Raman Spectra and Solvent-Solute Interaction of Mercury(II)-Thiocyanate Complexes in Some Aprotic Donor Solvents

Raman spectra of the species Hg(SCN)₂, [Hg(SCN)₃], and [Hg(SCN)₄]^2- in solution of ten aprotic donor solvents have been investigated in the region of the Hg-S vibration. Observed frequency values of measured band of Hg(SCN)₂ and [Hg(SCN)₃] in different solutions correlate well with donor strength of the solvents. There is a linearity between Hg-S frequency decreasing and increasing of the interaction of the solvent molecules with the mercury (II) ion in the thiocyanate complexes. No significant frequency changes have be found for [Hg(SCN)₄]^2-. Evidence based on the frequency shifts and depolarization ratios in various solvents supports the view that the Hg(SCN)₂ in solution undergos departure from linearity as a result of increasing solvent coordination to the mercury (II) ion. Almost constant frequencies of Hg-S vibration of [Hg(SCN)₄]^2- in all investigated solvents suggest a regular tetrahedral structure of the ion in solution having much larger radius than corresponding HgX₄ (X=Cl,Br,I) ions.     

AC impedance studies on proton-conducting PAN : NH4SCN polymer electrolytes

Solid polymer electrolytes based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) doped with ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) in different molar ratios of polymer and salt have been prepared by solution-casting method using DMF as solvent. The increase in amorphous nature of the polymer electrolytes has been confirmed by XRD analysis. A shift in glass transition temperature (T _g) of the PAN?:?NH₄SCN electrolytes has been observed from the DSC thermograms which indicates the interaction between the polymer and the salt. From the AC impedance spectroscopic analysis, the ionic conductivity has been found to increase with increasing salt concentration up to 30 mol% of NH₄SCN beyond which the conductivity decreases and the highest ambient temperature conductivity has been found to be 5.79?×?10^?3 S cm^?1. The temperature-dependent conductivity of the polymer electrolyte follows an Arrhenius relationship which shows hopping of ions in the polymer matrix. The dielectric loss curves for the sample 70 mol% PAN?:?30 mol% NH₄SCN reveal the low-frequency β-relaxation peak pronounced at high temperature, and it may be caused by side group dipoles. The ionic transference number of polymer electrolyte has been estimated by Wagner’s polarization method, and the results reveal that the conductivity species are predominantly ions.     

Characterization of blend polymer PVA-PVP complexed with ammonium thiocyanate

Thin films of blend polymer electrolytes comprising poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) complexed with ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) salt in different compositions have been prepared by solution casting technique using distilled water as solvent. The prepared films have been investigated by different experimental techniques. The complexation of these films has been studied by FTIR spectroscopy. The increase in amorphousness of the films with increase in NH₄SCN content has been confirmed by XRD analysis. The addition of ammonium thiocyanate salt to PVA-PVP polymer blend shows a shift in T_g of the blend. The effect of salt concentration and temperature on the ionic conductivity of the polymer blend films has been analyzed using AC impedance spectroscopy. The maximum conductivity of 6.85 × 10^?4 S cm^?1 at room temperature has been observed for the blend with 50 mol% PVA-50 mol% PVP complexed with 40 mol% NH₄SCN. The activation energy has been found to be minimum (0.24 eV) for this sample. Wagner’s polarization technique shows that the charge transport in these blend films is predominantly due to ions. Using the highest conductivity blend polymer electrolyte, a proton battery has been fabricated and its discharge characteristics have been studied.     

A Double Isotopic Labelling Study of the Infrared Spectra of the Linkage Isomers [Pd(bipy)(SCN)2], [Pd(bipy)(NCS)2] and Related Complexes

Abstract

The IR spectra of the linkage isomers [Pd(bipy)(SCN)₂] and [Pd(bipy)(NCS)₂] have been determined in the C≡N stretching region (2200–2000 cm^?1) and below 500 cm^?1. The band shifts resulting from deuteration of the 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) ring and ¹⁵NCS-labelling are shown to provide a ready means for distinguishing between the internal ligand modes, the μPd-N(bipy) and μPd-SCN/μPd-NCS vibrations. The assignment technique has been further extended to the complexes [Pt(bipy)(SCN)₂] and [Pd(phen)(SCN)₂] (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). Finally, a comparison between the IR spectra of [Pd(bipy)(NCO)₂], [Pd(bipy)(NCS)₂] and [Pd(bipy)(SCN)₂] reveals that the frequencies μM-NCO, μM-NCS and μM-SCN decrease in the sequence NCO > NCS > SCN.     

