A multi-angle magnetic spectrograph for nuclear reaction studies

A multi-angle magnetic spectrograph for recording spectra of charged particles emitted in nuclear reactions has been built. The apparatus and the beam transport system are described and their parameters are discussed.     

Photoluminescence and electric spectroscopy of dislocation-induced electronic levels in semi-insulated CdTe and CdZnTe

We studied deformation-induced defects in semi-insulating CdTe and CdZnTe by infrared photoluminescence (PL), contact less photoconductivity and resistivity. Plastic deformation increased the concentrations of grown-in defects, namely, those of an important midgap level E_C−0.74 eV in CdTe and Cd_1−xZn_xTe (x<0.1), the materials of choice in today’s X-ray and gamma ray detector technology. We confirmed the direct correlation between Y-emission and the dislocation density in both compounds. The Y-band intensified near an indenter deformation or near a scribing line, but was barely visible in low-dislocation areas (etch pit density <2×10⁵ cm⁻²). Our results correlate with recent findings that dislocation-induced defects and their clusters degrade charge collection in radiation detectors. Photoluminescence of midgap levels can serve as a tool to identify areas of degraded performance in semi insulated CdTe and CdZnTe crystals for radiation detectors.     

Strukturanalyse organischer Sulfide mit Hilfe der Gras-Chromatographie

Zusammenfassung Eine Methode der Identifizierung von Alkyl- und Arylgruppen organischer Sulfide wurde ausgearbeitet, die die Spaltung dieser Stoffe mit Raney-Nickel zur gaschromatographischen Bestimmung der dabei entstandenen Kohlenwasserstoffe ausnützt.

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Summary A method was developed for identifying alkyl- and aryl groups of organic sulfides. The method employs the cleavage of these materials with Raney nickel for the gas chromatographic determination of the resulting hydrocarbons.

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Résumé On a mis au point une méthode d'identification des groupes alkylés et arylés des sulfures organiques exploitant la dissociation de ceux-ci par le nickel Raney pour le dosage par chromatographic en phase gazeuse des carbures d'hydrogène qui se forment.

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Die Autoren danken den Kollegen Dr.M. Veea, Ing.J. Petránek und Ing.J. Gaspari für die Überlassung von Proben organischer Sulfide.     

Secondary bonding interactions in biomimetic [2Fe-2S] clusters

A series of synthetic [2Fe-2S] complexes with terminal thiophenolate ligands and tethered ether or thioether moieties has been prepared and investigated in order to provide models for the potential interaction of additional donor atoms with the Fe atoms in biological [2Fe-2S] clusters. X-ray crystal structures have been determined for six new complexes that feature appended Et (1(C)), OMe (1(O)), or SMe (1(S)) groups, or with a methylene group (2(C) ), an ether-O (2(O)), or an thioether-S (2(S)) linking two aryl groups. The latter two systems provide a constrained chelate arrangement that induces secondary bonding interactions with the ether-O and thioether-S, which is confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations that also reveal significant spin density on those fifth donor atoms. Structural consequences of the secondary bonding interactions are analyzed in detail, and effects on the spectroscopic and electronic properties are probed by UV-vis, M?ssbauer, and (1)H NMR spectroscopy, as well by SQUID measurements and cyclic voltammetry. The potential relevance of the findings for biological [2Fe-2S] sites is considered.     

Binding of β-lactam antibiotics to a bioinspired dizinc complex reminiscent of the active site of metallo-β-lactamases

Metallo-β-lactamases (mβls) cause bacterial resistance toward a broad spectrum of β-lactam antibiotics by catalyzing the hydrolytic cleavage of the four-membered β-lactam ring, thus inactivating the drug. Minutiae of the mechanism of these enzymes are still not well understood, and reports about binding studies of the substrates to the enzymes as well as to synthetic model systems are rare. Here we report a new pyrazolate-based bioinspired dizinc complex (1) reminiscent of the active site of binuclear mβls. Since 1 does not mediate hydrolytic degradation of β-lactams, the binding of a series of common β-lactam antibiotics (benzylpenicillin, cephalotin, 6-aminopenicillanic acid, ampicillin) as well as the inhibitor sulbactam and the simplest β-lactam, 2-azetidinone, to the dizinc core of 1 could now be studied in detail by NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry. X-ray crystallographic information was obtained for 1 and its complexes with 2-azetidinone (2) and sulbactam (3); the latter represents the first structurally characterized dizinc complex with a bound β-lactam drug. While 2-azetidinone was found deprotonated and bridging in the clamp of the two zinc ions in 2, in 3 and all other cases the substrates preferentially bind via their carboxylate group within the bimetallic pocket. The relevance of this binding mode for mβls and consequences for the design of functional model systems are discussed.     

