Force-field parameters of the first row transition metals together with a few additional common elements such as those from the second (Rh, Ru) and third (Hg, Pt) rows of elements in ligated forms were determined based on the density functional theory calculations. Bonding characteristics were determined by averaging metal-ligand force constants in optimal geometries from several chosen complexes of each metal in the most common oxidation numbers and structural arrangements. Parameters of Lennard-Jones potential were determined based on a supermolecular model. Our determined molecular mechanical parameters are compared with presently available parameters published by other groups. We performed two different kinds of testing in order to demonstrate the reliability of these parameters in the case of ligated metallo complexes. First, the nonbonding potential was constructed for an additional set of 19 larger systems containing common complexes with organic molecules. The second test compares the Pt-O and Pt-H radial distribution functions for cisplatin in a box of TIP3P water with lately published studies.

Hole hopping through tryptophan/tyrosine chains enables rapid unidirectional charge transport over long distances. We have elucidated structural and dynamical factors controlling hopping speed and efficiency in two modified azurin constructs that include a rhenium(I) sensitizer, Re(His)(CO)3(dmp)+, and one or two tryptophans (W1, W2). Experimental kinetics investigations showed that the two closely spaced (3 to 4 Å) intervening tryptophans dramatically accelerated long-range electron transfer (ET) from CuI to the photoexcited sensitizer. In our theoretical work, we found that time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics/molecular dynamics (QM/MM/MD) trajectories of low-lying triplet excited states of ReI(His)(CO)3(dmp)+–W1(–W2) exhibited crossings between sensitizer-localized (*Re) and charge-separated [ReI(His)(CO)3(dmp•–)/(W1•+ or W2•+)] (CS1 or CS2) states. Our analysis revealed that the distances, angles, and mutual orientations of ET-active cofactors fluctuate in a relatively narrow range in which the cofactors are strongly coupled, enabling adiabatic ET. Water-dominated electrostatic field fluctuations bring *Re and CS1 states to a crossing where *Re(CO)3(dmp)+←W1 ET occurs, and CS1 becomes the lowest triplet state. ET is promoted by solvation dynamics around *Re(CO)3(dmp)+(W1); and CS1 is stabilized by Re(dmp•–)/W1•+ electron/hole interaction and enhanced W1•+ solvation. The second hop, W1•+←W2, is facilitated by water fluctuations near the W1/W2 unit, taking place when the electrostatic potential at W2 drops well below that at W1•+. Insufficient solvation and reorganization around W2 make W1•+←W2 ET endergonic, shifting the equilibrium toward W1•+ and decreasing the charge-separation yield. We suggest that multiscale TDDFT/MM/MD is a suitable technique to model the simultaneous evolution of photogenerated excited-state manifolds.

Redox potentials of the Pt(IV) complexes, such as satraplatin, tetraplatin, and several others, are determined at the density functional theory (DFT) level (with B3LYP, ω-B97XD, PBE1PBE, TPSSTPSS, M06-L, M11-L, and MN12-L functionals) and compared with post-Hartree-Fock methods MP2 and CCSD(T). Calculations are performed in water solution employing an implicit solvation model. The impact of replacement of a chloro ligand by a water molecule (hydration in the equatorial plane of the complexes) is also explored. Furthermore, an influence of solvent pH on the magnitude of the redox potentials is discussed for such hydrated complexes. The obtained results are compared with available experimental data leading to a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of ca. 0.23 V, using the CCSD(T)/6-31+G(d)/IEF-PCM/scaled-UAKS level. Distribution of the electron density is analyzed at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,2pd) level. Also, a correlation between binding energies of axial ligands and the redox potential is demonstrated. Since the Pt(IV) complexes are considered in the framework of anticancer treatment, possible reducing agents in bioenvironment are searched. From this reason, the reduction potential of different protonation states of ascorbic acid is also presented.

The reduction mechanism of [Pt(IV) (dach)Cl4 ] (dach=diaminocyclohexyl) in the presence of dGMP was studied. The first step is substitution of a chloro ligand by dGMP, followed by nucleophilic attack of a phosphate or sugar oxygen atom to the C8-position of guanine. Subsequent reduction forms the [Pt(II) (dach)Cl2 ] complex. The whole process is completed by a hydrolysis. Two different pathways for the substitution reaction were examined: a direct associative and a Basolo-Pearson autocatalytic mechanism. All the explored structures were optimized at the B3LYP-D3/6-31G(d) level and by using the COSMO solvation model with Klamt's radii. Single-point energetics was determined at the B3LYP-GD3BJ/6-311++G(2df,2pd)/PCM/scaled-UAKS level. Activation barriers were used for an estimation of the rate constants and these were compared with experimental values. It was found that the rate-determining step is the nucleophilic attack with a slightly faster performance in the 3'-dGMP branch than in the case of 5'-dGMP with activation barriers of 21.1 and 20.4 kcal mol(-1) (experimental: 23.8 and 23.2 kcal mol(-1) ). The reduction reaction is connected with an electron flow from guanine. The product of the reduction reaction is a chelate structure, which dissociates within the last reaction step, that is, a hydrolysis reaction. The whole redox process (substitution, reduction, and hydrolysis) is exergonic by 34 and 28 kcal mol(-1) for 5'-dGMP and 3'-dGMP, respectively.

This study involves the intramolecular proton transfer (PT) process on a thymine nucleobase between N3 and O2 atoms. We explore a mechanism for the PT assisted by hexacoordinated divalent metals cations, namely Mg , Zn , and Hg . Our results point out that this reaction corresponds to a two-stage process. The first involves the PT from one of the aqua ligands toward O2. The implications of this stage are the formation of a hydroxo anion bound to the metal center and a positively charged thymine. To proceed to the second stage, a structural change is needed to allow the negatively charged hydroxo ligand to abstract the N3 proton, which represents the final product of the PT reaction. In the presence of the selected hexaaqua cations, the activation barrier is at most 8 kcal/mol. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.