The preferred conformation of cis-1,4-dihydro-4-tritylbiphenyl: A flexible cyclohexa-1,4-diene

X-ray crystallographic and solution ¹H n.m.r. studies of $\text{cis}$-1,4-dihydro-4-tritylbiphenyl (2) both suggest the presence of an almost planar cyclohexa-1,4-diene ring (α_mean = 1975°).⁴     

Phase separation in metal oxides

A fascinating phenomenon, recently found to occur in certain transition-metal oxides, is phase separation wherein pure, nominally monophasic oxides of transition metals with well-defined compositions separate into two or more phases over a specific temperature range. Such phase separation is entirely reversible, and is generally the result of a competition between charge-localization and -delocalization, the two situations being associated with contrasting electronic and magnetic properties. Coexistence of more than one phase, therefore, gives rise to electronic inhomogeneity and a diverse variety of magnetic, transport, and other properties, not normally expected of the nominal monophasic composition. An interesting feature of phase separation is that it covers a wide range of length scales anywhere between 1-200 nm. While cuprates and manganates, especially the latter, provide excellent examples of phase separation, it is possible that many other transition-metal compounds with extended structures will be found to exhibit phase separation.     

Pillared layered structures based upon M(III) ethylene diphosphonates: the synthesis and crystal structures of M(III)(H(2)O)(HO(3)P(CH(2))(2)PO(3)) (M = Fe, Al, Ga)

A three-dimensional iron(III) diphosphonate, Fe(III)(H(2)O)(HO(3)P(CH(2))(2)PO(3)), I, has been synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca (no. 61) where a = 9.739(5) A, b = 9.498(5) A, c = 15.940(8) A, V = 1474.4(1) A(3), Z = 8, and R(1) = 0.0380. The structure consists of inorganic sheets pillared by the 1,2-ethylenediphosphonate groups. The sheets are composed of Fe(H(2)O)O(5) octahedra connected through PO(3)C tetrahedra. The corresponding isostructural aluminum (II) and gallium (III) compounds were also synthesized and indexed: II, a = 9.534(1) A, b = 9.255(2) A, c = 15.724(1) A, V = 1387.5(1) A(3); III, a = 9.670(1) A, b = 9.357(2) A, c = 15.862(4) A, V = 1435.4(1) A(3).     

Structural Diversity and Magnetic Properties of Hybrid Ruthenium Halide Perovskites and Related Compounds

There has been a great deal of recent interest in extended compounds containing Ru³⁺ and Ru⁴⁺ in light of their range of unusual physical properties. Many of these properties are displayed in compounds with the perovskite and related structures. Here we report an array of structurally diverse hybrid ruthenium halide perovskites and related compounds: MA₂RuX₆ (X=Cl or Br), MA₂MRuX₆ (M=Na, K or Ag; X=Cl or Br) and MA₃Ru₂X₉ (X=Br) based upon the use of methylammonium (MA=CH₃NH₃⁺) on the perovskite A site. The compounds MA₂RuX₆ with Ru⁴⁺ crystallize in the trigonal space group and can be described as vacancy‐ordered double‐perovskites. The ordered compounds MA₂MRuX₆ with M⁺ and Ru³⁺ crystallize in a structure related to BaNiO₃ with alternating MX₆ and RuX₆ face‐shared octahedra forming linear chains in the trigonal space group. The compound MA₃Ru₂Br₉ crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmcm space group and displays pairs of face‐sharing octahedra forming isolated Ru₂Br₉ moieties with very short Ru–Ru contacts of 2.789 Å. The structural details, including the role of hydrogen bonding and dimensionality, as well as the optical and magnetic properties of these compounds are described. The magnetic behavior of all three classes of compounds is influenced by spin–orbit coupling and their temperature‐dependent behavior has been compared with the predictions of the appropriate Kotani models.     

