Discotic Liquid Crystals of Transition Metal Complexes VI. Monotropic Lamella Mesomorphism of Tetrakis(N-Alkyldithiolato)Dinickel(II) and Bis(N-Alkylxanthato)Nickel(II) Complexes

Abstract

It was found that each of the tetrakis(n-alkyldithiolato)dinickel(II), (C_n-DTA)₄-Ni₂, complexes where n-alkyl is n-pentyl through n-dodecyl, exhibits a broken-fan texture on cooling from an isotropic liquid, and that the phase gave a characteristic lamella structure X-ray diffraction powder pattern. Furthermore, the infrared spectrum of this phase is more similar to that of the isotropic liquid than that of the crystal. Therefore, the phase can be described as a monotropic lamella mesophase. Interestingly, each of the complexes of bis(n-alkylxanthato)nickel(II), (C_n-Xan)₂Ni, (n = 5, 7, 9, 11) exhibits double (triple) melting behavior via the isotropic liquid, whereas each of the complexes of (C_n-Xan)₂Ni (n = 4, 6, 8, 10, 12) shows ordinary single melting behavior. Such unique double melting accompanied by an even-odd effect appears to be the first example of this in the long chain substituted compounds. Each of the complexes of (C_n-Xan)₂ Ni (n = 9, 11, 12) has a monotropic lamella mesophase exhibiting a large broken fan texture.     

Structural diversity of a series of chlorocadmate(II) and chlorocuprate(II) complexes based on benzylamine and its N-methylated derivatives

Protonated benzylamine and its N-methylated derivatives, [C₆H₅CH₂NH_3?n(CH₃)_n]⁺ (n?=?0?3), have been adopted as cations in chlorocadmate(II) and chlorocuprate(II) complexes, showing inorganic–organic hybrid architectures. For the Cd(II) compounds, the anionic structures vary from perovskite-type layers (n?=?0) to chains (n?=?1–3). For Cu(II) compounds, the anionic structures range from perovskite-type layers (n?=?0), chains (n?=?1) to mononuclear species (n?=?2–3). Coordination geometries of the metal ions and intermolecular interactions have been analyzed. Their dielectric properties have been measured.     

Electronegativity and chemical hardness of organoelement groups

The experimental approaches to estimation of comparative electronegativity and chemical hardness of organometallic groups have been proposed. Qualitative data on the electronegativity of L _nM groups were obtained from ¹⁹F NMR study of model systems 4‐FC₆H₄QML_n (Q = CC, N(R), O, C(O)O, S), (4‐FC₆H₄)₃ SnML _n and (4‐FC₆H₄)₃SnQML _n (Q = O, S), containing a great variety of different organometallic groups containing transition or heavy main‐group metals. The data on chemical hardness of L _nM groups were obtained from NMR study of distribution of different L _nM groups between hard and soft anions. The following basic results have been obtained. (1) The relative electronegativity and chemical hardness of L _nM groups can change in parallel or not with the electronegativity and hardness of the central metal atom. (2) The substituents in Ar can substantially modify electronegativity and hardness of Ar _nM groups; the influence of Ar groups has an inductive nature; the increase in electron‐donating ability of aryl ligands enhances the hardness of Ar _nM cations. (3) The relative electronegativity and hardness of L _nM groups in L _nMX are invariant and do not depend on X.     

Size effect on the structural and electronic properties of lead telluride clusters

Theoretical computations of (PbTe)_n (n = 21–45) clusters based on density functional theory have demonstrated that at cluster size of (PbTe)₂₂ there is a transition from the strong preference of fivefold coordination to sixfold coordination of lead and tellurium atoms. (PbTe)₂₄ cluster is the smallest tetragonal structure in which its central atoms have bulk‐like coordination. This quantum dot (QD) contains a single‐unit cell of lead telluride crystal, thus can be considered as an “infant crystal.” (PbTe)₃₂ cluster is a perfectly cubic cluster for which its inner (PbTe)₄ core enjoys bulk‐like coordination. This (PbTe)₄ core unit of (PbTe)₃₂ cubic cluster has exactly the same environment as a primitive cell of lead telluride crystal. The (PbTe)_8n, (n ≥ 3) clusters are the magic number species with bulk‐like structure such that (n = 3–5) the nanoblocks considered here (PbTe)₂₄, (PbTe)₃₂, and (PbTe)₄₀ clusters exhibiting bulk‐like structure that can be replicated to obtain the bulk crystal. The calculated dimensions of this special clusters provided a rubric for understanding the pattern of aggregation, that is, the creation of defined nanoblocks [(PbTe)_8n, (n ≥ 6)], when they were accumulated on an appropriate surface. It is evident that the QDs (PbTe)_8n, (n = 3–5) clusters show high stability compared to their neighboring clusters. This can also be seen from the second‐order energy difference, binding, and fragmentation energy graphs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Preparation and thermal properties of asymmetrically substituted poly(silylenemethylene)s

