Characterisation of nanocrystalline magnesium oxide by X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

There are numerous methods of preparing nanocrystalline materials. Magnesium oxide is an ideal model system on which to probe the relation of the preparative route and the microstructure. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) we show that the sol-gel route can be used to prepare highly crystalline material provided there is careful control of the calcination conditions. In the present work this is achieved by calcining at high temperatures (at least 800 degrees C). However, this results in grain growth that can be prevented by the addition of a pinning agent, SiO(2), during the preparation of the sol. The pinned samples maintain a particle size of 11 nm even after calcining at 1000 degrees C. Ball-milling is a common method of preparing nanocrystalline oxides, however the present work shows that this produces a significant fraction of amorphous material, the fraction increasing with decreasing grain size (e.g. approximately 30 % for a grain size of 23 nm).     

[4 + 2] Cycloaddition reactions of hexachlorotropone

The cycloaddition of hexachlorotropone to selected olefins, including 1,3-dienes, has been examined. Unlike tropone, which undergoes [6 + 4] cycloadditions with 1,3-dienes, only [4 + 2] processes were observed with hexachlorotropone. Its apparent preference for exo-addition (contrast tetrachlorocyclopentadienone) probably results from thermodynamic control of the endo : exo product ratios.     

Synthesis of ordered mesoporous NiO with crystalline walls and a bimodal pore size distribution

A mesoporous solid with crystalline walls and an ordered pore structure exhibiting a bimodal pore size distribution (3.3 and 11 nm diameter pores) has been synthesized. Previous attempts to synthesize solids with large ordered mesopores by hard templating focused on the preparation of templates with thick walls (the thick walls become the pores in the target materials), something that has proved difficult to achieve. Here the large pores (11 nm) do not depend on the synthesis of a template with thick walls but instead on controlling the microporous bridging between the two sets of mesopores in the KIT-6 template. Such control determines the relative proportion of the two pore sizes. The wall thickness of the 3D cubic NiO mesopore has also been varied. Preliminary magnetic characterization indicates the freezing of uncompensated moments or blocking of superparamagnetism.     

Applications of molecular orbital theory to the interpretation of mass spectra. Prediction of primary fragmentation sites in organic molecules

Semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations have been carried out on the steroidal hormone estrone, both as a neutral molecule and the corresponding positively charge molecular ion. These calculations provide estimates of bond densities and net atomic charges, factors deemed important in past correlations of observed mass spectra with molecular structure. Calculated net charges appear to be unrelated to fragmentation processes. Calculated bond densities of the ground state molecular ion of estrone allow prediction of gross features of fragmentation. Bond densities of excited electronic states of the molecular ion may provide a basis for finer distinction among sites of initial bond cleavage, which is information crucial to rationalization of subsequent fragmentation of the molecular ion.     

The polarographic determination of traces of titanium-(IV) in the presence of n-benzoyl-n-phenylhydroxylamine

The polarographic behavior of the titanium(IV)-N-benzoyl-N-phenyl-hydroxylamine (BPHA) system in acidic medium and in water-ethanol mixtures has been studied. In (1+3) water-ethanol containing 2 M sulfuric acid and 0.05 M BPHA, titanium(IV) gives a single kinetically controlled wave. Titanium(IV) can be determined at concentrations as low as 5·10^-6M, in the presence of Fe(III), Cu(II), V(V), etc., but Cd(II), Sn(II and IV), As(V), U(VI) and Mo(VI) interfere.