Ab initio study of electronic structure and optical properties of heavy-metal azides: TlN3, AgN3, and CuN3

Detailed ab initio studies on the electronic structure and optical properties of the heavy-metal azides have been performed using density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation. An analysis of band structure, density of states, charge transfer, and bond order shows that the heavy-metal azides are ionic compounds but have covalent character. The valence bands of AgN3 and CuN3 are strongly dominated by Ag- and Cu-d, respectively, but that of TlN3 arises from the contributions of Tl-s and terminal N-p and not from Tl-d. The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, adsorption coefficient, and electron energy-loss spectra are calculated and compared with available experimental data.     

Comparative first-principles study of structural and optical properties of alkali metal azides

A comparative first-principles study of the structural and optical properties of the alkali metal azides has been performed with density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation. The crystal structures of the alkali azides compare well with experimental data. Their ionic character is manifested by the closeness of their internitrogen distances to the calculated N-N bond length for the free azide ion. An analysis of electronic structure, charge transfer, and bond order shows that the alkali azides are all wide-gap insulators and ionic compounds. The energy band and density of states for lithium azide and alpha-sodium azide are very similar, while these for potassium azide, alpha-rubidium azide, and alpha-cesium azide are alike, but some modifications are observed with the increment of alkali metals' electropositivity. These changes are closely related to the differences of the crystal structures. The general shapes of the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, adsorption coefficient, and electron energy-loss spectra are quite similar. The peaks originate from the electron transitions from the alkali metal s and p states to the conduction band. Our calculated optical properties for the alkali azides are found to be in good agreement with available experimental data. The absorption spectra of the alkali azides show a number of absorption peaks, which are believed to be associated with different exciton states, in the fundamental absorption region. In general, the electron energy-loss spectra have two plasma frequencies.     

Synthesis, structures, and magnetic behavior of a series of copper(II) azide polymers of Cu4 building clusters and isolation of a new hemiaminal ether as the metal complex

Four new neutral copper azido polymers, [Cu(4)(N(3))(8)(L(1))(2)](n) (1), [Cu(4)(N(3))(8)(L(2))(2)](n) (2), [Cu(4)(N(3))(8)(L(3))(2)](n) (3), and [Cu(9)(N(3))(18)(L(4))(4)](n) (4) [L(1-4) are formed in situ by reacting pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde with 2-[2-(methylamino)ethyl]pyridine (mapy, L(1)), N,N-dimethylethylenediamine (N,N-dmen, L(2)), N,N-diethylethylenediamine (N,N-deen, L(3)), and N,N,2,2-tetramethylpropanediamine (N,N,2,2-tmpn, L(4))], have been synthesized by using 0.5 mol equiv of the chelating tridentate ligands with Cu(NO(3))(2)·3H(2)O and an excess of NaN(3). Single-crystal X-ray structures show that the basic unit of these complexes, especially 1-3, contains very similar Cu(II)(4) building blocks. The overall structure of 3 is two-dimensional, while the other three complexes are one-dimensional in nature. Complex 1 represents a unique example containing hemiaminal ether arrested by copper(II). Complexes 1 and 2 have a rare bridging azido pathway: both end-on and end-to-end bridging azides between a pair of Cu(II) centers. Cryomagnetic susceptibility measurements over a wide range of temperature exhibit dominant ferromagnetic behavior in all four complexes. Density functional theory calculations (B3LYP functional) have been performed on complexes 1-3 to provide a qualitative theoretical interpretation of their overall ferromagnetic behavior.     

The electronic absorption spectra of some acyl azides molecular orbital treatment

The electronic absorption spectra of benzoyl azide and its derivatives: p-methyl, p-methoxy, p-chloro and p-nitrobenzoyl azide were investigated in different solvents. The observed spectra differ basically from the electronic spectra of aryl azides or alkyl azides. Four intense pi-pi* transitions were observed in the accessible UV region of the spectrum of each of the studied compounds. The contribution of charge transfer configurations to the observed transitions is rather weak. Shift of band maximum with solvent polarity is minute. On the other hand, band intensity is highly dependent on the solvent used. The observed transitions are delocalized rather than localized ones as in the case with aryl and alkyl azides. The attachment of the CO group to the azide group in acyl azides has a significant effect on the electronic structure of the molecule. The arrangements as well as energies of the molecular orbitals are different in acyl azides from those in aryl azides. The first electronic transition in phenyl azide is at 276 nm, whereas that of bezoyle azide is at 251 nm. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations using both RHF/6-311G* and B3LYP/6-31+G* levels were carried out on the ground states of the studied compounds. The wave functions of the excited states were calculated using the CIS and the AM1-CI procedures.     

