Structure and stability of closo-hexaboranes and their heteroanalogs

The molecular and electronic structures of closo-hexaboranes B₆H₆ ^2–, B₆H₇ ^–, and B₆H₈ and closo-heterohexaboranes XYB₄H₄ (X = Y = CH, N; X = BH, Y = CH^–, N^–, NH, O) were studed by the ab initio (MP2(full)/6-311+G**) and density functional (B3LYP/6-311+G**) methods. The bridging H atoms in closo-hexaboranes B₆H₇ ^– and B₆H₈ can undergo facile low-barrier migrations around the boron cage (the barrier heights are about 10—15 kcal mol^–1). All heteroboranes having octahedron-like structures with hypercoordinated N and O atoms are rather stable and can be the subject of synthetic research efforts.     

Reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline with carbon monoxide and water

Modified catalyst systems composed of palladium or its chloride and co-catalysts such as FeCl₃, Fe₂O₃, metallic Fe-powder, metallic Fe-wire net, iodine, pyridine or aniline, applied in the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline in the presence of carbon monoxide and water are described. The reaction proceeds at 150–180 °C and 2.5–7 MPa gauge pressure. After 1–7 h the reaction was complete, reaching nitrobenzene conversions of 98–100%. Selectivity of the reaction with respect to aniline was also 100%.     

The O–H···O, O–H···N and C–H···O hydrogen bonds in 1,4-dimethylpiperazine mono-betaine monohydrate

1,4-Dimethylpiperazine mono-betaine (1-carboxymethyl-1,4-dimethylpiperazinium inner salt, MBPZ) crystallizes as monohydrate. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pccn. Two MBPZ molecules and two water molecules form a cyclic oligomer, (MBPZ·H₂O)₂. The O–H···O and O–H···N hydrogen bonds are of 2.769(1) and 2.902(1) Å, respectively. The dimers interact with the neighboring molecules through the C–H···O hydrogen bonds of 3.234(1) Å. The piperazine ring assumes a chair conformation with the N(4)–CH₃ and N⁺(1)–CH₂COO⁻ groups in the equatorial position and the N⁺(1)–CH₃ group in the axial one. The FTIR spectrum is compared with that calculated by the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory.     

Electrochemical Properties of Superoxide Ion in Aprotic Media

The electrochemical response of the oxygen/superoxide ion (O₂/O ₂ ^.- ) couple at glassy carbon electrode in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) is investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The electrode reaction mechanisms of superoxide ion with hydroquinone and ethyl acetate are discussed in detail. The macroscale generation of superoxide ion is carried out by means of controlled-potential electrolysis. The UV spectrum of superoxide ion in DMF, obtained for the first time, exhibits a single absorption band with _max at 273 nm within 190–500 nm.     

Surface redox polymerized SPEEK–MO2–PANI (M = Si, Zr and Ti) composite polyelectrolyte membranes impervious to methanol

We reported sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK, 61% degree of sulfonation)–metal oxides (MO₂:SiO₂, TiO₂ and ZrO₂)–polyaniline composite membranes. Metal oxides were incorporated into the swelled SPEEK membrane by sol–gel method and cured by thermal treatment. SPEEK–metal oxide membranes surfaces were modified with polyaniline (PANI) by a redox polymerization process. It was observed that water retention capacity of membrane was increased and methanol permeability was reduced due to synergetic effect of metal oxides and surface modification with polyaniline. These composite membranes showed extremely low methanol permeability (1.9–1.3 × 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹), which was lower than till reported values either for SPEEK–metal oxide or SPEEK/PANI membranes. Relatively high selectivity parameter (SP) values at 343 K of these membranes, especially S–SiO₂–PANI and S–TiO₂–PANI, indicated their great advantages over Nafion117 (N117) membrane for targeting on moderate temperature applications due to the synergetic effect of MO₂ and PANI in SPEEK matrix. S–TiO₂–PANI and N117 showed comparable cell performance in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).     

