Photophysical characteristics and density functional theory calculations of indole 2-carboxylic acid in the presence of mercurous ions

Many photo-physical studies have been reported for the detection of Hg²⁺ ions. Here we present the effect of Hg ₂ ²⁺ ions on the absorption and fluorescence of indole-2-carboxylic acid (I2C). Experimental evidence, supported by density functional theory B3LYP/LANL2DZ/PCM, for the formation of a I2C-Hg ₂ ²⁺ complex, is reported for the first time. It was observed that I2C forms a ground-state complex with Hg ₂ ²⁺ ions in a ratio of 3:1. The possibility of I2C to be used as a selective novel chemical sensor for the spectrophotometric detection of mercurous ions is described.     

NS and NSO-Donor ligands and their metal complexes. Synthesis and characterisation of a new low-spin iron(III) complex with 1,2-di(o-aminophenylthio)ethane and iron(III), cobalt(III) and manganese(III) complexes of 1,2-di(o-salicylaldiminophenylthio)ethane

Summary Iron(III) complexes of a quadridentate N₂S₂ donor ligand, 1,2-di(o-aminophenylthio)ethane (DAPTE) and its Schiff Base with salicylaldehyde, a hexadentate N₂S₂O₂ donor ligand,viz. 1,2-di(o-salicylaldiminophenylthio)ethane (H₂DSALPTE) have been synthesised and characterised.The Schiff base ligand (1 mol) gave a dark green tri-iron(III) [Fe₃(DSALPTE)(HDSALPTE)Cl₃]Cl₂ complex when reacted with anhydrous iron(III) chloride (1 mol). The Mössbauer data of this complex suggest the presence of three iron sites, one of which is octahedral and the other two tetrahedral. On the other hand, Fe(ClO₄)₃ reacted smoothly with H₂DSALPTE in ethanol to give a mononuclear pseudo-octahedral complex in which the ligand functions in a dibasic hexadentate fashion. Mössbauer data suggest the presence of a low-spin-high-spin equilibrium in the solid state. The manganese(III) and cobalt(III) complexes of the Schiff base, H₂DSALPTE, are also studied for the sake of comparison with the corresponding iron(III) complex. The N₂S₂ ligand, however, formed a low-spin pseudo-octahedral iron(III) complex. The complexes have been characterised by elemental analysis, molar conductance values, cryomagnetic data and i.r., electronic and Mössbauer spectral data.     

First systematic investigation of C-H...Cl hydrogen bonding using inorganic supramolecular synthons: lamellar, stitched stair-case, linked-ladder, and helical structures

Using a group of six neutral M(II)Cl(2)-containing coordination compounds as building blocks, the first systematic investigation of C-H...Cl hydrogen-bonding interactions was performed. Single-crystal X-ray structural analyses of four new compounds (pseudo-tetrahedral Co(II) and Zn(II); distorted trigonal bipyramidal Zn(II)) authenticate the metal coordination geometry. To provide a unified view of the presence of noncovalent interactions in this class of compounds, we have re-examined the packing diagram of two previously reported compounds (a distorted square-pyramidal Cu(II) complex and a trans-octahedral Co(II) complex). The organic ligands of our choice comprise bidentate/tridentate pyrazolylmethylpyridines and an unsymmetrical tridentate pyridylalkylamine. This systematic investigation has allowed us to demonstrate the existence of versatile C-H...Cl(2)M interactions and to report the successful application of such units as inorganic supramolecular synthons. Additional noncovalent interactions such as C-H...O and O-H...Cl hydrogen bonding and pi-pi stacking interactions have also been identified. Formation of novel supramolecular architectures has been revealed: 2D lamellar (p-cyclophane) and 3D lamellar, 3D "stitched staircase" (due to additional hydrogen-bonding interactions by water tetramers, with an average O-O bond length in the tetramer unit of 2.926 A, acting as "molecular clips" between staircases), 3D linked ladder, and single-stranded 1D helix.     

Synthesis of silver nanoprisms in formamide

Polygonal (mainly triangular) silver nanoprisms were prepared by reducing silver perchlorate in formamide in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) at room temperature. The reduction of silver ions by formamide leads to the deposition of arrays of triangular shaped silver nanoparticles on the glass walls of the container, accompanied by evolution of CO2 gas. In the presence of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) and PEG (1:1), both nanospheres and nanoprisms are formed.     

A hybrid technique of orthonormality constrained orbital optimization in SCF calculations

A recently proposed orthonormality constrained orbital optimization technique is operationally modified further by coupling it to a gradient biased method, namely the steepest descent procedure of McWeeny. The hybrid technique developed in this way is shown to have better convergence properties in closed and unrestricted open-shell calculations. The technique can be adapted to MCSCF procedures as well. The important role played by "orbital symmetries" in the operation of the method is analysed. Similarities and differences of the present method with the orthogonal gradient method are pointed out. Possible avenues of circumventing convergence difficulty that one may encounter in pathological cases, particularly in ab initio calculations involving extended basis set, are suggested.     

On a new partitioning of the Hamiltonian in many-body calculation of pair-correlation energies in closed-shell systems

We introduce here a new partitioning of the Hamiltonian in calculating pair-correlation energies using many-body perturbation theory, by which we are able to eliminate the off-diagonal particle–hole (p–h) ladders exactly to all orders in the perturbation expansion. In this formulation, the particle states turn out to be different for each distinct pair of hole states in the correlation energy calculation. We have also included the contributions of the diagonal particle–particle (p–p) and hole–hole ladders exactly to all orders. The effect of the off-diagonal p–p ladders has been estimated for each pair by computing the third-, foruth- and fifth-order energies. For highly symmetric systems the present partitioning yields in general symmetry-broken orbitals. Here one may use an average kind of partitioning for all the partners of the degenerate sets, which restores the symmetry and at the same time ensures cancellation of the p–h ladders exactly at the lowest order and approximately at the higher orders. Results are presented for a selection of 6π-electron conjugated systems. The correlation energy for each pair is in excellent agreement with that obtained from a partial CI calculation involving all double excitations from this pair. The advantages of implementing the present scheme in larger systems has been discussed.     

Unusual features of micellar diffusion

Diffusion coefficients of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide in aqueous solutions have been determined at 25, 95 and 135 °C using the Taylor dispersion technique. The diffusion coefficient exhibits a minimum at a surfactant concentration above the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The results are interpreted in terms of electrostatic coupling and rapid exchange between micelle, surfactant monomer and counterions.