Characterization of covalent linkages in organically functionalized MCM-41 mesoporous materials by solid-state NMR and theoretical calculations

The covalent linkages formed during functionalization of MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieves with five chloroalkylsilanes ((EtO)3Si(CH2Cl), (MeO)3Si(CH2CH2CH2Cl), Cl3Si(CH2CH2CH3), Cl2Si(CH3)(CH2Cl) and Cl2Si(CH3)2) have been investigated using high-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Structural information was obtained from 1H-13C and 1H-29Si heteronuclear (HETCOR) NMR spectra, in which high resolution in the 1H dimension was obtained by using fast MAS. The 1H-13C HETCOR results provided the assignments of 1H and 13C resonances associated with the surface functional groups. Sensitivity-enhanced 1H-29Si HETCOR spectra, acquired using Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill refocusing during data acquisition, revealed the identity of 29Si sites (Qn, Tn, and Dn) and the location of functional groups relative to these sites. Optimal geometries of local environments representing the Qn, Tn and Dn resonances were calculated using molecular mechanics and ab initio methods. Subsequently, DFT calculations of 29Si, 13C, and 1H chemical shifts were performed using Gaussian 03 at the B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) level. The theoretical calculations are in excellent accord with the experimental chemical shifts. This work illustrates that state-of-the-art spectroscopic and theoretical tools can be used jointly to refine the complex structures of inorganic-organic hybrid materials.     

MgCl(2)·4((CH(3))(2)CHCH(2)OH): A new molecular adduct for the preparation of TiCl(x)/MgCl(2) catalyst for olefin polymerization

A new molecular adduct of MgCl(2) with isobutanol, namely MgCl(2)·4((CH(3))(2)CHCH(2)OH) (MgiBOH), has been prepared as a precursor to the supporting material for an olefin polymerization catalyst. The MgiBOH adduct and final titanated Ziegler-Natta catalysts have been thoroughly characterized by powder XRD, thermal analysis, Raman spectroscopy and solid-state NMR for structural and spectroscopy aspects. A peak observed at 712 cm(-1) in the Raman spectra of MgiBOH indicates the characteristic Mg-O(6) breathing mode and the formation of the adduct. The diffraction feature at 2θ = 7.8° (d = 11.223 ?) in the XRD confirms the adduct formation and the layered structure. The aim of the present article is to study how the insertion of a bulky isobutanol moiety affects the structural and electronic properties of the MgCl(2)·isobutanol molecular adduct. Indeed, the focus of the present study is to explore how the presence of isobutanol, in the initial molecular adduct, influences the final Z-N catalyst properties and its activity.     

Derivative method for phase retrieval in off-axis quantitative phase imaging

We present a method for phase retrieval in off-axis interferometric systems. By numerically calculating the transverse 1st and 2nd order derivatives of the interferogram, we show that one can directly retrieve the quantitative phase image, without the need for Fourier or Hilbert transformations. Because of this, the method is significantly faster than the current approaches. We illustrate our method using biological specimen data from three different off-axis quantitative phase imaging techniques.     

The mechanism of the recrystallization process in epitaxial GaN under dynamic stress field: atomistic origin of planar defect formation

The mechanism of the recrystallization in epitaxial (0001) GaN film, introduced by the indentation technique, is probed by lattice dynamic studies using Raman spectroscopy. The recrystallized region is identified by micro‐Raman area mapping. ‘Pop‐in’ bursts in loading lines indicate nucleation of dislocations and climb of dislocations. These processes set in plastic motion of lattice atoms under stress field at the center of indentation for the initiation of the recrystallization process. A planar defect migration mechanism is evolved. A pivotal role of vacancy migration is noted, for the first time, as the rate‐limiting factor for the dislocation dynamics initiating the recrystallization process in GaN. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reactions of 2-(arylazo)aniline with ruthenium substrates: Isolation, characterizations and reactivities of delocalized diazoketiminato and orthometallated Ru(II) chelates

Reactions of 2-(arylazo)aniline, HL-NH₂ [H represents the dissociable protons upon complexation and HL-NH₂ is p-RC₆H₄NNC₆H₄-NH₂; R = H for HL¹-NH₂; CH₃ for HL²-NH₂ and Cl for HL³-NH₂] with Ru(H)(CO)(PPh₃)₃Cl and Ru(CO)₃(PPh₃)₂ afforded products of compositions [(HL-NH)Ru(CO)Cl(PPh₃)₂] and [(L-NH)Ru(PPh₃)₂(CO)], respectively. All the complexes were characterized unequivocally. The X-ray structures of the complexes 4c and 5c have been determined. The cyclic volatammograms exhibited one reversible oxidative response in the range of 0.56–0.16 V versus SCE for [(L-NH)Ru(PPh₃)₂(CO)] and a quasi reversible oxidative response within 0.56–0.70 V versus SCE for [(HL-NH)Ru(CO)Cl(PPh₃)₂]. The conversion of ketones to corresponding alcohols has been studied in presence of newly synthesized ruthenium complexes.     

