The h-SbxWO3+2x Oxygen Excess Antimony Tungsten Bronze

We describe the previously unreported oxygen excess hexagonal antimony tungsten bronze with composition Sb_0.5W₃O₁₀, in the following denoted as h-Sb_xWO_3+2x with x=0.167, to demonstrate its analogy to classical A_xWO₃ tungsten bronzes. This compound forms in a relatively narrow temperature range between 580 °C<T<620 °C. It was obtained as a dark-blue polycrystalline powder, and as thin, needle-shaped, blue single crystals. h-Sb_xWO_3+2x crystallizes in the hexagonal space group P6/mmm with the cell parameters a=7.4369(4) Å and c=3.7800(2) Å. The antimony and excess oxygen occupy the hexagonal channels within the network of corner-sharing WO₆ octahedra. h-Sb_xWO_3+2x has a resistivity of ρ_{300 K}≈1.28 mΩ cm at room temperature, with little if any temperature-dependence on cooling. DFT calculations on a simplified model for this compound find a metallic-like electronic structure with the Fermi level falling within rather flat bands, especially around the Γ point.     

Redox‐Active Tetraruthenium Macrocycles Built from 1,4‐Divinylphenylene‐Bridged Diruthenium Complexes

Metallamacrocylic tetraruthenium complexes were generated by treatment of 1,4‐divinylphenylene‐bridged diruthenium complexes with functionalized 1,3‐benzene dicarboxylic acids and characterized by HR ESI‐MS and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Every divinylphenylene diruthenium subunit is oxidized in two consecutive one‐electron steps with half‐wave potential splittings in the range of 250 to 330 mV. Additional, smaller redox‐splittings between the +/2+ and 0/+ and the 3+/4+ and 2+/3+ redox processes, corresponding to the first and the second oxidations of every divinylphenylene diruthenium entity, are due to electrostatic effects. The lack of electronic coupling through bond or through space is explained by the nodal properties of the relevant molecular orbitals and the lateral side‐by‐side arrangement of the divinylphenylene linkers. The polyelectrochromic behavior of the divinylphenylene diruthenium precursors is retained and even amplified in these metallamacrocyclic structures. EPR studies down to T=4 K indicate that the dications 1‐H²⁺ and 1‐OBu²⁺ are paramagnetic. The dications and the tetracation of macrocycle 3‐H display intense (dications) or weak ( 3‐H⁴⁺ ) EPR signals. Quantum chemical calculations indicate that the four most stable conformers of the macrocycles are largely devoid of strain. Bond parameters, energies as well as charge and spin density distributions of model macrocycle 5‐H^Me were calculated for the different charge and spin states.     

IPr3Si3Cl5+: A Highly Reactive Cation with Silanide Character

The reaction of a metastable SiCl₂ solution with the sterically less‐demanding carbene N,N‐diisopropylimidazo‐2‐ylidene (IPr) yields the salt [(IPr₃Si₃Cl₅)⁺]Cl^? ( 1 ‐Cl), containing a silyl cation with a Si₃ backbone. Salt 1 is highly reactive, but it can be used as a reagent in deuterated dichloromethane, whereby dehalogenation with Me₃SiOTf (OTf=O₃SCF₃) gives the dicationic silyl halide [(IPr₃Si₃Cl₄)]²⁺ 2 . Quantum chemical calculations show that the HOMO is localized at the negatively charged central silicon atom of 1 and 2 , and thus although both compounds are cations they are better described as silanides, which was also corroborated by NMR investigations.     

