The strength of the σ-, π- and δ-bonds in Re2Cl 8 2−

The geometry of Re₂Cl₈²⁻ has been optimized for the eclipsed (D _4h ) equilibrium conformation and for the staggered (D _4d ) conformation at BP86/TZ2P. The nature of the Re–Re bond which has a formal bond order four has been studied with an energy decomposition analysis (EDA). The EDA investigation indicates that the contribution of the b ₂ (δ _xy ) orbitals to the Re–Re bond in the ground state is negligibly small. The vertical excitation of one and two electrons from the bonding δ orbital into the antibonding δ* orbitals yielding the singly and doubly excited states and gives a destabilization of 17.5 and 36.1 kcal/mol, respectively, which is nearly the same as the total excitation energies. The preference for the D _4h geometry with eclipsing Re–Cl bonds is explained in terms of hyperconjugation rather than δ bonding. This is supported by the calculation of the triply bonded Re₂Cl₈ which also has an eclipsed energy minimum structure. The calculations also suggest that the Re–Re triple bond in Re₂Cl₈ is stronger than the Re–Re quadruple bond in Re₂Cl₈²⁻. A negligible contribution of the δ orbital to the metal–metal bond strength is also calculated for Os₂Cl₈ which is isoelectronic with Re₂Cl₈²⁻. Contribution of the Mark S. Gordon 65th Birthday Festschrift Issue. Theoretical Studies of Inorganic Compounds. 38. Part 37 (2006) Bessac F, Frenking G, Inorg Chem 45:6956.     

Are carbodiphosphoranes better ligands than N-heterocyclic carbenes for Grubb's catalysts?

Theoretical investigations suggest that substitution of an N-heterocyclic carbene by a carbodiphosphorane in the Grubb's catalyst for olefin metathesis might lead to enhanced reactivity.     

Spectroscopical Investigation of Ski Base Materials

Summary: Raman spectroscopy was applied to perform a comprehensive morphological analysis of polyethylene (PE) ski base materials at different processing levels. The morphological characterization included determination and evaluation of Raman spectra and examination of the crystallinity values by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A good agreement between Raman and DSC crystallinity fractions was obtained, thus corroborating the Raman spectroscopy approach. While for the PE grade with the lowest average molar mass no significant morphological changes due to processing from the raw material via the extruded film to the post-treated film was found, higher molar mass PE grades exhibited a decrease of crystallinity, but an increase of the amorphous fraction along the process chain.     

Polymer-coated cation exchangers in high-performance ion chromatography: preparation and application

Low-capacity cation-exchange stationary phases for ion chromatography were prepared by coating a vinyl-modified silica gel with polystyrene or poly(glycidyl methacrylate). Strong acid ion-exchange groups were formed by sulphonation with concentrated sulphuric acid or by ring opening of the polymer-coated silica gels with sulphite solution. Carbon-sulphur elemental analyses of the polymer-coated cation exchangers (PCCEs) were applied to determine the average polymer film thickness. The pH stability depended on the polymer film thickness. The PCCEs were stable in the pH range 0.5–9. The low-capacity PCCEs (capacities 18–91 μmol/g) were applied to determine alkali and alkaline earth metal ions in tap and mineral waters.     

When does carbonylation of carbenes yield ketenes? A theoretical study with implications for synthesis

Quantum-chemical calculations using DFT and ab initio methods have been carried out for 32 carbenes RR'C which comprise different classes of compounds and the associated ketenes RR'C═C═O. The calculated singlet-triplet gaps ΔE(S-T) of the carbenes exhibit a very high correlation with the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the ketenes. An energy decomposition analysis of the RR'C-CO bond using the triplet states of the carbene and CO as interacting fragments supports the assignment of ΔE(S-T) as the dominant factor for the BDE but also shows that the specific interactions of the carbene may sometimes compensate for the S/T gap. The trend of the interaction energy ΔE(int) values is mainly determined by the Pauli repulsion between the carbene and CO. The stability of amino-substituted ketenes strongly depends on the destabilizing conjugation between the nitrogen lone-pair orbital and the ketene double bonds. There is a ketene structure of the unsaturated N-heterocyclic carbene parent compound NHC1 with CO as a local energy minimum on the potential-energy surface. However, the compound NHC1-CO is thermodynamically unstable toward dissociation. The saturated homologue NHC2-CO has only a very small bond dissociation energy of D(e) = 3.2 kcal/mol. The [3]ferrocenophane-type compound FeNHC-CO has a BDE of D(e) = 16.0 kcal/mol.     

