Self‐Assembly,Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Studies of Nickel(II)‐4,8‐Diazaundecanediamide Complex

The self‐assembly of NiCl₂·6H₂O with a diaminodiamide ligand 4,8‐diazaundecanediamide (L‐2,3,2) gave a [Ni(C₉H₂₀N₄O₂)(Cl)(H₂O)] Cl·2H₂O ( 1 ). The structure of 1 was characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Structural data for 1 indicate that the Ni(II) is coordinated to two tertiary N atoms, two O atoms, one water and one chloride in a distorted octahedral geometry. Crystal data for 1: orthorhombic, space group P 21nb, a = 9.5796(3) Å, b = 12.3463(4) Å, c = 14.6305(5) Å, Z = 4. Through NH···Cl–Ni (H···Cl 2.42 Å, N···Cl 3.24 Å, NH···Cl 158°) and OH···Cl–Ni contacts (H···Cl 2.36 Å, O···Cl 3.08 Å, OH···Cl 143°), each cationic moiety [Ni(C₉H₂₀N₄O₂) (Cl)(H₂O)]⁺ in 1 is linked to neighboring ones, producing a charged hydrogen‐bonded 1D chainlike structure. Thermogrametric analysis of compound 1 is consistent with the crystallographic observations. The electronic absorption spectrum of Ni(L‐2,3,2)²⁺ in aqueous solution shows four absorption bands, which are assigned to the ³A_2g → ³T_2g, ³T_2g → ¹Eg, ³T_2g → ³T_1g, and ³A_2g → ³T_1g transitions of triplet‐ground state, distorted octahedral nickel(II) complex. The cyclic volammetric measurement shows that Ni²⁺ is more easily reduced than Ni(L‐2,3,2)²⁺ in aqueous solution.     

4‐(3‐Azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium chloride hydrogen oxalate: an unusual example of a dication with different counter‐anions

The mixed organic–inorganic title salt, C₇H₁₈N₂O²⁺·C₂HO₄⁻·Cl⁻, forms an assembly of ionic components which are stabilized through a series of hydrogen bonds and charge‐assisted intermolecular interactions. The title assembly crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/c space group with Z = 8. The asymmetric unit consists of a 4‐(3‐azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium dication, a hydrogen oxalate counter‐anion and an inorganic chloride counter‐anion. The organic cations and anions are connected through a network of N—H...O, O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming several intermolecular rings that can be described by the graph‐set notations R₃³(13), R₂¹(5), R₁²(5), R₂¹(6), R₂³(6), R₂²(8) and R₃³(9). The 4‐(3‐azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium dications are interconnected through N—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming C(9) chains that run diagonally along the ab face. Furthermore, the hydrogen oxalate anions are interconnected via O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming head‐to‐tail C(5) chains along the crystallographic b axis. The two types of chains are linked through additional N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds, and the hydrogen oxalate chains are sandwiched by the 4‐(3‐azaniumylpropyl)morpholin‐4‐ium chains, forming organic layers that are separated by the chloride anions. Finally, the layered three‐dimensional structure is stabilized via intermolecular N—H...Cl and C—H...Cl interactions.     

Internal Dynamics in Halogen‐Bonded Adducts: A Rotational Study of Chlorotrifluoromethane–Formaldehyde

The rotational spectra of two isotopologues of the 1:1 complex between chlorotrifluoromethane and formaldehyde have been recorded and analyzed by using Fourier‐transform microwave spectroscopy. Only one rotamer was detected, with the two constituent molecules held together through a Cl???O halogen bond (R_Cl???O=3.048 Å). The dimer displays two simultaneous large‐amplitude intramolecular motions. The internal rotation of formaldehyde around its symmetry axis (V₂=28(5) cm^?1) splits all the rotational transitions into two component lines with a relative intensity ratio of 1:3. On the other hand, the almost free internal rotation (V₃≈2.5 cm^?1) of the CF₃ symmetric top increases the “rigid” value of the rotational constant A by almost one order of magnitude. In addition, all the transitions display a hyperfine structure due to the ³⁵Cl (or ³⁷Cl) nucleus quadrupole effects.     

