A Quantum Chemical Study of C<Subscript>60</Subscript>Cl<Subscript>30</Subscript>, C<Subscript>60</Subscript>(OH)<Subscript>30</Subscript> Molecules and Fe@C<Subscript>60</Subscript>(OH)<Subscript>30</Subscript> Endocomplex

(U)PBE0/cc-pVDZ method is used to study the structure of C₆₀Cl₃₀, C₆₀(OH)₃₀ molecules and Fe@C₆₀(OH)₃₀ endocomplex. The triplet state of the endocomplex is shown to be the lowest in energy among its four states corresponding to different spin multiplicities and positions of Fe nucleus within the fullerene cavity. This state is characterized by bonding between the iron atom and one of two benzenoid cycles of the carbon cage, six internuclear Fe–C distances (208 pm), and 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶3d^7.24s^0.14p^0.3 electron configuration of iron with spin population of 2.36.     

The thermodynamic properties of the [(Me<Subscript>3</Subscript>Si)<Subscript>7</Subscript>C<Subscript>60</Subscript>]<Subscript>2</Subscript> fullerene complex

The temperature dependence of the heat capacity C _p ^o of the [(Me₃Si)₇C₆₀]₂ fullerene complex was measured for the first time using precision adiabatic vacuum calorimetry over the temperature range 6.7–340 K and high-accuracy differential scanning calorimetry at 320–635 K. For the most part, the error in the C _p ^o values was about ±0.5%. An irreversible endothermic effect caused by the splitting of the dimeric bond between fullerene fragments and the thermal decomposition of the complex was observed at 448–570 K. The thermodynamic characteristics of this transformation were calculated and analyzed. Multifractal analysis of the low-temperature (T < 50 K) heat capacity was performed, and conclusions were drawn concerning the character of the heterodynamicity of the structure. The experimental data obtained were used to calculate the standard thermodynamic functions C _p ^o (T), H ^o (T) ? H ^o (0), S ^o (T) ? S ^o (0), and G ^o (T) ? H ^o (0) over the temperature range from T → 0 to 445 K and estimate the standard entropy of formation of the compound from simple substances at 298.15 K. The standard thermodynamic properties of [(Me₃Si)₇C₆₀]₂ are compared with those of the (C₆₀)₂ dimer, the [(η⁶-Ph₂)₂Cr]⁺[C₆₀]^?? fulleride, and the initial C₆₀ fullerene.     

Quantum-chemical study of ytterbium fluorides and of complex F<Subscript>2</Subscript>YbF<Subscript>2</Subscript>CeF<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The structural parameters of the (²Σ⁺//C_∞v)-YbF, (¹A₁//C_2v)-YbF2, (²A₂^′//D_3h)-YbF₃, (¹Ag//D_2h)-YbF₂Yb, (¹Ag//C_2h)-FYbF₂YbF, (¹A₁//C_2v)-FYbF₂YbF, (¹A₁//C_2v)-YbF₂YbF₂, (³B_3u//D_2h)-F₂YbF₂YbF₂, (²A′//C_s)-FYbF₂YbF₂, and (³B₂//С_2v)-F₂YbF₂CeF₂ molecules have been determined. Disproportionation of ytterbium monofluoride (2YbF → YbF₂ + Yb + 0.46 eV) is less exothermic than dimerization (2YbF → YbF₂Yb + 2.10 eV). The bond energy of the ytterbium difluoride molecules in the trans dimer (2.93 eV) exceeds those in the cis dimer (2.86 eV) and the coaxial dimer (1.66 eV). Ytterbium trifluoride dimerizes exothermically (2.95 eV) without spin pairing. The dipole and quadrupole moments of the molecules as well as the charges and spin populations of the atoms and the valence electron configurations of the lanthanides have been calculated.     

Thermodynamic properties and functions of condensed Bi<Subscript>8</Subscript>O<Subscript>11</Subscript>

The values of ΔH°₂₉₈, S°₂₉₈, H°₂₉₈–H°₀, T, ΔH _fus, and C _p(T), as well as the temperature dependences of the Gibbs energy function, are calculated for Bi₈O₁₁ oxide by proven computational methods.     

High-temperature heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of pyrovanadate Pb<Subscript>2</Subscript>V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript> and orthovanadate Pb<Subscript>3</Subscript>(VO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The heat capacities of Pb₂V₂O₇ and Pb₃(VO₄)₂ as a function of temperature in the range 350–965 K have been studied by the differential scanning calorimetry method. The C_P = f(T) curve for Pb₂V₂O₇ is described by the equation C_p = (230.76 ± 0.51) + (73.60 ± 0.50)×10^-3T ? (18.38 ± 0.54)×10⁵T^-2 in the entire temperature range. For Pb₃(VO₄)₂, there is a well-pronounced extreme point in the C_P = f(T) curve at T = 371.5 K, which is caused by the existence of a structural phase transition. The thermodynamic properties of the oxide compounds have been calculated.     