Analysis of the metal–ligand bonds in [Mo(X)(NH2)3] (X = P, N, PO, and NO), [Mo(CO)5(NO)]+, and [Mo(CO)5(PO)]+

Quantum chemical calculations at the DFT level have been carried out for model complexes [Mo(P)(NH₂)₃] (1), [Mo(N)(NH₂)₃] (2), [Mo(PO)(NH₂)₃] (3), [Mo(NO)(NH₂)₃] (4), [Mo(CO)₅(PO)]⁺ (5), and [Mo(CO)₅(NO)]⁺ (6). The equilibrium geometries and the vibration frequencies are in good agreement with experimental and previous theoretical results. The nature of the Mo–PO, Mo–NO, Mo–PO⁺, Mo–NO⁺, Mo–P, and Mo–N bond has been investigated by means of the AIM, NBO and EDA methods. The NBO and EDA data complement each other in the interpretation of the interatomic interactions while the numerical AIM results must be interpreted with caution. The terminal Mo–P and Mo–N bonds in 1 and 2 are clearly electron-sharing triple bonds. The terminal Mo–PO and Mo–NO bonds in 3 and 4 have also three bonding contributions from a σ and a degenerate π orbital where the σ components are more polarized toward the ligand end and the π orbitals are more polarized toward the metal end than in 1 and 2. The EDA calculations show that the π bonding contributions to the Mo–PO and Mo–NO bonds in 3 and 4 are much more important than the σ contributions while σ and π bonding have nearly equal strength in the terminal Mo–P and Mo–N bonds in 1 and 2. The total (NH₂)₃Mo–PO binding interactions are stronger than for (NH₂)₃Mo–P which is in agreement with the shorter Mo–PO bond. The calculated bond orders suggest that there are only (NH₂)₃Mo–PO and (NH₂)₃Mo–NO double bonds which comes from the larger polarization of the σ and π contributions but a closer inspection of the bonding shows that these bonds should also be considered as electron-sharing triple bonds. The bonding situation in the positively charged complexes [(CO)₅Mo–(PO)]⁺ and [(CO)₅Mo–(NO)]⁺ is best described in terms of (CO)₅Mo → XO⁺ donation and (CO)₅Mo ← XO⁺ backdonation (X = P, N) using the Dewar–Chatt–Duncanson model. The latter bonds are stronger and have a larger π character than the Mo-CO bonds.     

The rich chemistry of [Zn2Cp*2]: trapping three different types of zinc ligands in the PdZn7 complex [Pd(ZnCp*)4(ZnMe)2{Zn(tmeda)}

The synthesis, structural characterization, and bonding situation analysis of a novel, all-zinc, hepta-coordinated palladium complex [Pd(ZnCp*)(4)(ZnMe)(2){Zn(tmeda)}] (1) is reported. The reaction of the substitution labile d(10) metal starting complex [Pd(CH(3))(2)(tmeda)] (tmeda = N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-ethane-1,2-diamine) with stoichiometric amounts of [Zn(2)Cp*(2)] (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) results in the formation of [Pd(ZnCp*)(4)(ZnMe)(2){Zn(tmeda)}] (1) in 35% yield. Compound 1 has been fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and liquid injection field desorption ionization mass spectrometry. It consists of an unusual [PdZn(7)] metal core and exhibits a terminal {Zn(tmeda)} unit. The bonding situation of 1 with respect to the properties of the three different types of Zn ligands Zn(R,L) (R = CH(3), Cp*; L = tmeda) bonded to the Pd center was studied by density functional theory quantum chemical calculations. The results of energy decomposition and atoms in molecules analysis clearly point out significant differences according to R vs L. While Zn(CH(3)) and ZnCp* can be viewed as 1e donor Zn(I) ligands, {Zn(tmeda)} is best described as a strong 2e Zn(0) donor ligand. Thus, the 18 valence electron complex 1 nicely fits to the family of metal-rich molecules of the general formula [M(ZnR)(a)(GaR)(b)] (a + 2b = n ≥ 8; M = Mo, Ru, Rh; Ni, Pd, Pt; R = Me, Et, Cp*).