Poly(silylenemethylene)s of the types [SiMeRCH₂]_n and [SiHRCH₂]_n were prepared by the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of 1,3-disilacyclobutanes (DSCBs) containing n-alkyl substituents, such as C₂H₅, n-C₃H₇, n-C₄H₉, n-C₅H₁₁, and n-C₆H₁₃, or a phenyl group on the Si. These new polymers include a monosilicon analog of poly(styrene), [SiHPhCH₂]_n. Improved synthesis routes to the DSCB monomers were developed which proceed through Grignard ring closure reactions on alkoxy-substituted chlorocarbosilanes. All of these asymmetrically substituted polymers were obtained in high molecular weight form, except for [SiHPhCH₂]_n. The configurations of all of the polymers were found to be atactic. The aryl-substituted polymers have higher glass transition temperatures (T_gs) and thermal stability than those of the alkyl-substituted poly(silylenemethylene)s. Unlike the polyolefins of the type [C(H)(R)CH₂]_n, where T_g drops continuously from R = Me to n-Hex, the T_gs of the n-C_nH_2n+1 (n = 2–6)-substituted [SiMeRCH₂]_n PSM's appear to reach a maximum (at −61°C) for the R = n-Pr-substituted polymer. Moreover, where it was possible to make direct comparisons among similarly substituted atactic polymers, all of the poly(silylenemethylene)s were found to have lower T_gs than their all-carbon analogs. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3193–3205, 1997     

The molecular composition of non-modified and acac-modified propoxide and butoxide precursors of zirconium and hafnium dioxides

Long-term storage at 0 °C of a paraffin-sealed flask with commercial 70 wt% solution of zirconium n-propoxide in n-propanol resulted in crystallization of an individual oxoalkoxide complex Zr₄O(OⁿPr)₁₄(ⁿPrOH)₂ in over 20% yield. The structure of this molecule can be described as a triangular Zr₃(μ₃-O)(OR)₁₀(ROH) core of 3 edge-sharing octahedrons with an additional Zr(OR)₄(ROH) unit attached through a pair of (μ-OR) bridges. Mass spectrometric and ¹H NMR investigation of the commercial samples of the most broadly applied zirconium and hafnium n-propoxides and n-butoxides indicate the presence of analogous species in the commercial alkoxide precursors. The content of oxo-alkoxide species in the commercial precursors has been estimated to be ~20% for n-propoxide and ~35% for zirconium n-butoxide. A new route has been presented for synthesis of the individual crystalline mixed ligand precursor [Zr(OⁿPr)(OⁱPr)₃(ⁱPrOH)]₂, from zirconium n-propoxide. A high yield has been observed (~90%), indicative of an almost complete precursor transformation. Mass spectrometry has shown that the synthesized mixed ligand precursor is dimeric, which makes it an attractive alternative to zirconium n-propoxide. Addition of 1 eq of Acetylacetone to zirconium or hafnium alkoxide precursors results in formation of dimeric [M(OR)₃(acac)]₂ in high yields. These species have limited stability (much higher for Hf than for Zr) and transform in solution into hydrolysis-insensitive M(acac)₄ through very unstable M(acac)₃(OR) intermediates containing 7-coordinated metal centers. This transformation can be followed kinetically in hydrocarbon solvents by ¹H NMR and is noticeably accelerated by addition of parent alcohols. The obtained results clearly reveal limited applicability of EXAFS and XANES techniques for the study of such systems, especially in the context of structure prediction. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

