Theoretical study on the structures and electron spectra of C60M12 (M=Li,Na, Be)

Intermediate neglect of differential overlap (INDO) method was used to study the structures and the electronic spectra of C₆₀M₁₂ (M=Li, Na, Be). The calculations indicate that in the minimal energy configuration of C₆₀M₁₂ (M=Li, Na) the C₆₀ cage still retains I_h symmetry and the 12 Li or Na atoms are symmetrically located above the pentagons of the C₆₀ cage, whereas the difference between the double and single bonds has been significantly reduced. In contrast, because six electrons are filled in the fivefold‐degenerated h_g orbital of C₆₀, the C_s structure of C₆₀Be₁₂ has illustrated the occurrence of Jahn‐Teller distortion. Based on the optimized geometries, the electronic absorption spectra were calculated and the nature of red shift was discussed. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 73: 505–509, 1999     

Quantum chemistry of quantum size‐effects in semiconductors: Small clusters electronic structure calculations

Ab initio RHF SCF calculations are used for some small clusters M_xX_y, where M=Cd, Ag; X=S, I; and x, y≤7. Variation of electronic structure with size for some clusters with the bulklike tetrahedral coordination and with the lower symmetry allows one to predict their possible geometries which are compared with experimental data on the existence of the clusters. The chemical‐bonding factor (the chemical nature of bounded atoms, coordination number for metal and nonmetal atoms, hybridization, etc.) is of more importance for properties of the clusters than is the familiar quantum confinement effect of semiconductor clusters. The essential difference in regularities of small cluster formation is analyzed for CdS‐ and AgI‐based structures. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 71: 337–341, 1999     

Trivalent‐Intermediate Valent Cerium Ordering in CeRuSn – A Static Intermediate Valent Cerium Compound with a Superstructure of the CeCoAl Type

New equiatomic stannide CeRuSn was synthesized from the elements by arc‐melting. CeRuSn was investigated by X‐ray powder and single crystal diffraction: C2/m, a = 1156.1(4), b = 475.9(2) and c = 1023.3(4) pm, β = 102.89(3)°, wR2 = 0.0466, 1229 F² values and 38 variables. CeRuSn adopts a superstructure of the monoclinic CeCoAl type through a doubling of the subcell c axis. In the superstructure two crystallographically independent cerium sites occur. Based on the interatomic distances the two sites can be assigned to trivalent Ce2 and intermediate valent Ce1. This trivalent‐intermediate valent cerium ordering is underlined by magnetic susceptibility measurements χ_m(T): below 150 K χ_m, measured with decreasing temperature, follows a Curie‐Weiss law χ_m = C_m/(T–θ_p) giving C_m = 0.38 emuK/mol as Curie constant per CeRuSn mol; a value showing that only half of the cerium atoms are trivalent in CeRuSn (C_m = 0.807 emuK/mol for one free Ce³⁺ ion). A remarkable feature of the CeRuSn structure are the short Ce1–Ru1 (233 pm) and Ce1–Ru2 (246 pm) distances. The crystal chemistry of CeRuSn is discussed on the basis of a group‐subgroup scheme.     

Algebraic expressions of irreducible bases for molecules C20H20, C80, and C240

Using the symmetrized boson representation technique, concise algebraic expressions of the irreducible bases symmetry adapted to the group chain I_h⊃C₅ for the fullerene molecules C₂₀H₂₀, C₈₀, and C₂₄₀ are derived for the most general cases and those for any specific case can be derived from them easily without a projection procedure. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 73: 283–297, 1999     

Parametric transform and moment indices in the molecular dynamics of n-alkanes

The integrated molecular transform (FT_m) is a unitary numerical index of structure that is capable of uniquely representing different molecular structure conformations with the exception of enantiomers. Other molecular indices have been derived from FT_m as well as from the normalized molecular moment (M_n), for example, the analogous electronic and charge transforms (FT_e and FT_c) and moments (M_e and M_c). In this study, each of these indices was calculated for up to 10 sampled conformations of each of the C₁–C₁₀ normal alkanes as they were subjected to a standard annealing process. Statistical analyses of the resulting data in the individual series and subsequent box plots, permitting facile examination of those results, indicated that the respective transform indices (FT_m, FT_e, FT_c) are unique, that is, with no statistically significantly overlap across the series. For the M_n and M_e indices, the numerical values for methane overlapped those of ethane in the first instance and both ethane and propane in the second. The M_c index values overlapped in several instances in the series. Inasmuch as the noted molecular indices are based only on parameters of structural origin, these results have profound implications for the correlation and estimation of properties derived not only from a general structure representation, but also for those properties which may be dependent on specific molecular conformations. This includes the potential for indices of molecular flexibility and conformationally dependent atomic electron densities. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 70: 1185–1194, 1998     

