Synthesis and properties of mononuclear and binuclear molybdenum complexes derived from bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde)oxaloyldihydrazone

The monomer molybdenum(VI) complex [MoO(2)(napoxlhH(2))].2H(2)O (1) has been synthesized from the reaction of MoO(2)(acac)(2) with bis(2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde)oxaloyldihydrazone (napoxlhH(4)) in 1:1 molar ratio in ethanol under reflux. This complex on reaction with pyridine/3-picoline/4-picoline yielded the dimer molybdenum(VI) complexes [Mo(2)O(4)(napoxlhH(2))(2)(A)(2)].2H(2)O (A=py (2), 3-pic (3), 4-pic (4)), whereas reaction with isonicotinoylhydrazine (inhH(3)) and salicyloylhydrazine (sylshH(3)) lead to the reduction of the metal centre yielding monomeric molybdenum(V) complexes [Mo(napoxlhH(2))(hzid)].2H(2)O (where hzidH(3)=inhH(3) (5) and sylshH(3) (6)). The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight determinations, molar conductance data, magnetic moment data, electronic, IR, ESR and (1)H NMR spectroscopic studies. The complexes (5) and (6) are paramagnetic to the extent of one unpaired electron. The electronic spectra of the complexes are dominated by strong charge transfer bands. In all of the complexes, the principal dihydrazone ligand has been suggested to coordinate to the metal centres in the anti-cis-configuration. The complexes (1), (5) and (6) are suggested to have six-coordinate octahedral stereochemistry around molybdenum(VI) and molybdenum(V) metal centres, respectively, while the complexes (2)-(4) are suggested to have eight coordinate dodecahedral stereochemistry around molybdenum(VI) metal centre.     

Visual functional effects of constant blue light in a retinal degenerate rat model

Retinal degenerative conditions increase susceptibility to light damage, but rapid retinal degeneration (RD) models show less susceptibility to cyclic dim light. We investigated whether constant blue light (BL) exposure can eliminate the residual visual responses in a comparatively rapid RD rat model. Pigmented rhodopsin mutant S334ter line-3 rat pups (21 days old) were exposed for 5-6 consecutive days to constant BL. Visual behavior was evaluated with an optokinetic head tracking apparatus. Electrophysiological recordings were made from the superior colliculus (SC). S-antigen, red-green opsin and rhodopsin immunoreactive residual photoreceptors were counted. Following BL exposure, head tracking was significantly reduced at 0.25 cycles degree(-1) in 38-day-old line 3 rats. With a 0.125 cycles degree(-1) stimulus, the head tracking performance of 80-day-old BL rats were similar to that of 220-day-old no-BL-treated line-3 rats. SC recordings also revealed a significant decrease in the residual photoreceptor activity. Histological evaluation showed reduction of the rod population in the central area of the light-damaged retina. Exposure to constant BL considerably reduces the residual visual responses in a rapid degenerating RD rat model.     

Aromatics to polyquinanes: A general method for the construction of tricyclo[6.3.0.0]-and tricyclo[6.3.0.0]undecanes

The conversion of aromatic compounds to linear and angular triquinanes is described and involves a 5-exo-trig-allyl radical cyclization as the key reaction for constructing the strained ketones 9 and 18, which are then transformed into the quinanes 12 and 23, respectively.     

Second‐harmonic response of a series of chiral polyesters: A joint experimental and theoretical study

A series of polyesters with π‐conjugated donor–acceptor segments was synthesized by the condensation of azobenzene‐4,4′‐dicarbonylchloride with 1,4:3,6‐dianhydro‐D‐sorbitol ([α] = + 42.5°) and biphenolic chromophores, bis(4‐hydroxyphenylazo)‐2,2′‐dinitrodiphenylmethane and bis(4‐hydroxyphenylazo)‐2,2′‐dinitrodiphenylsulfone. The polymers were characterized by spectral methods (IR, ultraviolet–visible, and NMR), thermal methods (thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry), wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, and polarimetry. The polymers containing isosorbide units were optically active and crystalline. They exhibited glass‐transition temperature values between 100 and 160 °C and were stable up to 400 °C. The second‐harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency of the polymers was experimentally verified by a powder‐reflection technique with 2‐methyl‐4‐nitroaniline as a reference. The SHG efficiencies of the polymers were compared to those of the chromophores and explained as a function of the percentage of chiral composition. The hyperpolarizability β values were also determined by a two‐level model solvatochromic method and computational methods. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2868–2877, 2002     

