Synthesis,Properties, and Dispersion of Few‐Layer Graphene Fluoride

We have fluorinated few‐layer graphene (FLG) by using a low‐temperature fluorination route with gaseous ClF₃. The treatment process resulted in a new graphene derivative with a finite approximate composition of C₂F. TEM studies showed that the product consisted of thin transparent sheets with no more than 10 fluorographene layers stacked together. Spectroscopic methods revealed a predominantly covalent nature of the C? F bonds in the as‐synthesized product and we found no evidence for the existence of so‐called “semi‐ionic” C? F bonds, as observed in bulk C_xF. In contrast to the case of graphite and typical (thick) expanded graphites, fluorination of FLG did not lead to the intercalation of ClF₃ molecules, owing to the lack of a 3D layered structure. The approximate “critical” number of graphene layers that were necessary to form a phase of intercalated compound was estimated to be more than 12, thus providing a “chemical proof” of the difference between the properties of few‐layered graphenes and bulk graphites. Fluorographene C₂F was successfully delaminated into thinner layers in organic solvents, which is an important property for its integration into electronic devices, nanohybrids, etc.     

Molecular Rotors in Porous Organic Frameworks

Porous organic frameworks perform a variety of functions, owing to their extremely large surface areas, but the dynamics of the structural elements have never been explored. Our discovery of ultra‐fast molecular rotors (10⁶ Hz at 225 K) in their architectures allows us to look at them from a new perspective. The constructive elements are robust struts and rapid rotors, resulting in a dynamic material whose motion can be frozen or released at will. The rotational motion can be actively regulated in response to guests. As the temperature is increased, the rotors spin ever faster, approaching free‐rotational diffusion at 550 K. The unusual combination of remarkable nanoporosity with fast dynamics is intriguing for engineering oscillating dipoles and producing responsive materials with switchable ferroelectricity, and for applications spanning from sensors to actuators, which capture and release chemicals on command.     

Two-layer molecular rotors: A zinc dimer rotating over planar hypercoordinate motifs

Multi-layer molecular rotors represent a class of unique combination of topology and bonding, featuring a barrier-free rotation of one layer with respect to other layers. This emerging fluxional behavior has been found in a few doped boron clusters. Herein, we strongly enrich this intriguing family followed by an effective design strategy, summarized as essential factors: i) considerable electrostatic interactions originated from a strong charge transfer between layers; ii) the absence of strong covalent bonds between layers; and iii) fully delocalized σ/π electrons from at least one layer. We found that planar hypercoordinate motifs consisting of monocyclic boron rings and metals with σ + π dual aromaticity can be regarded as one promising layer, which can support the suspended X₂ (X = Zn, Cd, Hg) dimers. By detailed investigations of thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities of 60 species, eventually, MB₇X₂⁻ and MB₈X₂ (X = Zn, Cd; M = Be, Ru, Os; Be works only for Zn-based cases) clusters were verified to be the global-minimum two-layer molecular rotors. Especially, their electronic structure analyses vividly confirm the practicability of the electronic structure requirements mentioned above for designing multi-layer molecular rotors.     

Fluorinated benzoxazines and the structure‐property relationship of resulting polybenzoxazines

Three fluorinated benzoxazines ( 14–16 ), which cannot be synthesized by the traditional one‐step approaches, were synthesized by a three‐step procedure using fluorinated aromatic diamines ( 2–4 ) as starting materials. The structures of the monomers were confirmed by ¹H NMR, IR, and high‐resolution mass spectra. The low dielectric thermosets, P( 14–16 ), were prepared by ring‐opening of ( 14–16 ). IR analysis was utilized to monitor the ring‐opening reaction of ( 14–16 ) and to propose the structures of P( 14–16 ). The thermal and dielectric properties of P( 14–16 ) were studied and compared with a nonfluorinated polybenzoxazine P( 13 ), which is derived form the ring‐opening of 2,2‐bis(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl)propane ( 1 ). Besides, the structure–property relationship of the P( 13–16 ) is discussed. According to T_g measurement, the ortho‐positioned CF₃ substituents impart greater steric hindrance for ring‐opening of benzoxazines than CF₃ substituents of hexafluoropropane. Incorporating a biphenol F‐based benzoxazine, ( F‐a ), into fluorinated benzoxazines ( 15–16 ) can dilute the effect of ortho‐positioned CF₃ substituents on steric hindrance, leading to a higher crosslinking density and consequently a higher Tg. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4970–4983, 2008     

