Towards Polysulfuric Acids: The Hydrogentrisulfate Anion [HS3O10]− in A[HS3O10] (A=Na,K, Rb)

The reaction of Na₂SO₄ and K₂SO₄ with fuming sulfuric acid (65 % SO₃) yielded colorless extremely sensitive crystals of Na[HS₃O₁₀] (monoclinic; P2₁/n (No. 14); Z=4; a=707.36(2), b=1378.56(4), c=848.10(3) pm; β=94.817(1)°; V=824.09(4) ? 10⁶ pm³) and K[HS₃O₁₀] (orthorhombic; Pccn (No. 56); Z=4; a=1057.16(3), b=807.81(2), c=897.57(2) pm; V=766.51(3) ? 10⁶ pm³). The analogous rubidium compound Rb[HS₃O₁₀] (orthorhombic; Pnma (No. 62); Z=4; a=891.43(3), b=1095.34(4), c=839.37(3) pm; V=819.58(5) ? 10⁶ pm³) originates from the reaction of Rb₂CO₃ and SO₃. All of the different structures contain the hitherto unknown anion [HS₃O₁₀]^? and are stamped by strong hydrogen bonds linking the anions either to dimers or chains. Theoretical investigations by DFT methods give further insight in the structural characteristics of [HS₃O₁₀]^?. The preparation of the [HS₃O₁₀]^? anion can be seen as an important milestone on our way to the still elusive polysulfuric acids.     

A Phosphinine-Derived 1-Phospha-7-Bora-Norbornadiene: Frustrated Lewis Pair Type Activation of Triple Bonds

Salt metathesis of 1-methyl-2,4,6-triphenylphosphacyclohexadienyl lithium and chlorobis(pentafluorophenyl)borane affords a 1-phospha-7-bora-norbornadiene derivative 2 . The C≡N triple bonds of nitriles insert into the P−B bond of 2 with concomitant C−B bond cleavage, whereas the C≡C bonds of phenylacetylenes react with 2 to form λ⁴-phosphabarrelenes. Even though 2 must formally be regarded as a classical Lewis adduct, the C≡N and C≡C activation processes observed (and the mild conditions under which they occur) are reminiscent of the reactivity of frustrated Lewis pairs. Indeed, NMR and computational studies give insight into the mechanism of the reactions and reveal the labile nature of the phosphorus–boron bond in 2 , which is also suggested by detailed NMR spectroscopic studies on this compound. Nitrile insertion is thus preceded by ring opening of the bicycle of 2 through P−B bond splitting with a low energy barrier. By contrast, the reaction with alkynes involves formation of a reactive zwitterionic methylphosphininium borate intermediate, which readily undergoes alkyne 1,4-addition.     

Enantioselective addition of Et2Zn to seven‐membered cyclic imines catalyzed by a (R)-VAPOL-Zn(II) complex

Various substituted dibenzo[b,f][1,4]oxazepines underwent an enantioselective alkylation with Et₂Zn catalyzed by a (R)-VAPOL-Zn(II) complex. The corresponding chiral 11-ethyl-10,11-dihydrodibenzo[b,f][1,4]oxazepine derivatives were obtained with good yields and moderate enantioselectivities. This represents the first example of enantioselective addition of Et₂Zn to cyclic aldimines.     

Comprehensive Characterization of Shredded Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Material

Herein we report on an analytical study of dry-shredded lithium-ion battery (LIB) materials with unknown composition. Samples from an industrial recycling process were analyzed concerning the elemental composition and (organic) compound speciation. Deep understanding of the base material for LIB recycling was obtained by identification and analysis of transition metal stoichiometry, current collector metals, base electrolyte and electrolyte additive residues, aging marker molecules and polymer binder fingerprints. For reversed engineering purposes, the main electrode and electrolyte chemistries were traced back to pristine materials. Furthermore, possible lifetime application and accompanied aging was evaluated based on target analysis on characteristic molecules described in literature. With this, the reported analytics provided precious information for value estimation of the undefined spent batteries and enabled tailored recycling process deliberations. The comprehensive feedstock characterization shown in this work paves the way for targeted process control in LIB recycling processes.     

Existence for evolutionary problems with linear growth by stability methods

We establish that solutions to the Cauchy–Dirichlet problem

${?}_{t}u?\mathrm{div}(D_{\xi }f(x,Du))=0$

for functionals $f:\mathrm{\Omega }\times {\mathbb{R}}^{N\times n}\to [0,\infty )$ of linear growth can be obtained as limits of solutions to flows with p-growth in the limit $p\downarrow 1$. The result can be interpreted on the one hand as a stability result. On the other hand it provides an existence result for general flows with linear growth.     

Unusual Bonding and Properties in Main Group Element Chemistry: Rational Synthesis,Characterization, and Experimental Electron Density Determination of Mixed‐Valent Tetraphosphetes

Five dispirocyclic λ³,λ⁵‐tetraphosphetes [{R₂Si(NR¹)(NR²)P₂}₂] (R¹ = R² and R¹ ≠ R²) are easily prepared in almost quantitative yields via photolysis of the respective bis(trimethylsilyl)phosphanyldiazaphosphasiletidines with intense visible light. These deep‐yellow low‐coordinate phosphorus compounds can be considered as the first higher congeners of the well‐known cyclodiphosphazenes. The tetraphosphetes are remarkably stable in air and show unexpected molecular properties related to the unique bonding situation of the central four‐π‐electron four‐membered phosphorus ring. The extent of rhombic distortion of the central P₄ ring is remarkable due to an unusually acute angle at the σ²‐phosphorus atoms. All of the P?P bonds are approximately equal in length. The distances are in the middle of the range given by phosphorus single and double bonds. The anisotropic absorption of visible light that can easily be observed in the case of the yellow/colorless dichroic crystals of [{Me₂Si(NtBu)(NtBu)P₂}₂] and the exceptional ³¹P NMR chemical shift of the σ²‐phosphorus atoms are the most remarkable features of the λ³,λ⁵‐tetraphosphetes. In the case of [{Me₂Si(NtBu)(NtBu)P₂}₂], the Hansen–Coppens multipole model is applied to extract the electron density from high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction data obtained at 100 K. Static deformation density and topological analysis reveal a unique bonding situation in the central unsaturated P₄ fragment characterized by polar σ‐bonding, pronounced out‐of‐ring non‐bonding lone pair density on the σ²‐phosphorus atoms, and an additional non‐classical three‐center back‐bonding contribution.