Structure of zirconium butoxide complexes in n-butanol solutions

EXAFS and SAXS were used for structure elucidation of zirconium butoxide complexes in n-butanol at concentrations from 0.3 g to 0.015 g ZrO₂ in 1 ml. The basic structural unit of the complex is a tetramer. It has two equal sides with zirconium atoms linked by double oxygen bridges and with zirconium-zirconium distances of 3.5 Å. The other sides in the tetramer are 3.3 Å and 3.9 Å. This difference in bond lengths is explained by the different numbers of double or single ligand bridges between zirconium atoms. The tetramers are apt to undergo oligomerization to form particles with a diameter of 80 Å in solution.     

Ordering of Ionic Solutes in Dilute Solutions through Attraction of Similarly Charged Solutes—A Change of Paradigm in Colloid and Polymer Chemistry

EXAFS measurements indicate the presence of a quasi lattice-like ordering of simple ions in dilute solutions. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements on dilute aqueous solutions of synthetic macroions, polynucleotides, and proteins show a single broad peak; a binary mixture of synthetic macroions of different molecular weight gives a new scattering curve that is entirely different from the composite curve of the constituents before mixing. This would indicate that the macroions are distributed in a fairly regular way in the solution. The intermacroion spacing (2D_exp) obtained by the Bragg equation is found to be smaller than the average spacing (2D₀) calculated from the polymer concentration. Furthermore, the 2D_exp value decreases with increasing number of charges per macroion. This finding is confirmed by studies on model systems, e. g. on monodisperse ionic latex particles, which are large enough (diameter: about 3000 Å) to be seen under the ultramicroscope. It follows, from the inequality relation 2D_exp<2D₀, that there is an attraction between ionic species of like-charge. This conclusion contradicts prevailing views in colloid chemistry; it has been pointed out that such a behavior can be explained in terms of a new theory, in which counterions between the macroions or ionic latex particles play a decisive role.     

Morphology and size-controlled synthesis of silver nanoparticles in aqueous surfactant polymer solutions

We have employed a number of reducing and capping agents to obtain Ag(0) metallic nanoparticles of various sizes and morphologies. The size and morphology were tuned by selecting reducing and capping agents. Spherical particles of 15 and 43 nm diameter were obtained when 1 wt% aqueous starch solution of AgNO₃ precursor salt was reduced by d(+)-glucose and NaOH, respectively, on heating at 70 °C for 30 min. Smaller size particles obtained in the case of d(+)-glucose reduction has been attributed to the slow reduction rate by mild reducing agent d(+)-glucose compared to strong NaOH. Conducting the reduction at ambient temperature of silver salt in liquid crystalline pluronic P123 and L64 also gave spherical particles of 8 and 24 nm, respectively, without the addition of any separate reducing agent. NaOH reduction of salt in ethylene glycol (11 g)/polyvinyl pyrolidone (PVP; 0.053 g) mixture produced large self-assembled cubes of 520 nm when smaller (26–53 nm) star-shaped sharp-edged structures formed initially aggregated on heating the preparation at 190 °C for 1 h. Increasing the amount of PVP (0.5 g) in ethylene glycol (11 g) and heating at 70 °C for 30 min yielded a mixture of spherical and non-spherical (cubes, hexagons, pentagons, and triangle) particles without the addition of an extra reducing agent. Addition of 5 wt% PVP to 1 wt% aqueous starched solution resulted in the formation of a mixture of spherical and anisotropic structures when solution heated at 70 °C for 1 h. Homogeneous smaller sized (29 nm) cubes were synthesized by NaOH reduction of AgNO₃ in 12.5 wt% of water-soluble polymer poly(methyl vinyl ether) at ambient temperature in 30 min reaction time.     

