Effect of pressure on hydrogen bonding in liquid methanol

We have investigated the effect of pressure on the hydrogen bonding in liquid methanol using Raman spectroscopy. Specifically, we have measured the OH and CO stretching modes and assigned the bands, in agreement with recent IR and crossed molecular beam experiments on methanol clusters. At about 7 to 8 kbar, we note indications that the intrinsic nature of the methanol clusters in our samples has changed. Our results provide support for and extend conclusions derived from Monte Carlo simulations, explain anomalies observed by previous researchers, and provide new insights into general hydrogen-bonding phenomena.     

Characterization of Salting-Out Processes during CO2-Clathrate Formation Using Raman Spectroscopy: Planetological Application

Clathrate hydrates are particular solids that planetologists study in detail because those solids may be present in several bodies of the solar system, such as Mars, comets, and the icy satellites. The solids are formed by solid H₂O, like common water ice, but adopt open structures with cavities containing gas molecules. Clathrate hydrates are usually stable at relatively low temperature and high pressure, which are the typical conditions present inside these planetary objects. Their interest for astrobiology is that they represent potential sources of liquid water and gases when they decompose. The present work is focused on the crystallization of clathrates in Europa's (icy satellite of Jupiter) interior conditions. We postulate that clathrate hydrates may play an important role in its crust mineralogy and that it can explain some features of the satellite's surface due to their formation/destabilization. An in situ kinetic study by Raman Spectroscopy of the clathrate formation from salty solutions was performed in our laboratory. The chemical composition that we used mimics those obtained from Europa's surface during the Galileo mission. An effect of the salting-out process in the solution was monitored through the clathrate formational path. Our results demonstrate that this process may have geological consequences on Europa and confirm the suitability of Raman spectroscopy for planetary detection of clathrate hydrates and other ices.     

3D Raman mapping of uniaxially loaded 6H‐SiC crystals

Raman spectroscopy is used to investigate the three‐dimensional stress distribution in 6H‐silicon carbide (SiC) specimens subjected to stresses up to 3.7 GPa along the c‐axis. Specifically, the relative Raman shift of the longitudinal optic phonon of 6H‐SiC is used to evaluate the local stress across the bulk crystal. For this purpose, an anvil device with opposed 6H‐SiC and sapphire specimens was used. After subjecting the anvils to uniaxial load, several series of two‐dimensional Raman maps were registered at different depths in the 6H‐SiC anvil. The analysis of the Raman spectra reveals an exponential decay of the stress as a function of the depth. A novel phenomenological Grüneisen‐like model is introduced here to account for such observation. On the contrary, the in‐plane stress analysis shows a radial Gaussian‐like distribution regardless the depth, a distinct behavior that is attributed to the appearance of shear stress components. The suitability of both models and their applicability to other materials are discussed, along with some future directions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic Covalent Properties of a Novel Indolo[3,2-b]carbazole Diradical

This work describes the synthesis and properties of a dicyanomethylene-substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazole diradical ICz-CN. This quinoidal system dimerises almost completely to (ICz-CN)₂, which contains two long C(sp³)−C(sp³) σ-bonds between the dicyanomethylene units. The minor open-shell ICz-CN component in the solid-state mixture was identified by EPR spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and UV–visible spectroelectrochemical data, as well as comparison with reference monomer ICz-Br reveal that the nature of the one-electron oxidation of (ICz-CN)₂ at ambient temperature and ICz-CN at elevated temperature is very similar in all these compounds due to the prevailing localization of their HOMO on the ICz backbone. The peculiar cathodic behaviour reflects the co-existence of (ICz-CN)₂ and ICz-CN. The involvement of the dicyanomethylene groups stabilizes the close-lying LUMO and LUMO+1 of (ICz-CN)₂ and especially ICz-CN compared to ICz-Br, resulting in a distinctive cathodic response at low overpotentials. Differently from neutral ICz-CN, its radical anion and dianion are remarkably stable under ambient conditions. The UV/Vis(–NIR) electronic transitions in parent (ICz-CN)₂ and ICz-CN and their different redox forms have been assigned convincingly with the aid of TD-DFT calculations. The σ-bond in neutral (ICz-CN)₂ is cleaved in solution and in the solid-state upon soft external stimuli (temperature, pressure), showing a strong chromism from light yellow to blue–green. Notably, in the solid state, the monomeric diradical species is predominantly formed under high hydrostatic pressure (>1 GPa).     

