Structural, magnetic properties and photoemission study of Ni-doped ZnO

Nickel-doped ZnO (Zn_1−xNi_xO) have been produced using rf magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that nickel atoms were successfully incorporated into ZnO host matrix without forming any detectable secondary phase. Ni 2p core-level photoemission spectroscopy confirmed this result and suggested Ni has a chemical valence of 2+. According to the magnetization measurements, no ferromagnetic but paramagnetic behavior was found for Zn_0.86Ni_0.14O. We studied the electronic structure of Zn_0.86Ni_0.14O by valence-band photoemission spectroscopy. The spectra demonstrate a structure at ∼2 eV below the Fermi energy E_F, which is of Ni 3d origin. No emission was found at E_F, suggesting the insulating nature of the film.     

Reaction kinetics and pathway of hydrothermal decomposition of aspartic acid

The kinetics and pathway of hydrothermal decomposition of aspartic acid were studied using a continuous‐flow tubular reactor. The reaction was carried out in the temperature range of 200–260°C and at a pressure of 20 MPa. Deamination was the primary reaction, indicated by the presence of significant amount of ammonia, fumaric acid, or maleic acid in the products. Other reaction products were pyruvic acid, malic acid, and traces of succinic and lactic acid. Traces of alanine were also detected, showing the possibility of decomposing high‐molecular weight amino acids to obtain simple amino acids such as glycine or alanine. Results on the effect of reaction parameters demonstrated that decomposition of aspartic acid is highly temperature dependent under hydrothermal conditions. For a slight temperature difference of 60°C (from 200 to 260°C), the first‐order reaction rate constants of 0.003 significantly increased to 0.231 s^?1. The activation energy was 144 kJ/mol, as calculated by the Arrhenius equation. No significant effect was exhibited by other reaction parameters such as pH and pressure. The results are useful in controlling the hydrolysis of proteinaceous materials toward high yield of aspartic acid under hydrothermal conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 39: 175–180, 2007     

The ALTO project at IPN-Orsay

The availability of both a tandem deuteron beam and a linac electron beam, the latter converted into Bremsstrahlung, at the new ALTO facility at IPN-Orsay offers a unique opportunity to compare the performance of a laser ion guide under different regimes. The ALTO accelerator has delivered its first electron beam at the end of 2005 and a design for a gas-cell prototype is being studied.     

1‐Acetyl‐3′‐(4‐bromophenyl)‐3′‐chlorospiro[3H‐indole‐3,2′‐oxetan]‐2(1H)‐one

In the title compound, C₁₈H₁₃BrClNO₃, the heterocyclic ring of the indole is distorted from planarity towards an envelope conformation. The orientations of the indole, oxetane, chloro and bromo­phenyl substituents are conditioned by the sp³ states of the spiro‐junction and the Cl‐attached C atoms.     

Ungewöhnliche Bildung und Struktur eines O‐Sulfinato‐Zinkkomplexes

Unusual Formation and Structure of a O‐Sulfinato Zinc Complex Whereas the reaction between hydrotris[(N‐xylyl)‐thioimidazolyl]borato‐zinc perchlorate ([ L· Zn‐OClO₃]) and ethanethiolate under an inert atmosphere leads to the thiolate complex [ L· Zn‐SC₂H₅], the same reaction in air produces the sulfinato complex [ L· Zn‐O‐S(O)‐C₂H₅] ( 1 ). 1 is the first fully characterized sulfinato‐zinc complex. Its structure determination has confirmed the unusual coordination of the sulfinato ligand via one of its oxygen atoms.     

Gas-phase thermolysis of thieno[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazines. Interesting routes towards heterocyclic ring systems

Gas-phase thermolysis of thieno[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazines gave benzonitrile, isothiazole, pyrimidine, [1]benzothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine and thieno[3,2-d]thiazole derivatives. A mechanism of these pyrolytic transformation was proposed. Two new and efficient syntheses of the starting thieno[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazines were reported.     

