Criteria for the Efficiency,Stability, and Capacity of Abiotic Photochemical Solar Energy Storage Systems

The utilization of simple photochemical reactions for the storage of solar energy in the form of chemical energy in energy-rich products has often been considered in the further development and improvement of e. g. simple thermosolar techniques. The hitherto proposed criteria for the qualification of an abiotic photochemical system are, however, mostly of a qualitative nature, so a mutal comparison of the systems is not precise enough. In this article it is shown how a useful correlation on the basis of time-independent experimental data can be achieved and how, from the viewpoint of photochemistry, a comparative classification of known reactions is possible. The following reactions are compared: the [2 + 2]-photocycloadditions of norbornadiene, dimethyl 2,3-norbornadienedicarboxylate, and dicyclopentadienone, the photoisomerization of trans- to cis-diacetylindigo, the photodissociation of nitrosyl chloride as well as a photocatalytic redox reaction. The quantity of material required and storage efficiency are by far the most favorable in the case of trans-diacetylindigo. The main disadvantage of the latter however, is that the energy-rich cis-from rapidly reverts to the stable trans-form at elevated temperatures.     

Electrochemical Proton Intercalation in Vanadium Pentoxide Thin Films and its Electrochromic Behavior in the near-IR Region

This work examines the proton intercalation in vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) thin films and its optical properties in the near-infrared (near-IR) region. Samples were prepared via direct current magnetron sputter deposition and cyclic voltammetry was used to characterize the insertion and extraction behavior of protons in V₂O₅ in a trifluoroacetic acid containing electrolyte. With the same setup chronopotentiometry was done to intercalate a well-defined number of protons in the H_xV₂O₅ system in the range of x=0 and x=1. These films were characterized with optical reflectometry in the near-IR region (between 700 and 1700 nm wavelength) and the refractive index n and extinction coefficient k were determined using Cauchy ’s dispersion model. The results show a clear correlation between proton concentration and n and k.     

Time-dependent wave packet study on trans-cis isomerization of HONO driven by an external field

The present paper is devoted to a full quantum mechanical study of the cis-->trans isomerization of HONO. In contrast to our previous study [Richter et al., J. Chem. Phys. 120, 6072 (2004)], the dynamics is now performed in the presence of an external time-dependent field in order to be closer to experimental conditions. A six-dimensional dipole surface is computed. Using a previously developed potential energy surface [Richter et al., J. Chem. Phys. 120, 1306 (2004)], all eigenstates up to 4000 cm(-1) are calculated. We simulate the dynamics during and after excitation by an electromagnetic pulse whose parameters are chosen to efficiently trigger the isomerization. Our investigations show that there is a selective isomerization pathway.     

Solid-phase based synthesis of jasplakinolide analogs by intramolecular azide-alkyne cycloadditions

The synthesis of a focused library of jasplakinolide analogs with a 1,2,3-triazole in place of an E-configured double bond is described, featuring the Cu(I) catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction as an efficient macrocyclization tool.     

Terminal Alkynes in the Coordination Sphere of Titanocene Complexes – Elementary Steps in Catalytic Dimerizations and Oligomerizations of Alkynes

The titanocene acetylene complex [Cp*₂Ti(η²-Me₃SiC≡CSiMe₃)] ( 14 ) reacts with 1-alkynes such as phenylacetylene ( 15 a ), 1-hexyne ( 15 b ), 1-dodecyne ( 15 c ) and trimethylsilylacetylene ( 15 d ) by ligand exchange and proton shift, to yield exclusively the 1-alkenyltitanocene acetylides [Cp*₂Ti(CH=CHR)(C≡CR)] ( 21 ) (R = Ph ( 21 a ), CH₃(CH₂)₃ ( 21 b ), CH₃(CH₂)₉ ( 21 c ), SiMe₃ ( 21 d )). The X-ray structure of 21 a is presented. In reaction of acetylene HC≡CH ( 15 e ) with 14 other products are formed. However, no intermediates, like [Cp*₂Ti(η²-RC≡CH)] ( 17 ), [Cp*₂Ti(H)C≡CR] ( 17 ) or [Cp*₂Ti=C=CHR] ( 22 ) in reactions of 14 with 15 are detectable. On the other hand, a stable titanocenehydride [Cp*₂Ti(H)OCH₃] ( 23 ) is obtained by oxidative addition of CH₃OH with Cp*₂Ti, generated from 14 .     

Katalysatordesaktivierungen bei der Acetylen-Polymerisation mit Titanocen- bzw. Zirconocen-Komplexen des Bis(trimethylsilyl)acetylens

Desactivation of Catalysts in the Polymerization of Acetylene by Bis(trimethylsilyl)acetylene Complexes of Titanocene or Zirconocene Unexpected inactive byproducts were observed in the catalytic polymerization of acetylene using metallocene alkyne complexes Cp₂M(L)(η²-Me₃SiC₂SiMe₃), 1 : M = Ti, without L; 2 : M = Zr, L = thf. The reaction of 1 was investigated in detail by NMR to give quantitatively at –20 °C the titanacyclopentadiene Cp₂Ti–CH=CH–C(SiMe₃)=C(SiMe₃) ( 3 ). Around 0 °C 3 starts to rearrange to yield the dihydroindenyl complex 4 via coupling of one Cp-ligand with the titanacyclopentadiene. In the reaction of 2 under analogous conditions a zirconacyclopentadiene Cp₂Zr–CH=CH–C(SiMe₃)=C(SiMe₃) ( 5 ) and the dimeric complex [Cp₂Zr(C(SiMe₃)=CH(SiMe₃)]₂[μ-σ(1,2)-C≡C] ( 6 ) were observed. Whereas 5 decomposes to a mixture of unidentified paramagnetic species, 6 was isolated and investigated by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis. In the reaction of rac-(ebthi)Zr(η²-Me₃SiC₂SiMe₃) (ebthi = ethylenbistetrahydroindenyl) with 2-ethynyl-pyridine the complex rac-(ebthi)ZrC(SiMe₃)=CH(SiMe₃)](σ-C≡CPy) 7 was obtained, which was investigated by an X-ray analysis.