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Paradigms and Paradoxes: Accidental Degeneracies, II: Suppose the 3p and 3d Orbitals Were Closer in Energy. How Would Biochemistry Be Different?

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Abstract

Hypothesized “accidental” orbital degeneracies, from origins other than symmetry, in the third principal quantum level lead to surprising new biochemistry of phosphorus, sulfur, and iron. In particular, the phosphodiester link in nucleic acids, the disulfide bond in proteins, and iron inorganic core in hemoglobin and the cytochromes would all be profoundly different.

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References

  1. Perks, H. M.; Liebman, J. F. Struct. Chem., 2003, 14, 415.

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  2. Weisbecker, C. S.; Liebman, J. F. Struct. Chem. 1996, 7, 85. This paper discusses the related valence isoelectronic F2 and Cl2. We should really say there are ten bonding electrons and leave the orbital occupancies unstated. This also allows for a situation in which there are unpaired electrons because of Hund's rule, which allows for additional, otherwise unprecedented, chemistry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, 21250

    H. Mark Perks & Joel F. Liebman

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  1. H. Mark Perks
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  2. Joel F. Liebman
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Correspondence to Joel F. Liebman.

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Perks, H.M., Liebman, J.F. Paradigms and Paradoxes: Accidental Degeneracies, II: Suppose the 3p and 3d Orbitals Were Closer in Energy. How Would Biochemistry Be Different?. Structural Chemistry 14, 421–422 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024462213647

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024462213647

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