The discovery of two kinds of ion pairs

The discovery and implications of the existence of two kinds of ion pairs in solutions of carbanion salts is described. Also discussed are the factors controlling tight–loose ion pair equilibrium: the nature of the carbanion and its counterion, temperature, pressure, solvent, and cation‐complexing additives. A few examples are presented of the effect of these ionic species on the mechanisms of anionic polymerization and proton transfer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3655–3667, 2004     

Enhancement of phosphoprotein analysis using a fluorescent affinity tag and mass spectrometry

A fluorescent affinity tag (FAT) was synthesized and was utilized to selectively modify phosphorylated serine and threonine residues via beta-elimination and Michael addition chemistries in a 'one-step' reaction. This labeling technique was used for covalent modification of both phosphoproteins and phosphopeptides, allowing identification of these molecular species by fluorescence imaging after solution- or gel-based separation methods. In addition to the strong fluorescence of the rhodamine tag, a commercially available antibody can be used to enrich low-abundance post-labeled phosphopeptides present in complex mixtures. Application of this methodology to phosphorylation-site mapping has been evaluated for a phosphoprotein standard, bovine beta-casein. Initial results demonstrated low femtomole detection limits after fluorescence image analysis of FAT-labeled proteins or peptides.     

Overview: recent progress in three-dimensional atom probe instruments and applications.

Over the last few years there have been significant developments in the field of three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) analysis. This article reviews some of the technical compromises that have led to different instrument designs and the recent improvements in performance. An instrument has now been developed, based around a novel reflectron configuration combining both energy compensation and focusing elements, that yields a large field of view and very high mass resolution. The use of laser pulsing in the 3DAP, together with developments in specimen preparation methods using a focused ion-beam instrument, have led to a significant widening in the range of materials science problems that can be addressed with the 3DAP. Recent studies of semiconductor materials and devices are described.     

Ueber die Titration der Schwefels?ure mit Benzidinchlorhydrat

Zusammenfassung In Vorstehendem wurde zunächst die Ausführung der von einem von uns ausgearbeiteten Schwefelsäuretitration mittelst Benzidinchlorhydrats nochmals genau beschrieben, sodann wurden die Bedingungen festgestellt, unter denen verschiedene Schwefelsäuremengen am genauesten zu bestimmen waren. Es hat sich dabei herausgestellt, dass die Schwefelsäure bis zu 0,01g H₂SO₄ herunter nach der beshriebenen Methode auf 1–2 genau bestimmt werden kann. Die Anwendung der Methode auf verschiedene Fälle (Ammoniumsulfat, Alaun, Zinksulfat-heptahydrat, Mohr'sches Salz, Mangansulfat-tetrahydrat), wobei die Metalle in einigen Fällen vorher ausgefällt wurden, bestätigten die zuvor festgestellten Regeln; ausserdem wurde gezeigt, dass beim Ausfällen von Zink, Eisen und Mangan nach dem angegebenen Verfahren Schwefelsäure nicht mitgerissen wird. Die Zeit, welche eine derartige Bestimmung, auch wenn die beschriebenen Ausfällungen vorgenommen werden müssen, bei einiger Uebung erfordert, ist sehr kurz, weil alles Auswaschen und so weiter in Fortfall kommt, so dass auch hier ein Vortheil gegenüber dem gewichtsanalytischen Verfahren vorhanden ist.     

Rates of base-catalysed cleavage of pyridyl-, quinolyl-, picolyl- and (quinolylmethyl)-trimethylsilanes

Rates of cleavage of some picoyl- and (quinolylmethyl)-trimethylsilanes (RSiMe₃, where R = PyCH₂ or QnCH₂SiMe₃) have been measured in “90%” aqueous methanolic sodium methoxide at 50°C. Relative reactivities are: 2-PyCH₂, 1.0; 3-PyCH₂, 0.030; 4-PyCH₂, 8.9; 2-QnCH₂, 41; 3-QnCH₂, 0.161; 4-QnCH₂, 37. The rates correlate well with those for base-catalysed hydrogen-exchange in the parent carbon acids RH. Approximate pK_a's (based on the scale of ion-pair acidities in CsNHC₆H₁₁H₂NC₆H₁₁, with pK_a of 9-phenylfluorene = 18.6) for the carbon acids, RH, can be derived as follows: 2-PyCH₃, 29.5; 3-PyCH₃, 34; 4-PyCH₃, 27; 2-QnCH₃, 25; 3-QnCH₃, 32; 4-QnCH₃, 25.Rates of cleavage of pyridyl- and quinolyl-trimethylsilanes (PySiMe₃ and QnSiMe₃) by sodium hydroxide in 4 : 1 v/v Me₂SO/H₂O at 50°C have also been measured; and the relative reactivities are: 2-Py, 1.0; 3-Py, 2.9; 4-Py, 8.4; 2-Qn, 15.9; 3-Qn, 12.7; 4-Qn, 184. The sequence of reactivity differes from that for base-catalysed hydrogen-exchange at the relevant positions of pyridine and quinoline, indicating that the reactivities are not determined in both cases (if in either) solely by the stabilities of the corresponding carbanions.     