High-pressure study of lithium azide from density-functional calculations

The structural, electronic, optical, and vibrational properties of LiN(3) under high pressure have been studied using plane wave pseudopotentials within the generalized gradient approximation for the exchange and correlation functional. The calculated lattice parameters agree quite well with experiments. The calculated bulk modulus value is found to be 23.23 GPa, which is in good agreement with the experimental value of 20.5 GPa. Our calculations reproduce well the trends in high-pressure behavior of the structural parameters. The present results show that the compressibility of LiN(3) crystal is anisotropic and the crystallographic b-axis is more compressible when compared to a- and c-axes, which is also consistent with experiment. Elastic constants are predicted, which still awaits experimental confirmation. The computed elastic constants clearly show that LiN(3) is a mechanically stable system and the calculated elastic constants follow the order C(33) > C(11) > C(22), implying that the LiN(3) lattice is stiffer along the c-axis and relatively weaker along the b-axis. Under the application of pressure the magnitude of the electronic band gap value decreases, indicating that the system has the tendency to become semiconductor at high pressures. The optical properties such as refractive index, absorption spectra, and photoconductivity along the three crystallographic directions have been calculated at ambient as well as at high pressures. The calculated refractive index shows that the system is optically anisotropic and the anisotropy increases with an increase in pressure. The observed peaks in the absorption and photoconductivity spectra are found to shift toward the higher energy region as pressure increases, which implies that in LiN(3) decomposition is favored under pressure with the action of light. The vibrational frequencies for the internal and lattice modes of LiN(3) at ambient conditions as well as at high pressures are calculated from which we predict that the response of the lattice modes toward pressure is relatively high when compared to the internal modes of the azide ion.     

Reaction of AgN3 with SOCl2: evidence for the formation of thionyl azide, SO(N3)2

Pure thionyl azide SO(N(3))(2), which is the only gaseous reaction product, has been generated in a vacuum by the heterogeneous reaction of SOCl(2) vapor with AgN(3) at room temperature at a SOCl(2) vapor pressure of 1 x 10(-3) Torr. Evidence for the formation of SO(N(3))(2) is given by on line photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) combined with outer valence Green's function (OVGF) calculations with the 6-311++G(2df) basis set. The good agreement between the PES experiment and the OVGF calculation shows that SO(N(3))(2) has C(1) symmetry. The first ionization energy of SO(N(3))(2) is 10.18 eV.     

Copper(II) azide complexes of aliphatic and aromatic amine based tridentate ligands: novel structure, spectroscopy, and magnetic properties

Copper(II) azide complexes of three tridentate ligands namely 2,6-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine (L), 2,6-(pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine (L'), and dipropylenetriamine (dpt) yield three kinds of complexes with different azide-binding modes. The ligand L forms two end-on-end (mu-1,3) diazido-bridged binuclear complexes, [CuL(mu-N(3))](2)(ClO(4))(2) (1) and [CuL(mu-N(3))(ClO(4))](2).2CH(3)CN (2), and L' forms a perchlorato-bridged quasi-one-dimensional chain complex, [CuL'(N(3))(ClO(4))](n)() (3) with monodentate azide coordination. The ligation of dipropylenetriamine (dpt) gives a end-on (mu-1,1) diazido-bridged binuclear copper complex [Cu(dpt)(mu-N(3))](2)(ClO(4))(2) (4). The crystal and molecular structures of these complexes have been solved. Variable-temperature EPR results of 1 and 2 are identical and indicate the presence of both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions within the dimer, the former dominating at low temperatures and the latter at high temperatures. The unusual temperature-dependent magnetic moment and EPR spectra of this dimer reveal the presence of temperature-dependent population of two triplet states, one being caused by antiferromagnetic and the other by ferromagnetic interaction, the former transforming to the latter on cooling. While the interaction of ground spin doublets of the two metal centers gives rise to a ferromagnetic coupling of J(g) = 90.73 cm(-1), the other coupling of J(e) = -185.64 cm(-1) is suggested to be caused by the interaction between an electron in one metal center and an electron from the azide of the other monomer by excitation of a d-electron to the empty ligand orbital. The ferromagnetic state is energetically favored by 104.39 cm(-1). Compound 3 exhibits axial spectra at room temperature and 77 K, and variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data indicate that the copper centers form a weakly antiferromagnetic one-dimensional chain with J = -0.11 cm(-1). In the case of 4, the unique presence of two nonidentical dimeric units with different bond lengths and bond angles within the unit cell as inferred by crystal structure is proved by single-crystal EPR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis, structures, and magnetism of copper(II) and manganese(II) coordination polymers with azide and pyridylbenzoates

