High-spin structure of yrast-band in 78Kr

Lifetime of levels up to 22⁺, have been measured in ⁷⁸Kr and an oblate shape is assigned to the ground state using the CSM and the configuration dependent shell correction calculations. Calculations further show that ⁷⁸Kr is highly γ-soft nucleus. The experimental Q _t values coupled with theoretical calculations indicate an oblate shape for ⁷⁸Kr at low spins and triaxial shape at higher spins     

Computational and experimental investigation of the effect of cation structure on the solubility of anionic flow battery active-materials

Recent advances in clean, sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar have enabled significant cost improvements, yet their inherent intermittency remains a considerable challenge for year-round reliability demanding the need for grid-scale energy storage. Nonaqueous redox flow batteries (NRFBs) have the potential to address this need, with attractive attributes such as flexibility to accommodate long- and short-duration storage, separately scalable energy and power ratings, and improved safety profile over integrated systems such as lithium-ion batteries. Currently, the low-solubility of NRFB electrolytes fundamentally limits their energy density. However, synthetically exploring the large chemical and parameter space of NRFB active materials is not only costly but also intractable. Here, we report a computational framework, coupled with experimental validation, designed to predict the solubility trends of electrolytes, incorporating both the lattice and solvation free energies. We reveal that lattice free energy, which has previously been neglected, has a significant role in tuning electrolyte solubility, and that solvation free energies alone is insufficient. The desymmetrization of the alkylammonium cation leading to short-chain, asymmetric cations demonstrated a modest increase in solubility, which can be further explored for NRFB electrolyte development and optimization. The resulting synergistic computational–experimental approach provides a cost-effective strategy in the development of high-solubility active materials for high energy density NRFB systems.

Active-material solubility is critical in determining NRFB energy density, yet a predictive model accounting for solid-state cohesion energy has remained elusive. Herein we present such, based on an empirically calibrated computational framework.     

Investigation of the quantitative properties of the quadrupole orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometer with electrospray ionisation using 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine

This paper describes the investigation of the potential of a quadrupole orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Q-TOF) equipped with an atmospheric pressure ionisation interface for quantitative measurements of small molecules separated by reversed phase liquid chromatography. To this end, the detection limits and linear dynamic range in particular were studied in an LC/MS/MS experiment using 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine standards and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine for internal standardisation. In a second phase, the experiment was repeated with real biological extracts (whole blood, serum, and vitreous humour). A calibration for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and its metabolite 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine was prepared in each of these matrices again using 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine as internal standard. The resulting quantitative data were compared with those obtained by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection for the same extracts. The Q-TOF results revealed excellent sensitivity and a linear dynamic range of nearly four decades (2-10 000 pg on-column, r(2) = 0.9998, 1/x weighting). Furthermore, all the calibration curves prepared in biological material were superimposable, LC/MS/MS and LC-fluorescence, and the quantitative results for actual samples compared very favourably. It was concluded that the Q-TOF achieves a linear dynamic range for quantitative LC/MS/MS work exceeding that of fluorescence detection and at much better absolute sensitivity. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Routine analysis by high precision gas chromatography/mass selective detector/isotope ratio mass spectrometry to 0.1 parts per mil

Stable isotope methods are potentially quite useful for validating natural or enhanced mineral degradation of contaminants. For this reason, a continuous flow gas chromatograph (GC), isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) has been coupled with a quadrupole mass selective detector (MSD) to allow simultaneous mass spectral and stable carbon isotope ratio data to be obtained from a single chromatographic analysis. This allows the target contaminant and any extra-cellular degradation intermediates to be both qualified and quantified. Previously acceptable limits of precision (0.3 parts per mil) are undesirable given the small fractionation observed during aerobic degradation. To further understand the fate of organic contaminants and to gain information about the metabolic degradative pathway employed by a microorganism, routine isotopic analyses on a range of analytes have been performed. Quantities of sample producing mass-44 ion beam signal (I(44)) of 2 x 10(-10) to 1 x 10(-8) A were analysed. When the IRMS was tuned for high sensitivity, ion source nonlinearities were overcome by peak height correction from an algorithm that was produced using known isotopic standards of varying concentrations. This led to sample accuracy of <0.01 per thousand and sample precision of 0.1 per thousand. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,structures and full characterization of p-tert-butylcalix[5]arene mono-, di-, tri- and pentaanionic ligand precursors

The synthesis, complete characterization, and solid state conformation of a new series of p-tert-butylcalix[5]arene (Bu^tC5) mono-, di-, tri- and pentaanions are reported. X-ray structures of the alkali metal salts illustrate the strong influence of the alkali metal ion on the structure of the calixanion. The strength of the alkali metal base and its reaction stoichiometry play an important role in the conformation and level of deprotonation of the resulting anion. Reaction of Bu^tC5 in a 2:1 molar ratio with alkali metal bases M₂CO₃ (M = Rb, Cs), or in a 1:1 ratio with M₂CO₃ (M = Na, K), MOH (M = Na, K, Rb, Cs) or MH (M = Li, Na) produces Bu^tC5 monoanions, but Bu^tC5 reacts in a 1:1 molar ratio with M₂CO₃ (M = Rb, Cs) or a 1:2 molar ratio with MOC(CH₃)₃ (M = Na, K) to afford Bu^tC5 dianions. Due to the steric bulkiness of the Bu^t group no polymeric structures are observed. Alkali metal salts of trianionic Bu^tC5 were obtained in high yields from reactions of Bu^tC5 with MOC(CH₃)₃ (M = Li, Na, K), BuⁿLi, LiH and LiOH in a 1:3 molar ratio. Pentaanionic Bu^tC5 salts were obtained by the reaction with MOC(CH₃)₃ (M = Li, Na, K) or BuⁿLi in a 5:1 ratio. X-ray crystal structures of Bu^tC5 · Na and Bu^tC5 · Cs indicate that the size of the alkali metal influences the level of cation-π arene interactions and therefore the conformation of the Bu^tC5 unit; for example, Bu^tC5 · Na has a cone conformation while Bu^tC5 · Cs shows a flattened cone conformation. Cation-π arene interactions are observed in most of the calixarene salts.     

