Kinetics of thermal decomposition of Co3O4 powder and single crystals

Kinetics of thermal decomposition in vacuum of Co₃O₄ powder as well as single crystals has been investigated. Discrepancies with the results of previous authors have been discussed. Decomposition of Co₃O₄ proceeds through formation of a compact layer of CoO and hence diffusion is the rate-limiting factor. The experimental curves α(t) be described for 0.05 < α < 0.85 using a modified Ginstling-Brounshtein equation: 1 ? 2α/3 ? (1 ? α)^2/3 = ktⁿ where the activation energy varies with the degree of decomposition.     

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa nickel(II) azurin

We show that X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) can be employed to probe the oxidation states and other electronic structural features of nickel active sites in proteins. As a calibration standard, we have measured XMCD and X-ray absorption (XAS) spectra for the nickel(II) derivative of Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin (NiAz). Our analysis of these spectra confirms that the electronic ground state of NiAz is high-spin (S = 1); we also find that the L(3)-centroid energy is 853.1(1) eV, the branching ratio is 0.722(4), and the magnetic moment is 1.9(4) mu(B). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on model NiAz structures establish that orbitals 3d(x2-y2) and 3d(z2) are the two valence holes in the high-spin Ni(II) ground state, and in accord with the experimentally determined orbital magnetic moment, the DFT results also demonstrate that both holes are highly delocalized, with 3d(x2-y2) having much greater ligand character.     

Cascade polycyclization: exploration of a convergent route to access various tricyclic and tetracyclic products related to sterols

The expedient synthesis of tricyclic and tetracyclic compounds via a cascade polycyclization methodology is described. Nazarov substrates (II) containing two Michael acceptors and a cyclohexenone ester (I) underwent cycloaddition followed by intramolecular 1,4-addition to furnish, in a highly stereoselective manner, tricyclic and tetracyclic products (III). Such compounds are interesting intermediates for the synthesis of polycyclic natural and unnatural products.     

Fragmentation sous Impact Electronique du Phényl-2 Oxétanne

The mass spectral fragmentation processes of 2-phenyloxetane have been studied by means of isotopic labelling. The origin of the benzoyl ion, which is the base peak, is discused     

Biscarbene-ruthenium complexes in catalysis: novel stereoselective synthesis of (1E,3E)-1,4-disubstituted-1,3-dienes via head-to-head coupling of terminal alkynes and addition of carboxylic acids

The reaction of a variety of alkynes RCtbd1;CH with a variety of carboxylic acids R(1)CO(2)H, in the presence of 5% of RuCl(COD)C(5)Me(5), selectively leads to the dienylesters (1E,3E)-RCH(1)=CH(2)-CH(3)=C(R)(O(2)CR(1)). The reaction also applies to amino acid and dicarboxylic acid derivatives. It is shown that the first step of the reaction consists of the head-to-head alkyne coupling and of the formation of the metallacyclic biscarbene-ruthenium complex isolated for R = Ph and catalyzing the formation of dienylester. D-labeled reactions show that the alkyne protons remain at the alkyne terminal carbon atoms and carboxylic acid protonates the C(1) carbon atom. QM/MM (ONIOM) calculations, supporting a mixed Fischer-Schrock-type biscarbene complex, show that protonation occurs preferentially at the carbene carbon C(1) adjacent to Ru, in the relative cis position with respect to the Ru-Cl bond, to give a mixed C(1)alkyl-C(4)carbene complex in which the C(4) carbene is conjugated with the noncoordinated C(2)=C(3) double bond. This 16-electron intermediate has a weak stabilizing alpha agostic C-H bond. This most stable isomer appears to have a C(4) center more accessible to the nucleophilic addition which accounts for the experimentally observed product.     

