The chemical bonds that hold molecules together are composed of electrons, and in order to study these microscopic systems, electronic structure calculations are often employed. This thesis describes the results from several studies that use computational techniques to investigate a variety of bonding interactions. The systems presented range from small water clusters to large DNA quadruplexes. High-level computational techniques, such as ab initio and density functional theory methods, were applied as well as the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (AIM). AIM uses the gradient to analyze the electron density, partitioning the molecule into atomic fragments. Once the system is partitioned, individual atomic contributions to molecular properties can be determined. Furthermore, bonding interactions can be identified by the presence of a specific type of critical point within the topology. These two facets of AIM are exploited throughout this thesis. The first project presented is a theoretical investigation of the exact electronic structure of hydrated electrons. Whether the excess electron resides within a central cavity or is smeared out over the surface of the cluster remains a contentious issue. In an attempt to investigate this dilemma from a novel viewpoint, AIM was used to analyze the electron density of small anionic water clusters up to ten water molecules. The results suggest that the preferred site of binding is dictated by the relative orientation of the non-hydrogen-bonded hydrogen atoms. At the other end of the spectrum, the largest systems investigated were several guanine quadruplexes that can form in telomeric regions of DNA. In light of the attention these structures have received as potential therapeutic agents, a clear understanding of their formation is mandatory. The study presented here is a detailed investigation of the electronic energy changes associated with the folding of the quadruplex from the single-stranded telomere. After devising a novel method to display the atomic energy data, several interesting trends in the energy changes were identified. Ultimately, the data presented could help to guide future drug development endeavours, highlighting one of the many practical applications of computational methods.

Conventional primary Li/CFx batteries employ graphite and polyvinylidene fluoride additives in the cathodes. These additives usher in some un-desired side-effects, such as lower battery capacities (mAh/g) and smaller current densities (mA/g). An innovative pretreatment was developed in this research in which CFx was subject to a “solvated electron” reduction to obtain a thin layer graphitic carbon coating on the CFx particle surfaces. Resistivity tests revealed that these partially reduced CFx particles have a higher conductivity at comparable graphitic carbon contents. Electrochemical discharge reactions demonstrated that batteries made from the reduced CFx were superior to the conventional batteries with higher current densities and higher capacities achieved. Impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies found out that the reduced CFx particles have smaller cell reaction resistances, smaller double layer/intercalation capacitances and smaller mass transport resistances. It appears that use of reduced CFx has the potential to replace the conventional CFx plus additives as a cathode material in Li/CFx batteries.

Nous étudions la dynamique d’anions hydroxyde et fluorure micro-solvatés dans un agrégat d’eau après photo-excitation. Du fait du coût numérique important des calculs ab-initio et de la faible transférabilité des potentiels modèles de la littérature, nous avons développé un nouveau modèle transférable permettant de décrire l’interaction d’un soluté quelconque avec une molécule d’eau. Nous avons également effectué une étude des propriétés statiques de F^-(H2O)n=1−7 et OH−(H2O)n=1−7 qui sert de référence pour la paramétrisation du modèle et fournit une base à l’interprétation des calculs de dynamique. De cette étude, nous avons déduit le nombre de molécules d’eau nécessaires pour stabiliser le premier état excité de F− et OH−. Nous avons aussi déterminé l’impact de la base sur la description des états excités. Enfin, nous avons mis en évidence un motif géométrique favorable à la recombinaison géminée. L’étude de trajectoires sur le premier état singulet excité pour F^-(H2O)3,5 et OH^-(H2O)3,5 montre des différences de comportement entre le fluorure et l’hydroxyde. Pour F^−, l’électron est très diffus et se transfère en une centaine de femtosecondes à l’eau. Dans le cas de OH^−, à cause du dipôle du radical OH qui maintient l’électron, le transfert de charge ne s’effectue que lorsque le radical OH tourne vers l’agrégat d’eau. Cette différence de comportement entre OH^−et F^−offre une piste pour la compréhension du phénomène de recombinaison géminée rapide observé pour OH^−. Nous avons également étudié le spectre d’énergie de détachement vertical de l’électron pour des agrégats d’eau négativement chargés qui constituent l’un des produits finaux de la dynamique des anions photo-excités. Ces résultats ont été discutés et comparés à l’expérience. Nous avons ainsi pu faire correspondre des structures géométriques aux pics des spectres mesurés expérimentalement. Nous discutons aussi du rôle de l’énergie interne des agrégats sur l’allure des spectres via son impact sur l’évaporation de molécules d’eau. / We study the dynamics of micro-solvated hydroxide and fluoride anions in water clusters after photoexcitation. Because ab-initio calculations are numerically expensive and model potentials from literature lack of transferability, we developed a transferable model, which allows us to describe the interaction between any solute and a water molecule. We have studied the statics properties of F^−(H2O)n=1−7 and OH^−(H2O)n=1−7. The results from this study serve as a basis for the parametrization of the model and for the interpretation of dynamics simulation. From this study, we deduced the number of water molecules needed to stabilize an excited state for F^−and OH^−. We investogated the impact of the basis on the description of the excited states At last, we highlight a favorable motif for geminate recombination. Study of trajectories on the first excited singlet states of F^−(H2O)3,5 and OH^−(H2O)3,5 shows differences in the dynamics between OH^−and F^− For F^−, the excess electron is very diffuse and transferred quickly to the water For OH−, because of the OH dipole, the excess electron remains bound to the neutral . OH, until charge transfer takes place when OH rotate to the water cluster. This difference provides a way to understand the fast geminate recombination process observed for OH^−. We also studied vertical detachment spectra of the electron for negatively charged water clusters which are the final products of the anions dynamics on the first excited state. These results are compared to experience from literature. We associate isomers to the experimentally observed peaks. We discuss the effect of internal energy on the shape of the spectra through water molecules evaporation

