Kinetics of the thermal dehydrations and decompositions of some mixed metal oxalates

Both isothermal and programmed temperature experiments have been used to obtain kinetic parameters for the dehydrations and the decompositions in nitrogen of the mixed metal oxalates: FeCu(ox)₂·3H₂O, CoCu(ox)₂·3H₂O and NiCu(ox)₂·3.5H₂O, [ox=C₂O₄]. Results are compared with those reported for the thermal decompositions of the individual metal oxalates, Cuox, Coox·2H₂O, Niox·2H₂O and Feox·2H₂O. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was also used to examinee the individual and the mixed oxalates. Dehydrations of the mixed oxalates were mainly deceleratory processes with activation energies (80 to 90 kJ·mol⁻¹), similar to those reported for the individual hydrated oxalates. Temperature ranges for dehydration were broadly similar for all the hydrates studied here (130 to 180°C). Decompositions of the mixed oxalates were all complex endothermic processes with no obvious resemblance to the exothermic reaction of Cuox, or the reactions of physical mixtures of the corresponding individual oxalates. The order of decreasing stability, as indicated by the temperature ranges giving comparable decomposition rates, was NiCu(ox)₂>CoCu(ox)₂>FeCu(ox)₂, which also corresponds to the order of increasing covalency of the Cu−O bonds as shown by XPS. In celebration of the 60^th birthday of Dr. Andrew K. Galwey     

Solid-state polymerization of vinylpyridine coordination compounds

A survey of the solid-state polymerizability of 2- and 4-vinylpyridine (Vpy) complexes of divalent cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc chlorides has been carried out. The influence of metal ion, ligand, coordination stereochemistry, and crystal structure is discussed. The tetrahedral modification of the complex Co(4-Vpy)₂Cl₂ has been found to undergo a particularly facile thermal polymerization below its melting point to yield high molecular weight poly-4-vinylpyridine. The polymer is shown to be conventional atactic head-to-tail poly-4-vinylpyridine. Thermogravimetric methods and optical microscopy have been used to study the thermal polymerization of single crystals of the complex. Results indicate a diffusion-controlled mechanism in which defective regions in the crystal act as nuclei for the polymerization.     

Electron spin echo envelope modulation from trapped electrons in a glassy medium

An amplitude modulation of the electron spin echo envelope has been observed for radiation-produced trapped electrons in 10 M NaOD/D₂O at 77°K but not in 10 M N₂OH/H₂O. The modulation has been simulated theoretically by generalizing the single crystal model of Rowan et al. to disordered systems. The modulation has been interpreted as due to dipolar interactions with deuterons in molecules of the second solvation shell around the trapped electrons.     

Solid products from thermal decomposition of polyethylene terephthalate: Investigation by CP/MAS 13C-NMR and fourier transform-IR spectroscopy

The solid reaction products from pyrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate in the presence and absence of red phosphorus were characterized by CP/MAS ¹³C-NMR, FR-IR, and MAS ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy. Over the temperature range of 300–400°C, polyethylene terephthalate was converted in a sealed vial to a highly crosslinked polymer of terephthalic acid. Pyrolysis in the presence of red phosphorus, which functions as a flame retardant by increasing the amount of char, yielded an intractible polyaromatic phosphate ester. After thermal cleavage of polyethylene terephthalate with formation of free carboxyl and vinyl ester groups, there are two competing reaction pathways. The smaller molecular weight fragments may enter the vapor phase where they undergo further degradation primarily to CO₂, CO, and acetaldehyde, as described by others. However, if volatilization of the oligomeric fragments is inhibited, an alternate reaction pathway gives rise to the formation of highly crosslinked char. Red phosphorus decreases the volatility of the oligomeric fragments by converting them to phosphates and thereby enhances char formation.     

On the C-16 configuration of sitsirikine

The indole alkaloid sitsirikine has been synthesised by a biomimetic conversion of strictosidine and its C-16 configuration established as R by cyclisation to a 16,17-dihydroheteroyohimbine.     

Mechanistic evaluation of the halocyclization of 4-penten-1-ol by some Bis(2-substituted pyridine) and Bis(2,6-disubstituted pyridine)bromonium triflates

The halocyclization reaction of 4-penten-1-ol mediated by various bis(2-substituted pyridine) and (2,6- disubstituted pyridine)bromonium triflates (P(2)Br(+)OTf(-)) was investigated to determine the influence of the substituents on the mechanism of reaction. In all cases, the reaction proceeds via a two-step process where the starting P(2)Br(+) reversibly dissociates to a reactive monosubstituted PBr(+), which then is captured by 4-penten-1-ol to form halocyclized product (2-bromomethyltetrahydrofuran). The dissociation rate constant of P(2)Br(+) (k(d)) is sensitive to the steric bulk at the 2- and 6-positions, and in the case of the 2, 6-dicyclohexylpyridine or 2,6-dicyclopentylpyridine, the P(2)Br(+) species are too unstable to isolate. The partitioning ratio of the reactive intermediate (PBr(+)) between reversal and product formation (k(-)(d)/k(2)) is not particularly sensitive to the nature of the pyridine, the limiting values being 3-7 except in the case of bis(2(-)-menthylpyridine)bromonium triflate where the k(-)(d)/k(2) ratio is approximately 80. The reaction of 4-penten-1-ol and its OD isotopomer with bis(lutidine)bromonium triflate was investigated to determine the deuterium kinetic isotope effect (dkie) on the bromocyclization reaction. The (k(-)(d)/k(2))(H/D) ratio is 1.0, indicating that the rate-limiting step for the bromocyclization is probably formation of a PBr(+)-4-penten-1-ol complex which does not involve substantial changes in the bonding of the OH. The cyclization of 4-penten-1-ol and 4-pentenoic acid mediated by bis(2(-)-menthylpyridine)bromonium triflate produces an enantiomeric excess in the cyclized products of only 2.4% and 4.8% respectively.     

Linear free energy relationship of the energy of the CTTS transition of Halide ions with the solvatochromic parameter α

A linear free energy relationship was found betweenv _max, the energy of the absorption maximum of chloride, bromide, or iodide ion in various solvents, and the solvatochromic parameter which is a measure of the hydrogen bond donor ability of the solvent. The relationships are: for chloride,v _max=6.99+50.16 kK; for bromide,v _max=5.52+45.20 kK; for iodide,v _max=5.02+40.33 kK. The correlation ofv _max for iodide ion with gave a larger correlation coefficient and smaller standard deviation than a correlation with the E _T (30) parameter of Dimroth. From the values ofv _max for iodide ion and the solvated electron in liquid ammonia at 25°C, these correlations indicate a preliminary value of 0.00 for the parameter of liquid ammonia. This had not been reported before and is lower than expected from a general knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of liquid ammonia but is consistent with a more detailed consideration and recent gas phase measurements of hydrogen bond donor strength.