A.C. Cyclic voltammetry: A digital simulation study of the slow scan limit condition for a reversible electrode process

Rate laws presented to date for analysis of a.c. cyclic voltammetric data have invoked the so-called “slow scan limit approximation” which requires that ΔEω ? v, where Δ E and ω are the applied a.c. potential amplitude and angular frequency, respectively, and v is the d.c. potential scan rate. To provide a more useful guideline for the experimentalist than this qualitative condition, a pure digital simulation approach has been used to compute the a.c. cyclic time domain waveform for a reversible process under small amplitude conditions. The a.c. content of this waveform is extracted by the digital FFT alogirthm. Results of this study are presented here. Among the conclusions reached are more quantitative limitations for the slow scan limit rate laws describing the fundamental and second harmonic responses (approximately 128 a.c. cycles/d.c. cyclic sweep and 512 a.c. cycles/d.c. cyclic sweep, respectively) and an interesting prediction that the latter limitations can be relaxed further by a current waveform subtraction strategy, to as low as about 16 a.c. cycles/d.c. cyclic sweep for the fundamental and second harmonics. The cycles/sweep values assume one triangular wave potential scan of ±200 mV is encompassed.     

Instrumental advantages obtained with short controlled drop-time a.c. polarography

The performance of short drop-time a.c. polarography has been examined in detail, and found to be better than that for natural drop-times in almost every respect. Uncompensated resistance terms are smaller and potentiostat stability is improved. In addition, faster potential scanrates and more rapid data acquisition are possible. A variation of the drop-time over at least three orders of magnitude is possible and this, coupled with excellent instrumental performance, should offer considerable scope in studies of electrode kinetics.     

Voltammetric Reduction of alpha- and gamma-[S2W18O62]4- and alpha-, beta-, and gamma-[SiW12O40]4-: isomeric dependence of reversible potentials of polyoxometalate anions using data obtained by novel dissolution and conventional solution-phase processes

Comparative studies on the voltammetric reduction of the alpha and gamma isomers of Dawson [S(2)W(18)O(62)](4)(-) and alpha, beta, and gamma forms of Keggin [SiW(12)O(40)](4)(-) polyoxometalate anions have been undertaken. For the six reversible one-electron [S(2)W(18)O(62)](4)(-)(/5)(-)(/6)(-)(/7)(-)(/8)(-)(/9)(-)(/10)(-) processes in acetonitrile, reversible potentials (E(0)(')) were found to be independent of isomeric form within experimental error (+/-5 mV). However, because both the alpha and gamma* isomers of [Bu(4)N](4)[S(2)W(18)O(62)] are insoluble in water, solid-state voltammetric studies with microcrystals adhered to electrode surfaces in contact with aqueous Et(4)NCl and Bu(4)NCl electrolyte media were also possible. Although no isomeric distinction was again detected in the solid-state studies, it was found that reduction of adhered solid by four or more electron equivalents led to rapid dissolution. When Et(4)NCl was the electrolyte, this dissolution process coupled with potential cycling experiments enabled conventional solution-phase data to be obtained in water for the analogous six one-electron reduction steps previously detected in acetonitrile. A strong medium effect attributed to Lewis acidity effects was apparent upon comparison with E(0)(') data obtained in water and acetonitrile. In contrast, with the [SiW(12)O(40)](4)(-) system, E(0)(') values for the [SiW(12)O(40)](4)(-)(/5)(-)(/6)(-)(/7)(-) processes in acetonitrile exhibited a larger (about 70 mV) dependence on isomeric form, and the isomerization step, [gamma-SiW(12)O(40)](6)(-)--> [alpha-SiW(12)O(40)](6)(-), was detected on the voltammetric time scale. The influence of isomeric form on reversible potential data is considered in terms of structural and charge density differences exhibited in the [S(2)W(18)O(62)](4)(-) and [SiW(12)O(40)](4)(-) systems studied in this paper and published data available on the alpha, beta, gamma, and gamma isomers of [As(2)W(18)O(62)](6)(-) and [P(2)W(18)O(62)](6)(-) Dawson anions and Keggin systems.     

Diverged Plant Terpene Synthases Reroute the Carbocation Cyclization Path towards the Formation of Unprecedented 6/11/5 and 6/6/7/5 Sesterterpene Scaffolds

Sesterterpenoids are a relatively rare class of plant terpenes. Sesterterpene synthase (STS)‐mediated cyclization of the linear C₂₅ isoprenoid precursor geranylfarnesyl diphosphate (GFPP) defines sesterterpene scaffolds. So far only a very limited number of STSs have been characterized. The discovery of three new plant STSs is reported that produce a suite of sesterterpenes with unprecedented 6/11/5 and 6/6/7/5 fused ring systems when transiently co‐expressed with a GFPP synthase in Nicotiana benthamiana. Structural elucidation, feeding experiments, and quantum chemical calculations suggest that these STSs catalyze an unusual cyclization path involving reprotonation, intramolecular 1,6 proton transfer, and concerted but asynchronous bicyclization events. The cyclization is diverted from those catalyzed by the characterized plant STSs by forming unified 15/5 bicyclic sesterterpene intermediates. Mutagenesis further revealed a conserved amino acid residue implicated in reprotonation.     

