Hyperfine structure constants for Eu isotopes: is the empirical formula of HFS anomaly universal?

We calculate the hyperfine structure constants for the Eu isotopes with shell model wave functions. The calculated results are compared with those predicted by the Moskowitz-Lombardi (M-L) empirical formula. It turns out that the two approaches give very different behaviors of the hfs constants in the isotope dependence. This should be easily measured by experiment, which may lead to the universality check of the M-L formula.     

57Fe Mössbauer study of YBa4Cu2.95Fe0.05O8.5+y

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer measurements were performed on the Fe-doped YBa₄Cu₃O_8.5+y compound as a function of annealing temperature in vacuum. Mössbauer spectra were analyzed using three different quadrupole split doublets. The resistance measurements showed that the compound is not superconducting. The possible identification of the Cu sites with their nearest neighbor oxygen sites in this compound is suggested. Comparison of the results with data of the presence of the superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O₇ allows us to suppose that the presence of the Cu-chain sites alone does not result in superconductivity.     

Effects of Catalyst Heating Rates Upon the Activity of Silica-Supported Silicomolybdic Acid Catalysts for Methane Partial Oxidation

Silica-supported silicomolybdic acid (SMA) catalysts showed a very high activity for partial oxidation of methane into formaldehyde at 873 K in the presence of an excess amount of water vapor in feed. However, the high activity was observed only when the catalysts were heated to 873 K with very high heating rates such as 100 K min^-1. In this article, the reason why these high heating rates are necessary to exhibit the higher catalytic activity into formaldehyde will be discussed based on the structural changes in SMA during heating the catalysts to 873 K.     

Mechanism of sonochemical excitation in the reactions of lead tetraacetate with some organic substrates

Strikingly contrasting positive and negative sonochemical effects were observed in the reactions of lead tetraacetate with styrene and 2-octanol, respectively. The decomposition of lead tetraacetate itself in the absence of a substrate is not accelerated by ultrasound. These results are consistent with the idea that the radical chain reaction of lead tetraacetate and styrene involves the bimolecular initiation step of the two species; under ultrasonic irradiation, styrene is excited in the gas phase of the cavity. The efficiency of the sonochemical excitation must be decisively different between the gas phase and the liquid shell of the cavity. The importance of the boiling point of a substrate involved in the radical initiation step is proposed as a hypothetical guideline in homogeneous sonochemistry.     

Photo-driven anti-Markovnikov alkyne hydration in self-assembled hollow complexes

Under UV-light irradiation, the anti-Markovnikov hydration of internal arylalkynes proceeds in the cavity of an electron-deficient coordination cage to give benzyl ketones; the reaction is triggered by cage-mediated, photo-induced electron transfer from the alkynes to the cage.     

A regioselective synthesis of poly-substituted aryl triflones through self-promoting three component reaction

In the absence of any additional catalysts, the reactions of (CF(3)SO)(2)CH(2), aldehydes, and 1,3-dienes gave gem-bis(triflyl)cyclohexenes in excellent yields with high regioselectivity. gem-Bis(triflyl)cyclohexene products can be easily converted to the corresponding aryl trifluoromethyl sulfones.     

Gold nanoparticle-catalyzed environmentally benign deoxygenation of epoxides to alkenes

We have developed a highly efficient and green catalytic deoxygenation of epoxides to alkenes using gold nanoparticles (NPs) supported on hydrotalcite [HT: Mg(6)Al(2)CO(3)(OH)(16)] (Au/HT) with alcohols, CO/H(2)O or H(2) as the reducing reagent. Various epoxides were selectively converted to the corresponding alkenes. Among the novel metal NPs on HT, Au/HT was found to exhibit outstanding catalytic activity for the deoxygenation reaction. Moreover, Au/HT can be separated from the reaction mixture and reused with retention of its catalytic activity and selectivity. The high catalytic performance of Au/HT was attributed to the selective formation of Au-hydride species by the cooperative effect between Au NPs and HT.     

