Synthesis, crystal structures and magnetic properties of 2,3,6,7-tetrakis(2-cyanoethylthio)tetrathiafulvalene salts

The synthesis of the protected TTF tetrathiolate 2,3,6,7-tetrakis(2-cyanoethylthio)tetrathiafulvalene (TCE-TTF), as well as those of five new radical cation salts [TCE-TTF](X), X⁻ = PF₆⁻, CF₃SO₃⁻, BF₄⁻, obtained by electrocrystallization technique is presented. Five crystal structures of these materials based on their fully oxidized donor molecules are described. The flexibility of the cyanoethylene arm yields two conformations cis and trans to the molecule. Then compounds with PF₆⁻ and BF₄⁻ anions crystallized as two different phases. All these materials are insulators, and the magnetic studies of one phase of [TCE-TTF](PF₆) revealed an antiferromagnetic behavior.     

Speciation methods of actinides in trace concentrations

The development of actinide speciation methods in the environment is discussed. The results on speciation and migration of radionuclides in near-surface and deep conditions at the Krasnoyarsk mining and chemical plant and at the Production Association ‘Mayak’ (southern Ural) are reported. For surface conditions, the mobile plutonium fraction is mostly associated with inorganic complexes (carbonate) of the higher plutonium oxidation state, while less mobile fraction is associated with low-soluble Pu(IV) complexes with humic acids. The mobile fraction of americium consists of complexes with low molecular weight fulvic acids of non-specific nature with molecular weights lower than 10 kDa. Plutonium and americium behaviour in deep conditions is governed by colloid migration. To cite this article: A.P. Novikov et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).

Résumé

Méthodes de spéciation des actinides en traces. Le développement de méthodes pour la spéciation des actinides dans l’environnement est discuté. Nous présentons des résultats concernant la spéciation et la migration des radionucléides dans des conditions de sub-surface et en milieux géologiques profonds à la mine de Krasnoyarsk et à l’usine chimique de Mayak (Oural du Sud). En conditions de sub-surface, la fraction mobile contient essentiellement des complexes inorganiques (carbonates) de Pu dans ses degrés d’oxydation élevés, tandis que la fraction moins mobile contient des complexes insolubles du Pu(IV), avec des acides humiques. La fraction mobile de Am comporte des complexes d’acides fulviques de nature non précisée, mais d’une masse molaire inférieure à 10 kDa. En conditions de milieu profond, le comportement de Am et de Pu est influencé par la migration des colloïdes. Pour citer cet article : A.P. Novikov et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).     

Anionic surfmers in mini-emulsion polymerisation

Mini-emulsion polymerisation of styrene or methylmethacrylate, initiated with ammonium persulphate, have been carried out, in the presence of hexadecane or of polymethylmethacrylate as hydrophobic costabilizer, and the simple hemiester of linear dodecyl alcohol and maleic anhydride, or polymerisable surfactants (surfmers) derived from the condensation of succinic anhydride and either hydroxy propylmethacrylate (MAES), or hydroxyethylmethacrylate (ABS). While the pure surfmers have not so good surface activity, from surface tension measurements, stable mini-emulsion droplets are obtained using a mixture with low amounts of SDS, which have diameters of about 100–200 nm, which remain stable upon polymerisation. Most of the surfmers remain grafted onto the particle surface, thus conferring to these particles strong stability in the various tests. However, due to the high water solubility of the surfmers, another part remains in the serum as unconverted monomer or water-soluble polymers. To cite this article: A. Guyot et al., C.R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

Labeling of a self-hardening bone substitute using ruthenium tris-bipyridine complexes, for the analysis of its in vivo metabolism

A self-setting cellulose scaffold, used as a component of an injectable bone substitute, was labeled with ruthenium tris-bipyridine complexes functionalized by triethoxysilane groups. The labeling yield was found to vary according to the number and location of Si(OR)₃ groups present on the ruthenium complex backbone. For label loadings, less than 0.1 wt%, no significant modification of the rheological properties of the gel was observed.     

Coordination chemistry of phosphole ligands: From supramolecular assemblies to OLEDs

The synthesis and properties of organophosphorus π-conjugated chromophores incorporating metallic ions are described. Their optical and electrochemical properties depend on the metal centre linked to the organophosphorus atom. Moreover, the introduction of metallic ions induces a control of the supramolecular organization of the organophosphorus π-conjugated systems. The specific properties of these complexes make them valuable materials for organic light-emitting diodes and interesting building blocks for the tailoring of novel NLO-phores.     

