Mackay,Anti-Mackay,Double-Mackay,Pseudo-Mackay,and Related Icosahedral Shell Clusters

Mackay introduced two important crystallographic concepts in a short paper published 40 years ago. One is the icosahedral shell structure (iss) consisting of concentric icosahedra displaying fivefold rotational symmetry. The number of atoms contained within these icosahedral shells and subshells agrees well with the magic numbers in rare gas clusters, (C₆₀) _N molecules, and some metal clusters determined by mass spectroscopy or simulated on energy considerations. The cluster of 55 atoms within the second icosahedral shell occurs frequently and has been called Mackay icosahedron, or simply MI, which occurs not only in various clusters, but also in intermetallic compounds and quasicrystals. The second concept is the hierarchic icosahedral structures caused by the presence of a stacking fault in the fcc packing of the successive triangular faces in the iss. For instance, a fault occurs after the ABC layers resulting an ABCB packing. This is, in fact, a hierarchic icosahedral structure of a core icosahedron connected to 12 outer icosahedra by vertex sharing, or an icosahedron of icosahedra (double MI. Contrary to Mackay's iss, a faulted hierarchic icosahedral shell is, in fact, a twinlike face capping of the underlying triangles; it is, therefore, called an anti-Mackay cluster. The hierarchic icosahedral structure in an Al-Mn-Pd icosahedral quasicrystal has a core of body-centered cube rather than an icosahedron and, therefore, is called a pseudo-Mackay cluster. The hierarchic icosahedral structures have been studied separately in the past in the fields of clusters, nanoparticles, intermetallic compounds, and quasicrystals, but the underlying geometry should be the same. In the following a unified geometrical analysis is presented.     

Coordinating Ability of Anions,Solvents, Amino Acids,and Gases towards Alkaline and Alkaline-Earth Elements,Transition Metals,and Lanthanides

After briefly reviewing the applications of the coordination ability indices proposed earlier for anions and solvents toward transition metals and lanthanides, a new analysis of crystal structures is applied now to a much larger number of coordinating species: anions (including those that are present in ionic solvents), solvents, amino acids, gases, and a sample of neutral ligands. The coordinating ability towards s-block elements is now also considered. The effect of several factors on the coordinating ability will be discussed: (a) the charge of an anion, (b) the chelating nature of anions and solvents, (c) the degree of protonation of oxo-anions, carboxylates and amino carboxylates, and (d) the substitution of hydrogen atoms by methyl groups in NH₃, ethylenediamine, benzene, ethylene, pyridine and aldehydes. Hit parades of solvents and anions most commonly used in the areas of transition metal, s-block and lanthanide chemistry are deduced from the statistics of their presence in crystal structures.     

Asensitive,Selective, and Rapid Colorimetric Method to Determine Cyanide Contamination in Containers,Capsules, and Liquids

Abstract

A new formulation of the Konig colorimetric method for cyanide is selective, has increased stability, and is sensitive to a few ppb. The formulation can be placed as a strip on the safety seals of bottles to indicate tampering, placed in a syringe and used to sample head space gas in commercial products or liquids to test for tampering, or placed in the desiccant container in bottles of capsules or tablets. Reaction with head space gas requires just a few seconds, and less than an hour is required if the cyanide must first permeate through capsules. Liquids also can be either drawn directly into the syringe, or the cyanide evolved by adding an Alka-seltzer tablet to purge the gas. Reactions are immediate. Hydrogen sulfide and ammonia which interfere with several other cyanide tests, do not interfere with this formulation. A mixture of N-chlorosuccinimide and succinimide oxidizes CN^- to CN⁺. The cyanogen ion selectively reacts with 4-phenylpyridine to form a dialdehyde, which is then coupled with either barbituric acid (red rapidly turning to blue) or 3-methyl-l-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (purple slowly turning to green black).     

Theoretical Study of Molecular Structure,Reactivity, Lipophilicity,and Solubility of N-Hydroxyurea,N-Hydroxythiourea,and N-Hydroxysilaurea

