Nonplanarity at tri-coordinated aluminum and gallium: cyclic structures for X3Hn(m) (X = B, Al, Ga)

Structures and energies of X3H3(2-), X3H4-, X3H5, and X3H6+ (X = B, Al and Ga) were investigated theoretically at B3LYP/6-311G(d) level. The global minimum structures of B are not found to be global minima for Al and Ga. The hydrides of the heavier elements Al and Ga have shown a total of seven, six and eight minima for X3H3(2-), X3H(4-), and X3H5, respectively. However, X3H(6+) has three and four minima for Al and Ga, respectively. The nonplanar arrangements of hydrogens with respect to X3 ring is found to be very common for Al and Ga species. Similarly, species with lone pairs on heavy atoms dominate the potential energy surfaces of Al and Ga three-ring systems. The first example of a structure with tri-coordinate pyramidal arrangement at Al and Ga is found in X3H(4-) (2g), contrary to the conventional wisdom of C3H3+, B3H3, etc. The influence of pi-delocalization in stabilizing the structures decreases from X3H3(2-) to X3H6+ for heavier elements Al and Ga. In general, minimum energy structures of X3H4-, X3H5, and X3H6+ may be arrived at by protonating the minimum energy structures sequentially starting from X3H3(2-). The resonance stabilization energy (RSE) for the global minimum structures (or nearest structures to global minimum which contains pi-delocalization) is computed using isodesmic equations.     

Extractive spectrophotometric determination of niobium(V) using 3-hydroxyflavone

A simple, rapid method for the spectrophotometric determination of niobium in trace amounts is presented, employing 3-hydroxyflavone as a ligand for the complexation of the metal ion and extracting the coloured complex into chloroform from 4M HClO₄ solution. Beer's law is obeyed in the range 0.0 to 3.2 g ml^–1 Nb(V), with a lower working limit of 0.1 g ml^–1 Nb(V). Molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity of the complex at 395 nm are 4.088 × 10⁴l mol^–1 cm^–1 and 0.002g Nb(V) cm^–2, respectively. The stoichiometry of the complex is established as 12 by Job's and mole ratio methods. The method is free from the interference of a large number of analytically important elements. The proposed system handles satisfactorily the analysis of several samples of varying complexity. The results are highly reproducible with a relative standard deviation of 0.34% for 20 g of Nb.     

Superspreading driven by Marangoni flow

The spontaneous spreading (called superspreading) of aqueous trisiloxane ethoxylate surfactant solutions on hydrophobic solid surfaces is a fascinating phenomenon with several practical applications. For example, the ability of trisiloxane ethoxylate surfactants to enhance the spreading of spray solutions on waxy weed leaf surfaces, such as velvetleaf (Abutilion theophrasti), makes them excellent wetting agents for herbicide applications. The superspreading ability of silicone surfactants has been known for decades, but its mechanism is still not well understood. In this paper, we suggest that the spreading of trisiloxane ethoxylates is controlled by a surface tension gradient, which forms when a drop of surfactant solution is placed on a solid surface. The proposed model suggests that, as the spreading front stretches, the surface tension increases (the surfactant concentration becomes lower) at the front relative to the top of the droplet, thereby establishing a dynamic surface tension gradient. The driving force for spreading is due to the Marangoni effect, and our experiments showed that the higher the gradient, the faster the spreading. A simple model describing the phenomenon of superspreading is presented. We also suggest that the superspreading behavior of trisiloxane ethoxylates is a consequence of the molecular configuration at the air/water surface (i.e. small and compact hydrophobic part), as shown by molecular dynamics modeling. We also found that the aggregates and vesicles formed in trisiloxane solutions do not initiate the spreading process and therefore these structures are not a requirement for the superspreading process.     

Bis(2,4–pentanedionato)vanadium(IV) aryloxides

Complexes of composition [VCl(acac)2(OAr1–4)] and [V(acac)2(OAr1–4)2] (HOAr1=HOC6H4NO2–4, HOAr2= HOC6H4OMe-4, HOAr3=HOC6H4But-4 and HOAr4= HOC6H2But-2,6–Me-4; acac=2,4–pentanedionato ion) have been synthesized by the reaction of [VCl2(acac)2] with the respective phenols or their trimethylsilyl derivatives. The complexes have been characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques. They are non-electrolytes in nitrobenzene. Room temperature magnetic moments in the 1.71–1.82B range are consistent with the VIV system. The reactions of [VCl(acac)2(OAr2)] and [VCl(acac)2(OAr3)] with chloride acceptors have been studied by conductance techniques and the formation of ionic complexes of the types [V(acac)2(OAr2,3)][MCl4] (M=Fe, Al or Sb) and [V(acac)2(OAr2,3)][MCl6] (M=P or Sb) is indicated by the conductance composition curves. Several of these complexes have been isolated and characterized.     

