Studies on amine hydrothiocyanates. IV. Thermal decomposition studies using TG

The thermal decomposition of piperidine hydrothiocyanate, piperazine hydrothiocyanate, and the dihydrothiocyanates of ethylenediamine and 1,3-diaminopropane has been studied using TG. Piperidine hydrothiocyanate decomposes in a single step while the dihydrothiocyanates follow more complicated decomposition patterns yielding H₂S and half of the organic moiety first. The second step involves the loss of H₂S and the remainder of the organic moiety. In each case, complex polymeric materials result. Piperazine hydrothiocyanate also decomposes in two steps, the first involving the loss of half of the piperazine and the second involving the loss of piperazine and H₂S. Kinetic parameters have been determined for all these reactions.     

Kinetic studies on the deaquation-anation of aquapentammine-cobalt(III) chloride

Summary The deaquation-anation of solid aquapentamminecobalt(III) chloride was studied isothermally and non-isothermally. Kinetic data were obtained from t.g.a. and were analysed using 17 rate laws known for solid state reactions. This reaction, long interpreted as S_N2, was found to obey an A1.5 rate law from both types of experiments. From the isothermal experiments, an E _a of 97.0 kJ mol^-1 was found.     

Precise Conductance Measurements on Dilute Aqueous Solutions of Sodium and Potassium Hydrogenphosphate and Dihydrogenphosphate

Precise conductance measurements are reported on dilute aqueous solutions of the sodium and potassium salts of orthophosphoric acid at 25 ^∘C. Conductance measurements on solutions of electrolytes such as these phosphate salts that exist in solution as complicated mixtures of ions have previously proved difficult to interpret. To overcome this, a mathematical method has been developed to calculate the concentrations of all the species in the aqueous system M₃PO₄/M₂HPO₄/M₂HPO₄/H₃PO₄ (M = Na or K) over a continuous range of stoichiometries. The Lee–Wheaton conductance equation has been used to interpret the conductance of these multicomponent solutions in terms of the limiting ionic conductances and concentrations of all the ions in the solution. The limiting molar conductances of the ions H₂PO₄ ⁻ and HPO₄ ²⁻ and the ion-pair formation constants of these ions with sodium and potassium ions were determine This work has enabled the accurate determination of solution parameters for the important hydrogenphosphate ions in water and provides an excellent example of the use of an advanced conductance theory in the analysis of the conductance of multicomponent electrolyte systems.     

Thermal studies on yttrium,neodymium and holmium oxalates

The thermal decomposition patterns of Y₂(C₂O₄)₃ · 9 H₂O, Nd₂(C₂O₄)₃ · 10 H₂O and Ho₂(C₂O₄)₃ · 5.5 H₂O have been studied using TG and DTG. The hydrated neodymium oxalate loses all the water of hydration in one step to give the anhydrous oxalate while Y₂(C₂O₄)₃ · 9 H₂O and Ho₂(C₂O₄)₃ · 5.5 H₂O involve four or more dehydration steps to yield the anhydrous oxalates. Further heating of the anhydrous oxalates results in the loss of CO₂ and CO to give the stable metal oxides.     

Thermal studies on trans-dichlorotetramminecobalt(III) complexes

Thermal studies have been carried out on trans-[Co(NH₃)₄Cl₂]X · YH₂O complexes (whereX=IO₃, BrO₃, NO₃, or NO₂ andY=0, 1, or 2) in an effort to find cases of trans to cis isomerization as occurs for the iodate. No evidence of isomerization was found for any of the other compounds. The complexes decompose in a series of steps and these reactions have been identified and kinetic parameters determined.     

Thermal studies on dithionate compounds

TG and DTG studies have been carried out on CoS₂O₆ · 6H₂O, NiS₂O₆ · 6 H₂O, CuS₂O₆ · 3.5 H₂O, ZnS₂O₆ · 6 H₂O and CdS₂O₆ · 4H₂O. After partial dehydration, the dithionates of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) lose water and sulfur dioxide simultaneously to yield the stable metal sulfates in the final step of decomposition. The CdS₂O₆ · 4H₂O dehydrates completely in the first two steps of decomposition with two water molecules being lost in each step. In the third step, it loses only SO₂ to yield CdSO₄. Kinetic parameters are presented for these reactions.