ESR single-crystal study of radical and radical-pair formation in some γ-irradiated vinyl monomers

Single crystals of methyl methacrylate (MMA), methyl acrylate (MA), and acrolein (A) have been prepared by a low-temperature technique. After irradiation with γ-rays at 77°K the paramagnetic species were identified by ESR spectroscopy. MMA gave a seven-line single spectrum from radicals formed by hydrogen addition. The hyperfine coupling constants are slightly anisotropic with a mean value of 22 G. Radical pairs were observed as ΔM_s = 1 and ΔM_s = 2 transitions; the hyperfine coupling was 11 G. From the strongly anisotropic dipolar interaction, upper limits for the distances between the pair components were calculated to be 5.45 Å and 6.3 Å. MA gave a five-line main spectrum with the same hyperfine coupling values and two radical pairs, one with a distance 5.9 Å between the components. In a there was also a strongly anisotropic interaction. The hyperfine coupling of the ΔM_s = 2 transition was 9.8 G. The number of radical pairs compared to the total number of radicals increases only slightly with the radiation dose. This makes it likely that pair formation occurs in the spurs and blobs formed by the γ-radiation. At an increased temperature the radical pairs disappeared; the spectrum of MMA changed to that characteristic of propagating polymer radicals.     

A spectroscopic and ab initio study on Bi(III) complex formation with 3-mercaptopropanesulfonic acid

This article deals with complex formation of Bi(III) with 3-mercaptopropanesulfonic acid (H₂MPS) in aqueous perchloric acid solutions, with synthesis and characterization of a solid 3-mercaptopropanesulfonate complex of bismuth(III). The stoichiometry and structures of Bi-MPS species in aqueous solution and of a solid complex have been studied by UV–Vis, ¹H-NMR, ICP-AES, Raman, and EXAFS spectroscopic methods; the structures have also been simulated with DFT/PBE0 calculations. The Bi(III) L_III-edge EXAFS oscillation for a solid compound with the empirical formula [Bi(HMPS)₂(ClO₄)]⁰ was simulated with two Bi–S interatomic distances at 2.50 ± 0.01 Å, two Bi–O distances at 2.56 ± 0.02 Å and two Bi–O distances at 2.75 ± 0.02 Å. Implementation of the same approach for aqueous solutions on the assumption of S₃BiO₃ coordination at the H₂MPS?:?Bi(III) mole ratio ≥ 3.0 revealed three Bi–S bonds at 2.53 ± 0.02 Å and three Bi–O bonds at 2.68 ± 0.02 Å, respectively. Optimized geometries, electronic structures of Bi(HMPS)₃ and [Bi(HMPS)₂ClO₄]⁰, vibrational properties of [Bi(HMPS)₂ClO₄]⁰, and electronic absorption spectrum of Bi(HMPS)₃ species obtained by DFT and TD–DFT modeling are consistent with empirical parameters. In the UV–Vis spectrum of Bi(HMPS)₃ the LMCT and MLCT S^2? ? Bi³⁺ band appears at 268 nm.     

EXAFS investigation of nickel and cobalt precursors of homogeneous ziegler-type hydrogenation catalysts

A preliminary EXAFS study is reported of precursors of homogeneous hydrogenation catalysts obtained by addition of AlEt₃ to nickel or cobalt octoate solutions in benzene. For a given nickel octoate solution studied before reduction, monodentate coordination of the nickel cations to at least four carboxylic anions was established and accurate Ni...O₁, Ni...C₁ distances (i.e. 2.06±0.01 Å, 3.01±0.02 Å) were determined. The spectra of the reduced solutions are however clearly dominated by intense Ni^*...Ni or Co^*...Co signals at distances comparable to the relevant distances of the bulk metal, and thus suggest the presence of rather disordered, amorphous-like metal clusters. Strong evidence is also produced in favour of additional metal...carbon bonds which were often assumed to play an important role in the catalytic activity of these or related solutions.     

Characterization of TcCl4 and β-TcCl3 by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Technetium tetrachloride and β-TcCl₃, synthesized from the reaction of Tc metal and Cl_2(g) in sealed tubes, were characterized by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy measurements are in good agreement with the X-ray diffraction structures of the two compounds. For TcCl₄, the absorbing Tc atom is surrounded by Cl atoms at 2.34(2) Å and Tc atoms at 3.66(4) Å. For β-TcCl₃, the absorbing Tc atom is surrounded by Cl atoms at 2.40(2) Å and Tc atoms at 2.81(3), 3.66(4) and 5.71(6) Å. EXAFS spectroscopy indicates that the TcCl₄ and β-TcCl₃ samples obtained by sealed tube reactions are single phase. The X-ray absorption near edge structure spectra of TcCl₄ and β-TcCl₃ were recorded; the positions of the Tc K-edges of β-TcCl₃ (21,050.5 eV) and TcCl₄ (21,053.0 eV) are compared to the ones measured for α-TcCl₃ (21,051.0 eV) and TcCl₂ (21,048.8 eV). A correlation between the positions of the Tc K-edges and the oxidation state of the Tc atom in technetium binary chlorides was determined.     