Development of 1‐Hydroxy‐2(1H)‐quinolone‐Based Photoacid Generators and Photoresponsive Polymer Surfaces

A new class of carboxylate and sulfonate esters of 1‐hydroxy‐2(1H)‐quinolone has been demonstrated as nonionic photoacid generators (PAGs). Irradiation of carboxylates and sulfonates of 1‐hydroxy‐2(1H)‐quinolone by UV light (λ≥310 nm) resulted in homolysis of weak N? O bond leading to efficient generation of carboxylic and sulfonic acids, respectively. The mechanism for the homolytic N? O bond cleavage was supported by time‐dependent DFT calculations. Photoresponsive 1‐(p‐styrenesulfonyloxy)‐2‐quinolone–methyl methacrylate (SSQL‐MMA) and 1‐(p‐styrenesulfonyloxy)‐2‐quinolone–lauryl acrylate (SSQL‐LA) copolymers were synthesized from PAG monomer 1‐(p‐styrenesulfonyloxy)‐2‐quinolone, and subsequently controlled surface wettability was demonstrated for the above‐mentioned photoresponsive polymers.     

Development of 1-Hydroxy-2(1H)-quinolone-Based Photoacid Generators and Photoresponsive Polymer Surfaces

A new class of carboxylate and sulfonate esters of 1-hydroxy-2(1H)-quinolone has been demonstrated as nonionic photoacid generators (PAGs). Irradiation of carboxylates and sulfonates of 1-hydroxy-2(1H)-quinolone by UV light (λ≥310?nm) resulted in homolysis of weak N?O bond leading to efficient generation of carboxylic and sulfonic acids, respectively. The mechanism for the homolytic N?O bond cleavage was supported by time-dependent DFT calculations. Photoresponsive 1-(p-styrenesulfonyloxy)-2-quinolone-methyl methacrylate (SSQL-MMA) and 1-(p-styrenesulfonyloxy)-2-quinolone-lauryl acrylate (SSQL-LA) copolymers were synthesized from PAG monomer 1-(p-styrenesulfonyloxy)-2-quinolone, and subsequently controlled surface wettability was demonstrated for the above-mentioned photoresponsive polymers.     

Switching and electrical properties of ferro‐ and antiferroelectric phases of MOPB(H)PBC

Switching and dielectric relaxation phenomena were investigated for an antiferroelectric liquid crystal, 4,4‐(1‐methyloctyloxycarbonyl)phenyl]‐4′‐[3‐(butanoyloxy)prop‐1‐oxy]biphenyl carboxylate, exhibiting chiral smectic A (SmA*), smectic C (SmC*) and antiferroelectric (SmC_A*) phases. Spontaneous polarisations, rotational viscosities, relaxation frequencies, dielectric strengths and distribution parameters were determined as a function of temperature. The electric field required for saturation of the spontaneous polarisation increased with a decrease in temperature. In the SmA* phase, only one relaxation mechanism was observed that behaves as soft mode. Two relaxation processes were detected in the SmC* phase. A high‐frequency relaxation process invariant at 2.2 kHz was due to a Goldstone mode, but the origin of low‐frequency relaxation process (1–20 Hz) is unclear; however, it may belong to an X‐mode. The dielectric spectrum of the SmC_A* phase exhibits two absorption peaks separated by two decades of frequency. The low‐frequency peak is related to the antiferroelectric Goldstone mode, whereas the high‐frequency peak originates from the anti‐phase fluctuation of the directors in the anti‐tilt pairs of the SmC_A* phase.     

A class of higher order compact schemes for the unsteady two‐dimensional convection–diffusion equation with variable convection coefficients

A class of higher order compact (HOC) schemes has been developed with weighted time discretization for the two‐dimensional unsteady convection–diffusion equation with variable convection coefficients. The schemes are second or lower order accurate in time depending on the choice of the weighted average parameter μ and fourth order accurate in space. For 0.5?μ?1, the schemes are unconditionally stable. Unlike usual HOC schemes, these schemes are capable of using a grid aspect ratio other than unity. They efficiently capture both transient and steady solutions of linear and nonlinear convection–diffusion equations with Dirichlet as well as Neumann boundary condition. They are applied to one linear convection–diffusion problem and three flows of varying complexities governed by the two‐dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Results obtained are in excellent agreement with analytical and established numerical results. Overall the schemes are found to be robust, efficient and accurate. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of gold nanoparticle attached multi-walled carbon nanotube-layered indium tin oxide in monitoring the effect of paracetamol on the release of epinephrine

Raman spectroscopy and control charts based on the net analyte signal (NAS) were applied to polymorphic characterization of carbamazepine. Carbamazepine presents four polymorphic forms: I-IV (dihydrate). X-ray powder diffraction was used as a reference technique. The control charts were built generating three charts: the NAS chart that corresponds to the analyte of interest (form III in this case), the interference chart that corresponds to the contribution of other compounds in the sample and the residual chart that corresponds to nonsystematic variations. For each chart, statistical limits were developed using samples within the quality specifications. It was possible to identify the different polymorphic forms of carbamazepine present in pharmaceutical formulations. Thus, an alternative method for the quality monitoring of the carbamazepine polymorphic forms after the crystallization process is presented.