Ligand effect on the kinetics of hydroperoxochromium(III)-oxochromium(V) transformation and the lifetime of chromium(V)

A macrocyclic superoxochromium complex L(2)(H(2)O)CrOO(2+)(L(2)=meso-Me(6)-[14]aneN(4)) is generated from L(2)Cr(H(2)O)(2)(2+) and O(2) with k(on)=(2.80 +/- 0.07)x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1). One-electron reduction of L(2)(H(2)O)CrOO(2+) produces a transient hydroperoxo complex that readily undergoes intramolecular conversion to L(2)Cr(v), k(1)= 1.00 +/- 0.01 s(-1) in acidic aqueous solutions, and 0.273 +/- 0.010 s(-1) at pH >7, with an apparent pK(a) of 5.9. The decay of L(2)Cr(v) in the pH range 1.3-6.2 obeys the rate law, -d[L(2)Cr(v)]/dt= (0.0080 (+/- 0.0049)+ 8.19 (+/- 0.13)[H(+)])[L(2)Cr(v)]. Both the kinetics of formation and lifetime of L(2)Cr(v) are significantly different from those for the closely related [14]aneN(4) complex. The X-ray structure of the parent Cr(iii) complex, [L(2)Cr(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(3).4H(2)O, shows that the macrocyclic ligand adopts the most stable, "two up-two down" configuration around the nitrogens.     

NMR and HPLC study of chiral selectors with naphthyl unit

Doubling of resonances in NMR spectra of chiral selectors with naphthyl group attached to the tertiary amide nitrogen atom has been noticed what revealed the presence of two isomers. To test the enantiorecognition ability of these chiral selectors they are covalently bonded to the HPLC silica gel. Those kind of chiral stationary phases were compared with analogous commercial leucine chiral stationary phase. They exhibit the better enantioseparation results which indicate that the existence of cis/trans isomers does not have the negative influence on their enantioselective ability.

Kinetics of oxidation of nitroxyl radicals with superoxometal complexes of chromium and rhodium

In acidic aqueous solutions, nitroxyl radicals (X)TEMPO (X = H, 4-OH, and 4-oxo) and 3-carbamoyl-PROXYL readily reduce CraqOO2+ and Rh(NH3)4(H2O)OO2+ to the corresponding hydroperoxo complexes. The kinetics are largely acid independent for CraqOO2+, but acid catalysis dominates the reactions of the rhodium complex. This emerging trend in oxidations with superoxometal complexes seems to be directly related to the thermodynamics of electron transfer. The weaker the oxidant, the more important the acid-assisted path. The rate constants for the oxidation of (X)TEMPO by CraqOO2+ are 406 M(-1) s(-1) (X = H), 159 (4-OH), and (20. 6 + 77.5 [H+]) (4-oxo). For the rhodium complex, the values are (40 + 2.20 x 10(3) [H+]) (X = H), (25 + 1.10 x 10(3) [H+]) (4-HO), and 2.21 x 10(3) [H+] (4-oxo). An inverse solvent kinetic isotope effect, kH/kD = 0.8, was observed in the reaction between (O)TEMPO and (NH3)4(H(D))2O)RhOO2+ in 0.10 M H(D)ClO4 in H2O and D2O.     

Simultaneous determination of trace levels of ethylmercury and methylmercury in biological samples and vaccines using sodium tetra(<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-propyl)borate as derivatizing agent

Because of increasing awareness of the potential neurotoxicity of even low levels of organomercury compounds, analytical techniques are required for determination of low concentrations of ethylmercury (EtHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in biological samples. An accurate and sensitive method has been developed for simultaneous determination of methylmercury and ethylmercury in vaccines and biological samples. MeHg and EtHg were isolated by acid leaching (H₂SO₄–KBr–CuSO₄), extraction of MeHg and EtHg bromides into an organic solvent (CH₂Cl₂), then back-extraction into Milli-Q water. MeHg and EtHg bromides were derivatized with sodium tetrapropylborate (NaBPr₄), collected at room temperature on Tenax, separated by isothermal gas chromatography (GC), pyrolysed, and detected by cold-vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV AFS). The repeatability of results from the method was approximately 5–10% for EtHg and 5–15% for MeHg. Detection limits achieved were 0.01 ng g⁻¹ for EtHg and MeHg in blood, saliva, and vaccines and 5 ng g⁻¹ for EtHg and MeHg in hair. The method presented has been shown to be suitable for determination of background levels of these contaminants in biological samples and can be used in studies related to the health effects of mercury and its species in man. This work illustrates the possibility of using hair and blood as potential biomarkers of exposure to thiomersal.     