低聚1,4-苯乙烯撑及其衍生物的结构和吸收光谱的理论研究

用B3LYP/6-31G对低聚物(PV)_n (PV＝1,4-phenylene vinylene, n＝2～8)和(PVSD)_n (PVSD＝2-(1,4-phenylene vinylene)-10-vinylene-spirocyclohexane-1,6-dibenzo[d,f](1,3)dioxepin, n＝1～4)体系进行了全优化并分析其结构特点, (PV)_n (n＝2～8)体系的结构中所有相邻C原子间形成的二面角均小于1°, 即所有原子有共面的趋势. 而在(PVSD)_n (n＝1～4)体系中低聚物的七元环处有较大的二面角, 约38°, 即在此处结构存在较大的扭曲. 这种扭曲结构对其光谱性质有较大的影响. 在优化结构的基础上分析了两系列低聚物的HOMO-LUMO能隙随n递增的变化规律和对光谱性质的影响, 推断高聚物的发光性质. 同时用ZINDO, TD-DFT方法计算这两系列低聚物的能隙和吸收光谱, 并将低聚物的这些性质与链长的倒数作图外推得到相应的高聚物的能带隙和吸收光谱最大吸收波长. 根据外推能带的曲线估算了聚合物的有效共轭链长. 结果说明, 在(PVSD)_n (n＝∞)中的扭曲结构特点导致其相对(PV)_n (n＝∞)的有效共轭链长变短, 能带隙变宽, 吸收光谱蓝移.     

Theoretical study of structure and vibrational properties of MgnOn (n = 3–10) clusters

The structure and harmonic vibrations of Mg_nO_n (n = 3–10) clusters have been investigated using density functional theory. All structures are found to be cumulenic D_nh rings (equal bonds, alternating angles), with one intense out‐of‐plane mode and three infrared (IR)‐active degenerate modes, of which the highest one is extremely intense and increases asymptotically to 1000 cm^?1 for n = 10 at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(2d,2p) level. Comparisons with C_2n clusters show that B_nN_n and Be_nO_n clusters, the structure and bonding type for the Mg_nO_n clusters are consistent with those of the C_2n (n = 3, 5, 7,…) clusters B_nN_n(n = 3–10) and Be_nO_n(n = 3–10) clusters. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

(GaP)n和(GaP)n－ (n＝10～16)团簇的结构与稳定性研究

采用密度泛函理论B3LYP/Lanl2dz方法对(GaP)_n和(GaP)_n^－ (n＝10～16)团簇的一系列异构体的结构和稳定性进行了研究. 讨论了中性团簇得到一个电子之后, 几何结构和电子性质的变化. 频率分析预测出最强吸收峰位于341～390 cm^－1区域. 从能隙、结合能和能量二次差分等方面综合考虑, 具有T_h对称性的(GaP)₁₂和(GaP)₁₂^－分别是中性(GaP)_n和阴离子(GaP)_n^－团簇中最稳定的, 而具有T_d点群结构的(GaP)₁₆也比较稳定, 究竟哪种结构易于合成还有待于实验的进一步证实. 在相同理论水平上计算了基态(GaP)_n (n＝10～16)的绝热电子亲合势(AEAs)及其基态阴离子的垂直电离能(VDEs), 这对以后的实验数据分析将有一定的参考价值.     

Titanium-based lewis acids for living cationic polymerizations of vinyl ethers and styrene: Control of lewis acidity in design of initiating systems

This brief account discusses the development of HCl/TiCl_4-n(OR)_n (n = 1–4), the titanium-based new initiating systems for living cationic polymerizations of vinyl ethers and styrene. The focus of this development is controlling the Lewis acidity of the metal halide components [TiCl_4-n(OR)_n] or “activators” in relation to the structure of the monomers. Thus, for vinyl ethers, relatively mild Lewis acids such as TiCl(OiPr)₃ and TiCl₂(OiPr)₂ are effective, whereas for styrene, a stronger Lewis acid such as TiCl₃(OiPr) is employed along with an added salt (nBu₄N⁺Cl⁻). In both cases, living polymers of controlled molecular weights can be obtained in methylene chloride solvent at −15°C.     

Geometrical structures,electronic states,and stability of NinAl clusters

Density‐functional with generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the exchange‐correlation potential has been used to calculate the energetically global‐minimum geometries and electronic states of Ni_nAl (n = 2–8) neutral clusters. Our calculations predict the existence of a number of previously unknown isomers. All structures may be derived from a substitution of a Ni atom at marginal positions by an Al atom in the Ni_n+1 cluster. Aluminum atom remains on the surface of the geometrical configurations. Moreover, these species prefer to adopt three‐dimensional (3D) spacial forms at the smaller number of nickel atoms compared with the pure Ni_n+1 (n ≥ 3) configuration. Atomization energies per atom for Ni_nAl (n = 2–8) have the same trend as the binding energies per atom for Ni_n (n = 3–9). The stabilization energies reveal that Ni₅Al is the relatively most stable in this series. In comparison with the magnetic moment of pure metal nickel (0.6 μ_B), the average magnetic moment of Ni atom increases in Ni Al clusters except the Ni₃Al. Moreover, except the case of Ni₅Al, Ni average magnetic moment decreases when alloyed with Al atoms than that in pure Ni clusters, which originate the effective charge transferring from Al to Ni atoms. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010     

