Use of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate room temperature ionic liquids as chelate extraction solvent with 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanedione

Possible use of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as chelate extraction solvent was evaluated by using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF₆]), 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([hmim][PF₆]) and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([omim][PF₆]). These RTILs showed high extraction performance for divalent metal cations with 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanedione (Htta). The extracted metals were back-extracted into 1 mol dm⁻³ nitric acid quantitatively. Furthermore, the extracted species were estimated as neutral hydrated complexes M(tta)₂(H₂O)_n (n= 1 or 2) for M = Ni, Cu and Pb and anionic complexes M(tta)₃⁻ for M = Mn, Co, Zn and Cd.     

On-line concentration of s-triazine herbicides in micellar electrokinetic chromatography using a cationic surfactant

A new method for the simultaneous determination of anions (sulfate, nitrate, and chloride) and cations (sodium, ammonium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) in acid rain waters was investigated using high-performance ion-exclusion/cation-exchange chromatography with conductimetric detection on a separation column packed with a polymethacrylate-based weakly acidic cation-exchange resin in the hydrogen-form and an eluent comprising 1.5 mM sulfosalicylic acid–6 mM 18-crown-6 at pH 2.6, operated at 1.5 ml/min. Effective separation and highly sensitive conductimetric detection for the anions and the cations was achieved in about 14 min. Since the ionic balance (equivalents of anions/equivalents of cations) of acid rain waters of different pH (4.40–4.67) ranged from 0.97 to 0.94, evaluation of the water quality of acid rain was possible. This method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of the anions and the cations in acid rain transported from mainland China and North Korea to central Japan monitored by a meteorological satellite data analyzer.     

Functionalized nanodiamonds part I. An experimental assessment of diamantane and computational predictions for higher diamondoids

The structures, strain energies, and enthalpies of formation of diamantane 1, triamantane 2, isomeric tetramantanes 3-5, T(d)-pentamantane 6, and D(3d)-hexamantane 7, and the structures of their respective radicals, cations, as well as radical cations, were computed at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory. For the most symmetrical hydrocarbons, the relative strain (per carbon atom) decreases from the lower to the higher diamondoids. The relative stabilities of isomeric diamondoidyl radicals vary only within small limits, while the stabilities of the diamondoidyl cations increase with cage size and depend strongly on the geometric position of the charge. Positive charge located close to the geometrical center of the molecule is stabilized by 2-5 kcal mol(-1). In contrast, diamondoid radical cations preferentially form highly delocalized structures with elongated peripheral C-H bonds. The effective spin/charge delocalization lowers the ionization potentials of diamondoids significantly (down to 176.9 kcal mol(-1) for 7). The reactivity of 1 was extensively studied experimentally. Whereas reactions with carbon-centered radicals (Hal)(3)C(*) (Hal=halogen) lead to mixtures of all possible tertiary and secondary halodiamantanes, uncharged electrophiles (dimethyldioxirane, m-chloroperbenzoic acid, and CrO(2)Cl(2)) give much higher tertiary versus secondary selectivities. Medial bridgehead substitution dominates in the reactions with strong electrophiles (Br(2), 100 % HNO(3)), whereas with strong single-electron transfer (SET) acceptors (photoexcited 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene) apical C(4)-H bridgehead substitution is preferred. For diamondoids that form well-defined radical cations (such as 1 and 4-7), exceptionally high selectivities are expected upon oxidation with outer-sphere SET reagents.     

Structure and Electronic Properties of Fullerenes C52q+: Is C522+ an Exception to the Pentagon Adjacency Penalty Rule?

The structure, vibrational spectra and electronic properties of the neutral, singly and doubly charged C52 fullerenes were studied by means of the Hartree-Fock method and density functional theory. Different isomers were considered, in particular those with the lowest possible number (five or six) of adjacent pentagons, and an isomer with a four-atom ring. For neutral and singly charged species, the most stable isomer is that with the lowest number of adjacent pentagons, namely five. However, for C(52)2+, the most stable structure has six adjacent pentagons. This finding, which contradicts the pentagon adjacency penalty rule, is a consequence of complete filling of the HOMO pi shell and the near-perfect sphericity of the most stable isomer. The simulated vibrational spectra show important differences in the positions and intensities of the vibrations for the different isomers.     