Structurally selective protection of steel against oxygen corrosion by 1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonatozincate

A method for protecting steel against oxygen corrosion in water solutions using an inhibitor that selectively reacts with a metal surface in corrosion centers is proposed. 1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonatozincate, which contains a localized π bond between its phosphorus and oxygen atoms, is used as the inhibitor in combination with magnesium ions at an oxygen concentration of 0.1 to 6.0 mg dm^?3 and pH in a water solution of 5.8 to 11.1. A 91–93% degree of protection is achieved at an inhibitor concentration of 6 mg dm^?3.     

Spectrophotometric and 27‐Al NMR Characterization of Aluminum(III) Complexes with l‐Histidine

Abstract

The complex formation between l‐histidine (HHis) and aluminum(III) ion in water solutions was studied by UV spectrophotometric and 27‐Al NMR measurements at 298 K. UV spectra were measured on solutions in which the total concentration of histidine was from 15.0 to 50.0 mmol/dm³ and the concentration ratio of histidine to aluminum was varied from 3∶1 to 10∶1 in the pH range between 4.2 and 6.0. The spectra were taken in the wavelength interval 240–340 nm. Nonlinear least‐squares treatment of the spectrophotometric data indicates the formation of the complexes Al(HHis)³⁺, Al(His)²⁺, Al(HHis)His²⁺, and Al₂(OH)His⁴⁺ with the overall formation constants β_p,q,r: log β_1,1,1=11.90±0.04, log β_1,1,0=7.25±0.08, log β_1,2,1=20.1±0.1, and log β_2,1,1=5.92±0.12 (p, q, r are stoichiometric indices for metal, ligand, and proton, respectively). ²⁷Al‐NMR spectra were taken on solutions with the concentration of aluminum 50 mmol/dm³ and that of histidine 250 mmol/dm³. In the pH interval 5.0–6.1, two resonances at 9.5 ppm and 12.0 ppm were assigned to Al(HHis)²⁺ and Al(HHis)(His)²⁺ (or Al(OH)(HHis)₂ ²⁺), respectively.     

Saturable absorbers with concentration-dependent absorption recovery time

The ground-state bleaching of highly concentrated rhodamine 6G solutions in methanol is studied with intense picosecond light pulses. The ground-state recovery time changes with concentration from about 3.9 ns at low concentration (10^–5 mol/dm³) to about 1 ps at high concentration (0.6 mol/dm³). The shortening of the absorption recovery time is determined by the concentration dependent quenching of theS ₁-state population due to unbound dimers and by the intensity dependent longitudinal and transverse amplified spontaneous emission.     

Characterization of high ionic conducting PVAc–PMMA blend-based polymer electrolyte for electrochemical applications

A solid polymer blend electrolyte is prepared using poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers with different molecular weight percentage (wt%) of ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) by solution casting technique with tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a solvent. The structural, morphological, vibrational, thermal and electrical properties of the prepared polymer blend electrolytes have been studied. The incorporation of NH₄SCN into the polymeric matrix causes decrease in the degree of crystallinity of the samples. The complex formation between the polymer and salt has been confirmed by FTIR technique. The increase in T _g with increase in salt concentration has been investigated. The maximum conductivity of 3.684?×?10^?3 S cm^?1 has been observed for the composition of 70PVAc/30PMMA/30 wt% of NH₄SCN at 303 K. This value of ionic conductivity is five orders of magnitude greater than that of 70PVAc/30PMMA polymer membrane. Dielectric and transport studies have been done. The highest conducting polymer electrolyte is used to fabricate proton battery with the configuration Zn/ZnSO₄·7H₂O (anode) ||polymer electrolyte||PbO₂/V₂O₅ (cathode). The open circuit voltage of the fabricated battery is 1.83 V, and its performance has been studied.     

