Small dissymmetry,yet large effects on the transport propertiesof electrolytes based on imide salts: Consequences on performancein Li-ion batteries

To gain better insight into the influence of the anion size and symmetry on the transport properties and thermal stability of an electrolyte based on lithium(fluorosulfonyl)(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)-imide(FTFSI)salt,we performed the physical and electrochemical characterization of an electrolyte based on FTFSI incorporated in standard binary(3 EC/7 EMC)and ternary(EC/PC/3 DMC)alkylcarbonate mixtures.By applying the Jones-Dole-Kaminsky(JDK),Eyring and Arrhenius empirical models to the electrolyte viscosity we show that the activation enthalpy and entropy energy barriers(ΔH≠,ΔS≠)for viscous flow are between 12 and 15 kJ·mol^-1.They are strongly dependent on the solvent nature and are significantly lower than their symmetric anions LiFSI and LiTFSI(19-20 kJ·mol^-1)in the binary mixture.Furthermore,the hydrodynamic radius,rs,calculated by JDK,and the ionicity behavior illustrated by the Walden role,showed that the FTFSI anion is outside the solvation sphere(rs>0.6 nm)which is smaller in the case of an EC/EMC solvent base.In the 3 EC/7 EMC solvent mixture,LiFTFSI is less conductive than in the ternary mixture i.e.,σ_max=8.9 mS cm^-1 at C_max=1.1 mol L^-1 for 3 EC/7 EMC and,σ_max=10.5 mS cm^-1 at max=0.7 mol L^-1 for EC/PC/3 DMC,due to a strong solvation and a greater association of FTFSI ions in the binary solvent mixture.The thermal stability of FTFSI based electrolytes was determined by the shift of the evaporation temperature of the volatile solvents(DMC,EMC)in the presence of salt,towards the higher temperatures.This feature is visible on the thermograms obtained by DSC both with the liquid electrolyte and with charged LMO cathodes in presence of electrolytes.The consequences of these properties on the electrochemical behavior of a graphite(Gr)half-cell,a lithium metal(Li)anode and a manganese lithium oxide(LMO)cathode demonstrated on the one hand the formation of a thick solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)on graphite that consumed a significant amount of lithium i.e.,18%of total capacity of the first charge.Furthermore,LiFTFSI delivered 95%of the initial capacity C=360 mAh g^-1 at C/10 with EC/PC/3 DMC versus 91%when it was combined with 3 EC/7 EMC C=348 mAh g^-1,while the capacities obtained for LiTFSI in EC/PC/3 DMC were the lowest(C=275 mAh g^-1)compared to those of the other salts.After 10 cycles,the capacity loss at C/20 is<2%for LiFSI and LiFTFSI with the two solvent mixtures.On the other hand,manganese dissolution from LMO as well as current collector corrosion were confirmed by post-mortem examination of opened coin cells.The incompatibility of the LMO cathode with an electrolyte based on FTFSI was confirmed by the position of the decomposition peak of charged LMO in contact with this electrolyte observed by DSC These results demonstrate that the nature of the anion as well as the composition of the solvent considerably influence the performance of imide-based lithium salts both on the anode,but especially on the high voltage cathode.     

CuLn complexes with a single μ-oximato bridge

Two original dinuclear (LnYb, 3 and LnEr, 4) and one trinuclear Cu^IILn^IIICu^II (LnGd, 5) complexes derived from a polydentate non symmetrical Schiff base ligand H₂L have been prepared. The ligand possesses two functions (phenol and oxime) able to coordinate the Ln ions, but structural studies (X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction) show that the Cu^II and Ln^III ions are only bridged by the oximato (NO) pair. The missing phenoxo bridge is replaced by a surprising pseudo-bridge involving one oxygen atom of the nitrato anion linked to the Cu and Ln ions according to a η²: η¹: μ mode. Although this latter contact has no role from the magnetic point of view, it introduces a large deformation of the unique bridging network. The CuYb complex 3 and the trinuclear CuGdCu complex 5 present antiferromagnetic interactions, with a J_CuGd interaction equal to ?1.25 cm^?1 in 5. The genuine single bridge can be considered as responsible for the antiferromagnetic character of the interaction.     

Capillary HPLC–ICP MS mapping of selenocompounds in spots obtained from the 2-D gel electrophoresis of the water-soluble protein fraction of selenized yeast

A method based on ICP collision-cell MS detection in capillary HPLC was developed to gain an insight into the purity and identity of selenium-containing proteins separated by 1-D and 2-D electrophoresis. The bands and spots obtained after the separation of water-soluble proteins in selenized yeast were digested with trypsin prior to chromatography. Selenium could be detected down to the subpicogram level. The method, assisted by information obtained by MALDI TOF MS on the 5000 Da cut-off fraction, permitted the purity of bands and spots to be estimated and the efficiency of tryptic digestion and the quantity of selenium present in individual peptides to be evaluated. Owing to the high sensitivity and the lack of matrix suppression effects, the method provided chromatograms with signal-to-noise ratios of 10–1000 in conditions where the common ES Q–TOF MS detection failed.      