Density functional studies on chromium catalyzed ethylene trimerization

Mechanism of ethylene trimerization using chromium catalyst is investigated using density functional methods. Recent experimental results indicate Cr-based homogeneous catalysts to follow metallacycle pathway in ethylene tri-, teta- and oligomerization reactions. Given the importance of chlorinated Cr-based active catalysts in these reactions, we have used “bare” minimal ligands like Cl^? and considered catalytic cycles with neutral or cationic intermediates starting with [Cr(II)Cl₂(ethylene)₂] and [Cr(II)Cl(ethylene)₂]⁺, respectively. We have compared both ‘Cossee’ and the ‘metallacycle’ mechanisms on these model systems utilizing density functional computations at B3LYP/LANL2DZ(d,p) level. The metallacycle mechanism with cationic Cr(II)–Cr(IV) intermediates is found to be the most favored path, with oxidative coupling of two coordinated ethylene to form the chromacyclopentane being the rate determining step (RDS). We also found that with neutral intermediates the Cossee pathway rather than the metallacycle mechanism is followed. Thus in spite of the simplicity of using just Cl^? as ligand in the model catalytic intermediates, our computational results match remarkably well with many recent and important experimental findings.     

Sulfur bridging interactions of cis-planar NiII-S2N2 coordination units with nickel(II), copper(I,II), zinc(II), and mercury(II): a library of bridging modes, including NiII(micro2-SR)2MI,II rhombs

Sulfur bridging interactions between three cis-planar NiII-S2N2 complexes and NiII, CuI,II, ZnII, and HgII reactants were investigated by synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of some 24 complexes. This work was stimulated by recent crystallographic structures of the A-cluster of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase/acetylcoenzyme A synthase. This bridged biological assembly has the minimal formulation [Fe4S4]-(micro2-SCys)-[M((micro2-SCys)2Gly)Ni] with M = NiII, CuI, and ZnII at sites distal and proximal, respectively, to the iron-sulfur cluster. Bridges supported by representations of the distal nickel site were sought by reactions of the complexes [NiII(LH-S2N2)]2- and [NiII(LR-S2N2)], with 5-5-5 chelate ring patterns. Reaction products implicate the bridges Ni-(micro2-S)1,2-M in a variety of molecular structures, some with previously unknown connectivities of bridge atoms. The most frequently encountered bridge units are the nonplanar rhombs Ni(2-S)2M involving both sulfur atoms of a given complex. Those with M = NiII are biologically relevant inasmuch as the catalytic metal at the proximal site is nickel. The complex [Ni(L-655)]2-, containing the 6-5-5 ring pattern and coordination sphere of the distal nickel site, was prepared and structurally characterized. It was shown to sustain Ni2(micro2-S)2 rhombic interactions in the form of trinuclear [[Ni(L-655)]2Ni]2- and [[Ni(L-655)]Ni(R2PCH2CH2PR2)] (R = Et, Ph) in which the second NiII simulates the proximal site. Bridging interactions of NiII-S2N2 complexes are summarized, and geometrical features of Ni2(2-S)2 rhombs in these complexes, as dependent on ring patterns, are considered (LH-S2N2 = N,N'-ethylenebis(2-mercaptoisobutyramide)(4-); LR-S2N2 = trans-rac-N,N'-bis(2-mercapto-2-methylprop-1-yl)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine(2-); L-655 = N-(2-mercaptopropyl)-N'-(2'-mercaptoethyl)glycinamide(4-)).     

Novel syntheses of 3-cyano-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one and derivatives of 2,3-dicarbomethoxy-2-hydroxycyclopenta[b]quinoline

A facile solid phase conversion of 2-chloro-3-cyano-4-substituted-1,4-dihydroquinolines to 3-cyano-4-substituted-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones in almost quantitative yields and a novel synthesis of 2,3-dicarbomethoxy-2-hydroxycyclopenta[b]quinoline are described.     

Fragmentation of certain substituted azadispiro(5.1.5.2)pentadec-9-ene and azadispiro(4.1.4.2)tridec-8-ene derivatives under electron ionization

A study of the electron ionization mass spectra of certain azadispiro(5.1.5.2)pentadec-9-ene-7,15-diones and azadispiro(4.1.4.2)tridec-8-ene-6,13-diones and their derivatives has revealed that these molecules undergo fragmentation primarily by two routes, viz. loss of CO and elimination of the substituent on the pyrrolidine nitrogen. Under positive ionization conditions loss of CO is the predominant process in the diones as it releases the ring strain, while in the 6- or 7-ols loss of the substituent on nitrogen is the favoured pathway. The further decomposition pathways of these primary fragments [M ? CO]⁺˙ and [M ? OR³]⁺ have been delineated with the help of high-resolution mass measurements, D₂O exchange and metastable spectra, These compounds give very simple negative ion spectra showing only [M ? OR³]^? and [NCO]^? ions except the N-hydroxy compounds which show [M ? H]^? ions as well.     

Preliminary communicationCatalytic olefin hydrogenation with nonacarbonyltris(triphenylphosphine)triruthenium and its derivatives. Crystal structure of [Ru2(CO)5(PPh3)(μ-PPh2)(μ-OCPh)]

The complexes [Ru₃(CO)₇(PPh₂)₂(C₆H₄)] and [Ru₂(CO)₅(PPh₃)(μ-PPh₂)(μ-OCPh)] were obtained by pyrolysis of [Ru₃(CO)₉(PPh₃)₃] and tested as catalysts for the hydrogenation of cyclohexene and 2-cyclohexen-1-one. The structure of [Ru₂(CO)₅(PPh₃)(μ-PPh₂)(μ-OCPh)] was established by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study.