Synthesis of dipyrrolo[2,3-a:1′,2′,3′-fg]acridin-12(1H)-ones

Acylation reactions of 4,6-dimethoxyindoles with glyoxyloyl chlorides were achieved by the use of graphite powder in 1,2-dichloroethane at reflux. The products were monoketones as a result of decarbonylation, rather than the expected 1,2-diketones. Treatment of these monoketones with base led to their cyclisation and elimination of methanol to afford the novel dipyrrolo[2.3-a:1′,2′,3′-fg]acridin-12(1H)-ones.     

Sol-gel synthesis, structural and superconducting properties of (Hg1−ySey)Sr2(Y1−xCax)Cu2O6+δ

A new series of Sr-based Hg-1212 superconducting cuprate (Hg_1−ySe_y)Sr₂(Y_1−xCa_x)Cu₂O_6+δ (y=0.25; 0.0?x?0.7) have been successfully synthesized using a highly homogenous and reactive precursor Sr₂(Y_1−xCa_x)Cu₂O_z prepared by the citrate sol-gel process. This chemical method is fast, cheap, reproducible and more efficient than the traditional solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy dispersive X-ray analyses (EDX) studies have shown that Se is required for stabilization of the Sr-based Hg-1212 phase (Hg_1−ySe_y)Sr₂YCu₂O_6+δ; y≈0.25. On the other hand, electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated that substitution of Y by Ca is necessary to induce superconductivity in the 1212 (Hg_0.75Se_0.25)Sr₂(Y_1−xCa_x)Cu₂O_6+δ samples. Superconductivity is observed only for samples with x?0.3 and T_c increases with increasing Ca content as well as O₂-annealing. A maximum T_c(onset) of 85 K is found in the (Hg_0.75Se_0.25)Sr₂(Y_0.3Ca_0.7)Cu₂O_6.84 sample annealed in an oxygen atmosphere. The structure of O₂-annealed samples was investigated by the Rietveld refinement. For all samples, it was found that Se substitutes at the Hg site. Each Se atom is surrounded by four oxygen atoms O(3), but these are not at the ideal site. Rather, these oxygen atoms are shifted along the [110] direction ((0.3989, 0.3989, 0) in the case of x=0.5), implying a four-fold split site with an occupancy of 0.22(2) for each of them.     

Synthesis and characterization of La0.8Sr1.2Co0.5M0.5O4−δ (M=Fe, Mn)

The M⁴⁺-containing K₂NiF₄-type phases La_0.8Sr_1.2Co_0.5Fe_0.5O₄ and La_0.8Sr_1.2Co_0.5Mn_0.5O₄ have been synthesized by a sol-gel procedure and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, thermal analysis, neutron powder diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Oxide ion vacancies are created in these materials via reduction of M⁴⁺ to M³⁺ and of Co³⁺ to Co²⁺. The vacancies are confined to the equatorial planes of the K₂NiF₄-type structure. A partial reduction of Mn³⁺ to Mn²⁺ also occurs to achieve the oxygen stoichiometry in La_0.8Sr_1.2Co_0.5Mn_0.5O_3.6. La_0.8Sr_1.2Co_0.5Fe_0.5O_3.65 contains Co²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions which interact antiferromagnetically and result in noncollinear magnetic order consistent with the tetragonal symmetry. Competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions in La_0.8Sr_1.2Co_0.5Fe_0.5O₄, La_0.8Sr_1.2Co_0.5Mn_0.5O₄ and La_0.8Sr_1.2Co_0.5Mn_0.5O_3.6 induce spin glass properties in these phases.     

Energetics of La1−xAxCrO3−δ perovskites (A=Ca or Sr)

A series of perovskites with the general formula La_1−xA_xCrO_3−δ (A=Ca or Sr) have been synthesized in the solid solution range 0.0<x?0.3 and 0.0?δ?0.5x with a variety of heat treatments. High-temperature drop solution calorimetry in molten 2PbO·B₂O₃ at 1080 K was performed to determine their enthalpies of formation from oxides at room temperature. The enthalpy of oxidation involved in the reaction is roughly independent of oxygen nonstoichiometry (δ) in each series with a given dopant composition, but varies with composition (x). The values change from −620±260 to −280±80 kJ/mol O₂ when x=0.1-0.3 for Ca-doped samples, and from −440±150 to −290±50 kJ/mol O₂ for Sr-doped ones. This dependence of enthalpy of oxidation on composition suggests oxygen vacancies are increasingly short-range ordered in reduced samples. The higher oxidation state of chromium is stabilized by the substitution of alkaline earth ions, but with increasing doping, the enthalpy of formation of the fully oxidized sample in both Ca and Sr-doped systems becomes more endothermic. This destabilization effect is attributed to the large endothermic enthalpy of oxygen vacancy formation (395±30 kJ/mol of ) for the reaction (A=Ca or Sr) that over-rides the exothermic enthalpies of oxidation. At a given composition, Sr-doped LaCrO₃ is more stable than its Ca-doped counterpart, which is consistent with basicity arguments.     