Refinement of LiFe<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>8</Subscript> crystal structure

The crystal structure and the formation conditions of crystals of the LiFe₅O₈ ordered phase obtained from the solution-melt of the Bi₂O₃-Fe₂O₃-B₂O₃-LiCl quadruple system are refined. The crystals are black, octahedral, of cubic symmetry (space group P4₃32). Unit cell parameters: a = 8.3339(1) Å, V = 578.82(1) ų, Z = 4, d _calc = 4.753 g/cm³. From 6046 of the collected array I _hkl 358 are independent (R _int = 0.0321). As a result of anisotropic refinement of structural parameters, R ₁ factor is found to be 0.0186 (wR ₂ = 0.0467). Lithium atoms are in octahedral environment, Li-O is 2.109(1) Å; iron atoms are of two types: in octahedra with Fe-O (by two) distances of 1.9586(9) Å, 2.0152(9) Å, and 2.0652(10) Å and tetrahedra with Fe-O (three) 1.8848(10) Å and 1.914(2) Å. The structure is of inverted spinel type.     

Structural study of lanthanides(III) in aqueous nitrate and chloride solutions by EXAFS

Structural studies of lanthanide ions (Nd³⁺≈Lu³⁺: about 1 mol/l) in the aqueous chloride (HCl: 0≈6 mol/l) and nitrate (HNO₃: 0?13 mol/l) solutions were carried out by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The radial structural functions appeared to be mainly characterized by hydration in both chloride and nitrate systems and coordination of nitrate ion in nitrate systems. These results indicated that nitrate ion forms inner-sphere complex with lanthanide but chloride ion hardly forms one. The quantitative analyses of EXAFS data have revealed that the total coordination numbers of lanthanide ranged from about 9 for light lanthanides to about 8 for heavy lanthanides in all the samples. The bond distances of Ln?O were from about 2.3 to 2.5 Å for Ln?OH₂ and from about 2.4 to 2.6 Å for Ln?O₂NO. Nitrate ion locates at 0.1 Å longer position than water, it suggested that nitrate ion ligates more weakly than water.     

Preparation of ZnO Nanoparticles: Structural Study of the Molecular Precursor

The structure of zinc acetate derived precursor currently used in the sol-gel synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles is described. The reaction products obtained before and after reflux of ethanolic zinc acetate solution have been studied by UV-Vis, photoluminescence, FTIR and EXAFS at the Zn K edge. EXAFS results evidence for both precursor solutions a change from the octahedral coordination sphere of oxygen atoms characteristic of the solid zinc acetate dihydrate compound into a four-fold environment. The EXAFS spectra of precursor solutions can be satisfactorily reproduced using the molecular structure reported for Zn₄O(Ac)₆ (Ac = COOCH₃). UV-Vis and FTIR measurements are also in agreement with the formation of this oligomeric precursor. The structural modification is more pronounced after reflux at 80°C, because the increase of the Zn₄O(Ac)₆ amount and the formation of nearly 3.0 nm sized ZnO nanoparticle.     

Fe and Cr K‐edges EXAFS Study of Double Perovskite (Sr2‐xCax)FeMoO6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0) and Sr2CrMO6 (M = Mo,W) Systems

The local structure of the double perovskite (Sr_2‐xCa_x)FeMoO₆ (0 ≤ × ≤ 2.0) and Sr₂CrMO₆ (M = Mo, W) systems have been probed by extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy at the Fe and Cr K‐edges. We found Fe‐O (ave) distance apparently decreases from 1.999 Å (x = 0) to 1.991 Å (x = 1.0) in (Sr_2‐xCa_x)FeMoO₆ (tetragonal structure). When x is increased further from 1.5 to 2.0, the Fe‐O bond distance decreased from 2.034 Å to 2.012 Å (monoclinic structure). In addition, Cr‐O, Sr‐Cr, and Cr‐Mo bond distances in Sr₂CrWO₆ are all slightly larger than the bond distances of Sr₂CrMoO₆, which is due to the ionic radius of the W⁵⁺ (0.62 Å) which is larger than the ionic radius of Mo⁵⁺ (0.61 Å). The results are consistent with our XRD refinements data.     