Multiple Bonding Between Group 3 Metals and Fe(CO)3−

Heteronuclear Group 3 metal/iron carbonyl anion complexes ScFe(CO)₃^?, YFe(CO)₃^?, and LaFe(CO)₃^? are prepared in the gas phase and studied by mass‐selective infrared (IR) photodissociation spectroscopy as well as quantum‐chemical calculations. All three anion complexes are characterized to have a metal–metal‐bonded C_3v equilibrium geometry with all three carbonyl ligands bonded to the iron center and a closed‐shell singlet electronic ground state. Bonding analyses reveal that there are multiple bonding interactions between the bare group‐3 elements and the Fe(CO)₃^? fragment. Besides one covalent electron‐sharing metal–metal σ bond and two dative π bonds from Fe to the Group 3 metal, there is additional multicenter covalent bonding with the Group 3 atom bonded to Fe and the carbon atoms.     

New Noncentrosymmetric Tetrel Pnictides Composed of Square-Planar Gold(I) with Peculiar Bonding

Three novel isostructural equiatomic gold tetrel pnictides, AuSiAs, AuGeP, and AuGeAs, were synthesized and characterized. These phases crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric (NCS) monoclinic space group Cc (no. 9), featuring square-planar Au within cis-[AuTt₂Pn₂] units (Tt=tetrel, Si, Ge; Pn=pnictogen, P, As). This is in drastic contrast to the structure of previously reported AuSiP, which exhibits typical linear coordination of Au with Si and P. Chemical bonding analysis through the electron localization function suggests covalent two-center two-electron Tt−Pn bonds, and three-center Au−Tt−Au and Au−Pn−Au bonds with 1.6 e⁻ per bond. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies support the covalent and nonionic nature of Au−Pn and Au−Tt bonds. The title materials were found to be n-type narrow-gap semiconductors or semimetals, with nearly temperature-independent electrical resistivities and low thermal conductivities. A combination of the semimetallic properties with tunable NCS structure provides opportunities for the development of materials based on gold tetrel pnictides.     

Influence of post‐annealing on a diamondlike carbon film analyzed by Raman spectroscopy

The influence of a post‐annealing treatment on the chemical structure of a diamondlike carbon (DLC) film was clarified by Raman spectroscopy. The DLC films were synthesized by ionized deposition. The structures were elucidated via Raman analysis in conjunction with the sp² cluster model. The as‐prepared DLC film consisted of a dielectric matrix including sp³ carbon, where sp² clusters were floating. When the post‐annealing treatment commenced, especially between 450 and 600°C, carbon─hydrogen bonds were cleaved, and the hydrogen atoms were desorbed from the film, creating defects or dangling bonds. The defects were reactive in growing sp² clusters that were strained with numerous defects because of the restricted degrees of freedom in the solid. As the post‐annealing temperature further increased, the clusters became dominant and the strain was gradually dissolved.     

Hydrogen Bonding of Fluorinated Saccharides in Solution: F Acting as H‐Bond Acceptor in a Bifurcated H‐Bond of 4‐Fluorinated Levoglucosans

4‐Fluorinated levoglucosans were synthesised to test if OH???F H‐bonds are feasible even when the O???F distance is increased. The fluorinated 1,6‐anhydro‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoses were synthesised from 1,6 : 3,4‐dianhydro‐β‐D ‐galactopyranose ( 8 ). Treatment of 8 with KHF₂ and KF gave 43% of 4‐deoxy‐4‐fluorolevoglucosan ( 9 ), which was transformed into the 3‐O‐protected derivatives 13 by silylation and 15 by silylation, acetylation, and desilylation. 4‐Deoxy‐4‐methyllevoglucosan ( 19 ) and 4‐deoxylevoglucosan ( 21 ) were prepared as reference compounds that can only form a bivalent H‐bond from HO? C(2) to O? C(5). They were synthesised from the ⁱPr₃Si‐protected derivative of 8 . Intramolecular bifurcated H‐bonds from HO? C(2) to F? C(4) and O? C(5) of the 4‐fluorinated levoglucosans in CDCl₃ solution are evidenced by the ¹H‐NMR scalar couplings ^h1J(F,OH) and ³J(H,OH). The OH???F H‐bond over an O???F distance of ca. 3.0 Å is thus formed in apolar solvents, at least when favoured by the simultaneous formation of an OH???O H‐bond.     