激光熔覆Al+SiC涂层对镁合金表面耐磨性能的改性

通过脉冲激光器(Nd-YAG)在AZ91D镁合金基底上熔覆Al+SiC粉体。采用扫描电子显微镜、能量色散谱（EDS）和X-射线衍射测定分析熔覆层的显微组织、化学成分和物相组成。研究表明：Al+SiC涂层主要由SiC,b-Mg17Al12及Mg和Al相组成,激光熔覆层与镁合金基底表现出良好的冶金结合。所有样品都具有树枝状结构,且随着SiC质量分数的增大,树枝状和胞状结构的间隔变得更大。熔覆涂层的表面硬度高于基底,并且随着熔覆层中的SiC质量分数的增加而增大,SiC质量分数为40%的熔覆层具有最大的显微硬度,达到180 HV,然而质量分数为10%的熔覆层硬度为136 HV。销盘滑动磨损试验表明,复合涂层中的SiC颗粒和原位合成的Mg17Al12相显著提高了AZ91D镁合金的耐磨损性,其中,SiC质量分数从10%增加到30%过程中磨损体积损失逐渐减少,SiC质量分数在20%～30%时熔覆层具有最好的耐磨性。     

Photoinduced Betaine Generation for Efficient Photothermal Energy Conversion

The conversion of solar energy to thermal, chemical, or electrical energy attracts great attention in chemistry and physics. There has been a considerable effort for the efficient extraction of photons throughout the entire solar spectrum. In this work light energy was efficiently harvested by using a long-lived betaine photogenerated from an acridinium-based electron donor–acceptor dyad. The photothermal energy-conversion efficiency of the dyad is significantly enhanced by simultaneous illumination with blue (420–440 nm) and yellow (>480 nm) light in comparison with the sum of the conversion efficiencies for individual illumination with blue or yellow light. The enhanced photothermal effect is due to the photogenerated betaine, which absorbs longer-wavelength light than the dyad, and thus the dyad–betaine combination is promising for efficient photothermal energy conversion. The mechanisms of betaine generation and energy conversion are discussed on the basis of steady-state and transient spectral measurements.     

Neutron and proton shell closure in the superheavy region via cluster radioactivity in <Superscript>280–314</Superscript>116 isotopes

Based on the concept of cold valley in fission and fusion, the radioactive decay of superheavy^280–314116 nuclei was studied taking Coulomb and proximity potentials as the interacting barrier. It is found that the inclusion of proximity potential does not change the position of minima but minima become deeper which agrees with the earlier findings of Gupta and co-workers. In addition to alpha particle minima, the other deepest minima occur for ⁸Be, ^12,14C clusters. In the fission region two deep regions are found each consisting of several comparable minima, the first region centred on ²⁰⁸Pb and the second is around ¹³²Sn. The cluster decay half-lives and other characteristics are computed for various clusters ranging from alpha particle to ⁷⁰Ni. The computed half-lives for alpha decay match with the experimental values and with the values calculated using Viola-Seaborg-Sobiczewski (VSS) systematic. The plots connecting computed Q values and half-lives against neutron number of daughter nuclei were studied for different clusters and it is found that the next neutron shell closures occur at N = 162, 172 and 184. Isotopic and isobaric mass parabolas are studied for various cluster emissions and minima of parabola indicate neutron shell closure at N = 162, 184 and proton shell closure at Z = 114. Our study shows that ₁₆₂²⁷⁶114 is the deformed doubly magic and ₁₈₄²⁹⁸114 is the spherical doubly magic nuclei.      

