Controlled gas adsorption properties of various pillared clays

Microporous pillared clays (PILC) were prepared by the intercalation of montmorillonite with particles of titania (Ti-PILC), zirconia (Zr-PILC), alumina (Al-PILC), iron oxide (Fe-PILC) and mixed lanthania/alumina (LaAl-PILC). Nitrogen adsorption isotherms (77 K) and XRD data provided information on the porosity, surface area, micropore volume and interlayer distance of these samples. The surface area varied between 198 and 266 m²/g for Ti- and Fe-PILC, respectively. The titania pillared clay had also the highest micropore volume (0.142 cc/g) and interlayer spacing (16–20 Å), compared to the Zr-PILC, which had the smallest spacing between the layers (max, 4 Å). Despite this fact, Zr-PILC always showed a high adsorption capacity for gases such as N₂, O₂, Ar or CO₂, due to its high adsorption field in the very small micropores.From gas adsorption experiments on these various PILCs, it became clear that their adsorption properties depend on the pillars in three ways: (i) the pillar height, (ii) the distribution of the pillars between the clay layers and (iii) the nature of the pillaring species.The incorporation of other elements in the pillars leads to specific adsorption sites in the pores. This was demonstrated by the preparation of mixed Fe/Cr and Fe/Zr pillared clays. Compared to the parent Fe-PILC, the incorporation of chromium and zirconium in the iron oxide pillars had a positive influence on the adsorption capacity. Also the modification of a PILC with cations increases both capacity and selectivity for gases. This was confirmed by the increased adsorption of N₂, O₂ and CO₂ at 273 K on a Sr²⁺ exchanged Al-PILC.     

Steric factor in ligand displacement of zirconium alkoxides dissolved in alcohols

The present study indicates EXAFS direct structural data obtained for zirconium ethoxide, iso- and n-propoxide are alike those for zirconium n-butoxide complexes. This is evident for agreement of structural units of abovementioned alkoxides complexes. Our group developed structural model of n-butoxide earlier. Six interconnected tetramers assemble a structural unit of the alkoxides under study. The tetramers build of zirconium atoms in the highly flattened pyramid corners. Four zirconium atoms are bonded in series by double bridges through oxygen atoms of alkoxide ligands. Two of the four zirconium atoms are bias bonded by single ligand bridges. The distances between pairs of zirconium atoms inside the tetramer are 3.3 and 3.5 Å. Tetramers are linked together also by a single ligand bridges. The distance between zirconium atoms of the two neighbor tetramers is 3.9 Å. Primary particles (tetramer sextet) form aggregates in a solution. Possible shapes of the anisotropically sized aggregates is a large diameter cylinder with small height (a disk), or a small diameter cylinder with large height (a rod). Primary particles composed through ligands. The distance between the neighbor zirconium atoms of different primary particles is 4.8 or 5.1 Å depending on the coordination nature and the neighboring particles number.     

Preparation and crystal structures of an ionic triple-hydrogen-bridged derivative of 9-BBN hydroborate zirconium(IV)

An ionic dinuclear triple-hydrogen-bridged 9-BBN hydroborate zirconium complex, [K(Et₂O)₄][{(μ-H)₂BC₈H₁₄}₃Zr(μ-H)₃Zr{(μ-H)₂BC₈H₁₄}₃] (1) was formed from the reaction of Zr{(μ-H)₂BC₈H₁₄}₄ with KH and aniline in diethyl ether. The molecular structure of compound 1 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Six 9-BBN hydroborate ligands are coordinated to two Zr atoms via two bridging H atoms, and two Zr atoms are connected by three bridging hydrogens in the anion part of this molecule. The distance of Zr?Zr is 3.1025(5) Å. The crystal structure of 1 suggests that agostic interactions between the zirconium metal center and α-C-H of the 9-BBN hydroborate ligand exist in the solid state. The Zr?H distances corresponding to the α-C-H?Zr agostic interactions are 2.579(4) Å and 2.743(4) Å.     