A one‐dimensional ladder‐like six‐coordinate cadmium polymer: catena‐poly[bis[(S)‐2‐methylpiperazine‐1,4‐diium] [bis[trichloridocadmium(II)]‐di‐μ3‐chlorido]]

The crystal structure of the title compound {(C₅H₁₄N₂)₂[Cd₂Cl₈]}_n, (I), consists of hydrogen‐bonded 2‐methylpiperazinediium (H₂MPPA²⁺) cations in the presence of one‐dimensional polymeric {[CdCl₃(μ₃‐Cl)]²⁻}_n anions. The Cd^II centres are hexacoordinated by three terminal chlorides and three bridging chlorides and have a slightly distorted octahedral CdCl₃(μ₃‐Cl)₃ arrangement. The alternating CdCl₆ octahedra form four‐membered Cd₂Cl₂ rings by the sharing of neighbouring Cd–Cl edges to give rise to extended one‐dimensional ladder‐like chains parallel to the b axis, with a Cd...Cd distance of 4.094 (2) Å and a Cd...Cd...Cd angle of 91.264 (8)°. The H₂MPPA²⁺ cations crosslink the [CdCl₃(μ₃‐Cl)]_n chains by the formation of two N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds to each chain, giving rise to one‐dimensional ladder‐like H₂MPPA²⁺–Cl₂ hydrogen‐bonded chains [graph set R₄²(14)]. The [CdCl₃(μ₃‐Cl)]_n chains are interwoven with the H₂MPPA²⁺–Cl₂ hydrogen‐bonded chains, giving rise to a three‐dimensional supramolecular network.     

Copper(I) π‐Complexes with 2‐Butyne‐1,4‐diol. Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Na[CuCl2(HOCH2C≡CCH2OH)]·2H2O

Crystals of anionic Na[CuCl₂(HOCH₂C≡CCH₂OH)]·2H₂O π‐complex have been synthesized by interaction of 2‐butyne‐1,4‐diol with CuCl in a concentrated aqueous NaCl solution and characterized by X‐ray diffraction at 100 K. The crystals are triclinic: space group , a = 7.142(3), b = 7.703(3), c = 10.425(4) Å, α = 105.60(3), β = 99.49(3), γ = 110.43(3)°, V = 495.9(4) ų, Z = 2, R = 0.0203 for 3496 reflections. The structure is built of discrete [CuCl₂(HOCH₂C≡CCH₂OH)]^? anionic stacks and polymeric cations among the stacks. The Cu^I atom adopts trigonal planar coordination of two Cl^? anions and the C≡C bond of 2‐butyne‐1,4‐diol, Cu–(C≡C) distance is equal to 1.903(3) Å. Na⁺ cations environment is octahedral and consists of O and Cl atoms. The crystal packing is governed by strong hydrogen bonds of O–H···Cl and O–H···O types.     

Polymerization of 1,3‐dienes with functional groups. III. Free‐radical polymerization of N,N‐diethyl‐2‐methylene‐3‐butenamide

Free‐radical homo‐ and copolymerization behavior of N,N‐diethyl‐2‐methylene‐3‐butenamide (DEA) was investigated. When the monomer was heated in bulk at 60 °C for 25 h without initiator, rubbery, solid gel was formed by the thermal polymerization. No such reaction was observed when the polymerization was carried out in 2 mol/L of benzene solution with with 1 mol % of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. The polymerization rate (R_p) equation was R_p ∝ [DEA]^1.1[AIBN]^0.51, and the overall activation energy of polymerization was calculated 84.1 kJ/mol. The microstructure of the resulting polymer was exclusively a 1,4‐structure where both 1,4‐E and 1,4‐Z structures were included. From the product analysis of the telomerization with tert‐butylmercaptan as a telogen, the modes of monomer addition were estimated to be both 1,4‐ and 4,1‐addition. The copolymerizations of this monomer with styrene and/or chloroprene as comonomers were also carried out in benzene solution at 60 °C. In the copolymerization with styrene, the monomer reactivity ratios obtained were r₁ = 5.83 and r₂ = 0.05, and the Q and e values were Q = 8.4 and e = 0.33, respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 999–1007, 2004     

Theoretical study of spectroscopic and molecular properties of several low‐lying electronic states of CO molecule

