The Chemistry of Dichloromethylenammonium Salts (“Phosgenimonium Salts”)

Dichloromethylenammonium salts, particularly dichloromethylenedimethylammonium chloride, occupy a unique place as stable but reactive building blocks for synthesis. They contain three mobile chlorine atoms activated by an amino group on the same carbon atom. These salts can be regarded as chlorinated Vilsmeier or Mannich reagents and are thus at a higher oxidation level. As in the Mannich or Vilsmeier reaction, the carbon condenses here as an electrophile with formation of C? C or C? hetero atom bonds in a variety that is still far from being exhausted.     

The “Nickel Effect”

Whereas the reaction of ethylene and triethylaluminum under pressure at 100°C yields trialkylaluminum compounds having long alkyl chains, the presence of small amounts of nickel salts induces the formation of butene. The discovery of this “nickel effect” represents the starting point for the development of the Ziegler catalysts. Comparatively little was formerly known about the nature and the mode of action of the catalytically active nickel species. A basis for the elucidation of the effect was provided by studies on the reduction of nickel compounds by organoaluminum compounds, on the occurrence and existence of nickel hydrides, and on interactions between nickel(0) and Lewis acids as well as organic compounds of main group metals. The most significant result of these studies is the recognition that multicenter bonding systems involving trialkylaluminum compounds and nickel atoms are involved. These react further with complex bonded ethylene in what is probably a concerted manner.     

Applications of “Hot” and “Cold” Bis(thiosemicarbazonato) Metal Complexes in Multimodal Imaging

The applications of coordination chemistry to molecular imaging has become a matter of intense research over the past 10 years. In particular, the applications of bis(thiosemicarbazonato) metal complexes in molecular imaging have mainly been focused on compounds with aliphatic backbones due to the in vivo imaging success of hypoxic tumors with PET (positron emission tomography) using ⁶⁴CuATSM [copper (diacetyl‐bis(N4‐methylthiosemicarbazone))]. This compound entered clinical trials in the US and the UK during the first decade of the 21^st century for imaging hypoxia in head and neck tumors. The replacement of the ligand backbone to aromatic groups, coupled with the exocyclic N's functionalization during the synthesis of bis(thiosemicarbazones) opens the possibility to use the corresponding metal complexes as multimodal imaging agents of use, both in vitro for optical detection, and in vivo when radiolabeled with several different metallic species. The greater kinetic stability of acenaphthenequinone bis(thiosemicarbazonato) metal complexes, with respect to that of the corresponding aliphatic ATSM complexes, allows the stabilization of a number of imaging probes, with special interest in “cold” and “hot” Cu(II) and Ga(III) derivatives for PET applications and ¹¹¹In(III) derivatives for SPECT (single‐photon emission computed tomography) applications, whilst Zn(II) derivatives display optical imaging properties in cells, with enhanced fluorescence emission and lifetime with respect to the free ligands. Preliminary studies have shown that gallium‐based acenaphthenequinone bis(thiosemicarbazonato) complexes are also hypoxia selective in vitro, thus increasing the interest in them as new generation imaging agents for in vitro and in vivo applications.     

”The criterion was excellence“

The 3rd Euchems Conference is an ideal platform for spotlighting chemistry as the key source of sustainable solutions to the mega‐topics and challenges facing all of us today: energy, food supplies, and resources in a healthy environment. Nachrichten aus der Chemie talked with Francois Diederich and Andreas Hirsch, chairs of the Scientific Committee.     

The “disturbing zone” in overpressure layer chromatography (OPLC)

This paper describes the fundamental factors causing the “disturbing zone” in OPLC. This phenomenon of distorted substance zones appears when the OPLC separation is started with a dry layer and is due to interaction between the gas that is physically bound to the surface of the sorbent (m_a) and the gas molecules dissolved in the eluent (m_s). Possibilities for elimination of the adverse effects of disturbing zones ultimately depend on the establishment of operating conditions that inhibit their initial formation. Since modification of the location of the disturbing zone is only possible within a very narrow range, the sole solution to this problem is to conduct a pre-run, which may be carried out with hexane in the case of separation of apolar compounds. For separation of polar substances, the pre-run may also be performed with hexane or with a solvent of the mobile phase in which the components are unable to migrate. The selection of this solvent may be considered during the optimization of the eluent system.     

“Superpermeability” and “pumping” of atomic hydrogen through palladium membranes

Permeation of atomic as well as molecular hydrogen through palladium membranes has been investigated experimentally in the temperature range from room temperature to 200 °C and at a higher incident flux of hydrogen atoms on palladium surface than in previous studies. The results demonstrate that phenomena of ‘superpermeability’ and ‘pumping’ of atomic gases through metal membranes are of a common nature. A theoretical model based on chemical thermodynamics and diffusion theory adequately describes the quantitative relationships observed in experiments. It was found that permeability of atomic hydrogen depends strongly on the magnitude of surface incident flux and membrane temperature.