Spectroscopic studies on ion dynamics of PVP–NH4SCN polymer electrolytes

Proton-conducting polymer electrolyte comprising of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) are prepared by solvent casting method with different polymer–salt concentrations. The changes in the Raman spectra with increasing NH₄SCN concentration state that the free ion concentration is maximum for 20 mol% NH₄SCN concentrated system. At higher salt concentrations (25 mol%), the effective number of charge carriers decreases due to the formation of ion aggregates as confirmed by the Raman analysis. Solid-state NMR and MAS NMR studies are performed to obtain the information about the ionic structure, mobility of the charge carriers, and also to gain insight into the polymer–salt interactions in the polymer electrolytes. The results of ionic transference number show that the charge transport in these polymer electrolytes is mainly due to ions.     

Bimodal dependence of light scattering/fluctuations on the concentration of aqueous solutions

Two concentration ranges (from 10^?5 to 10^?9 and from 10^?13 to 10^?18 M) corresponding to enhanced fluctuations of Rayleigh and Raman scattering of second-harmonic (527 nm) pulses of YVO₄:Nd³⁺ laser are found for aqueous solutions of antioxidant potassium phenosan. A correlation is revealed between the rise in elastic Rayleigh scattering intensity and its fluctuations and the shift of the center of OH Raman band of water toward the ice component characteristic frequency (3200 cm^?1). The development of phase-equilibrium instabilities is analyzed based on the model of fluctuations of the number of hydrogen bonds on the assumption of formation/destruction of ordered hydration layer of phenosan molecules in water.     

Self‐association,tautomerism and E–Z isomerization of isatin–phenylsemicarbazones – spectral study and theoretical calculations

The self‐association and tautomerism of (E)‐isatin‐3‐4‐phenyl(semicarbazone) Ia and (E)‐N‐methylisatin‐3‐4‐phenyl(semicarbazone) IIa were investigated in solvents of various polarity. In weakly interacting non‐polar solvents, such as CHCl₃ and benzene, phenylsemicarbazone concentrations above 1×10^?5 mol dm^?3 result in the formation of dimers or higher aggregates of E‐isomers Ia and IIa . This aggregate formation prevents room temperature E–Z isomerization of Ia and IIa to more stable Z‐isomers. In contrast to the situation in non‐polar solvents, E–Z isomerization from the monomeric form of phenylsemicarbazone Ia and IIa E‐isomers occurs in highly interactive polar solvents including MeOH and DMF only at temperatures above 70 °C. Moreover, decrease in phenylsemicarbazone concentration below 1×10^?4 mol dm^?3 in these highly solute–solvent interacting systems leads to aggregate dissociation, and a new hydrazonol tautomeric form with a high degree of conjugation predominates in these solutions. Theoretical calculations confirm obtained experimental results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exciton spectra and electrical conductivity of epitaxial silicon-doped GaN layers

Optical spectra and electrical conductivity of silicon-doped epitaxial gallium nitride layers with uncompensated donor concentrations N _D — N _A up to 4.8 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3 at T ≈ 5 K have been studied. As follows from the current-voltage characteristics, at a doping level of ～3 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3 an impurity band is formed and an increase of donor concentration by one more order of magnitude leads to the merging of the impurity band with the conduction band. The transformation of exciton reflection spectra suggests that the formation of the impurity band triggers effective exciton screening at low temperatures. In a sample with N _D — N _A = 3.4 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3, luminescence spectra are still produced by radiation of free and bound excitons. In a sample with N _D — N _A = 4.8 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3, Coulomb interaction is already completely suppressed, with the luminescence spectrum consisting of bands deriving from impurity-band-valence band and conduction-band-valence band radiative transitions.     

Effect of Hydrolysis Conditions on the Direct Formation of Nanoparticles of Ceria–Zirconia Solid Solutions from Acidic Aqueous Solutions

The effect of the cation concentration, hydrolysis temperature, and composition in the CeO₂–ZrO₂ system on the direct precipitation of ceria–zirconia solid solutions and the structure of the precipitates from acidic aqueous solutions of (NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₆ and ZrOCl₂ by hydrolysis under hydrothermal conditions were investigated. Nanometer-sized (8–10 nm) ceria–zirconia solid solution particles in a composition range of 0 to 60 mol% ZrO₂ were directly precipitated from the solutions with total metal cation concentration less than 0.2 mol/dm³ by simultaneous thermal hydrolysis at 150–240°C. The crystalline phase of the precipitates gradually changed from cubic and/or tetragonal to monoclinic with increasing the cation concentration of the solution from 0.2 to 0.8 mol/dm³ at the starting composition of 50 mol% ZrO₂ under hydrolysis condition of 150°C for 48 h, which was attributed to decrease in the supply of hydrolyzed Ce component caused by decrease in the hydrolysis ratio of (NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₆. Ceria–zirconia solid solutions containing large amount of ZrO₂ maintained high specific surface area and small-sized crystallite after heat-treatment at 900–1000°C for 1 h.     