Molecular mechanism of propane oxidative dehydrogenation on surface oxygen radical sites of VO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> catalysts

Minimum energy pathways of propane oxidative dehydrogenation to propene and propanol on supported vanadium oxide catalyst VO _x /TiO₂ were studied by periodic discrete Fourier transform (DFT) using a surface oxygen radical as the active site. The propene formation pathway was shown to consist of two consecutive hydrogen abstraction steps. The first step includes C_β–H bond activation of propane followed by the formation of a surface hydroxyl group V–O _t H and a propyl radical n-C₃H₇. This step with the activation energy E* = 0.56 eV (54.1 kJ/mol) appears to be rate-determining. The second step involves the reaction of the bridging O _b oxygen atom with the methylene C–H bond of propyl radical n-C₃H₇ followed by the formation of a hydroxylated surface site HO _t –V⁴⁺–O _b H and propene. The initial steps of the C–H bond activation during propane conversion to propanol and propene by ODH on V⁵⁺–(O _t O _b )^? active sites are identical. The obtained results demonstrate that participation of surface oxygen radicals as the active sites of propane ODH makes it possible to explain relatively low activation energies observed for this reaction on the most active catalysts. The presence of very active radical species in low concentration seems to be the key factor for obtaining high selectivity.     

Synthesis and High-Temperature Heat Capacity of Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>Ge<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>

Yttrium germanate Y₂Ge₂O₇ was prepared by solid-phase synthesis from a stoichiometric Y₂O₃–GeO₂ mixture under multistage calcination in air within a temperature range of 1273–1473 K. The molar heat capacity of polycrystalline samples was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the C _P = f(T) dependence was used to calculate the thermodynamic properties of yttrium digermanates, such as the enthalpy and entropy changes and the reduced Gibbs energy.     

First-principles study of the pressure effects on the structural and electronic properties of crystalline organic azide C<Subscript>10</Subscript>H<Subscript>8</Subscript>N<Subscript>6</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>

Within the density functional theory with regard to the dispersion interaction the crystal structure parameters of organic C₁₀H₈N₆O₄ azide are determined. The pressure effect in the range 0-20 GPa on its structural and electronic properties is studied. Parameters of the equation of state in the Vinet and Birch–Murnaghan models are determined. Within the quasi-particle method (G ₀ W ₀) the energy band structure is calculated. It is shown that the hydrostatic pressure of 20 GPa results in the approach of planes of C₁₀H₈N₆O₄ molecules and their shift relative to each other. This is accompanied by a broadening of the upper valence bands and a decrease in the band gap from 5.07 eV to 3.97 eV.     

High-temperature heat capacity of stannates Er<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript> and Tm<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>

Erbium stannate Er₂Sn₂O₇ and thulium stannate Tm₂Sn₂O₇ with a pyrochlore-type structure were produced by solid-phase synthesis by calcining stoichiometric mixtures of the respective oxides in air at 1473 K for 240 and 200 h. The high-temperature heat capacity of Er2Sn2O7 and Tm₂Sn₂O₇ was studied by differential thermal calorimetry at 353–1000 K. From the experimental dependences C _P = f(T), the thermodynamic functions (enthalpy change, entropy change, and reduced Gibbs free energy) of oxide compounds were calculated.     

Molecular structure of NiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>N<Subscript>2</Subscript>C<Subscript>16</Subscript>H<Subscript>14</Subscript> from gas-phase electron diffraction and quantum chemical data

Gas-phase electron diffractometry was used to study the molecular structure of N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylaldiminato)nickel(II), NiO₂N₂C₁₆H₁₄, [hereinafter Ni(salen)] at 583(5) K. The molecule has C ₂ symmetry with a practically planar structure of the NiN₂O₂ coordination unit and with internuclear distances r _α (Ni-O) = 1.882(21) Å and r _α (Ni-N) = 1.889(22) Å. The results of B3LYP/CEP-31G molecular structure calculations are in good agreement with experimental data, whereas the RHF/CEP-31G method significantly overestimates the Ni-N internuclear distance and gives worse results for other structural parameters. According to 3LYP/CEP-31G calculations, the ¹ A low-spin state is 28 kJ/mole lower in energy than the ³ B high-spin state.     