铁-锆交联蒙脱土的制备和结构表征

我们首次合成了铁锆复合柱交联蒙脱土, 并用XRD, 比表面及孔径测定和Mossbauer谱学等方法进行了表征。结果表明, 铁锆交联蒙脱土比表面增大为原土的三倍以上, 其层间距可达0.88nm(d001=1.84nm)。热稳定性明显高于单一Fe柱交联蒙脱土。在500℃加热后层间距保持0.63nm~0.71nm。但由于铁柱的坍塌造成微孔减少, 比表面明显下降。Mossbauer谱研究表明, 500℃焙烧单一铁柱转变为α-Fe~2O~3, 而Fe-Zr-PILC中铁仍以超顺磁Fe^3^+存在, 单一铁柱的铁组分在400℃可还原为金属铁, 而铁锆混合柱交联蒙脱土中由于铁与锆之间存在较强的相互作用, 450℃氢气气氛中铁组分仍不能还原为金属铁。     

Synthesis, characterization, and structural study of K2FeZrP3O12 with the langbeinite structure

A potassium iron zirconium phosphate, K₂FeZrP₃O₁₂, was synthesized by thermal treatment of a material obtained by the sol-gel method, mixing two aqueous solutions, the first containing KCl, FeCl₃ and ZrOCl₂, and the second, H₃PO₄. The crystal structure was refined using powder X-ray diffraction data. The unit cell is cubic, a=10.0554(3) Å, space group P2₁3. This compound is the first iron zirconium phosphate described with a langbeinite-type structure.     

Phenylation of Antimony(V) Organic Compounds with Pentaphenylantimony. The Structure of Tetraphenylantimony Chloride

Tetraphenylantimony chloride and bromide were synthesized through the reaction of pentaphenylantimony with diphenylantimony trichloride or tribromide taken at a molar ratio of 2 : 1 in toluene. When the initial compounds were taken at a molar ratio of 1 : 1, triphenylantimony dichloride or dibromide was formed. The phenylation of triphenylantimony sulfate with pentaphenylantimony yielded tetraphenylantimony sulfate. According to the X-ray diffraction data, the antimony atom in the tetraphenylantimony chloride molecule has a distorted trigonal bipyramidal configuration with the chlorine atom in the axial position. The Sb–Cl distance is equal to 2.686(1) and Sb–C distances are equal to 2.113(4) and 2.165(4) Å (av. 2.130 Å).     

Local Structure of Amorphous and Highly Dispersed Zirconium Hydroxides and Oxides

The local structure of amorphous and highly dispersed hydroxide and oxide zirconium compounds prepared from zirconyl nitrate solutions by precipitation was studied by an X-ray diffraction technique of radial electron distribution. It was found that X-ray amorphous precipitates were formed at 383 K. These precipitates were polynuclear hydroxo complexes, whose short-range ordering was similar to the structure of a cubic ZrO₂ phase. A special feature of these formations, compared with the cubic oxide phase, is that the closest Zr–Zr distance in them is shortened by 0.2 Å, NO₃ and OH groups are the constituents of an anionic sublattice, and the coordination number of Zr–anion distances is increased. Calcination at 653 K followed by cooling to room temperature resulted in the appearance of a monoclinic ZrO₂ phase with a crystallite size of 60 Å along with the cubic phase. The amount of the former phase depended on the pH of precipitation and on the presence of residual NO₃ and OH groups in precipitates.     

Low-temperature structural phase transition in synthetic libethenite Cu2PO4OH

Low-temperature structural properties of the synthetic mineral libethenite Cu₂PO₄OH were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, specific heat measurements, and Raman spectroscopy. A second-order structural phase transition from the Pnnm symmetry (a=8.0553(8) Å, b=8.3750(9) Å, c=5.8818(6) Å at 180 K) to the P2₁/n symmetry (a=8.0545(8) Å, b=8.3622(9) Å, c=5.8755(6) Å, β=90.0012(15) at 120 K) was found at 160 K during cooling. At 120 K, the monoclinic angle is 90.0012(15) from single crystal X-ray data vs 90.083(1) from powder X-ray diffraction data. The P2₁/n–to–Pnnm transition may be a general feature of the adamite-type compounds, M₂XO₄OH.     