Electrolytic conduction in amorphous salt complexed polyethers

Phosphate ester extended and crosslinked poly(ethylene glycol)s were prepared from reaction of the glycols with chlorophosphates. Fully amorphous electrolytes formed with lithium trifluoromethanesulphonate showed enhanced conductivity over comparable poly(ethylene oxide) electrolytes in the temperature range 293–373 K. With O/Li=27.6, α=5.2×10⁻⁶S cm⁻¹ at 293 K. A conductivity maximum was detected at ca. 1 mol dm⁻³ concentration consistent with the increase in charge carrier density opposed by medium viscosity. For all complexes the temperature dependence of conductivity obeyed the Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher and Williams-Landel-Ferry equations, with T_g(onset) for the parent polymer as the ideal glass transition temperature. Activation energy parameters from use of the VTF equation and Adam-Gibbs configurational entropy model showed a linear dependence on salt concentration.     

Electrical characterization of PVA-based nanocomposite electrolyte nanofibre mats doped with a multiwalled carbon nanotube

An attempt has been made to prepare and characterise ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) salt and a multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT)-doped polyvinyl alcohol-based nanofibre mats using an electrospinning process. The X-ray diffraction result shows an improvement in the amorphous nature of composite electrolyte fibre mats with increasing concentrations of the MWNT filler. The DSC behaviour of these nanofibre mat exhibits better thermal response upon dispersal of the filler. Composite electrolyte nanofibre mat doped with 6 wt% MWNT shows optimum conductivity, viz., 5.8?×?10^?4 Scm^?1. The temperature dependence of the bulk electrical conductivity displays a combination of Arrhenius and Vogel–Tammam–Fulcher nature. Dielectric loss studies have also been used to understand the conduction process in the system. Jonscher power law seems to be obeyed during ac conductivity measurements of the fibre mats.     

Calorimetric study of proton ordering in hexagonal ice catalyzed by hydrogen fluoride

Heat capacities of hexagonal ices doped with 2.6, 26 and 260 m mol dm^?3 HF were measured with an adiabatic calorimeter. The HF doping accelerated proton ordering which has been known to take place sluggishly around 100 K. The ice containing 26 m mol dm^?3 HF showed the largest excess entropy ((0.102±0.01) J K^?1 mol^?1) and the shortest relaxation time. The relaxation time at 90 K was about $\text{1}\text{30}$ of that of the pure ice I_h at the same temperature. The activation enthalpies obtained were the same for all of the doped ices, (23.5±2.0) J mol^?1, which is approximately equal to the activation energy of the mobility of the Bjerrum L-defect.     

Ionic reorientational motions in aqueous solutions: a depolarized light scattering study of NO3 - and SCN-

Depolarized Rayleigh scattering has been measured in the frequency range 0·2 cm^-1 to 200 cm^-1 using a triple monochromator and Fabry-Perot interferometry for solutions of ammonium, sodium and lithium nitrates, for nitric acid and ammonium and potassium thiocyanate over a range of concentrations and temperatures. From comparisons with scattering from water and alkali halide solutions it is concluded that the narrow central component of the scattering arises predominantly from anion reorientational motions. From intensity measurements there is no evidence for significant anion-anion correlations. Infinite dilution relaxation times are discussed in relation to the motions of water molecules in the hydration spheres. Except for very dilute solutions, a simple hydrodynamic model accounts for the temperature and concentration dependence of SCN^- reorientation. For NO₃ ^- it is necessary to assume that the boundary conditions are concentration dependent. In very concentrated nitrate solutions the lineshape is non-lorentzian due, it is argued, to specific cation-anion interactions.     