Theory of chirality functions,generalized for molecules with chiral ligands

The theory of chirality functions described in a previous publication is generalized to allow for chiral ligands. In the earlier theory, all symmetry operations of the molecular frame could be thought of as permutations of the ligands among the sites; in the present work, improper rotations not only permute the ligands, but convert them into mirror images. The group that generates all isomers from a given ordered molecule belonging to a frame with n sites is now the hyperoctahedral group of order 2ⁿ n! consisting of all possible combinations of permutations and site reflections. The representation theory of these groups is described, and applied to the problem of constructing qualitatively complete chirality functions, and of deciding which ligand partitions, and which isomer mixtures, are chiral. It is found useful to classify chiral representations of the covering group as ligand specific and class specific. The ligand specific representations describe chiral properties which are common to all frames and arise purely from the chirality of the ligands, while the class specific representations describe the chiral properties of the frame. A number of examples are explicitly worked out.     

Insight into the extractability of metals from soils using an implementation of the linear adsorption isotherm model

This paper deals with an often overlooked artifact in sequential and single extraction of metals from soils, viz. the volume to mass (V/m) ratio as a potential source for inadequate extraction yields. We offer a theoretical framework to get a grip on this intricate parameter and came up with a model based on a linear adsorption isotherm to derive the correct maximal metal extractability for a certain extractant. We verified the model experimentally using 0.1 mol l⁻¹ nitric acid for extraction of seven metals (Cr, Co, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn) from an urban soil sample, and concluded that commonly used V/m ratios in the range of 10-40 ml g⁻¹ may give as much as 50% too low extraction yields. Thus, a strong caveat is in place as to be very critical what V/m ratios to use and preferably apply the model derived to obtain the correct maximal extractability using a variable V/m ratio method.     

Über grünes Bis-(2-Iminoisopropyl-thiophenolato)-nickel(II) und weitere, ähnliche NiII-Komplexe

Green Bis-(2-iminoisopropyl-thiophenolato)nickel(II) and other Similar Ni^II Complexes The compounds [Ni^II(iitp)₂] 1 (iitp = 2-iminoisopropyl-thiophenolate), [Ni(imptp)₂] · 2 CH₃OH 2 , a dinuclear compound with an Ni? Ni distance of 276 pm, and [PPh₄] · [Ni^II(imptp)(SCN)] 3 (imptp = 2-(2-iminopentane-4-on)-thiophenolate) have been prepared by the reaction of nickel(II)-acetate-tetrahydrate with 2-iminoisopropyl-thiophenole and 2-(2-iminopentane-4-on)-thiophenole in methanol, respectively. They have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis and other physical methods. The redox behaviour of 1–3 has been studied in detail (chemically as well as by cyclovoltammetry and ESR spectroscopy). Particularly interesting are the electronic properties of 1 and its reduction with NaBH₄ and the following reaction of the product with O₂. The complexes are model compounds for some Ni-containing enzymes. For details of the crystal structure determination see “Inhaltsübersicht”.     

Nitrogen binding to the FeMo-cofactor of nitrogenase

Density functional calculations are presented to unravel the first steps of nitrogen fixation of nitrogenase. The individual steps leading from the resting state to nitrogen binding at the FeMo-cofactor with a central nitrogen ligand are characterized. The calculations indicate that the Fe-Mo cage opens as dinitrogen binds to the cluster. In the resting state, the central cage is overall neutral. Electrons and protons are transferred in an alternating manner. Upon dinitrogen binding, one protonated sulfur bridge is broken. An axial and a bridged binding mode of dinitrogen have been identified. Adsorption at the Mo site has been investigated but appears to be less favorable than binding at Fe sites.     

Binucleare Nickel(0)-Komplexe mit „Schlangenliganden”︁ vom 1-Azadientyp: Modellsysteme der oxidativen Kopplung von 1-Azadienen und 1,3-Dienen am Nickel(0)

Binuclear Nickel(0) Complexes with “Snake Ligands” of 1-Azadiene Type: Model Systems of the Oxidative Coupling of 1-Azadienes and 1.3-Dienes at Nickel(0) Synthesis, properties, and reactions of dimeric nickel(0) complexes with special 1-azadiene typ ligands (“snake ligands”) are described. The X-ray analysis of a typical compound (Bis-(bis-cinnamaldehyde-N,N'-propylendiimine)-dinickel(0)) shows that both central atoms have the coordination number 3. The four 1-azadiene groups are coordinated in a different way: unidendate coordination by N-Ni(1) bond and bidendate coordination by N-Ni(1) and olefine-Ni(2) bond. The compound is a good model system for the oxidative coupling reaction of 1-azadienes with 1.3-dienes at 2 nickel(0) centres. IR and electronic spectra show other complexes with this type of ligands to have an analogous coordination sphere.