The clathrate Ba8CuxGe46−x−y□y: Phase equilibria and crystal structure

Phase relations at 700 °C, 800 °C and solidus temperatures have been derived for the clathrate system Ba₈Cu_xGe_46−x−y□_y via X-ray single crystal and powder diffractometry combined with electron probe micro analysis and differential thermal analysis. The ternary clathrate phase derives from binary Ba₈Ge₄₃□₃ and extends up to x=6. Structure investigations define cubic primitive symmetry with the space group type consistent with a clathrate type I structure throughout the entire homogeneity region 0<x?6 but defect-free Ba₈Cu_xGe_46−x exists for x?5.5.     

Stability and oxygen-storage characteristics of Al-substituted YBaCo4O7+δ

A series of Al-substituted YBa(Co_1−xAl_x)₄O_7+δ samples was synthesized and characterized with respect to the capability to store large amounts of oxygen at low temperatures (at 200-400 °C) and the phase decomposition upon heating under oxidizing conditions at higher temperatures (above 550 °C). It was revealed that increasing the Al-substitution level up to x≈0.10 boosts up the phase-decomposition temperature from ∼550 to ∼700 °C, while the unique oxygen absorption/desorption characteristics remain nearly the same as those of the pristine YBaCo₄O_7+δ phase. The maximum amount of excess oxygen absorbed by the Al-substituted YBa(Co_1−xAl_x)₄O_7+δ samples was determined to be as large as δ≈1.45 for x=0.10 (in 100 atm O₂ at 320 °C). Isothermal annealing experiments carried out for the same x=0.10 phase at 300 °C revealed that it could be reversibly charged and discharged with 1.2 oxygen atoms per formula unit by switching the gas flow from N₂ to O₂ and vice versa.     

Conditions for superconductivity in the electron-doped copper-oxide system, (Nd1−xCex)2CuO4+δ

We report systematic studies on the relations among the Ce^IV-for-Nd^III substitution level (x), oxygen-partial pressure (P_O2), oxygen content (4+δ), lattice parameters (a, c) and superconductivity characteristics (T_c, volume fraction) in the (Nd_1−xCe_x)₂Cu_1−yO_4+δ system which includes electron-doped superconductors. Independent of the Ce-doping level x, samples synthesized in air are found oxygen deficient, i.e. δ<0. Nevertheless, reductive annealing is needed to induce superconductivity in the air-synthesized samples. At the same time, the amount of oxygen removed upon the annealing is found very small (e.g. 0.004 oxygen atoms per formula unit at x=0.075), and consequently the effect of the annealing on the valence of copper (and thereby also on the electron doping level) is insignificant. Rather, the main function of the reductive annealing is likely to repair the Cu vacancies believed to exist in tiny concentrations (y) in the air-synthesized samples.     

Orthoamides by selective borohydride reduction of N,N′,N″-triacyl- and N,N′,N″-tri(alkoxycarbonyl)-guanidines

N,N′,N″-Triacylguanidines and N,N′,N″-tri(alkoxycarbonyl)guanidines were prepared and reduced with borohydride salts in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran and acetic acid to give triacyl and tri(alkoxycarbonyl) orthoamides in yields of 40–85%. However, similar reduction of N,N′,N″-tri(t-butoxycarbonyl)guanidine did not give orthoamide but the aminal di(t-butyl) methylenedicarbamate.     

