Origin of the unusual ultraviolet absorption of Arsenicin A

J Phys Chem A. 2011 May 5;115(17):4530-4. doi: 10.1021/jp200956b. Epub 2011 Mar 24.

Abstract

This paper presents a combined experimental and theoretical study of the electronic spectrum of the natural adamantane-type polyarsenical Arsenicin A. Experiments reveal that this molecule strongly absorbs UV light in the absence of an obvious chromophore. The observed absorbance is supported by the time-dependent density functional (TD-DFT) calculations with B3LYP, M06-L, and M06-2X functionals combined with the 6-311+G(3df,2pd) basis set, as well as by symmetry-adapted cluster/configuration interaction (SAC-CI) theory. The theoretical investigations reveal that the absorption is facilitated by through-space and through-bond interactions, between the lone pairs on the arsenic and oxygen atoms and the σ-bonding framework of the molecule, that destabilize occupied and stabilize unoccupied molecular orbitals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arsenicals / chemistry*
  • Quantum Theory*
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Ultraviolet Rays*

Substances

  • Arsenicals
  • arsenicin A