The potential energy curves (PECs) of eight low‐lying electronic states (X¹Σ⁺, a³Π, a′³Σ⁺, d³Δ, e³Σ^?, A¹Π, I¹Σ^?, and D¹Δ) of the carbon monoxide molecule have been studied by an ab initio quantum chemical method. The calculations have been performed using the complete active space self‐consistent field method, which is followed by the valence internally contracted multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) approach in combination with the correlation‐consistent aug‐cc‐pV5Z basis set. The effects on the PECs by the core‐valence correlation and relativistic corrections are included. The way to consider the relativistic corrections is to use the third‐order Douglas–Kroll Hamiltonian approximation at the level of a cc‐pV5Z basis set. Core‐valence correlation corrections are performed using the cc‐pCVQZ basis set. To obtain more reliable results, the PECs determined by the MRCI calculations are corrected for size‐extensivity errors by means of the Davidson modification (MRCI+Q). The spectroscopic parameters (D_e, T_e, R_e, ω_e, ω_ex_e, ω_ey_e, B_e, α_e, and γ_e) of these electronic states are calculated using these PECs. The spectroscopic parameters are compared with those reported in the literature. Using the Breit–Pauli operator, the spin–orbit coupling effect on the spectroscopic parameters is discussed for the a³Π electronic state. With the PECs obtained by the MRCI+Q/aug‐cc‐pV5Z+CV+DK calculations, the complete vibrational states of each electronic state have been determined. The vibrational manifolds have been calculated for each vibrational state of each electronic state. The vibrational level G(ν), inertial rotation constant B_ν, and centrifugal distortion constant D_ν of the first 20 vibrational states when the rotational quantum number J equals zero are reported and compared with the experimental data. Comparison with the measurements demonstrates that the present spectroscopic parameters and molecular constants determined by the MRCI+Q/aug‐cc‐pV5Z+CV+DK calculations are both reliable and accurate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Evaluation of Several Molybdenum and Ruthenium Catalysts for the Metathesis Homocoupling of 3‐Methyl‐1‐Butene

We synthesized Mo(NC ₆F₅)(CHCM e₂Ph)(TPPO )(PP hMe₂)Cl (TPPO = 2,3,5,6‐tetraphenylphenoxide), Mo(NC ₆F₅)(CHCM e₂Ph)(TTBTO )(PP hMe₂)Cl (TTBTO = 2,6‐di(3′,5′‐di‐tert‐butylphenyl)phenoxide), and Mo(NC ₆F₅)(CHCM e₂Ph)(TPPO )(PP hMe₂)(CF ₃Pyr) (CF ₃Pyr = 3,4‐bistrifluoromethylpyrrolide), in order to evaluate them as catalysts for the homocoupling of 3‐methyl‐1‐butene. They were compared with Mo(NC ₆F₅)(CHCM e₂Ph)(HMTO )(PP hMe₂)Cl (HMTO = 2,6‐dimesitylphenoxide), Mo(NC ₆F₅)(CHCM e₂Ph)(HIPTO )(PP hMe₂)Cl (HIPTO = 2,6‐di(2′,4′,6′‐triisopropylphenyl)phenoxide), and several other Mo and Ru catalysts. In the best cases turnover numbers (TON s) of 400 – 700 were observed for the homocoupling of 3‐methyl‐1‐butene in a closed vessel (ethylene not removed).     

Polymorphism in 2‐(4‐hydroxy‐2,6‐dimethylanilino)‐5,6‐dihydro‐4H‐1,3‐thiazin‐3‐ium chloride

Details of the structures of two conformational polymorphs of the title compound, C₁₂H₁₇N₂OS⁺·Cl⁻, are reported. In form (I) (space group P), the two N—H groups of the cation are in a trans conformation, while in form (II) (space group P2₁/c), they are in a cis arrangement. This results in different packing and hydrogen‐bond arrangements in the two forms, both of which have extended chains lying along the a direction. In form (I), these chains are composed of centrosymmetric R₄²(18) (N—H...Cl and O—H...Cl) hydrogen‐bonded rings and R₂²(18) (N—H...O) hydrogen‐bonded rings. In form (II), the chains are formed by centrosymmetric R₄²(18) (N—H...Cl and O—H...Cl) hydrogen‐bonded rings and by R₄²(12) (N—H...Cl) hydrogen‐bonded rings.     

Ruthenium‐Oxide‐Coated Sodium Vanadium Fluorophosphate Nanowires as High‐Power Cathode Materials for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Sodium‐ion batteries are a very promising alternative to lithium‐ion batteries because of their reliance on an abundant supply of sodium salts, environmental benignity, and low cost. However, the low rate capability and poor long‐term stability still hinder their practical application. A cathode material, formed of RuO₂‐coated Na₃V₂O₂(PO₄)₂F nanowires, has a 50 nm diameter with the space group of I4/mmm. When used as a cathode material for Na‐ion batteries, a reversible capacity of 120 mAh g^?1 at 1 C and 95 mAh g^?1 at 20 C can be achieved after 1000 charge–discharge cycles. The ultrahigh rate capability and enhanced cycling stability are comparable with high performance lithium cathodes. Combining first principles computational investigation with experimental observations, the excellent performance can be attributed to the uniform and highly conductive RuO₂ coating and the preferred growth of the (002) plane in the Na₃V₂O₂(PO₄)₂F nanowires.     