DFT studies on TinC2n (n=1–6) clusters

The geometric configurations and electronic structures of the Ti_nC_2n (n=1–6) clusters were studied by using the quantum chemical ab initio density functional theory (DFT) method. Our studies showed that these Ti_nC_2n (n=1–6) could grow gradually to form cyclic clusters through the subunits TiC₂ bonding to each other by C C or Ti C bond. The result could explain the existing experimental fact. The studies might also be helpful to the knowledge of the formation mechanism of the Met‐Cars. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 71: 313–318, 1999     

Polymerization with TMA-protected polar vinyl comonomers. II. Catalyzed by nickel complexes containing α-diimine-type ligands

α-Diimine Ni complexes (7, 8) were used as catalyst precursors with MAO in co- and terpolymerization of ethylene/propylene/α-olefins with OH and COOH functional groups. Trimethylaluminium was used to protect the functional group of polar monomers. The presence of 5-hexen-1-ol seems to have no effect on the polymerization rate at all for the N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) derivative 8 but caused activity decreases of about fivefold in copolymerization and around two times in terpolymerization for the N,N-dimesityl derivative 7. The effect levels off at higher polar comonomer concentration. This system, (7)/MAO, also incorporates well both 10-undecen-1-ol and 10-undecen-1-oic acid. The activities obtained with these α-diimine Ni complexes in co- and terpolymerization are three to twenty times higher than those obtained with group 4 Cp based complexes especially at concentrations of polar monomer in the feed higher than 80 mM. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2471–2480, 1999     

Topological aspects of metals in carbon cages: Analogies with organometallic chemistry

Metals can interact with carbon cages in the following ways: (1) stable carbon cages (i.e., fullerenes) function as electronegative olefins in their exohedral η₂ bonding to transition metals; (2) endohedral metallofullerenes with a highly electropositive lanthanide (Ln) inside the carbon cage can be considered to be ionic with lanthanide cations, Ln³⁺, and fullerene anions; (3) fullerenes too small for independent existence can be stabilized by internal covalent bonding to an endohedral metal atom using the central carbon atoms of pentagon triplets,i.e triquinacene, units, in complexes such as M@C₂₈ (M=Ti, Zr, Hf, and U), derived from the tetrahedral fullerene C₂₈; (4) metal atoms can occur as vertices of binary mixed metal-carbon cages in both early transition metal complexes of the types M₁₄C₁₃, M₈C₁₂, and M₁₃C₂₂ (e.g., M=Ti) and copper-carbon cages of the types Cu_2n +1C_2n ⁺ (n≤10), Cu₇C₈ ⁺, Cu₉C₁₀ ⁺ and Cu₁₂C₁₂ ⁺. The presence of metal atoms as vertices of carbon cages changes radically their stoichiometries and thus their structures. Thus, early transition metals form cages such as Ti₁₄C₁₃ assumed to have titanium atoms at the vertices and face midpoints of a 3×3×3 cube and carbon atoms at the edge midpoints and center of the cube and Ti₁₃C₂₂ assumed to have titanium atoms at the edge midpoints and center of a 3×3×3 cube as well as C₂ units and carbon atoms at the vertices and face midpoints, respectively, of the cube. Elimination of the face metal atoms from the Ti₁₄C₁₃ structure as well as the center carbon atom, which has been achieved experimentally by photofragmentation, leads to the Ti₈C₁₂ cluster. The structure of this cluster is based on a tetracapped tetrahedron withT _d symmetry with two distinct quartets of titanium atoms, six distinct C₂ pairs, and 36 direct Ti−C interactions. The copper-carbon cages of various stoichiometries are suggested to have prismatic, antiprismatic, or cuboctahedral structures in which the electronic configurations of the copper atoms approach the favored 18-electron rare gas configuration. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 862–869, May, 1998.     

