Titania-supported mixed HPMoV polyoxometallates as precursors of hydrodesulfurization catalysts

HDS catalysts were prepared by loading H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ or H₄PMo₁₁V₁O₄₀ polyoxometallates on TiO₂ (0.5 and 1.0 mmol (Mo+V)). Activity of the catalysts was tested in the HDS of thiophene. The activity of catalysts of low concentration was 2–3 times higher than the activity of those of high concentration. Temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and IR spectroscopy were used to determine the properties of the catalyst. TPR measurements proved that vanadium promotes and stabilizes HDS activity due to an increase in the Mo⁵⁺/Mo⁴⁺ ratio.     

Structural and thermodynamic features of complexes formed by DNA and synthetic polynucleotides with dodecylamine and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide

Complex formation of native and denatured DNA, single-stranded polyribonucleotides poly(A) and poly(U), as well as double-stranded poly(A).poly(U) with dodecylamine (DDA) and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) has been studied by UV-, CD-, IR-spectroscopy and fluorescence analysis of hydrophobic probe pyrene. DDA and DTAB were shown to bind cooperatively with DNA and polyribonucleotides, resulting in the formation of complexes containing hydrophobic micelle-like clusters. Critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of DDA and DTAB shifts sharply to lower values (30-50 times) in the presence of DNA and polynucleotides as compared to critical micelle concentration (CMC) of free DDA and DTAB in solution. The analysis of binding isotherms within the frame of the model of cooperative binding of low-molecular ligands to linear polymers allowed us to determine the thermodynamic parameters of complex formation and estimate the contribution of electrostatic interaction of positively charged heads of amphiphiles with negatively charged phosphate groups of DNA and polyribonucleotides, and hydrophobic interaction of aliphatic chains to complex stability. Electrostatic interaction was shown to make the main contribution to the stability of DNA complexes with DDA, while preferential contribution of hydrophobic interactions is characteristic of DTAB complexes with DNA. The opposite effect of DDA and DTAB on the thermal stability of DNA double helix was demonstrated from UV-melting of DNA-while DTAB stabilizes the DNA helix, DDA, to the contrary, destabilizes it. The destabilizing effect of DDA seems to originate from the displacement of intramolecular hydrogen bonds in complementary Watson-Crick A.T and G.C base pairs with intermolecular H-bonds between unsubstituted DDA amino groups and proton-accepting sites of nucleic bases.     

High-temperature thermal behaviour of Cr-Doped LiMn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> spinels synthesized by the sucrose-aided combustion method

Chromium doped spinels LiCr_YMn_2−YO₄ (0.2≤Y≤0.8) has been synthesized by the sucrose-aided combustion procedure. The thermal behaviour, phase homogeneity and structural characteristics of the samples were studied by thermal analysis, coupled mass spectrometry, and room-and high-temperature X-ray diffraction methods. It was found that the ‘as prepared’ samples contained residual organic impurities undetectable for X-ray diffraction, that burn out completely at 400°C. Samples treated between 400 and 750°C are single phase spinels, whose crystallites size increase from 10 to 50 nm on increasing the temperature. Cr-doping enhances the thermal stability of the spinels, which augments on increasing the Cr content Y. The enhanced thermal stability of the spinels has been accounted for based on the high excess stabilization energy of Cr³⁺ in octahedral ligand field.     

Hydrocarbobutoxylation of Phenylacetylene on Palladium Complexes: A Solvent Effect

Data on changes in the activity of the Pd(dba)₂/2TsOH/10Ph₃P (dba is dibenzylideneacetone) and PdCl₂(Ph₃P)₂/8Ph₃P catalytic systems in the reaction of phenylacetylene with CO and n-butanol under the action of a solvent (aromatic hydrocarbons, chloroalkanes, ethers, esters, ketones, and dipolar aprotic media) are presented. The differences found in the response of either of the systems to changes in the properties of the medium are discussed in terms of a scheme of the catalytic cycle of reaction. It is noted that activity does not correlate with the physicochemical characteristics (polarity, basicity, and electron-acceptor ability) of solvents.     

Polynuclear nonfused tetrazole-, 1,3,4-oxadiazole-, and 1,2,3-triazole-containing systems

Polynuclear nonfused blocks containing 1,2,3-triazole, 1,3,4-oxadiazole, and tetrazole rings were synthesized by reaction of C-substituted tetrazoles with carboxylic acid chlorides, as well as by cycloaddition of 2-azidomethyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles at the triple bond of acetylenic compounds.     