3-Phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolonate complex of Eu3+ with tri-n-octylphosphine oxide as a promising light-conversion molecular device

Three new europium complexes, [Eu(PBI)3.3H2O] (1), [Eu(PBI)3.2TOPO] (2), and [Eu(PBI)3.2TPPO.H2O] (3) (where HPBI, TOPO, and TPPO stand for 3-phenyl-4-benzoyl-5-isoxazolone, tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, and triphenylphosphine oxide, respectively), with different neutral ligands were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared, (1)H NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The coordination geometries of the complexes were calculated using the Sparkle/AM1 (Sparkle Model for the Calculation of Lanthanide Complexes within the Austin Model 1) model. The ligand-Eu3+ energy-transfer rates were calculated in terms of a model of the intramolecular energy-transfer process in lanthanide coordination compounds reported in the literature. The room-temperature PL spectra of the europium(III) complexes are composed of the typical Eu3+ red emission, assigned to transitions between the first excited state (5D0) and the multiplet (7F(0-4)). On the basis of emission spectra and lifetimes of the 5D0-emitting level, the emission quantum efficiency (eta) was determined. The results clearly show that the substitution of water molecules by TOPO leads to greatly enhanced quantum efficiency (i.e., 26% vs 92%) and longer 5D0 lifetimes (250 vs 1160 micros). This can be ascribed to a more efficient ligand-to-metal energy transfer and a less nonradiative 5D0 relaxation process. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Omega2 and Omega4) were determined from the emission spectra for the Eu3+ ion based on the 5D0 --> 7F2 and 5D0 --> 7F4 electronic transitions, respectively, and the 5D0 --> 7F1 magnetic-dipole-allowed transition was taken as the reference. A point to be noted in these results is the relatively high value of the Omega2 intensity parameter for all of the complexes. This may be interpreted as being a consequence of the hypersensitive behavior of the 5D0 --> 7F2 transition. The dynamic coupling mechanism is, therefore, dominant, indicating that the Eu3+ ion is in a highly polarizable chemical environment.     

Alkylation of p-cresol with tert-butanol catalyzed by heteropoly acid supported on zirconia catalyst

Butylation of p-cresol by tert-butanol was catalyzed by 12-tungstophosphoric acid supported on zirconia (TPA/ZrO₂) under flow conditions. Catalysts prepared with different TPA loading (5–30 wt.%) were calcined at 1023 K and acidity was estimated by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of NH₃. Fifteen percent TPA/ZrO₂ showed the highest acidity and found to be the most active catalyst in butylation of p-cresol. The effects of temperature, space velocity (LHSV) and molar ratio of the reactants on the conversion of p-cresol and products selectivities were optimized and the optimum reaction conditions evaluated were 403 K, tert-butanol/p-cresol (Bu/Cr) molar ratio 3 and LHSV 4 h⁻¹. Under the optimized conditions, conversion of p-cresol was found to be 61 mol% with product selectivity for 2-tert-butyl-p-cresol (TBC) 81.4%, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol (DTBC) 18.1% and tert-butyl-p-tolyl ether (ether) 0.5%. Study of time on stream (TOS) performed as a function of time for 100 h showed that the loss in activity in terms of conversion of p-cresol was 6%.     

Temperature-sensitive photoluminescence of CdSe quantum dot clusters

The formation of narrow size dispersed and nanometer size aggregates (clusters) of cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) and their temperature-sensitive photoluminescence (PL) spectral properties close to room temperature (298 K) are discussed. CdSe QDs formed stable clusters with an average diameter of approximately 27 nm in the absence of coordinating solvents. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging, we identified the association of individual QDs with 2-5 nm diameters into clusters of uniform size. A suspension of these clusters in different solvents exhibited reversible PL intensity changes and PL spectral shifts which were correlated with temperature. Although the PL intensity of CdSe QDs encapsulated in host matrixes and the solid state showed a response to temperature under cryogenic conditions, the current work identified for the first time QD clusters showing temperature-sensitive PL intensity variations and spectral shifts at moderate temperatures above room temperature. Temperature-sensitive reversible PL changes of clusters are discussed with respect to reversible thermal trapping of electrons at inter-QD interfaces and dipole-dipole interactions in clusters. Reversible luminescence intensity variations and spectral shifts of QD clusters show the potential for developing sensors based on QD nanoscale assemblies.