Effect of the nuclearity of perhydrocarbyl Fe(II) complexes on the grafting on oxide supports

Grafting of mono- and dinuclear Fe(II) complexes on oxide supports such as silica {SiO_2-(700)}, silica–alumina {SiO₂–Al₂O_3-(500)} or alumina {Al₂O_3-(500)} yields the corresponding mono- and dinuclear surface complexes according to mass balance analysis and IR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis and reactivity of new heterodinuclear iron/rhenium Cx complexes of the formula (η-C5Me5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(CC)n(η-dppe)Fe(η-C5Me5) (n = 3, 4): Redox properties and a dicobalt hexacarbonyl adduct

We report in this communication the synthesis and characterization of two Fe/Re heterodinuclear complexes 3_n of formula (η⁵-C₅Me₅)Re(NO)(PPh₃)(CC)_n(η²-dppe)Fe(η⁵-C₅Me₅) (n = 3, 4) as well as the hexacarbonyl dicobalt adduct (4) of the hexatriynediyl complex 3₃. We show by cyclic voltammetry that the “electronic communication” between the organometallic endgroups and thereby the thermodynamic stability of the corresponding mixed-valent (MV) parent 3_n⁺ is strongly influenced by bridge extension or by complexation of the [Co₂(CO)₆] fragment. In the case of the hexatriynediyl complex, the MV complex 3₃⁺ or 4 can be isolated by performing the chemical oxidation of 3₃ at low temperature. Spectroscopic studies of this compound and of other stable oxidized redox congeners should now help us to unravel how bridge extension modifies the electronic communication between the different redox-active endgroups in this family of unsymmetrically-substituted polyynediyl compounds.     

Cosurfactant effects on the microemulsion polymerization of styrene

The polymerization of styrene in o/w microemulsions stabilized with dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) with or without cosurfactant (n-butanol, n-hexanol or n-octanol) is examined here. The addition of a cosurfactant enhances the one-phase region in the order: n-butanol > n-hexanol > n-octanol. The kinetics of polymerization slows down in the presence of the alcohol. With the alcohol, the molar masses increase, but no particular trend was noticed on particle size of the lattices. However, by changing the surfactant counter-ion to chloride, alcohol effects on the kinetics almost vanish. Possible explanations to these results are given here. To cite this article: J.E. Puig et al., C. R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

Enantiopure aryl-[1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-pyridinyl] methanols and their use for heterogeneous hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate

Both enantiomers of two new chiral modifiers (naphthyl- and anthryl-[1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-pyridinyl] methanols, 4H and 5H) are obtained for the first time from inexpensive d-mannitol in 10 easy steps. Until now erythro-4H is the only synthetic chiral modifier available under both enantiomeric forms, which provide enantioselectivities almost as high as those obtained with natural cinchonidine, for which only one enantiomer is available. It is shown that the anthryl group may be less efficient than the naphthyl (the e.e.% drops from 75% with erythro-4H to 46% with erythro-5H) and that N-methyl substitution (trisubstituted nitrogen as in cinchonidine) leads also to a drop in the e.e.% (from 75% with 4H to 39% with 4Me).     

Rare-earth-doped transparent glass ceramics

Glass ceramics are a known class of polycrystalline ceramic materials, where, depending on the glass matrix and the particular crystalline phases, one can obtain materials with improved mechanical, thermal, electrical or optical properties. The characteristics and applications of optical glass ceramics are reviewed, with particular emphasis on rare-earth-doped transparent glass ceramics for photonics, including the search for new transparent glass ceramic compositions and the development of suitable methods to process such materials into functional devices.     

Particle size distribution in mini-emulsion polymerization

The particle size distribution polydispersities of a number of macro- and mini-emulsion latexes are reported. In cases where the macro-emulsion and mini-emulsions were produced under very nearly identical conditions, the mini-emulsion will have a polydispersity equal to, or only very slightly greater than, the equivalent macro-emulsion. To cite this article: K. Landfester et al., C. R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

A Convenient Synthesis of 2‐Sulfanylbenzoselenazole Derivatives via the Reaction of 2‐Lithiophenyl Isothiocyanates with Selenium

The title compounds have been prepared from 2‐bromophenyl isothiocyanates 1 . Thus, 2‐lithiophenyl isothiocyanates 2 , obtained from 1 and BuLi through Br/Li exchange, reacted with Se at ?78° to form lithium benzoselenazole‐2‐thiolates 3 , which, upon aqueous workup, afforded benzoselenazole‐2(3H)‐thiones 4 . The thiolates 3 were alkylated with reactive alkyl halides and acylated with carboxylic acid chlorides to give 2‐(alkylsulfanyl)benzoselenazoles 5 and S‐(benzoselenazol‐2‐yl) thiocarboxylates 6 , respectively.     

Design and synthesis of ansamycin antibiotics

Ansamycin antibiotics are a class of microbial metabolites that exhibit an array of biological activities. This review covers the synthetic chemistry and biological activity of benzenic ansamycins from 1989 to 2007. In the first section, synthetic approaches to the C15-benzene ansamycins (geldanamycin and related) are discussed. Access to the C17-benzene ansamycins (or ansatrienins) is disclosed in the second half of this article.     