Ab initio molecular orbital methods at the CBS-QB3 level of theory have been used to study the structure and gas-phase stability of various tautomers and rotamers of N-hydroxyurea, N-hydroxythiourea, and N-hydroxysilaurea, their anions and protonated forms. The geometries of N-hydroxyurea, N-hydroxythiourea, and N-hydroxysilaurea, their anions and cations were optimized at the Becke3LYP/CBSB7 level of theory. For all compounds studied, the amidic form is computed to be substantially more stable than the iminolic tautomer. N-Hydroxyurea and its thio and sila derivatives are computed to behave as Nacids in the gas phase. These compounds are in gas-phase weak acids with a calculated acidity of about 1425 to 1355 kJ-mol^–1. Basicities increase in the order: N-hydroxyurea < N-hydroxythiourea < N-hydroxysilaurea. The most stable protonated structures are represented by several isomers with almost equal stability. Thus, in the N-hydroxyurea, N-hydroxythiourea, and N-hydroxysilaurea, both protonation at the double bonded (C=O, C=S and Si=O) oxygen and sulfur atoms, as well as the protonation at the N(H)OH nitrogen basic center is equally probable. The experimental pK _a value (10.6) of N-hydroxyurea and the computed value (9.7) for its monohydrated complex with the specifically hydrogen-bonded water molecule to the ionizable OH group are in a good agreement. The experimental partition coefficient of N-hydroxyurea is best reproduced by the Alog P_s method. The formation of nitroxide radical in the reaction of N-hydroxyurea and its sulfur and silicon substituted derivatives with the phenol radical is an exothermic process. Thus, the \bondN(H)OH moiety of these compounds may quench the structurally related tyrosyl radicals in the active site of ribonucleotide reductase.     

Crazing and fracture in crystalline,isotactic polypropylene and the effect of morphology,gaseous environments,and temperature

Stress crazing is studied in three forms of crystalline, isotactic polypropylene (PP): (1) smectic/nonspherulitic, (2) monoclinic/nonspherulitic, and (3) monoclinic/spherulitic PP. Optical and scanning electron microscopy as well as stress—strain measurements are used to characterize crazing behavior in these three forms as a function of temperature (?210 to 60°C) and of the gaseous environment (vacuum, He, N₂, Ar, O₂, and CO₂). Forms 1 and 2 are found to craze much like an amorphous, glassy polymer in the temperature range between ?210 and ?20°C, irrespective of environment. The plastic crazing strain is large close to the glass-transition range (ca. ?20°C) of amorphous PP and in the neighborhood of the condensation temperature of the environmental gas. Near condensation, the gas acts as a crazing agent inasmuch as the stress necessary to promote crazing is lower in its presence than in vacuum. A gas is the more efficient as a crazing agent, the greater is its thermodynamic activity. Spherulitic PP (form 3) crazes in an entirely different manner from an amorphous, glassy polymer, showing that the presence of spherulites influences crazing behavior much more profoundly than the mere presence of a smectic or monoclinic crystal lattice. Below room temperature, crazes are generally restricted in length to a single spherulite, emanating from the center and going along radii perpendicular, within about 15°, to the direction of stress. They never go along spherulite boundaries. Gases near their condensation temperature act as crazing agents much as in nonspherulitic PP. Above room temperature the crazes are no longer related to the spherulite structure, being extremely long and perfectly perpendicular to the stress direction. Apparently the crystals are softened enough by thermally activated segmental motion to permit easy propagation of the craze. The morphology of the fracture surfaces and its dependence on temperature and environment is described and discussed. Concerning the action of gases as crazing agents it is argued that the gas is strongly absorbed at the craze tip, where stress concentration increases both the equilibrium gas solubility and the diffusion constant. Hence, a plasticized zone is formed having a decreased yield stress for plastic flow. This is considered to be the main mechanism by which the gas acts as a crazing agent. In addition, reduction of the surface energy of the polymer by the adsorbed gas eases the hole formation involved in crazing.     

A Rapid,Simple, and Sensitive Spectrophotometric Determination of Traces of Vanadium (V) in Foodstuffs,Alloy Steels,and Pharmaceutical,Water, Soil,and Urine Samples

Abstract

A rapid, simple, sensitive, and selective spectrophotometric method is investigated for the determination of traces of vanadium (V) in foodstuffs, alloy steels, and pharmaceutical, water, soil, and urine samples in aqueous DMF medium. The metal ion forms a green colored complex with 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (HMBATSC) in an acidic buffer of pH 6.0. The green colored solution, having an absorbance maximum at 380 nm, is stable for more than 72 hours. Beer's law is obeyed in the range of 0.051–2.037 µg ml^?1. The molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity of the method are found as 2.75 × 10⁴ l mol^?1 cm^?1 and 0.0018 µg cm^?2, respectively. The green colored complex has 1:2 [V(V)-HMBATSC] stoichiometry. The stability constant of the complex is determined as 3.267 × 10¹¹ by Job's method. The optimum reaction conditions and other analytical parameters are studied. A sensitive and selective second-order derivative spectrophotometry has also been proposed for the determination of V(V). The interference of various cations and anions are studied. The present method is successfully applied to the determination of vanadium (V) in foodstuffs, alloy steels, and pharmaceutical, water, soil, and urine samples.     