Determination of Potassium and Sodium in Nonaqueous Solvents by Stripping Voltammetry in a Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Field

The effect of a radio-frequency electromagnetic field on the parameters of the analytical signal of potassium and sodium in stripping voltammetry in nonaqueous solvents was studied. Sodium and potassium can be separately determined in a concentration range of 2 × 10^–5–2 × 10^–7 M (RSD = 10–17%) upon the irradiation of the solution with an electromagnetic field of a frequency of 55 MHz. The irradiation efficiency depends on the frequency and the nature of the solvent. The detection limits for potassium and sodium were 8.0 × 10^–8 and 1.0 × 10^–7 M, respectively, in the presence of 0.02 M [(C₄H₉)₄N]I in dimethylformamide at a field frequency of 55 MHz.     

Applications of pulse radiolysis and flash photolysis to some problems related to the chemistry of cancer therapy

The semireduced form (Adr) of the anti-tumour agent adriamycin is implicated in cardiotoxic side effects. Adr, prepared by reduction with e _aq ^– and CO ₂ ^– , has pK values at 2.9 and 9.2. In the pH range 6–11, Adr is relatively stable, existing in equilibrium with Adr and the hydroquinone, the latter subsequently losing the sugar within 100 ms. The E ₇ ¹ of Adrais –328 mV, so at equilibrium the reaction O ₂ ^– + AdrO₂ + Adr lies well over to the left. The relative yields of O₂(¹g) formed via energy transfer from triplet excited components of haematoporphyrin derivative, the drug used in photodynamic therapy, have been measured by observations of the phosphorescence emission at 1270 nm. The measurements suggest that the most active component, dihaematoporphyrin ether or ester, is comparatively ineffective itself photodynamically, but may serve as a pool for the more effective haematoporphyrin and hydroxyethylvinylporphyrin to act inside the cancer cell. One-electron oxidation of dopa, through N ₃ ^. or photoionization, leads to the melanin precursor dopachrome via dopasemiquinone and dopaquinone. The latter reacts with cysteine to form cysteinyldopa, a marker for malignant melanoma metastasis. N ₃ ^. —initiated oxidation of cysteinyldopa proceeds via a different mechanism involving the corresponding semiquinone, quinone and a quinone-imine which rearranges to a more stable benzothiazole.     

Transition-metal complexes as catalysts of active oxygen species formation in autooxidation reactions

Water-soluble Co and Fe phthalocyanines catalyze autooxidation of ascorbic acid and hydroquinone. Co and Fe phthalocyanines with cationic substituents in macroligands and also sulfo- and carboxy-substituted phthalocyanines were found to be the most active. Using the specific radical traps, the formation of active oxygen species (O₂ ^–., OH^–) in the course of the dark reaction of autooxidation was established.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 2105–2111, August, 1996.     

Theoretical study on the structures and properties of the isomers of Nn(CH)8−nH8 (n = 0–7)

With replacement of N atoms by CH groups in the most stable chain isomer of N8H8, 34 possible isomers of N_n(CH)_8−nH₈ (n = 0–7) have been designed and optimized at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory. The natural bond orbital (NBO) and atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis are carried out to study the bonding nature and relative stabilities of these conformers. G3MP2 method is applied to calculate energies and heats of formation. The results indicate that the hyperconjugation effect from lone pairs of nitrogen atoms to germinal C–N bonds is the major factor which caused the change of the C–N bond length. With the more replacement of nitrogen atoms by CH groups, the heats of formation of the isomers of N_n(CH)_8−nH₈ (n = 0–7) decrease gradually, but the energies increase linearly.     

Formation and decay of phenoxyl radicals: Variation with pH and pulse dose

Phenoxyl type radicals were produced from tyrosine methyl ester (TME) using azide (N ₃ ^. ) radicals. The rate constant of formation increased from 2·10⁸ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1 at pH 7 to 4·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1 at pH 11, whereas that of the decay, 2k=(6±1)·10⁸ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1, remained constant. The maximum yield of the radicals varied with pH and pulse dose consistently with the kinetic scheme, which involved a competition of the oxidation of TME by azide radicals with the natural decay of N ₃ ^. .     