General method for symmetry orbitals and tensors in electronic structure calculations

The symmetry orbital tensor (SOT) method, which makes full use of symmetries in all point groups and can be applied to the self-consistent field (SCF) and post-SCF calculations, is introduced. The principal feature of this method is the definition of the symmetry orbitals (SOs). Any element in a molecular point group will transform one SO to another equivalent SO or simply to itself, and no mixture among SOs exists. Thus, although the SOs for non-Abelian point groups may adapt to reducible representations, their transformation properties are much simpler than in conventional treatments. This article also presents a general scheme to generate SOs for all point groups. The direct products of N SOs form an Nth-rank SOT group, and each matrix element between SOTs is the product of a physical factor and a geometric factor. Compared with the canonical molecular orbitals, the use of SOs can noticeably reduce the computation efforts by decreasing the number of integrals needed in the SCF calculations or the number of configurations needed in the configuration interaction (CI) calculations. The SOT-SCF and SOT-CI approaches are formulated and a preliminary SOT-SCF program is written. Pilot calculations demonstrate the value of the SOT approach, at least at the closed-shell Hartree–Fock level. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 20: 305–321, 1999     

Cytochrome c: Ascorbate reduction site and possible electron-transfer path

The ascorbate reduction reaction of the native and urea-perturbed forms, 0–8M urea, of horse heart ferricytochrome c is found to be a three-step process: a urea-dependent equilibrium step between a reducible and an irreducible form with a midconcentration of urea of 7.4M, a binding step with a binding constant of 5.9M^–1, and a reduction step with a urea-independent rate constant of 2.9 ± 0.3 s^–1 [J. Biol. Chem. 255 , 9666 (1980)]. The effect of adding urea, in addition to the generation of an irreducible form, is a slight lowering of the ascorbate-protein binding constant, 5.9 to 2.7M^–1, which is limited to the 0–5.5M concentration range. The thermodynamics of the ureadenaturation process also yields a three-step mechanism, N? X₁? X₂? D, with midconcentrations of urea of 2.5–3M, 6.2M, and 7.5M, respectively, where N, D, and the X_s are the native, the 9-M-urea, and the intermediate forms. The three processes are described as the loosening of the heme crevice opening, the solvent exposure of the polypeptide backbone, and the disruption of the tryptophan–porphyrin interactions, respectively [Biochemistry 19 , 199 (1980)]. The reaction of the protein with 2,3-butanedione, a group-specific reagent for the guanidinium groups and an electron donor for this protein, is inhibited in the presence of ascorbate, but only one of the two functional groups is involved [J. Biol. Chem. 255 , 11094 (1980)]. A correlation of kinetic and thermodynamic observations led to the conclusion that the ascorbate reduction of the protein is independent of the state of the heme crevice opening and of the polypeptide organized structures; instead, it is determined by the integrity of the tryptophan indole–porphyrin interactions. This information, when taken in conjunction with the selective inhibition of the reaction of the arginine side chains by ascorbate, establishes the binding site of ascrobate as one of the two arginyl side chains, and not the opening of the crevice or its vicinity. From the three-dimensional structure of the protein, and taking into consideration the variability of the protein sequence, it is suggested that Arg-38 is the ascorbate binding site, and that the electronic interaction between the indole of Trp-59 and the porphyrin moiety must constitute, at least in part, the electron-transfer path to heme iron.     

A new heteroleptic oxalate‐based compound: poly[[2‐(aminomethyl)pyridine]di‐μ6‐oxalato‐chromium(III)potassium(I)]

The title compound, [KCr(C₂O₂)₂(C₆H₈N₂)]_n, was obtained from aqueous solution and analyzed with single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction at 100 K. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c and displays a three‐dimensional polymeric architecture built up by bimetallic oxalate‐bridged Cr^III–K helical chains linked through centrosymmetric K₂O₂ units to yield a sheet‐like alternating P/M arrangement which looks like that of the previously described two‐dimensional [NaCr(ox)₂(pyim)(H₂O)]·2H₂O [pyim is 2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)imidazole; Lei et al. (2006). Inorg. Chem. Commun. 9 , 486–488]. The Cr^III ions in each helix have the same chirality. The infinite neutral sheets are eclipsed with respect to each other and are held together by a hydrogen‐bonding network involving 2‐(aminomethyl)pyridine H atoms and oxalate O atoms. Each sheet gives rise to channels of Cr₄K₄ octanuclear rings and each resultant hole is occupied by a pair of 2‐(aminomethyl)pyridine ligands with partial overlap. The shortest Cr...Cr distance [5.593 (4) Å] is shorter than usually observed in the K–M^III–oxalate family.     