Structure and energy of the positively ionized water clusters

Geometry optimization of small (H₂O)_n⁺ clusters (n ≤ 4) at the UHF/4–31 + + G^** level indicates that the cations consist of two fragments: the OH radical and the H_2n−1 O⁺_n−1 ion. The latter can be considered as a thermodynamically stable combination of a distorted H₃O⁺ ion and (n−2) H₂O molecules. The H bond between the fragments becomes weaker with increasing cluster size. Extrapolation of the adiabatic ionization potentials calculated for the (H₂O)_n oligomers (n ≤ 4) at the MP2 level to an infinite cluster size provides the value of approximately 8.7 eV, which can be presumably necessary for the ionization of liquid water in a vacuum. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Perfectly‐alternating linear (AB)n multiblock copolymers: Effect of molecular design on morphology and properties

Perfectly‐alternating linear (AB)_n multiblock copolymers consist of n AB block pairs covalently linked in an alternating sequence. Although these copolymers can microphase‐order in the same fashion as their lower‐order (n = 1) diblock analogs, the 2(n ? 1) biconformational midblocks comprising each copolymer molecule have a considerable impact on microstructural characteristics and bulk properties. We have applied transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and extensional rheometry to examine and compare the morphologies and properties of two series of compositionally symmetric (lamellar) poly(styrene‐b‐isoprene)_n (SI)_n (1 ≤ n ≤ 4) multiblock copolymers. In one series, chain length was held constant allowing block mass (M_b) to decrease with increasing n. In the second copolymer series, M_b remained relatively invariant. Increasing n in these two series generally promoted reductions in both the lamellar period and upper (styrenic) glass‐transition temperature, but noticeable increases in tensile modulus and yield strength. These observed trends are more pronounced in the copolymer series with constant chain length due to the coupled relationship between n and M_b. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 947–955, 2001     

A numerical measure of the degree of oxidation (DOX) of an organic molecule,with special attention to heteroatoms and heterocyclic compounds

The degree of oxidation (DOX) of an organic compound C_nH_mE_p, where E is any one or more of eleven elements more electronegative than hydrogen, is defined with respect to an alkane C_nH_2n+2 (DOX = 0) as a reference, One can calculate DOX either from the molecular or the structural formula of the compound by the relationship DOX = DU + p, where DU is the degree of unsaturation (i.e. index of hydrogen deficiency) in the molecule. The concept is developed for E is oxygen, and is extended to other chalcogens, as well as to halogens, nitrogen, phosphorus, and arsenic. Particular examples of heterocyclic compounds are considered. It is noted that addition of a simple hydride of E to an organic compound or elimination of the hydride from C_nH_mE_p leaves DOX unchanged.     

Separation of iron(III) and gold(III) by paper chromatography using mixed solvents containing diisopropyl ether

The separation of iron(III) and gold(III) by partition paper chromatography has been investigated employing a mixture of diisopropyl ether (IPE) and n-alcohol saturated with hydrochloric acid (initial acid concentration 5.0 M) as solvent. Methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, and n-pentyl alcohols were used as components of the solvent. The content of n-alcohol in the initial organic phase was varied. It was found that the R_f values for both of the metals increased with an increase in the carbon-to-oxygen ratio in the alcohol (except in the case or iron(III) and n-pentyl alcohol), and with an increase in the alcohol content in the initial organic phase (except in the case of iron(III) and n-propyl alcohol). The best separation results were obtained by using the systems: hydrochloric acid (5.0 M)-IPE-n-propyl alcohol (50:35:15) gDR_f = 0.56, hydrochloric acid (5.0 M)-IPE-ethyl alcohol (50:15:35) ΔR_f = 0.51, and hydrochloric acid (5.0 M)-IPE-n-pentyl alcohol (50:35:15) ΔR_f = 0.37.     