Synthesis,micelle formation,and bulk properties of poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(pentafluorostyrene)‐g‐polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane amphiphilic hybrid copolymers

The synthesis, micelle formation, and bulk properties of semifluorinated amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(pentafluorostyrene)‐g‐cubic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (PEG‐b‐PPFS‐g‐POSS) hybrid copolymers is reported. The synthesis of amphiphilic PEG‐b‐PPFS block copolymers are achieved using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) at 100 °C in trifluorotoluene using modified poly(ethylene glycol) as a macroinitiator. Subsequently, a proportion of the reactive para‐F functionality on the pentafluorostyrene units was replaced with aminopropylisobutyl POSS through aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions. The products were fully characterized by ¹H‐NMR and GPC. The products, PEG‐b‐PPFS and PEG‐b‐PPFS‐g‐POSS, were subsequently self‐assembled in aqueous solutions to form micellar structures. The critical micelle concentrations (cmc) were estimated using two different techniques: fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cmc was found to decrease concomitantly with the number of POSS particles grafted per copolymer chain. The hydrodynamic particle sizes (R_h) of the micelles, calculated from DLS data, increase as the number of POSS molecules grafted per copolymer chain increases. For example, R_h increased from ～60 nm for PEG‐b‐PPFS to ～80 nm for PEG‐b‐PPFS‐g‐POSS25 (25 is the average number of POSS particles grafted copolymer chain). Static light scattering (SLS) data confirm that the formation of larger micelles by higher POSS containing copolymers results from higher aggregation numbers (N_agg), caused by increased hydrophobicity. The R_g/R_h values, where R_g is the radius of gyration calculated from SLS data, are consistent with a spherical particle model having a core‐shell structure. Thermal characterization by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) reveals that the grafted POSS acts as a plasticizer; the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the PPFS block in the copolymer decreases significantly with increasing POSS content. Finally, the rhombohedral crystal structure of POSS in PEG‐b‐PPFS‐g‐POSS was verified by wide angle X‐ray diffraction measurements. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 152–163, 2010     

Asymmetric Photochemical Synthesis of Chiral 5‐(R)‐(l)‐Menthyloxy‐4‐Cycloaminobutyrolactones

Through photocatalysed regiospecific and stereoselective additions of cycloamines to 5‐(R)‐(l)‐menthyloxy‐2 (5H)‐furanone (3), chiral 5‐(R)‐(l)‐menthyloxy‐4‐cycloaminobutyrolactones were synthesized. In the new asymmetric photoaddition of compound 3, the N‐methyl cyclic amines (4) gave novel chiral C? C photoadducts (5) in 24–50% isolated yields with d. e. ≥ 98%. However, the secondary cyclic amines (6) afforded optically active N? C photoadducts (7) in 34–58% isolated yields with d. e. ≥ 98% under the same condition. All the synthesized optically active compounds were identified on the basis of their analytical data and spectroscopic data, such as [α]₅₈₉²⁰, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS and elementary analysis. The photosynthesis of chiral butyrolactones and its mechanism were discussed in detail.     

Sodium and Manganese Stoichiometry of P2‐Type Na2/3MnO2

To realize a reversible solid‐state Mn^III/IV redox couple in layered oxides, co‐operative Jahn–Teller distortion (CJTD) of six‐coordinate Mn^III (t_2g³–e_g¹) is a key factor in terms of structural and physical properties. We develop a single‐phase synthesis route for two polymorphs, namely distorted and undistorted P2‐type Na_2/3MnO₂ having different Mn stoichiometry, and investigate how the structural and stoichiometric difference influences electrochemical reaction. The distorted Na_2/3MnO₂ delivers 216 mAh g^?1 as a 3 V class positive electrode, reaching 590 Wh (kg oxide)^?1 with excellent cycle stability in a non‐aqueous Na cell and demonstrates better electrochemical behavior compared to undistorted Na_2/3MnO₂. Furthermore, reversible phase transitions correlated with CJTD are found upon (de)sodiation for distorted Na_2/3MnO₂, providing a new insight into utilization of the Mn^III/IV redox couple for positive electrodes of Na‐ion batteries.     

