Acid-base equilibria in organic solvents : Part 2. Cyclic voltammetry in the study of hydrogen-bond formation

The cyclic voltammetric technique is used to study hydrogen-bond formation in some polar organic solvents (S) of electroanalytical interest (1,2-dimethoxy, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulphoxide and pyridine). The cathodic shift of the proton reduction caused by stepwise addition of the solvent investigated to a solution of anhydrous perchloric acid in acetonitrile is utilized. The theoretical treatment applied produced evidence that HS⁺ and HS⁺₂ are the only acidic species involved, so that the relevant formation constants can be evaluated. The data obtained mostly compare well with those available in the literature. The features that condition the tendency to hydrogen-bonding and the effect of hydrogen bonding on solvent basicity are discussed.     

Porous metal–organic alloys based on soluble coordination cages

Diverse strategies for the preparation of mixed-metal three-dimensional porous solids abound, although many of them lend themselves only moderate levels of tunability. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of surface functionalized permanently microporous coordination cages and their use in the isolation of mixed metal solids. Judicious alkoxide-based ligand functionalization was utilized to tune the solubility of starting copper(ii)-based cages and their resulting compatibility with the mixed-cage approach described here. We further prepared a family of isostructural molybdenum(ii) cages for a subset of the ligands. The preparation of mixed-metal cage solids proceeds under facile conditions where solutions of parent cages are mixed and product phases isolated. A suite of spectroscopic and characterization tools confirm the starting cages are intact in the amorphous product. Finally, we show that utilization of precise ligand functional groups can be used to prepare mixed cage solids that can be easily and cleanly separated into their constituent components through simple solvent washing or solvent extraction techniques.

Surface-functionalized porous coordination cages can be used to create homogeneous mixed-cage alloys with high levels of tunability and processability.     

O2 interaction and reactivity on a model hydroxylated rutile(110) surface

Recently several theoretical studies have examined oxygen adsorption on the clean, reduced TiO2(110) surface. However the photocatalytic behavior of TiO2 and the scavenging ability of oxygen are known to be influenced by the presence of surface hydroxyls. In this paper the chemistry of O2 on the hydroxylated TiO2 surface is investigated by means of first-principles total energy calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MD trajectories show a direct, spontaneous reaction between O2 and the surface hydroxyls, thus supporting the experimental hypothesis that the reaction does not necessarily pass through a chemisorbed O2 state. Following this reaction, the most stable chemisorbed intermediates are found to be peroxide species HO2 and H2O2. Although these intermediates are very stable on the short time scale of MD simulations, the energetics suggests that their further transformation is connected to a new 300 K feature observed in the experimental water temperature programmed desorption (TPD) spectrum. The participation of two less stable intermediate states, involving terminal hydroxyls and/or chemisorbed water plus oxygen adatoms, to the desorption process, is not supported by the total energy calculations. Analysis of the projected density of states, however, suggests the possibility that these intermediates have a role in completing the surface oxidation immediately before desorption.     

Mass spectrometry of heterocyclic compounds—III. Electron-impact-induced fragmentation of 1,2-benzisothiazole and some 3-substituted derivatives

The mass spectra of fifteen 1,2-benzisothiazoles are reported; their fragmentation patterns have been investigated by labelling experiments, high resolution mass measurements and defocused metastable ion detection. The parent compound of the series, 1,2-benzisothiazole, eliminates HCN after partial inter-ring hydrogen scrambling. The extent of scrambling has been determined for normal daughter ions produced at different electron beam energies and also for metastable daughter ions, and is compared with the data reported for benzothiazole. Some 3-substituted derivatives show unusual fragmentation patterns. The mechanisms of these processes are under further investigation.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of bipyrazolyls and pyrazolyl-substituted pyrimidines

We describe the preparation of 1,4′-bipyrazolyls and 4-pyrazolylpyrimidines by the reaction of 2-pyrazolyl-3-dimethylamino acrylate and acrylonitrile with double nucleophilic reagents such as hydrazines, urea and guanidine. Reactions were performed under microwave irradiation in 5-60 min. This is a useful procedure for the preparation of valuable compounds with applications in medicinal and coordination chemistry.     

Interactions of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (dtpa) and triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid (ttha) with major components of natural waters

The binding ability of diethylene triamine pentaacetate (dtpa(5-)) and triethylene tetraamine hexaacetate (ttha(6-)) ligands towards major components, H(+), Na(+), Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), of natural waters was studied in both single and mixed ionic media at different ionic strengths and at T=25 degrees C. Some measurements, performed in Mg(2+)-Ca(2+) mixtures, allowed us to find the formation of new mixed species MgCa(dtpa), MgCa(ttha) and MgCaH(ttha), here reported for the first time. All the complexes formed in the various systems were characterized in terms of both stoichiometry and stability, and an attempt was made to find general rules for the stability of mixed metal complexes in comparison with that of simple species. To obtain quantitative information on the complexing ability of dtpa and ttha in seawater, measurements have been carried out in artificial seawater ionic medium (Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Cl(-) and SO(4)(2-)). Calculations, performed by considering the salt mixture as single salt BA, allowed us to find some quite stable B(i)H(j)L species. Under the natural seawater conditions [S(salinity)=35], we found for the most important species logbeta( B(dtpa))=9.64 and. Literature data comparison is also reported.     