Direct Analysis of Phenol, Catechol and Hydroquinone in Human Urine by Coupled-Column HPLC with Fluorimetric Detection

Phenol, catechol, and hydroquinone, are urinary end-products of the metabolism of benzene, nutrients, drugs, and endogenous substances. Recent research demonstrated that phenol, catechol, and hydroquinone, may have themselves a role in the carcinogenicity of benzene and in mechanisms that lead to leukemia. In this respect there is the need of rapid, low-cost, and possibly direct methods to quantitate these phenolic metabolites. Three single-residue coupled-column HPLC methods with fluorimetric detection (LC-LC-FLD) are described for the direct quantitation of phenol, catechol, and hydroquinone, in human urine. After enzymatic hydrolysis of the corresponding beta-glucuronoconjugates and sulfates, urine was directly injected into the LC-LC analyzer. The LC-LC-FLD procedure allowed base-to-base separation of the target compounds from urine interferents and good linearity (r² = 0.998) within the ranges studied (0.5–50 mg L⁻¹ for phenol, 0.35–35 mg L⁻¹ for catechol and 0.2–10 mg L⁻¹ for hydroquinone). Despite the high background levels of these metabolites in human urine, within- and inter-session precision expressed as RSD% was better than 20% on spiked and on authentic urine samples obtained from benzene-exposed workers. Accuracy expressed as the recovery ratio between measured and nominal concentration in spiked urine was comprised between 93% and 115% for the three metabolites. The column switching system was fully automated and computer-controlled, and was applied to the determination of phenol, catechol, and hydroquinone in urine samples showing a sample throughput of at least 20–30 samples per day.Revised: 21 February and 7 April 2005     

Zum Aufbau der Systeme V—(Fe,Co, Ni)—N

The constitution of the ternary systems V–Fe–N, V–Co–N, and V–Ni–N has been investigated by X-raymethods, metallographically and partly by microprobe analysis. Isothermal sections are presented for 1100°C and 1200°C respectively. Ternary complex nitrides have been observed in the systems V–Co–N and V–Ni–N. The compounds with formula V₄Co₂N (a=10.88–10.83±0.01 Å) and V₄Ni₂N (a=10.88–10.86±0.01 Å) crystallize with the partly filled Ti₂Ni-structure.

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Mit 6 Abbildungen     

Pulse radiolysis study of ion-species effects on the solvated electron in alkylammonium ionic liquids

The spectra and kinetic behavior of solvated electrons (e_sol⁻) in alkyl ammonium ionic liquids (ILs), i.e. N,N-diethyl-N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (DEMMA-TFSI), N,N-diethyl-N-methyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium tetrafluoroborate (DEMMA-BF₄), N,N,N-trimethyl-N-propylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TMPA-TFSI), N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PP13-TFSI), N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (P13-TFSI), and N-methyl-N-butylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (P14-TFSI) were investigated by the pulse radiolysis method. The e_sol⁻ in each of the ammonium ILs has an absorption peak at 1100 nm, with molar absorption coefficients of 1.5–2.3×10⁴ dm³ mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹. The e_sol⁻ decayed by first order with a rate constant of 1.4–6.4×10⁶ s⁻¹. The reaction rate constant of the solvated electron with pyrene (Py) was 1.5–3.5×10⁸ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ in the various ILs. These values were about one order of magnitude higher than the diffusion-controlled limits calculated from measured viscosities. The radiolytic yields (G-value) of the e_sol⁻ were 0.8–1.7×10⁻⁷ mol J⁻¹. The formation rate constant of e_sol⁻ in DEMMA-TFSI was 3.9×10¹⁰ s⁻¹. The dry electron (e_dry⁻) in DEMMA-TFSI reacts with Py with a rate constant of 7.9×10¹¹ dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, three orders of magnitude higher than that of the e_sol⁻ reactions. The G-value of the e_sol⁻ in the picosecond time region is 1.2×10⁻⁷ mol J⁻¹. The capture of e_dry⁻ by scavengers was found to be very fast in ILs.     

