Investigation of the stability of Mn<Subscript>12</Subscript> single molecule magnets

The stability of single crystals and monolayers of Mn₁₂ single molecule magnets under the influence of X-ray radiation and other possibly disruptive influences has been investigated by means of synchrotron radiation. Clear evidence for radiation induced sample degradation was found for both single crystals and monolayers. The comparison with spectra obtained after damaging the molecules by Ar⁺ sputtering, metal evaporation or water moistening indicates a possibility to distinguish between radiation damage and other external influences. The results clarify some of the previous conflicting reports on the integrity of Mn₁₂ molecules deposited on surfaces and are linked to the investigations aiming at studies of the electronic and magnetic properties of individual Mn₁₂ clusters.     

To Coordinate or not to Coordinate: The Special Role of Chalcogen Ether Functionalities in the Design of Twofold Functionalized Cyclopentadienyl Ligands [Cp,O,Ch (Ch = S,Se)]

The solvent‐ and catalyst free synthesis of two β‐thio ketones L1a and L1b is reported. L1a , L1b , and a β‐seleno ketone L1c were successfully employed as ligand precursors in the synthesis of a novel series of cationic titanium complexes 4a – 4c via a well‐established reaction sequence: insertion of the carbonyl functional group into the polarized Ti–C_q,exo bond of the monopentafulvene complex Cp*Ti(Cl)(π‐η⁵:σ–η¹‐C₅H₄=CR₂) ( 1 ) (CR₂ = adamantylidene), subsequent methylation, and final activation with B(C₆F₅)₃. The cationic titanium complexes 4a – 4c bear twofold functionalized cyclopentadienyl [Cp,O,Ch (Ch = S, Se)] ligand frameworks built directly in the coordination sphere of the metal, in which the chalcogen ether functionalities do not coordinate to the central metal atoms as demonstrated by NMR experiments. Consequently, Cp,O σ,π chelating ligand systems are formed with free coordination sites at the central titanium atoms and pendant chalcogen ether moieties.     

Percolation in carbon black filled epoxy resin

The conditions to form a conductive network in carbon black filled epoxy resin were examined. It was found that the formation is controlled by particle-particle interaction which can be influenced by shear forces or by the ionic concentration of the resin. Therefore the network morphology and thus the percolation threshold depends strongly upon the processing route. On best conditions the percolation threshold was reduced to 0.06 vol.-%. That a continuous network can form with such a low volume fraction can be explained by the fractal dimension of agglomerates the network is made of.     

Unexpected Selective Methyl Group Abstractions from SiMe3 Moieties of CH2SiMe3 Ligands To Give New Cationic Titanium Complexes

The synthesis of the alkylated pentafulvene titanium complex Cp*Ti(CH₂SiMe₃)(π-η⁵:σ-η¹-C₅H₄=CR₂) (CR₂=adamantylidene) is described. The coordination mode of the pentafulvene ligand in this complex allowed for the subsequent synthesis of a series of nitrile-insertion products. By reacting these neutral compounds with the strong Lewis acid B(C₆F₅)₃, unprecedented selective methyl-group abstractions from the SiMe₃ moieties under formation of novel cationic titanium complexes with the corresponding MeB(C₆F₅)₃⁻ anion are demonstrated. The proposed silylium ion intermediates of these reactions are directly stabilized by either the exocyclic carbon atom of the pentafulvene ligand or by the lone pairs of the nitrogen atoms of the chelating Cp,N-ligands. In addition, a titanium enamine complex and its reaction with B(C₆F₅)₃ is reported, which results in the formation of a betaine.     

Intermolecular Hydroaminoalkylation of Propadiene

Intermolecular hydroaminoalkylation reactions of propadiene with selected secondary amines take place in the presence of a 2,6-bis(phenylamino)pyridinato titanium catalyst. The corresponding products, synthetically useful allylamines, are formed in convincing yields and with high selectivities. In addition, propadiene easily inserts into the titanium-carbon bond of a titanaaziridine.     

Intermolecular Hydroaminoalkylation of Alkynes

Intermolecular hydroaminoalkylation reactions of alkynes with secondary amines, which selectively give access to allylic amines with E configuration of the alkene unit, are achieved in the presence of titanium catalysts. Successful reactions of symmetrically substituted diaryl- and dialkylalkynes as well as a terminal alkyne take place with N-benzylanilines, N-alkylanilines, and N-alkylbenzylamines.     

Scalable multichannel micromachining with pseudo-nondiffracting vacuum ultraviolet beam arrays generated by thin-film axicons

Scalable multichannel microstructuring was demonstrated by multiplexing a focused molecular fluorine laser beam with cylindrical nanolayer microaxicons into an array of converging pseudo-nondiffracting subbeams. The axicons were fabricated by shadow-mask vapor deposition of magnesium fluoride onto substrates of identical material. Long-period surface gratings of variable pitch were generated on poly(methyl methacrylate) by varying the target position within the converging periodic focal lines.     

Molecular complexes of octafluoronaphthalene with catenated chalcogen-nitrogen compounds C6H5-X-NSN-SiMe3 (X = S, Se)

Mismatched molecular 1:1 complexes of C₁₀F₈ with catenated chalcogen-nitrogen compounds C₆H₅-X-NSN-SiMe₃ (X = S, Se) were prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography. The complexes provide examples of structurally non-rigid polyheteroatom molecules involved in non-covalent arene-polyfluoroarene π-stacking interactions. In going from homocrystals to the co-crystals, the molecular Z, E configuration of the catenated compounds changes from noticeably non-planar to perfectly planar, i.e. C₁₀F₈ acts as “molecular iron”. On the other hand, C₁₀H₈ does not produce complexes with C₆F₅-X-NSN-SiMe₃ (X = S, Se).     

Modelling and control of a smart beam

In this paper, a linear controller based on the Lyapunov stability theorem is designed and implemented on a smart beam. This smart beam consists of a steel beam with a piezoactuator bonded to it. The controller is used to attentuate the vibrations of the smart beam while exciting it by it's first eigenmode. A super element (SE) model of the same beam is firstly derived, and the controller is implemented on the SE and results are shown. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)