The thermal decomposition of ammonium metavanadate

On heating, ammonium metavanadate (AMV) decomposes in several atmospheredependent stages. An important decomposition intermediate, ammonium hexavanadate (AHV), may also be prepared by wet-chemical methods and the kinetic parameters for the thermal decomposition of AMV and of the AHV preparation have been obtained. The kinetic study has been supplemented by surface-area measurements and by electron microscopic examination of the surfaces of reactant, intermediate and product crystallites. On the basis of the type of decomposition curve, the measured activation energies, and the effects of oxygen and water vapour on the decomposition rate, it has been concluded that in vacuum and in inert atmospheres the evolution of ammonia is the rate-determining step, while in oxidizing atmospheres evolution of water is rate determining. Comparison of the kinetic parameters with thermodynamic data for the decomposi. tion has led to suggestions as to the nature of the activated complexes involved.     

The crystal and molecular structure of 1,1,2,4,4,5-hexaphenyl-1,4-diphosphoniacyclohexadiene-2,5 dibromide

The crystal and molecular structure of 1,1,2,4,4,5-hexaphenyl-1,4-diphosphoniacyclohexadiene-2,5 dibromide has been determined by a single crystal, x-ray diffraction study using diffractometer data. The compound crystallizes in the space group P2₁/_c with unit cell constants a = 8.813(1), b = 36.736(4), c = 12.478(1) Å, and β = 120.91°(1). The structure was solved by the heavy atom method and refined by block-diagonal least-squares to a final R = 0.04 for the 2761 statistically significant reflections. The structure determination shows that the central phosphonium ring is a diene and not a delocalized structure as anticipated. The ring is in the boat conformation with the axial phenyl rings aligned essentially parallel to each other and 3.55 Å apart.     

Alloxazines and isoalloxazines. Mass spectrometric analysis of riboflavin and related compounds

The positive ion electron-impact mass spectra of a series of alloxazines, iso-alloxazines and some derivatives have been examined. The compounds employed were lumichrome (7,8-dimethylalloxazine), 1,3-dimethyllumichrome, lumiflavin (7,8,10-trimethyl-iso-alloxazine), 3-methyllumiflavin, riboflavin [7,8-dimethyl-10-(D-1′-ribityl)-iso-alloxazine], riboflavin tetraacetate, 3-methylriboflavin tetraacetate and riboflavin tetrapropionate. By using exact mass measurements, metastable ion defocusing and the mass/composition shifts occurring with derivatives, it has been possible to arrive at detailed interpretations of the mass spectra of all compounds. With lumichrome and lumiflavin, fragmentation commences by elimination of HNCO from the pyrimidine ring. With riboflavin and its derivatives the ribityl chain cleaves off first, followed by decomposition of the iso-alloxazine ring. Application of these methods and findings to the structural analysis of chemically interesting modified flavins is predicted to be rewarding.     

Purine N-oxides—XLI : The 3-acyloxypurine 8-substitution reaction: On the mechanism of the reaction

The 3-acyloxypurine 8-substitution reaction involves elimination of the 3-acyloxy group and nucleophilic substitution at C-8 to yield 8-substituted xanthines or guanines. In aqueous solutions the reaction of 3-acetoxyxanthine proceeds slowly below pH 2, but is greatly accelerated with an increase of the pH from 3 to 7. It is proposed that the slow reaction involves heterolytic cleavage of the 3-acetoxy moiety from 3-acetoxyxanthine to yield a nitrenium ion at N-3 followed by intermolecular nucleophilic substitution of the incipient carbonium ion at the allylic C-8 position, also the most probable mechanism in polar aprotic solvents. The beginning of the fast reaction coincides with the beginning of ionization of the imidazole hydrogen of 3-acetoxyxanthine. It is proposed that this ionization induces a similar but more rapid departure of the 3-acetoxy group from the anion of 3-acetoxyxanthine to produce dehydroxanthine. The latter, upon protonation, yields the same reactive carbonium ion at C-8 that is formed in the slow reaction. Some reduction of 3-acetoxyxanthine to xanthine accompanies the fast reaction. That reduction has the characteristics of a free-radical mediated reaction. It is proposed that reduction results from a homolytic cleavage of the NO bond in the 3-acetoxyxanthine anion to produce a radical-anion, which abstracts hydrogen from water to yield xanthine. These reaction mechanisms and possible alternatives are evaluated.     

The crystal and molecular structures of bis (pentafluorophenyl)disulphide and bis(pentafluorophenyl)diselenide

The structures of (C₆F₅)₂S₂ and (C₆F₅)₂Se₂ have been determined by single crystal, X-ray diffraction techniques. The compounds are isostructural although the molecules are packed differently in the crystal in comparison with their phenyl analogues. Important bond lengths and angles are: SS, 2.059(4)Å; SeSe, 2.319(4)Å; SC, 1.770Å; SeC, 1.910(15)Å; SSC, 101.3(3)°; SeSeC, 98.8(1)°.     

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.     

Use of thermomagnetometry in the study of iron-containing pyrotechnic systems

Thermal analysis is routinely used to characterize pyrotechnic fuels, oxidants and fuel/oxidant mixtures [1]. Thermomagnetometry (TM) can provide additional information if the magnetic properties of the materials change during reaction. TG, TM and DTA results for the iron/potassium permanganate, iron/barium peroxide, and iron/strontium peroxide systems as loose powders or pressed pellets indicate predominantly solid-gas mechanisms for reactions in these systems.