The infrared spectrum of Au-.CO2

The Au-.CO2 ion-molecule complex has been studied by gas phase infrared photodissociation spectroscopy. Several sharp transitions can be identified as combination bands involving the asymmetric stretch vibrational mode of the CO2 ligand. Their frequencies are redshifted by several hundred cm(-1) from the frequencies of free CO2. We discuss our findings in the framework of ab initio and density-functional theory calculations, using anharmonic corrections to predict vibrational transition energies. The infrared spectrum is consistent with the formation of an aurylcarboxylate anion with a strongly bent CO2 subunit.     

Amine-Directed Palladium-Catalyzed C−H Halogenation of Phenylalanine Derivatives

An efficient primary-amine-directed, palladium-catalyzed C−H halogenation (X=I, Br, Cl) of phenylalanine derivatives is reported on a range of quaternary amino acid (AA) derivatives thanks to suitable conditions employing trifluoroacetic acid as additive. The extension of this original native functionality-directed ortho-selective halogenation was even demonstrated with the more challenging native phenylalanine as tertiary AA.     

Octahedral and trigonal prismatic structure preferences in a bicyclic hexaamine cage for zinc(II), cadmium(II) and mercury(II) ions

The synthesis and characterisation of complexes of the hexaamine cage ligand facial-1,5,9,13,20-pentamethyl-3,7,11,15,18,22-hexaazabicyclo[7.7.7]tricosane (fac-(Me)(5)-D(3 h)tricosaneN(6)) with Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) is reported. Single crystal X-ray structural analyses of the Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes reveal that the coordination spheres of both cations have an unusual trigonal prismatic stereochemistry organised by the ligand substituents and cavity size. This is unprecedented for hexaamine complexes of these metal ions, and in stark contrast to the distorted octahedral stereochemistry found previously for the analogous Zn(II) complex. An X-ray structural analysis of single crystals of the diprotonated ligand [fac-(Me)(5)-D(3h)tricosaneN(6) - 2H](CF(3)SO(3))(2) shows that it also prefers to adopt a trigonal prismatic structure. The (13)C NMR spectra of the metal complexes indicate that their structures are preserved at 20 degrees C in solution. However, heating the Zn(II) complex to approximately 130 degrees C appears to convert it to the trigonal prismatic form. In contrast cooling the trigonal prismatic Hg(II) complex to -80 degrees C does not convert it to the octahedral structure. The results are also compared to the structures of various other transition metal ion complexes of the same or similar ligands. This comparison yields overall an appreciation of the factors that determine the final structures of complexes formed with such tricosaneN(6) ligands.     

Photocatalytic deoxygenation of N–O bonds with rhenium complexes: from the reduction of nitrous oxide to pyridine N-oxides

The accumulation of nitrogen oxides in the environment calls for new pathways to interconvert the various oxidation states of nitrogen, and especially their reduction. However, the large spectrum of reduction potentials covered by nitrogen oxides makes it difficult to find general systems capable of efficiently reducing various N-oxides. Here, photocatalysis unlocks high energy species able both to circumvent the inherent low reactivity of the greenhouse gas and oxidant N₂O (E⁰(N₂O/N₂) = +1.77 V vs. SHE), and to reduce pyridine N-oxides (E_1/2(pyridine N-oxide/pyridine) = −1.04 V vs. SHE). The rhenium complex [Re(4,4′-tBu-bpy)(CO)₃Cl] proved to be efficient in performing both reactions under ambient conditions, enabling the deoxygenation of N₂O as well as synthetically relevant and functionalized pyridine N-oxides.

A rhenium-based photocatalyst enables the deoxygenation of several compounds containing N–O bonds, such as N₂O and pyridine N-oxides.     

Online monitoring of coffee roasting by proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS): towards a real-time process control for a consistent roast profile

A real-time automated process control tool for coffee roasting is presented to consistently and accurately achieve a targeted roast degree. It is based on the online monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the off-gas of a drum roaster by proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry at a high time (1 Hz) and mass resolution (5,500 m/Δm at full width at half-maximum) and high sensitivity (better than parts per billion by volume). Forty-two roasting experiments were performed with the drum roaster being operated either on a low, medium or high hot-air inlet temperature (= energy input) and the coffee (Arabica from Antigua, Guatemala) being roasted to low, medium or dark roast degrees. A principal component analysis (PCA) discriminated, for each one of the three hot-air inlet temperatures, the roast degree with a resolution of better than ±1 Colorette. The 3D space of the three first principal components was defined based on 23 mass spectral profiles of VOCs and their roast degree at the end point of roasting. This provided a very detailed picture of the evolution of the roasting process and allowed establishment of a predictive model that projects the online-monitored VOC profile of the roaster off-gas in real time onto the PCA space defined by the calibration process and, ultimately, to control the coffee roasting process so as to achieve a target roast degree and a consistent roasting.     