Synthesis of a well‐defined polyallene‐based amphiphilic graft copolymer via sequential living coordination polymerization and SET‐LRP

A well‐defined amphiphilic graft copolymer, poly(6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol)‐g‐poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMHDO‐g‐PDMAEMA), has been synthesized by the combination of living coordination polymerization, single electron transfer‐living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP), and the grafting‐from strategy. PMHDO backbone containing double bonds and pendant hydroxyls was first prepared by [(η³‐allyl)NiOCOCF₃]₂‐initiated living coordination polymerization of 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol (MHDO) followed by treating the pendant hydroxyls with 2‐chloropropionyl chloride to give PMHDO‐Cl macroinitiator. SET‐LRP of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was performed in THF/H₂O using PMHDO‐Cl as macroinitiator and CuCl/Me₆TREN as catalytic system to afford the well‐defined PMHDO‐g‐PDMAEMA graft copolymer with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.28). The grafting density was as high as 92%. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) in water was determined by fluorescence probe technique and the micellar morphology was preliminarily explored by transmission electron microscopy. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Silicon‐ and Tin‐Containing Open‐Chain and Eight‐Membered‐Ring Compounds as Bicentric Lewis Acids toward Anions

Herein, we report the syntheses of silicon‐ and tin‐containing open‐chain and eight‐membered‐ring compounds Me₂Si(CH₂SnMe₂X)₂ ( 2 , X=Me; 3 , X=Cl; 4 , X=F), CH₂(SnMe₂CH₂I)₂ ( 7 ), CH₂(SnMe₂CH₂Cl)₂ ( 8 ), cyclo‐Me₂Sn(CH₂SnMe₂CH₂)₂SiMe₂ ( 6 ), cyclo‐(Me₂SnCH₂)₄ ( 9 ), cyclo‐Me_(2?n)X_nSn(CH₂SiMe₂CH₂)₂SnX_nMe_(2?n) ( 5 , n=0; 10 , n = 1, X= Cl; 11 , n=1, X= F; 12 , n=2, X= Cl), and the chloride and fluoride complexes NEt₄[cyclo‐ Me(Cl)Sn(CH₂SiMe₂CH₂)₂Sn(Cl)Me?F] ( 13 ), PPh₄[cyclo‐Me(Cl)Sn(CH₂SiMe₂CH₂)₂Sn(Cl)Me?Cl] ( 14 ), NEt₄[cyclo‐Me(F)Sn(CH₂SiMe₂CH₂)₂Sn(F)Me?F] ( 15 ), [NEt₄]₂[cyclo‐Cl₂Sn(CH₂SiMe₂CH₂)₂SnCl₂?2 Cl] ( 16 ), M[Me₂Si(CH₂Sn(Cl)Me₂)₂?Cl] ( 17 a , M=PPh₄; 17 b , M=NEt₄), NEt₄[Me₂Si(CH₂Sn(Cl)Me₂)₂?F] ( 18 ), NEt₄[Me₂Si(CH₂Sn(F)Me₂)₂?F] ( 19 ), and PPh₄[Me₂Si(CH₂Sn(Cl)Me₂)₂?Br] ( 20 ). The compounds were characterised by electrospray mass‐spectrometric, IR and ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F, ²⁹Si, and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectroscopic analysis, and, except for 15 and 18 , single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies.     

catena‐Poly[[(2,2′‐biimidazole‐κ2N,N′)chloro­copper(II)]‐μ‐chloro]

In the polymeric title compound, [CuCl₂(C₆H₆N₄)]_n, each Cu^II ion is five‐coordinated by four basal atoms (two N atoms from a 2,2′‐biimidazole mol­ecule and two Cl⁻ anions) and one axial Cl⁻ anion, in a distorted square‐pyramidal coordination geometry. Cl⁻ anions bridge the {Cu(C₆H₆N₄)Cl} units into one‐dimensional linear chains, which are reinforced by π–π inter­actions. Adjacent linear chains are linked by N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, resulting in a grid layer. The hydrogen‐bonding pattern can be described in graph‐set notation as C(9)R(9)R(14). This study extends our knowledge of the multifunctional properties of the 2,2′‐biimidazole ligand and of the coordination stereochemistry of copper(II).     

