Synthesis,characterization, and thermal behavior of palladium(II) coordination compounds containing isonicotinamide

Palladium(II) coordination compounds of general formula trans-[PdX₂(isn)₂], X = Cl⁻ (1), N₃ ⁻ (2), SCN⁻ (3), NCO⁻ (4), isn = isonicotinamide; were synthesized and characterized in solid state by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and simultaneous TG–DTA. TG experiments reveal that the compounds 1–4 undergo thermal decomposition in three or four stages, yielding Pd⁰ as final residue, according to calculus and identification by X-ray powder diffraction.     

Synthesis,characterization, thermal studies,and DFT calculations on Pd(II) complexes containing <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-methylbenzylamine

This work describes the synthesis, characterization, and the thermal behavior investigation of four palladium(II) complexes with general formulae [PdX₂(mba)₂], in which mba = N-methylbenzylamine and X = OAc⁻ (1), Cl⁻ (2), Br⁻ (3) or I⁻ (4). The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared vibrational spectroscopy, and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance. The stoichiometry of the complexes was established by means of elemental analysis and thermogravimetry (TG). TG/DTA curves showed that the thermodecomposition of the four complexes occurred in 3–4 steps, leading to metallic palladium as final residue. The palladium content found in all curves was in agreement with the mass percentages calculated for the complexes. The following thermal stability sequence was found: 3 > 2 > 4 > 1. The geometry optimization of 1, 2, 3, and 4, calculated using the DFT/B3LYP method, yielded a slightly distorted square planar environment around the Pd(II) ion made by two anionic groups and two nitrogen atoms from the mba ligand (N1 and N2), in a trans-relationship.     

Water-soluble IrIII N-heterocyclic carbene based catalysts for the reduction of CO2 to formate by transfer hydrogenation and the deuteration of aryl amines in water

Two new water-soluble [IrI(2)(AcO)(bis-NHC)] complexes (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene) incorporating a sulfonate functionality have been synthesized. The two complexes have been tested in the reduction of CO(2) with H(2) and iPrOH, and their activity has been compared with similar species without the sulfonate moiety. In both reactions, the complex with the two abnormally bound NHCs shows the best catalytic efficiencies, due to the higher σ-electron-donor character of the ligand. Remarkably, the activities obtained for the reduction of CO(2) under the transfer hydrogenation conditions are the best reported to date in terms of TON value (max. TON=2700). The two new complexes have also shown very good activity in the selective deuteration of arylamines, a process that is known to proceed through a chelate assisted N-directed process.     

Activating water: important effects of non-leaving groups on the hydrolysis of phosphate triesters

The high rate of spontaneous hydrolysis of tris-2-pyridyl phosphate (TPP) is explained by the activating effects of the non-leaving ("spectator") groups on P-OAr cleavage, and not by intramolecular catalysis. Previous work on phosphate-transfer reactions has concentrated on the contributions to reactivity of the nucleophile and the leaving group, but our results make clear that the effects of the non-leaving groups on phosphorus can be equally significant. Rate measurements for three series of phosphate triesters showed that sensitivities to the non-leaving groups are substantial for spontaneous hydrolysis reactions, although significantly smaller for reactions with good nucleophiles. There are clear differences between triaryl and dialkyl aryl triesters in sensitivities to leaving and non-leaving groups with the more reactive triaryl systems showing lower values for both β(LG) and β(NLG). Intramolecular catalysis of the hydrolysis of TPP by the neighbouring pyridine nitrogens is insignificant, primarily because of their low basicity.     

Relativistic scalar and spin-orbit density functional calculations of the electronic structure, NICS index and ELF function of the [Re2(CO)8(μ-BiPh)2] and [Re2(CO)8(μ-BiPh2)2] clusters

Relativistic scalar and spin-orbit density functional calculations of the electronic structure, Nucleus-Independent Chemical Shift (NICS) index and ELF function of the [Re₂(CO)₈(μ-BiPh)₂] and [Re₂(CO)₈(μ-BiPh₂)₂] clusters are reported. We show here that the [Re₂(CO)₈(μ-BiPh)₂] cluster has large negative NICS values in the region defined by the Re-Bi-Re-Bi four-membered ring and the ELF function shows significant electron delocalization density in the center of the metallic ring, thus indicating an aromatic cluster. In contrast the Re-Bi-Re-Bi four-membered ring in the [Re₂(CO)₈(μ-BiPh₂)₂] cluster has negligible paratropic ring currents and the ELF function shows a low-density region within the metallic ring indicating that aromaticity is switched off. However, the phenyl ligands in both clusters show the expected aromatic character.     

Modeling of Network Formation in Nitroxide‐Mediated Radical Copolymerization of Vinyl/Divinyl Monomers Using a Multifunctional Polymer Molecule Approach

A mathematical model for the kinetics of copolymerization with crosslinking of vinyl/divinyl monomers in the presence of stable nitroxyl radicals is presented. A reaction scheme considering multifunctional polymer molecules is proposed. The Flory‐Stockmayer theory is used for the post‐gelation period. Average crosslink and cyclization densities are calculated using two different approaches. Good agreement between predicted profiles and experimental data from our and other groups is observed in all cases. Overall monomer concentration, controller/initiator ratio, and crosslinker initial concentration are found to be the governing factors for the development of average crosslink and cyclization densities and therefore for the homogeneity of the resulting polymer network.

     

Flow‐Injection Pulsed‐Amperometric Determination of Free Glycerol in Biodiesel at a Gold Electrode

This work reports the highly‐sensitive amperometric determination of free glycerol in biodiesel at a gold electrode adapted in a flow‐injection analysis (FIA) cell. The amperometric method involved the continuous application of three sequential pulses to the working electrode (+250 mV, +700 mV, and ?200 mV, for 100 ms each). This sequence of potential pulses eliminated electrode passivation and dramatically increased the analytical signal. The proposed FIA‐amperometric method presented low relative standard deviation between injections (1.5 %, n=15), high analytical frequency (85 h^?1), satisfactory recovery values (93–118 %) for spiked samples, wide linear range (from 1 to 300 µmol L^?1), and low detection limit (0.5 µmol L^?1).     

On the use of a natural peat for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions

A natural peat has been used as an adsorbent for the removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution. The peat was firstly characterized in terms of particle size and chemical composition (ash content, pH of the point of zero charge, FT-IR and thermal analysis). Next, the kinetic and equilibrium aspects of the adsorption of Cr(VI) by this adsorbent were studied. The kinetic data were satisfactorily fitted to a kinetic law of partial order in C equal to one. The specific adsorption rates are around 10(-4)s(-1), increasing as temperature does. A noticeable influence of diffusion on the global adsorption process has been demonstrated. Finally, the equilibrium isotherms were satisfactorily fitted to a previously proposed model. The adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was similar to some other previously reported and the affinity of Cr(VI) towards the active sites of the adsorbent increases as temperature rises.     

Scalable synthesis of highly reactive 1,3-diamino dienes from vinamidinium salts and their use in Diels-Alder reactions

A practical and chromatography-free synthesis of vinamidinium salts and their use as diene precursors in Diels-Alder reactions is reported. Additionally, 1,3-dipyrrolidino-1,3-butadiene was shown to be significantly more reactive than Rawal's diene in a competition experiment.