Thermodynamic model of quasiliquid formation on H2O ice: comparison with experiment

We have developed a new thermodynamic theory of the quasiliquid layer, which has been shown to be effective in modeling the phenomenon in a number of molecular systems. Here we extend our analysis to H(2)O ice, which has obvious implications for environmental and atmospheric chemistry. In the model, the liquid layer exists in contact with an ice defined as a two-dimensional lattice of sites. The system free energy is defined by the bulk free energies of ice I(h) and liquid water and is minimized in the grand canonical ensemble. An additional configurational entropy term arises from the occupation of the lattice sites. Furthermore, the theory predicts that the layer thickness as a function of temperature depends only on the liquid activity. Two additional models are derived, where slightly different approximations are used to define the free energy. With these two models, we illustrate the connection between the quasiliquid phenomenon and multilayer adsorption and the possibility of a two-dimensional phase transition connecting a dilute low coverage phase of adsorbed H(2)O and the quasiliquid phase. The model predictions are in agreement with a subset of the total suite of experimental measurements of the liquid thickness on H(2)O ice as a function of temperature. The theory indicates that the quasiliquid layer is actually equivalent to normal liquid water, and we discuss the impact of such an identification. In particular, observations of the liquid layer to temperatures as low as 200 K indicate the possibility that the quasiliquid is, in fact, an example of deeply supercooled normal water. Finally, we briefly discuss the obvious extension of the pure liquid theory to a thermodynamic theory of interfacial solutions on ice in the environment.     

Contrasting copper-dioxygen chemistry arising from alike tridentate alkyltriamine copper(I) complexes

Copper(I)-dioxygen interactions are of great interest due to their role in biological O2-processing as well as their importance in industrial oxidation processes. We describe here the study of systems which lead to new insights concerning the factors which govern Cu(II)-mu-eta2:eta2 (side-on) peroxo versus Cu(III)-bis-mu-oxo species formation. Drastic differences in O2-reactivity of Cu(I) complexes which differ only by a single -CH3 versus -H substituent on the central amine of the tridentate ligands employed are observed. [Cu(MeAN)]B(C6F5)4 (1) (MeAN = N,N,N',N',N'-pentamethyl-dipropylenetriamine) reacts with O2 at -80 degrees C to form almost exclusively the side-on peroxo complex [{CuII(MeAN)}2(O2)]2+ (3) in CH2Cl2, tetrahydrofuran, acetone, and diethyl ether solvents, as characterized by UV-vis and resonance Raman spectroscopies. In sharp contrast, [Cu(AN)]B(C6F5)4 (2) (AN = 3, 3'-iminobis(N,N-dimethyl-propylamine) can support either Cu2O2 structures in a strongly solvent-dependent manner. Extreme behavior is observed in CH2Cl2 solvent, where 1 reacts with O2 giving 3, while 2 forms exclusively the bis-mu-oxo species [{CuIII(AN)}2(O)2]2+ (4Oxo). Stopped-flow kinetics measurements also reveal significant variations in the oxygenation reactions of 1 versus 2, including the observations that 4Oxo forms much faster than does 3; the former decomposes quickly, while the latter is quite stable at 193 K. The solvent-dependence of the bis-mu-oxo versus side-on peroxo preference observed for 2 is opposite to that reported for other known copper(I) complexes; the factors which may be responsible for the unusual behavior of 1/O2 versus 2/O2 (possibly N-H hydrogen bonding in the AN chemistry) are suggested. The factors which affect bis-mu-oxo versus side-on peroxo formation continue to be of interest.     

