Synthesis and characterization of palladium(II) complexes of some tellurium heterocycles

Summary A series of square planar complexes of the type [PdX₂L₂] where X=Cl, Br, I; L=telluracyclopentane (tcp), telluracyclohexane (tch) or benzotelluracyclopentane (btp) have been synthesised. The complexes were characterised by far-i.r., n.m.r. and u.v.-vis. spectroscopy. The data implytrans-geometries except for the complex [PdCl₂(tch)₂] where a mixture ofcis- andtrans-isomers is obtained.     

Aromatic polyamides. III. Mechanistic studies on the role of substituent chlorine in flame retarding aromatic polyamides

The flammability of poly(1,3-phenylene isophthalamide) and poly(chloro-2,4-phenylene isophthalamide) was measured by the oxygen index method. The chloro polyamide had reduced flammability shown by a 10–15 higher oxygen index. Analysis of the chars of the two polymers at 700°C by thermogravimetry (TGA) and elemental analysis showed that the chlorine caused a significant increase in the retention of C, H, N, and O in the pyrolysis residue. Most of the chlorine in the chloro polyamide, however, was lost by 700°C. Based on these results, we have suggested that the chlorine imparts flame retardancy by a combination of vapor- and condensed-phase mechanisms. The origin of condensed-phase activity is discussed.     

X-Ray fluorescence analysis of thulium oxide for rare earth impurities

A wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometric method has been developed for the analysis of thulium oxide to determine the neighbouring rare earth impurities. The sample is taken in oxalate form and the analysis is done on a Philips PW 1220 spectrometer with a LiF (200) crystal. The detection limit for holmium, lutetium and yttrium is 0.002%, for dysprosium and erbium 0.005% and for, ytterbium it is 0.01%. The precision at each concentration of the standards and the theoretical detection limits have been calculated. Intensity correction factors for the line overlaps have been determined.     

Aromatic polyamides. II. Thermal degradation of some aromatic polyamides and their model diamides

Thermal degradation behavior of poly(1,3-phenylene isophthalamide) and poly(chloro-2,4-phenylene isophthalamide) was investigated with the aid of some appropriate model compounds. The pyrolysis products of these materials were identified by gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (GC/FT-IR), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The residual chars were characterized by IR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was applied to study the effect of end-group concentration on the degradation characteristics of the two polyamides. Kinetic parameters that describe the thermal degradation of the polyamides were also evaluated by TGA. The results of this investigation suggest that the thermal decomposition of these aromatic polyamides involves homolytic as well as hydrolytic cleavages of the amide units.     

Huang diffuse scattering from interstitials in a general orthorhombic and tetragonal lattice

Using the continuum theory of linear elasticity, Huang diffuse scattering (HDS) has been calculated from self-interstitials in a general orthorhombic and tetragonal lattice. Various defect configurations are represented according to the point group symmetry of the defect site. The contribution toHDS from all possible equivalent orientations (assumed to be equally populated) of the defect configuration is averaged. The limitations ofHDS in discriminating between defect configurations having the same long-range symmetry are discussed, considering some special cases.     

Thermodynamic stability of polyacrylamide and poly(N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide)

Based on theoretical thermodynamic principles, the possibility of environmental degradation of polyacrylamide to its starting monomer was investigated. Theoretical electronic structure studies on the geometry and fragmentation energy of acrylamide and N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide tetramer models were carried out using a first principles gradient corrected density functional approach. Thermal degradation to form a radical would require the cleavage of carbon–carbon bonds in the polymer chain; the energy needed for this cleavage was found to depend on the structure of the repeat unit which ranged from low of 72.5 kcal for a rare head‐to‐head construct to 86.2 kcal for a normal head‐to‐tail polymer construct (therefore, for the cleavage of a normal head‐to‐tail repeat unit, temperatures of approximately 450°C would be required). The thermodynamics of the unzipping, disproportionation, and back‐biting reactions in the resulting radical fragments were also investigated; the back‐biting process was found to require the least energy and provided the most stable radical fragment with a low probability for disproportionation or releasing of monomer to occur. The effect of solvation on the hydrogen‐bonding network in the acrylamide tetramer was studied by adding explicit molecules of water to the tetramer models. The addition of water had a significant effect on the stability of the model polymer slightly stabilizing the head‐to‐head polymer, and slightly destabilizing the head to tail polymer. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stokes/anti-stokes intensity ratio in the resonance region

Relative intensities of the Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman lines associated with the I-I stretching mode of I₂ and symmetric stretching mode of MnO^?₄ are presented. The data indicate that the maxima in the excitation profile of the anti-Stokes scattering are shifted from those of the Stokes scattering. The experimental Stokes/anti-Stokes intensity ratios agree with the theoretical values obtained with parameters from the electronic absorption spectra.     

A novel method for the determination of synthetic colors in ice cream samples

A simple method has been developed for the extraction, separation, and determination of synthetic colors in ice cream samples. The process involves the breakdown of emulsion by neutral detergents (Triton X-100 and Tween 20) followed by extraction with petroleum ether for removal of fat. The aqueous colored solution obtained is treated with 5% acetic acid, and the uptake of color is carried out by a wool-dyeing technique. The color is eluted from the wool with 5% ammonia solution, the solution is evaporated to dryness, and the residue is dissolved in 60% ethanol for paper chromatography using trisodium citrate-ammonia-water (2 + 5 + 95, w/v/v) as the mobile phase. The colored spots from the paper chromatogram are cut and eluted with 60% ethanol, and the absorbance is measured at the respective lambda maximum corresponding to the Rf value of the appropriate standard. The recoveries of 6 colors, including sunset yellow FCF (SSYFCF), tartrazine, carmoisine, ponceau 4R, brilliant blue FCF (BBFCF), and fast green FCF from spiked samples with either detergent were found to be >90%. However, recoveries of erythrosine were 21 and 65% with Triton X-100 and Tween 20, respectively. Indigo carmine could not be recovered at all because of its fugitive property in 5% ammonia solution, which is used to strip the color from the wool. The sensitivity of the method with the use of Tween 20 is 1 ppm (1 microg/g) for the colors in spiked ice cream samples. With this method, we analyzed samples of 20 branded colored ice cream. The results showed the presence of tartrazine (8.4-43.3 ppm), SSYFCF (23.5-117.6 ppm), carmoisine (traces-53.2 ppm), erythrosine (3.5 ppm), and BBFCF (4.1 ppm) in the ice cream samples. Apart from 2 samples of tuttifruity, all of the ice cream samples showed the presence of permitted synthetic colors below the permissible level of 100 ppm established by the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of India.     

Structural and electronic properties of compound metal clusters

The equilibrium geometries, relative stabilities, and vertical ionization potentials of compound clusters involving Li _n , Na, Mg, and Al atoms have been calculated using ab initio self-consistent field linear combination of atomic orbitals — molecular orbital (SCF-LCAO-MO) method. The exchange energies are calculated exactly using the unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) method whereas the correlation correction is included within the framework of configuration interaction involving pair excitations of valence electrons. While the later correction has no significant effect on the equilibrium geometries of clusters, it is essential for the understanding of relative stabilities. Clusters with even numbers of electrons are found to be more stable than those with odd numbers of electrons regardless of their charge state and atomic composition. The equilibrium geometries of homo-nuclear clusters can be significantly altered by replacing one of its constituent atoms with a hetero-nuclear atom. The role of electronic structure on the geometries and stabilities of compound clusters is discussed.