A self-consistent cluster theory of amorphous materials

A cluster method for the electronic structure of amorphous materials is presented with an application to amorphous diamond. Eight-atom cluster model gives a pseudogap in the density of states.     

Defect-Free Synthesis of a Fully π-Conjugated Helical Ladder Polymer and Resolution into a Pair of Enantiomeric Helical Ladders**

Fully π-conjugated ladder polymers with a spiral geometry represent a new class of helical polymers with great potential for organic nanodevices, but there is no precedent for an optically active helical ladder polymer totally composed of achiral units. We now report the defect-free synthesis and resolution of a fully π-conjugated helical ladder polymer with a rigid helical cavity, which has been achieved by quantitative and chemoselective acid-promoted alkyne benzannulations of a rationally designed, random-coil achiral polymer followed by chromatographic enantioseparation. Because of a sufficiently high helix-inversion barrier, the isolated excess one-handed helical ladder polymer with a degree of polymerization of more than 15 showed a strong circular dichroism with a dissymmetry factor of up to 1.7×10⁻² and is thermally stable, maintaining its optical activity in solution even at 100 °C, as well-supported by molecular dynamics simulation.     

Highly selective sorption of small unsaturated hydrocarbons by nonporous flexible framework with silver ion

Ag2[Cr3O(OOCC2H5)6(H2O)3]2[alpha-SiW12O40] [1] is a nonporous flexible ionic crystal composed of 2D-layers of polyoxometalates ([alpha-SiW12O40](4-)) and macrocations ([Cr3O(OOCC2H5)6(H2O)3](+)) stacking along the b-axis. The silver ions are located in the vicinity of the oxygen atoms of the polyoxometalates. The sorption amounts of small unsaturated hydrocarbons such as ethylene, propylene, n-butene, acetylene, and methyl acetylene into 1 are comparable to or larger than 1.0 mol mol(-1) and large hystereses are observed, while those of paraffins and larger unsaturated hydrocarbons are smaller than the adsorption on the external surface (<0.2 mol mol(-1)). Fine crystals of 1 exhibit ethylene/ethane and propylene/propane sorption ratios over 100 at 298 K and 100 kPa, and the values are larger by 1 order of magnitude among those reported. The results of sorption kinetics, in situ IR spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray crystallography, and in situ powder XRD studies show that small unsaturated hydrocarbons penetrate into the solid bulk of 1 through the pi-complexation with Ag(+). The sorption property of 1 is successfully applied to the collection of ethylene from the gas mixture of ethane and ethylene.     

The pH dependent nuclearity variation of {Mo(154-x)}-type polyoxomolybdates and tectonic effect on their aggregations

The pH dependence of the structures of {Mo(154-x)} mixed-valence oxomolybdate giant clusters were investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction of systematically prepared crystals containing [Mo138O410(OH)20(OH2)46](40-) (1), [Mo138O410(OH)20(OH2)38](40-) (2), [Mo138O406(OH)16(OH2)46](28-) (3), [Mo142O400(OH)52(OH2)38](28-) (4), [Mo142O432(OH2)58](40-) (5), [Mo148O436(OH)15(OH2)56](27-) (6), [Mo150O451(OH)5(OH2)61](35-) (7), and both [Mo150O442.5(OH)11.5(OH2)64](24.5-) and [Mo152O446(OH)20(OH2)54](28-) (8). Crystals 1, 4, and 5 contain discrete clusters while intercluster Mo-O-Mo bonds connect the clusters into chains in crystal 7, into two-dimensional networks in crystals 2 and 3, and into a three-dimensional framework structure in crystal 6. Crystal 8 contains both discrete and linearly catenated clusters: discrete {Mo150} are located between the chains of {Mo152}. Direct correlation was observed between the nuclearity of the clusters with the pH of the mother liquor. On the other hand, the geometries of extended structures do not show apparent correlation with the pH. They turned out to be governed by the tectonics of the component clusters. The pH of the mother liquor exerts influence on the extended structure through the structures of the constituent clusters.     

A Tin–Tungsten Mixed Oxide as an Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for C?C Bond‐Forming Reactions

Mix and calcinate : The tin–tungsten mixed oxide (Sn–W oxide) prepared by calcination of the Sn–W hydroxide at 800 °C acts as an effective and reusable solid catalyst for C? C bond‐forming reactions, such as the cyclization of citronellal, the Diels–Alder reaction, and the cyanosilylation of carbonyl compounds with trimethylsilyl cyanide (see scheme). The observed catalysis was truly heterogeneous, and the recovered catalyst could be reused without loss of its high catalytic performance.

     

Effects of Zinc(II) on the Luminescence of Europium(III) in Complexes Containing β‐Diketone and Schiff Bases

The UV, excitation, and luminescence spectra of tris(pivaloyltrifluoroacetonato)europium(III) ([Eu(pta)₃]; Hpta=1,1,1‐trifluoro‐5,5‐dimethylhexane‐2,4‐dione=HA) were measured in the presence of bis(salicylidene)trimethylenediamine (H₂saltn), bis[5‐(tert‐butyl)salicylidene]trimethylenediamine (H₂(^tBu)saltn), or bis(salicylidene)cyclohexane‐1,2‐diyldiamine (H₂salchn), and the corresponding Zn^II complexes [ZnB] (B=Schiff base). The excitation and luminescence spectra of the solution containing [Eu(pta)₃] and [Zn(salchn)] exhibited much stronger intensities than those of solutions containing the other [ZnB] complexes. The introduction of a ^tBu group into the Schiff base was not effective in sensitizing the luminescence of [Eu(pta)₃]. The luminescence spectrum of [ZnB] showed a band around 450 nm. The intensity decreased in the presence of [Eu(pta)₃], reflecting complexation between [Eu(pta)₃] and [ZnB]. On the basis of the change in intensity against the concentration of [ZnB], stability constants were determined for [Eu(pta)₃Zn(saltn)], [Eu(pta)₃Zn{(^tBu)saltn}], and [Eu(pta)₃Zn(salchn)] as 4.13, 4.9 and 5.56, respectively (log , where =[[Eu(pta)₃ZnB]]([[Eu(pta)₃]][[ZnB]])^?1). The quantum yields of these binuclear complexes were determined as 0.15, 0.11, and 0.035, although [Eu(pta)₃Zn(salchn)] revealed the strongest luminescence at 613 nm. The results of X‐ray diffraction analysis for [Eu(pta)₃Zn(saltn)] showed that Zn^II had a coordination number of five and was bridged with Eu^III by three donor O‐atoms, i.e., two from the salicylidene moieties and one from the ketonato group pta.