Radiospectroscopic method for determining contents of deuterium and tritium in aqueous solutions

Radio-wave emission spectra in the microwave region are registered for the first time for ordinary water (H₂O), heavy water (D₂O), and D₂O with a low content of T₂O. The obtained spectra are analyzed according to a special program using a hardware–software complex. Measurement results show that the proposed method allows us not only to determine differences between substances in terms of composition and concentration, but to determine the presence of heavy and superheavy hydrogen isotopes in ordinary water as well.     

Lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate as an additive to suppress the aluminum corrosion in lithium bis(fluorosulfony)imide-based nonaqueous carbonate electrolyte

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Lithium bis(fluorosulfony)imide (LiFSI) is a promising alternative lithium salt to replace lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) due to its high conductivity...     

Redox and Coordination Behavior of the Hexaphosphabenzene Ligand in [(Cp*Mo)2(μ,η6:η6‐P6)] Towards the “Naked” Cations Cu+, Ag+, and Tl+

Although the cyclo‐P₆ complex [(Cp*Mo)₂(μ,η⁶:η⁶‐P₆)] ( 1 ) was reported 30 years ago, little is known about its chemistry. Herein, we report a high‐yielding synthesis of 1 , the complex 2 , which contains an unprecedented cyclo‐P₁₀ ligand, and the reactivity of 1 towards the “naked” cations Cu⁺, Ag⁺, and Tl⁺. Besides the formation of the single oxidation products 3 a,b which have a bisallylic distorted cyclo‐P₆ middle deck, the [M( 1 )₂]⁺ complexes are described which show distorted square‐planar (M=Cu( 4 a ), Ag( 4 b )) or distorted tetrahedral coordinated (M=Cu( 5 )) M⁺ cations. The choice of solvent enabled control over the reaction outcome for Cu⁺, as proved by powder XRD and supported by DFT calculations. The reaction with Tl⁺ affords a layered two‐dimensional coordination network in the solid state.     

Computational Insights into the Charge Relaying Properties of β‐Turn Peptides in Protein Charge Transfers

Density functional theory calculations suggest that β‐turn peptide segments can act as a novel dual‐relay elements to facilitate long‐range charge hopping transport in proteins, with the N terminus relaying electron hopping transfer and the C terminus relaying hole hopping migration. The electron‐ or hole‐binding ability of such a β‐turn is subject to the conformations of oligopeptides and lengths of its linking strands. On the one hand, strand extension at the C‐terminal end of a β‐turn considerably enhances the electron‐binding of the β‐turn N terminus, due to its unique electropositivity in the macro‐dipole, but does not enhance hole‐forming of the β‐turn C terminus because of competition from other sites within the β‐strand. On the other hand, strand extension at the N terminal end of the β‐turn greatly enhances hole‐binding of the β‐turn C terminus, due to its distinct electronegativity in the macro‐dipole, but does not considerably enhance electron‐binding ability of the N terminus because of the shared responsibility of other sites in the β‐strand. Thus, in the β‐hairpin structures, electron‐ or hole‐binding abilities of both termini of the β‐turn motif degenerate compared with those of the two hook structures, due to the decreased macro‐dipole polarity caused by the extending the two terminal strands. In general, the high polarity of a macro‐dipole always plays a principal role in determining charge‐relay properties through modifying the components and energies of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals of the β‐turn motif, whereas local dipoles with low polarity only play a cooperative assisting role. Further exploration is needed to identify other factors that influence relay properties in these protein motifs.     

Methoxy and Methyl Group Rotation: Solid‐State NMR 1H Spin‐Lattice Relaxation,Electronic Structure Calculations,X‐ray Diffractometry,and Scanning Electron Microscopy

We report solid‐state ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spin‐lattice relaxation experiments, X‐ray diffractometry, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, and both single‐molecule and cluster ab initio electronic structure calculations on 1‐methoxyphenanthrene ( 1 ) and 3‐methoxyphenanthrene ( 2 ) to investigate the rotation of the methoxy groups and their constituent methyl groups. The electronic structure calculations and the ¹H NMR relaxation measurements can be used together to determine barriers for the rotation of a methoxy group and its constituent methyl group and to develop models for the two coupled motions.     

Theoretical Studies of the Reactions CFxH3−xCOOR+Cl and CF3COOCH3+OH

The mechanism and kinetics of the reactions of CF₃COOCH₂CH₃, CF₂HCOOCH₃, and CF₃COOCH₃ with Cl and OH radicals are studied using the B3LYP, MP2, BHandHLYP, and M06‐2X methods with the 6‐311G(d,p) basis set. The study is further refined by using the CCSD(T) and QCISD(T)/6‐311++G(d,p) methods. Seven hydrogen‐abstraction channels are found. All the rate constants, computed by a dual‐level direct method with a small‐curvature tunneling correction, are in good agreement with the experimental data. The tunneling effect is found to be important for the calculated rate constants in the low‐temperature range. For the reaction of CF₃COOCH₂CH₃+Cl, H‐abstraction from the CH₂ group is found to be the dominant reaction channel. The standard enthalpies of formation for the species are also calculated. The Arrhenius expressions are fitted within 200–1000 K as k_T(1)=8.4×10^?20T ^2.63exp(381.28/T), k_T(2)=2.95×10^?21T ^3.13exp(?103.21/T), k_T(3)=1.25×10^?23T ^3.37exp(791.98/T), and k_T(4)=4.53×10^?22T ^3.07exp(465.00/T).     

Light‐Driven Reversible Alignment Switching of Liquid Crystals Enabled by Azo Thiol Grafted Gold Nanoparticles

Stimuli‐directed alignment control of liquid crystals (LCs) with desired molecular orientation is currently in the limelight for the development of smart functional materials and devices. Here, photoresponsive azo thiol (AzoSH) was grafted onto gold nanoparticles (GNPs). The resulting hybrid GNPs were able to homogeneously mix with a commercially available nematic LC host, as evidenced by Cryo‐TEM. Interestingly, the LC nanocomposites were found to undergo reversible alignment transition upon light irradiation as a consequence of the trans–cis photoisomerization of the azo groups on the GNP surface. LC molecules in either planar or bare glass cells were able to change their alignment to vertical upon UV irradiation, while the vertically aligned LC molecules returned to the planar or random orientation under visible irradiation. Neither the azo thiol molecules nor the unfunctionalized GNPs alone promoted the alignment of the LC molecules in the system upon light irradiation. The photoinduced vertical alignment without applied electric or magnetic field was very stable over time and with respect to temperature. Furthermore, an optically switchable device based on the photostimulated reversible alignment control of LCs was demonstrated.