Synthesis and conformational studies of palladium(II) complexes containing [PhP(O)NP(E)Ph]− (E=S or Se)

The ligands [Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂]⁻ (E=S I; E=Se II) can readily be complexed to a range of palladium(II) starting materials affording new six-membered Pd–O–P–N–P–E palladacycles. Hence ligand substitution reaction of the chloride complexes [PdCl₂(bipy)] (bipy=2,2′-bipyridine), [{Pd(μ-Cl)(L–L)}₂] (HL–L=C₉H₁₃N or C₁₂H₁₃N), [{Pd(μ-Cl)Cl(PMe₂Ph)}₂] or [PdCl₂(PR₃)₂] [PR₃=PPh₃; 2PR₃=Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂or cis-Ph₂PCH=CHPPh₂] with either I (or II) in thf or CH₃OH gave [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E}(bipy)]PF₆, [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E}(L–L)], [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E}Cl(PMe₂Ph)] or [Pd{Ph₂P(O)NP(E)Ph₂-O,E} (PR₃)₂]PF₆ in good yields. All compounds described have been characterised by a combination of multinuclear NMR [31 P{1 H} and 1 H] and IR spectroscopy and microanalysis. The molecular structures of five complexes containing the selenium ligand II have been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Three different ring conformations were observed, a pseudo-butterfly, hinge and in the case of all three PR₃ complexes, pseudo-boat conformations. Within the Pd–O–P–N–P–Se rings there is evidence for π-electron delocalisation.     

Voltammetry of a Benzoquinone–Hydroquinone Redox Couple at Electrodes Modified with a Polyvinylpyridine Film Doped with Cobalt Phthalocyanine

The electrochemical properties of a glassy-carbon electrode coated with a polyvinylpyridine film doped with incorporated cobalt phthalocyanine were studied in a reaction involving a benzoquinone–hydroquinone redox couple. It was found that poly-(2-vinylpyridine) film applied to the electrode and cobalt phthalocyanine deposited onto it or incorporated in the polymeric film exhibited electrocatalytic activity on the oxidation of hydroquinone. Conditions were selected for obtaining a polyvinylpyridine film doped with cobalt phthalocyanine on the electrode surface providing a maximum catalytic effect. The current of the hydroquinone oxidation peak and the current of the reverse benzoquinone reduction peak at the chemically modified electrode were linear functions of their concentrations in the range from 1 × 10^–6 to 1 × 10^–3 M.     

Isolation and characterization of methoxylated flavones in the flowers of Primula veris by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry

Characterization of six flavones, which were named substances G1, G2, G3, G4, G5 and G6 according to their R_F values in normal-phase thin-layer chromatography, is reported. The pure flavones were purified after maceration with methanol by normal-phase solid-phase extraction, normal-phase medium-pressure liquid chromatography, normal-phase preparative thin-layer chromatography and preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The collected fractions of several isolation steps were analyzed by normal-phase (NP) and RP-HPLC. Detection and identification of the substances G was accomplished by UV detection at 213–216 nm, diode array UV detection, or fluorescence detection (λ_ex=330 nm; λ_em=440 nm). The molecular mass, the elementary composition, and the structure of the six components was determined by electron-impact high-resolution mass spectrometry (EI-HRMS). Substance G4 was identified as 3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyflavone. The substances G1–G6 were shown to be mono-, di- tri- and pentamethoxyflavones. HPLC–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS–MS) of the flavones was carried out employing a 150×2 mm I.D. column packed with a 3 μm/100 Å octadecylsilica stationary phase and a mobile phase comprising 1.0% acetic acid in water–acetonitrile (50:50). Comparative RP-HPLC–ESI-MS of the raw methanol extract and the isolated substances G1–G6 proved that the isolated compounds were pure and were not artifacts. Finally, RP-HPLC–ESI-MS–MS was used to identify substances G1–G6 in phytopharmaceutical drugs.     

