An aqueous ammonia sensor based on an inkjet-printed polyaniline nanoparticle-modified electrode

A sensor for the amperometric detection of aqueous ammonia was fabricated using the inkjet printing of dodecylbenzene sulfonate (DBSA)-doped polyaniline nanoparticles (nanoPANI) onto a screen-printed carbon paste electrode. The combination of the environmentally inert, aqueous nanoparticle dispersion with the inkjet printing technique allowed the rapid fabrication of sensors based on polyaniline that was not easily achievable in the past due to the lack of processability of bulk forms of the conducting polymer. The resulting modified electrode was characterised with respect to its operating pH and number of print layers and was found to perform optimally at near neutral pH with four nanoPANI inkjet-printed layers. The sensor was tested in a flow injection system for its response to aqueous ammonia using amperometric detection at -0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl pseudo-reference and was found to have reproducibility to injections of ammonia of below 5% RSD and good sensitivity with an experimental detection limit of 20 microM and a theoretical detection limit of 3.17 microM (0.54 ppm). The sensor was also tested for its day-to-day stability and its response towards a range of interferents common to refrigerant waste waters. This system allows the rapid production of an ultra-low-cost, solid state, polyaniline-based aqueous ammonia sensor.     

Does the ion–molecule reaction between HCCH and HCN lead to CH2CH–CN? A computational and experimental study of the reverse process

The title ion–molecule reaction has been proposed to play an important role in interstellar chemistry if it yields acrylonitrile ions CH₂CH–CN⁺. This question was probed by examining the formation of HCCH⁺ and HCN from low-energy ions CH₂CH–CN⁺ and related isomers, using tandem mass spectrometry based experiments (D and ¹³C labelling) in conjunction with model chemistry calculations (CBS-QB3/APNO). We conclude that the title reaction is a barrierless multistep rearrangement that may not effectively compete with the straightforward formation of stable distonic ions HCCH–NCH⁺ from HCCH⁺(ion)–HCN(dipole) encounter complexes.     

Luminescence of LnIII dithiocarbamate complexes (Ln = La, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy)

We have discovered room temperature photoluminescence in Sm3+ and Pr3+ dithiocarbamate complexes. Surprisingly, these complexes exhibit more intense emission than those of the Eu3+, Tb3+, and Dy3+ analogues. The electronic absorption, excitation, and emission spectra are reported for the complexes [Ln(S2CNR2)3L] and NH2Et2[Ln(S2CNEt2)4], where Ln = Sm, Pr; R = ethyl, ibutyl, benzyl; and L = 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,2'-bipyridine, and 5-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline. The lowest ligand-localized triplet energy level (T1) of the complexes are determined from the phosphorescence spectra of analogous La3+ and Gd3+ chelates. The luminescence decay curves were measured to determine the excited-state lifetimes for the Pr3+ and Sm3+ complexes. X-ray crystal structures of Sm(S2CNiBu2)3phen, Pr(S2CNEt2)3phen, and Pr(S2CNiBu2)3phen are also reported.     

Solvent, anion, and structural effects on the redox potentials and UV-visible spectral properties of mononuclear manganese corroles

A series of manganese(III) corroles were investigated as to their electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry in nonaqueous solvents. Up to three oxidations and one reduction were obtained for each complex depending on the solvents. The main compound discussed in this paper is the meso-substituted manganese corrole, (Mes 2PhCor)Mn, and the main points are how changes in axially coordinated anion and solvent will affect the redox potentials and UV-vis spectra of each electrogenerated species in oxidation states of Mn(III), Mn(IV), or Mn(II). The anions OAc (-), Cl (-), CN (-), and SCN (-) were found to form five-coordinate complexes with the neutral Mn(III) corrole while two OH (-) or F (-) anions were shown to bind axially in a stepwise addition to give the five- and six-coordinate complexes in nonaqueous media. In each case, complexation with one or two anionic axial ligands led to an easier oxidation and a harder reduction as compared to the uncomplexed four-coordinate species.     