Measurement uncertainty evaluation and in-house method validation of the herbicide iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium in water samples by using HPLC analysis

A method for separation and quantitative determination of the iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium in water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed and in-house validated in order to demonstrate its performance for monitoring of heterogeneous photocatalytic elimination of the herbicide iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium from water. Surface and ground water samples were used to demonstrate its selectivity, detection and quantification limits, linearity, trueness and precision. In addition, stability of iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium was studied in function of temperature and time. Method accuracy was quantified through measurement uncertainty estimate based on method validation data. The paper gives practical and easy to follow guidance on how uncertainty estimates can be obtained from method validation experiments. It shows that, if properly planned and executed, key precision and trueness studies undertaken for validation purposes can also provide much of the data needed to produce an estimate of measurement uncertainty. Our analytical protocol allowed us to quantify iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium in ground water and surface water in concentration level between 2.50–50.0 μmol L⁻¹ with satisfactory recoveries (99–104%) and repeatability lower or equal than 0.3% for all the matrices. We also estimated within-laboratory reproducibility over 3-month period, which was 0.7%. We proved that the method was selective for determination of iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium in the relevant matrices. Measurement uncertainty of results was evaluated to be 4.0% with 95% confidence level. After validation and measurement uncertainty evaluation steps, results obtained showed that the method can be applied to efficiently monitor heterogenous photocatalytic degradation of the herbicide iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium.     

Transition metal ion-assisted photochemical generation of alkyl halides and hydrocarbons from carboxylic acids

Near-UV photolysis of aqueous solutions of propionic acid and aqueous Fe(3+) in the absence of oxygen generates a mixture of hydrocarbons (ethane, ethylene and butane), carbon dioxide, and Fe(2+). The reaction becomes mildly catalytic (about five turnovers) in the presence of oxygen which converts a portion of alkyl radicals to oxidizing intermediates that reoxidize Fe(2+). The photochemistry in the presence of halide ions (X(-) = Cl(-), Br(-)) generates ethyl halides via halogen atom abstraction from FeX(n)(3-n) by ethyl radicals. Near-quantitative yields of C(2)H(5)X are obtained at ≥0.05 M X(-). Competition experiments with Co(NH(3))(5)Br(2+) provided kinetic data for the reaction of ethyl radicals with FeCl(2+) (k = (4.0 ± 0.5) × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)) and with FeBr(2+) (k = (3.0 ± 0.5) × 10(7) M(-1) s(-1)). Photochemical decarboxylation of propionic acid in the presence of Cu(2+) generates ethylene and Cu(+). Longer-chain acids also yield alpha olefins as exclusive products. These reactions become catalytic under constant purge with oxygen which plays a dual role. It reoxidizes Cu(+) to Cu(2+), and removes gaseous olefins to prevent accumulation of Cu(+)(olefin) complexes and depletion of Cu(2+). The results underscore the profound effect that the choice of metal ions, the medium, and reaction conditions exert on the photochemistry of carboxylic acids.     

Recent developments in the preparation of high surface area metal fluorides

An overview of the main procedures for the preparation of fluorides with very high surface areas is given. Three processes are outlined: (i) plasma fluorination, (ii) sol–gel route and (iii) oxidative decomposition of inorganic precursors. From all three processes nanostructured metal fluorides with 100–400 m² g⁻¹ can be obtained. Prevention of the local overheating during fluorination seems to be the key factor to obtain the high surface area fluorides. TEM investigations of AlF₃ and CrF₃ obtained by oxidative decomposition revealed considerable differences in their morphologies and crystallinity. CrF₃ is completely amorphous and unstable under beam. AlF₃ contains an amorphous phase and nanocrystalline phases of α-AlF₃ and β-AlF₃. Nanocrystals are uniformly distributed within the amorphous phase. Also present are the rod-like nanostructures that consist of β-AlF₃ and are 5–10 nm wide.     

Posets Generated by Irreducible Elements

Let J be a fixed partially ordered set (poset). Among all posets in which J is join-dense and consists of all completely join-irreducible elements, there is an up to isomorphism unique greatest one, the Alexandroff completion L. Moreover, the class of all such posets has a canonical set of representatives, C ₀ L, consisting of those sets between J and L which intersect each of the intervals I _j =[j ,j ] (jJ), where j and j denote the greatest element of L less than, respectively, not greater than j. The complete lattices in C ₀ L form a closure system C L, consisting of all Dedekind–MacNeille completions of posets in C ₀ L. We describe explicitly those L for which C ₀ L, respectively, C L is a (complete atomic) Boolean lattice, and similarly, those for which C L is distributive (or modular). Analogous results are obtained for C L, the closure system of all posets in C ₀ L that are closed under meets of less than elements (where is any cardinal number).     

Reactivity of aqueous Fe(IV) in hydride and hydrogen atom transfer reactions

Oxidation of cyclobutanol by aqueous Fe(IV) generates cyclobutanone in approximately 70% yield. In addition to this two-electron process, a smaller fraction of the reaction takes place by a one-electron process, believed to yield ring-opened products. A series of aliphatic alcohols, aldehydes, and ethers also react in parallel hydrogen atom and hydride transfer reactions, but acetone and acetonitrile react by hydrogen atom transfer only. Precise rate constants for each pathway for a number of substrates were obtained from a combination of detailed kinetics and product studies and kinetic simulations. Solvent kinetic isotope effect for the self-decay of Fe(IV), kH2O/kD2O = 2.8, is consistent with hydrogen atom abstraction from water.