Substituents dependent capability of bis(ruthenium-dioxolene-terpyridine) complexes toward water oxidation

The bridging ligand, 1,8-bis(2,2':6',2'-terpyrid-4'-yl)anthracene (btpyan) was synthesized by the Miyaura-Suzuki cross coupling reaction of anthracenyl-1,8-diboronic acid and 4'-triflyl-2,2':6'-2'-terpyridine in the presence of Pd(PPh(3))(4) (5 mol%) with 68% in yield. Three ruthenium-dioxolene dimers, [Ru(2)(OH)(2)(dioxolene)(2)(btpyan)](0) (dioxolene = 3,6-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzosemiquinone ([1](0)), 3,5-dichloro-1,2-benzosemiquinone ([2](0)) and 4-nitro-1,2-benzosemiquinone ([3](0))) were prepared by the reaction of [Ru(2)Cl(6)(btpyan)](0) with the corresponding catechol. The electronic structure of [1](0) is approximated by [Ru(II)(2)(OH)(2)(sq)(2)(btpyan)](0) (sq = semiquinonato). On the other hand, the electronic states of [2](0) and [3](0) are close to [Ru(III)(2)(OH)(2) (cat)(2)(btpyan)](0) (cat = catecholato), indicating that a dioxolene having electron-withdrawing groups stabilizes [Ru(III)(2)(OH)(2)(cat)(2)(btpyan)](0) rather than [Ru(II)(2)(OH)(2)(sq)(2)(btpyan)](0) as resonance isomers. No sign was found of deprotonation of the hydroxo groups of [1](0), whereas [2](0) and [3](0) showed an acid-base equilibrium in treatments with t-BuOLi followed by HClO(4). Furthermore, controlled potential electrolysis of [1](0) deposited on an ITO (indium-tin oxide) electrode catalyzed the four-electron oxidation of H(2)O to evolve O(2) at potentials more positive than +1.6 V (vs. SCE) at pH 4.0. On the other hand, the electrolysis of [2](0) and [3](0) deposited on ITO electrodes did not show catalytic activity for water oxidation under similar conditions. Such a difference in the reactivity among [1](0), [2](0) and [3](0) is ascribed to the shift of the resonance equilibrium between [Ru(II)(2)(OH)(2)(sq)(2)(btpyan)](0) and [Ru(III)(2)(OH)(2)(cat)(2)(btpyan)](0).     

Dehydrogenative oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols catalyzed by a Cp*Ir complex having a functional C,N-chelate ligand

A new catalytic system for the dehydrogenative oxidation of alcohols using a Cp*Ir complex having a functional C,N-chelate ligand has been developed. With this catalytic system, both primary and secondary alcohols were efficiently converted to aldehydes and ketones, respectively. Mechanistic investigations of this catalytic system have revealed that the catalytically active species is a hydrido iridium complex with a functional C,N-chelate ligand.     

Cobalt-catalyzed, room-temperature addition of aromatic imines to alkynes via directed C-H bond activation

A quaternary catalytic system consisting of a cobalt salt, a triarylphosphine ligand, a Grignard reagent, and pyridine has been developed for chelation-assisted C-H bond activation of an aromatic imine, followed by insertion of an unactivated internal alkyne that occurs at ambient temperature. The reaction not only tolerates potentially senstitive functional groups (e.g., Cl, Br, CN, and tertiary amide), but also displays a unique regioselectivity. Thus, the presence of substituents such as methoxy, halogen, and cyano groups at the meta-position of the imino group led to selective C-C bond formation at the more sterically hindered ortho positions. Under acidic conditions, the hydroarylation products of dialkyl- and alkylarylacetylenes underwent cyclization to afford benzofulvene derivatives, while those of diarylacetylenes afforded the corresponding ketones in moderate to good yields. A mechanistic investigation into the reaction with the aid of deuterium-labeling experiments and kinetic analysis has indicated that oxidative addition of the ortho C-H bond is the rate-limiting step of the reaction. The kinetic analysis has also shed light on the complexity of the quaternary catalytic system.