McCann, Billy W. Silva, Nuwan De Windus, Theresa L. Gordon, Mark S. Moyer, Bruce A. Bryantsev, Vyacheslav S. Hay, Benjamin P. Computer-Aided Molecular Design of Bis-phosphine Oxide Lanthanide Extractants Computer-aided molecular design and high-throughput screening of viable host architectures can significantly reduce the efforts in the design of novel ligands for efficient extraction of rare earth elements. This paper presents a computational approach to the deliberate design of bis-phosphine oxide host architectures that are structurally organized for complexation of trivalent lanthanides. Molecule building software, HostDesigner, was interfaced with molecular mechanics software, PCModel, providing a tool for generating and screening millions of potential R<sub>2</sub>(O)­P–link–P­(O)­R<sub>2</sub> ligand geometries. The molecular mechanics ranking of ligand structures is consistent with both the solution-phase free energies of complexation obtained with density functional theory and the performance of known bis-phosphine oxide extractants. For the case where the link is −CH<sub>2</sub>–, evaluation of the ligand geometry provides the first characterization of a steric origin for the “anomalous aryl strengthening” effect. The design approach has identified a number of novel bis-phosphine oxide ligands that are better organized for lanthanide complexation than previously studied examples. R 2;host architectures;ligand geometry;ligand structures;screening millions;design approach;trivalent lanthanides;CH;earth elements;novel ligands;Molecule building software;oxide;lanthanide complexation;steric origin;mechanics software 2016-02-16
    https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Computer_Aided_Molecular_Design_of_Bis_phosphine_Oxide_Lanthanide_Extractants/2252452
10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b02995.s001