Phase and valence transitions in Ba2LnSnxSb1−xO6−δ (Ln=Pr and Tb)

Compounds in the double perovskites series Ba₂LnSn_xSb_1−xO_6−δ (Ln=Pr and Tb) have been synthesised and structurally characterised using synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction. It was found that the two end-members of the Ba₂PrSn_xSb_1−xO_6−δ series both adopt rhombohedral symmetry but the antimonate is a fully ordered double perovskite while the stannate has no B-site cation ordering. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and near-infrared spectroscopy indicate that the Pr cations gradually change oxidation state from Pr³⁺ to Pr⁴⁺ with increasing x and that this is likely to be the cause of the loss of B-site ordering. Similarly, both Ba₂TbSbO₆ and Ba₂TbSnO_6−δ are cubic with B-site ordering present in the former but absent in the latter due to the oxidation state change of the Tb from Tb³⁺ to Tb⁴⁺. Multiple linear regression analysis of the Pr and Tb L_III-edge XANES indicates that the rate of Ln³⁺ transforming to Ln⁴⁺ is such that there are no oxygen vacancies in Ba₂PrSn_xSb_1−xO_6−δ but in Ba₂TbSn_xSb_1−xO_6−δ there is a small amount of oxygen vacancies, with a maximum of δ≈0.05 present.     

Theoretical studies of d-d and d-π-d magnetic interactions in (EDT-TTFVO)2FeBr4 crystals

The effective exchange integrals (J(HB)) of the Heisenberg spin model have been evaluated by using the ab initio MO and based on Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT) for organic magnetic metals, the (EDT-TTFVO)₂FeBr₄ crystal based on the X-ray crystallographic structures at 113 K. In order to study the magnetic properties, we proposed some of the pairs, where the direct (d-d) and indirect (d-π-d) magnetic couplings between Fe(III) d-spins (S = 5/2) without/with π-dimer spins (S = 1/2) were calculated, respectively. The effective exchange integrals were evaluated by using UB3LYP method, and principal J values were 0.5, −0.1 and 0.4 K. From these results, it is found that there were three dimensional spin arrangements of Fe(III) d-spins. The Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulations had been carried out with our calculated J values to evaluate the magnetic susceptibility for this molecular crystal, reproducing the experimental tendency.     

Structural characterisation of the Ce1−xLaxNbO4+δ solid solution series: In-situ high-temperature powder diffraction studies

High-resolution neutron powder diffraction has been utilised to investigate the effect of lanthanum substitution on the structure of cerium niobate, CeNbO_4+δ, as a function of temperature. Two members of the Ce_1−xLa_xNbO_4+δ solid solution series, Ce_0.8La_0.2NbO_4+δ and Ce_0.2La_0.8NbO_4+δ, were examined over a temperature range of 293-923 K under a positive pressure of O₂ (500 mbar). From this data it was found that on increasing lanthanum substitution there was an associated reduction in the temperature of the monoclinic-to-tetragonal phase transition. The data also suggested that increasing lanthanum substitution caused an associated decrease in the excess oxygen content. In addition, high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction data recorded in static air were also examined for four compositions of the Ce_1−xLa_xNbO_4+δ series (x=0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8). These data corroborated the results of the neutron diffraction experiments and also suggested that there was formation of an intermediate phase, analogous to the CeNbO_4.08 phase of the parent material, during the phase transitions of the x=0.8 and 0.6 compositions.     

High-Pressure Synthesis and Crystal Structures of β-MNX (M=Zr, Hf; X=Br, I)

The single crystals of four kinds of metal nitride halides, β-MNX (M=Zr, Hf; X=Br, I), were prepared in Pt (or Au) capsules by the reaction of MN or α-MNX powders with NH₄X as fluxes under a high pressure of 3-5 GPa at 1000-1100°C. Their crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. All four compounds crystallize in a rhombohedral space group R-3m, Z=6 with a=3.6403(6) Å, c=29.270(5) Å for β-ZrNBr, a=3.718(2) Å, c=31.381(9) Å for β-ZrNI, a=3.610(1) Å, c=29.294(6) Å for β-HfNBr, and a=3.689(1) Å, c=31.329(6) Å for β-HfNI. β-ZrNBr is isotypic with SmSI and the others are isotypic with YOF. Both structure variants are composed of structural slabs [X-M-N-N-M-X] (M=Zr, Hf; X=Br, I) stacked together by X…X van der Waals forces, but the ways of the layer stacking sequence are different: X_AM_cN_BN_CM_bX_A∣X_CM_bN_AN_BM_aX_C∣X_BM_aN_CN_AM_cX_B∣ in the SmSI-type and X_AM_bN_CN_BM_cX_A∣X_CM_aN_BN_AM_bX_C∣X_BM_cN_AN_CM_aX_B∣ in the YOF-type polymorphs.     

Why is cis/trans stereoinversion with Li+(THF)4 migration across the phenyl ring of α-lithiostyrene accelerated by two ortho-methyl groups?