GRECP/MRD‐CI calculations of spin‐orbit splitting in ground state of Tl and of spectroscopic properties of TlH

The generalized relativistic effective core potential (GRECP) approach is employed in the framework of multireference single‐ and double‐excitation configuration interaction (MRD‐CI) method to calculate the spin‐orbit splitting in the ²P^o ground state of the Tl atom and spectroscopic constants for the 0⁺ ground state of TlH. The 21‐electron GRECP for Tl is used, and the outer core 5s and 5p pseudospinors are frozen with the help of the level shift technique. The spin‐orbit selection scheme with respect to relativistic multireference states and the corresponding code are developed and applied in the calculations. In this procedure both correlation and spin‐orbit interactions are taken into account. A [4,4,4,3,2] basis set is optimized for the Tl atom and employed in the TlH calculations. Very good agreement is found for the equilibrium distance, vibrational frequency, and dissociation energy of the TlH ground state (R_e=1.870 Å, ω_e=1420 cm⁻¹, D_e=2.049 eV) as compared with the experimental data (R_e=1.872 Å, ω_e=1391 cm⁻¹, D_e=2.06 eV). © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 81: 409–421, 2001     

Conformational analysis of some 1R,4S‐2‐arylidene‐p‐menthan‐3‐ones by 1H NMR spectroscopy and molecular simulation

Based on ¹H NMR spectral analysis combined with molecular simulation, conformational states of the cyclohexanone ring were studied for some 1R,4S‐2‐(4‐X‐benzylidene)‐p‐menthan‐3‐ones (X = COOCH₃ or C₆H₅) in CDCl₃ and C₆D₆. The co‐existence of chair conformers with an axial orientation of both alkyl substituents and twist‐boat forms was established for the compounds studied at room temperature (22–23° C). The substituent X does not influence appreciably the ratio of these conformers, but the fraction of twist‐boat forms increases noticeably in benzene solutions as compared with CDCl₃ solutions. Rotameric states of the isopropyl fragment were also characterised for the compounds studied. Distinctions in conformational states for the 1R,4S‐2‐arylidene‐p‐menthan‐3‐ones and (?)‐menthone were revealed and are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Chloride Affinity of Sterically Demanding Ditopic Lithium Bis(pyrazol‐1‐yl)borates

The synthesis and full characterization of the sterically demanding ditopic lithium bis(pyrazol‐1‐yl)borates Li₂[p‐C₆H₄(B(Ph)pz^R₂)₂] is reported (pz^R = 3‐phenylpyrazol‐1‐yl ( 3 ^Ph), 3‐t‐butylpyrazol‐1‐yl ( 3 ^tBu)). Compound 3 ^Ph crystallizes from THF as THF‐adduct 3 ^Ph(THF)₄ which features a straight conformation with a long Li···Li distance of 12.68(1) Å. Compound 3 ^tBu was found to function as efficient and selective scavenger of chloride ions. In the presence of LiCl it forms anionic complexes [ 3 ^tBuCl]⁻ with a central Li‐Cl‐Li core (Li···Li = 3.75(1) Å).     

Synthesis,Spectroscopic, and X‐Ray Diffraction Studies of cis‐Dichlorobis(4‐propanoyl‐2,4‐dihydro‐5‐methyl‐2‐phenyl3 H‐pyrazol‐3‐onato) Tin(IV)

Reaction between an aqueous ethanol solution of tin(II) chloride and that of 4‐propanoyl‐2,4‐dihydro‐5‐methyl‐2‐phenyl‐3 H‐pyrazol‐3‐one in the presence of O₂ gave the compound cis‐dichlorobis(4‐propanoyl‐2,4‐dihydro‐5‐methyl‐2‐phenyl‐3 H‐pyrazol‐3‐onato) tin(IV) [(C₂₆H₂₆N₄O₄)SnCl₂]. The compound has a six‐coordinated Sn^IV centre in a distorted octahedral configuration with two chloro ligands in cis position. The tin atom is also at a pseudo two‐fold axis of inversion for both the ligand anions and the two cis‐chloro ligands. The orange compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P 1 with unit cell dimensions, a = 8.741(3) Å, b = 12.325(7) Å, c = 13.922(7) Å; α = 71.59(4), β = 79.39(3), γ = 75.18(4); Z = 2 and D_x = 1.575 g cm^–3. The important bond distances in the chelate ring are Sn–O [2.041 to 2.103 Å], Sn–Cl [2.347 to 2.351 Å], C–O [1.261 to 1.289 Å] and C–C [1.401 Å] the bond angles are O–Sn–O 82.6 to 87.7° and Cl–Sn–Cl 97.59°. The UV, IR, ¹H NMR and ¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer spectral data of the compound are reported and discussed.