Exploring Forsterite Surface Catalysis in HCN Polymerization: Computational Insights for Astrobiology and Prebiotic Chemistry
ACS Earth and Space Chemistry,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Jan. 17, 2025
Understanding
the
catalytic
role
of
cosmic
mineral
surfaces
is
crucial
for
elucidating
chemical
evolution
needed
emergence
life
on
Earth
and
other
planetary
systems.
In
this
study,
silicate
forsterite
(Mg2SiO4)
in
synthesis
iminoacetonitrile
(IAN,
HN=CH-CN)
from
condensation
two
hydrogen
cyanide
(HCN)
molecules
investigated
through
quantum
mechanical
simulations.
Using
density
functional
theory
calculations,
potential
energy
alongside
kinetics
various
surface-mediated
reactions
leading
to
formation
IAN
are
characterized.
The
effectiveness
as
a
catalyst
delicate
balance
surface
reactivity:
one
side,
deprotonation
HCN
mandatory
trigger
dimerization;
species
should
be
weakly
bound
surface,
thus
allowing
their
diffusion
meet
with
each
other.
work
reveals
interesting
counterintuitive
results:
(120)
(101)
(the
less
reactive
ones)
exhibit
favorable
properties
reaction,
detriment
(111)
(one
most
reactive).
implications
these
findings
astrobiology
prebiotic
chemistry
fields
laboratory
experiments
discussed,
highlighting
silicates
complex
organic
molecules.
Language: Английский
Improving the Reliability of, and Confidence in, DFT Functional Benchmarking through Active Learning
Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Feb. 2, 2025
Validating
the
performance
of
exchange-correlation
functionals
is
vital
to
ensure
reliability
density
functional
theory
(DFT)
calculations.
Typically,
these
validations
involve
benchmarking
data
sets.
Currently,
such
sets
are
usually
assembled
in
an
unprincipled
manner,
suffering
from
uncontrolled
chemical
bias,
and
limiting
transferability
results
a
broader
space.
In
this
work,
data-efficient
solution
based
on
active
learning
explored
address
issue.
Focusing─as
proof
principle─on
pericyclic
reactions,
we
start
BH9
set
design
reaction
space
around
initial
by
combinatorially
combining
templates
substituents.
Next,
surrogate
model
trained
predict
standard
deviation
activation
energies
computed
across
selection
20
distinct
DFT
functionals.
With
model,
designed
explored,
enabling
identification
challenging
regions,
i.e.,
regions
with
large
divergence,
for
which
representative
reactions
subsequently
acquired
as
additional
training
points.
Remarkably,
it
turns
out
that
function
mapping
molecular
structure
divergence
readily
learnable;
convergence
reached
upon
acquisition
fewer
than
100
reactions.
our
final
updated
more
challenging─and
arguably
representative─pericyclic
curated,
demonstrate
has
changed
significantly
compared
original
subset.
Language: Английский
Toward Establishing the Principles of Electronic Structure Modeling of Battery Interfaces
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: April 17, 2025
Language: Английский
With a little help from our (AI) friend: A general transition state sampling method for tropospheric hydrogen abstraction reactions
Atmospheric Environment,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
328, P. 120515 - 120515
Published: April 15, 2024
Due
to
their
pivotal
role
in
atmospheric
processes,
hydrogen
abstraction
reactions
are
vital
the
study
of
tropospheric
chemistry.
In
this
work,
we
present
an
algorithm
that
generates
a
large
number
chemically
sound
geometries
for
optimization
transition
states
(TSs)
bimolecular
H
reactions.
The
code,
which
was
developed
early
stages
with
help
artificial
intelligence
(AI),
automatically
detects
active
atoms
molecule
and
can
be
used
OH,
Cl,
NO3
oxidants.
Given
ubiquity
transfer
various
fields,
designed
general
terms
facilitate
easy
adaptation
other
oxidants,
thus
allowing
broader
range
applications.
As
result
its
use,
much
greater
TSs
is
predicted
when
compared
previous
theoretical
studies
six
oxidation
addition
improving
our
understanding
H-abstraction
process,
obtaining
increased
also
fundamentally
important
calculating
more
accurate
rate
constants
lifetimes
volatile
organic
compounds.
simplicity
significance
such
tool
context
environmental
chemistry
should
make
it
appealing
researchers
all
backgrounds.
Language: Английский