Synthesis,Structure and Photochromic Properties of 1-Phenyl-3-Methyl-4-(4-Bromobenzal)-Pyrazolone-5 Thiosemicarbazone

A new organic photochromic compound containing pyrazolone-ring, 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-(4-bromobenzal)-pyrazolone-5 thiosemicarbazone (PM4BrBP-TSC), was synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The X-ray determination indicated that PM4BrBP-TSC is of orthorhombic system, space group Pbca with cell dimensions of a = 12.184(2) Å, b = 18.121(3) Å, c = 18.554(4) Å, V = 4096.4(12) ų, Z = 8 and R = 0.0387. The photochromic properties and photocolored kinetics of PM4BrBP-TSC were studied by Time-dependent UV-Vis reflectance spectra and fluorescence spectra under 365 nm light irradiation. The crystal structure analysis showed that the photochromic properties were related to the photoisomerization from enol tautomer to keto one.     

QXP: Powerful, rapid computer algorithms for structure-based drug design

New methods for docking, template fitting and building pseudo-receptors are described. Full conformational searches are carried out for flexible cyclic and acyclic molecules. QXP (quick explore) search algorithms are derived from the method of Monte Carlo perturbation with energy minimization in Cartesian space. An additional fast search step is introduced between the initial perturbation and energy minimization. The fast search produces approximate low-energy structures, which are likely to minimize to a low energy. For template fitting, QXP uses a superposition force field which automatically assigns short-range attractive forces to similar atoms in different molecules. The docking algorithms were evaluated using X-ray data for 12 protein–ligand complexes. The ligands had up to 24 rotatable bonds and ranged from highly polar to mostly nonpolar. Docking searches of the randomly disordered ligands gave rms differences between the lowest energy docked structure and the energy-minimized X-ray structure, of less than 0.76 Å for 10 of the ligands. For all the ligands, the rms difference between the energy-minimized X-ray structure and the closest docked structure was less than 0.4 Å, when parts of one of the molecules which are in the solvent were excluded from the rms calculation. Template fitting was tested using four ACE inhibitors. Three ACE templates have been previously published. A single run using QXP generated a series of templates which contained examples of each of the three. A pseudo-receptor, complementary to an ACE template, was built out of small molecules, such as pyrrole, cyclopentanone and propane. When individually energy minimized in the pseudo-receptor, each of the four ACE inhibitors moved with an rms of less than 0.25 Å. After random perturbation, the inhibitors were docked into the pseudo-receptor. Each lowest energy docked structure matched the energy-minimized geometry with an rms of less than 0.08 Å. Thus, the pseudo-receptor shows steric and chemical complementarity to all four molecules. The QXP program is reliable, easy to use and sufficiently rapid for routine application in structure-based drug design.     

Crystal structure and thermal behavior of a new cadmium indium oxalate

A new mixed metal oxalate Cd₃In₂(C₂O₄)₆·9H₂O, with an open-framework structure, has been prepared from a precipitation method at room temperature. Its crystal structure has been solved from single-crystal diffraction data. The compound crystallizes with space group P6₄22 and the cell parameters are a=8.566(5)Å, c=37.811(5) Å, V=2403(2) Å³, and Z=3 (R₁=0.036). The three-dimensional structure is built from three types of MO₈ (M=Cd, In) polyhedra, i.e., triangular dodecahedra, bicapped trigonal prisms and an undefined distorted eight-fold cadmium polyhedron. Relationships with the structures of the related cadmium zirconium oxalates are discussed. The structure overview suggests the possibility to conceive new oxalate-based materials with open-framework structures. The thermal behavior of the new compound is described in details from temperature-dependent X-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetry measurements. The dehydration process of the precursor is reversible in its stability temperature range. The final product consists of a mixture of nanocrystalline CdIn₂O₄ and the simple oxides.     