Surface-tension-driven instabilities of a pure liquid layer evaporating into an inert gas

A theoretical model of the evaporation of a pure liquid layer is developed. We focus on the influence of an inert gaseous component, in addition to vapor, on surface-tension-driven Bénard instabilities. It is assumed that the gas phase is perfectly mixed at some distance from the liquid-gas interface (given composition, pressure, and temperature). If this distance is not much larger than the liquid layer thickness, it is shown that a reduction of the full two-layer problem to a one-layer problem is possible, provided the evaporation rate is not too large. An analytical expression is given for the corresponding dimensionless heat transfer coefficient (a generalized, wavenumber-dependent Biot number) at the evaporating interface. The approach is validated through a comparison with a direct numerical resolution of the full two-layer problem.     

An improved procedure for the conversion of indolines into indoles

The addition of a sacrificial enamine (such as indole), or of a vinyl ether (like dihydropyran) to an indoline during dehydrogenation by phenylseleninic anhydride dramatically improves the yield of the corresponding indole. This is due to scavenging of Se¹¹ phenylselenenating species.     

Favorskii-Reaktion von enolisierbaren Cyclobutanonen: Abhängigkeit der Stereoselektivität von der Abgangsgruppe,der Temperatur und dem Lösungsmittel

Dependence of the Stereoselectivity on the Leaving Group, the Temperature and the Solvent in the Favorskii-Reaction of Enolisable Cyclobutanones The base-induced contraction of enolisable 2-halocyclobutanones is often not stereoselectiv. The cis/trans-isomer ratio in the cyclopropanecarboxylic acid 9 derived from 2,4-cis-substituted cyclobutanones 7 depends on the nature of the leaving group. In addition, the choice of the base, the temperature and the solvent can profoundly affect the stereoselectivity of the Favorskii-reaction. The use of the p-bromophenylsulphonyloxy group as leaving group and an inhomogenous reaction medium leads exclusively to cis-carboxylic acid 9 .     

Crystal growth and electrical properties of lithium,rubidium, and cesium molybdenum oxide bronzes

Crystals of Li_0.33 MoO₃ (blue), Rb_0.23MoO₃ (blue) and Cs_0.31MoO₃ (red) were grown by electrolysis from MoO₃M₂MoO₄ melts (M =alkali metal) with composition 70–77 mole% MoO₃. Melts richer in M₂MoO₄ produced MoO₂ only. Correlation is made between bronze formation and the coordination of Mo in the melt and in the equilibrium solid phase M₂Mo₄O₁₃. Li_0.33MoO₃ and Cs_0.31MoO₃ are semiconductors with high-temperature-range activation energies 0.16 and 0.12 eV. Rb_0.23MoO₃ has an electrical behavior similar to that of blue K_xMoO₃ with a semiconductor-metal transition at (170 ± 5) K. ESR spectra observed in Li_0.33MoO₃ and Rb_0.23MoO₃ single crystals at 4.2 K show extensive delocalization of the 4d¹ electron associated with Mo(V) centers. Attempts to grow molybdenum bronzes containing Ca or Y were unsuccessful.     

Face Selectivity of the Diels-Alder Reaction of 5,6-Bis((D)methylidene)-2-bicyclo[2.2.2]octene

The face selectivity (endo-face vs. exo-face attack onto the exocyclic s-cis-butadiene moiety) of the [4+2]cycloadditions of 5,6-bis((D)methylidene)-2-bicyclo-[2.2.2]octene ( 11 ) to strong dienophiles has been determined in benzene at 25°. It is ca. 95/5, 75/5, 70/30, 60/40 and 50/50 for N-phenyltriazolinedione (NPTAD), tetracyanoethylene (TCE), dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD), maleic anhydride (MA) and singlet oxygen (¹O₂), respectively. The endo-face preference is probably due to a participation of the homoconjugated double bond at C(2), C(3) which makes the etheno bridge more polarizable than the ethano bridge in 11. The absence of face selectivity with ¹O₂ is consistent with an entropy-controlled mechanism involving the intermediacy of an exciplex.