Synthesis and Properties of 1,3-Diaryl-5,6-dihydro-8H-imidazo[2,1-c]-1,4-oxazinium Bromides

It has been established that the condensation of 3-(4-methoxyphenylamino)-5,6-dihydro-2H-1,4-oxazine with substituted phenacyl bromides occurs at the exocyclic nitrogen atom with formation of 3-aryl-3-hydroxy-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,5,6,8-tetrahydro-3H-imidazo[2,1-c]-1,4-oxazinium bromides. By treatment of the latter with acetic anhydride 3-aryl-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5,6-dihydro-8H-imidazo[2,1-c]-1,4-oxazinium bromides are formed. The structures of the compounds synthesized were determined via ¹H NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.     

Tuning Pore Size in Square‐Lattice Coordination Networks for Size‐Selective Sieving of CO2

Porous materials capable of selectively capturing CO₂ from flue‐gases or natural gas are of interest in terms of rising atmospheric CO₂ levels and methane purification. Size‐exclusive sieving of CO₂ over CH₄ and N₂ has rarely been achieved. Herein we show that a crystal engineering approach to tuning of pore‐size in a coordination network, [Cu(quinoline‐5‐carboxyate)₂]_n ( Qc‐5‐Cu ) ena+bles ultra‐high selectivity for CO₂ over N₂ (S_CN≈40 000) and CH₄ (S_CM≈3300). Qc‐5‐Cu‐sql‐β , a narrow pore polymorph of the square lattice ( sql ) coordination network Qc‐5‐Cu‐sql‐α, adsorbs CO₂ while excluding both CH₄ and N₂. Experimental measurements and molecular modeling validate and explain the performance. Qc‐5‐Cu‐sql‐β is stable to moisture and its separation performance is unaffected by humidity.     

Use of thin collodion films to prevent recoil-ion contamination of alpha-spectrometry detectors

Recoil ions from alpha-particle emission can contaminate surface-barrier detection systems. This contamination results in increased measurement uncertainty, and may require the replacement of expensive detectors. Disposable thin Collodion films are easily prepared and effectively retard the recoil ions when either directly applied to the surface of alpha-sources or as catcher foils between the source and the detector. The thin films are particularly effective for relatively low-level sources, but can sustain structural damage when exposed to high levels of recoil ions (tens of thousands per second) over extended periods of time.     

The Reaction of 5-Aryl(hetaryl)-2-aroylmethylthio-1,3,4-oxadiazoles with Aryldiazonium Tetrafluoroborates

5-Aryl(hetaryl)-2-aroylmethylthio-1,3,4-oxadiazoles behave as CH acids and readily react with aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborates at the active methylene group to give azo coupling products. The spectroscopic properties of the compounds synthesized have been studied.     

Thermodynamics of cesium complexes formation with 18-crown-6 in ionic liquids

Thermodynamic data for cesium complexes formation with 18-crown-6 (18C6, L) [Cs(18C6)]⁺ in N-butyl-4-methyl-pyridinium tetrafluoroborate ([BMPy][BF₄], I), in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF₄], II) and in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([BMIM][N(CN)₂], III) were measured with NMR ¹³³Cs technique at 23–50 °C. The stability of cesium complex in RTILs is estimated to be in the range between water and DMFA. Stability constants for [Cs(18C6)]⁺ are found to decrease as temperature is increasing. The following values for lgK(Cs+L) and ΔH(Cs+L) at 23 °C are determined: 2.6 (0.3), ?47(1) kJ/mol (RTIL I); 2.8(0.3), ?80(3) kJ/mol (RTIL II) and 3.03 (0.08), ?47(2) kJ/mol (RTIL III). It is demonstrated that enthalpy change promotes complex formation while the corresponding change of entropy is negative and provides decomposition of [Cs(18C6)]⁺.     

Building capacity for undergraduate education and training in computational molecular science: A collaboration between the MERCURY consortium and the Molecular Sciences Software Institute

The Molecular Sciences Software Institute (MolSSI) is an National Science Foundation (NSF) funded institute that focuses on improving software, education, and training in the computational molecular sciences. Through a collaboration with the Molecular Education and Research Consortium in Undergraduate computational chemistRY (MERCURY), the MolSSI has developed resources for undergraduate and other early career students to lay an educational foundation for the next generation of computational molecular scientists. The resources focus on introducing best practices in software engineering to students from the very start to make their software more useable, maintainable, and reproducible.     

On the Discriminant of Harper's Equation

The spectrum of Harper's equation is determined by the discriminant, which is a certain polynomial of degree Q if the commensurability parameter of Harper's equation is P/Q, where P, Q are coprime positive integers. A simple expression is indicated for the derivative of the discriminant at zero energy for odd Q. Three dominant terms of the asymptotics of this derivative are calculated for the case of an arbitrary P as Q increases. The result gives a lower bound on the width of the centermost band of Harper's equation and shows the effects of band clustering.     

Errors as Multistable Response Options

Five simulations mimicked benchmark phenomena of intact and dyslexic word naming. Initially, an iterative map was tuned to simulate the frequency × consistency interaction in skilled naming. Subsequently, two model parameters were changed, in turn, to produce the regularization error of surface dyslexia (PINT pronounced to rhyme with /mint/), absent pseudoword (BINT) naming of phonological dyslexia (words are named correctly; pseudowords are not), the semantic error of deep dyslexia (BUSH named as /tree/), and a dissociation in picture naming of spoken versus written responses (the spoken response to a picture of a bush is /tree/, but the written response is BUSH). All errors, except absent pseudoword naming, were simulated as transcritical bifurcations.     

A rare earth metallocene containing a 2,2′-azopyridyl radical anion

Introducing spin onto organic ligands that are coordinated to rare earth metal ions allows direct exchange with metal spin centres. This is particularly relevant for the deeply buried 4f-orbitals of the lanthanide ions that can give rise to unparalleled magnetic properties. For efficacy of exchange coupling, the donor atoms of the radical ligand require high-spin density. Such molecules are extremely rare owing to their reactive nature that renders isolation and purification difficult. Here, we demonstrate that a 2,2′-azopyridyl (abpy) radical (S = 1/2) bound to the rare earth metal yttrium can be realized. This molecule represents the first rare earth metal complex containing an abpy radical and is unambigously characterized by X-ray crystallography, NMR, UV-Vis-NIR, and IR spectroscopy. In addition, the most stable isotope ⁸⁹Y with a natural abundance of 100% and a nuclear spin of ½ allows an in-depth analysis of the yttrium–radical complex via EPR and HYSCORE spectroscopy. Further insight into the electronic ground state of the radical azobispyridine-coordinated metal complex was realized through unrestricted DFT calculations, which suggests that the unpaired spin density of the SOMO is heavily localized on the azo and pyridyl nitrogen atoms. The experimental results are supported by NBO calculations and give a comprehensive picture of the spin density of the azopyridyl ancillary ligand. This unexplored azopyridyl radical anion in heavy element chemistry bears crucial implications for the design of molecule-based magnets particularly comprising anisotropic lanthanide ions.

Unambiguous characterization of the first 2,2′-azobispyridine radical-containing rare earth metal complex through X-ray crystallography, DFT computations, EPR and HYSCORE spectroscopy.