Morphology, structure and constitution of metastable single-phase Ti1-xAlxN films grown by reactive MSIP

Metastable, single phase, polycrystalline Ti_1–x Al _x N hard layers were deposited on HSS-substrates with reactive magnetron sputtering ion plating (MSIP). The substrate temperature was 400 °C, the bias –60 V, the argon pressure 1.2 Pa and the sputter power 6 W cm^–2. Compound targets with a Ti:Al ratio of 75/25, 50/50 and 25/75, expressed in at-%, were sputtered. The nitrogen reactive gas pressure during sputtering was 8.4 × 10^–2 Pa for the 7525 target and 1.08 × 10^–1 Pa for the 5050 and 2575 targets. The Ti_1–x Al _x N layers grew with x=0.26, 0.54 and 0.75, as determined with EPMA. Thin film XRD and HEED structure analysis showed that the Ti_0.74Al_0.26N layer had grown as B1 structure (a₀0.4214 nm) with [211] texture, the Ti_0.46Al_0.54N layer likewise as B1 structure (a₀0.4154) with [111] texture, but the Ti_0.25Al_0.75N as B4 structure (a₀0.317 nm and c₀0.5014 nm) with [110] texture. Pronounced columnar growth was observed with HR-SEM in the fractured surface of the cubic layers. The mean grain size, and consequently the surface roughness, diminished with increasing Al-content of the layer.Dedicated to Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. Hubertus Nickel on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Cu-superconductors in organic catalysis I. Isomerization and hydrogenation of allyl alcohol on YBa2Cu3O7?x

On the superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x between 150 and 300°C, allyl alcohol is isomerized to propionaldehyde (70%) and hydrogenated to 1-propanol (30%) in hydrogen.     

Natural abundance C REDOR coupled to a singly N-labeled nucleus: simultaneous determination of interatomic distances in crystalline ammonium [N] -glutamate monohydrate

REDOR technique was applied to natural abundance ¹³C nuclei coupled to a singly labeled ¹⁵N nucleus to determine the ¹³C, ¹⁵N interatomic distances simultaneously in crystalline ammonium [¹⁵N] -glutamate monohydrate (1). Consequently, the interatomic C–N distances between ¹⁵N and ¹³C=O, ¹³C_α, ¹³C_β, ¹³C_γ, and ¹³C_δ carbon nuclei for 1 were determined with a precision of ±0.15 Å, after the experimental conditions such as the location of samples in the rotor, length of π pulse etc. were carefully optimized. ¹³C-REDOR factors for three spin system, (ΔS/S₀)_CN1N2, and the sum of two isolated 2-spin system, (ΔS/S₀)^*=(ΔS/S₀)_CN1+(ΔS/S₀)_CN2, were further evaluated by the REDOR measurements on isotopically diluted 1 in a controlled manner. Subsequently, the intra- and intermolecular C–N distances were separated by searching the minima in the contour map of root mean square deviation (RMSD) between the theoretically and experimentally obtained (ΔS/S₀)^* values against two interatomic distances, r_C–N1 and r_C–N2. When the intramolecular C–N distance (r_C–N1) of the particular carbon nucleus is substantially shorter than the intermolecular one (r_C–N2), C–N distances within a single molecule were obtained with an accuracy of ±0.06 Å as in the cases of C=O, C_α and C_β carbon nuclei. C–N distances between the molecule in question and the nearest neighboring molecules can be also obtained, although accuracy was lower. On the contrary, it was difficult to determine the interatomic distances in the same molecule when the intermolecular dipolar contribution is larger than the intramolecular one as in the case of C_δ carbon nucleus.     

ViscosityB-Coefficient of ammonium azide and the enthalpy of formation of the azide anion

Recent determination of the standard enthalpy of formation of the ammonium azide _f H ^O (NH N ₃,c) and the assignment of the viscosity B-coefficient for the azide anion, B(N ₃ ^– ,aq), in aqueous solution enable us to estimate the standard enthalpy of formation of the gaseous azide anion, _f H ^O (N ₃ ^–,g , — a thermochemical magnitude in some dispute — to be 192 kJ-mol^–1.