Laser-spectroscopic laboratory studies of atmospheric aqueous phase free radical chemistry

Nitrate radical (NO(3)) reactions with benzene (R-1), toluene (R-2), p-xylene (R-3), p-cresol (R-4) and mesitylene (R-5) have been studied by laser photolysis/long path laser absorption (LP-LPLA) in aqueous solution. Rate constants of k(1)=(4.0+/-0.6). 10(8), k(2)=(1.2+/-0.3). 10(9), k(3)=(1.6+/-0.1). 10(9), k(4)= (8.4+/-2.3). 10(8) and k(5)=(1.3+/-0.3). 10(9) lmol(-1)s(-1) were obtained at T=298 K. In addition, reaction rate coefficients for SO(-)(5)+Fe(2+)-->prod. (R-6) and SO(-)(5)+Mn(2+)-->prod. (R-7) of k(6)=(4.3+/-2.4). 10(7) lmol(-1)s(-1) and k(7)=(4.6+/-1.0). 10(6) lmol(-1)s(-1) (T=298 K, I-->0) have been obtained by the application of laser photolysis/UV-VIS broadband diode array spectroscopy. A new laser photolysis/UV-long path laser absorption experiment has been applied to study the reaction of the Cl(-)(2) radical anion with dissolved sulfur(IV). For the reactions Cl(-)(2)+HSO(-)(3)-->2Cl(-)+H(+)+SO(-)(3) (R-8) and Cl(-)(2)+SO(2-)(3)-->2Cl(-)+SO(-)(3) (R-9) rate coefficients of k(8)=(1.7+/-0.2). 10(8) lmol(-1)s(-1) (T=298 K, I-->0) and of k(9)=(6.2+/-0.3). 10(7) lmol(-1)s(-1) (T=279 K, I-->0) were obtained.     

Übergangsmetall—methylen-komplexe : XXXI. Primärkomplexierung von diazoalkanen an metall—metall-mehrfachbindungen; ein weiterer koordinationstyp

An unexpected novel coordination mode of diazoalkanes has been verified via addition of 2-diazopropane to the metal—metal triple bond of bis[dicarbonyl(η⁵-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)molybdenum] (MoMo). The dinuclear 1:1 addition product isolated in nearly quantitative yield is structurally characterized by a bent, 4-electron type η¹:η²-diazoalkane ligand, with the terminal nitrogen atom symmetrically bridging the metal-metal “single bond” (d(MoMo) 305.0(2) pm; d(Mo---N(1)) 212.0(12) and 212.6(10) pm, respectively) and the second nitrogen atom being bonded to one molybdenum atom only (d(Mo---N(2)) 213.4(13) pm).     

Mehrfachbindungen zwischen hauptgruppenelementen und übergangsmetallen: VII. Oxidative decarbonylierungsprozessein der photochemie von tricarbonyl(η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)rhenium: Neue oxo—rhenium-komplexe

Short-wavelength photolysis of tricarbonyl(η⁵-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)rhenium (1) (λ < 300 nm, quartz-glass) in tetrahydrofuran yields under partial or complete decarbonylation three novel organorhenium compounds, with the relative yields depending upon the irradiation time. Formed by exhaustive oxidative decarbonylation, the complex trioxo(η⁵-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)rhenium(VII) (5) represents the first example of the new class of oxo half-sandwich complexes. The derivatives (μ-O)[(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Re(CO)₂]₂ (2; Me = CH₃) and (η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂Re₂(CO)₂O₂ (3; Me = CH₃) containing both oxo and carbonyl ligands are formed from 1 at shorter irradiation times. Both compounds are isolable intermediates along the mechanistically not yet fully established sequence 1 → → 5 as they are degraded to 5 under CO₂ elimination in the presence of air and/or light. The mixed oxo carbonyl complex 2 has been characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques (triclinic, space group P$\text{1}$-C_i¹; a 907.4(2), b 1040.2(3), c 1414.3(4) pm; α 79.99(2), β 88.42(2), γ 66.18(2)°; R_iso = 0.068, R_aniso = 0.037, R_w = 0.031). The molecular structure centres around an isosceles Re₂O triangle whose metal centres exhibit a strongly distorted square-pyramidal geometry; the metal-metal distance recorded at 281.7(1) pm is in agreement with a single bond by the EAN rule. The centrically coordinated, planar five-membered ring ligands are parallel to each other (interplanar angle 2°) and occupy trans-positions with respect to the central Re₂O geometry.     