Persistent Room Temperature Phosphorescence from Triarylboranes: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

Achieving highly efficient phosphorescence in purely organic luminophors at room temperature remains a major challenge due to slow intersystem crossing (ISC) rates in combination with effective non‐radiative processes in those systems. Most room temperature phosphorescent (RTP) organic materials have O‐ or N‐lone pairs leading to low lying (n, π*) and (π, π*) excited states which accelerate k_isc through El‐Sayed's rule. Herein, we report the first persistent RTP with lifetimes up to 0.5 s from simple triarylboranes which have no lone pairs. RTP is only observed in the crystalline state and in highly doped PMMA films which are indicative of aggregation induced emission (AIE). Detailed crystal structure analysis suggested that intermolecular interactions are important for efficient RTP. Furthermore, photophysical studies of the isolated molecules in a frozen glass, in combination with DFT/MRCI calculations, show that (σ, B p)→(π, B p) transitions accelerate the ISC process. This work provides a new approach for the design of RTP materials without (n, π*) transitions.     

Measurement of the surface excitation parameter of Kapton,polyethylene (PE), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

Reflection electron energy loss spectra (REELS) were measured for five insulating organic compounds: Kapton, polyethylene (PE), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), as well as for Ni and Si, in the energy range between 200 and 1600 eV. The average number of surface excitations for a single surface crossing were determined from the experimental data and were found to be considerably smaller than for earlier studied materials, which mainly consisted of elemental metals [Surf. Sci. 486(2001)L461]. The surface excitation parameter, a material parameter used to quantify the relative intensity of surface losses in (photo)electron spectroscopy, was extracted from the data and compared with values found in the literature. The results indicate that surface excitations only have a minor influence on quantification of XPS spectra of polymers. On the other hand, a correction for surface excitations turns out to be essential for measurements of the electron inelastic mean free path of polymers when a metal is used as reference material.     

Tricyanated Ferrocenes; Isolation,structure, electrochemistry and DFT calculations

1,2,3- Tricyanoferrocene and 1,3-dibromo-2,4,5-tricyanoferrocene have been synthesized via metallation and usage of dimethylmalononitrile (DMMN) as cyanating agent. They are the first compounds where three nitrile functions could be introduced into the ferrocene sceleton. Further studies on the electrophilic cyanation of lithiated haloferrocenes [Fe(C₅H_mX_4-mLi)(C₅H₅)] (X=Cl, Br; m=0–3) show the formation of complex mixtures of cyano-halo-ferrocenes [Fe{C₅H_mX_5-m-n(CN)_n}(C₅H₅)] (m=0–3, n=0–3) most likely induced by “halogen-dance” reactions. The molecular and crystal structures of [Fe{C₅H₂(CN)₃}(C₅H₅)] and [Fe(C₅Cl₄CN)(C₅H₅)] are discussed. Cyclic voltametric studies of both tricyanoferrocenes show irreversible oxidations at very high potentials (E_onset≈845 mV and 945 mV, respectively, vs FcH/FcH⁺).     

Synthesis and Reactivity of a Cyclooctatetraene-Like Polyphosphorus Ligand Complex [Cyclo-P8]

The thermolysis of Cp′′′Ta(CO)₄ with white phosphorus (P₄) gives access to [{Cp′′′Ta}₂(μ,η^{2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 1 : 1}-P₈)] ( A ), representing the first complex containing a cyclooctatetraene-like (COT) cyclo-P₈ ligand. While ring sizes of n >6 have remained elusive for cyclo-P_n structural motifs, the choice of the transition metal, co-ligand and reaction conditions allowed the isolation of A . Reactivity investigations reveal its versatile coordination behaviour as well as its redox properties. Oxidation leads to dimerization to afford [{Cp′′′Ta}₄(μ₄,η^{2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 1 : 1 : 1 : 1}-P₁₆)][TEF]₂ ( 4 , TEF=[Al(OC{CF₃}₃)₄]⁻). Reduction, however, leads to the fission of one P−P bond in A followed by rapid dimerization to form [K@[2.2.2]cryptand]₂[{Cp′′′Ta}₄(μ₄,η^{2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 2 : 1 : 1 : 1 : 1}-P₁₆)] ( 5 ), which features an unprecedented chain-type P₁₆ ligand. Lastly, A serves as a P₂ synthon, via ring contraction to the triple-decker complex [{Cp′′′Ta}₂(μ,η^{6 : 6}-P₆)] ( B ).