Study of the peak effect phenomenon in single crystals of 2H-NbSe2

The weakly pinned single crystals of the hexagonal 2H-NbSe₂ compound have emerged as prototypes for determining and characterizing the phase boundaries of the possible order-disorder transformations in the vortex matter. We present here a status report based on the ac and dc magnetization measurements of the peak effect phenomenon in three crystals of 2H-NbSe₂, in which the critical current densities vary over two orders of magnitude. We sketch the generic vortex phase diagram of a weakly pinned superconductor, which also utilizes theoretical proposals. We also establish the connection between the metastability effects and pinning.     

Shaping Solid-State Supramolecular Cavities: Chemically Induced Accordionlike Movement of gamma-Zirconium Phosphate Containing Polyethylenoxide Pillars

The hydrophilic oxygen atoms of polyethylenoxide chains inserted as pillars in gamma-zirconium phosphate form hydrogen bonds with the acid groups of the host. As a result the pillars are almost perpendicular to the gamma layers. Upon changing the pH level of the supernatant solution the hydrogen bonds are broken and the pillars become almost perpendicular to the layers (shown schematically). Thus there is a reversible enlargement-shortening of the interlayer space.     

The cope rearrangement in substituted semibullvalenes as studied by dynamic 13C NMR

NMR-data for some substituted semibullvalenes are reported and the Cope rearrangement is analysed kinetically. Substituent effects on the activation barriers are discussed.     

The alkali metal reduction of pyrene structural and preparative aspects

Reduction of pyrene with alkali metals yields the corresponding dianion salts. The solvent, counterion and temperature must be carefully selected since side reactions such as protonation (e.g. in liquid ammonia) or cleavage of the etheral solvent occur readily. Moreover, the spectroscopic characterization of the dianion is complicated by rapid electron transfer processes. There is no experimental evidence for distorted dianion structures or for further reduction of pyrene toward a tetraanion. Knowledge of the ionic π-structures is essential for an understanding of reductive alkylation processes.     

Zinc and Cobalt Complexes Derived from Tetradentate Tripodal Ligands with N2O2 Donorset as Model Compounds for Phosphatases

Starting from the tripodal tetradentate ligands ‐(3,5‐dibromo‐2‐hydroxybenzyl)(2‐hydroxybenzyl)(2‐pyridyl)methylamine (H₂L1), (3,5‐dibromo‐2‐hydroxybenzyl)(2‐hydroxy‐5‐nitrobenzyl)(2‐pyridyl)methylamine (H₂L2), and (3,5‐dichloro2‐hydroxybenzyl)(2‐hydroxy‐5‐nitrobenzyl)(2‐pyridyl)methylamine (H₂L3) the new isostructural dinuclear zinc compounds [Zn₂(L1)₂]·N(CH₂CH₃)₃ ( 1 ), [Zn₂(L2)₂]·2CH₃OH ( 2 ) and [Zn₂(L3)₂]·C₄H₁₀O ( 3 ) were synthesized. Due to their enzyme‐like trigonal bipyramidal N₂O₃ coordination environment of the zinc ions and the similar Zn···Zn distances the complexes can be considered to be structural models for the active sites in phospholipase C and nuclease P1. With H₂L3 also the dinuclear complex [Co₂(L2)₂(CH₃OH)]·2CH₃OH·0.5C₄H₁₀O ( 4 ) could be prepared. The new compounds were isolated and characterized by single crystal X‐ray crystallography as well as infrared spectroscopy. The cobalt compound 4 was additionally characterized by UV‐Vis spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a = 11.2814(2), b = 28.6154(2), c = 13.1866(3) Å, β = 96.995(1)°, V = 4225.2(2) ų, Z = 4. 2 and 3 are monoclinic, space group C2/c with a = 23.084(5), b = 9.232(2), c = 21.849(4) Å, &β; = 96.83(3)°, V = 4623(2) ų, Z = 4, and a = 22.7834(3), b = 9.2463(1), c = 21.6351(3) Å, &β; = 97.592(1)°, V = 4517.7(2) ų, Z = 4, respectively. 4 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group I2/a with a = 22.4680(4), b = 20.5517(4), c = 22.8910(6) Å, &β; = 111.938(1)°, V = 9804.7(4) ų, Z = 8. 4 shows an effective magnetic moment of 6.72 μ_B at 300 K which clearly indicates the presence of two cobalt(II) high spin ions with Curie‐Weiss behaviour above 80 K. At lower temperatures a decrease of the effective magnetic moment was observed.