Common wisdom might anticipate that two methyl groups placed on a molecular migration route should act as an impediment. However, the “conducted tour” migration of Li⁺(THF)₄ across the aryl ring (“π-route”) during the cis/trans stereoinversion of α-arylvinyllithiums had been found to occur with practically equal velocities in the presence of either one or two ortho-alkyl substituents. We now report that the omission of both ortho-methyl groups retards the stereoinversion process. In order to arrive at an answer to the title question, we investigate the aggregation equilibria and microsolvation states of ortho, ortho′-unsubstituted α-lithiostyrenes by means of approved secondary NMR criteria. Beyond such necessary knowledge about the ground-state properties, we provide kinetic evidence showing that the retarded cis/trans stereoinversion of α-lithiostyrene proceeds by the pseudomonomolecular, ionic mechanism with Li⁺(THF)₄ migration.     

Lithium insertion into In2S3 studied by perturbed γ-γ angular correlation

Li_xIn₂S₃ was electrochemically prepared with different small amounts x of lithium (0?x?0.13) in order to maintain the initial crystallographic structure of the thiospinel In₂S₃. About 10¹² radioactive ¹¹¹In ions have been implanted into these samples at 400 keV to perform PAC experiments in the temperature range from 10 to 773 K. The results are compared to previous experiments with undoped In₂S₃ samples. According to the structure of In₂S₃ in the β-phase, which belongs to the I4₁/amd space group having a unit cell with 32 In and 48 S atoms and the cell parameters α=7.61 Å and c=32.28 Å, three different electric field gradients were observed. Within two different temperature ranges dynamical EFGs occur, which are clearly influenced by the insertion of Lithium. The strong dependence of one EFG on the Li concentration x can be correlated to the effective charge of the In ions. This correlation is discussed with respect to XRD analyses of the Li_xIn₂S₃ samples and to XANES measurements on a similar sample.     

Synthesis and characterization of the K2NiF4 phases La1+xSr1−xCo0.5Fe0.5O4−δ (x=0, 0.2)

The K₂NiF₄ phases LaSrCo_0.5Fe_0.5O₄ and La_1.2Sr_0.8Co_0.5Fe_0.5O₄, and their reduced forms LaSrCo_0.5Fe_0.5O_3.75 and La_1.2Sr_0.8Co_0.5Fe_0.5O_3.85, have been successfully prepared by solid-state reactions, followed by reduction in 10% H₂/N₂ in order to produce oxygen-deficient materials. All materials crystallize in a tetragonal K₂NiF₄ structure (space group I4/mmm) with Co and Fe randomly distributed over the B-sites of the structure. Mössbauer spectra have confirmed the trivalent state of Fe in these materials. In the reduced materials, oxide ion vacancies are confined to the equatorial planes of the K₂NiF₄ structure and the Co is present almost entirely as Co²⁺ ions; low-temperature neutron powder diffraction data reveal that these reduced phases are antiferromagnetically ordered with a tetragonal noncollinear arrangement of the moments. The Co³⁺ ions, present in stoichiometric LaSrCo_0.5Fe_0.5O₄ and La_1.2Sr_0.8Co_0.5Fe_0.5O₄, inhibit magnetic order and are assumed to be in the low-spin state.     

The Sr2.75Ce0.25Co2O7−δ oxide, n=2 member of the Ruddlesden-Popper series: Structural and magnetic evolution depending on oxygen stoichiometry

The second member of the Ruddlesden-Popper series, n=2 in Sr_n+1Co_nO_3n+1, has been stabilized by substituting cerium for strontium leading to the pure compound Sr_2.75Ce_0.25Co₂O_7−δ. The oxygen vacancies of this phase can be partially filled by a post-annealing oxidizing treatment with δ decreasing from 1.1 to 0.3 for the as-prepared and oxidized phases, respectively. As the samples are oxidized from δ≈1.1 to 0.3, the a and b unit cell parameters decrease from 3.836 to 3.815 Å and from 20.453 to 20.047 Å, respectively. Despite the average value of the cobalt valence state, V_Co≈+3.5, obtained in the oxidized Sr_2.75Ce⁺⁴_0.25Co₂O_6.7 phase, a clear ferromagnetic state wit T_C=175 K and M_S=0.8 μB/Co is reached.     

