Theoretical studies on hydroquinone-benzene clusters

High-level ab initio calculations were carried out to evaluate the interaction between the hydroquinone and benzene molecules. The intermolecular interaction energy was calculated using the M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory at the complete basis set limit and also at the coupled cluster theory with single, double, and perturbatively triple excitations. The calculated binding energy is larger than the benzene dimer interaction energy. The T-shaped cluster (T-a) and the parallel conformation (P-a) are calculated to be nearly isoenergetic. Owing to the large energy gain in the attraction by electron correlation, the dispersion interaction is important for the attraction.     

HF(H2O)n clusters with an excess electron: ab initio study

The structures of electron-bound and neutral clusters of HF(H2O)n (n=1-3) were optimized at the level of second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). Then, the energies were studied using the coupled cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples correction [CCSD(T)] method. The vertical detachment energies of the electron-bound clusters for n=1-3 are 60, 180, and approximately 300 meV, respectively. In the case of the n=3, two structures are competing energetically. The electron-bound clusters for n=1 and 2 are 1.5 and 1.8 kcal/mol more stable than the neutral, while that for n=3 is 0.6-0.9 kcal/mol less stable. The excess electron is stabilized in the surface-bound state of the dipole oriented structures of the hydrated acid clusters. Vibrational spectra of the electron-bound clusters are discussed.     

Size control of semimetal bismuth nanoparticles and the UV-visible and IR absorption spectra

We introduced a simple chemical method to synthesize semimetal bismuth nanoparticles in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) by reducing Bi(3+) with sodium borohydride (NaBH(4)) in the presence of poly(vinylpyrroldone) (PVP) at room temperature. The size and dispersibility of Bi nanoparticles can be easily controlled by changing the synthetic conditions such as the molar ratio of PVP to BiCl(3) and the concentration of BiCl(3). The UV-visible absorption spectra of Bi nanoparticles of different diameters are systematically studied. The surface plasmon peaks broaden with the increasing molar ratio of PVP to BiCl(3) as the size of bismuth nanoparticles decreases. Infrared (IR) spectra of the complexes with different molar ratios of PVP/BiCl(3) show a strong interaction between the carboxyl oxygen (C=O) of PVP and Bi(3+) ion and a weak interaction between the carboxyl oxygen (C=O) of PVP and the Bi atom in nanoparticles. This indicates that PVP serves as an effective capping ligand, which prevents the nanoparticles from aggregation.     

Asymmetric Baylis–Hillman Reactions Promoted by Chiral Imidazolines

The coupling of electrophiles with activated alkenes by using tertiary amines or phosphines is generally known as the Baylis–Hillman reaction. It is a useful and atom‐economical carbon–carbon bond‐forming reaction that generates multifunctionalized products. This reaction is notoriously slow; yields are often low and substrate‐dependent. The asymmetric reaction is still limited especially for unactivated olefins such as acrylates. Imidazolines have been developed as ligands in metal‐catalyzed reactions and have also been used as privileged structures in diversity‐oriented synthesis. A series of novel chiral imidazolines were prepared and used to develop asymmetric Baylis–Hillman reactions. These imidazolines promote the reactions of various aromatic aldehydes with unactivated acrylates. Enantiomeric excesses of up to 60 % and high yields were obtained by using stoichiometric amounts of the promoter. Furthermore, the imidazolines are also suitable promoters for the reactions between aromatic aldehydes and alkyl vinyl ketones. Enantiomeric excesses of up to 78 % and high yields were obtained with 50 mol % of an imidazoline with a chiral methylnaphthyl group. These chiral imidazolines are easily prepared from commercially available amino alcohols and can be easily recovered for reuse without loss of product enantioselectivity.     

Theoretical studies on the acid hydrolysis of methyl carbamate

The mechanism of the A2 acid hydrolysis of methyl carbamate was investigated using MNDO method. The reaction was found to proceed in two steps: (1) the rate-determining nucleophilic attack of water on the carbonyl carbon of the N-protonated tautomer involving the tetrahedral TS; and (2) the fast subsequent proton abstraction by the leaving group, NH₃, to form products. The mechanism is similar to that involved in the A2 hydrolysis of acetamide. Effects of substituents, R¹, R², and R³ in R¹OCONR²R³, on rates can be predicted by the changes in electron densities on alkoxy oxygen and N, in complete agreement with the experimental results. We concluded that there is no need for invoking two different mechanisms for amides and carbamates since a common mechanism can easily accommodate all the experimental results.     

Aligned inclusion of hemicyanine dyes into silica zeolite films for second harmonic generation

