Hexaphosphapentaprismane: a new gateway to organophosphorus cage compound chemistry

Several independent synthetic routes are described leading to the formation of a novel unsaturated tetracyclic phosphorus carbon cage compound tBu4C4P6 (1), which undergoes a light-induced valence isomerization to produce the first hexaphosphapentaprismane cage tBu4C4P6 (2). A second unsaturated isomer tBu4C4P6 (9) of 1 and the bis-[W(CO)5] complex 13 of 1 are stable towards similar isomerization reactions. Another starting material for the synthesis of the hexaphosphapentaprismane cage tBu4C4P6 (2) is the trimeric mercury complex [(tBu4C4P6)Hg]3 (11), which undergoes elimination of mercury to afford the title compound 2. Single-crystal X-ray structural determinations have been carried out on compounds 1, 2, 9, 11, and 13.     

A growing string method for determining transition states: comparison to the nudged elastic band and string methods

Interpolation methods such as the nudged elastic band and string methods are widely used for calculating minimum energy pathways and transition states for chemical reactions. Both methods require an initial guess for the reaction pathway. A poorly chosen initial guess can cause slow convergence, convergence to an incorrect pathway, or even failed electronic structure force calculations along the guessed pathway. This paper presents a growing string method that can find minimum energy pathways and transition states without the requirement of an initial guess for the pathway. The growing string begins as two string fragments, one associated with the reactants and the other with the products. Each string fragment is grown separately until the fragments converge. Once the two fragments join, the full string moves toward the minimum energy pathway according to the algorithm for the string method. This paper compares the growing string method to the string method and to the nudged elastic band method using the alanine dipeptide rearrangement as an example. In this example, for which the linearly interpolated guess is far from the minimum energy pathway, the growing string method finds the saddle point with significantly fewer electronic structure force calculations than the string method or the nudged elastic band method.     

Neutral and ionic aluminum,gallium, and indium compounds carrying two or three terminal ethynyl groups

The syntheses of the ionic compounds [Li(+).2 dioxane (2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)N(SiMe(3))Al(C triplebond CSiMe(3))(3))(-)].0.75 dioxane (1), [(Li(+))(2).(dioxane)(7)](0.5) [2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)N(SiMe(3))Ga(C triplebond CSiMe(3))(3)(-)].1.5 dioxane (2), and [(Li(+))(2).(dioxane)(7)](0.5) [2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)N(SiMe(3))In(C triplebond CSiMe(3))(3)(-)].1.5 dioxane (3) by the reaction of the corresponding organo metal chloride with LiC triplebond CSiMe(3) are reported. The neutral ethynyl compounds Br-Al(C triplebond CtBu)(2).2 THF (4), Cl-Ga(C triplebond CtBu)(2).THF (5), Cl-In(C triplebond CtBu)(2).2 THF (6), Al(C triplebond CtBu)(3).C[N(Me)CMe](2) (7), Ga(C triplebond CtBu)(3).dioxane (8), and In(C triplebond CtBu)(3).NEt(3) (9) have been obtained in good yields from the reaction of AlBr(3), GaCl(3), and InCl(3) with LiC triplebond CtBu in the presence of a Lewis base. Compound 7 is the first heterocyclic carbene substituted ethynyl derivative. Aluminum and gallium compounds with three terminal ethynyl groups Al(C triplebond CPh)(3).NMe(3) (10) and Ga(C triplebond CPh)(3).NMe(3) (11) have been prepared by the reaction of AlH(3).NMe(3) or GaH(3).NMe(3) with three equivalents of phenylethyne. All the above-mentioned compounds have been structurally studied. In compound 1 the lithium ion is coordinated to the three terminal ethynyl groups, whereas in compounds 2 and 3 the lithium is coordinated to the solvent (dioxane). Compound 8 crystallizes as a coordination polymer with dioxane molecules bridging the individual gallium units.     

Germanium dioxide as internal standard for simplified trace determination of bromate, bromide, iodate and iodide by on-line coupling ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The use of elemental mass spectrometry as detection for ion chromatography allows sensitive determination of several bromine and iodine species at a reasonable time scale. Lowest concentrations observable are 66 ng L(-1) for bromate, 45 ng L(-1) for iodate, 74 ng L(-1) for bromide and 151 ng L(-1) for iodide. A major drawback of previous IC-ICP-MS applications is the high consumption of time and thus the running costs. The use of GeO2 as internal standard not only allows improved external calibration, but also semiquantitative determination of bromate, bromide, iodate and iodide without any calibration procedure. Furthermore, GeO2 can be used for all known types of anion exchange columns regardless of their construction principles. It is shown, that the analyte-to-GeO2 ratio of four bromine and iodine species was nearly constant over 4 months and almost independent from the ICP-MS instrumental settings. The quantification by means of the analyte-to-GeO2 ratio for samples taken from a bromate round robin test shows that the values obtained are in excellent agreement with calibration curve and isotope dilution results.     

A novel solid support for the synthesis of 3-aminoalkylated oligonucleotides

A novel improved controlled pore glass (CPG) support based on the 2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-nitrobenzoyl (HMNB) protecting group was developed for the synthesis of 3^′-aminoalkylated oligonucleotides. The release of oligonucleotides with free 3^′-amino groups from the support is complete within 2 h at 55 °C in concentrated ammonia.     