Studies on polymers and composites from lignin and fiber derived from sugar cane

Sugarcane fiber (i.e. bagasse) lignin has a larger fraction of aromatics unsubstitution in the ortho position than hardwood or softwood lignin and hence has the greater ability to be derivatized. Furthermore, organosolv lignin has a higher purity than sulfonated and kraft lignins. This work examines the purification of organosolv lignin derived from bagasse and the physico‐chemical properties of the lignin and lignin‐phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin coatings, and composites. The wetability tests have shown that lignin and lignin‐PF resin films are effective water barrier coatings, though the contact angles of lignin‐PF resin films were considerably less than the wax films. The overall mechanical properties (i.e. peak stress, peak strain and modulus) of the bagasse fiber composites were lower than the values obtained with the composites without the inclusion of bagasse fiber. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An altered mechanism of hydrolysis for a metal-complexed phosphate diester

Isotope effects in the nucleophile and in the leaving group were measured to gain information about the mechanism and transition state of the hydrolysis of methyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate complexed to a dinuclear cobalt complex. The complexed diester undergoes hydrolysis about 1011 times faster than the corresponding uncomplexed diester. The kinetic isotope effects indicate that this rate acceleration is accompanied by a change in mechanism. A large inverse 18O isotope effect in the bridging hydroxide nucleophile (0.937 +/- 0.002) suggests that nucleophilic attack occurs before the rate-determining step. Large isotope effects in the nitrophenyl leaving group (18Olg = 1.029 +/- 0.002, 15N = 1.0026 +/- 0.0002) indicate significant fission of the P-O ester bond in the transition state of the rate-determining step. The data indicate that in contrast to uncomplexed diesters, which undergo hydrolysis by a concerted mechanism, the reaction of the complexed diester likely proceeds via an addition-elimination mechanism. The rate-limiting step is expulsion of the p-nitrophenyl leaving group from the intermediate, which proceeds by a late transition state with extensive bond fission to the leaving group. This represents a substantial change in mechanism from the hydrolysis of uncomplexed aryl phosphate diesters.     

Cationic fullerenes are effective and selective antimicrobial photosensitizers

Fullerenes are soccer ball-shaped molecules composed of carbon atoms, and, when derivatized with functional groups, they become soluble and can act as photosensitizers. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy combines a nontoxic photosensitizer with harmless visible light to generate reactive oxygen species that kill microbial cells. We have compared the antimicrobial activity of six functionalized C(60) compounds with one, two, or three hydrophilic or cationic groups in combination with white light against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and fungi. After a 10 min incubation, the bis- and tris-cationic fullerenes were highly active in killing all tested microbes (4-6 logs) under conditions in which mammalian cells were comparatively unharmed. These compounds performed significantly better than a widely used antimicrobial photosensitizer, toluidine blue O. The high selectivity and efficacy exhibited by these photosensitizers encourage further testing for antimicrobial applications.     

Synthesis and solution studies of the complexes of trivalent lanthanides with the tetraazamacrocycle TETA-(PO)(2)

A new potentially multidentate hexaprotic ligand H(6)[TETA-(PO)(2)] has been prepared by reaction of ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (EDDA), paraformaldehyde, and phosphinic acid; its coordination properties with three lanthanide ions (La(3+), Gd(3+), and Lu(3+)) have been explored. The structures of the complexes were studied in aqueous solution by potentiometric pH titrations and by (31)P NMR spectroscopy. Four acidity constants were determined potentiometrically in the range 2.5 < pH < 14. The four measured pK(a) values can be divided into two groups, and within each group the initial deprotonation was found to have little effect on the second. Variable temperature (31)P and (31)P[(1)H] EXSY NMR spectra showed that, for [Lu(TETA-(PO)(2))](3-), the two phosphorus atoms exist in different chemical environments and undergo an exchange process which is very fast on the NMR time scale at room temperature. This result is consistent with one of the phosphinate residues coordinating the metal ion and exchanging with a free analogue. In the case of [La(TETA-(PO)(2))](3-), only one temperature invariant signal is observed in (31)P NMR spectra; it corresponds to both phosphinate residues remaining uncoordinated to La(3+). The stability of [Ln(TETA-(PO)(2))](3-) has an order of La(3+) > Gd(3+) > Lu(3+). The coordination of one phosphinate residue to Lu(3+) brings the metal ion closer to the plane of four nitrogens and farther from the four carboxylate arms, resulting in [Lu(TETA-(PO)(2))](3-) having a lower stability than the corresponding La(3+) and Gd(3+) complexes. A pM-pH distribution diagram showed that introducing two phosphinate groups into TETA renders [Gd(TETA-(PO)(2))](3-) more stable than [Gd(TETA)](-). The selectivity factor of the ligand for Gd(3+) vs Ca(2+), Zn(2+), and Cu(2+) has been calculated, and the hydration number for [Dy(TETA-(PO)(2))](3-) has been measured by (17)O NMR spectroscopy to be zero.