Viscoelastic behaviour of butyl acrylate/styrene/2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/acrylic acid latices thickened with associative thickeners

The rheological behaviour of butyl acrylate/styrene/acrylic acid latices thickened with a hydrophobically modified ethoxylated polyurethane (HEUR) or hydrophobically modified alkali-soluble polyacrylate emulsion (HASE) was investigated. While the pseudoplastic character of frequency dependence of complex viscosity was similar for both thickeners, viscoelastic behaviour, expressed as the ratio of loss and storage moduli, significantly differed, indicating that the HEUR molecules, unlike swollen HASE particles, create a viscoelastic space structure. The increase in hydrophilicity of the particle surface, achieved by incorporation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) monomer into the latex copolymer reduced the viscoelasticity of latices thickened with HEUR, but not of those thickened with HASE. This confirms that adsorption of hydrophobic end-groups on particle surface is important for thickening of latices with HEUR and that a physical network of latex particles interconnected by the thickener macromolecules is formed. To cite this article: O. Quadrat et al., C. R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

L’importance des phénomènes d’oxydo-réduction dans le verreImportance of oxidoreduction phenomena in glass.

Oxydo-reduction phenomenon concerns glass manufacturing as well as its properties. Various oxidation scales have been used by glassmakers, the most widely used being the ratio between Fe²⁺ and the total iron content. Comparisons are made with others, such as the partial pressure of oxygen or the redox potential. The influence of the chemical composition of the glass is also studied as well as that of the temperature, through the results obtained in Saint-Gobain Recherche and in other laboratories. In industrial glass manufacturing, the oxidation equilibrium is usually achieved during the fining process, an intense ‘bubbling’ being necessary to obtain a homogeneous glass. Thus, the oxidoreduction state of the glass does not depend on the atmosphere under which it was made, but depends on the mixture of gases generated during the fining process, which is described through the reactions generated by the two main fining systems, arsenic oxide or antimony oxide + sodium nitrate and sodium sulphate + a reducing agent. The former provides oxygen and the latter, a mixture of oxygen and sulphur dioxide. Consequently, a glass melted with arsenic oxide is more oxidised than a glass melted with sodium sulphate. The equilibrium constant used to interpret the latter system, mostly used for soda lime silica glasses fining, is given as a function of the temperature and some of the consequences are examined. Obviously, the coloration by iron oxide impurities is influenced by the manufacturing process. Some other colouring oxides are submitted to a change of oxidation state and thus to a modification of their colouring action. A quick review is done of the transition metal coloration, of the electron-charge-transfer absorption due to sulphides or selenides, and of aggregate formation inducing the well-known red ruby glass, for instance.

Résumé

Les phénomènes d’oxydo-réduction concernent aussi bien l’élaboration du verre que ses propriétés. Plusieurs échelles d’oxydo-réduction ont été utilisées par les verriers, la plus courante étant le rapport entre Fe²⁺ et la teneur totale en fer. Nous faisons la comparaison entre les différents systèmes, comme la pression partielle d’oxygène. Dans l’élaboration des verres industriels, l’équilibre redox est réalisé habituellement pendant le processus d’affinage, un « bullage » intense étant indispensable à l’obtention d’un verre homogène. L’état redox du verre ne dépend pas de l’atmosphère sous laquelle il a été élaboré, mais du mélange de gaz généré durant le processus d’affinage. Les deux systèmes affinants principaux sont l’oxyde d’arsenic ou d’antimoine couplé au nitrate de sodium ou bien le sulfate de sodium couplé à un agent réducteur. Le premier génère de l’oxygène et le second un mélange d’oxygène et de dioxyde de soufre. En conséquence, un verre élaboré avec de l’oxyde d’arsenic est plus oxydé qu’un verre élaboré avec du sulfate de sodium. La coloration par l’impureté oxyde de fer est évidemment fortement influencée par le procédé. D’autres oxydes colorants subissent aussi des changements d’état d’oxydo-réduction et voient leur action colorante modifiée en fonction des conditions d’élaboration.     

Biodegradable materials by reactive extrusion: from catalyzed polymerization to functionalization and blend compatibilization

This contribution aims at reviewing how reactive extrusion (REx) technique can participate in the design and development of biodegradable polymeric materials more particularly based on aliphatic polyesters issued from both renewable (agrochemical) and fossil (petrochemical) resources. On one side, REx will be approached for producing in a continuous way biodegradable aliphatic polyesters by ring-opening polymerization of lactones. Tin and aluminum-based catalysts will be considered for quantitatively converting the cyclic monomer in high molecular weight polyester chains within residence time of a few minutes only. On the other hand, such polyesters will undergo various chemical modifications again performed by REx. Self-branching reactions will be investigated in order to compensate the characteristic molecular weight reduction of the polyester chains as triggered by hydrolysis and/or transesterification side-reactions. Controlled functionalization reactions by maleic anhydride treatment will be studied as well. Finally biodegradable composite materials will be produced by REx and will rely upon the interface compatibilization between the polyester matrix and natural fillers such as starch granules or talc microparticles. To cite this article: J.-M. Raquez, et al., C. R. Chimie 9 (2006).     