Three transition-metal coordination polymers with azide and/or carboxylate bridges have been synthesized from 4-(3-pyridyl)benzoic acid (4,3-Hpybz) and 4-(4-pyridyl)benzoic acid (4,4-Hpybz) and characterized by X-ray crystallography and magnetic measurements. Compound 1, [Cu(4,3-pybz)(N(3))](n), consists of 2D coordination networks in which the uniform chains with (μ-EO-N(3))(μ-COO) double bridges are cross-linked by the 4,3-pybz ligands. Compound 2, [Cu(2)(4,4-pybz)(3)(N(3))](n)·3nH(2)O, consists of 2-fold interpenetrated 3D coordination networks with the α-Po topology, in which the six-connected dinuclear motifs with mixed (μ-EO-N(3))(μ-COO)(2) (EO = end-on) triple bridges are linked by the 4,4-pybz spacers. Compound 3, [Mn(4,4-pybz)(N(3))(H(2)O)(2)](n), contains 2D manganese(II) coordination networks in which the chains with single μ-EE-N(3) bridges (EE = end-to-end) are interlinked by the 4,4-pybz ligands, and the structure also features a 2D hydrogen-bonded network in which Mn(II) ions are linked by double triatomic bridges, (μ-EE-N(3))(O-H···N) and (O-H···O)(2). Magnetic studies indicated that the mixed azide and carboxylate bridges in 1 and 2 induce ferromagnetic coupling between Cu(II) ions and that 3 features antiferromagnetic coupling through the EE-azide bridge. In addition, compound 1 exhibits antiferromagnetic ordering below 6.2 K and behaves as a field-induced metamagnet. A magnetostructural survey indicates a general trend that the ferromagnetic coupling through the mixed bridges decreases as the Cu-N-Cu angle increases.     

One pot synthesis of heterometallic 3d-3d azide coordination architectures: effect of the single-ion anisotropy

Five new isomorphic three-dimensional (3D) heterometallic 3d-3d azide complexes, [CuNi(1-x)Co(x)(N(3))(2)(isonic)(2)](∞) (x = 0 for 1, x = 0.3 for 2, x = 0.5 for 3, x = 0.6 for 4, and x = 1 for 5), were obtained by assembling Cu(II), M(II) (Ni(II) and Co(II)), azide, and pyridyl carboxylate in hydrothermal condition. The 3D structure can be described as end on (EO) azide and syn,syn carboxylates mixed bridged alternate Cu-M chains linked by the pyridyl groups. Dominant ferromagnetic interactions were observed between the Cu(II) and M(II) ions in the chains. At low temperature diverse magnetic phenomena were presented in those complexes. As the Ni(II) ions were replaced by Co(II) ions with large anisotropy, the magnetism of the complexes change gradually from metamagnet to single-chain magnet (SCM)-like behaviors.     

An ab initio investigation of the electronic structure of lithium azide (LiN3), sodium azide (NaN3), and lead azide [Pb(N3)2]

Solid energetic substances have long played an important technological role as explosives, as well as for fuels. In this article, the authors concentrate on a type of explosive considered a primary explosive, lead azide, and its related compounds, lithium azide and sodium azide. Recent interest in more fundamental questions relating to the basic properties of these systems as materials, coupled with a desire to probe fundamental questions relating to the initiation and sustaining of the chemical reactions leading to combustion/detonation, is generating significant interest in the basic solid-state properties of such energetic systems. In particular, recent analysis of detonation by Gilman emphasizes the need to include excitation of the electronic system in obtaining an understanding. In this article, the band structures of the three solid metal azides are studied. This is done for both the normal lattice geometry and also in isotropically compressed geometries. These studies found that the alkali azide band gaps are far wider than is the lead azide gap and the lead azide gap is far more sensitive to narrowing with lattice compression than are the gaps for the alkali azides. In fact, the gap for sodium azide is found to widen with compression rather than narrow. The authors found that there is much seen in the band structures of these azides to lend some support to the Gilman model and also to demonstrate the importance of solid-state effects on the electronic structure and possible behavior of such energetic systems. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structure of two azide salts of a copper(II) macrocycle and magnetic properties of Cu(14ane)Cu(N3)4

