Li17Ag3Sn6: a polar intermetallic pi-system with carbonate-like [AgSn3]11- anions and trefoil aromatic [Ag2Sn3]6- layers

A new lithium silver stannide, Li17Ag3Sn6, was synthesized from high-temperature reactions of the pure elements in tantalum containers. Its crystal structure, in the space group, P31m, with a = 8.063(3) A, c = 8.509(4) A, Z = 1, features two distinct AgSn-based anionic layers. Defect graphitic layers of Ag2Sn3, with ordered vacancies at one-third of the Ag sites, are alternately stacked with Kagome-like nets of isolated trigonal planar AgSn3 units. Double layers of Li ions are sandwiched between the stacked AgSn-based layers. Theoretical calculations show unusual pi-interactions within both anionic layers, with the trigonal planar [AgSn3]11- units being isoelectronic with CO(3)2-. In addition, the chemical bonding of the layered [Ag2Sn3]6- pi-network features incompletely filled lone-pair Sn states involved in in-plane trefoil aromatic interactions. Transport and magnetic susceptibility measurements on Li17Ag3Sn6 indicate excellent metallic behavior and temperature-independent paramagnetism consistent with results from band structure calculations. The "trefoil" aromaticity, previously postulated for aromatic molecular systems, is finally observed, albeit in a polar intermetallic solid-state structure that lies at the border between metals and nonmetals.     

The role of sequestering agents in the formation and structure of germanium anion cluster polymers

Large blue-green, transparent crystalline needles of [K-(2,2)diaza-[18]-crown-6]KGe(9).3en are prepared, in high yield, from the reaction of (2,2)diaza[18]-crown-6 in toluene with a solution of "KGe(4)" in ethylenediamine (en). The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma (a = 10.9763(12) A, b = 27.265(3) A, c = 13.880(1) A; Z = 4). The crystal structure of [K-(2,2)diaza-[18]-crown-6]KGe(9).2en features one-dimensional [KGe(9)](-) bare intermetallic chains formed from the linking, via exo-bonds, of nido-Ge(9)(2-) clusters. Uncomplexed K atoms effectively cap the square bases of the monocapped square antiprismatic [Ge(9)](2-) clusters. The optical band gap of the title compound is 1.25 eV. The use of weaker sequestering agents in the isolation of Ge cluster anions from en solutions provides an additional handle in a controlled molecular route to preparing new low-dimensional Zintl phases.     

CVT法生长GaP多晶

阐述了CVT(化学气相输运)法生长GaP的基本反应和输运速度,采用CVT法生长出了GaP多晶.设计了石英管的结构以制造出一个局部的低温区域,防止了GaP在管壁的生长.生长出的GaP多晶相对密度为98;,红外透过率达到30;,努普硬度为611kg/mm2.散射颗粒测试表明主要的光散射颗粒为多晶中存在的孔隙.     

Hysteretic spin crossover between a bisdithiazolyl radical and its hypervalent σ-dimer

The bisdithiazolyl radical 1a is dimorphic, existing in two distinct molecular and crystal modifications. The α-phase crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4?2(1)m and consists of π-stacked radicals, tightly clustered about 4? points and running parallel to c. The β-phase belongs to the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c and, at ambient temperature and pressure, is composed of π-stacked dimers in which the radicals are linked laterally by hypervalent four-center six-electron S···S-S···S σ-bonds. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility χ measurements confirm that α-1a behaves as a Curie-Weiss paramagnet; the low-temperature variations in χ can be modeled in terms of a 1D Heisenberg chain of weakly coupled AFM S = (1)/(2) centers. The dimeric phase β-1a is essentially diamagnetic up to 380 K. Above this temperature there is a sharp hysteretic (T↑= 380 K, T↓ = 375 K) increase in χ and χT. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis of β-1a at 393 K has established that the phase transition corresponds to a dimer-to-radical conversion in which the hypervalent S···S-S···S σ-bond is cleaved. Variable-temperature and -pressure conductivity measurements indicate that α-1a behaves as a Mott insulator, but the ambient-temperature conductivity σ(RT) increases from near 10(-7) S cm(-1) at 0.5 GPa to near 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 5 GPa. The value of σ(RT) for β-1a (near 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 0.5 GPa) initially decreases with pressure as the phase change takes place, but beyond 1.5 GPa this trend reverses, and σ(RT) increases in a manner which parallels the behavior of α-1a. These changes in conductivity of β-1a are interpreted in terms of a pressure-induced dimer-to-radical phase change. High-pressure, ambient-temperature powder diffraction analysis of β-1a confirms such a transition between 0.65 and 0.98 GPa and establishes that the structural change involves rupture of the dimer in a manner akin to that observed at high temperature and ambient pressure. The response of the S···S-S···S σ-bond in β-1a to heat and pressure is compared to that of related dimers possessing S···Se-Se···S σ-bonds.     