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of high-oxygen pressure annealed Sr1−xLaxCo0.5Fe0.5O3−δ (0?x?0.5)

Structural and magnetic studies are presented for the perovskite type Sr_1−xLa_xCo_0.5Fe_0.5O_3−δ (0?x?0.5) materials annealed under moderately high-oxygen pressures of ∼200 atm. A detailed analysis of the room temperature neutron time-of-flight diffraction data reveals that the crystal structure of the sample SrCo_0.5Fe_0.5O_2.89(1), previously described as vacancy-disordered cubic, is similar to the formerly reported, oxygen-vacancy ordered Sr₈Fe₈O₂₃ compound, i.e. Sr₈Co₄Fe₄O₂₃ is tetragonal with the I4/mmm symmetry. With an increase of the La content the studied materials become nearly oxygen stoichiometric and a lowering of the crystal symmetry is observed from cubic (x=0.1 and 0.2) to tetragonal I4/mcm (x=0.3 and 0.4), and finally to monoclinic I12/c1 (x=0.5). Low-temperature structural and magnetic measurements show a ferromagnetic ordering with the maximum Curie temperature near 290 K at x=0.2.     

Influence of iron addition on the oxygen-deficient Sr0.85Bi0.15Co1−xFexO3−δ (0.0?x?1.0) perovskites

A series of oxygen-deficient Sr_0.85Bi_0.15Co_1−xFe_xO_3−δ (0.0?x?1.0) perovskite phases were prepared using solid-state reaction. Results of neutron powder diffraction analyses show that the introduction of Fe onto the B-site severely effects the long range coherence of the oxygen vacancy ordered, I4/mmm supercell, observed for the x=0.0 sample. For x=0.1 a smaller, a=b≈a_p, c≈2a_p, P4/mmm supercell gives the best agreement to the diffraction data, whilst phases in the range 0.2?x?0.6 adopt disordered cubic perovskite structures. Pseudo-cubic, a=b≈a_p, c≈a_p, structures are found for x?0.8. Evidence of weak superstructures, reflecting local oxygen ordering, is also obtained from electron diffraction. For all oxygen-annealed phases the average structure reverts to cubic Pm3¯m. The as-prepared samples show G-type antiferromagnetic order at room temperature. The oxygen annealed x=0.10, 0.25 and 1.0 samples display low-temperature spin-glass transitions.     

Magnetic single-component molecular conductors exhibiting strong π-d interactions

Single-component molecular conductors [M(tmdt)₂] (tmdt = trimethylenetetrathiafulvalenedithiolate; M = Ni, Au, Pt, Cu), exhibit a variety of electromagnetic properties, which originate from the differences of the metal’s d-orbitals role in the band structure formation. The [Au(tmdt)₂] crystal undergoes an antiferromagnetic transition at 110 K, while maintaining a metallic state at lower temperatures. The Au analog has a high magnetic transition temperature as compared to traditional magnetic molecular conductors due to the strong three-dimensional (3-D) structure and the contribution of the metal d-orbitals. The single-component molecular conductor, [Cu(tmdt)₂], with π- and d-like frontier orbitals is isostructural with other metallic [M(tmdt)₂] systems (M = Ni, Pt, Au). The Cu(tmdt)₂ molecule is planar, which strikingly contrasts the tetrahedral coordination of Cu(dmdt)₂ (dmdt = dimethyltetrathiafulvalenedithiolate) with similarly extended TTF type ligands. Interestingly, unlike other [M(tmdt)₂] with metallic behavior, [Cu(tmdt)₂] shows semiconducting behavior at room temperature (σ(RT) = ∼7 S cm⁻¹). The RT conductivity increased linearly with increased pressure to 110 S cm⁻¹ at 15 kbar despite the compressed pellet sample. The magnetic susceptibility indicates one-dimensional (1-D) Heisenberg behavior with J = 117 cm⁻¹ and shows antiferromagnetic ordering at 13 K. The [Cu(tmdt)₂] is a new multi-frontier π-d system, which introduces a d(σ)-type frontier orbital around the Fermi level of the π-like metal bands.     

Facile synthesis of σ-π conjugated organosilicon polymers via Click polymerization

Poly[silylene-(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-1,4-phenylene]s have been prepared via Cu(I)-catalyzed Azides and Alkynes Cycloaddition (CuAAC) polymerization from diethynylsilanes and 1,4-diazidobenzene. The organosilicon units contribute to electronic transitions between the π-conjugated units, as well as improving the solubility and processability of the polymers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) have been utilized to confirm the structure of these polymers. The UV-visible spectra of polymers show almost identical absorption at around 270 nm. The fluorescence emission in CHCl₃ solutions were observed as similar broad band in visible blue region (ca. 430 nm). The quantum yields (Φ) were ranged from 0.19 to 0.37. The optical properties support the σ-π conjugation of the silylene and aromatic heterocycle groups, and the substituents on silicon atoms have negligible effect on the photoproperties.