Chemical Modification and Energetically Favorable Atomic Disorder of a Layered Thermoelectric Material TmCuTe2 Leading to High Performance

Thermoelectric (TE) materials have continuously attracted interest worldwide owing to their capability of converting heat into electricity. However, discovery and design of new TE material system remains one of the greatest difficulties. A TE material, TmCuTe₂, has been designed by a substructure approach and successfully synthesized. The structure mainly features CuTe₄‐based layers stacking along the c axis that are separated by Tm³⁺ cations. Such an intrinsic Cu site vacancy structure undergoes a first‐order phase transition at around 606 K driven by the energetically favorable uniform Cu atom re‐distribution on the covalent CuTe₄‐based layer substructure, as shown by crystal structure simulations and variable‐temperature XRD data. Featured with very low thermal conductivity (ca. 0.6 W m^?1 K^?1), large Seebeck coefficient (+185 μV K^?1), and moderate electrical conductivity (220 S cm^?1), TmCuTe₂ has a maximum ZT of 0.81 at 745 K, which is nine times higher than the value of 0.09 for binary Cu₂Te, thus making it a promising candidate for mid‐temperature TE applications. Theoretical studies uncover the electronic structure modifications from the metallic Cu₂Te to the narrow gap semiconductor TmCuTe₂ that lead to such a remarkable performance enhancement.     

Conductivity,proton percolation,and gelation during the network growth in a flexible chain diepoxide and diamine mixture

The conductivity of a stoichiometric mixture of diglycidyl ether of 1,4‐butanediol and 1,6‐hexamethylene diamine has been studied during its polymerization at several temperatures where the ultimate product is a crosslinked gel. The decrease in the dc conductivity, σ₀, with the polymerization time, t, fits an equation for bond percolation, σ₀ ∼ [(t_gel‐t)/t_gel]^p, and yields a gelation time, t_gel which agrees with the t_gel determined from the viscosity and shear modulus measurements. It is proposed that as one covalent bond forms on chemical reaction, an indeterminable number of intermolecular H‐bonds in the structure vanish, and protonic conduction is disrupted. Thus, as the original H‐bond network gives way to a covalently bonded network, the mechanical rigidity increases, and protonic conductivity decreases. The gel point is reached when the increase in the number of covalent bonds brings the liquid's state up to its rigidity percolation threshold, and the decrease in the number of H‐bonds brings it down to its electrical percolation threshold. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 122–126, 2000     

Remote Participation during Glycosylation Reactions of Galactose Building Blocks: Direct Evidence from Cryogenic Vibrational Spectroscopy

The stereoselective formation of 1,2‐cis‐glycosidic bonds is challenging. However, 1,2‐cis‐selectivity can be induced by remote participation of C4 or C6 ester groups. Reactions involving remote participation are believed to proceed via a key ionic intermediate, the glycosyl cation. Although mechanistic pathways were postulated many years ago, the structure of the reaction intermediates remained elusive owing to their short‐lived nature. Herein, we unravel the structure of glycosyl cations involved in remote participation reactions via cryogenic vibrational spectroscopy and first principles theory. Acetyl groups at C4 ensure α‐selective galactosylations by forming a covalent bond to the anomeric carbon in dioxolenium‐type ions. Unexpectedly, also benzyl ether protecting groups can engage in remote participation and promote the stereoselective formation of 1,2‐cis‐glycosidic bonds.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Energetic Properties of Nitroso Compounds

Sodium and potassium methyl(nitroso)amide (M[CH₃N₂O], M = Na ( 1 ), K ( 2 )) were prepared by the reaction of monomethylhydrazine with iso‐pentyl nitrite or n‐butyl nitrite and a suitable metal ethoxide (M[CH₃CH₂O], M = Na, K) in an ethanol‐ether mixture. The reaction of monomethylhydrazine with a small excess of iso‐pentyl nitrite or n‐butyl nitrite and in the absence of a metal ethoxide led to the formation of N‐nitroso‐N‐methylhydrazine (CH₃(NO)N–NH₂, ( 3 )). Alternatively, compound 3 was prepared by the amination reaction of 1 or 2 using the sodium salt of HOSA in ethanol solution. Compounds 1–3 were characterized using elemental analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, mass spectrometry, vibrational (infrared and Raman) and UV spectroscopy and multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N) NMR spectroscopy. For compounds 1–3 , several physical and chemical properties of interest and sensitivity data were measured and for compound 3 thermodynamic and explosive properties are also given. Additionally, the solid‐state structure of compound 3 was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis and the structures of the cis‐ and trans‐[CH₃N₂O]^– anions and that of 3 were optimized using DFT calculations and used to calculate the NBO charges.     