Controllable Synthesis of Few‐Layer Bismuth Subcarbonate by Electrochemical Exfoliation for Enhanced CO2 Reduction Performance

Two‐dimensional (2D) engineering of materials has been recently explored to enhance the performance of electrocatalysts by reducing their dimensionality and introducing more catalytically active ones. In this work, controllable synthesis of few‐layer bismuth subcarbonate nanosheets has been achieved via an electrochemical exfoliation method. These nanosheets catalyse CO₂ reduction to formate with high faradaic efficiency and high current density at a low overpotential owing to the 2D structure and co‐existence of bismuth subcarbonate and bismuth metal under catalytic turnover conditions. Two underlying fast electron transfer processes revealed by Fourier‐transformed alternating current voltammetry (FTacV) are attributed to CO₂ reduction at bismuth subcarbonate and bismuth metal. FTacV results also suggest that protonation of CO₂^.? is the rate determining step for bismuth catalysed CO₂ reduction.     

Electron self-exchange in the solid-state: cocrystals of hydroquinone and bipyridyl triazole.

Solid-state voltammetry, spectroscopy, and microscopy studies have been used to probe the proton and electron conductivity within a self-assembled cocrystal, HQBpt. This crystallographically defined material contains 3,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole, HBpt, dimers that are pi-stacked and hydrogen bonded to 1,4-hydroquinone, H(2)Q, in a herringbone arrangement. When deposited onto platinum microelectrodes, the cocrystal exhibits a well-defined voltammetric response corresponding to oxidation of H(2)Q to the quinone, Q, across a wide range of voltammetric time scales, electrolyte compositions, and pH values. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that redox cycling in aqueous perchlorate solutions in which the pH is systematically varied from 1 to 7 triggers electrocrystallization and the extensive formation of rodlike crystals. Fast scan rate voltammetry reveals that the homogeneous charge transport diffusion coefficient, D(app), is independent of the perchlorate concentration for 0.1 < [ClO(4)(-)] < 1.0 M (pH 6.6) at 3.14 +/- 0.11 x 10(-)(9) cm(2) s(-)(1). Moreover, D(app) is independent of the perchloric acid concentration for concentrations greater than approximately 2.0 M, maintaining a value of 4.81 +/- 0.07 x 10(-)(8) cm(2) s(-)(1). The observation that D(app) is independent of the supporting electrolyte suggests that the rate-determining step for homogeneous charge transport is not the availability of charge-compensating counterions or protons, but the dynamics of electron self-exchange between H(2)Q and Q. We have used the Dahms-Ruff formalism to determine electron self-exchange rate constants which are 2.84 +/- 0.22 x 10(9) and 9.69 +/- 0.73 x 10(10) M(-)(1) s(-)(1) for pH values greater than approximately 2.0 and less than -0.3, respectively. Significantly, these values are more than 2 orders of magnitude larger that those found for benzoquinone self-exchange reactions in aqueous solution. These results indicate that hydrogen bonds play an important role in supporting rapid electron transfer. The increase in D(app) between pH 1.0 and -0.3 is associated with protonation of the HBpt moieties, which triggers a reversible change in the material's structure.     

Inducing structural polarity using fluorinated organics: X-ray crystal structures of p-XC6F4CN (X = Cl,Br, I)

Non-centrosymmetric structures are promoted through the use of perfluoroaromatics containing structure-directing CN...X (X = Br, I) supramolecular synthons.     

Nanoparticles based on novel amphiphilic polyaspartamide copolymers

In this article, the synthesis of two amphiphilic polyaspartamide copolymers, useful to obtain polymeric nanoparticles without using surfactants or stabilizing agents, is described. These copolymers were obtained starting from α,β-poly-(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-dl-aspartamide (PHEA) by following a novel synthetic strategy. In particular, PHEA and its pegylated derivative (PHEA-PEG₂₀₀₀) were functionalized with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) through 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) activation to obtain PHEA–PLA and PHEA-PEG₂₀₀₀–PLA graft copolymers, respectively. These copolymers were properly purified and characterized by ¹H-NMR, FT-IR, and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) analyses, which confirmed that derivatization reactions occurred. Nanoparticles were obtained from PHEA–PLA and PHEA-PEG₂₀₀₀–PLA graft copolymers by using the high pressure homogenization-solvent evaporation method, avoiding the use of surfactants or stabilizing agents. Polymeric nanoparticles were characterized by dimensional analysis, before and after freeze-drying process, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Zeta potential measurements and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis demonstrated the presence of PEG and/or PHEA onto the PHEA-PEG₂₀₀₀–PLA and PHEA–PLA nanoparticle surface, respectively.