Anionic bipyridyl complexes of lanthanides. Structure of [Yb(bipy)3][Li(THF)4]

Reactions of Sm^II, Tb^III, Tm^II, Yb^II, and Lu^III iodides with 2,2′-bipyridyllithium in THF afford [Li(THF)₄][Ln(bipy) _n ] complexes (n=3 or 4) containing trivalent lanthanides. X-ray structural analysis demonstrated that in the crystalline state, the Yb derivative has the ionic structure, [Li(THF)₄]⁺[Yb(bipy)₃]^?. In THF solutions, the reversible ligand exchange between metal atoms occurs to yield neutral compounds [Ln(bipy) _n?1(THF) _x ] and [Li(bipy)(THF) _y ]. A decrease in the temperature shifts the equilibrium to ionic pairs.     

Negative dipole potentials of uncharged langmuir monolayers due to fluorination of the hydrophilic heads

The dipole potential, affecting the structure, functions, and interactions of biomembranes, lipid bilayers, and Langmuir monolayers, is positive toward the hydrocarbon moieties. We show that uncharged Langmuir monolayers of docosyl trifluoroethyl ether (DFEE) exhibit large negative dipole potentials, while the nonfluorinated docosyl ethyl ether (DEE) forms films with positive dipole potentials. Comparison of the Delta V values for these ethers with those of the previously studied(37-39) monolayers of trifluoroethyl ester (TFEB) and ethyl ester of behenic acid (EB) shows that the reversal of the sign of Delta V causes the same change Delta(Delta V) = -706 +/- 16 mV due to fluorination of heads. The Delta V values of both TFEB and EB films differ by -122 +/- 16 mV from those of DFEE and DEE monolayers, respectively, with the same density. Such quantitative coincidence points to a common mechanism of reversal of the sign of the dipole potential for the ether and ester films despite the different structure of their heads. The mechanical properties and phase behaviors of these monolayers show that both fluorinated heads are less hydrated, suggesting that the change of the sign of Delta V could, at least partially, be related to different hydration water structure. The same negative contribution of the carbonyl bond in both TFEB and EB films contrasts with the generally accepted positive contribution of the C(delta+)=O(delta-) bond in condensed Langmuir monolayers of fatty acids, their alcohol esters, glycerides, and phospholipids but concurs with the theoretical analysis of Delta V of stearic acid monolayers. Both results question the literature values of the molecular dipole moments of these substances calculated via summation of bonds and atomic group contributions. Mixed monolayers of DFEE and DEE show smooth monotonic variation of Delta V from +450 to -235 mV, indicating a way for adjustment of the sign and magnitude of the dipole potential at the membrane-water boundary and regulation of such membrane behaviors as binding and translocation rate of hydrophobic ions and ion-carriers, adsorption and penetration of amphiphilic peptides, polarization of hydration water, and short-range repulsion. The interaction of the hydrophobic ions tetraphenylboron TPhB- and tetraphenylphosphonium TPhP+ with DFEE and DEE monolayers qualitatively follows the theory of binding of such ions to lipid bilayers, but the shifts Delta(Delta V) from the values obtained on water are much smaller than those for DPPC monolayers. This difference seems to be due to the solid (polycrystalline) character of the DFEE and DEE films that hampers the penetration of TPhB- and TPhP+ in the monolayers and reduces the attractive interaction with the hydrophobic moiety. This conclusion orients the future synthesis of amphiphiles with fluorinated heads to those which could form liquid-expanded Langmuir monolayers.     

Catalytic and physico-chemical properties of La1?xSrxCoO3 perovskites

Catalytic properties of strontium-substituted lanthanum cobaltites La_1–xSr_xCoO₃ in the reaction of CO oxidation were compared with the data about chemical composition of the surface and bulk defect structure. It was found that (1) the initial catalytic activity correlates with the cobalt concentration on the surface; (2) surface composition differs from the bulk one; (3) the steady-state activity is proportional to the density of bulk extended defects. Under our experimental conditions no role of point defects was noted.     

High energy negative feedback controlled passively mode-locked Nd: YAG laser

High energy picosecond pulse trains from a passively mode-locked Nd: YAG laser are obtained. The negative feedback controlled oscillator delivers 10–30 s trains with energies of up to 30 mJ and single pulse duration of less than 25 ps. The laser is operated with a repetition rate of 10 Hz. An active Q-control of the cavity generates a short pulse train with duration of 30–40 ns. The long pulse train energy reproducibility is better than ± 1.5%.     

X-ray photoelectron spectra and structure of cobalt compounds with N-heterocyclic ligands

The electronic structure of cobalt complexes with bi-, tri-, and tetradentate ligands and the mutual influence of ligands in them have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Co2p, N1s, and O1s photoelectron spectra have been studied. Unlike low-spin Co(III) complexes, the high-spin Co(II) compound exhibits a strong satellite line in the Co2p spectrum. For the high-spin Co(II) compound having unpaired 3d electrons, the Co2p _1/2-Co2p _3/2 spin-orbit splitting is larger than that in the low-spin Co(III) complexes. All cobalt complexes under consideration contain strongly bound dioxygen, which can be considered an inherent structural unit.