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of valence ambiguous dinuclear antiferromagnetically coupled cobalt and ferromagnetically coupled iron complexes containing the chloranilate(2-) and the significantly stronger coupling chloranilate(*3-) radical trianion

Dinuclear [(TPyA)MII(CA2-)MII(TPyA)]2+ [TPyA=tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; CA2-=chloranilate dianion; M=Co (1(2+)), Fe (2(2+))] complexes have been prepared by the reaction of M(BF4)(2).6H2O, TPyA, H2CA, and triethylamine in MeOH solution. Their reduced forms [(TPyA)MII(CA*3-)MII(TPyA)]+ [M=Co(1+), Fe (2+)] have been synthesized by using cobaltocene, and oxidized forms of 1, [(TPyA)CoIII(CAn)CoIII(TPyA)]z+ [z=3, n=3- (1(3+)); z=4, n=2- (1(4+))], have been obtained by using FcBF4 and ThianBF4 (Fc=ferrocenium; Thian=thianthrinium), respectively. The dinuclear compound bridged chloranilates (CA2- or CA*3-) were isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography, electrochemistry, magnetism, and EPR spectroscopy. Unlike the other redox products, valence ambiguous 13+ forms via a complex redox-induced valence electron rearrangement whereby the one-electron oxidation of the [CoIICA2-CoII]2+ core forms [CoIIICA*3-CoIII]3+, not the expected simple 1-e- transfer mixed-valent [CoIICA2-CoIII]3+ core. The M ions in 1 and 2 have a distorted octahedral geometry by coordination with four nitrogens of a TPyA, two oxygens of a chloranilate. Due to the interdimer offset face-to-face pi-pi and/or herringbone interactions, all complexes show extended 1-D and/or 2-D supramolecular structures. The existence of CA*3- in 1(3+) is confirmed from both solid-state magnetic and solution EPR data. Co-based 1n+ exhibit antiferromagnetic interactions [1(2+): g=2.24, J/kB=-0.65 K (-0.45 cm-1); 1+: g=2.36, J/kB=-75 K (52 cm-1)], while Fe-based 2n+ exhibit ferromagnetic interactions [2(2+): g=2.08, J/kB=1.0 K (0.70 cm-1); 2+: g=2.03, J/kB=28 K (19 cm-1)] [H=-2JS1.S2 for 12+ and 2(2+); H=-2J(S1.S2+S2.S3) for 1+ and 2+]. Thus, due to direct spin exchange CA*3- is a much strong spin coupling linkage than the superexchange spin-coupling pathway provided by CA2-.     

Pyrrole‐2‐carbaldehyde Thiosemicarbazonates of Nickel(II) and Palladium(II): Synthesis,Structure, and Spectroscopy

Complexes of pyrrole‐2‐carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazones, [(C₄H₄N⁴)(H)C²=N³–N²(H)–C¹(=S)–N¹HR; R = Ph, H₂L¹; Me, H₂L²; H, H₂L³] with nickel(II) and palladium(II) are described. The reaction of nickel(II) acetate with H₂L¹ in methanol in 1:1 molar ratio yielded a complex of composition, [Ni(κ²‐N³,S‐HL¹)₂] ( 1 ). Likewise reaction of NiCl₂ with H₂L² in 1:1 molar ratio in acetonitrile in the presence of triethylamine base followed by the addition of pyridine did not yield the anticipated [Ni(κ³‐N⁴,N³,S‐L²)(py)] complex, moreover a bis‐square‐planar complex, [Ni(κ²‐N³,S‐HL²)₂] ( 2 ) was formed. However, in the presence of bipyridine (bipy), it yielded the addition product, [Ni(κ²‐N³,S‐HL²)₂(κ²‐N, N‐bipy)] ( 3 ). Reaction of PdCl₂(κ²‐P, P–PPh₂–CH₂–PPh₂) with H₂L³ in toluene in the presence of triethylamine has yielded a complex of stoichiometry, [Pd(κ³‐N⁴,N³,S–L³)(κ¹‐P–PPh₂–CH₂–P(O)Ph₂] ( 4 ). The ligands (HL¹)^– and (HL²)^– are chelating to Ni^II metal atom as anions binding through N³,S‐donor atoms with pendant pyrrole groups, and (L³)^2– is chelating to the Pd^II metal atom as dianion through N⁴,N³,S‐donor atoms (pyrrole is N⁴‐bonded). Fourth site in 4 is bonded to one P‐donor atom of PPh₂–CH₂–P(O)Ph₂, whose pendant –PPh₂ group involves auto oxidation to –P(O)PPh₂ during reaction. These complexes were characterized using analytical data, IR, NMR (¹H, ³¹P) spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography. Complexes 1 , 2 , and 4 have square‐planar arrangement, whereas complex 3 is octahedral.     

A stable alkyl hydride of a first row transition metal

Hydrogenolysis of a Cr(III) dialkyl precursor produced a binuclear chromium complex with a bridging hydride and a bridging alkyl; this structurally characterized organometallic compound is thermally very stable and does not undergo the expected reductive elimination of alkane.