Direct Synthesis of a Covalent Triazine‐Based Framework from Aromatic Amides

There have been extensive efforts to synthesize crystalline covalent triazine‐based frameworks (CTFs) for practical applications and to realize their potential. The phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅)‐catalyzed direct condensation of aromatic amide instead of aromatic nitrile to form triazine rings. P₂O₅‐catalyzed condensation was applied on terephthalamide to construct a covalent triazine‐based framework (pCTF‐1). This approach yielded highly crystalline pCTF‐1 with high specific surface area (2034.1 m² g^?1). At low pressure, the pCTF‐1 showed high CO₂ (21.9 wt % at 273 K) and H₂ (1.75 wt % at 77 K) uptake capacities. The direct formation of a triazine‐based COF was also confirmed by model reactions, with the P₂O₅‐catalyzed condensation reaction of both benzamide and benzonitrile to form 1,3,5‐triphenyl‐2,4,6‐triazine in high yield.     

Molecular Heterostructures of Covalent Triazine Frameworks for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

Conjugated polymers have emerged as promising candidates for photocatalytic H₂ production owing to their structural designability and functional diversity. However, the fast recombination of photoexcited electrons and holes limits their H₂ production rates. We have now designed molecular heterostructures of covalent triazine frameworks to facilitate charge‐carrier separation and promote photocatalytic H₂ production. Benzothiadiazole and thiophene moieties were selectively incorporated into the covalent triazine frameworks as electron‐withdrawing and electron‐donating units, respectively, by a sequential polymerization strategy. The resulting hybrids exhibited much improved charge‐carrier‐separation efficiency as evidenced by photophysical and electrochemical characterization. An H₂ evolution rate of 6.6 mmol g^?1 h^?1 was measured for the optimal sample under visible‐light irradiation (λ>420 nm), which is far superior to that of most reported conjugated‐polymer photocatalysts.     

Molecular dynamics in fluorinated side-chain maleimide copolymers as studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy

A series of alternating maleimide (MI) copolymers with fluorinated side chains have been investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The side chains consist of fluoroalkane (–C _x F_2x+1, x=1, 7, 9) end groups connected to the main chain via methylene spacers. The experiments were carried out in a frequency range of 0.1 Hz to 10 MHz and at temperatures between 120 K and 500 K. The fluorinated MI copolymers show a fast sub-T _g (β) relaxation characterized by an Arrhenius-type temperature dependence with activation energy in the range of 30–37 kJ/mol. Two more processes (α and δ-like) are observed, corresponding to independent relaxations of the main chain and the fluoroalkane domains respectively. For shorter side chains, the δ-like process is not observed but instead another relaxation process, α _S , occurs at temperatures higher than either the α and δ-like processes. When compared with unfluorinated MI copolymers, the fluorinated MI copolymers show the δ-like process and a slower β-relaxation unlike their unfluorinated counterparts. A model to explain the molecular origin of the four processes is proposed, supplemented by differential scanning calorimetry and published WAXS/SAXS data.     

Experimental Charge Density Studies of Cyclotetrasilazane and Metal Complexes Containing the Di‐ and Tetraanion

The homologous series of parent octamethylcyclotetrasilazane (c‐NH‐SiMe₂‐)₄, ( 1 ), the lithium complex [(THF)₂Li₂(c‐N‐SiMe₂‐NH‐SiMe₂‐)₂]₂, ( 2 ), containing the cyclic dianion, and [(THF)₂LiAl(c‐N‐SiMe₂‐)₄]₂, ( 3 ), accommodating the unprecedented tetraanion [Me₂SiN]^4‐ was synthesized to investigate the nature of the covalent Si‐N single bond in the presence of various metals. These model compounds show a wide diversity of Si‐N(H), Si‐N(M), Si‐N(H, M) and M‐N bonds and serve as bench‐mark systems to study polar bonds by high‐resolution low‐temperature X‐ray structure analysis. Experimental charge density studies reveal highly polar Si‐N bonds with remarkable ionic contribution, even in the non‐metallated starting material 1 . The Li‐N and Li‐O bonds have to be classified as almost purely ionic bonds with topological properties not far from those determined for NaCl.     