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (C<Subscript>6</Subscript>H<Subscript>5</Subscript>(CH<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>NH<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>CdCl<Subscript>4</Subscript>: Synthesis,structural and thermal properties

The present research work reports the study on crystal structure, vibrational spectroscopy and thermal analysis of organic-inorganic hybrid compound (C₆H₅(CH₂)₂NH₃)₂CdCl₄. Single crystals of bis(phenethylammonium)tetrachlorocadmate (C₆H₅(CH₂)₂NH₃)₂CdCl₄ (PEA–Cd) were obtained by diffusion at room temperature. This compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group C2cb with unit cell parameters a = 7.4444(2) Å, b = 38.8965(3) Å, c = 7.3737(2) Å and Z = 4. Single crystal structure has been solved and refined to R = 0.036 and wR = 0.092. The structure consists of an extended [CdCl₄]^2– network and two [C₆H₅(CH₂)₂NH₃]⁺ cations to form a two-dimensional perovskite system. The infrared (IR) spectrum of the title compound was recorded at room temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the phase transition; this compound exhibits a reversible single solid-solid phase transition.     

X-ray diffraction and thermodynamic characteristics for tellurite of the composition Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>CeTeO<Subscript>5</Subscript>

Tellurite of the composition Li₂CeTeO₅ is synthesized by solid-phase method from cerium(IV) and tellurium(IV) oxides and lithium carbonate. The type of syngony, the unit cell parameters, and the compound’s X-ray and pycnometry densities are determined via X-ray diffraction analysis. The isobaric heat capacity of lithium–cerium tellurite is studied by means of dynamic calorimetry in the temperature range of 298.15–673 K; the results serve as the basis for deriving C _p ^° ~ f(T) dependency equations and determining the compound’s thermodynamic functions. λ-shaped anomalous effects, due probably to Type II phase transitions, are found on the C _p ^° ~ f(T) dependence.     

Modeling of half-Heusler crystals with the chalcopyrite structure: Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>MgZn<Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> (X = N,P, As,Sb)

A model of Li₂MgZnX ₂ half-Heusler compounds with the chalcopyrite structure is considered. The electronic structure is studied from first principles, showing that Li₂MgZnX ₂ are direct-gap crystals, except for pseudo-direct-gap Li₂MgZnP₂, with a band gap of 2.7 eV, 2.2 eV, 3.3 eV, and 2.5 eV for X = N, P, As, and Sb, respectively. The band structure and chemical bonding in the model crystals are found to be similar to those in LiMgX and LiZnX half-Heusler crystals. Total electron density and deformation electron density distributions are obtained. It is found that Mg–X and Zn–X ionic-covalent bonds are stronger than Li–X ionic bonds in Li₂MgZnX ₂ crystals, which allows Li atoms to move in the space between MgX ₄ and ZnX ₄ cation tetrahedra.     

Synthesis of fullerene C<Subscript>60</Subscript> monoadducts. Cyclopropanation of C<Subscript>60</Subscript> with sulfonium ylides

3′H-Cyclopropa[1,9](C₆₀-I_h)[5,6]fullerene-3′-carboxylic acid can be synthesized in a good yield by cyclopropanation of fullerene C₆₀ with 2-(dimethyl-λ⁴-sulfanylidene)acetates provided that the ester residue is readily hydrolyzable in acid medium.     

Structure of aluminum(III) dipivaloylmethanate AlO<Subscript>6</Subscript>C<Subscript>33</Subscript>H<Subscript>57</Subscript>

The structure of aluminum(III) tris-dipivaloylmethanate (Bruker Nonius X8 Apex diffractometer with a 4K CCD detector, λMoK _α, graphite monochromator, T = 150(2) K) is determined, and the synthetic procedure for its preparation is suggested. Crystal data are: C2/c space group, a = 28.1587(12) Å, b = 18.5170(7) Å, c = 21.5332(8) Å, β = 97.573(1)°, V = 11129.8(8) ų, Z = 12, d _x = 1.033 g/cm³, R = 6.93. The complex has a molecular structure; the aluminum atom is octahedrally surrounded by six oxygen atoms of three chelating ligands; Al-O distances are 1.860(2)–1.873(2)0A; O-Al-O angles fall within 88.08(9)–91.96(10)° and 177.93(9)–179.83(14)°. The known crystal packings of metal tris-dipivaloylmethanates are analyzed. Three types of the arrangement of the molecules in the crystals denoted as α, β, and γ are identified.     