Hypersensitivity in the 4f–4f absorption spectra of tris (acetylacetonato) neodymium(III) complexes with imidazole and pyrazole in non-aqueous solutions. Effect of environment on hypersensitive transitions

The optical absorption spectra of [Nd(acac)₃(H₂O)₂]·H₂O, [Nd(acac)₃(im)₂] and [Nd(acac)₃(pz)₂] (where acac is the anion of acetylacetone, im is imidazole and pz is pyrazole) complexes in the visible region have been analyzed. The transition ⁴G_5/2←⁴I_9/2 located near the middle of the visible region (17,500 cm^?1) is hypersensitive. Its behavior is in sharp contrast to many other typically weak and consistently unvaried, normal 4f–4f transitions. It is overlapped by a less intense transition ²G_7/2←⁴I_9/2. The band shapes of the hypersensitive transition show remarkable changes on passing from aqueous solution to various non-aqueous solutions, which is the result of changes in the environment about the Nd(III) ion in the various solutions and suggests coordination of a solvent molecules. Pyridine has been found especially effective in promoting 4f–4f electric-dipole intensity. The DMSO invades the complexes and replaces the water molecules and heterocyclic amines from the coordination sphere. Two DMSO molecules coordinate and the complexes acquire similar structure, [Nd(acac)₃(DMSO)₂] in solution. The oscillator strength and the band shape of the hypersensitive transition of all the complexes remains the same in this solvent. The IR spectra and the NMR spectra of the complexes have also discussed.     

Alkane oxidation by the system ‘tert‐butyl hydroperoxide–[Mn2L2O3][PF6]2 (L = 1,4,7‐trimethyl‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane)–carboxylic acid’

The kinetics of cyclohexane (CyH) oxygenation with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in acetonitrile at 50 °C catalysed by a dinuclear manganese(IV) complex 1 containing 1,4,7‐trimethyl‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane and co‐catalysed by oxalic acid have been studied. It has been shown that an active form of the catalyst (mixed‐valent dimeric species ‘Mn^IIIMn^IV’) is generated only in the interaction between complex 1 and TBHP and oxalic acid in the presence of water. The formation of this active form is assumed to be due to the hydrolysis of the Mn? O? Mn bonds in starting compound 1 and reduction of one Mn^IV to Mn^III. A species which induces the CyH oxidation is radical tert‐BuO ^. generated by the decomposition of a monoperoxo derivative of the active form. The constants of the equilibrium formation and the decomposition of the intermediate adduct between TBHP and 1 have been measured: K = 7.4 mol^?1 dm³ and k = 8.4 × 10^?2 s^?1, respectively, at [H₂O] = 1.5 mol dm^?3 and [oxalic acid] = 10^?2 mol dm^?3. The constant ratio for reactions of the monomolecular decomposition of tert‐butoxy radical (tert‐BuO ^. → CH₃COCH₃ + CH) and its interaction with the CyH (tert‐BuO ^. + CyH → tert‐BuOH + Cy ^. ) was calculated: 0.26 mol dm^?3. One of the reasons why oxalic acid accelerates the oxidation is due to the formation of an adduct between oxalic acid and 1 (K ≈ 10³ mol^?1 dm³). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Characterization of 2,2-Biimidazole Complexes of Oxocations of Molybdenum (VI,V) and Uranium(VI)

Abstract

2,2′-Biimidazole complexes of MoO₂ ⁺², MoO₂ ⁺ and UO₂ ⁺² have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, conductance; and ¹H NMR, IR and electronic spectra. Two types of complexes have been identified. Those obtained from slightly acidic solutions have the formulae MoO₂ (H₂bim)Cl₂.2H₂O 1, UO₂(H₂bim) (Ac)₂ 2 and UO₂(H₂bim)Cl₂.2H₂O 3; whereas those from alkaline solutions have the formulae Mo₂O₄(Hbim)₂.2H₂O 4, and MO₂(Hbim)₂ (M = Mo(VI) 5, U(VI) 6). The infrared spectra of these complexes show characteristic biimidazole frequencies in the 3200–2500, 1550–1000 and 750 cm^?1 regions as well as metal oxygen double bonds in the 900 cm^?1 region. The stoichiometries of the acetate complex has been confirmed from ¹H NMR signal ratios of bimidazole to acetate protons at 7.3 and 2.3 ppm, respectively. The electronic spectrum of molybdenum(V) complex showed d-d transition band at ?13,500 cm^?1 in accord with that reported for copper (d⁹) imidazole complexes; as well as peaks due to charge transfer bands at 30,000–26,000 cm^?1 Peaks assignable to BIM → U(VI) were located at ?26,600 cm^?1. The most probable structures of these complexes have been suggested.