Le travail présenté dans cette thèse, s’inscrit dans le domaine d'étude de l'interaction des rayonnements ionisants avec les liquides polaires. Bénéficiant de l’accélérateur d'électrons picoseconde ELYSE, les études ont été menées en utilisant les techniques de la radiolyse impulsionnelle associées à la spectrophotométrie d’absorption résolue en temps dans le domaine de la picoseconde. Ce travail est réparti sur deux chapitres distincts. Le premier aborde l’étude la variation temporelle du rendement radiolytique de l’électron solvaté dans l'eau et les alcools simples. Grâce au système de détection original monté sur l’accélérateur ELYSE, composé d’une lampe flash spécialement conçue pour cette détection et d’une streak-camera utilisée pour la première fois en spectroscopie d’absorption, il a été possible d'enregistrer la totalité du déclin du rendement radiolytique de l’électron solvaté d’une façon continue dans un intervalle de temps allant de la dizaine de picoseconde à quelques centaines de nanoseconde. La capture de l’électron solvaté par le méthylviologène, a été mise à profit pour réévaluer le coefficient d’extinction molaire du spectre d'absorption de l’électron solvaté dans l’eau et l’éthanol à partir des points isobestiques qui apparaissent à l'intersection des spectres d'absorption de l’électron solvaté qui disparaît et du méthylviologène qui se forme au cours de la réaction.Le deuxième chapitre est consacré à l’étude des carbonates organiques liquides, tels que le diméthyle carbonate (DMC), le diéthyle carbonate (DEC) et le propylène carbonate (PC). Cette famille de carbonate qui n’a jamais été étudiée auparavant par radiolyse pulsée, entre dans la composition des électrolytes des batteries notamment au lithium. Les études ont été focalisées sur le PC au vu de ces caractéristiques physico-chimiques, notamment sa constante diélectrique très élevée (64) et son très fort moment dipolaire de 4,9 D. Les premiers résultats ont été obtenus d’abord sur des solutions aqueuses contenant du propylène carbonate afin d'observer les réactions de réduction et d'oxydation du PC par les espèces radiolytiques de l'eau (électron solvaté et radicaux OH). Puis après l’identification (spectrale et cinétique) de l’espèce formée par interaction avec le radical OH comme étant le radical PC• résultant de l'abstraction d'un H de la molécule de PC et l’espèce formée par interaction avec l’électron aqueux comme étant l'anion PC-, d’autres mesures ont été effectuées dans le liquide pur ainsi qu’en présence de certains intercepteurs d’électrons (biphényle, anthracène, naphtalène). Elles ont permis d'accéder au rendement radiolytique de PC- ainsi qu'à l'évaluation de son potentiel redox. Les premiers résultats sur le DEC et le DMC sont aussi exposés dans cette partie, portant dans un premier lieu sur le solvant pur et puis en présence de biphényle. / This work is part of the study area of the interaction of radiation with polar liquids. Using the picosecond electron accelerator ELYSE, studies were conducted using the techniques of pulse radiolysis combined with absorption spectrophotometry Time-resolved in the field of a picosecond.This work is divided into two separate chapters. The first study addresses the temporal variation of the radiolytic yield of solvated electron in water and simple alcohols. Due to original detection system mounted on the accelerator ELYSE, composed of a flash lamp specifically designed for the detection and a streak-camera used for the first time in absorption spectroscopy, it was possible to record the time-dependent radiolytic yields of the solvated electron from ten picoseconds to a few hundred nanoseconds. The scavenging of the electron solvated by methyl viologen, was utilized to reevaluate the molar extinction coefficient of the absorption spectrum of solvated electron in water and ethanol from isobestic points which corresponds to the intersection of the absorption spectra of solvated electron which disappears and methyl viologen which is formed during the reaction.The second chapter is devoted to the study of liquid organic carbonates such as dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC) and propylene carbonate (PC). This family of carbonate wich compose the electrolytes lithium batteries, has never been investigated by pulse radiolysis. The studies were focused on the PC in the light of these physicochemical characteristics, including its very high dielectric constant (64) and its strong dipole moment of 4.9 D. The first results were obtained on aqueous solutions containing propylene carbonate to observe the reactions of reduction and oxidation of PC by radiolytic species of water (solvated electron and OH radicals). Then, after the identification (spectral and kinetic) of the species formed by interaction with the OH radical as the PC• radical resulting from the abstraction of a H from the molecule of PC and the species formed by the interaction with electron as the anion aqueous PC-, other measurements were made in the pure liquid and in the presence of some electron interceptors (biphenyl, anthracene, naphthalene). They give access to the radiolytic yield of PC- and the evaluation of its redox potential. The first results of the DEC and the DMC are also outlined in this section, the pure solvent and then in the presence of biphenyl.