Geometry-dependent atomic charges: Methodology and application to alkanes,aldehydes, ketones,and amides

A general methodology for deriving geometry-dependent atomic charges is presented. The main ingredient of the method is a model that describes the molecular dipole moment in terms of geometry-dependent point charges. The parameters of the model are determined from ab initio calculations of molecular dipole moments and their Cartesian derivatives at various molecular geometries. Transferability of the parameters is built into the model by fitting ab initio calculations for various molecules simultaneously. The results show that charge flux along the bonds is a major contributing factor to the geometry dependence of the atomic charges, with additional contributions from fluxes along valence angles and adjacent bonds. Torsion flux is found to be smaller in magnitude than the bond and valence angle fluxes but is not always unimportant. A set of electrostatic parameters is presented for alkanes, aldehydes, ketones, and amides. Transferability of these parameters for a host of molecules is established to within 3 ?5% error in the predicted dipole moments. A possible extension of the method to include atomic dipoles is outlined. With the inclusion of such atomic dipoles and with the set of transferable point charges and charge flux parameters, it is demonstrated that molecular electrostatic potentials as well as electrostatic forces on nuclei can be reproduced much better than is possible with other models (such as potential derived charges). © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Polymerization of diethynyldiphenylmethane: DSC,FTIR, NMR,and dielectric characterization

4,4′-Diethynyldiphenylmethane thermally polymerizes by a free radical mechanism to a highly crosslinked structure of interest as a high temperature composite matrix resin. The polymerization reaction was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and microdi-electrometry. The predominant reaction mechanism appears to be linear polymerization through the acetylene end groups, which follows first-order kinetics. However, during the early stages of reaction a second, more rapid polymerization mechanism is evident; it is postulated that this is the formation of a cyclic trimer, which is kinetically favored but sterically prohibited as the crosslinked network grows. Formation of a liquid crystalline trimer is hyppthesized; such intermediate formation is supported by intensity increases in the aromatic region of the NMR spectra, by FTIR difference spectroscopy comparisons with model compounds, and by enhancement of conductivity as observed by microdielectrometry.     

Polar-Functionalized,Crosslinkable, Self-Healing,and Photoresponsive Polyolefins

The nonpolar nature of polyolefins is one of their biggest limitations. Now, an efficient route to generate polar-functionalized, crosslinkable, self-healing, photoresponsive polyolefins with thermoplastic, elastomeric, and thermosetting properties is reported. Tunable amounts of carboxylic acid and a cyclic comonomer are installed onto polyolefins by palladium-catalyzed terpolymerization reactions. The incorporated carboxylic acid unit can alter the surface properties of polyolefins. The subsequently introduced Fe³⁺/citric acid combination induces dynamic crosslinking and enables self-healing. Under UV light irradiation, citric acid reduces Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ and decreases the crosslinking density. The Fe²⁺ moiety can be easily oxidized back to Fe³⁺, making the process reversible at the expense of citric acid. The incorporated cyclic comonomer modulates the crystallinity of polyolefins, provides elastic properties, and installs carbon–carbon double bonds for sulfur-induced vulcanization.     

NMR Conformational Study of Aminoalkylbenzamides,Aminoalkyl-o-anisamides,and Metoclopramide,a Dopamine Receptor Antagonist

The conformational behaviour of metoclopramide, a neuroleptic benzamide, and model compounds was investigated byt ¹ H-NMR spectroscopy. An intramolecular amide-methoxy H-bond is shown to exist in CDCl₃-solution, but not in D₂O-solution, independently of the length and protonation state of the basic side-chain. This H-bond creates a virtual cycle which may be a key feature for the binding of neuroleptic benzamides to the dopamine receptor. The conformational behaviour of the aminoethyl side-chain is shown to be markedly condition-dependent. For metoclopramide and its analogues in their protonated form, the gauche- and trans- rotamers have identical energies in D₂O-as well as in CDCl₃-solutins. For the non-protonated molecules, the trans-rotamer is favoured in D₂O-solutin, while the gauche-rotamer is favoured in CDCl₃-solution (ΔG°?|0.5|kcal/mol in both cases). The side-chain conformation of neuroleptic benzamides is discussed in terms of receptor affinity.     