Resonance raman investigation of equatorial ligand donor effects on the Cu(2)O(2)(2+) core in end-on and side-on mu-peroxo-dicopper(II) and bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) complexes

The effect of endogenous donor strength on Cu(2)O(2) bonds was studied by electronically perturbing [[(R-TMPA)Cu(II)]](2)(O(2))](2+) and [[(R-MePY2)Cu](2)(O(2))](2+) (R = H, MeO, Me(2)N), which form the end-on mu-1,2 bound peroxide and an equilibrium mixture of side-on peroxo-dicopper(II) and bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) isomers, respectively. For [[(R-TMPA)Cu(II)](2)(O(2))](2+), nu(O-O) shifts from 827 to 822 to 812 cm(-1) and nu(Cu)(-)(O(sym)) shifts from 561 to 557 to 551 cm(-1), respectively, as R- varies from H to MeO to Me(2)N. Thus, increasing the N-donor strength to the copper decreases peroxide pi(sigma) donation to the copper, weakening the Cu-O and O-O bonds. A decrease in nu(Cu-O) of the bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) complex was also observed with increasing N-donor strength for the R-MePY2 ligand system. However, no change was observed for nu(O-O) of the side-on peroxo. This is attributed to a reduced charge donation from the peroxide pi(sigma) orbital with increased N-donor strength, which increases the negative charge on the peroxide and adversely affects the back-bonding from the Cu to the peroxide sigma orbital. However, an increase in the bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) isomer relative to side-on peroxo-dicopper(II) species is observed for R-MePY2 with R = H < MeO < Me(2)N. This effect is attributed to the thermodynamic stabilization of the bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) isomer relative to the side-on peroxo-dicopper(II) isomer by strong donor ligands. Thus, the side-on peroxo-dicopper(II)/bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) equilibrium can be controlled by electronic as well as steric effects.     

Solvent effects on the conversion of dicopper(II) micro-eta(2):eta(2)-peroxo to bis-micro-oxo dicopper(III) complexes: direct probing of the solvent interaction

A new tridentate ligand, PYAN, is employed to investigate solvent influences for dioxygen reactivity with [Cu(PYAN)(MeCN)]B(C(6)F(5))(4) (1). Stopped-flow kinetic studies confirm that the adducts [[u(II)(PYAN)]2)(O(2))][B(C(6)F(5))(4)](2) (2(Peroxo)) and [[u(III)(PYAN)]2)(O)(2)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)](2) (2(Oxo)) are in rapid equilibrium. Thermodynamic parameters for the equilibrium between 2(Peroxo) and 2(Oxo) re as follows: THF, deltaH degrees approximately -15.7 kJ/mol, deltaS degrees approximately -83 J/K.mol; acetone, deltaH degrees approximately -15.8 kJ/mol, deltaS degrees approximately -76 J/K.mol. UV-visible absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopic signatures demonstrate that the equilibrium is highly solvent dependent; the mixture is mostly 2(Peroxo) in CH(2)Cl(2), but there are significantly increasing quantities of 2(Oxo) along the series methylene chloride --> diethyl ether --> acetone --> tetrahydrofuran (THF). Copper(II)-N(eq) stretches (239, 243, 244, and 246 cm(-)(1) in CH(2)Cl(2), Et(2)O, acetone, and THF, respectively) are identified for 2(Peroxo), but they are not seen in 2(Oxo), revealing for the first time direct evidence for solvent coordination in the more open 2(Peroxo) structure.     

Parameters influencing separation and detection of anions by capillary electrophoresis

Electrolyte composition is critical in optimizing separation and detection of ions by capillary electrophoresis. The parameters which must be considered when designing an electrolyte system for capillary electrophoresis include electrophoretic mobility of electrolyte constituents and analytes, detection mode, and compatibility of electrolyte constituents with one another. An electrolyte system based on pyromellitic acid is well suited for use with indirect photometric detection, and provides excellent separations of anions. The ability to modify the electrophoretic mobility of pyromellitic acid as a function of ph provides flexibility in matching electrophoretic mobilities of analytes. Additionally, the use of alkyl amines as electroosmotic flow modifiers allows the rapid separation of anions by reversing the direction of electroosmotic flow in a fused-silica capillary. The optimization of a capillary electrophoresis electrolyte for anion analysis is also discussed in terms of pH, ionic strength and applied voltage. The effect of organic solvent on separation selectivity is also discussed.     

A porous metal-organic replica of α-PbO2 for capture of nerve agent surrogate

A novel metal-organic replica of α-PbO(2) exhibits high capacity for capture of nerve agent surrogate.