Crystal structure of bis(semicarbazido)copper(II) nitrate [Cu(NH<Subscript>2</Subscript>NHC(O)NH<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>](NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The crystal structure of bis(semicarbazido)copper(II) nitrate [Cu(NH₂NHC(O)NH₂)₂](NO₃)₂ has been studied by X-ray diffraction. Monoclinic crystals, a = 6.835(2) Å, b = 7.733(2) Å, c = 10.320(3) Å, β = 105.701(3)°, V = 525.1(2) ų, space group P2₁/c, Z = 2, d _msd = 2.136 g/cm³, μ(MoK _α) = 2.143 mm⁻¹. The structure was solved with the program for automatic analysis of Patterson’s function and refined by full-matrix least squares in an anisotropic approximation for all non-hydrogen atoms using 753 independent reflections; R ₁ = 0.0203. The square environment of the Cu atom is formed from the amino nitrogen atoms of the hydrazine fragments and the C=O oxygen atoms of the two semicarbazide bidentate molecules (Cu-N 1.928 Å, Cu-O 1.999 Å). The axial positions are occupied by the O atoms of the NO ₃ ⁻ outer-spheric anions (Cu-O 2.505 Å). In the structure, the complex cations and the NO ₃ ⁻ anions are linked into a framework by N-H...O type hydrogen bonds. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2007 by G. V. Romanenko, Z. A. Savelieva, and S. V. Larionov __________ Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 370–373, March–April, 2007.     

Triosmium clusters on a support: determination of structure by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and high-resolution microscopy

The structures of small, robust metal clusters on a solid support were determined by a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic methods: extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and aberration‐corrected STEM. The samples were synthesized from [Os₃(CO)₁₂] on MgO powder to provide supported clusters intended to be triosmium. The results demonstrate that the supported clusters are robust in the absence of oxidants. Conventional high‐angle annular dark‐field (HAADF) STEM images demonstrate a high degree of uniformity of the clusters, with root‐mean‐square (rms) radii of 2.03±0.06 Å. The EXAFS Os? Os coordination number of 2.1±0.4 confirms the presence of triosmium clusters on average and correspondingly determines an average rms cluster radius of 2.02±0.04 Å. The high‐resolution STEM images show the individual Os atoms in the clusters, confirming the triangular structures of their frames and determining Os? Os distances of 2.80±0.14 Å, matching the EXAFS value of 2.89±0.06 Å. IR and EXAFS spectra demonstrate the presence of CO ligands on the clusters. This set of techniques is recommended as optimal for detailed and reliable structural characterization of supported clusters.     

Structure of Methanol Solvated Iodozinc(II) Complexes in Solution

The structures of the solvated zinc ion and the solvated zinc–iodide complexes in methanol solution have been determined by EXAFS. The zinc ion is six-coordinated in an octahedral fashion with a mean Zn–O bond distance of 2.071(4) Å. According to the stability constants of the zinc–iodide system in methanol solution the first complex, ZnI⁺, is suppressed, which may indicate that a coordination change takes place at this step. On the other hand, the second complex, ZnI₂, predominates at excess of iodide. The methanol solvated ZnI₂ complex has a tetrahedral structure with mean Zn–I and Zn–O bond distances of 2.55(1) and 1.99(1) Å, respectively. The mean Zn–I bond distance in a solution containing a maximal content of ZnI⁺, ca. 12%, strongly indicates that the first complex also has a tetrahedral structure.     

Structural characteristics of the coordination nodes of the anticarcinogenic dimeric complex di-μ-guanine-bis[cis-dichloroaquoplatinum(II)] in the crystalline tetrahydrate

Structural characteristics of coordination nodes in the anticarcinogenic crystalline hydrate of the di-μ-guanine-bis-[cis-dichloroaquoplatinum(II)] dimeric complex were investigated by IR, NMR (¹H,¹³C, and¹⁹⁵Pt), and EXAFS methods. The guanine molecules in the keto form of the complex bridge the platinum atoms by the head-to-tail principle, and the coordination nodes are polyhedra of pentaccordinated platinum(II), PtCl₂NO₂, with the distances R(Pt?Cl)=2.44 Å and R(Pt?N(O))=2.06 Å. The distances from the platinum atom to the nearest atoms not chemically bonded to the metal are R(Pt?C)=2.86 Å and R(Pt?Pt)=5Å.     

