IChO 2007 · Theory problem 1

Proton tunneling

Proton tunneling through energy barriers is an important effect, which can be observed in many complex species containing hydrogen bonds (DNA, proteins, etc.). Propanedial (malonaldehyde) is one of the simplest molecules for which intramolecular proton transfer can occur.

1.1 Draw the condensed formula of propanedial and the structures of two of its isomers, which can exist in equilibrium with propanedial.

1.2 In a water solution propanedial is a weak acid, its strength being comparable with that of acetic acid. Specify the acidic hydrogen atom. Explain its acidity (choose one version in the Answer Sheet).

On the plot below an energy profile of the intramolecular proton transfer is given (the dependence of energy on the distance of proton motion (in nm)). Energy curve has a symmetric double-well form.

Figure 1

1.3 Draw the structures corresponding to two minima on this curve.

A proton is delocalized between two atoms and oscillates between two minima L and R with an angular frequency \(\omega = 6.48\times10^{11}\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}\). Probability density for a proton depends on time as follows:

\[ \Psi^{2}(x,t)=\frac{1}{2}\left[ \Psi_{\mathrm L}^{2}(x)+\Psi_{\mathrm R}^{2}(x) +\left(\Psi_{\mathrm L}^{2}(x)-\Psi_{\mathrm R}^{2}(x)\right) \cos(\omega t) \right], \]

wavefunctions \(\Psi_{\mathrm L}(x)\) and \(\Psi_{\mathrm R}(x)\) describe a proton localized in the left and right wells, respectively:

Figure 2

1.4 Write down the expressions for the probability density at three moments: (a) \(t = 0\), (b) \(t = \pi/(2\omega)\), (c) \(t = \pi/\omega\). Sketch the graphs of these three functions.

1.5 Without calculations, determine the probability of finding the proton in the left well at \(t = \pi/(2\omega)\)

1.6 How much time is required for a proton to move from one well to another? What is the proton mean speed during the transfer?

1.7 From the energy curve, estimate the uncertainty of the position of proton forming hydrogen bonds. Estimate the minimal uncertainty of the proton speed. Compare this value with that obtained in 1.6 and draw a conclusion about the proton tunneling (choose one of the versions in the Answer Sheet).

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 1.1: Propanedial (malonaldehyde), \(\ce{OHC-CH2-CHO}\), SMILES O=CCC=O. Its two geometrical enol isomers are (Z)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal, O=C/C=C\O, and (E)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal, O=C/C=C/O.

  • 1.2: Either equivalent hydrogen on the central \(\ce{CH2}\) group can undergo the first dissociation. In the enol form, the corresponding acidic hydrogen is on \(\ce{OH}\). The conjugate base, propanedial enolate, O=C[CH-]C=O, is stabilized by delocalization of negative charge over both carbonyl groups.

  • 1.3: The minima are two equivalent, internally hydrogen-bonded arrangements of (Z)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal: L, O/C=C\C=O, and R, O=C/C=C\O. With the heavy-atom skeleton held fixed, the proton is bonded to the left oxygen in L and the right oxygen in R; the double bonds shift accordingly.

  • 1.4:
    (a) \(\displaystyle \Psi^{2}(x,0)=\Psi_{\mathrm L}^{2}(x)\): the left peak.
    (b) \(\displaystyle \Psi^{2}\!\left(x,\frac{\pi}{2\omega}\right)=\frac12\left[\Psi_{\mathrm L}^{2}(x)+\Psi_{\mathrm R}^{2}(x)\right]\): two equal peaks, each scaled by one-half.
    (c) \(\displaystyle \Psi^{2}\!\left(x,\frac{\pi}{\omega}\right)=\Psi_{\mathrm R}^{2}(x)\): the right peak.

  • 1.5: \(\boxed{P_{\mathrm L}=1/2=50\%}\).

  • 1.6: \(\boxed{t_{\mathrm{transfer}}=4.85\times10^{-12}\ \mathrm{s}=4.85\ \mathrm{ps}}\); the mean transfer speed estimated from the graph is \(\boxed{\bar v\approx12\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}}\).

