Molecular structure and fracture properties of ZrO<Subscript>X</Subscript>/Epoxysilane hybrid films

The mechanical reliability of hybrid films depends critically on their fracture properties which are controlled largely by the film composition and molecular structure. We have investigated the adhesive and cohesive fracture properties of hybrid films processed from 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and tetra n-propoxyzirconium (TPOZ), for which the roles of molecular structure and composition have not been well established. The influences of film Zr/GPTMS ratio, silane crosslinking, and substrate composition on fracture resistance were quantified in terms of the critical strain energy release rate, G_C Film fracture energy was found to increase, then decrease with increasing Zr/GPTMS ratio. Removal of the epoxy rings of GPTMS from the film was found to drastically decrease the cohesive fracture energy of the film as well as the adhesive fracture energy of the film/epoxy interface. Finally, films deposited on silicon had much higher fracture energies compared to those deposited onto aluminum and titanium from identical sols. FTIR, XPS, and AFM were used to characterize the film structure and fracture surfaces. The molecular-scale mechanisms responsible for the observed trends are discussed. These results provide new insights into the interaction between the substrate chemistry, molecular structure, and mechanical reliability of hybrid sol-gel films.     

A 93Nb Solid‐State NMR and Density Functional Theory Study of Four‐ and Six‐Coordinate Niobate Systems

A variable B₀ field static (broadline) NMR study of a large suite of niobate materials has enabled the elucidation of high‐precision measurement of ⁹³Nb NMR interaction parameters such as the isotropic chemical shift (δ_iso), quadrupole coupling constant and asymmetry parameter (C_Q and η_Q), chemical shift span/anisotropy and skew/asymmetry (Ω/Δδ and κ/η_δ) and Euler angles (α, β, γ) describing the relative orientation of the quadrupolar and chemical shift tensorial frames. These measurements have been augmented with ab initio DFT calculations by using WIEN2k and NMR‐CASTEP codes, which corroborate these reported values. Unlike previous assertions made about the inability to detect CSA (chemical shift anisotropy) contributions from Nb^V in most oxo environments, this study emphasises that a thorough variable B₀ approach coupled with the VOCS (variable offset cumulative spectroscopy) technique for the acquisition of undistorted broad (?1/2?+1/2) central transition resonances facilitates the unambiguous observation of both quadrupolar and CSA contributions within these ⁹³Nb broadline data. These measurements reveal that the ⁹³Nb electric field gradient tensor is a particularly sensitive measure of the immediate and extended environments of the Nb^V positions, with C_Q values in the 0 to >80 MHz range being measured; similarly, the δ_iso (covering an approximately 250 ppm range) and Ω values (covering a 0 to approximately 800 ppm range) characteristic of these niobate systems are also sensitive to structural disposition. However, their systematic rationalisation in terms of the Nb? O bond angles and distances defining the immediate Nb^V oxo environment is complicated by longer‐range influences that usually involve other heavy elements comprising the structure. It has also been established in this study that the best computational method(s) of analysis for the ⁹³Nb NMR interaction parameters generated here are the all‐electron WIEN2k and the gauge included projector augmented wave (GIPAW) NMR‐CASTEP DFT approaches, which account for the short‐ and long‐range symmetries, periodicities and interaction‐potential characteristics for all elements (and particularly the heavy elements) in comparison with Gaussian 03 methods, which focus on terminated portions of the total structure.     

Asymmetric Hydrogenation with Highly Active IndolPhos–Rh Catalysts: Kinetics and Reaction Mechanism

The mechanism of the IndolPhos–Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral olefins has been investigated by means of X‐ray crystal structure determination, kinetic measurements, high‐pressure NMR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. The mechanistic study indicates that the reaction follows an unsaturate/dihydride mechanism according to Michaelis–Menten kinetics. A large value of K_M (K_M=5.01±0.16 M ) is obtained, which indicates that the Rh–solvate complex is the catalyst resting state, which has been observed by high‐pressure NMR spectroscopy. DFT calculations on the substrate–catalyst complexes, which are undetectable by experimental means, suggest that the major substrate–catalyst complex leads to the product. Such a mechanism is in accordance with previous studies on the mechanism of asymmetric hydrogenation reactions with C₁‐symmetric heteroditopic and monodentate ligands.     

