Catalysis of ring-opening and vinyl polymerizations by dicobaltoctacarbonyl

In the presence of Si? H containing cocatalysts, dicobaltoctacarbonyl has been found to very efficiently catalyze the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ethers, especially epoxides, as well as certain vinyl monomers. The reaction conditions employed are very similar to those used in Co₂(CO)₈ catalyzed hydrogenation and hydrosilylation reactions. Detailed investigations have been carried out to elucidate the nature of the active species for this catalytic system. A cationic mechanism is proposed based on the experimental results of those investigations.     

Mass spectra of C-nucleosides II. An unusual fragmentation reaction of the heterocyclic moiety of pyrazomycin and some closely related compounds

The mass spectrum of pyrazomycin has been obtained and reveals a fragmentation pattern with several important peaks which are not normally found in the mass spectra of C-nucleosides. It has now been established, using model compounds, that these unusual fragment ions are a direct result of the juxtaposition of the exocyclic hydroxy and carboxamido groups of the aglycon. It appears that a facile elimination of ammonia and ethanol from o-hydroxycarboxamides and o-hydroxyethylesters, respectively, may be a general fragmentation reaction for aromatic heterocycles. A mass spectrum of the TMS derivative of pyrazomycin has also been obtained and factors which may result in exceptions to the empirical B+30 (M-103) rule for C-nucleosides are discussed.     

Reciprocity principles associated with the general linear gravity wave problem

Summary Reziprocity principles are presented which hold for the general problem of small amplitude wave motion on the surface of an incompressible liquid. The effects of viscosity, surface tension, irrotationality, free surface sources and solid boundary geometry at liquid-solid intersections are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Reziprozitätsprinzipien, die für das allgemeine Problem der Wellenbewegung mit kleinen Amplituden auf der Oberfläche einer inkompressiblem Flüssigkeit gelten, werden angegeben. Die Einflüsse von Viskosität, Oberflächenspannung, Wirbelfreiheit, Quellen an der freien Oberfläche un die Geometrie fester Ränder bei flüssig-festen Übergängen werden diskutiert.

     

Rigorous information-theoretic derivation of quantum-statistical thermodynamics. II

Part I of the present work outlined the rigorous application of information theory to a quantum mechanical system in a thermodynamic equilibrium state. The general formula developed there for the best-guess density operator \(\hat \rho\) was indeterminate because it involved in an essential way an unspecified prior probability distribution over the continuumD _H of strong equilibrium density operators. In Part II mathematical evaluation of \(\hat \rho\) is completed after an epistemological analysis which leads first to the discretization ofD _H and then to the adoption of a suitable indifference axiom to delimit the set of admissible prior distributions. Finally, quantal formulas for information-theoretic and thermodynamic entropies are contrasted, and the entire work is summarized.     

Evaporatively cooled M+ (H2O)Ar cluster ions: infrared spectroscopy and internal energy simulations

Rotationally resolved IR spectra of M+ (H2O)Ar cluster ions for M=Na, K, and Cs in the O-H stretch region were measured in a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. Analysis of the spectra yields O-H stretch vibrational band origins and relative IR intensities of the symmetric and asymmetric modes. The effect of the alkali-metal ions on these modes results in frequency shifts and intensity changes from the gas phase values of water. The A-rotational constants are also obtained from the rotational structure and are discussed. Experimentally, the temperatures of these species were deduced from the relative populations of the K-rotational states. The internal energies and temperatures of the cluster ions for Na and K were simulated using RRKM calculations and the evaporative ensemble formalism. With binding energies and vibrational frequencies obtained from ab initio calculations, the average predicted temperatures are qualitatively consistent with the experimental values and demonstrate the additional cooling resulting from argon evaporation.     

Unexpected conversion of a polycyclic thiophene to a macrocyclic anhydride

Oxygenation of 2,5,9,12-tetra(tert-butyl)diacenaphtho[1,2-b:1′,2′-d]-thiophene (1, C₄₀H₄₄S) by peracids gave the cyclic sulfonic ester 4 (2,7,10,13-tetra(tert-butyl)diacenaphtho[1,2-c:1′,2′-e]oxathiin 5,5-dioxide, C₄₀H₄₄O₃S) which, when heated in nitrobenzene, is converted into a complex, macrocyclic anhydride 3 (C₈₀H₈₈O₃), which is derived from two molecules of 4. Further investigation found a likely intermediate in this reaction, 4,4′,7,7′-tetra(tert-butyl)-1,1′-biacenaphthylenylidene-2,2′-dione (5, C₄₀H₄₄O₂), apparently formed from 4 by additional oxidation. Anhydride 3 plausibly arises by Diels-Alder reaction of 4 and 5 followed by several ring fragmentations. The structures of 3, 4, and 5 were unambiguously established by X-ray crystallography.     

Pairwise exchanges of oxo and imido groups in rhenium(VII) compounds

The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the oxo and imido exchange reactions among MeReO(3), MeReO(2)(NR), MeReO(NR)(2), and MeRe(NR)(3) (R = 1-adamantyl, Ad; or 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, Ar) have been measured. The rate constant for the NAr series decreases from 0.27 to 0.0024 L mol(-1) s(-1) at 25 degrees C in benzene as the total number of participating imido groups increases from 2 to 4, indicating that steric effects play an important role in the kinetics of the ligand exchange reactions. But, with NAd, the values of k/L mol(-1) s(-1) are 0.2 (4 NAd), 100 (3 NAd), and 0.74 (2 NAd). The equilibrium constants, also subject to steric effects, are much larger than those predicted by ligand combination statistics and greatly favor the mixed oxo-imido compounds. The different steric demands by imido and oxo ligands are believed to be the main factor for the larger equilibrium constants because the equilibrium constant shows minimal dependence on temperature. The large negative activation entropies for the ligand exchange reactions are consistent with a metathesis mechanism featuring nearly concurrent interchange of oxo and imido groups.     

Condensation reactions of a comenaldehyde derivative

Condensation reactions of comenaldehyde methyl ether (I) with malonic acid, ethyl cyanoacetate, and cyanoacetamide to give β-(5-methoxy-4H-pyran-4-on-2-yl)acrylic acid (II), ethyl 2-cyano-3-(5-methoxy-4H-pyran-4-on-2-yl)propenoate (III), and 2-cyano-3-(5-methoxy-4H-pyran-4-on-2-yl)propenamide (IV), respectively, are described. Ultraviolet absorption spectra for 2-hydroxymethyl-5-methoxy-4H-pyran-4-one, I and II are presented.