  • 1.7: Using the full separation as the position-uncertainty scale, \(\Delta x\sim0.060\ \mathrm{nm}\), gives \(\boxed{\Delta v_{\min}\sim5.3\times10^{2}\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}}\), about 40 times the mean transfer speed. A strict rms estimate for two narrow, equally populated peaks gives approximately \(1.1\times10^{3}\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}\). Thus a sharply defined classical velocity and trajectory cannot describe this tunneling transfer.

Solution

1.1 — Propanedial and its enol isomers

Propanedial contains an aldehyde group at each end of a three-carbon chain:

\[ \boxed{\ce{OHC-CH2-CHO}}. \]

Its name is propanedial, also called malonaldehyde, and its SMILES is O=CCC=O.

An aldehyde group can undergo keto–enol tautomerization using a hydrogen from the central carbon:

\[ \ce{OHC-CH2-CHO <=> OHC-CH=CH-OH}. \]

The product, 3-hydroxyprop-2-enal, has two different substituents on each carbon of its carbon–carbon double bond, so it has two geometrical isomers:

Isomer SMILES Required drawing
(Z)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal O=C/C=C\O Put the \(\ce{CHO}\) and \(\ce{OH}\) substituents on the same side of the carbon–carbon double bond.
(E)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal O=C/C=C/O Put the \(\ce{CHO}\) and \(\ce{OH}\) substituents on opposite sides of the carbon–carbon double bond.

Both can interconvert with propanedial by tautomerization. Enolization at opposite ends of the symmetrical starting molecule does not produce additional distinct constitutional isomers.

1.2 — Acidic hydrogen and stabilization of the conjugate base

In the dialdehyde structure, identify a hydrogen on the central \(\ce{CH2}\) carbon. The two hydrogens are equivalent before dissociation; loss of either gives the same conjugate base.

The aqueous dissociation can be represented as

\[ \ce{OHC-CH2-CHO + H2O <=> [OHC-CH-CHO]^- + H3O+}. \]

Here water has SMILES O, hydronium has SMILES [OH3+], and the anion is propanedial enolate, represented by O=C[CH-]C=O.

The anion has three principal resonance contributors:

Location of formal negative charge SMILES of the contributor
Central carbon O=C[CH-]C=O
Left oxygen [O-]C=CC=O
Right oxygen O=CC=C[O-]

These are representations of the same delocalized ion, not separate species in equilibrium. The negative charge is distributed over a conjugated framework containing both carbonyl groups, with important contributions placing it on electronegative oxygen atoms. This stabilizes the conjugate base and accounts for the acidity.

In the enol tautomer, removal of the hydroxyl hydrogen produces the same delocalized conjugate base. Thus the acidic site is described as a central-carbon hydrogen in the dialdehyde form and the hydroxyl hydrogen in the enol form.

1.3 — Structures at the two minima

The proton transfers between the two oxygens of the internally hydrogen-bonded (Z)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal.

Read the following structures with the oxygen–carbon–carbon–carbon–oxygen skeleton held in the same spatial orientation:

Minimum Condensed structure Name and SMILES
L \(\ce{HO-CH=CH-CHO}\) (Z)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal, O/C=C\C=O
R \(\ce{OHC-CH=CH-OH}\) (Z)-3-hydroxyprop-2-enal, O=C/C=C\O

For the drawing, bend the approximately planar chain so that the two oxygens face each other, forming a six-membered hydrogen-bonded loop that includes the transferred hydrogen.

  • L: Draw a covalent bond from the left oxygen to hydrogen and a dotted hydrogen bond to the right oxygen: \(\ce{O-H}\cdots\ce{O}\). The left carbon–oxygen bond is single, and the right one is double.
  • R: Draw the hydrogen covalently bonded to the right oxygen, with a dotted bond to the left: \(\ce{O}\cdots\ce{H-O}\). The left carbon–oxygen bond is double, and the right one is single.

The carbon–carbon double bond shifts at the same time. The SMILES encode connectivity and alkene geometry, but the inward-facing conformation and dotted hydrogen bond must be shown separately.

The two arrangements are symmetry-equivalent, explaining the equal depths of the wells. They are not the E and Z isomers from part 1.1.

1.4 — Probability densities and sketches

Rewrite the given expression using the half-angle identities:

\[ \Psi^{2}(x,t) = \cos^{2}\!\left(\frac{\omega t}{2}\right)\Psi_{\mathrm L}^{2}(x) + \sin^{2}\!\left(\frac{\omega t}{2}\right)\Psi_{\mathrm R}^{2}(x). \]

(a) At \(t=0\):

\[ \boxed{\Psi^{2}(x,0)=\Psi_{\mathrm L}^{2}(x)}. \]

Draw the supplied left-hand peak, centered at approximately \(-0.030\ \mathrm{nm}\), with its original shape and height.