Polysiloxane-Modified Mesoporous Materials

We report the preparation of polysiloxane-modified mesoporous silica gels derived from the acid catalysed hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and oligomeric silanol terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in the presence of the non-ionic surfactant, octaethylene glycol monohexadecyl ether. The gels were characterised using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), infra-red (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ²⁹Si solid state cross-polarisation (CP) magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. TGA and IR spectroscopy showed the loss of surfactant after calcination and a decrease in the Si–OH band at 950 cm^–1 indicated further condensation had occurred. This was confirmed by the increase in Q⁴ at –110 ppm, in ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectroscopy, which also showed that calcination had led to the redistribution of PDMS forming a T species. XRD data showed ordering within the structure, with an initial d-spacing of 45 Å, decreasing to 35 Å after calcination.     

Synthesis and Structure of Tin(II) Hexafluorozirconate

The crystal structure of SnZrF₆ is determined. The compound is synthesized by slow crystallization from a melted mixture of SnF₂ and ZrF₄ (2 : 1). The crystals are monoclinic: a = 6.6119(5), b = 5.2503(5), c = 6.9929(6) Å, = 114.239(4)°, space group P2/n, Z = 2. The structure is layered. The layers are formed from the chains of edge-sharing, eight-vertex zirconium polyhedra and Sn²⁺ cations. The Zr–F and Sn–F bond lengths in the layer vary from 2.309(1) to 2.269(1) Å and from 2.186(1) to 2.361(1) Å, respectively. The layers are linked by intermolecular Sn–F bonds with lengths of 2.868(1) and 2.871(1) Å.     

Comparison of the X-ray structure of baboon α-lactalbumin and the tertiary predicted computer models of human α-lactalbumin

Summary The previously predicted structures of human -lactalbumin by homology with hen egg white lysozyme by an automatic method, after the alignment stage, are compared to the X-ray determined structure of baboon -lactalbumin. The root mean square by rotation method (RMSR) deviations for 122 C- atoms between the two models and the X-ray structure are 2.0 Å and 2.3 Å. The RMSR deviations for all atoms, except for differences in human and baboon sequences, are 2.8 Å and 3.1 Å. If the flexible C-terminus (residues 112–122) are removed then these RMSR deviations are reduced to 2.4 Å and 2.3 Å respectively. These results are consistent with the fact that the RMSR deviation between the human and baboon X-ray structures increases from residue 112 onwards and is conformationally flexible.     

Triarylantimony Dicaroxylates Ar3Sb[OC(O)R]2 (Ar = Ph,p-Tol; R = 2-C4H3O, 3-C5H4N): Synthesis and Structure

Bis(2-furoinate)triphenyl- and tri-p-tolylantimony and bis(3-niacinate)triphenylanitmony were synthesized by reacting triarylantimony (Ar₃Sb; Ar = Ph, p-Tol) with 2-furancarboxylic and 3-pyridinecarboxylic acids in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. According to X-ray diffraction data, Sb atoms have trigonal bipyramidal coordination polyhedra. The Sb–O distances are 2.117(4), 2.137(4) Å; 2.136(2), 2.158(2) Å, and 2.112(1), 2.101(2) Å, the Sb···O distances are 2.866(4), 2.798(4) Å; 2.816(2), 2.774(2) Å, and 3.054(2), 3.168(2) Å, respectively.     

Synthesis of zirconium titanate with an ordered M-fergusonite (beta) structure

We report a new zirconium titanate compound (Zr,Ti)O₂ with 27.5-35 mol% titania (TiO₂) formed from the oxides at 35-38 kbar, 1400-1500 °C. Crystal structure investigations at atmospheric conditions with powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed a monoclinic structure related to that of M-fergusonite (beta). Unit-cell dimensions (from 27.5 to 35 mol% TiO₂): a=7.267(20)-7.340(2) Å, b=10.435(3)-10.429(1) Å, c=5.023(11)-5.040(1) Å, β=136.45(12)-137.55(1)°, V=262.44(92)-260.40(12) Å³, Z=4. Rietveld refinement (R_F=1.55) of a sample with 32.8 mol% TiO₂ indicates that site A is 8-fold coordinated, mostly occupied by Zr, while site B has 6-fold average coordination, occupied by Ti and Zr. Site B is at least partly ordered, as indicated by superstructure reflections 0 0 1 and −2 0 1 detected with TEM, reducing the space group from C2/c to C2. Pronounced streaking of selected diffraction spots is linked to the boundaries of lamellar domains in twin orientation, with twin planes either (200) or (20−2). Adjacent lamellae differ slightly in composition, causing subtle asymmetry of the twin diffraction patterns.     