Triethylgermyllithium association in solutions studied by the method of x-ray diffraction in liquids

X-ray diffraction patterns for Et₃GeLi solutions in benzene, hexane and tetrahydrofuran (THF) are measured and radial distribution functions (RDF's) are calculated. Narrow peaks are detected in the RDF's pertaining to the distances between atoms of coupled Et₃GeLi molecules. This shows directly that these molecules exist in solution in associated forms. The associate structures are different in hydrocarbon and electron-donor solvents. It is found that the nearest neighbour distance between germanium atoms of coupled molecules is 4.5 Å in benzene and hexane and 4.0 Å in THF solutions. Packing of large associates produces the diffraction peak seen in scattering curves of solutions in the low angle region. The associate dimensions (diameters) are estimated from these peak positions as 12.5–14 Å in hydrocarbons and 10 Å in THF.     

Bildung von Fe3S4?FeS2 durch hydrothermale Reaktion

A mixture of Fe₃S₄ (greigite) and FeS₂ (pyrite) is formed at 200°C on hydrothermal treatment of freshly precipitated iron sulphide. Its electron diffraction diagramm was recorded, which corresponded to an incomplete solid solution of Fe₃S₄ and FeS₂. The surface and the interior of the spherical particles of the samples (size about 500 Å) consisted of Fe₃S₄ and FeS₂, respectively.     

Study of the molecular conformation of an aromatic polyamide–hydrazide by intrinsic viscosity

The persistence length of poly(terephthaloyl p-amino benzhydrazide) (X-500) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been determined from intrinsic viscosities measured for several whole-polymer samples. An approximate correction is applied for excluded volume effects, and these corrected values are fitted using the viscosity treatments of Yamakawa and Fujii and of Eizner and Ptitsyn. Both give for the persistence length of X-500 values in the range 30–35 Å. Revised treatment of our previous light scattering data for the same polymer yields 49 Å for the persistence length. Thus the chain extension of X-500 falls between those of para-linked polyamides and those of typical freely coiling macromolecules. Phase diagram studies indicate the solubility of X-500 in DMSO decreases with rising temperature, and can be increased by the addition of LiCl. No anisotropic phase is found in DMSO at the highest volume fraction of polymer, v₂ = 0.19, which can be obtained with 4 g/dl LiCl. The critical concentration of X-500 needed for the appearance of the anisotropic phase depends upon solvent since Morgan reported an anisotropic phase for this polymer in 100% H₂SO₄ when v₂ ≈ 0.13.     

An atomic force microscopy investigation on self-assembled peptide nucleic acid structures on gold(111) surface

We studied interaction of hydrophilic polymer chain and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in a dilute aqueous system using an idealized model system comprised of a well characterized polyvinyl alcohol of 100 Å R_g and hard spherical LUDOX® silica of 80 Å radii. Interaction among the polymer chains forming polymer clusters with collective polymer structure factor induced by the polymer-mediated potentials of mean force between the nanoparticles, was observed. However, Gaussian nature of individual polymer chain remains unaltered. The dilute system of polymer with low silica volume fraction has the scattering form which was appropriately modeled as the sum of the individual profiles of spherical silica particles and polymer cluster of interchain packing. With increasing silica volume fraction in the dilute solution, the spatial range parameter between the particles is reduced; hence there is a net increase in the mean potential force and consequently to stronger interaction between the silica and polymer. In the dilute systems of high silica with low polymer volume fraction, the polymer chain apparently attracted closer to the silica and concurrently absorbed to the silica hard surface and their scattering data were excellently fit with a model form factor as comprising of one unit forming the core of the spherical silica particles and the interacting polymer as the corona. This result of severe change in polymer interchain conformation in a dilute system corroborated with reduced polymer viscosity observed.     

Structure des solutions d'ions fluorure dans le chlorure d'hydrogene liquide

The infrared and isotropic and anisotropic Raman spectra of solutions of tetraethyl-ammonium fluoride at various concentrations in liquid hydrogen chloride are recorded and analyzed to elucidate the structure of the solvation aggregates surrounding the fluoride anions.The experimental results indicate that, even in the liquid state, the structure surrounding the fluoride ions is relatively ordered. The solvation number was determined as n = 4.Using a recent method (J. Chem. Phys., 1979), the radius of the first sphere of solvation was evaluated and gives a distance r_Cl-H?F = 3.1 Å.