Measurements of (p,,T,x) for {x CS2 + (1-x) Si(CH3)4}(1) from 198 to 298 K and pressures up to 104 MPa. Experimental results and derived thermodynamic properties

Molar densities have been measured by using an expansion technique at pressures up to 104 MPa and temperatures from 198 to 298 K for the mixture {x CS₂ + (1-x) Si(CH₃)₄}(1) over the whole composition range. Several thennodynamic properties (isothermal compressibility, thermal expansivity, and molar internal energy, enthalpy and entropy increments relative to liquid at saturation) have been directly obtained from the experimental densities. The isothermal compressibility and the thermal expansivity are both smooth functions of pressure, temperature and composition, although the isotherms of the thermal expansivity exhibit a characteristic crossover at high pressures. The intersection of isotherms of thermal expansivity seems to occur at a single point of the (p,α_p) diagram, showing a nearly linear dependence with the composition.     

Dynamic light scattering in liquid and supercooled diphenylmethane

We use a dynamic light scattering technique to measure both polarized (VV) and depolarized (VH) spectra of liquid diphenylmethane (DPM) between 288 and 362 K, covering both normal and supercooled liquid ranges. Our results allow extracting information on structural relaxation processes, rotational motions, rotation-translation couplings, and molecular reorientation phenomena in liquid DPM. The VV spectra are modeled according to the microscopic theory of Wang, which assumes that a structural relaxation process dominates the spectrum. We find that the relaxation time of the structural relaxation in DPM follows an Arrhenius behavior. The Rayleigh dip was observed in the VH spectra, which are described using the Andersen-Pecora theory. Our results are discussed in terms of the rotation-translation coupling parameter, which we find independent of temperature over the experimental range. The collective reorientation time also follows an Arrhenius behavior with temperature. Finally, we calculate the hydrodynamic volumes for the reorientation process from geometric molecular models in two hydrodynamic limits: slip and stick boundary conditions. Our results suggest that the DMP molecule reorientates in quasi-slipping conditions in the bulk liquid.     

Modeling high pressure reactivity in unsaturated systems: application to dimethylacetylene

A general model is introduced to study pressure-induced reactivity on unsaturated systems in the condensed state. The model is applied here to dimethylacetylene (DMA) in the solid phase II (C/2m) because it has been proposed that two DMA molecules can react to form tetramethyl-cyclobutadiene (TMCBD). The proposed reaction process has been modeled by studying the structural and electronic changes undergone by two DMA molecules as they approach each other preserving the crystal symmetry of phase II. Both monodeterminantal (MP2 and DFT) and multideterminantal (CASSCF and MRMP2) methodologies were used to check the reliability of our model in predicting the reactivity of the system under compression. In all cases, structural results are in agreement with low-temperature diffraction experiments for the solid phase II. Our model indicates that DMA is expected to form the TMCBD dimer at intermolecular distances close to 2 A. This value is in excellent agreement with previous calculations on the existence of long carbon-carbon bonds.     

Properties of Sizeable [n]Cycloparaphenylenes as Molecular Models of Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes Elucidated by Raman Spectroscopy: Structural and Electron‐Transfer Responses under Mechanical Stress

[n]Cycloparaphenylenes behave as molecular templates of “perfectly chemically defined” single‐wall carbon nanotubes. These [n]CPP molecules have electronic, mechanical, and chemical properties in size correspondence with their giant congeners. Under mechanical stress, they form charge‐transfer salts, or complexes with fullerene, by one‐electron concave–convex electron transfer.     

The effect of data scaling on dual prices and sensitivity analysis in linear programs

In many practical situations scaling the data is necessary to solve linear programs. This note explores the relationships in translating the sensitivity analysis between the original and the scaled problems.     

High pressure chemistry of molecular systems: Recent experimental results and developments

Abstract

It is widely recognized that relevant new chemistry is being discovered by applying high pressures. The study of the equation of state, pressure-induced phase transitions, reactivity, etc., of molecular systems are topics of increasing interest in high pressure science. This paper compiles recent studies performed by the author on molecular systems at high pressures. This includes, on the theoretical side, a reference to a universal model of EOS for both liquids and solids at high pressure. Several experiments performed by the author are also discussed; among others, a high pressure polymerization of carbon monoxide, the design of an anvil cell system developed in our laboratory, introducing an alternative Raman pressure scale when sapphires are mounted as anvils (SAC configuration) and, finally, several actual SAC experiments are presented, including examples of phase transitions and reactivity at high pressure on double and triple bonded molecular systems.