Syntheses and Structures of Heterometallic Fe–Ta Chalcogenido Clusters

Two Fe–Ta containing sulfido complexes were prepared by the reaction of the metal halide salts with bis-trimethylsilylsulfide in the presence of PMe₃. The complexes demonstrate that coordination chemistry with iron sulfides can give access to a range of heterometallic complexes. In [Cl(Me₃P)Ta( ₂-S)₂( ₃-S)Fe(PMe₃)₂]₂ the two [Cl(Me₃P)Ta] units are arranged around one central Fe₂( ₂-S)₂ unit. In [(Me₃P)₄(MeCN)₂Fe^II]²⁺[(Me₃P)₂Ta^IVFe^II ₃( ₃-S)₄Br₄]^2– a [TaFe₃S₄]²⁺ cuboidal arrangement was observed. The complex salt forms a polymeric structure in the solid-state with weak H-bonds between the ions. The [(Me₃P)₂Ta^IVFe^II ₃( ₃-S)₄Br₄]^2– ion was characterised by magnetic measurements showing strong antiferromagnetic interactions between the metal centres.     

Synthesis,characterization and biomimetic oxygenations of manganese(II), iron(III) and copper(II) pyridyl hydrazone complexes

The preparation and characterization of MnII, FeIII and CuII complexes of three tridentate pyridyl hydrazones are reported. The ligands were prepared via Schiff base condensation of 6-chloro-2-hydrazopyridine with alpha-formyl-(L1), alpha-acetyl-(L2), or alpha-benzoyl-(L3) pyridine. The structural characterization of the compounds prepared was based on elemental analyses, electrical conductance and magnetic moment measurements, 1H-n.m.r., i.r., u.v.-vis. and e.s.r spectroscopic methods. The overall structure and reactivity of the metal chelates critically depend on the ligand substituents within the carbonyl moiety. Octahedral and tetrahedral monomeric species were proposed for MnII complexes, and an octahedral environment for the FeIII complexes. Regarding the copper(II) complexes, a monomeric square-planar and a dimeric structure with a chloride bridge in square-pyramidal geometry were suggested. In the presence of molecular oxygen, MnII and CuII complexes catalyse the oxidative transformation of catechol (benzene-1,2-diol) to the corresponding o-benzoquinone. Iron(III) complexes catalyse the aerobic oxidation of catechol to the intradiol cleavage product. The catalytic activity has been correlated with the Lewis acidity of the metal centres created according to the nature of the ligand substituents. The probable mechanistic implications of the catalysed oxidation reactions are discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Preparation of 2-fluoromalonic esters and related compounds from hexafluoropropene

Dimethyl and diethyl fluoromalonates were prepared from hexafluoropropene by its exhaustive alcoholysis or alternatively its ammonolysis and alcoholysis. Fluoromalonates thus obtained or their alkylated derivatives were condensed with o-phenylenediamine or its substituted derivatives to give a number of 1H-3-fluoro-1,5-dibenzodiazepin-2,4(3H,5H)-diones.     

Synthesis and properties of novel poly(N-oxyimide)s

Novel poly(N-oxyimide)s (PNOI) were synthesized by the room temperature polycondensation of N,N′-dihydroxypyromellitimide (I) with dichloro compounds in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in the presence of triethylamine both as base as well as catalyst. The dichloro compounds used were 1,4-bis(chloromethyl)-2,5-dimethylbenzene (II), 1,5-bis(chloromethyl)-2,4-dimethylbenzene (III), 1,4-bis(chloromethyl)-2,5-dimethoxybenzene (IV) and 1,4-dichlorobut-2-yne (V). Polymer synthesis, characterization, and properties such as density, viscosity, solubility, crystallinity, and thermal stability were described. Two model compounds, viz. (i) MNOI-1 from N-hydroxyphthalimide and a dichloro compound (III), (ii) MNOI-2 from I and benzyl chloride were also synthesized to confirm the formation of polymers. The polymers thus obtained had high intrinsic viscosities in the range 1.09–1.18 dl/g. The thermal decomposition of the polymers started around 260°C with 20–25% decomposition and about 50% weight loss was observed at 400°C.