Configuration and E/Z interconversion mechanism of O(S)-allyl-S(O)-methyl-N-(acridin-9-yl) iminothiocarbonate

The configuration and dynamic behavior of O-allyl-S-methyl-N-(acridin-9-yl)iminothiocarbonate (1) and its S-allyl-O-methyl regioisomer (2) were studied using quantum chemical calculations and by applying a novel graphical method to scatter maps obtained from MD simulations for evaluation of an NOE-weighted internuclear distance (r(NOE)). Energy calculations indicated that the Z configuration was predominant for each compound and, further, this was supported both by the calculated chemical shifts and the r(NOE). Both N-inversion- and rotation-type transition-state structures were also calculated for the E/Z isomerization process, the results indicating that the preferred interconversion mechanism for 1 is N-inversion, but contrastingly, interconversion via rotation is equally as probable as N-inversion for 2. This supports the notion that one or the other or both pathways can be active and each system needs to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.     

Analysis of tinuvin 1577 polymer additive in edible oils using on-line coupled HPLC-GC

An application of automated on-line HPLC-HRGC is described for direct analysis of edible oils for migrated polymer additives. The sample preparation, separating the additive from the oil triglycerides, is carried out using normal phase HPLC. The fraction of the eluent containing the additive is automatically transferred to a HRGC where a second and final separation of the additive from minor oil components takes place. The method compares well with off-line separation methods. Migration data for Tinuvin 1577 from PET and PC polymers as well as an unspecified experimental polymer is given. The advantages and disadvantages of using different edible oils as food simulants are discussed.     

X-ray crystal structures of [XF(6)][Sb(2)F(11)] (X = Cl, Br, I); (35,37)Cl, (79,81)Br, and (127)I NMR studies and electronic structure calculations of the XF(6)(+) cations

The single-crystal X-ray structures of [XF(6)][Sb(2)F(11)] (X = Cl, Br, I) have been determined and represent the first detailed crystallographic study of salts containing the XF(6)(+) cations. The three salts are isomorphous and crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with Z = 4: [ClF(6)][Sb(2)F(11)], a = 11.824(2) A, b = 8.434(2) A, c = 12.088(2) A, beta = 97.783(6) degrees , V = 1194.3(4) A(3), R(1) = 0.0488 at -130 degrees C; [BrF(6)][Sb(2)F(11)], a = 11.931(2) A, b = 8.492(2) A, c = 12.103(2) A, beta = 97.558(4) degrees , V = 1215.5(4) A(3), R(1) = 0.0707 at -130 degrees C; [IF(6)][Sb(2)F(11)], a = 11.844(1) A, b = 8.617(1) A, c = 11.979(2) A, beta = 98.915(2) degrees , V = 1207.8(3) A(3), R(1) = 0.0219 at -173 degrees C. The crystal structure of [IF(6)][Sb(2)F(11)] was also determined at -100 degrees C and was found to crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/m with Z = 4, a = 11.885(1) A, b = 8.626(1) A, c = 12.000(1) A, beta = 98.44(1), V = 1216.9(2) A(3), R(1) = 0.0635. The XF(6)(+) cations have octahedral geometries with average Cl-F, Br-F, and I-F bond lengths of 1.550(4), 1.666(11) and 1.779(6) [-173 degrees C]/1.774(8) [-100 degrees C] A, respectively. The chemical shifts of the central quadrupolar nuclei, (35,37)Cl, (79,81)Br, and (127)I, were determined for [ClF(6)][AsF(6)] (814 ppm), [BrF(6)][AsF(6)] (2080 ppm), and [IF(6)][Sb(3)F(16)] (3381 ppm) in anhydrous HF solution at 27 degrees C, and spin-inversion-recovery experiments were used to determine the T(1)-relaxation times of (35)Cl (1.32(3) s), (37)Cl (2.58(6) s), (79)Br (24.6(4) ms), (81)Br (35.4(5) ms), and (127)I (6.53(1) ms). Trends among the central halogen chemical shifts and T(1)-relaxation times of XF(6)(+), XO(4)(-), and X(-) are discussed. The isotropic (1)J-coupling constants and reduced coupling constants for the XF(6)(+) cations and isoelectronic hexafluoro species of rows 3-6 are empirically assessed in terms of the relative contributions of the Fermi-contact, spin-dipolar, and spin-orbit mechanisms. Electronic structure calculations using Hartree-Fock, MP2, and local density functional methods were used to determine the energy-minimized gas-phase geometries, atomic charges, and Mayer bond orders of the XF(6)(+) cations. The calculated vibrational frequencies are in accord with the previously published assignments and experimental vibrational frequencies of the XF(6)(+) cations. Bonding trends within the XF(6)(+) cation series have been discussed in terms of natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses, the ligand close-packed (LCP) model, and the electron localization function (ELF).     

Dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes containing 1-alkyl-2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridin-4(1H)-ones

Dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes derived from ethyl maltol (2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone) and 1-alkyl-2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridin-4(1H)-ones have been prepared and characterized using physical methods including ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy, i.r., elemental analysis, and X-ray diffraction for the pyrone and 3-methylpyridine pyridinone derivatives. The octahedral complexes have the general formula cis-MoO₂L₂ where L = the deprotonated pyrone or pyridinone ligand.