Synthesis of azide complexes with the copper(II) macrocycle complex Cu(14ane)(2+) (where 14ane = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclothetradecane) has yielded two compounds. Cu(14ane)Cu(N(3))(4) contains micro(1,3)-azido bridged chains of Cu(14ane)(2+) cations and Cu(N(3))(4)(2)(-) anions. Magnetic studies reveal the presence of ferromagnetic interactions within the chains with J/k = 0.635(4) K. [Cu(14ane)N(3)]BF(4) contains [Cu(14ane)N(3)]+ cations with elongated square pyramidal geometry. The BF(4)(-) anions are weakly coordinated in the sixth coordination site of the cations.     

Mechanism of thio acid/azide amidation

A combined experimental and computational mechanistic study of amide formation from thio acids and azides is described. The data support two distinct mechanistic pathways dependent on the electronic character of the azide component. Relatively electron-rich azides undergo bimolecular coupling with thiocarboxylates via an anion-accelerated [3+2] cycloaddition to give a thiatriazoline. Highly electron-poor azides couple via bimolecular union of the terminal nitrogen of the azide with sulfur of the thiocarboxylate to give a linear adduct. Cyclization of this intermediate gives a thiatriazoline. Decomposition to amide is found to proceed via retro-[3+2] cycloaddition of the neutral thiatriazoline intermediates. Computational analysis (DFT, 6-31+G(d)) identified pathways by which both classes of azide undergo [3+2] cycloaddition with thio acid to give thiatriazoline intermediates, although these paths are higher in energy than the thiocarboxylate amidations. These studies also establish that the reaction profile of electron-poor azides is attributable to a prior capture mechanism followed by intramolecular acylation.     

Pt(II)-promoted [2 + 3] cycloaddition of azide to cyanopyridines: convenient tool toward heterometallic structures

The [2 + 3] cycloaddition reactions (which are greatly accelerated by microwave irradiation) of the di(azido)platinum(II) compounds cis-[Pt(N(3))(2)(PPh(3))(2)] (1) with cyanopyridines NCR (2) (R = 4-, 3-, and 2-NC(5)H(4)) give the corresponding bis(pyridyltetrazolato) complexes trans-[Pt(N(4)CR)(2)(PPh(3))(2)] (3) [R = 4-NC(5)H(4) (3a), 3-NC(5)H(4) (3b), and 2-NC(5)H(4) (3c)]. Compound 3c has been characterized as the N(1)N(2)-bonded isomer in the solid state by X-ray crystallography and represents the first bis(tetrazolato) complex of this kind. Complexes 3a and 3b have been used as metallaligands to generate heteronuclear coordination polymers in the presence of copper nitrate. A one-dimensional supramolecular architecture was obtained as the exclusive product, {trans-[Pt(2)(N(4)CR)(4)(PPh(3))(4)Cu](n)(NO(3))(2n).nH(2)O (4.nH(2)O) (R = 4-NC(5)H(4)), when 3a was employed, whereas with 3b the heteronuclear square complex trans-[Pt(N(4)CR)(2)(PPh(3))(2)Cu(NO(3))(2)(H(2)O)](2) (5) (R = 3-NC(5)H(4)), composed of Pt/Cu ions, was obtained. All the isolated complexes were characterized by IR, elemental, and (for 3b, 3c, 4, and 5) X-ray structural analyses. Complexes 3 were additionally characterized by (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P {(1)H} NMR spectroscopies.     

New tests for the detection of azide

Two new, simple, reliable, and specific colour tests are described for the detection of azide. In one, the azide is heated with allyl isothiocyanate and water to form 1-allyl-2-tetrazoline-5-thione in solution; the latter gives a yellow precipitate on treatment with bismuth nitrate solution. Pyridine enhances the intensity of the colour. The allyl isothiocyanate can be produced in situ by treating allylamine with carbon disulphide, diethylamine and hydrogen peroxide. In the other test the azide is heated with carbon disulphide, water and acetone, resulting in the formation of 1,2,3,4-thiatriazoline-5-thione which gives a yellow precipitate with Cu(II) or Bi(III). Pyridine again enhances the colour. The method is applicable to 5-10 mg of soluble azides, but insoluble azides cannot be tested. CN(-), SCN(-), and other common anions do not interfere. Only S(-2) interferes by masking the colour (black CuS or Bi(2)S(3) is precipitated). NO(2)(-) in larger amounts interferes in the second test.     