Amphiphilic pyrimidinophane,a new dimeric surfactant: Synthesis,aggregation, and catalytic activity

Abstract Tensiometry, conductometry, dynamic light scattering, and potentiometry are used to study the aggregation of a new amphiphilic alkylated pyrimidinophane (APP) in aqueous solutions in the presence of polyethylen-imine. The new geminal surfactant is shown to possess high micellization ability (CMC = 0.00001 M) due to the presence of an additional alkyl radical in the pyrimidine fragment. APP aggregates are characterized by a low degree of counterion binding (lower than 50%). Spectrophotometry is employed to investigate the catalytic activities of individual surfactant solutions and solutions of APP—polyethylenimine binary mixtures with respect to the hydrolysis of phosphonic acid esters. The effect of APP on phosphonate hydrolysis is typical of cationic surfactants. The higher acceleration is observed for the hydrolysis of a more hydrophobic phophonate.     

Comparison of two-body and three-body decomposition of ethanedial, propanal, propenal, n-butane, 1-butene, and 1,3-butadiene

We investigated two-body (binary) and three-body (triple) dissociations of ethanedial, propanal, propenal, n-butane, 1-butene, and 1,3-butadiene on the ground potential-energy surfaces using quantum-chemical and Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus calculations; most attention is paid on the triple dissociation mechanisms. The triple dissociation includes elimination of a hydrogen molecule from a combination of two separate terminal hydrogen atoms; meanwhile, the rest part simultaneously decomposes to two stable fragments, e.g., C(2)H(4), C(2)H(2), or CO. Transition structures corresponding to the concerted triple dissociation were identified using the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory and total energies were computed using the method CCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df, 2p). The forward barrier height of triple dissociation has a trend of ethanedial < propanal < propenal < n-butane < 1-butene < 1,3-butadiene, pertaining to the reaction enthalpy. Ratios of translational energies of three separate fragments could be estimated from the transition structure of triple dissociation. The synchronous concerted dissociation of propanal, propenal, and 1-butene leading to three different types of molecular fragments by breaking nonequivalent chemical bonds is rare. The triple dissociation of propanal, n-butane, 1-butene, and 1,3-butadiene were investigated for the first time. To outline a whole picture of dissociation mechanisms, some significant two-body dissociation channels were investigated for the calculations of product branching ratios. The triple dissociation plays an important role in the three carbonyl compounds, but plays a minor or negligible role in the three hydrocarbons.     

Paneth,IUPAC, and the Naming of Elements

The procedure for assigning names to elements by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry involves establishing priority of discovery, then inviting the discoverers to suggest a name. This protocol is in contrast with the suggestions of Friedrich A. Paneth form 1947, who believed that the discoverers of an element have the undisputed right to name it. This difference in philosophy came to light during a workshop convened 10 years ago for the purpose of naming elements 104–109, when the discoverers of these elements contended that they were solely entitled to name them. During the debate, and in support of the name seaborgium for element 106, it was argued that gadolinium, samarium, gallium, einsteinium and fermium had been named after living scientists. The history of the naming of these elements demonstrates that this is not the case; Glenn T. Seaborg is the first scientist for whom an element was named during his lifetime.     

Spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and molecular orbital calculations of metal-free tetraazaporphyrin, -chlorin, -bacteriochlorin, and -isobacteriochlorin

Metal-free tetraazachlorin (TAC), -bacteriochlorin (TAB), and -isobacteriochlorin (TAiB) were characterized by electronic absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), fluorescence, and time-resolved ESR (TR-ESR) spectroscopy, and by cyclic voltammetry. The results are compared with those of metal-free tetraazaporphyrin (TAP). The potential difference DeltaE between the first oxidation and reduction couples decreases in the order TAP>TAiB>TAC>TAB. The splitting of both the Q and Soret bands decreases in the order TAB>TAC>TAP>TAiB. Corresponding to the split absorption bands, MCD spectra show a minus-to-plus pattern with increasing energy in both the Q and Soret regions, which suggests that the energy difference between the HOMO and second HOMO is larger than that between the LUMO and second LUMO. These spectroscopic properties and redox potentials were reproduced by molecular orbital calculations using the ZINDO/S Hamiltonian. The fluorescence quantum yields of the reduced species are much smaller than that of TAP. The zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters D and E of the excited triplet states (T1) of these species decrease and increase, respectively, on going from TAP to TAC and further to TAB. The D and E values of TAiB are larger than those of the other species. The results are supported by the absence of interaction between the spin over reduced pyrrole moieties of the HOMO and over the LUMO, and by calculations of ZFS under a half-point-charge approximation.     

