A neutron powder diffraction study of the κ phase in the FeWC system

The crystal structure of the κ-carbide in the FeWC system has been refined from neutron powder diffraction data using the Rietveld profile analysis method. κ-(FeWC) is isostructural with κ-(CoWC); space group $\text{P6}{}_3\text{mmc}$; unit cell dimensions a = 7.7982(2)Å, c = 7.8298(4) Å. The structure refinement indicates $\text{Fe}\text{W}$ substitution at two of the tungsten sites, and 46% vacancies at one of the carbon sites. The composition corresponds to the formula Fe_3+xW_10?xC_4?y, with x = 0.57(3) and y = 0.46(1).     

Cycloaddition reactions of 2,3-didehydrothiophene generated by flow vacuum thermolysis of thiophene-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride

Flow vacuum thermolysis (FVT) of thiophene-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride ($\text{2}$) in the presence of 2,3-dimethylbutadiene ($\text{6}$) gives, in addition to 5,6-dimethylthianaphthene ($\text{9}$). small quantities of a dihydrodimethylthianaphthene ($\text{12}$) and another dimethylthianaphthene ($\text{13}$) which is probably also formed by dehydrogenation of $\text{12}$ with chloranil. The partial structures of these minor products are consistent with their being formed by a [2+2]-cycloaddition between $\text{6}$ and an intermediate aryne, 2,3-didehydrothiophene ($\text{1}$), followed by a rearrangement of the resulting adduct $\text{11}$ and dehydrogenation. FVT of $\text{2}$ in the presence of 2,5- ($\text{17b}$) or 3,4-dimethylthiophene ($\text{17c}$) also gave a mixture of the dimethylthianaphthenes ($\text{18}$$\text{22}$, $\text{23}$) which can be rationalized as arising by a [4+2]- and two [2+2]-cycloadditions of the aryne $\text{1}$ to the thiophenes $\text{17}$ with subsequent desulfurization. The lack of equilibration of the products $\text{18}$, $\text{22}$ and $\text{23}$, was demonstrated and their origin as a function of the structure and reactivity of the aryne $\text{1}$ discussed.     

Benzyl vs. tropylium ions in the decomposition of some alkylnitrobenzenes

The [NO₂C₇H₆]⁺ ions generated from m-alkylnitrobenzenes have been shown to be different in their decomposition from those generated from p-alkylnitrobenzenes, even when the alkyl group is methyl and the departing fragment a hydrogen radical. Thus, in these cases even molecular ions of relatively high internal energy do not reversibly ring-expand to cycloheptatriene structures. In addition, the [NO₂C₇H₆]⁺ ions, assumed to be benzylic, do not ring-expand to nitrotropylium ions at internal energies sufficient to cause subsequent loss of NO or NO₂ from the p- and m-isomers, respectively.     

Excited-state dynamics of fac-[ReI(L)(CO)3(phen)]+ and fac-[ReI(L)(CO)3(5-NO2-phen)]+ (L = imidazole, 4-ethylpyridine; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) complexes

The nature and dynamics of the lowest excited states of fac-[Re(I)(L)(CO)(3)(phen)](+) and fac-[Re(I)(L)(CO)(3)(5-NO(2)-phen)](+) [L = Cl(-), 4-ethyl-pyridine (4-Etpy), imidazole (imH); phen = 1,10-phenanthroline] have been investigated by picosecond visible and IR transient absorption spectroscopy in aqueous (L = imH), acetonitrile (L = 4-Etpy, imH), and MeOH (L = imH) solutions. The phen complexes have long-lived Re(I) --> phen (3)MLCT excited states, characterized by CO stretching frequencies that are upshifted relative to their ground-state values and by widely split IR bands due to the out-of-phase A'(2) and A"nu(CO) vibrations. The lowest excited states of the 5-NO(2)-phen complexes also have (3)MLCT character; the larger upward nu(CO) shifts accord with much more extensive charge transfer from the Re(I)(CO)(3) unit to 5-NO(2)-phen in these states. Transient visible absorption spectra indicate that the excited electron is delocalized over the 5-NO(2)-phen ligand, which acquires radical anionic character. Similarly, involvement of the -NO(2) group in the Franck-Condon MLCT transition is manifested by the presence of an enhanced nu(NO(2)) band in the preresonance Raman spectrum of [Re(I)(4-Etpy)(CO)(3)(5-NO(2)-phen)](+). The Re(I) --> 5-NO(2)-phen (3)MLCT excited states are very short-lived: 7.6, 170, and 43 ps for L = Cl(-), 4-Etpy, and imH, respectively, in CH(3)CN solutions. The (3)MLCT excited state of [Re(I)(imH)(CO)(3)(5-NO(2)-phen)](+) is even shorter-lived in MeOH (15 ps) and H(2)O (1.3 ps). In addition to (3)MLCT, excitation of [Re(I)(imH)(CO)(3)(5-NO(2)-phen)](+) populates a (3)LLCT (imH --> 5-NO(2)-phen) excited state. Most of the (3)LLCT population decays to the ground state (time constants of 19 (H(2)O), 50 (MeOH), and 72 ps (CH(3)CN)); in a small fraction, however, deprotonation of the imH.+ ligand occurs, producing a long-lived species, [Re(I)(im.)(CO)(3)(5-NO(2)-phen).-]+.     

A convenient synthesis of phenols

Abstract

Anilines are rapidly, often within 60?minutes, converted into the corresponding phenols in up to 87% isolated yield. The presented experimentally simple protocol display broad compatibility with a variety of functional groups, and in particular, well suited for the preparation of methyl-substituted phenols. Such phenols are not easily available by other synthetic approaches. The formation of phenolic radical coupling products was not observed even for activated anilines using this open flask method.