Crystal structure and magnetic interactions in nickel(II) dibridged complexes formed by two azide groups or by both phenolate oxygen-azide, -thiocyanate, -carboxylate, or -cyanate groups

Tridentate/tetradentate Schiff base ligands L(1) and L(2), derived from the condensation of o-vanillin or pyridine-2-aldehyde with N,N-dimethylethylenediammine, react with nickel acetate or perchlorate salt and azide, cyanate, or thiocyanate to give rise to a series of dinuclear complexes of formulas [Ni(L(1))(micro(1,1)-N(3))Ni(L(1))(N(3))(OH(2))].H(2)O (1), [[Ni(L(1))(micro(1,1)-NCS)Ni(L(1))(NCS)(OH(2))][Ni(L(1))(micro-CH(3)COO)Ni(L(1))( NCS) (OH(2))]] (2) [[2A][2B]], [Ni(L(1))(micro(1,1)-NCO)Ni(L(1))(NCO)(OH(2))].H(2)O (3), and [Ni(L(2)-OMe)(micro(1,1)-N(3))(N(3))](2) (4), where L(1) = Me(2)N(CH(2))(2)NCHC(6)H(3)(O(-))(OCH(3)) and L(2) = Me(2)N(CH(2))(2)NCHC(6)H(3)N. We have characterized these complexes by analytical, spectroscopic, and variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements. The coordination geometry around all of the Ni(II) centers is a distorted octahedron with bridging azide, thiocyanate/acetate, or cyanate in a micro(1,1) mode and micro(2)-phenolate oxygen ion for 1-3, respectively, or with a double-bridging azide for 4. The magnetic properties of the complexes were studied by magnetic susceptibility (chi(M)) versus temperature measurements. The chi(M) nus T plot reveals that compounds 1 and 4 are strongly ferromagnetically coupled, 3 shows a weak ferromagnetic behavior, and 2 is very weakly antiferromagnetically coupled.     

Observation of inductive effects that cause a change in the rate-determining step for the conversion of rhenium azides to imido complexes

The cationic oxorhenium(V) complex [Re(O)(hoz)(2)(CH(3)CN)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] [1; Hhoz = 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline] reacts with aryl azides (N(3)Ar) to give cationic cis-rhenium(VII) oxoimido complexes of the general formula [Re(O)(NAr)(hoz)(2)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] [2a-2f; Ar = 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-methylphenyl, phenyl, 3-methoxyphenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, and 4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]. The kinetics of formation of 2 in CH(3)CN are first-order in both azide (N(3)Ar) and oxorhenium(V) complex 1, with second-order rate constants ranging from 3.5 × 10(-2) to 1.7 × 10(-1) M(-1) s(-1). A strong inductive effect is observed for electron-withdrawing substituents, leading to a negative Hammett reaction constant ρ = -1.3. However, electron-donating substituents on phenyl azide deviate significantly from this trend. Enthalpic barriers (ΔH(?)) determined by the Eyring-Polanyi equation are in the range 14-19 kcal mol(-1) for all aryl azides studied. However, electron-donating 4-methoxyphenyl azide exhibits a large negative entropy of activation, ΔS(?) = -21 cal mol(-1) K(-1), which is in sharp contrast to the near zero ΔS(?) observed for phenyl azide and 4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl azide. The Hammett linear free-energy relationship and the activation parameters support a change in the mechanism between electron-withdrawing and electron-donating aryl azides. Density functional theory predicts that the aryl azides coordinate via N(α) and extrude N(2) directly. For the electron-withdrawing substituents, N(2) extrusion is rate-determining, while for the electron-donating substituents, the rate-determining step becomes the initial attack of the azide. The barriers for these two steps are inverted in their order with respect to the Hammett σ values; thus, the Hammett plot appears with a break in its slope.     