<p>The realm of molecular physical chemistry ranges from the structure of matter and the fundamental atomic and molecular interactions to the macroscopic properties and processes arising from the average microscopic behaviour.</p><p>Herein, the conventional electrodic problem is recast into the simpler molecular problem of finding the electrochemical, real chemical, and chemical potentials of the species involved in redox half-reactions. This molecular approach is followed to define the three types of absolute chemical potentials of species in solution and to estimate their standard values. This is achieved by applying the scaling laws of statistical mechanics to the collective behaviour of atoms and molecules, whose motion, interactions, and properties are described by first principles quantum chemistry. For atomic and molecular species, calculation of these quantities is within the computational implementations of wave function, density functional, and self-consistent reaction field theories. Since electrons and nuclei are the elementary particles in the realm of chemistry, an internally consistent set of absolute standard values within chemical accuracy is supplied for all three chemical potentials of electrons and protons in aqueous solution. As a result, problems in referencing chemical data are circumvented, and a uniform thermochemical treatment of electron, proton, and proton-coupled electron transfer reactions in solution is enabled.</p><p>The formalism is applied to the primary and secondary radiation damage to DNA bases, e.g., absorption of UV light to yield electronically excited states, formation of radical ions, and transformation of nucleobases into mutagenic lesions as OH radical adducts and 8-oxoguanine. Based on serine phosphate as a model compound, some insight into the direct DNA strand break mechanism is given.</p><p>Psoralens, also called furocoumarins, are a family of sensitizers exhibiting cytostatic and photodynamic actions, and hence, they are used in photochemotherapy. Molecular design of more efficient photosensitizers can contribute to enhance the photophysical and photochemical properties of psoralens and to reduce the phototoxic reactions. The mechanisms of photosensitization of furocoumarins connected to their dark toxicity are examined quantum chemically.</p>

The realm of molecular physical chemistry ranges from the structure of matter and the fundamental atomic and molecular interactions to the macroscopic properties and processes arising from the average microscopic behaviour. Herein, the conventional electrodic problem is recast into the simpler molecular problem of finding the electrochemical, real chemical, and chemical potentials of the species involved in redox half-reactions. This molecular approach is followed to define the three types of absolute chemical potentials of species in solution and to estimate their standard values. This is achieved by applying the scaling laws of statistical mechanics to the collective behaviour of atoms and molecules, whose motion, interactions, and properties are described by first principles quantum chemistry. For atomic and molecular species, calculation of these quantities is within the computational implementations of wave function, density functional, and self-consistent reaction field theories. Since electrons and nuclei are the elementary particles in the realm of chemistry, an internally consistent set of absolute standard values within chemical accuracy is supplied for all three chemical potentials of electrons and protons in aqueous solution. As a result, problems in referencing chemical data are circumvented, and a uniform thermochemical treatment of electron, proton, and proton-coupled electron transfer reactions in solution is enabled. The formalism is applied to the primary and secondary radiation damage to DNA bases, e.g., absorption of UV light to yield electronically excited states, formation of radical ions, and transformation of nucleobases into mutagenic lesions as OH radical adducts and 8-oxoguanine. Based on serine phosphate as a model compound, some insight into the direct DNA strand break mechanism is given. Psoralens, also called furocoumarins, are a family of sensitizers exhibiting cytostatic and photodynamic actions, and hence, they are used in photochemotherapy. Molecular design of more efficient photosensitizers can contribute to enhance the photophysical and photochemical properties of psoralens and to reduce the phototoxic reactions. The mechanisms of photosensitization of furocoumarins connected to their dark toxicity are examined quantum chemically.