Coordination of aza heterocycles with macroheterocyclic metal complexes in amphiprotic media: III. Kinetics and mechanism of inner-sphere ligand exchange in (tetraphenylporphyrinato)chromium(III)

Inner-sphere replacement of alcohols by imidazole and its derivatives in the complex (acetato)-(tetraphenylporphyrinato)chromium(III) was studied by electronic absorption spectroscopy. The rate constants and activation parameters of the process were calculated. The entering ligand structure was shown to affect the reaction rate, while the alcohol nature (departing ligand) does not influence the kinetic parameters of the process to an appreciable extent. Regression analysis revealed participation of imidazole and ethanol in the rate-determining stages. The kinetic equation for the inner-sphere axial substitution implies interaction of a free alcohol molecule with that coordinated to chromium, followed by replacement of the associate by the heteroring. Mathematical processing of the kinetic data in terms of the proposed solvolytic association-dissociation mechanism gave the rate constants for particular stages of the process and showed an extremal relation between the rate constant and composition of the solvent.     

Kinetics and products of the reaction of diazo compounds with SO2

Data were obtained on the composition of products and kinetics of the reaction of SO₂ with Ph(R)CN₂ (R=Ph, Me) in solutions of isooctane, 1,4-di-oxane, and ethanol at 295 K. A mechanism was proposed for the process in accordance with which the sulfene being formed participates in concurrent reactions with the starting reagents. The relative rate constants for the process stages were determined.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2496–2500, November, 1990.     

Structure,tautomerism, and transformations of β-(3-nitro-2-pyridyl)- and β-(3-nitro-4-pyridyl)pyruvic acid esters

It was shown by means of IR, UV, and PMR spectra that -(3-nitro-2-pyridyl)pyruvic acid esters are practically completely enolized in the crystal state and in solution; ethyl -(3-nitro-4-pyridyl)pyruvate has an enol structure in the crystalline state and in pyridine solution but exists as a mixture of keto and enol forms in low-polarity solvents.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 389–393, March, 1974.     

Gas-discharge plasma initiated in air by a radiation pulse

Formation of a nonequilibriuin gas-discharge plasma in air under the action of radiation at a wavelength of 10.6 with a duration of 10^–6 sec is considered. It is shown that the air discharge occurs under nonequilibrium conditions by formation of an autoionization complex with subsequent oscillatory excitation of molecules. The molecular distribution function over oscillatory degrees of freedom is found in the diffusion approximation. The electron temperature and concentration in the breakdown plasma are calculated with consideration of multistep ionization of molecules and dissociative recombination of charged particles. Results are compared with experiment.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 9–13, February, 1985.     

A Simulation Approach to Cost Estimation in the Project Contracting Industry

In the project contracting industry (particularly in Third World and developing economies) one of the basic requirements for a company to produce a bid is an accurate estimate of the overall costs. A typical contract will involve several hundred quotes from different suppliers, and some of the figures will be inherently more risky than others.This paper looks at the effect of component price uncertainties on the overall cost of a project and develops a company-based simulation model to evaluate this. The basic data is derived from the individual expertise existing within the company, and this is statistically tested for consistency.The application of the simulation model is demonstrated, and it is also used to test some simple hypotheses about the existing modus operandi.