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Zusammenfassung TG- und DTG-Untersuchungen von CoS₂O₆ · 4 H₂O, NiS₂O₆ · 6 H₂O, CuS₂O₆ · 3.5 H₂O, ZnS₂O₆ · 6 H₂O und CdS₂O₆ · 4 H₂O wurden ausgeführt. Nach partieller Dehydratisierung geben die Dithionate von Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) und Zn(II) im letzten Schritt des Abbaus gleichzeitig Wasser und Schwefeldioxid unter Bildung der stabilen Metallsulfate ab. CdS₂O₆ · 4 H₂O wird in den ersten beiden Zersetzungsschritten unter Abgabe von je 2 Wassermolekülen vollständing zersetzt. Im dritten Schritt wird nur SO₂ unter Bildung von CdSO₄ abgegeben. Kinetische Parameter dieser Reaktionen werden angegeben.

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CoS₂O₆ · 6 H₂O, NiS₂O₆ · 6 H₂O, CuS₂O₆ · 3.5 H₂O, ZnS₂O₆ · 6 H₂O CdS₂O₆ · 4 H₂O. , , , , . , . , . .

     

Mechanisms of sulfanyl (RS) migrations: synthesis of heterocycles

Thiiranium (episulfonium) ions had been acknowledged as reaction intermediates for many years, but it was not until 1977 that Nicolaou demonstrated systematically that these reactive heterocyclic cations could be trapped by carboxylic acids to give lactones. In the years that followed this report, extensive research greatly extended the scope of this reaction, particularly with regard to the methods for generating thiiranium ions, the types of nucleophiles that are compatible with this reaction, and the selectivity involved in the cyclization reactions. For many years we have been using thiiranium ions for the synthesis of saturated heterocycles. Whereas Nicolaou's method relied on electrophilic sulfenylation of alkenes, we have generated thiiranium ions by displacement of a leaving group with neighboring-group participation by a sulfanyl group. Many of the examples we have reported are of cyclizations that are reversible and so where two (and in some cases more) products can result, the outcome of the reactions provides fundamental information about the relative stability of different heterocyclic ring systems. This Review will begin with a brief introduction to sulfanyl participation as a method for generating thiiranium (and thiolanium) ions, and will go on to explore the idea of using sulfanyl migrations in synthesis. Initially, emphasis will be placed on mechanisms of [1,2] sulfanyl migrations: we will look specifically at [1,2] sulfanyl migrations (usually PhS) with elimination, substitution, and cyclization. Emphasis will then shift to the factors that affect the outcome of cyclization reactions. In particular, we will cover cyclizations with hydroxy nucleophiles and examine situations in which there are more than one hydroxy nucleophile present. We will also examine cyclizations with other nucleophiles, namely amines and sulfides. After our discussion of [1,2] sulfanyl migrations, we will look very briefly at the scope of [1,4] sulfanyl participation, before finally drawing up some guidelines that (we hope) will help other organic chemists take advantage of the rearrangement reactions that the sulfanyl group has to offer.     

Aluminium in the human brain

Abstract  

An inevitable consequence of humans living in the Aluminium Age is the presence of aluminium in the brain. This non-essential, neurotoxic metal gains entry to the brain throughout all stages of human development, from the foetus through to old age. Human exposure to myriad forms of this ubiquitous and omnipresent metal makes its presence in the brain inevitable, while the structure and physiology of the brain makes it particularly susceptible to the accumulation of aluminium with age. In spite of aluminium’s complete lack of biological essentiality, it actually participates avidly in brain biochemistry and substitutes for essential metals in critical biochemical processes. The degree to which such substitutions are disruptive and are manifested as biological effects will depend upon the biological availability of aluminium in any particular physical or chemical compartment, and will under all circumstances be exerting an energy load on the brain. In short, the brain must expend energy in its ‘unconscious’ response to an exposure to biologically available aluminium. There are many examples where ‘biological effect’ has resulted in aluminium-induced neurotoxicity and most potently in conditions that have resulted in an aluminium-associated encephalopathy. However, since aluminium is non-essential and not required by the brain, its biological availability will only rarely achieve such levels of acuity, and it is more pertinent to consider and investigate the brain’s response to much lower though sustained levels of biologically reactive aluminium. This is the level of exposure that defines the putative role of aluminium in chronic neurodegenerative disease and, though thoroughly investigated in numerous animal models, the chronic toxicity of aluminium has yet to be addressed experimentally in humans. A feasible test of the ‘aluminium hypothesis’, whereby aluminium in the human brain is implicated in chronic neurodegenerative disease, would be to reduce the brain’s aluminium load to the lowest possible level by non-invasive means. The simplest way that this aim can be fulfilled in a significant and relevant population is by facilitating the urinary excretion of aluminium through the regular drinking of a silicic acid-rich mineral water over an extended time period. This will lower the body and brain burden of aluminium, and by doing so will test whether brain aluminium contributes significantly to chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.