“(Diphosphine)Nickel”‐Catalyzed Negishi Cross‐Coupling: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

The use of a strongly donating “(bis‐dialkylphosphine)Ni” fragment promotes the catalytic coupling of a large range of ArCl and ArZnCl derivatives under mild conditions. Stoichiometric mechanistic investigations and DFT calculations prove that a Ni⁰/Ni^II cycle is operative in this system.     

Combining linear polarization spectroscopy and the Representative Layer Theory to measure the Beer–Lambert law absorbance of highly scattering materials

Visible and Near Infrared (Vis–NIR) Spectroscopy is a powerful non destructive analytical method used to analyze major compounds in bulk materials and products and requiring no sample preparation. It is widely used in routine analysis and also in-line in industries, in-vivo with biomedical applications or in-field for agricultural and environmental applications. However, highly scattering samples subvert Beer–Lambert law's linear relationship between spectral absorbance and the concentrations. Instead of spectral pre-processing, which is commonly used by Vis–NIR spectroscopists to mitigate the scattering effect, we put forward an optical method, based on Polarized Light Spectroscopy to improve the absorbance signal measurement on highly scattering samples. This method selects part of the signal which is less impacted by scattering. The resulted signal is combined in the Absorption/Remission function defined in Dahm's Representative Layer Theory to compute an absorbance signal fulfilling Beer–Lambert's law, i.e. being linearly related to concentration of the chemicals composing the sample. The underpinning theories have been experimentally evaluated on scattering samples in liquid form and in powdered form. The method produced more accurate spectra and the Pearson's coefficient assessing the linearity between the absorbance spectra and the concentration of the added dye improved from 0.94 to 0.99 for liquid samples and 0.84–0.97 for powdered samples.     

S-nitrosocaptopril formation in aqueous acid and basic medium. A vasodilator and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor

The reaction of S-nitrosocaptopril (NOcap) formation was studied in both aqueous acid and basic medium. Captopril (cap) reacts rapidly with nitrous acid in strong acid medium to give the stable--in the timescale of the experiments--NOcap. The kinetic study of the reaction involving the use of stopped-flow, shows that at low sodium nitrite (nit) concentration, the reaction is first-order in both [nit], [H(+)], and is strongly catalysed by Cl(-) or Br(-) (= X(-)): rate = (k(3) + k(4)[X(-)])[H(+)][nit][cap]. In aqueous buffered solution of acetic acid-acetate the reaction rate is much slower and the decomposition of NOcap was observed; however, the rate of NOcap decay is more than 30-fold slower than its formation. In aqueous basic medium of carbonate-hydrogen carbonate buffer, as well as in alkaline medium, the kinetics of the nitroso group (NO) transfer from tert-butyl nitrite (tBN) to cap was studied using either conventional or stopped flow methods. In mild basic medium, the NOcap decomposes. The NOcap formation is first-order in both tBN and cap concentrations, and the reaction rate increases with pH until to, approximately, pH 11.5, above which value it becomes pH independent or even invariable with the [OH(-)]. Kinetic results show that the thiolate ion of cap is the reactive species. In fact, the presence of anionic micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) inhibits the reaction due to the separation of the reagents; whereas, cationic micelles of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTABr) catalyse the reaction at low surfactant concentration due to reagents concentration in the small volume of the micelle. The rate equation is: rate = k(f) K(SH)[cap][tBN]/(K(SH) + [H(+)]). The rate of NOcap decomposition in mild basic medium is first-order in both [cap] and [NOcap], and decreases on increasing pH; but, in alkaline medium the NOcap is stable within the timescale of the experiments. Based on the results, the NOcap decomposition yields the disulfide compound that is formed in the nucleophilic attack of the -SH group of cap to the sulfur electrophilic center of NOcap, -S-N=O. The resulting rate equation is: rate = k(d)[H(+)][cap][NOcap]/(K(SH) + [H(+)]).     

Optimal time allocation in active retirement

Central European Journal of Operations Research - We set up a lifecycle model of a retired scholar who chooses optimally the time devoted to different activities including physical activity,...