Structure and Polymorphism of M(thd)3 (M = Al,Cr, Mn,Fe, Co,Ga, and In)

Formation, crystal structure, polymorphism, and transition between polymorphs are reported for M(thd)₃, (M = Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ga, and In) [(thd)^– = anion of H(thd) = C₁₁H₂₀O₂ = 2, 2, 6, 6‐tetramethylheptane‐3, 5‐dione]. Fresh crystal‐structure data are provided for monoclinic polymorphs of Al(thd)₃, Ga(thd)₃, and In(thd)₃. Apart from adjustment of the M–O_k bond length, the structural characteristics of M(thd)₃ complexes remain essentially unaffected by change of M. Analysis of the M–O_k, O_k–C_k, and C_k–C_k distances support the notion that the M–O_k–C_k–C_k–C_k–O_k– ring forms a heterocyclic unit with σ and π contributions to the bonds. Tentative assessments according to the bond‐valence or bond‐order scheme suggest that the strengths of the σ bonds are approximately equal for the M–O_k, O_k–C_k, and C_k–C_k bonds, whereas the π component of the M–O_k bonds is small compared with those for the O_k–C_k, and C_k–C_k bonds. The contours of a pattern for the occurrence of M(thd)₃ polymorphs suggest that polymorphs with structures of orthorhombic or higher symmetry are favored on crystallization from the vapor phase (viz. sublimation). Monoclinic polymorphs prefer crystallization from solution at temperatures closer to ambient. Each of the M(thd)₃ complexes subject to this study exhibits three or more polymorphs (further variants are likely to emerge consequent on systematic exploration of the crystallization conditions). High‐temperature powder X‐ray diffraction shows that the monoclinic polymorphs convert irreversibly to the corresponding rotational disordered orthorhombic variant above some 100–150 °C (depending on M). The orthorhombic variant is in turn transformed into polymorphs of tetragonal and cubic symmetry before entering the molten state. These findings are discussed in light of the current conceptions of rotational disorder in molecular crystals.     

Controlled ring‐opening polymerization of lactide by bis‐sulfonamide/amine associations: Cooperative hydrogen‐bonding catalysis

The bis‐sulfonamide m‐C₆H₄(SO₂NHPh)₂ efficiently promotes the ring‐opening polymerization of lactide when combined with tertiary amines, such as N,N‐dimethylaminopyridine. Polylactides of controlled molecular weights (M_n up to 17,700 g mol^?1) and very narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n < 1.11) are obtained under mild conditions and in a living fashion. The reaction takes place through a bifunctional mechanism involving activation of both the alcohol and the monomer. Modulation of the sulfonamide component supports cooperative dual hydrogen‐bonding of lactide involving the two (SO₂NHAr) moieties. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 959–965, 2010     

Bis(O,O′-diiso­propyl di­thio­phosphato-S,S′)(1,10-phenanthroline-N,N′)metal(II) complexes with cadmium(II) and iron(II)

The two title compounds, [M(C₆H₁₄O₂PS₂)₂(C₁₂H₈N₂)], where M = Cd^II and Fe^II, are isomorphous. Each compound has a crystallographic twofold axis of symmetry through the metal atom and the 1,10-phenanthroline mol­ecule. The central metal atom is coordinated to four S atoms from the two dithiophos­phate groups and two N atoms from the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand. The environment of the metal atom is a distorted octahedron.     

2,2‐Dichloro‐1,3‐bis(trimethylsilyl)‐1,3‐diaza‐2‐silacyclopentane

In the title compound, C₈H₂₂Cl₂N₂Si₃, the central Si atom is tetrahedrally coordinated by two Cl and two N atoms in a molecule that has crystallographically imposed C₂ symmetry. Comparison is made with the isomorphous structure having titanium instead of silicon at the central position in the diazacyclopentane ring [Tinkler, Deeth, Duncalf & McCamley (1996). Chem. Commun. pp. 2623–2624].     