A Highly Versatile Catalyst System for the Cross‐Coupling of Aryl Chlorides and Amines

The syntheses of 2‐(di‐tert‐butylphosphino)‐N,N‐dimethylaniline ( L1 , 71 %) and 2‐(di‐1‐adamantylphosphino)‐N,N‐dimethylaniline ( L2 , 74 %), and their application in Buchwald–Hartwig amination, are reported. In combination with [Pd(allyl)Cl]₂ or [Pd(cinnamyl)Cl]₂, these structurally simple and air‐stable P,N ligands enable the cross‐coupling of aryl and heteroaryl chlorides, including those bearing as substituents enolizable ketones, ethers, esters, carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohols, olefins, amides, and halogens, to a diverse range of amine and related substrates that includes primary alkyl‐ and arylamines, cyclic and acyclic secondary amines, N? H imines, hydrazones, lithium amide, and ammonia. In many cases, the reactions can be performed at low catalyst loadings (0.5–0.02 mol % Pd) with excellent functional group tolerance and chemoselectivity. Examples of cross‐coupling reactions involving 1,4‐bromochlorobenzene and iodobenzene are also reported. Under similar conditions, inferior catalytic performance was achieved when using Pd(OAc)₂, PdCl₂, [PdCl₂(cod)] (cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene), [PdCl₂(MeCN)₂], or [Pd₂(dba)₃] (dba=dibenzylideneacetone) in combination with L1 or L2 , or by use of [Pd(allyl)Cl]₂ or [Pd(cinnamyl)Cl]₂ with variants of L1 and L2 bearing less basic or less sterically demanding substituents on phosphorus or lacking an ortho‐dimethylamino fragment. Given current limitations associated with established ligand classes with regard to maintaining high activity across the diverse possible range of C? N coupling applications, L1 and L2 represent unusually versatile ligand systems for the cross‐coupling of aryl chlorides and amines.     

Novel bismuth and lead coordination polymers synthesized with pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylates: two single component "white" light emitting phosphors

New two-dimensional (2D) bismuth and three-dimensional (3D) lead based coordination polymers containing pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylate ligands (H(2)pydc) have been synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Bi(3)(μ(3)-O)(2)(pydc)(2)(Hpydc)(H(2)O)(2) (1), which crystallizes in the space group P1? (a = 8.7256(5) ?, b = 11.1217(7) ?, c = 14.0933(9) ?, α = 85.239(1)°, β = 98.582(1)°, γ = 71.106(1)°), has a 3D structure that contains Bi(6)O(4) clusters that connect into 2D sheets via linking ligands. The sheets form a 3D supramolecular structure via hydrogen bonding along the z-axis. Pb(pydc)(H(2)O) (2), which crystallizes in the space group P2(1)/c (a = 10.8343(14) ?, b = 11.2099(15) ?, c = 6.6573(9) ?, β = 90.697(2)°), contains 1D chains of corner-sharing distorted face capped trigonal prisms that are connected into a 3D framework via the pydc ligand. In addition, the ligands are hydrogen bonded to each other. Both 1 and 2 are single component "white" light emitting phosphors and are shown to exhibit "white" luminescence that covers a much wider spectral range than is observed for the as received H(2)pydc ligand.     

Systematic and in situ energy dispersive X-ray diffraction investigations on the formation of lanthanide phosphonatobutanesulfonates: Ln(O(3)P-C(4)H(8)-SO(3))(H(2)O) (Ln = La-Gd)