Radiative π0 photoproduction on protons in the Δ+ (1232) region

The reaction γp → pπ ⁰γ′ has been measured with the Crystal Ball/TAPS detectors using the energy-tagged photon beam at the electron accelerator facility MAMI-B. Energy and angular differential cross-sections for the emitted photon γ′ and angular differential cross-sections for the π⁰ have been determined with high statistics in the energy range of the Δ⁺ (1232)-resonance. Cross-sections and the ratio of the cross-section to the nonradiative process γp → pπ ⁰ are compared to theoretical reaction models, having the anomalous magnetic moment κ _Δ as free parameter. As the shape of the experimental distributions is not reproduced in detail by the model calculations, currently no extraction of κ _Δ is feasible.     

An adeno-associated viral vector transduces the rat hypothalamus and amygdala more efficient than a lentiviral vector

Background  

This study compared the transduction efficiencies of an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector, which was pseudotyped with an AAV1 capsid and encoded the green fluorescent protein (GFP), with a lentiviral (LV) vector, which was pseudotyped with a VSV-G envelop and encoded the discosoma red fluorescent protein (dsRed), to investigate which viral vector transduced the lateral hypothalamus or the amygdala more efficiently. The LV-dsRed and AAV1-GFP vector were mixed and injected into the lateral hypothalamus or into the amygdala of adult rats. The titers that were injected were 1 × 10⁸ or 1 × 10⁹ genomic copies of AAV1-GFP and 1 × 10⁵ transducing units of LV-dsRed.     

Real and virtual Compton scattering: The nucleon polarisabilities

We give an overview of low-energy Compton scattering γ^(∗) p → γp with a real or virtual incoming photon. These processes allow the investigation of one of the fundamental properties of the nucleon, i.e. how its internal structure deforms under an applied static electromagnetic field. Our knowledge of nucleon polarisabilities and their generalization to non-zero four-momentum transfer will be reviewed, including the presently ongoing experiments and future perspectives.     

Determination of the Dalitz plot parameter \alpha for the decay \eta → 3 \pi^{0}_{} with the Crystal Ball at MAMI-B

A precise measurement of the Dalitz plot parameter, $ \alpha$ , for the $ \eta$ → 3 $ \pi^{0}_{}$ decay is presented. The experiment was performed with the Crystal Ball and TAPS large-acceptance photon detectors at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI-B electron accelerator in Mainz. High statistics of 1.8 · 10⁶ $ \eta$ → 3 $ \pi^{0}_{}$ events were obtained, giving the result $ \alpha$ = - 0.032±0.002_stat±0.002_syst .     

Isotopic study of the transition of calcium monomethoxide using laser excitation and population depletion spectroscopy

High resolution excitation spectra have been obtained of the 0–0 band of the transition of four isotopologues, CaO¹²CH₃, CaO¹³CH₃, CaO¹²CD₃ and CaO¹³CD₃ of calcium monomethoxide. The deuterated species were found to have unexpectedly complicated spectra, and definitive rotational assignments were possible only from investigation by optical optical double resonance (OODR) population depletion spectroscopy. This confirmed the assignment of the CaO¹²CD₃ spectrum, and proved crucial in assigning the K-structure and spin components for CaO¹³CD₃. The state was found to be well described by the symmetric rotor model with C_3v symmetry for both hydride species but, for the deuterides, the K-structure and spin rotation splittings were irregular, especially for CaO¹³CD₃ where the K = 0 and 1 levels were heavily perturbed. The changes in the A constant determined for the hydride suggest that the CH₃ umbrella opens by 0.4°, i.e., 0.2° further on excitation to the state than on excitation to the lower-lying state (geometry change established in an earlier experiment by Crozet et al. [P. Crozet, A.J. Ross, C. Linton, A.G. Adam, W.S. Hopkins, R.J. Le Roy, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 229 (2005), 224–230]).