Pyramidane 2. Further computational studies: potential energy surface, basicity and acidity, electron-withdrawing and electron-donating power, ionization energy and electron affinity, heat of formation and strain energy, and NMR chemical shifts

The novel cycloalkane pyramidane (tetracyclo[2.1.0.0^1,30^2,5]pentane, [3.3.3.3]fenestrane), C₅H₄, with a pyramidal carbon atom, was investigated further. Calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G^* and G2(MP2) levels supported earlier conclusions from QCISD(T)/6-31G^*//MP2(FC)/6-31G^* energies that pyramidane lies in a deep well (ca. 100 kJ mol⁻¹) on the potential energy surface. The pyramidal carbon is predicted to have a lone electron pair, and calculations (CBS-4) indicate that pyramidane is remarkably basic for a saturated hydrocarbon (proton affinity 976, cf. 922 and 915 kJ mol⁻¹ for pyridine and aniline, respectively). The calculated (CBS-4) acidity is similar to that of tetrahedrane and toluene; the pyramidyl group (C₅H₃) attached to an atom bearing a lone electron pair appears to be much more strongly electron-withdrawing than the phenyl group. The infrared CO stretching frequency and C–CHO rotational barriers of pyramCHO, PhCHO and cyclopropylCHO indicate that the pyramidyl group is comparable to phenyl and cyclopropyl in its ability to donate electrons to an electron-deficient carbon. The adiabatic ionization energy of pyramidane is ca. 9.0 eV (MP2/6-31G^*, energy differences and Koopmans’ theorem), similar to that of typical cycloalkanes. The heat of formation of pyramidane was calculated by the G2(MP2) method and isodesmic reactions to be to be 585 kJ mol⁻¹ and the strain energy was estimated to be 622 kJ mol⁻¹; pyramidane is 122 kJ mol⁻¹ more strained than its isomer spiropentadiene. Application of the NMR NICS method, varying the position of the probe nucleus, gave no evidence for benzenoid-type aromaticity in the potentially cyclobutadiene cation-like base of pyramidane.     

Oxidation of polyethylene,polypropylene, and copolymers

This investigation of the autoxidation of ethylene–propylene copolymers and polyethylene–polypropylene mixtures was undertaken to determine whether reactivity is a linear function of composition. The copolymers and the mixtures were autoxidized in a trichlorobenzene solution at 100°C in the presence of 1,1′-azodicyclohexanecarbonitrile, and the rates of oxygen absorption were determined. The reactivity of the copolymers and the mixtures, after the underlying absorption of oxygen by initiator radicals is accounted for, is a nearly linear function of composition; however, the polymer mixtures and copolymers oxidized somewhat less readily than predicted by a straight line relationship. Several additional oxidations were performed on solutions of polypropylene so that the effects of initiation rate and substrate concentration could be evaluated. The oxidation kinetics of polypropylene even in dilute solution, are complex; titratable hydroperoxide yields are low. Further work will be required to specify the mechanism of oxidation.     

Direct,Sequential, and Stereoselective Alkynylation of C,C‐Dibromophosphaalkenes

The first direct alkynylation of C,C‐dibromophosphaalkenes by a reaction with sulfonylacetylenes is reported. Alkynylation proceeds selectively in the trans position relative to the P substituent to afford bromoethynylphosphaalkenes. Owing to the absence of transition metals in the procedure, the previously observed conversion of dibromophosphaalkenes into phosphaalkynes through the phosphorus analog of the Fritsch–Buttenberg–Wiechell rearrangement is thus suppressed. The bromoethynylphosphaalkenes can subsequently be converted to C,C‐diacetylenic, cross‐conjugated phosphaalkenes by following a Sonogashira coupling protocol in good overall yields. By using the newly described method, full control over the stereochemistry at the P=C double bond is achieved. The substrate scope of this reaction is demonstrated for different dibromophosphaalkenes as well as different sulfonylacetylenes.     

Adsorption isotherms and Sips models of nitrogen,methane, ethane,and propane on commercial activated carbons and polyvinylidene chloride

In this paper we present the measured isotherms of nitrogen, methane, ethane, and propane on three carbons: Norit RB2, Chemviron AP 4-60, and highly activated Saran. The measurements are taken at temperatures between 300 and 400 K, in 20 K steps. The measured data is fitted to the Sips adsorption model, where the Sips parameters are determined by a linearization method. The Sips parameters are further adjusted to realize a logic dependence on temperature and the parameter characteristics are discussed. Subsequently, the Sips model is modified to incorporate the temperature dependence. Including the temperature dependence results in a slightly higher error relative to the experimental results (typically 10 % as compared to 6 %). The immediate research product is a convenient expression for every adsorbate-adsorbent system which is discussed in this paper, for calculating the adsorption concentration as a function of temperature and pressure. A more general research product is a better understanding of the Sips parameter characteristics that should help in developing future adsorbents on demand.