Using the flexible linker H(2)O(3)P-C(4)H(8)-SO(3)H (H(3)L) and rare earth ions Ln(3+) (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd) we were able to synthesize the new isostructural inorganic organic hybrid compounds Ln(O(3)P-C(4)H(8)-SO(3))(H(2)O). High-throughput experiments were employed to study the influence of the molar ratios Ln:H(3)L and pH on the product formation. The crystal structure of the compounds Sm(O(3)P-C(4)H(8)-SO(3))(H(2)O) (1) and Pr(O(3)P-C(4)H(8)-SO(3))(H(2)O) (2) were determined by single crystal diffraction. The structures are built up from chains of edge-sharing LnO(8)-polyhedra that are connected by the phosphonate and sulfonate groups into layers. These layers are linked by the -(CH(2))(4)- group to form a three-dimensional framework. The synthesis of compound 1 was scaled up in a conventional oven as well as in a microwave reactor system. A modification of a microwave reactor system allowed its integration into the beamline F3 at HASYLAB, DESY, Hamburg. The crystallization was investigated in situ by means of energy dispersive X-ray diffraction using conventional as well as microwave heating methods applying temperatures varying from 110 to 150 °C. The formation of Sm(O(3)P-C(4)H(8)-SO(3))(H(2)O) takes place in two steps. In the first step a crystalline intermediate was observed, which transforms completely into compound 1. The method by Sharp and Hancock was used to determine the rate constants, reaction exponents, and the Arrhenius activation energy for both reaction steps. Comparing both heating methods, microwave heating leads to fully crystallized reaction product after shorter reaction times, but neither the temperature nor the heating method has significant influence on the induction time.     

Controlled sulfur oxygenation of the ruthenium dithiolate (4,7-bis-(2'-methyl-2'-mercaptopropyl)-1-thia-4,7-diazacyclononane)RuPPh(3) under limiting O(2) conditions yields thiolato/sulfinato, sulfenato/sulfinato, and bis-sulfinato derivatives

The ruthenium(II) dithiolate complex (bmmp-TASN)RuPPh(3) (1) reacts with O(2) under limiting conditions to yield isolable sulfur oxygenated derivatives as a function of reaction time. With this approach, a family of sulfur-oxygenates has been prepared and isolated without the need for O-atom transfer agents or column chromatography. Addition of 5 equiv of O(2) to 1 yields the thiolato/sulfinato complex (bmmp-O(2)-TASN)RuPPh(3) (2) in 70% yield within 5 min. Increasing the reaction time to 12 h yields the sulfenato/sulfinato derivative (bmmp-O(3)-TASN)RuPPh(3) (3) in 82% yield. Longer reaction times and/or additional O(2) exposure yield the bis-sulfinato complex (bmmp-O(4)-TASN)RuPPh(3) (4). All products remain in the Ru(II) oxidation state under the conditions employed. Stoichiometric hydrolysis of acetonitrile to acetamide by 2 and 3 is observed in mixed acetonitrile, methanol, PIPES buffer (pH = 7.0) mixtures. The Ru(III)/(II) reduction potential of -0.85 V (versus ferrocenium/ferrocene) for 1 shifts to -0.39 and -0.26 V for 2 and 3, respectively, because of the decreased donor ability of sulfur upon oxygenation. X-ray diffraction studies reveal a decrease in Ru-S bond distances upon oxygenation by 0.045(1) and 0.158(1) ? for the sulfenato and sulfinato donors, respectively. Conversely, sulfur-oxygenation increases the Ru-P bond distance by 0.061(1) ? from 1 to 2 and an additional 0.027(1) ? from 2 to 3. Density functional theory investigations using the BP86 and B3LYP functionals with a LANL2DZ basis set for Ru and the 6-31G(d) basis set for all other atoms reveal a direct correlation between the oxygenation level and the Ru-P distance with an increase of 0.031 ? per O-atom.     

Diversification of a β-Lactam Pharmacophore via Allylic C-H Amination: Accelerating Effect of Lewis Acid Co-Catalyst

This report describes the use of Pd(II)/bis-sulfoxide 1 catalyzed intra- and intermolecular allylic C-H amination reactions to rapidly diversify structures containing a sensitive β-lactam core similar to that found in the monobactam antibiotic Aztreonam. Pharmacologically interesting oxazolidinone, oxazinanone, and linear amine motifs are rapidly installed with predictable and high selectivities under conditions that use limiting amounts of substrate. Additionally, we demonstrate for the first time that intramolecular C-H amination processes may be accelerated using catalytic amounts of a Lewis acid co-catalyst [Cr(III)(salen)Cl 2].     

Synthetic approaches to 5,7-disubstituted imidazo[5,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-4-amines

The preparation of 5,7-disubstituted imidazo[5,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-4-amines, exemplified by 5-[3-(benzyloxy)phenyl]-7-cyclobutylimidazo[5,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-4-amine, was developed through a linear and three convergent synthetic strategies, with the latter providing the greatest flexibility for diversification at the 5-position at the last step of the synthesis.