Spectroscopic Study of Azo- and Azoxycrowns Binding with Cations of Similar Ionic Radius

The complexation of 13- and 16-memberedazo- and azoxycrowns with metal cations of similarionic diameter (Na⁺ and Ca²⁺; and K⁺,Ba²⁺, Ag⁺ and Pb²⁺) was studied byuv/visible spectroscopic titration in acetonitrile andMeOH. In MeOH the 13-membered azo- and azoxycrowns 1 and 2 are weakly and non-selectively bound tohard cations of similar ionic diameter, but differentcharge (Na⁺ and Ca²⁺). At the same time thebinding to the soft cation Ag⁺ of larger sizethan the macrocycle cavity is considerably stronger.In contrast to solutions in acetonitrile no bindingwith the small Li⁺ cation was found.The 16-membered azocrowns 3 and 4 alsodiscriminate silver cation in MeOH withlog K = 3.65 ± 0.1 for both compounds.Unexpectedly low bindingwith the hard barium divalent cation of similar size(log K = 1.55 ± 0.4 and 1.95 ± 0.2, respectively)was found for these compounds. Similarly to13-membered compounds no binding with the smallLi⁺ cation was detected. A reverse order ofselectivity was observed for these crowns inacetonitrile with binding constant for association of3 with Ba²⁺ (log K 5.3) considerablyhigher than for other cations. The previously observedstrong binding with the smaller Li⁺ and Na⁺cations is confirmed.     

Effect of Solvent on Competitive Bulk Membrane Transport of Transition and Post Transition Metal Cations Using Decyl-18-crown-6

A series of competitive metal ion transport experiments have been performed. Each involved transport from an aqueous source phase across an organic membrane phase into an aqueous receiving phase. The source phase contained equimolar concentrations of cobalt(II), nickel(II), cupper(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II), silver(I) and lead(II) metal cations. The membrane phase incorporated ionophore, decyl-18-crown-6. The membrane solvents include: chloroform, dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, nitrobenzene and chloroform–nitrobenzene binary solvents. A good transport efficiency and selectivity of Pb²⁺ transport from aqueous solutions are observed in this investigation. The selectivity order for competitive bulk liquid membrane transport of the studied transition and post transition metal cations through chloroform is: Pb²⁺>Co²⁺>Ni²⁺>Ag⁺>Cd²⁺, but in the case of dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane and nitrobenzene as liquid membranes, the selectivity sequences were found to be: Pb²⁺>Co²⁺>Cd²⁺>Cu²⁺>Ag⁺>Ni²⁺>Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺>Co²⁺>Ag⁺>Ni²⁺>Zn²⁺ and Pb²⁺>Co²⁺>Ni²⁺>Zn²⁺>Cd²⁺>Ag⁺, respectively. The transport rate of the metal cations in chloroform–nitrobenzene binary solvents is sensitive to the solvent composition. The transport processes were studied in absence and presence of the stearic acid and the results show that the sequence of selectivities and ion transport rates change in the presence of stearic acid.     

Exploiting Transient Radical Cations as Brønsted Acids for Allylic C–H Heteroarylation of Enol Silyl Ethers

Intermediary radical cations, generated through single-electron oxidation of enol silyl ethers by excited Ir-based photocatalysts, can be exploited as Brønsted acids for the activation of heteroarylcyanides. This strategy enables the direct allylic C−H heteroarylation of enol silyl ethers under visible-light irradiation.     

Impact of divalent metal cations on the catalysis of peptide bonds: a DFT study

Within the ATP-grasp family of enzymes, divalent alkaline earth metals are proposed to chelate terminal ATP phosphates and facilitate the formation of peptide bonds. Density functional theory methods are used to explore the impact of metal ions on peptide bond formation, providing an insight into experimental metal substitution studies. Calculations show that alkaline earth and transition metal cations coordinate with an acylphosphate reactant and aid in the separation of the phosphate leaving group. The critical biochemical reaction is proposed to proceed through the formation of a six-membered transition state in the relatively nonpolar active site of human glutathione synthetase, an ATP-grasp enzyme. While the identity of the metal ion has a moderate impact on the thermodynamics of peptide bond formation, kinetic differences are much sharper. Simulations indicate that several transition metal ions, most notably Cu²⁺, may be particularly advantageous for catalysis. The detailed mechanistic study serves to elucidate the vital role of coordination chemistry in the formation of peptide bonds.     

Solvent‐assisted anionic ring opening polymerization of glycidol: Toward medium and high molecular weight hyperbranched polyglycerols

Hyperbranched polyglycerols (HPGs) are globular structures with a large number of functionalizable hydroxyl groups and have excellent in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility profiles comparable to polyethylene glycol. This work introduces a facile method for the synthesis of medium molecular weights (M_ws) (50–300 kDa) HPGs, which has been difficult to synthesize with low polydispersity, with the assistance of solvents by ring opening polymerization. The influence of different solvents (1,4‐dioxane, tetrahydropyran (THP), ethylene glycol diethyl ether (EGDE) and decane), solvent to glycidol ratio, concentration of glycidol and the time of polymerization on M_w and polydispersity of HPGs has been studied. The M_w and polydispersity of HPGs are significantly affected by the nature of the polymerization phase (homogeneous or heterogeneous) and chemical structure of the solvent. The differences in the solvation of the potassium cations and change in the nucleophilicity of the alkoxide anion in various solvents may be responsible for the changes in M_w and PDI of the HPG. The M_w of the HPG decreases in the order 1,4‐dioxane > THP > EGDE >decane. The microstructure, solution and thermal properties of the HPG do not depend on the nature of solvent. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 2614–2621