Functional Theory and MP2 methods. Chloroquine was considered in both its lowest energy structure and in a local minimum where its aromatic system and secondary amine group are free to interact directly with temozolomide. The accessibility of these two components to intermolecular interaction makes the lowest energy dimer of this local monomer minimum competitive in total energy with that involving chloroquine’s most stable monomer geometry. In either case, the most stable heterodimer places the aromatic ring systems of the two molecules parallel and directly above one another in a …


Hydrogen Bonded And Stacked Geometries Of The Temozolomide Dimer, Okuma Emile Kasende, Jules Tshishimbi Muya, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner Mar 2016

Hydrogen Bonded And Stacked Geometries Of The Temozolomide Dimer, Okuma Emile Kasende, Jules Tshishimbi Muya, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Dispersion-corrected Density Functional Theory (DFT) and MP2 quantum chemical methods are used to examine homodimers of temozolomide (TMZ). Of the twelve dimer configurations found to be minima, the antarafacial stacked dimer is the most favored, lower in energy than coplanar dimers which are stabilized by H-bonds. The comparison between B3LYP and B3LYP-D binding energies points to dispersion as a primary factor in stabilizing the stacked geometries. CO(π)→CO(π*)charge transfers between amide groups in the global minimum are identified by NBO, as well as a pair of weak CH∙∙N H-bonds. AIM analysis of the electron density provides an alternative description which includes …


Catalysis Of The Aza-Diels-Alder Reaction By Hydrogen And Halogen Bonds, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner Feb 2016

Catalysis Of The Aza-Diels-Alder Reaction By Hydrogen And Halogen Bonds, Vincent De Paul Nzuwah-Nziko, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The combination of H2C=NH and cis-1,3-butadiene to form a six-membered ring was examined by quantum calculations. The energy barrier for this reaction is substantially lowered by the introduction of an imidazolium catalyst with either a H or halogen (X) atom in the 2-position, which acts via a H or halogen bond to the N atom of the imine, respectively. X=I has the largest effect, and Cl the smallest; Br and H are roughly equivalent. The catalyst retards the formation of the incipient N-C bond from imine to diene while simultaneously accelerating the C-C bond formation. The energy of the π* …


Building A Better Halide Receptor: Optimum Choice Of Spacer, Binding Unit, And Halosubstitution, Binod Nepal, Steve Scheiner Jan 2016

Building A Better Halide Receptor: Optimum Choice Of Spacer, Binding Unit, And Halosubstitution, Binod Nepal, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Quantum calculations are used to measure the binding of halides to a number of bipodal dicationic receptors, constructed as a pair of binding units separated by a spacer group. A number of variations are studied. A H atom on each binding unit (imidazolium or triazolium) is replaced by Br or I. Benzene, thiophene, carbazole, and dimethylnaphthalene are considered as spacer groups. Each receptor is paired with halides F-, Cl-, Br-, and I-. I-substitution on the binding unit yields a large enhancement of binding, as much as 13 orders of magnitude; a much smaller increase occurs for bromosubstitution. Imidazolium is a …


Electrochemical Oxidation To Construct A Nickel Sulfide/Oxide Heterostructure With Improvement Of Capacitance, Xuan Liu, Bo You, Xin-Yao Yu, Jeffrey Chipman, Yujie Sun Jan 2016

Electrochemical Oxidation To Construct A Nickel Sulfide/Oxide Heterostructure With Improvement Of Capacitance, Xuan Liu, Bo You, Xin-Yao Yu, Jeffrey Chipman, Yujie Sun

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Supercapacitors have been widely recognized as a promising device for the storage of renewable energy. Herein, a facile electrochemical oxidation strategy is described to construct a nickel sulfide/oxide heterostructure which enhances the specific areal capacitance of Ni3S2 electrode (2035 mF cm-2 vs. 31 mF cm-2 at a current density of 8 mA cm-2), while still maintaining great stability, showing no performance degradation after 5000 charge-discharge cycles. Its exceptional capacitance, advanced rate capability, and superior cycling stability are attributed to the transformed composition and unique nanostructure achieved during electrochemical oxidation, which can provide a …


Comparison Of Π-Hole Tetrel Bonding With Σ-Hole Halogen Bonds In Complexes Of Xcn (X = F, Cl, Br, I) And Nh3, Steve Scheiner, Vincent De Paul Nziko Jan 2016

Comparison Of Π-Hole Tetrel Bonding With Σ-Hole Halogen Bonds In Complexes Of Xcn (X = F, Cl, Br, I) And Nh3, Steve Scheiner, Vincent De Paul Nziko

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

In addition to the standard halogen bond formed when NH3 approaches XCN (X=F,Cl,Br,I) along its molecular axis, a perpendicular approach is also possible, toward a π-hole that is present above the X-C bond. MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations indicate the latter geometry is favored for X=F, and the σ-hole structure is preferred for the heavier halogens. The π-hole structure is stabilized by charge transfer from the NH3 lone pair into the π*(CN) antibonding orbital, and is characterized by a bond path from the N of NH3 to the C atom of XCN, a form of tetrel bond. The most stable …