High Stability of a Phosphenium Ion Allows Umpolung of P--H Bonds

The high intrinsic stability of 1,3,2-diazaphospholenium cations enhances ionic polarization of covalent P--X bonds in P -halogeno- and P -hydrido-diazaphospholenes. The physical properties of the latter suggest a hydridic nature of the P--H bond, and their reactivities display an "Umpolung" as compared to known reaction patterns of phosphines.     

Changes in electronic,magnetic and bonding properties from Zr2FeH5 to Zr3FeH7 addressed from ab initio

Potential hydrogen storage ternaries Zr₃FeH₇ and Zr₂FeH₅, are studied from ab initio with the purpose of identifying changes in electronic structures and bonding properties. Cohesive energy trends: E_coh. (ZrH₂) > E_coh. (Zr₂FeH₅) > E_coh. (Zr₃FeH₇) > E_coh. (hypothetic-FeH) indicate a progressive destabilization of the binary hydride ZrH₂ through adjoined Fe so that Zr₃FeH₇ is found less cohesive than Zr₂FeH₅. From the energy volume equations of states EOS the volume increase upon hydriding the intermetallics leads to higher bulk moduli B₀ explained by the Zr/Fe–H bonding. Fe–H bond in Zr₂FeH₅ leads to annihilate magnetic polarization on Fe whereas Fe magnetic moment develops in Zr₃FeH₇ identified as ferromagnetic in the ground state. These differences in magnetic behaviors are due to the weakly ferromagnetic Fe largely affected by lattice environment, as opposed to strongly ferromagnetic Co. Hydrogenation of the binary intermetallics weakens the inter-metal bonding and favors the metal–hydrogen bonds leading to more cohesive hydrides as with respect to the pristine binaries. Charge analyses point to covalent like Fe versus ionic Zr and hydrogen charges ranging from covalent H^−0.27 to more ionic H^−0.5.     

Surface reactions of monoethylgermane on Si(100)-(2×1)

The adsorption and decomposition of monoethylgermane (GeH₃Et) on the Si(100)-(2×1) surface was investigated with the intent of elucidating the surface processes leading to the deposition of germanium. The low-temperature adsorption of the molecule was explored, as well as its thermal decomposition. H₂ and C₂H₄ are observed as the desorption products in temperature-programmed desorption experiments. The ethylene is produced by a hydride elimination reaction within the adsorbed ethyl groups. The amount of Ge which can be deposited in a reaction cycle is correlated with the number of sites occupied by the ethyl groups upon the dissociation of GeH₃Et.     

A new material for hydrogen storage; ScAl0.8Mg0.2

A novel aluminium rich alloy for hydrogen storage has been discovered, ScAl_0.8Mg_0.2, which has very promising properties regarding hydrogen storage capacity, kinetics and stability towards air oxidation in comparison to hydrogen absorption in state-of-the-art intermetallic compounds. The absorption of hydrogen was found to be very fast, even without adding any catalyst, and reversible. The discovered alloy crystallizes in a CsCl-type structure, but decomposes to ScH₂ and Al(Mg) during hydrogen absorption. Detailed analysis of the hydrogen absorption in ScAl_0.8Mg_0.2 has been performed using in situ synchrotron radiation powder X-ray diffraction, neutron powder diffraction and quantum mechanical calculations. The results from theory and experiments are in good agreement with each other.     

Diamond surface modification following thermal etching of Si supported hydrogenated diamond films by DBr

In this work, we study the modification of hydrogenated diamond films deposited on silicon resulting from its exposure to DBr followed by an annealing above 600 K, using high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). This procedure results in silicon carbide SiC formation within the diamond film, as evidenced by the observation of a loss peak at 117 meV and its first harmonic at 233 meV in HREEL spectra. This diamond surface modification is interpreted as resulting from the reaction of products of the silicon support thermally activated etching with hydrogenated diamond.     