Research and application of inorganic selective sorbents at Mayak PA

This work has been performed in order to identify selective inorganic sorbents for caesium and strontium. Thin-layer sorbents with nickel ferrocyanide embedded in an inert matrix were found to be the best for caesium. Sorbents including non-stoichiometric manganese dioxide were selected for strontium. Bench tests have been carried out on the purification of desalted water of SNF storage-pool from ¹³⁷Cs, and on the purification of contaminated natural water from ⁹⁰Sr. The facility for synthesizing the ferrocyanide sorbent with the registered mark ‘Seleks-CFN’ has been brought into operation. The sorbent ISM-S seems promising for ⁹⁰Sr decontamination. To cite this article: M.V. Logunov et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).

Résumé

Recherches et applications sur l’utilisation de sorbants spécifiques à Mayak. Des sorbants sélectifs du césium et du strontium ont été identifiés. Pour le césium, le meilleur s’avère être le ferrocyanure de nickel, s’il est utilisé sous forme de couche mince. Pour le strontium, on a sélectionné des composés non stœchiométriques de dioxyde de manganèse. On a mené des tests visant à épurer en césium l’eau des piscines d’entreposage des combustibles nucléaires usagés, et en strontium des eaux contaminées. Une installation industrielle permettant de préparer le sorbant à base de ferrocyanure de marque « Seleks-CFN » a été réalisée. Le sorbant ISM-S semble prometteur pour la décontamination en strontium. Pour citer cet article : M.V. Logunov et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).     

Recent progress in nitroxide-mediated polymerizations in miniemulsion

Recent developments in nitroxide-mediated polymerizations conducted in emulsion and miniemulsion have advanced the field across a range of both experimental and theoretical fronts. This article reviews progress in bicomponent initiating systems (including use of camphorsulfonic acid to enhance rate), unimolecular initiating systems, miniemulsions not requiring the use of volatile costabilizers, polymerization of acrylates, mathematical modeling and simulation, and theoretical understanding with regards to issues such as compartmentalization, preservation of polymer chain livingness, the role of aqueous phase kinetics and phase partitioning. These topics are discussed and analyzed to present an integrated portrait of the current status of nitroxide-mediated polymerizations in emulsion/miniemulsion and to identify the most pressing concerns, issues, and opportunities. To cite this article: M.F. Cunningham, C. R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

Technetium transmutation and production of artificial stable ruthenium

The recent Russian results on technetium transmutation into ruthenium are summarized, including the first isolation of artificial stable ruthenium from irradiated technetium targets. To cite this article: V. Peretroukhine et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).

Résumé

Transmutation du technétium et production du ruthénium artificiel. Les résultats obtenus en Russie sur la transmutation du technétium en ruthénium artificiel et son isolement des cibles irradiées sont présentés. Pour citer cet article : V. Peretroukhine et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).     

Reversible photomagnetic properties of the molecular compound [{Cu(bipy)2}2{Mo(CN)8}]·9H2O·CH3OH

The optical and photomagnetic properties of [{Cu^II(bipy)₂}₂{Mo^IV(CN)₈}]·9H₂O·CH₃OH (1) have been reinvestigated. A comparison between spectra in solution and in the solid state revealed the presence of an intervalence band (or Metal–Metal Charge Transfer, hereafter noted MMCT) at 570 nm. The photomagnetic properties have been performed in a Superconducting QUantum Interference Device at 10 K with irradiation in the range of the MMCT: 488 nm, 520 nm and 647 nm at 10 K. An important increase of the magnetic signal has been measured after 1 h of irradiation at 488 nm, whereas a weaker increase has been obtained for the irradiation at 520 nm in the same conditions. Moreover, after an excitation at 488 nm, an irradiation at 647 nm has induced a decrease of the magnetic moment, which corresponds to a partial deexcitation. The complete characterization of the photoproduct has been realised after an irradiation of 4 h at 488 nm. The photomagnetic properties have shown an increase of the paramagnetism of 1 at low temperature. After a thermal heating at 300 K, the material goes back to its initial state before irradiation. It is the first time that a fully reversible photomagnetic behaviour for the compound [{Cu^II(bipy)₂}₂{Mo^IV(CN)₈}]·9H₂O·CH₃OH has been described. The observed properties have been discussed in terms of an electron transfer mechanism Mo → Cu.