Silicalite-1 films (thickness = 400 nm) supported on both sides of glass plates (SL/G) were prepared, and hemicyanine dyes (HC-n) with different alkyl chain lengths (n, n = 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 22, and 24) were included into the silicalite-1 films by dipping SL/Gs into each methanol solution of HC-n (1 mM) for 1 d. The included numbers of HC-n per channel (N(C)) generally decreased with increasing n; that is, they were 6.4, 23.1, 15.4, 8.2, 5.7, 3.5, 0.9, and 1.2 molecules per channel, respectively. The d(33) value gradually increased with increasing n but decreased when n > 18; that is, they were 1.12, 0.50, 2.25, 3.59, 4.99, 5.30, 1.71, and 2.57 pm V(-1), respectively. However, d(33)/N(C) progressively increased with increasing n. The d(31) values were approximately 100 times smaller than the corresponding d(33) values, and the average d(33)/d(31) ratio was 109, which is higher than those of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films and poled polymers of nonlinear optical (NLO) dyes, by approximately 2-5 and approximately 30-50 times, respectively. The estimated average tilted angle of the dyes with respect to the channel direction was 7.7 degrees, and the calculated average order parameter was 0.97, which is approximately 480 times higher than the values observed from poled polymers. The degree of uniform alignment (DUA) generally increased with increasing n. The progressive increase of both DUA and d(33)/N(C) with n is attributed to the increase in the tendency of HC-n to enter hydrophobic silicalite-1 channels with the hydrophobic alkyl chain first. A more than 134-fold increase in DUA was observed upon increasing n from 6 to 24. The DUA of HC-24 in the silicalite-1 film reached close to 1. Although the observed d(33) values were lower than those of the LB films of NLO dyes due to very small dye densities of the silicalite films, this methodology bears a great potential to be developed into the methods for preparing practically viable NLO films.     

Cesium ion-selective electrodes based on 1,3-alternate thiacalix[4]biscrown-6,6

Four thiacalix[4]biscrown ethers with 1,3-alternate conformation were examined for the potentiometric responses in poly(vinyl chloride) membrane electrodes. Their potentiometric selectivities toward potassium and cesium ions over other alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metal ions were measured by the fixed interference method (FIM). Among the ionophores, 1,3-alternate thiacalix[4]biscrown-6,6 showed a high selectivity for cesium over potassium ion and so was optimized as a Cs⁺-selective electrode. The electrode exhibited a linear response with a near Nernstian slope of 57.6 mV per decade in the concentration range of 1.0×10⁻⁶ to 3.2×10⁻² M. It was suitable for use in aqueous solution in a wide range of pH 2.5-12.5 and had a fast response time of ca. 5 s. On the basis of 1,3-alternate thiacalix[4]biscrown-6,6, the electrode has a wide linear range and selectivity for cesium ion over potassium ion better than those previously reported with other ionophores.     

Adsorption and isotope effects by ion exchange with aqueous-2-aminomethyl-18-crown-6 bonded merrifield resin

Magnesium isotopes effects were investigated by chemical ion exchange using synthesized 2-aminomethyl-18-crown-6 (AM18C6) bonded Merrifield peptide resin. It was found that separation factors larger those reported previously were obtained, and the hydration and isotope mass effects are more significant than that of the complexation. The capacity of the crown ion exchanger was 2.3 meq/g dry resin. The adsorption capacity of the resin for magnesium ion was 26.8 mg/g dry resin at pH 7. The heavier isotopes of magnesium were enriched in the solution phase, while the lighter isotopes were enriched in the resin phase. The separation factors of (24)Mg-(25)Mg, (24)Mg-(26)Mg, and (25)Mg-(26)Mg were 1.0085, 1.0162, and 1.0081, respectively.     

Photochemische Reaktionen von Cyclopentadienylbis(ethen)rhodium mit Phenanthren,Acenaphthylen und Triphenylen,sowie ungewöhnlicher H-Austausch zwischen η2-koordinierten Phenanthren- bzw. Acenaphthylen- und η5-Cyclopentadienyl-Liganden

Photochemical Reactions of Cyclopentadienylbis(ethene)rhodium with Phenanthrene, Acenaphthylene, and Triphenylene, and Unusual H Exchange between η²-Coordinated Phenanthrene or Acenaphthylene and η⁵-Cyclopentadienyl Ligands During UV irradiation of [CpRh(C₂H₄)₂] (Cp = η⁵-C₅H₅) in hexane/ether in the presence of phenanthrene one ethene ligand is displaced by coordination of the 9,10 double bond of phenanthrene, and (η⁵-cyclopentadienyl) (η²-ethene)(η²-9,10-phenanthrene)rhodium ( 1 ) is formed. The analogous reaction in hexane in the presence of acenaphthylene occurs with formation of the complexes (η²-1,2-acenaphthylene)(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)(²-ethene)rhodium 2 and bis(η²-1,2-acenaphthylene)(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)rhodium 3 in which one and two ethene molecules of [CpRh(C₂H₄)₂], respectively, are substituted by η²-1,2-acenaphthylene. The irradiation of [CpRh(C₂H₄)₂] with triphenylene in hexane yields the compounds [CpRh(η⁴-1,2,3,4-triphenylene)] ( 4 ), [(CpRh)₂(μ-η³: η³-triphenylene)] ( 5 ), and [(CpRh)₃(μ₃-η²: η²: η²-triphenylene)] ( 6 ). Despite the partially very low yields the new complexes could be unequivocally characterized spectroscopically and in the case of 1 and 3 by X-ray structural analysis. The compounds 1 and 2 in solution reveal a novel dynamic behaviour; via an intramolecular C? H activation, exchange occurs between the protons of the η²-coordinated arene and the Cp ligand. The complex 4 in solution is fluxional, too.     

(4S)‐3‐[(2R,3S)‐3‐Hydr­oxy‐2‐methyl‐3‐phenyl­propion­yl]‐4‐isopropyl­oxazolidin‐2‐one

The mol­ecule of the title compound, C₁₆H₂₁NO₄, is chiral and has three asymmetric centres. The absolute configuration was not determined via diffraction measurements on the crystal, but was established from the known absolute configuration of the starting material. In the crystal structure, the mol­ecules assemble through inter­molecular hydrogen bonds into a macrostructure with helical channels.