Synthesis and solid-state organization of coil-ring-coil block copolymers

Shape-persistent macrocycles based on the phenyl-ethynyl-butadienyl backbone containing two extraannular hydroxyl groups were prepared by the oxidative coupling of the appropriate phenylethynyl oligomers. Carbodiimide-directed coupling with independently synthesized polystyrene carboxylic acid oligomers led to ABA coil-ring-coil block copolymers in which the central macrocycle serves as rigid and the polystyrene oligomers as flexible elements. Depending on the size of the coil blocks, these structures aggregate in cyclohexane into supramolecular hollow cylindrical brushes in which the rigid core is surrounded by the flexible matrix. However, in the solid state it is not possible to identify a morphology in which isolated channels based on aggregated macrocycles are embedded in a matrix of polystyrene. Detailed X-ray and electron diffraction studies on samples prepared from a solution in cyclohexane under equilibrium conditions show that the material adopts a lamellar morphology in the solid state in which columns of macrocycles are aggregated into layers which are separated by polystyrene.     

Silylanions: inversion barriers and NMR chemical shifts

Alpha-substituent effects on inversion barriers and NMR chemical shifts have been studied on a set of silyl anions, [X(3-n)Y(n)Si](-) (X, Y=H, CH(3), and SiH(3)). The MP2/6-31+G* optimized structures show a pattern of increasing inversion barriers with augmenting numbers of methyl substituents. The highest barrier of 48.5 kcalmol(-1) is obtained for the (CH(3))(3)Si(-) ion. The silyl group displays the opposite effect by decreasing the inversion barrier to a minimum of 16.3 kcalmol(-1) in (SiH(3))(3)Si(-). The influence of counterions on these barriers is probed by addition of a lithium or potassium cation. In most cases, a decrease of the energy barriers with respect to the bare anions is observed. The (29)Si NMR chemical shifts calculated at the IGLO-DFT and GIAO-MP2 level of theory are also analyzed in view of the substituents and counterions.     

The chemistry of (1-azabuta-1,3-diene)tricarbonyliron(0) complexes

In this review, an overview of synthetic and structural aspects of 1-azabuta-1,3-diene complexes of iron is given and the reactivity of these complexes is discussed with regard to inorganic, organometallic, organic and stereochemical aspects of their chemistry. Their application in the synthesis of organic and organometallic target compounds, or as transfer reagents of the tricarbonlyiron(0) moiety is demonstrated.     

Synthesis and first molecular structure of a bis-2-spiro-1-boraadamantane derivative

[reaction: see text] A new method for synthesizing the 2-spiro-boraadamantane pyridine complex (2) from 1-ethynylcyclohexylmethyl ether has been developed. The chemistry has been applied to the synthesis of bis-2-spiro-1-boraadamantane.pyridine (1) from trans-1,4-diethynyl-1,4-dimethoxycyclohexane (8). This bis-Lewis acid serves as a self-assembling molecular building block with difunctional Lewis bases.     

Ab initio study of AmCl(+): f-f spectroscopy and chemical binding

A valence full configuration interaction study with a polarized double-zeta quality basis set has been carried out for the lowest 49 electronic states of AmCl(+). The calculations use a pseudopotential treatment for the core electrons and incorporate a one-electron spin-orbit interaction operator. Electrons in the valence s, p, d, and f subshells were included in the active space. The resulting electronic potential energy curves are largely repulsive. The chemical bonding is ionic in character with negligible participation of 5f electrons. The molecular f-f spectroscopy of AmCl(+) arises essentially from an in situ Am(2+) core with states slightly redshifted by the presence of chloride ion. Am(+)+Cl asymptotes which give rise to the few attractive potential energy curves can be predicted by analysis of the f-f spectroscopy of isolated Am(+) and Am(2+). The attractive curves have substantial binding energies, on the order of 75-80 kcal/mol, and are noticeably lower than recent indirect measurements on the isovalent EuCl(+). An independent empirical correlation supports the predicted reduction in AmCl(+) binding energy. The energies of the repulsive curves are strongly dependent on the selection of the underlying atomic orbitals while the energies of the attractive curves do not display this sensitivity. The calculations were carried out using our recently developed parallel spin-orbit configuration interaction software.     

Carbometallate: Komplexe Anionenverbände [MoC4/26—] in der Kristallstruktur von Pr[MoIIC2]

Carbometalates: Complex Anions equation/tex2gif-stack-4.gif [MoC_4/2^6—] in the Crystal Structure of Pr equation/tex2gif-stack-5.gif [Mo^IIC₂] Criteria for the existence of carbometalates are established and discussed in a broader context. The concept is then applied to the novel compound Pr₂[MoC₂], which is characterized by chemical analyses, X‐ray diffraction and metallography. The crystal structure (tetragonal, P4₂/mnm, Z = 4, a = 581.29(8) pm, c = 1032.53(14) pm) consists of layered polyanions equation/tex2gif-stack-6.gif[MoC_4/2^6—] of distorted vertex and edge sharing MoC₄ tetrahedra. Praseodymium is also in a distorted tetrahedral coordination by carbon. The physical properties show “bad metal” behaviour and localized magnetic 4f‐moments in agreement with the existence of Pr³⁺‐species. A detailed bonding analysis using both the electron localization function ELF and the COHP method justifies the interpretation of the title compound as a carbomolybdate(II).     

Metal/oxide interfacial reactions: Oxidation of metals on SrTiO3 (100) and TiO2 (110)

We studied chemical reactions between ultrathin metal films (Al, Cr, Fe, Mo) and single-crystal oxides (SrTiO3 (100), TiO2 (110)) with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The work function of the metal and the electron density in the oxide strongly influence the reaction onset temperature (T(RO)), where metal oxidation is first observed, and the rate of metal oxidation at the metal/oxide interfaces. The Fermi levels of the two contacting phases affect both the space charges formed at the interfaces and the diffusion of ionic defects across the interfaces. These processes, which determine metal oxidation kinetics at relatively low temperatures, can be understood in the framework of the Cabrera-Mott theory. The results suggest that the interfacial reactivity is tunable by modifying the Fermi level (E(F)) of both contacting phases. This effect is of great technological importance for a variety of devices with heterophase boundaries.     

Radiolysis of liquid propylene: Ion-molecule condensation

Radiolysis of propylene gives mainly hydrogen, and dimeric, trimeric, and other low molecular weight polymeric hydrocarbons.

Detailed analysis of the dimer shows the products to be, in order of concentration, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1,5-hexadiene, 1-hexene, 2-methylpentane, 2,3-dimethylbutane, 4-methyl-2-pentene, 2-methyl-1-pentene, 2-hexene, and n-hexane.

The relative product concentrations, and the isotope species distribution in the products obtained from radiolysis of a 50:50 mixture of propylene and propylene-d₆, demonstrate that the alkanes, the diene, and much of the olefinic products are formed by combinations of n-propyl, isopropyl, and allyl radicals.

Isotopic species distributions in 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, and 2-hexene demonstrate that appreciable fractions of each of these products are formed by a direct condensation of two propylene molecules with intramolecular hydrogen rearrangement. The previously postulated direct dimerization is thus verified, and the idea of its being an ion-molecule condensation receives further support.