title: Ab initio study of microsolvated Al3+-aromatic amino acid complexes.
abstract: The systematic microhydration of Al(3+)-aromatic amino acid complexes is studied by both B3LYP/G03 and PBE/CPMD methods, considering the different binding sites available. The binding affinity of water molecules together with the structural and thermochemical changes triggered by the solvation of the metal are discussed, which are found to be dominated by the charge and size of the metal cation, yielding a very subtle equilibrium between the steric hindrance and the charge transfer to the metal. Some structures previously seen to be unfavored in the gas phase are stabilized upon microhydration, without the need of including bulk solvent effects.
authors.affiliation: Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea and Donostia International Physics Center, P. K. 1072, 20080 Donostia, Euskadi, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Larrucea
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rezabal
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ugalde
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D024322:Amino Acids, Aromatic / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011522:Protons; D011789:Quantum Theory; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D024322:Amino Acids, Aromatic; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011522:Protons; D012997:Solvents; D000535:Aluminum