Single-crystal characterization of Co7(OH)6(H2O)3(C4H4O4)47H2O; A new cobalt succinate identified through high-throughput synthesis

A new form of cobalt succinate has been discovered using high-throughput methods and its structure was solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Co₇(C₄H₄O₄)₄(OH)₆(H₂O)₃7H₂O crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with cell parameters: a=7.888(2) Å, b=19.082(6) Å, c=23.630(7) Å, β=91.700(5)°, V=3555(2) Å³, R₁=0.0469. This complex structure, containing 55 crystallographically distinct non-hydrogen atoms, is compared to the previously reported nickel phase, characterized using ab initio structure solution from synchrotron powder diffraction data.     

Study of theS-matrix near bound states in the continuum

The behaviour ofS-matrix for potentials generating bound states in continuum in the neighbourhood of the positive bound state energies is studied. It is shown that unlike the case of usual negative energy bound states, theS-matrix does not have a pole at the positive bound state energy but becomes unity at the energy corresponding to bound states in continuum. Calculations ofS-waveS-matrix for a local potential constructed by Stillinger and Herrick and a separable nonlocal potential constructed by the present authors verify these results. Our results indicate that the bound states embedded in continuum constructedvia the von Neumann and Wigner procedure cannot be interpreted as resonances with zero width.     

High temperature magnetic ordering in the 4d perovskite SrTcO3

We present evidence for possibly the highest magnetic ordering temperature in any compound without 3d transition elements. Neutron powder diffraction measurements, at both time-of-flight and constant wavelength sources, were performed on two independently prepared SrTcO3 powders. SrTcO3 adopts a distorted perovskite structure with G-type antiferromagnetic ordering and has a moment of 1.87(4)μB per Tc cation at room temperature with an extraordinarily high Néel point close to 750 °C. Electronic structure calculations reveal extensive mixing between the technetium 4d states and oxygen states proximal to the Fermi level. This hybridization leads to a close relationship between magnetic ordering temperature and moment formation in SrTcO3.     

Evaluation of carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase inhibition activities and molecular docking studies of highly water-soluble sulfonated phthalocyanines

The investigation of carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase enzyme inhibition properties of water-soluble zinc and gallium phthalocyanine complexes ( 1 and 2 ) are reported for the first time. The binding of p-sulfonylphenoxy moieties to the phthalocyanine structure favors excellent solubilities in water, as well as providing an inhibition effect on carbonic anhydrase (CA) I and II isoenzymes and paraoxonase (PON1) enzyme. According to biological activity results, both complexes inhibited hCA I, hCA II, and PON1. Whereas 1 and 2 showed moderate hCA I and hCA II (off-target cytosolic isoforms) inhibitory activity (Ki values of 26.09 µM and 43.11 µM for hCA I and 30.95 µM and 33.19 µM for hCA II, respectively), they exhibited strong PON1 (associated with high-density lipoprotein [HDL]) inhibitory activity (Ki values of 0.37 µM and 0.27 µM, respectively). The inhibition kinetics were analyzed by Lineweaver–Burk double reciprocal plots. It revealed that 1 and 2 were noncompetitive inhibitors against PON1, hCA I, and hCA II. These complexes can be more advantageous than other synthetic CA and PON inhibitors due to their water solubility. Docking studies were carried out to examine the interactions between hCA I, hCA II, and PON1 inhibitors and metal complexes at a molecular level and to predict binding energies.     

Highly improved electrocatalytic oxidation of dimethylamine borane on silver nanoparticles modified polymer composite electrode

Dimethylamine borane (DMAB) is a promising fuel alternative for fuel cell applications. In this work cyclic voltammetric behavior of DMAB was investigated on the polymerized aminophenol film decorated with Ag nanoparticles in alkaline media. The polymer film was formed on the glassy carbon electrode by electrochemical technique and then, the surface was modified with Ag nanoparticles. The surface of the modified electrode was identified by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The developed electrode has displayed high electrocatalytic activity for DMAB oxidation in alkaline media depending on the supporting electrolyte concentration. Experimental parameters such as cycle number used in electropolymerization of p-aminophenol, deposition of Ag nanoparticles and supporting electrolyte were optimized.