Potential energy curve for isomerization of N2H2 and C2H4 using the improved virtual orbital multireference Møller-Plesset perturbation theory

Multireference M?ller-Plesset (MRMP) perturbation theory [K. Hirao, Chem. Phys. Lett. 190, 374 (1992)] is modified to use improved virtual orbitals (IVOs) and is applied to study ground state potential energy curves for isomerization and dissociation of the N2H2 and C2H4 molecules. In contrast to traditional MRMP or multistate multiconfiguration quasidegenerate perturbation theory where the reference functions are obtained from (often difficult to converge) state averaged multiconfiguration self-consistent field methods, our reference functions are represented in terms of computationally efficient IVOs. For convenience in comparisons with other methods, a first order complete active space configuration interaction (CASCI) calculation with the IVOs is followed by the use of the IVOs in MRMP to incorporate residual electron correlation effects. The potential energy curves calculated from the IVO-MRMP method are compared with computations using state-of-the-art coupled cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) methods and variants thereof to assess the efficacy of the IVO-MRMP scheme. The present study clearly demonstrates that unlike the CCSD and its variants, the IVO-MRMP approach provides smooth and reliable ground state potential energy curves for isomerization of these systems. Although the rigorously size-extensive completely renormalized CC theory with noniterative triples corrections (CR-CC(2,3)) likewise provides relatively smooth curves, the CR-CC(2,3) calculations overestimate the cis-trans barrier height for N2H2. The ground state spectroscopic constants predicted by the IVO-CASCI method agree well with experiment and with other highly correlated ab initio methods.     

Quenching of highly vibrationally excited pyrimidine by collisions with CO2

Relaxation of highly vibrationally excited pyrimidine (C(4)N(2)H(4)) by collisions with carbon dioxide has been investigated using diode laser transient absorption spectroscopy. Vibrationally hot pyrimidine (E(')=40 635 cm(-1)) was prepared by 248-nm excimer laser excitation, followed by rapid radiationless relaxation to the ground electronic state. The nascent rotational population distribution (J=58-80) of the 00(0)0 ground state of CO(2) resulting from collisions with hot pyrimidine was probed at short times following the excimer laser pulse. Doppler spectroscopy was used to measure the CO(2) recoil velocity distribution for J=58-80 of the 00(0)0 state. Rate constants and probabilities for collisions populating these CO(2) rotational states were determined. The measured energy transfer probabilities, indexed by final bath state, were resorted as a function of DeltaE to create the energy transfer distribution function, P(E,E(')), from E(')-E approximately 1300-7000 cm(-1). P(E,E(')) is fitted to a single exponential and a biexponential function to determine the average energy transferred in a single collision between pyrimidine and CO(2) and parameters that can be compared to previously studied systems using this technique, pyrazineCO(2), C(6)F(6)CO(2), and methylpyrazineCO(2). P(E,E(')) parameters for these four systems are also compared to various molecular properties of the donor molecules. Finally, P(E,E(')) is analyzed in the context of two models, one which suggests that the shape of P(E,E(')) is primarily determined by the low-frequency out-of-plane donor vibrational modes and one which suggests that the shape of P(E,E(')) can be determined by how the donor molecule final density of states changes with DeltaE.     

Electrochemical and spectroscopic characterization of a series of mixed-ligand diruthenium compounds

The electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of a novel series of mixed-ligand diruthenium compounds were examined. The investigated compounds having the formula Ru(2)(CH(3)CO(2))(x)(Fap)(4-x)Cl where x = 1-3 and Fap is 2-(2-fluoroanilino)pyridinate anion were made from the reaction of Ru(2)(CH(3)CO(2))(4)Cl with 2-(2-fluoroanilino)pyridine (HFap) in refluxing methanol. The previously characterized Ru(2)(Fap)(4)Cl as well as the three newly isolated compounds represented as Ru(2)(CH(3)CO(2))(Fap)(3)Cl (1), Ru(2)(CH(3)CO(2))(2)(Fap)(2)Cl (2), and Ru(2)(CH(3)CO(2))(3)(Fap)Cl (3) possess three unpaired electrons with a Ru(2)(5+) dimetal core. Complexes 1 and 2 have well-defined Ru(2)(5+/4+) and Ru(2)(5+/6+) redox couples in CH(2)Cl(2), but 3 exhibits a more complicated electrochemical behavior due to equilibria involving association or dissociation of the anionic chloride axial ligand on the initial and oxidized or reduced forms of the compound. The E(1/2) values for the Ru(2)(5+/4+) and Ru(2)(5+/6+) processes vary linearly with the number of CH(3)CO(2)(-) bridging ligands on Ru(2)(CH(3)CO(2))(x)(Fap)(4-x)Cl and plots of reversible half-wave potentials vs the number of acetate groups follow linear free energy relationships with the largest substituent effect being observed for the oxidation. The major UV-visible band of the examined compounds in their neutral Ru(2)(5+) form is located between 550 and 800 nm in CH(2)Cl(2) and also varies linearly with the number of CH(3)CO(2)(-) ligands on Ru(2)(CH(3)CO(2))(x)(Fap)(4-x)Cl. The electronic spectra of the singly oxidized and singly reduced forms of each diruthenium species were characterized by UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry in CH(2)Cl(2).     

Energy-consistent relativistic pseudopotentials for the 4d elements: atomic and molecular applications

Recently reported energy-consistent relativistic pseudopotentials have been used with series of matching correlation consistent basis sets in benchmark calculations of various atomic and molecular properties. The basis set convergence of the 4d metal electron affinities and 5s2-->5s0 excitation energies are reported at the CCSD(T) level of theory, and the effects of valence and 4s4p correlation are investigated. In addition the impact of correlating the low-lying 3d electrons was also studied in all-electron Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH) calculations, which also included the ionization potentials and 5s2-->5s1 excitation energies. For all four atomic properties, higher order coupled cluster calculations through CCSDTQ are reported. The final calculated values are generally all within 1 kcal/mol of experiment. A notable exception is the ionization potential of Tc, the currently accepted experimental value of which is suggested to be too high by about 3 kcal/mol. Molecular calculations are also reported for the low-lying electronic states of ZrO and RuF, as well as the ground electronic state of Pd2. The effects of spin-orbit coupling are investigated for these cases in pseudopotential calculations. Wherever possible, the pseudopotential results have been calibrated against DKH calculations with correlation consistent basis sets of triple-zeta quality. In all cases the calculated data for these species are in very good agreement with experiment. In particular, the correct electronic ground state for the RuF molecule (4Phi92) was obtained, which was made possible by utilizing systematic sequences of correlation consistent basis sets.     

Structural assignment of adenine aggregates in CDCl3

We reinvestigated the self-association of 9-substituted adenine derivatives in CDCl3 solutions and present the infrared spectra of 9-ethyladenine and N-methyl-9-ethyladenine and its aggregates in the spectral regions between 1500 and 1800 cm(-1) and between 2700 and 3600 cm(-1). Wavelength dependent absolute extinction coefficients of the monomer and dimers are presented on the basis of a simple deconvolution method. Comparison of the deconvoluted dimer spectra with quantum chemical calculations allows for a structural assignment of the two dimer structures that coexist in 9-ethyladenine/CDCl3 solutions. In contrast, the dimer spectrum of N-methyl-9-ethyladenine is dominated by a single isomer.     

Investigations on Novel 1,3-Diazetidine Based Four-Membered N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Attempts towards the synthesis of two novel four-membered 1,3-diazetidine based N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) containing an organic backbone with a carbonyl functionality were undertaken. These carbenes cannot be isolated but the respective carbene dimers are obtained in quantitative yield which undergo a degradation and rearrangement sequence upon thermal exposure. Some of the species involved in these thermal reactions could be isolated and characterized, others were observed by mass spectrometric experiments. Ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide a mechanistic rationale for the experimental observations. Since dimerization is strongly favored, classic carbene trapping reactions remain a goal to achieve.