Iron‐catalyzed living radical polymerization of acrylates: Iodide‐based initiating systems and block and random copolymerizations

A half‐metallocene iron iodide complex [Fe(Cp)I(CO)₂] induced living radical polymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) in conjunction with an iodide initiator [(CH₃)₂C(CO₂Et)I, 1 ] and Al(Oi‐Pr)₃ to give polymers of controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions (MWDs) (M_w/M_n < 1.2). With the use of chloride and bromide initiators, the MWDs were broader, whereas the molecular weights were similarly controlled. Other acrylates such as n‐butyl acrylate (nBA) and tert‐butyl acrylate (tBA) can be polymerized with 1 /Fe(Cp)I(CO)₂ in the presence of Ti(Oi‐Pr)₄ and Al(Oi‐Pr)₃, respectively, to give living polymers. The 1 /Fe(Cp)I(CO)₂ initiating system is applicable for the synthesis of block and random copolymers of acrylates (MA, nBA, and tBA) and styrene of controlled molecular weights and narrow MWDs (M_w/M_n = 1.2–1.3). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2033–2043, 2002     

Relativistic effects and the halogen dependencies in the 13C chemical shifts of CH4−nIn,CH4−nBrn,CCl4−nIn,and CBr4−nIn (n=0–4)

Linear and nonlinear halogen dependencies of the ¹³C magnetic shielding constants of CH_4−nI_n, CH_4−nBr_n, CCl_4−nI_n, and CBr_4−nI_n were fairly reproduced by the ab initio generalized unrestricted Hartree–Fock (GUHF)/finite perturbation (FP) method including spin‐orbit (SO) interaction and spin‐free relativistic (SFR) terms. As seen from the experimental trends, the calculated ¹³C chemical shifts in CCl_4−nI_n and CBr_4−nI_n depend linearly on n=0–4, while those in CH_4−nI_n and CH_4−nBr_n depend nonlinearly. We found that both the linear and nonlinear dependencies are due to the relativistic effects, and especially due to the Fermi–Contact (FC) term originating from the SO interaction. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 22: 528–536, 2001     

Fused-ring and linking group effects of proton donors and acceptors on simple H-bonded liquid crystals

Two fused-ring structures, 6-decyloxy-2-naphthoic acid C₁₀ONA (3) and 6-dodecyloxyisoquinoline IS (8), were synthesized and utilized as proton donor and acceptor moieties to construct a series of simple mesogenic supramolecules. The other complementary hydrogen-bonded (H-bonded) moieties are benzoic acids, thiophenecarboxylic acid and pyridines containing different alkyl chain lengths connected by ether and ester linkages, i.e. 4-alkoxybenzoic acid C _n OBA (1), terephthalic acid monoalkyl ester C _n COOBA (2), 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid monodecyl ester C₁₀COOTHA (4), 4-alkoxypyridine C _n OP (6) and isonicotinic acid alkyl ester C _n COOP (7). Several series of simple mesogenic supramolecular dimers were constructed from 1:1 molar ratios of proton donors (C _n OBA, C _n COOBA, C₁₀ONA and C₁₀COOTHA) and proton acceptors (IS, C _n OP and C _n COOP), though the proton acceptor C _n COOP induced phase separation in all complexes. In order to investigate their fused-ring and linking group effects on the mesogenic properties of the H-bonded complexes, analogous simple supramolecular structures are compared. Supramolecular architecture and the distinct mesomorphism of these simple H-bonded liquid crystalline materials were confirmed by polarizing optical microscopy, DSC and powder X-ray diffraction experiments.     

Energetics of Formation of Cyclacenes from 2,3-Didehydroacenes and Implications for Astrochemistry

The carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are still largely unknown although polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon chains, and fullerenes are likely candidates. A recent analysis of the properties of n-acenes of general formula C_4n+2H_2n+4 suggested that these could be potential carriers of some DIBs. Dehydrogenation reactions of n-acenes after absorption of an interstellar UV photon may result in dehydroacenes. Here the reaction energies and barriers for formation of n-cyclacenes from 2,3-didehydroacenes (n-DDA) by intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction to dihydro-etheno-cyclacenes (n-DEC) followed by ejection of ethyne by retro-Diels–Alder reactions are analyzed using thermally assisted occupation density functional theory (TAO-DFT) for n=10–20. It is found that the barriers for each of the steps depend on the ring strain of the underlying n-cyclacene, and that the ring strain of n-DEC is about 75 % of that of the corresponding n-cyclacene. In each case, ethyne extrusion is the step with the highest energy barrier, but these barriers are smaller than CH bond dissociation energies, suggesting that formation of cyclacenes is an energetically conceivable fate of n-acenes after multiple absorption of UV photons.