Alkanethiols on platinum: multicomponent self-assembled monolayers

We have studied the formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-alkanethiols on platinum thin films using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), and contact angle (CA) measurements. Specifically, SAMs of 1-hexanethiol, 1-dodecanethiol, and 1-octadecanethiol were grown on polycrystalline Pt films, and the effects of Pt surface preparation, deposition conditions, and solvent treatments on the initial quality and stability of the monolayer in air were investigated. The SAMs prepared under ambient conditions on piranha-cleaned and UV/ozone-cleaned substrates were compared to monolayers formed on template-stripped Pt in an inert atmosphere. We found that alkanethiols deposited from 1 mM ethanolic solutions on piranha-cleaned Pt formed densely packed monolayers in which alkyl chains were oriented close to the surface normal. Stored in the laboratory ambient, these monolayers were unchanged over about 1 week but were largely oxidized in about 1 month. No evidence was found of molecules being weakly bound within the monolayer or having undergone C-S bond scission; however, three distinct sulfur states were observed for all samples in the XPS of the S 2p region. The lowest- and highest-binding-energy components are assigned to alkylthiolate and partially oxidized alkylthiolate species, respectively. The remaining S 2p component (approximately one-third of the sulfur layer), intermediate in binding energy between the other two components, is attributed to a chemisorbed species with a S binding configuration distinct from the majority alkylthiolate: for example, S bound to Pt bound to O, S with a different Pt coordination number, or S in an adsorbed disulfide.     

Revisiting the extrapolation of correlation energies to complete basis set limit

The extrapolation scheme of correlation energy is revisited to evaluate the complete basis set limit from double‐zeta (DZ) and triple‐zeta levels of calculations. The DZ level results are adjusted to the standard asymptotic behavior with respect to the cardinal number, observed at the higher levels of basis sets. Two types of adjusting schemes with effective scaling factors, which recover errors in extrapolations with the DZ level basis set, are examined. The first scheme scales the cardinal number for the DZ level energy, while the second scheme scales the prefactor of the extrapolation function. Systematic assessments on the Gaussian‐3X and Gaussian‐2 test sets reveal that these calibration schemes successfully and drastically reduce errors without additional computational efforts. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Synthesis of a Stimuli‐Responsive P‐Chiral Polymer with Chiral Phosphorus Atoms and Azobenzene Moieties in the Main Chain

A reaction of the P‐chiral compound (S,S)‐1,2‐bis(boranato(tert‐butyl)methylphosphino)ethane with an azobenzene derivative gave stimuli‐responsive polymers with P‐chiral phosphines in the main chain. This is the first example of a stimuli‐responsive P‐chiral polymer. The polymer isomerized from the trans to the cis form upon UV irradiation and reverted to the trans form reversibly. The polymer was able to coordinate to platinum, and the resulting polymer complex exhibited the Cotton effect owing to the chirality of the phosphorus atoms. The structure of the P‐chiral polymer obtained could be changed reversibly by light and thermal stimuli, and the polymer chain was induced to rotate helically when complexed with transition metals through the chiral phosphorus atoms.     

Synthesis of Optically Active P‐Chiral and Optically Inactive Oligophosphines

A series of optically active P‐chiral oligophosphines (S,R,R,S)‐ 2 , (S,R,S,S,R,S)‐ 3 , (S,R,S,R,R,S,R,S)‐ 4 , and (S,R,S,R,S,R,R,S,R,S,R,S)‐ 5 with four, six, eight, and 12 chiral phosphorus atoms, respectively, were successfully synthesized by a step‐by‐step oxidative‐coupling reaction from (S,S)‐ 1 . The corresponding optically inactive oligophosphines 1′ – 5′ were also prepared. Their properties were characterized by DSC, XRD, and optical‐rotation analyses. While optically active bisphosphine (S,S)‐ 1 and tetraphosphine (S,R,R,S)‐ 2 behaved as small molecules, octaphosphine (S,R,S,R,R,S,R,S)‐ 4 and dodecaphosphine (S,R,S,R,S,R,R,S,R,S,R,S)‐ 5 exhibited the features of a polymer. Furthermore, DSC and XRD analyses showed that hexaphosphine (S,R,S,S,R,S)‐ 3 is an intermediate between a small molecule and a polymer. Comparison of optically active oligophosphines 1 – 5 with the corresponding optically inactive oligophosphines 1′ – 5′ revealed that the optically active phosphines have higher crystallinity than the optically inactive counterparts. It is considered that the properties of oligophosphines depend on the enantiomeric purity as well as the oligomer chain length.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of octalactin B using a new and rapid lactonization

A method for the synthesis of octalactin B is established via a new and quite effective mixed-anhydride lactonization for the synthesis of an eight-membered ring moiety using 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride with DMAP. Both an optically active linear precursor of the lactone and a side chain of octalactins are prepared by the enantioselective aldol reaction of ketene silyl acetals with aldehydes.     

Size-controlled deposition of Ag nanoparticles on alumina with the assistance of a photo-induced chromic reaction, and study of their catalytic properties

This paper describes a promising method to synthesize supported metal catalysts based on a photochromic reaction. Highly dispersed Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with a mean diameter of ca. 10 nm stabilized by 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) were prepared as a colloidal precursor solution. The zeta electric potential was found to be negatively charged in the region of pH higher than 5 due to the presence of dissociated carboxylate ions (-COO(-)), which led to electric repulsion between Ag NPs and kept the solution in a highly dispersed colloidal state. In the presence of photochromic molecules, trans-2-hydroxychalcone, the photo-irradiation gradually decreased the electric charge on the nanoparticles owing to the formation of flavylium cations, which induced the assembly of Ag NPs. Such photo-induced assembly-dispersion control of Ag NPs enables size selective deposition on a catalyst support, which is controlled by varying the photo-irradiation time.     

Reversible Sodium Metal Electrodes: Is Fluorine an Essential Interphasial Component?

Alkaline metals are an ideal negative electrode for rechargeable batteries. Forming a fluorine‐rich interphase by a fluorinated electrolyte is recognized as key to utilizing lithium metal electrodes, and the same strategy is being applied to sodium metal electrodes. However, their reversible plating/stripping reactions have yet to be achieved. Herein, we report a contrary concept of fluorine‐free electrolytes for sodium metal batteries. A sodium tetraphenylborate/monoglyme electrolyte enables reversible sodium plating/stripping at an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.85 % over 300 cycles. Importantly, the interphase is composed mainly of carbon, oxygen, and sodium elements with a negligible presence of fluorine, but it has both high stability and extremely low resistance. This work suggests a new direction for stabilizing sodium metal electrodes via fluorine‐free interphases.