Lewis Superacidic Divalent Bis(m-terphenyl)element Cations [(2,6-Mes2C6H3)2E]+ of Group 13 Revisited and Extended (E=B,Al, Ga,In, Tl)

In a combined experimental and computational study, the molecular and electronic structures of the divalent bis(m-terphenyl)element cations [(2,6-Mes₂C₆H₃)₂E]⁺ of group 13 ( 1 , E=B; 2 , E=Al; 3 , E=Ga; 4 , E=In; 5 , E=Tl) were investigated. The preparation and characterization of 2 , 3 and 5 were previously reported by Wehmschulte's (Organometallics 2004 , 23, 1965–1967; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003 , 125, 1470–1471) and our groups (Organometallics 2009 , 28, 6893–6901). The indinium ion 4 was prepared and fully characterized for the first time. Attempts to prepare the borinium ion 1 by fluoride or hydride abstraction were unsuccessful. The electronic structures of 1 – 5 and the stabilization by the bulky m-terphenyl substituents were analyzed using quantum chemical calculations and compared to the divalent bis(m-terphenyl)pnictogenium ions [(2,6-Mes₂C₆H₃)₂E]⁺ of group 15 ( 6 , E=P; 7 , E=As; 8 , E=Sb; 9 , E=Bi) previously investigated by our group (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018 , 57, 10080–10084). The calculated fluoride ion affinities (FIA) of 1–9 are higher than that of SbF₅, which classifies them as Lewis superacids.     

Utility of malonate‐initiated polymerizations of methyl methacrylate

We have studied the polymerization of methyl methacrylate with cesium and tetramethylammonium salts of diethyl 2‐ethylmalonate carbanion. For polymerizations initiated at room temperature, no effort was made to control the exotherm. The polymerizations proceeded with high conversions and produced polymers characterized by broad polydispersities (M_w/M_n = 2–3). We consistently observed M_n (exptl) < M_n(calcd) for target = 50,000–300,000 g/mol; we observed an apparent upper limit for M_n of 60,000–70,000 g/mol. Chain transfer from impurities in reagents was eliminated as the source of molecular weight lowering. Oligomeric samples were analyzed by mass spectrometry; results were best explained by methoxide initiation of the polymerization. No evidence for malonate end groups was observed in the mass spectra. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 615–620, 1999     

Synthesis and characterization of new AB-type poly(etherimide)s containing bisphenol moieties

A series of new AB-type poly(etherimide)s having bisphenol-type moiety was prepared by the one-pot polyimidization using triphenylphosphite(TPP) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone(NMP)/pyridine solution at 150°C. Complete cyclodehydration was observed in the polymerizations as well as in model reactions. Polymers were obtained with inherent viscosities in the 0.27–0.49 dL/g range. The M_n and M_w/M_n of poly[4-(1,4-phenyleneoxy-1,4-phenylenehexafluoro-isopropylidene-1,4-phenylene)oxyphthalimide] (4d) with η_inh = 0.49 dL/g were 73,400 g/mol and 1.5, respectively. Most polymers could readily be dissolved in common organic solvents such as DMAc, NMP, and m-cresol. The polymer 4d was soluble even in chloroform. These polymers had glass transition temperatures between 205 and 235°C, and 5% weight loss temperatures in the range of 511–532°C in nitrogen. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3530–3536, 1999     

Cationic polymerizations of 2‐alkyloxazolines catalyzed by bismuth salts

Acidic bismuth salts, such as BiCl₃, BiBr₃, BiJ₃, and Bi‐triflate catalyzed the ring‐opening polymerization of 2‐methoxazoline (MOZ) in bulk at 100 °C, whereas less acidic salts such as Bi₂O₃ or Bi(III)acetate did not. Bi‐triflate‐catalyzed polymerizations of 2‐ethyloxazoline (EtOZ) were performed with variation of the monomer–catalyst ratio (M/C). It was found that the molecular weights were independent of the M/C ratio. The formation of cationic chain ends and the absence of cycles was proven by reactions of virgin polymerization products with N,N‐dimethyl‐4‐aminopyridine or triphenylphosphine. The resulting polymers having modified cationic chain ends were characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. The polymerization mechanism including chain‐transfer reactions is discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4777–4784, 2008     

Theoretical calculations on C30H12 bowl-shaped hydrocarbons: NMR shielding constants,stability, and aromaticity

Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G* level have been performed on four bowl-shaped polyaromatic hydrocarbons of C₃₀H₁₂ molecular formula ( 1 – 4 ) showing C₃ ( 1 ), C_2v ( 2 and 4 ), and C_2h ( 3 ) symmetries. The geometrical and electronic properties of the compounds studied have been analyzed to explain their relative stability. NMR chemical shifts parameters for the atoms and Nucleus Independent Chemical Shifts (NICSs) for the rings were calculated using the GIAO method. The ¹³C and ¹H chemical shifts calculated are in very good agreement with the experimental data. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 20: 1412–1421, 1999