Addition of organic and inorganic moieties to Fe2(CO)6(μ-EE′) and Fe3(CO)9(μ3-E)(μ3-E′) [E=Se,Te;E′=S,Se, Te]

Reaction of the iron chalcogen carbonyl clusters Fe₂(CO)₆(-EE) and Fe₃(CO)₉(₃-E)(₃-E), [E=Se, Te;E=S, Se, Te] with various inorganic and organic moieties produce a number of higher nuclearity clusters. The reactivity pattern of these iron chalcogen carbonyl compounds and the structure of the products formed are discussed.     

Metal free synthesis of quinoxalines from alkynes via a cascade process using TsNBr2

A metal free protocol for the synthesis of quinoxalines from alkynes has been developed. The reaction was carried out by treating alkynes with TsNBr₂ in presence of O-phenylenediamines in a mixture of acetonitrile and water (9:1). This one-pot reaction proceeds via an oxidative transformation of alkynes to α,α-dibromoketones in presence of TsNBr₂ and eventually to quinoxalines in presence of 1,2-diamines in a cascade process.     

Photomagnetic and nonlinear optical properties in cis‐trans green fluoroprotein chromophore coupled Bis‐imino nitroxide diradicals

The current study extends an earlier investigation (Bhattacharya, et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2012, 14, 6905) to further explore various photomagnetic and optical properties of bis‐imino nitroxide, that is, (IN)₂‐based green fluorescent protein (GFP) chromophore coupled diradicals revealing new significant features. The conversion mechanisms of selected trans‐isomers into their corresponding cis‐conformers are discussed in detailed using a number of recently‐developed density functional theory (DFT) functionals based on the Minnesota suite of DFT‐models as well as using some other DFT functionals developed earlier. To provide a more in‐depth analysis of variations in magnetic properties as trans‐conformers (singlet ground‐state) convert into their cis‐analogues (triplet ground‐state), the changes in exchange magnetic coupling constants J are compared with the variation of the selected aromaticity indices. The aromaticity indices include the nuclear independent chemical shift [NICS(0)] values calculated at the center of ring structures and the harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity. Furthermore, the investigation of static nonlinear optical response properties in the (IN)₂‐based GFP chromophore coupled diradicals reveal unusually large static first hyperpolarizabilities for these systems which is highly significant for practical applications in optics and optoelectronics. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Nickel–Schiff base complex catalyzed C–S cross-coupling of thiols with organic chlorides

We report an efficient, mild and convenient synthetic protocol for the C–S cross-coupling reaction of various aryl, benzyl, allyl chlorides and thiols using 5 mol % Nickel–Schiff base catalyst with NaOH as the base, in DMF at 70 °C. Using this protocol, we have shown that a variety of aryl sulfides can be synthesized in excellent yields from readily available organic chlorides and thiols.     

Sol-hydrothermally derived gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanorods and tamarind-like shape evolution under 80 MeV C6+ ion impact

The present work highlights swift heavy ion irradiation-induced shape evolution of gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃) nanorods synthesized via a sol-hydrothermal route. Upon dispersing Gd₂O₃ nanorods in the polyvinyl alcohol matrix, thin solid films were cast on borosilicate glass substrates. The films were then exposed to 80?MeV carbon-ion irradiation, while fluence was varied in the range of 1×10¹¹–3×10¹²?ions/cm². The post analyses were carried out by using X-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy studies. An apparently observable shortening of length (L) and diameter (D) of the nanorods can be revealed through the TEM imaging analyses. Moreover, while exhibiting an aspect ratio (L/D) between 3.3 and 4.7, the nanorods were found to exist in the form of bunching at higher fluences. The irradiation-induced tamarind-like shape evolution at higher fluences was attributed to the overlapping of ion impacts on certain regions of the nanorods. The most intense Raman active peak of the pristine sample located at ～360?cm^?1 was seen to experience blue-shifting (～375?cm^?1) when irradiated at the highest fluence (～3×10¹²?ions/cm²). An altered shape evolution of a thermally and mechanically stable oxide system by the energetic ion impact would bring in new insights as regards construction of surface patterns and their potential use in miniaturized devices.     

New oxo-bridged dinuclear peroxotungsten(VI) complexes: Synthesis, stability and activity in bromoperoxidation

Two new dinuclear oxo-bridged peroxo complexes of tungsten with coordinated dipeptides of the type, Na₂[W₂O₃(O₂)₄(glycyl-glycine)₂] · 3H₂O (1) and Na₂[W₂O₃(O₂)₄(glycyl-leucine)₂] · 3H₂O (2) have been synthesized from the reaction of H₂WO₄, 30% H₂O₂ and the respective dipeptide at pH ca. 2.5. Synthesis of the compounds, in addition to pH, is sensitive to reaction temperature and concentrations of the components. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, spectral and physico-chemical methods including thermal analysis. In the dimeric complexes the two W(VI) centres with edge bound peroxo groups are bridged by an oxo group. The dipeptides occurring as zwitterions bind the metal centers through O (carboxylate) atoms leading to hepta co-ordination around each W(VI). Thermal stability of the compounds as well as their stability in solution were determined. The compounds are highly stable toward decomposition in solutions of acidic as well as physiological pH. These compounds, besides another similar dimeric compound Na₂[W₂O₃(O₂)₄(cystine)] · 4H₂O (3) efficiently oxidized bromide to a bromination competent intermediate in phosphate buffer at physiological pH, a reaction in which only two of the peroxide groups of the complex species were found to be active. The complexes could also mediate bromination of organic substrate in aqueous-organic media.