Molecular orbital theory of the properties of inorganic and organometallic compounds. 3. STO-3G basis sets for first- and second-row transition metals

STO -3G minimal basis sets for first- and second-row transition metals have been formulated and applied to the calculation of equilibrium geometries for a variety of inorganic systems, metal carbonyls, and organometallic compounds. While the overall level of agreement with experiment is not as good as that previously noted for main-group compounds, most trends and many subtle features in geometries are reproduced.     

Synthesis, structure, and alpha-elimination chemistry of hafnocene triarylstannyl complexes

New hafnocene triarylstannyl complexes were prepared and were shown to undergo clean thermal decompositions via alpha-aryl-elimination to produce the corresponding stannylene and a hafnocene aryl complex. The rate of the decomposition is highly dependent on the nature of the ancillary ligand, with the stabilities of the CpCp*Hf(SnPh(3))X compounds following the order X = NMe(2) > Np (alpha-agostic) > OMe > Cl > Me. Mechanistic information suggests that alpha-aryl-elimination may be viewed as a concerted process involving nucleophilic attack of the migrating aryl group onto the electrophilic metal center.     

Mass displacements in quadrupolar field analysers

The influence of different instrumental parameters on the mass displacements observed in an ion trap and a quadrupole mass filter was investigated. In ion trap measurements it was observed that isolated ions (obtained by both ‘apex’ and ‘two-step’ isolation methods) show the same mass displacements determined in the usual mass spectra; isobaric ions of different structure irradiated with supplementary a.c. fields are ejected at different a.c. voltages, and different cooling times do not affect the mass value. In the quadrupole mass filter, differences in mass were found among isobaric ions of different structure, although to a smaller extent than those observed in the ion trap. All the data obtained are in agreement with the hypothesis of ion–r.f. field interactions originating from the polarizability of the ion.     

Metal-directed synthesis and photophysical studies of trinuclear v-shaped and pentanuclear x-shaped ruthenium and osmium metallorods and metallostars based upon 4'-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine divergent units

A new series of V-shaped trinuclear metallorods and X-shaped pentanuclear metallostars has been prepared by the reaction of metal complexes bearing pendant phenolic functionalities with complexes containing electrophilic ligands. Specifically, {M(tpy)2} motifs (M=Ru or Os; tpy=2,2':6',2'-terpyridine) bearing one or two pendant 3,5-dihydroxyphenyl substituents at the 4-position of the central ring of the tpy have been reacted with the complexes [Ru(tpy)(Xtpy)]2+ (X=Cl or Br) to form new ether-linked species. The energy transfer from ruthenium to osmium in these complexes has been investigated in detail and the efficiency of transfer shown to be highly temperature dependent; the energy transfer is highly efficient at low temperature, whereas at room temperature nonradiative and nontransfer deactivation of the excited {Ru(tpy)2}* domains is most significant.     

Synthesis and characterization of scandium silyl complexes of the type Cp*2ScSiHRR'. sigma-Bond metathesis reactions and catalytic dehydrogenative silation of hydrocarbons

The scandium dihydrosilyl complexes Cp*(2)ScSiH(2)R (R = Mes (4), Trip (5), SiPh(3) (6), Si(SiMe(3))(3) (7); Mes = 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2), Trip = 2,4,6-(i)()Pr(3)C(6)H(2)) and Cp*(2)ScSiH(SiMe(3))(2) (8) were synthesized by addition of the appropriate hydrosilane to Cp*(2)ScMe (1). Studies of these complexes in the context of hydrocarbon activation led to discovery of catalytic processes for the dehydrogenative silation of hydrocarbons (including methane, isobutene and cyclopropane) with Ph(2)SiH(2) via sigma-bond metathesis.     

Efficient alkene hydrosilation with bis(8-quinolyl)phosphine (NPN) nickel catalysts. The dominant role of silyl-over hydrido-nickel catalytic intermediates

A cationic nickel complex of the bis(8-quinolyl)(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)phosphine (NPN) ligand, [(NPN)NiCl]⁺, is a precursor to efficient catalysts for the hydrosilation of alkenes with a variety of hydrosilanes under mild conditions and low catalyst loadings. DFT studies reveal the presence of two coupled catalytic cycles based on [(NPN)NiH]⁺ and [(NPN)NiSiR₃]⁺ active species, with the latter being more efficient for producing the product. The preferred silyl-based catalysis is not due to a more facile insertion of alkene into the Ni–Si (vs. Ni–H) bond, but by consistent and efficient conversions of the hydride to the silyl complex.

A cationic nickel complex of the bis(8-quinolyl)(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)phosphine (NPN) ligand, [(NPN)NiCl]⁺, is a precursor to efficient catalysts for the hydrosilation of alkenes with hydrosilanes under mild conditions and low catalyst loadings.     

Simple Extraction and HPLC Determination of UV-A and UV-B Filters in Sunscreen Products

The determination of 11 organic UV filters, worldwide authorised in sunscreen formulations, was performed by HPLC with UV spectrophotometric detection. The filters determined were: phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid, benzophenone-4, benzophenone-3, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutyl phenol, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyltriazine, ethylhexyl triazone, and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate. Three analytical methods were developed which were based on an ultrasonic extraction of the sample in methanol/1% aqueous acetic acid (70:30, v/v) or dimethylacetamide/propan-2-ol (1:1, v/v) in dependence of the water or fat-solubility of the filter, followed by HPLC separation and quantitation. HPLC was carried out using three different columns and eluting conditions. Standard calibration curves were linear for all the analytes over the concentration range 0.5–100 μg mL^?1. UV measurements were carried out at 280, 300, 310 or 360 nm with the aid of a diode array detector in dependence on the maximum absorption of each filter. Quantitative recoveries were obtained for all sunscreen compounds determined in homemade formulations. The proposed analytical procedure has been successfully applied for the analysis of commercial samples in order to check the presence of UV filters and to determine their concentration.     

Dielectric relaxation of poly(ester-ether-carbonate) multiblock terpolymers

The dielectric properties of a series of poly(ester-ether-carbonate) multiblock terpolymers have been investigated as a function of ether and carbonate composition in the frequency range of 10³–10⁶ Hz. The degree of polymerization of the samples was determined by viscosimetry measurements. The weight fraction, degree of crystallinity, and melting temperatures were characterized by means of x-ray diffraction and DSC methods. Dielectric behavior has been discussed in terms of Havriliak-Negami formulation. The variation of the dielectric properties with temperature has been associated with two relaxation processes: a) the -relaxation process observed at low temperature, which is associated to local motion of polar groups attached to both the soft and the hard segments, and b) the process assigned to long-range molecular motions above the glass transition temperature.     

Rapid method for determination of phenylurea herbicides in milk

Summary A method has been developed for the determination of thirteen phenylurea herbicide residues in milk. It involves one-step solvent extraction of the milk with methanol by ultrasonication. The extract is cleaned up on an Amberchrom resin cartridge. Reversed-phase, gradient elution, high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection at 242 nm is used to analyse the residues. The recovery of thirteen phenylurea pesticides is quantitative, ranging from 71.4% to 97.9% for the individual herbicides investigated at concentrations around 0.05 mg kg^–1 and from 65.1% to 95.6% around 0.005 mg kg^–1. The method is not associated with any of the emulsion problems common to conventional solvent extraction, which considerably reduce the sample clean-up process compared with existing methods.