Catalytic Alkyne Semihydrogenation with Polyhydride Ni/Ga Clusters

The bimetallic, decanuclear Ni₃Ga₇-cluster of the formula [Ni₃(GaTMP)₃(μ²-GaTMP)₃(μ³-GaTMP)] ( 1 , TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl) reacts reversibly with dihydrogen under the formation of a series of (poly-)hydride clusters 2 . Low-temperature 2D NMR experiments at −80 °C show that 2 consist of a mixture of a di- ( 2_Di ), tetra- ( 2_Tetra ) and hexahydride species ( 2_Hexa ). The structures of 2_Di and 2_Tetra are assessed by a combination of 2D NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. The cooperation of both metals is essential for the high hydrogen uptake of the cluster. Polyhydrides 2 are catalytically active in the semihydrogenation of 4-octyne to 4-octene with good selectivity. The example is the first of its kind and conceptually relates properties of molecular, atom-precise transition metal/main group metal clusters to the respective solid-state phase in catalysis.     

Creating Iron– and Rhenium–Bismuth Bonds by Reactions with Organometallic Hydrides

While addition of [Cp₂ReH] to [Bi(OtBu)₃] leads to an equilibrium containing [Cp₂Re‐Bi(OtBu)₂], [{Cp₂Re}₂Bi(OtBu)], tBuOH and [CpRe(μ‐η⁵,η¹‐C₅H₄)Bi–ReCp₂], in the presence of water [{(Cp₂Re)₂Bi}₂O] ( 1 ) is formed selectively. Also [FpH] [Fp = (η⁵‐C₅H₅)(CO)₂Fe] can be employed as a precursor to form heterometallic bismuth compounds. Synthesis of [FpBi{OCH(CF₃)₂}₂]₂ ( 5 ) can be achieved by reaction of [FpH] with [Bi{OCH(CF₃)₂}₃(thf)]₂ and carboxylates [FpBi(O₂CR)₂]₂ are generated upon treatment of [FpH] with [Bi(O₂CR)₃] (R = CH₃, tBu). While the compounds [Fp‐Bi(O₂CR)₂]₂ can also be obtained from reactions with Fp‐Fp, they are formed far more readily using [FpH] as the precursor. They typically crystallize as dimers, like the alkoxide 5 . A monomeric compound of the type [Fp‐BiX₂] ( 6 ) could be isolated for X = thd (tetramethylheptanedionate), that is, after the reaction of [FpH] with [Bi(thd)₃]. Altogether, the results demonstrate the potential of [FpH] as a precursor for [Fp‐BiX₂] compounds, which are formed in reactions with bismuth alkoxides, carboxylates and diketonates.     

Simultaneous optical second harmonic and sum frequency intensity image observation of hydrogen deficiency on a H-Si(1 1 1) 1 × 1 surface after IR light pulse irradiation

In this study, we developed a microscope for the simultaneous acquisition of optical sum frequency (SF) and second harmonic (SH) intensity images in UHV conditions, and observed resonant electronic and vibrational images of the H-Si(1 1 1) surface after IR light irradiation of pulse width ∼6 μs. The SH intensity images showed a spatial distribution of resonant electronic states, associated with the dangling bonds formed after hydrogen desorption induced by the IR light pulses. This result indicates that the hydrogen coverage decreased to less than ∼0.6 ML in the irradiated area. The SF intensity images before the IR light pulse irradiation showed signals attributed to Si-H stretching vibration on the H-Si(1 1 1) surface. After the IR light pulse irradiation, non-resonant SF signals appeared in the irradiated area. The non-resonant SF signals may originate from a nonlinear optical transition involving the surface electronic levels in the dangling bonds. We also found an unidentified bonding state on the edges of the irradiated area in some light conditions. Both the resonant and non-resonant signals were very weak in this area.     

Synthesen und Kristallstrukturen von Dialkylgalliumhydriden — dimere versus trimere Formeleinheiten

Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Dialkylgallium Hydrides — Dimeric versus Trimeric Formula Units Dialkylgallium hydrides (R = Me, Et, iPr, iBu, neopentyl) were obtained on two different synthetic routes. The dimethyl and diethyl compounds were formed by the reaction of LiH with the corresponding dialkylgallium chlorides via lithium dialkyldihydridogallate intermediates, which so far have not been isolated in a pure form. On the second route, trialkylgallium compounds were treated with [GaH₃·NMe₂Et] to yield the dialkylgallium hydrides by a substituent exchange reaction. The dimethyl, diethyl and diisopropyl compounds are trimeric in solution. That trimeric structure was verified for the diisopropyl derivative by a crystal structure determination. Di(neopentyl)gallium hydride has a dimeric structure in solution and in the solid state.