(b) At \(t=\pi/(2\omega)\):

Since \(\cos(\omega t)=\cos(\pi/2)=0\),

\[ \boxed{ \Psi^{2}\!\left(x,\frac{\pi}{2\omega}\right) = \frac12\Psi_{\mathrm L}^{2}(x) + \frac12\Psi_{\mathrm R}^{2}(x) }. \]

Draw two equal peaks centered at approximately \(-0.030\) and \(+0.030\ \mathrm{nm}\). Each component has the original width but half its original height and integrated area \(1/2\).

(c) At \(t=\pi/\omega\):

Since \(\cos(\omega t)=\cos\pi=-1\),

\[ \boxed{ \Psi^{2}\!\left(x,\frac{\pi}{\omega}\right) =\Psi_{\mathrm R}^{2}(x) }. \]

Draw the supplied right-hand peak, centered at approximately \(+0.030\ \mathrm{nm}\), with its original shape and height.

1.5 — Probability in the left well

At \(t=\pi/(2\omega)\), the density is symmetric between the two wells. The total probability is one, so each well has probability

\[ \boxed{P_{\mathrm L}=\frac12}. \]

1.6 — Transfer time and mean speed

The proton starts in the left-localized state at \(t=0\) and first reaches the right-localized state when \(\omega t=\pi\). Therefore,

\[ t_{\mathrm{transfer}} =\frac{\pi}{\omega} =\frac{\pi}{6.48\times10^{11}\ \mathrm{s^{-1}}} =\boxed{4.85\times10^{-12}\ \mathrm{s}}. \]

This is half the oscillation period.

From the graph, the minima are approximately at \(-0.030\) and \(+0.030\ \mathrm{nm}\), so their separation is

\[ d=0.060\ \mathrm{nm}=6.0\times10^{-11}\ \mathrm{m}. \]

The requested distance-over-time estimate is

\[ \bar v =\frac{d}{t_{\mathrm{transfer}}} =\frac{6.0\times10^{-11}\ \mathrm{m}} {4.848\times10^{-12}\ \mathrm{s}} =12.4\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}} \approx\boxed{12\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}}. \]

The precision is limited by reading the distance from the graph.

1.7 — Position and velocity uncertainties

The graph gives a characteristic proton-delocalization distance of

\[ \Delta x\sim d=0.060\ \mathrm{nm}=6.0\times10^{-11}\ \mathrm{m}. \]

Use the position–momentum uncertainty relation,

\[ \Delta x\,\Delta p_x\ge\frac{\hbar}{2}, \]

and, for a nonrelativistic proton, \(\Delta p_x=m_p\Delta v_x\). Hence,

\[ \Delta v_x\ge\frac{\hbar}{2m_p\Delta x}. \]

Using the standard constants

\[ \hbar=1.055\times10^{-34}\ \mathrm{J\,s}, \qquad m_p=1.673\times10^{-27}\ \mathrm{kg}, \]

the graph-based estimate is

\[ \Delta v_{\min} \sim \frac{1.055\times10^{-34}} {2(1.673\times10^{-27})(6.0\times10^{-11})} = \boxed{5.3\times10^{2}\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}}. \]

Compared with part 1.6,

\[ \frac{\Delta v_{\min}}{\bar v} \approx\frac{525}{12.4} \approx42. \]

There is a factor-of-two convention to distinguish here. In the exact uncertainty relation, \(\Delta x\) denotes a standard deviation, rather than a full spatial span. At equal populations, two narrow peaks centered at \(\pm0.030\ \mathrm{nm}\) have a position standard deviation approximately \(0.030\ \mathrm{nm}\). That estimate gives

\[ \Delta v_{\min}\sim1.1\times10^{3}\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}, \]

which leads to the same conclusion.

The velocity uncertainty is much larger than the distance-over-time speed. Thus part 1.6 supplies a characteristic transfer speed, but it does not establish a classical trajectory with a sharply defined velocity through the barrier. The transfer requires a quantum-mechanical description.

The solution was checked against the official solution.