Benzoylacetonate and its fluorinated derivatives as ligands for Co(II) complexes: the effect of the presence of fluorine atoms on the crystal packing

The influence of the introduced fluorine atoms to diketonato backbone exerted on the crystal packing was studied on cobalt(II) bis(4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenylbutane-1,3-dionato-κ ² O,O′) compounds with pyridine (1), 2,2′-bipyridine (2) and 1,10-phenanthroline (4), and cobalt(II) bis(benzoylacetonato-κ ² O,O′) compound with 2,2′-bipyridine (3). The solid-state structures of 1–4 were determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. The coordination of Co(II) is octahedral in all four compounds. The differences in crystal packing of 1 with regard to the known complexes with non-fluorinated analogue and 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(4-fluorophenyl)butane-1,3-dionate were observed. Unit cell parameters of 2·½C₇H₈ and 3·½C₇H₈ slightly differ, but they have similar crystal packing dominated by the π–π interactions. Strong π–π interactions and weak C–H···π(arene) and C–F···π(arene) interactions are present in 2–4, while no significant intermolecular interactions are present in 1.     

Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of new tetranuclear Ru-Hbpp-based water-oxidation catalysts

The preparation of three new octadentate tetranucleating ligands made out of two Ru-Hbpp-based units [where Hbpp is 3,5(bispyridyl)pyrazole], linked by a xylyl group attached at the pyrazolate moiety, of general formula (Hbpp)(2)-u-xyl (u = p, m, or o) is reported, together with its dinucleating counterpart substituted at the same position with a benzyl group, Hbpp-bz. All of these ligands have been characterized with the usual analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The corresponding tetranuclear ruthenium complexes of general formula {[Ru(2)(trpy)(2)(L)](2)(μ-(bpp)(2)-u-xyl)}(n+) [L = Cl or OAc, n = 4; L = (H(2)O)(2), n = 6] and their dinuclear homologues {[Ru(2)(trpy)(2)(L)](μ-bpp-bz)}(n+) [L = Cl or OAc, n = 2; L = (H(2)O)(2), n = 3] have also been prepared and thoroughly characterized both in solution and in the solid state. In solution, all of the complexes have been characterized spectroscopically by UV-vis and NMR and their redox properties investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry techniques. In the solid state, monocrystal X-ray diffraction analysis has been carried out for two dinuclear complexes {[Ru(2)(trpy)(2)(L)](μ-bpp-bz)}(2+) (L = Cl and OAc) and for the tetranuclear complex {[Ru(2)(trpy)(2)(μ-OAc)](2)(μ-(bpp)(2)-m-xyl)}(4+). The capacity of the tetranuclear aqua complexes {[Ru(2)(trpy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](2)(μ-(bpp)(2)-u-xyl)}(6+) and the dinuclear homologue {[Ru(2)(trpy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](μ-bpp-bz)}(3+) to act as water-oxidation catalysts has been evaluated using cerium(IV) as the chemical oxidant in pH = 1.0 triflic acid solutions. It is found that these complexes, besides generating significant amounts of dioxygen, also generate carbon dioxide. The relative ratio of [O(2)]/[CO(2)] is dependent not only on para, meta, or ortho substitution of the xylylic group but also on the concentration of the starting materials. With regard to the tetranuclear complexes, the one that contains the more sterically constrained ortho-substituted ligand generates the highest [O(2)]/[CO(2)] ratio.     

A Molecular Low-Coordinate [Fe-S-Fe] Unit in Three Oxidation States

A [Fe-S-Fe] subunit with a single sulfide bridging two low-coordinate iron ions is the supposed active site of the iron-molybdenum co-factor (FeMoco) of nitrogenase. Here we report a dinuclear monosulfido bridged diiron(II) complex with a similar complex geometry that can be oxidized stepwise to diiron(II/III) and diiron(III/III) complexes while retaining the [Fe-S-Fe] core. The series of complexes has been characterized crystallographically, and electronic structures have been studied using, inter alia, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry. Further, cleavage of the [Fe-S-Fe] unit by CS₂ is presented.     

Different coordination modes and supramolecular aggregations in copper(II) pentane-2,4-dionato compounds with 2-pyridone and 3-hydroxypyridine

Abstract  

Copper(II) bis(pentane-2,4-dionato-κ² O,O′) compounds with 2-pyridone (1) and 3-hydroxypyridine (2) were prepared by the reaction of bis(pentane-2,4-dionato-κ² O,O′)copper(II) with selected ligands. The coordination of Cu(II) in both compounds is square pyramidal with the fifth coordination site occupied by the carbonyl oxygen atom of the 2-pyridone ligand in 1 and by the nitrogen atom of 3-hydroxypyridine in 2. The X-ray crystallographic studies revealed different crystal aggregation influenced by the ability of the 2-pyridone ligand to act as a hydrogen bond donor and acceptor, and 3-hydroxypyridine acting only as a hydrogen bond donor. Intermolecular N–H···O hydrogen bonding forms dimers in 1 and infinite chains in 2. Three-dimensional aggregation is achieved by π–π interactions and C–H···π (arene) hydrogen bonding.