Synthesis and properties of NIR aza-BODIPYs with aryl and alkynyl substituents on the boron center

NIR diaryl aza-borondipyrromethene dyes (C-aza-BODIPY) and dialkynyl aza-borondipyrromethene dyes (E-aza-BODIPY) were synthesized from difluoro aza-borondipyrromethene dyes (F-aza-BODIPY) in 45-83% yields. By X-ray analysis the N-B distances (1.603 and 1.606 Å) in C-aza-BODIPY were found to be longer than the corresponding bond of C-BODIPY by 0.02-0.04 Å. C-aza-BODIPYs display remarkable blue shifts and low fluorescence quantum yields, and E-aza-BODIPYs have moderate fluorescence quantum yields (0.16-0.29). C- and E-aza-BODIPYs display good stability in weak acidic and basic conditions. E-aza-BODIPY was dialytic and suitable to staining of living cells.     

Calamitic metallomesogens derived from unsymmetric pyrazoles

Three series of copper(II) complexes 1a-1c derived from unsymmetric pyrazoles 2a-2c were prepared and their mesomorphic properties investigated. The mesomorphic behavior of compounds was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and powder X-ray diffractometry. The crystal and molecular structures of mesogenic copper complex (2a; n=10) of 3-[4-decyloxyphenyl]-1H-pyrazole were determined by means of X-ray structural analysis. It crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1, with a=4.0890(1) Å, b=18.0167(2) Å, c=25.5015(5) Å, and Z=2. The geometry at copper center was not perfectly square planar. A weak intermolecular H-bond (d=2.36 Å) between Cl1 and H2 atoms and π-π interaction (ca. 3.45-3.55 Å) was also observed. All their precursors 2a-2c were not mesogenic. In contrast, copper complexes 1a formed nematic or smectic C phases and complexes 1b-1c formed crystalline phases. Powder X-ray diffraction experiments confirmed the presence of SmC phase.     

Darstellung und Kristallstruktur von Pb2(NO2)(NO3)(SeO3)

Crystals of Pb₂(NO₂)(NO₃)(SeO₃) were synthesized by partial reduction of nitrate ions with native copper under hydrothermal conditions. The crystal structure [a=5.529 (2) Å,b=10.357 (3) Å,c=6.811 (2) Å, space group Pmn2₁,Z=2] was determined from 1 707 independent X-ray data up to sin /=0.81 Å^–1 and was refined toR _w =0.028. The Pb(1) atom is ten coordinated to O atoms [Pb(1)-O from 2.51 Å to 2.96 Å], the Pb(2) atom has three nearest O atoms [Pb(2)-O=2.41 Å (1 ×) and 2.45 Å (2 ×)] and six next-nearest O atoms [Pb(2)-O from 2.80 Å to 3.22 Å].

Herrn Prof. Dr.K. Komarek zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Sandwich layer structure of a novel polyimide with methylene spacing groups in biphenyl side chain

The aggregation structure of a novel polyimide (PI-6) with six methylene flexible spacing groups in biphenyl side chain was investigated using polarized optical microscope (POM), wide/small-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD/SAXD) and molecular simulation approach. Depending on increasing temperature, the sandwich layer aggregation structure of PI-6 was developed from the thermo reversible gel. The backbones are lamellar stacking with 11.5 Å thickness. The side chains are randomly packed into the backbone lamellar intervals and the width of this layer for both backbone and side chain is about 23.1 Å which is consistent with the simulation data.