Quantum chemical replica-exchange umbrella sampling molecular dynamics simulations reveal the formation mechanism of iron phthalocyanine from iron and phthalonitrile
- Nagoya Univ., Nagoya (Japan)
- Nagoya Univ., Nagoya (Japan); Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun (People's Republic of China)
- Nagoya Univ., Nagoya (Japan); JST-CREST, Nagoya (Japan)
- Nagoya Univ., Nagoya (Japan); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Phthalocyanine (Pc) and its metal complexes (MPcs) have been used industrially since their discovery in the early 20th century. The phthalonitrile (PN) method is a well-known synthesis method in which Pc or MPc can be afforded by heating a mixture of PN and metal powders over 280 °C with only moderate yield. However, the formation mechanism of the phthalocyanines and the intermediate stages of this seemingly simple reaction have yet to be fully understood. To study this mechanism computationally, we carried out quantum chemical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on the density-functional tight-binding (DFTB) method, applying the replica-exchange umbrella sampling (REUS) method, starting from four PN molecules and one iron atom. The DFTB-REUS-MD simulations successfully yielded FePc, and a metastable structure very similar to FePc but with a reactive nitrene unit was also identified that might explain the incomplete conversion of the reactants into FePc. Furthermore, analysis of the MD trajectories reveals a three-step FePc formation mechanism for the PN method.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1474873
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1460501
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 149, Issue 7; ISSN 0021-9606
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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