Quantum chemical study of the arylacyl azide complexes with Lewis acids and their Curtius rearrangement to isocyanates

The structures of donor-acceptor complexes of syn-benzoyl azide, its 2-methyl- and 2,6-dimethyl-substituted derivatives with BF₃, AlCl₃, and SbCl₅, and the corresponding transition states of the rearrangement into isocyanates were studied by the PBE/TZ2P method in the framework of the density functional theory (DFT). The complexes are formed at the oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the acyl azide group and have the composition 1: 1 or 1: 2 depending on the Lewis acid (L) structure. The complexes at the oxygen atom are more stable; the most stable complexes are formed by the reactions of acyl azides with AlCl₃. Complex formation with Lewis acids decreases the activation energy of the transformation of acyl azides into isocyanates owing to the +M effect and stabilization of the Ar-C(O-L^(1?))=N(1)-N(2)⁽¹⁺⁾≡N(3) mesomeric form. The activation energy decreases with an increase in the number of ortho-methyl substituents in benzoyl azide due to the +I effect of the phenyl group. The turn of the phenyl ring at almost 90° with respect to the CON₃ group is needed for the rearrangement to occur, and the energy necessary for this process is ～8 kcal mol^?1.     

Metal complexes formed by metal-assisted solvolysis of di-pyridylketone azine: structures and magnetic properties

A series of metal complexes were achieved from the metal-assisted solvolysis reaction of di-pyridylketone azine (dpka). The tetranuclear nickel cluster , [Ni(2)[dpk(O)(OH)][dpk(O)(OCH(3))](N(3))(2)](2), is centrosymmetric with a central core described as an edge-shared triangle core. Neighboring Ni(II) ions are alternately bridged by (micro(2)-N(3), micro(3)-O) and (micro(2)-O, micro(3)-O) double bridges. Complex , [Cu(4)[dpk(O)(OCH(3))](4)(N(3))(2)](CuCl(2))(2) contains a tetranuclear cluster and two identical [CuCl(2)]M(-) anions. The tetranuclear structure has two crystallographically imposed twofold axes, in which the four copper ions are arranged to be rhombic shape. The neighboring copper(ii) ions along the lateral are bridged by single micro(2)-O from the ligand dpk(O)(OCH(3)) and the short diagonal copper ions are bridged by two symmetric end-on azides. In dinuclear Cu(ii) complex [Cu(2)[dpka(OCH(2)CH(3))]Cl(2)](ClO(4)) (3), the metal centers are coordinated in a planar configuration and bridged by a -N-N- bridge. It is also observed that the Cl atom coordinated to one Cu(II) center is also weakly coordinated to another inversion related Cu(II) to generate a centrosymmetric dimer. The metal centers in one-dimensional polymeric Cu(ii) complex [Cu(2)[dpka(OCH(3))](N(3))(2)(ClO(4))](n) (4), however, are bridged by a -N-N- bridge and an end-to-end azide bridge, alternately. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that shows ferromagnetic interaction within the tetranuclear cluster, and that displays moderately strong antiferromagnetic interaction (J = -56.7 cm(-1)) for the bis(micro-N(3)) bridge. For compound , it shows strong antiferromagnetic coupling (J = -286 cm(-1)) between the intradinuclear Cu(II) ions mediated by the single N-N bridge and negligible magnetic interactions between the adjacent dinuclear Cu(II) ions mediated by the single end-to-end azide bridge. The mechanism of the metal-assisted solvolysis reaction was also discussed.     

Low-frequency electronic and optical properties of rhombohedral graphite

Low-energy electronic and optical properties of ABC-stacked graphite are respectively studied by the tight-binding model and gradient approximation. The band structures include linear and parabolic bands with and without degeneracy. They show strongly anisotropic dispersions. ABC-stacked graphite is a semimetal due to the slight overlap near the Fermi level between the conduction and valence bands. The interlayer interactions change the energy dispersion, state degeneracy, and the positions of band-crossings and band-edge states. When the state energy is higher than the degenerate energy of the conduction band (E(2d)(c)) or lower than that of the valence bands (E(2d)(v)), a greater number of states might exist. The special band structures would be reflected in the density of states (DOS), the joint density of states (JDOS), and the absorption spectra (A(ω)). For example, the DOS exhibits a cave-like structure at ω = E(2d)(c) and E(2d)(v). Both a special jump in the JDOS and a turning point in the A(ω) occur at ω = E(2d)(c) - E(2d)(v). The DOS and A(ω) could be respectively verified by scanning tunneling spectroscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy.     

The allylic azide rearrangement: achieving selectivity

Allylic azides undergo a rapid [3.3]-sigmatropic rearrangement which results in dynamic equilibrium of several isomers. Thus, reactions of allylic azides usually result in mixtures of products. However, even small differences in reactivity of the isomeric allylic azides can be amplified to result in a single product in good to excellent yields. For example, the Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition with alkynes selectively captures primary and secondary allylic azide isomers, whereas MCPBA epoxidation favors isomers which contain more electron-rich double olefins.