Li Jifan, Tang Weiqiang, Zhu Jiabao, Yang Jinrong, He Xiao
Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Molecule Intelligent Syntheses, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
Nat Commun. 2025 Jun 4;16(1):5187. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-59712-3.
Hydroxymethanesulfonate is a key organosulfate linked to severe fine-particle pollution in fog and clouds, yet its rapid formation mechanism at the air-water interface remains elusive. Here, using metadynamics-biased ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, high-level quantum chemical calculations and reaction density functional theory, we reveal that synergistic enthalpy-entropy effects govern the nucleophilic addition between bisulfite and formaldehyde. Compared to the gaseous reaction, the aqueous reaction faces a ~5.0 kcal/mol water reorganization barrier, partly offset by polarization effects. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations show hydrogen bonding networks facilitate proton transfer via the Grotthuss mechanism, reducing activation entropy by ~5.5 kcal/mol. At the interface, partial solvation and restricted formaldehyde motion lower the enthalpy and configurational entropy by ~1.0 and ~0.9 kcal/mol, respectively, alongside a 1.9 kcal/mol electric field effect. These combined effects enhance the interfacial reaction rate by two orders of magnitude, offering insights into heterogeneous chemistry and strategies for winter haze mitigation.
羟甲基磺酸盐是一种与雾和云中严重的细颗粒污染相关的关键有机硫酸盐,但其在气-水界面的快速形成机制仍不清楚。在此,我们使用元动力学偏置的从头算分子动力学模拟、高水平量子化学计算和反应密度泛函理论,揭示了协同的焓-熵效应控制着亚硫酸氢盐与甲醛之间的亲核加成反应。与气相反应相比,水相反应面临约5.0千卡/摩尔的水重组能垒,部分被极化效应抵消。从头算分子动力学模拟表明,氢键网络通过Grotthuss机制促进质子转移,使活化熵降低约5.5千卡/摩尔。在界面处,部分溶剂化和受限的甲醛运动分别使焓和构型熵降低约1.0千卡/摩尔和0.9千卡/摩尔,同时还有1.9千卡/摩尔的电场效应。这些综合效应使界面反应速率提高了两个数量级,为非均相化学和冬季雾霾缓解策略提供了见解。