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of the interaction of supported metal catalysts with NO<Subscript>x</Subscript>

The reactions of the platinum and rhodium model catalysts applied to aluminum oxide with NO_x (10 Torr NO + 10 Torr O₂) were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The reaction conducted at room temperature formed on the surface of the oxide support the NO _3,s ^? nitrate ions characterized by the N1s line at 407.4 eV and O1s line at 533.1 eV and the NO _2,s ^? nitrite ions characterized by the N1s line with a binding energy of 404.7 eV. At the same time, the Pt4f and Rh3d lines of the supported platinum particles are shifted toward higher binding energies by 0.5–1.0 eV and 0.7–1.2 eV, respectively. It is assumed that the binding energies increase due to changes in the chemical state of the platinum metal in which oxygen is dissolved. The reaction of NO_x with Pt/Al₂O₃ at 200°C forms platinum oxide defined by the Pt4f _7/2 line with a binding energy of 72.3 eV.     

High-pressure defect phase La<Subscript>x</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>V<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript>

Perovskite-like nonstoichiometric oxide La _x Cu₃V₄O₁₂ (space group Im \(\bar 3\), Z = 2, a = 7.313–7.354 Å) with cation-site vacancies has been prepared for the first time at high pressures (p = 6.0–8.0 GPa) and high temperatures (T = 700–1100°C). The compound has metal-type conductivity and paramagnetic properties, and undergoes a phase transition.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ab initio</Emphasis> study of scandium fluoride molecules: ScF,ScF<Subscript>2</Subscript>, AND ScF<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Equilibrium geometric parameters, normal mode frequencies and intensities in IR spectra, atomization enthalpy, and relative energies of low-lying electronic states of scandium fluoride molecules (ScF, ScF₂, and ScF₃) are calculated by the coupled-cluster method (CCSD(T)) in triple-, quadruple, and quintuple-zeta basis sets with the subsequent extrapolation of the calculation results to the complete basis set limit. The ScF molecule is also studied by the CCSDT technique. The error in the approximate calculation of triple excitations in the CCSD(T) method does not exceed 0.002 Å for the equilibrium internuclear distance R _e, 4 cm^?1 for the vibrational frequency, and 0.2 kcal/mol for the dissociation energy of the molecule. In the ground electronic state \(\tilde X^2 \) A ₁(C _2ν ) of ScF₂ molecules, R _e(Sc-F) = 1.827 Å and α_e(F-Sc-F) = 124.2°; the energy barrier to bending (linearization) h = E _min(D _g8h ) ? E _min(C_2ν) = 1652 cm^?1. The relative energies of Ã²Δ _g and \(\tilde B^2 \)Π _g electronic states are 3522 cm^?1 and 14633 cm^?1 respectively. The bond distance in the ScF₃ molecule (\(\tilde X^1 \) A′₁, D _3h ) is refined: R _e(Sc-F) = 1.842 Å. The atomization enthalpies Δ_at H ₂₉₈ ⁰ of ScF _k molecules are 139.9 kcal/mol, 289.0 kcal/mol, and 444.8 kcal/mol for k = 1, 2, 3 respectively.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of (<Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-Diaminobenzene)<Subscript>2</Subscript> Zn(OAc)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The treatment of o-diaminobenzene with Zn ( OAc )₂ · 2H₂O in alcohol results in the formation of mononuclear bis(o-diaminobenzene)diacetate Zinc, Zn[C₈H₁₁N₂O₂]₂. Its structure was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The complex is also characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR and IR. The crystal is monoclinic space group C2, parameters: a = 16.297(5), b = 4.775(3), c = 11.664(5) Å, β = 97.646(5)°, λ = 1.54184 Å, V = 899.6(7) ų, Z = 2, ρ _c = 1.476 g/cm³, M _r = 399.75, F(000) = 416.0, R ₁ = 0.0594, wR ₂ = 0.1439 for 995 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I).     

A Systematic Search for Structures and Stabilities of Asymmetric Clusters (HfInN<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis> = 1-6)

In order to find single source precursors (SSP), the structures, relative stabilities, and IR spectra of small asymmetric clusters (HFInN₃) _n (n = 1–6) are systematically investigated by means of the density functional theory at the B3LYP level. The obtained geometries show that the frameworks of clusters (HFInN₃) _n (n = 2–6) prefer to be 2n-membered ring with alternating indium and α-nitrogen atoms. The averaged binding energies reveal that all of asymmetric clusters (HFInN₃) _n (n = 1–6) can continue to gain energy as the cluster size n increasing. The second-order difference of energy (Δ₂E) and the HOMO-LUMO energy gap (E_gap) as a function of the cluster size n both exhibit a pronounced even-odd alternation phenomenon. The influences of cluster size n and temperature T on the thermodynamic properties of clusters are discussed. Judged by enthalpies and Gibbs free energies, the formations of the most stable clusters (HFInN₃) _n (n = 2–6) from the monomer are thermodynamically favorable in the range of 200–800 K.