Hydrogen versus fluorine: effects on molecular structure and intermolecular interactions in a platinum isocyanate complex

At the molecular level, the enantiomerically pure square‐planar organoplatinum complex (SP‐4‐4)‐(R)‐[2‐(1‐aminoethyl)‐5‐fluorophenyl‐κ²C¹,N][(R)‐1‐(4‐fluorophenyl)ethylamine‐κN](isocyanato‐κN)platinum(II), [Pt(C₈H₉FN)(NCO)(C₈H₁₀FN)], and its congener without fluorine substituents on the aryl rings adopt the same structure within error. The similarities between the compounds extend to the most relevant intermolecular interactions, i.e. N—H…O and N—H…N hydrogen bonds link neighbouring molecules into chains along the shortest lattice parameter in each structure. Differences between the crystal structures of the fluoro‐substituted and parent complex become obvious with respect to secondary interactions perpendicular to the classical hydrogen bonds; the fluorinated compound features short C—H…F contacts with an F…H distance of ca 2.6 Å. The fluorine substitution is also reflected in reduced backbonding from the metal cation to the isocyanate ligand.     

SrB5O7F3 Functionalized with [B5O9F3]6− Chromophores: Accelerating the Rational Design of Deep‐Ultraviolet Nonlinear Optical Materials

Fluorooxoborates, benefiting from the large optical band gap, high anisotropy, and ever‐greater possibility to form non‐centrosymmetric structures activated by the large polarization of [BO_xF_4?x]^(x+1)? building blocks, have been considered as the new fertile fields for searching the ultraviolet (UV) and deep‐UV nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. Herein, we report the first asymmetric alkaline‐earth metal fluorooxoborate SrB₅O₇F₃, which is rationally designed by taking the classic Sr₂Be₂B₂O₇ (SBBO) as a maternal structure. Its [B₅O₉F₃]^6? fundamental building block with near‐planar configuration composed by two edge‐sharing [B₃O₆F₂]^5? rings in SrB₅O₇F₃ has not been reported in any other borates. Solid state ¹⁹F and ¹¹B magic‐angle spinning NMR spectroscopy verifies the presence of covalent B?F bonds in SrB₅O₇F₃. Property characterizations reveal that SrB₅O₇F₃ possesses the optical properties required for deep‐UV NLO applications, which make SrB₅O₇F₃ a promising crystal that could produce deep‐UV coherent light by the direct SHG process.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Spectroscopic Properties of [2,13‐Bis(1‐naphthalenylmethyl)‐5,16‐dimethyl‐2,6,13,17‐tetraazatricyclo(14,4,01.18,07.12)docosane]copper(II) Diperchlorate Acetonitrile Disolvate

The N‐functionalized macrocyclic ligand 2,13‐bis(1‐naphthalenylmethyl)‐5,16‐dimethyl‐2,6,13,17‐tetraazatricyclo(14,4,0^1.18,0^7.12)docosane (L³) and its copper(II) complex were prepared. The crystal structure of [Cu(L³)](ClO₄)₂·2CH₃CN was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction at 150 K. The copper atom, which lies on an inversion centre, has a square planar arrangement and the complex adopts a stable trans‐III configuration. The longer distance [2.081(2) Å] for Cu–N(tertiary) compared to 2.030(3) Å for Cu–N(secondary) may be due to the steric effect of the attached naphthalenylmethyl group on the tertiary nitrogen atom. Two perchlorate ions are weakly attached to copper in axial sites and are further connected to the ligand of the cation through NH ··· O hydrogen bonds [N ··· O 3.098 Å]. IR and UV/Vis spectroscopic properties are also described.     

The Evolution Aspect in the Crystallization Process of [5,5′‐(HCF2CF2CH2OCH2)2‐2,2′‐bpy]MX2 (M = Pt,Pd; X = I,Br): Role of the Intramolecular CF2─H…X(─M) Hydrogen Bonds

The general species (2,2′‐bpy)MX₂ (M = Pd, Pt; X = Br, I) in a crystallization process results in an isomorphous convergence in P2₁/c. Yet, with polyfluorinated side chains, the general [5,5′‐(HCF₂CF₂CH₂OCH₂)₂‐2,2′‐bpy]MX₂ species proceeds to crystallize the isomorphous structures of 5 (M = Pt; X = I) and 6 (M = Pd; X = I) in P2₁/c only; structure 7 (M = Pt; X = Br) crystallizes in P2₁/c but is not isomorphous with 5 and 6 , and structure 8 (M = Pd; X = Br) forms differently in P–1. The causes making the system nonlinear are (1) the intramolecular CF₂─H^…X(─M) hydrogen bonds found in 5–7 but not in 8, and (2) in response to the transition from I to Br, bifurcated [C─H^…]₂ F ─C hydrogen bonds that are formed in 5 and 6 and bifurcated C─ H [^…F─C]₂ hydrogen bonds in 7 . Additionally, the intramolecular CF₂─H^…X(─M) hydrogen bonding from compounds 5–7 could be affirmed by the IR studies.