Poly(4‐vinylpyridine) as the host ligand of metal‐containing chromophores for second‐order nonlinear optical active materials

Two formulas of grafted polymers with metal‐containing chromophores, potentially suitable for second‐order nonlinear optics applications, are described. Two chromophores were obtained from a tridentate ligand coordinated to Cu(II) or Pd(II) ions. The organometallic chromophore fragments were grafted to poly(4‐vinylpyridine) by the pyridinic nitrogen of the host polymer. Some qualities displayed by the new metallated polymers are remarkable: (1) a high value of the first hyperpolarizability coefficient of the chromophores, (2) a high content of the grafted chromophore in the polymers (up to 60 wt %), (3) a considerable increase in the glass‐transition temperatures (up to 240 °C), (4) good thermal stability in air (ca. 280 °C), and (5) good optical transparency of the films. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2987–2993, 2002     

New synthetic pathways into dithiazolyl radicals: Preparation and characterisation of 3′-methyl-benzo-1,3,2-dithiazolyl, M’BDTA

A general three-step synthesis to a range of benzo-fused-1,3,2-dithiazolylium salts bearing both electron-withdrawing (CN) and electron-donating (Me) groups is described. This methodology has also been extended to pyridyl derivatives and offers a potential route to a diversity of 1,3,2-dithiazolylium rings and their corresponding 1,3,2-dithiazolyl free radicals. The key steps in the reaction are treatment of a substituted 1,2,-dichlorobenzene with two equivalents of [^tBuS]Na, followed by chlorination to yield the corresponding bis(sulfenyl chloride). Subsequent ring closure with Me₃SiN₃ yields the target 1,3,2-dithiazolylium ring system in good yield. The preparation and crystal structures of 3′-methyl-benzo-1,3,2-dithiazolylium chloride and 3′-methyl-benzo-1,3,2-dithiazolyl are described and the electronic properties of the radical examined through EPR spectroscopy, DFT calculations and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements.     

Identification of Earth Pigments by Applying Hierarchical Cluster Analysis to Solid State Voltammetry. Application to Severely Damaged Frescoes

Multivariate chemometric methods are applied for identifying earth pigments from square‐wave voltammetric measurements performed at pigment‐modified paraffin‐impregnated graphite electrodes allowing for a separation between hematite‐based earths, French ochres, Spanish ochres, siennas, umbers and green earths. This methodology is applied to the identification of the pigments in samples from the ceiling frescoes of Antonio Palomino (dated 1707) in the vaulted nave of the Sant Joan del Mercat church in Valencia (Spain). These frescoes suffered considerable damage by fire during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, resulting in severe chemical and chromatic alterations. Electrochemical data, supported by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis and Raman spectroscopy, indicate that thermal stress induced the transformation of goethite‐based yellow ochres into hematite and magnetite.     

Progress,highlights and perspectives on NiO in perovskite photovoltaics

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of NiO based perovskite solar cells has recently hit a record 22.1% with a hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite composition and a PCE above 15% in a fully inorganic configuration was achieved. Moreover, NiO processing is a mature technology, with different industrially attractive processes demonstrated in the last few years. These considerations, along with the excellent stabilities reported, clearly point towards NiO as the most efficient inorganic hole selective layer for lead halide perovskite photovoltaics, which is the topic of this review. NiO optoelectronics is discussed by analysing the different doping mechanisms, with a focus on the case of alkaline and transition metal cation dopants. Doping allows tuning the conductivity and the energy levels of NiO, improving the overall performance and adapting the material to a variety of perovskite compositions. Furthermore, we summarise the main investigations on the NiO/perovskite interface stability. In fact, the surface of NiO is commonly oxidised and reactive with perovskite, also under the effect of light, thermal and electrical stress. Interface engineering strategies should be considered aiming at long term stability and the highest efficiency. Finally, we present the main achievements in flexible, fully printed and lead-free perovskite photovoltaics which employ NiO as a layer and provide our perspective to accelerate the improvement of these technologies. Overall, we show that adequately doped and passivated NiO might be an ideal hole selective layer in every possible application of perovskite solar cells.

The power conversion efficiency of NiO based perovskite solar cells has recently hit a record 22.1%. Here, the main advances are reviewed and the role of NiO in the next breakthroughs is discussed.