CO2 Hydroboration: Impact of the Boryl Moieties on the Reactivity of Four Bis(boryl)acetal Compounds toward 2,6-Diisopropylaniline

The hydroboration of CO₂ into bis(boryl)acetal (BBA) compounds is an important transformation, since it enabled to selectively reduce CO₂ by 4e^- and to subsequently use the BBA compounds as C₁ and C_n sources. However, the influence of the nature of the boryl moieties on the reactivity of BBA compounds has not been evaluated so far. In the present study, four BBA compounds – including two new ones – were reacted with 2,6-diisopropylaniline to afford the expected imine. Significant differences in the rate of the reaction from minutes to weeks have been observed depending on the BBA used, showing the importance of the nature of the boryl moieties. Theoretical investigations enabled to propose a mechanism involving the addition of the aniline to the BBA as the rate-determining step and to determine that the steric hindrance of the BBA compounds is the main factor driving the rate of this condensation reaction.     

Structural and luminescent properties of micro- and nanosized particles of lanthanide terephthalate coordination polymers

Reaction in water between rare earth ions (Ln = Y, La-Tm, except Pm) and the sodium salt of terephthalic acid leads to a family of lanthanide-based coordination polymers of general formula [Ln2(C8H4O4)3(H2O)4] n with Ln = La-Tm or Y. The isostructurality of the compounds with the previously reported Tb-containing polymer is ascertained on the basis of their X-ray powder diffraction diagrams. The coordination water molecules can be reversibly removed without destroying the crystal structure for compounds involving one of the lighter lanthanide ions (La-Eu). For compounds involving one of the heavier lanthanide ions (Tb-Tm) or yttrium, a structural change occurs during the drying process. X-ray diffraction data show this new anhydrous phase corresponding to the linking of pairs of Er(III) ions through mu-carboxylate bridges. Porosity profiles calculated for the anhydrous phases of Tb(III) and Er(III) show the presence of channels with very small sections. The luminescent properties of all the compounds have been recorded and the two most luminescent polymers, namely, the europium- and the terbium-containing ones, have been studied in more detail. Tb(III)-containing compounds display large quantum yields, up to 43%. Polyvinylpyrrolidone nanoparticles doped with [Ln2(C8H4O4)3(H2O)4] n (Ln = Eu, Tb, Er) have also been synthesized and characterized. The encapsulation of the coordination polymers results in somewhat reduced luminescence intensities and lifetime, but the nanoparticles can be dispersed in water and remain unchanged in this medium for more than 20 h.     

A systematic study of carboxylic acids in negative ion mode electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry providing a structural model for ion suppression

We report a systematic investigation of the effects and structural requirements for ion suppression in negative ion mode electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry of a series of carboxylic acids and present a structural model rationalising ion suppression effects.     

A Highly Effective Ruthenium System for the Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Cyclization of Amine–Boranes to Cyclic Boranes under Mild Conditions

We recently disclosed a new ruthenium‐catalyzed dehydrogenative cyclization process (CDC) of diamine–monoboranes leading to cyclic diaminoboranes. In the present study, the CDC reaction has been successfully extended to a larger number of diamine–monoboranes ( 4 – 7 ) and to one amine–borane alcohol precursor ( 8 ). The corresponding NB(H)N‐ and NB(H)O‐containing cyclic diaminoboranes ( 12 – 15 ) and oxazaborolidine ( 16 ) were obtained in good to high yields. Multiple substitution patterns on the starting amine–borane substrates were evaluated and the reaction was also performed with chiral substrates. Efforts have been spent to understand the mechanism of the ruthenium CDC process. In addition to a computational approach, a strategy enabling the kinetic discrimination on successive events of the catalytic process leading to the formation of the NB(H)N linkage was performed on the six‐carbon chain diamine–monoborane 21 and completed with a ¹⁵N NMR study. The long‐life bis‐σ‐borane ruthenium intermediate 23 possessing a reactive NHMe ending was characterized in situ and proved to catalyze the dehydrogenative cyclization of 1 , ascertaining that bis σ‐borane ruthenium complexes are key intermediates in the CDC process.     

Coexistence of Two Thermally Induced Intramolecular Electron Transfer Processes in a Series of Metal Complexes [M(Cat‐N‐BQ)(Cat‐N‐SQ)]/[M(Cat‐N‐BQ)2] (M=Co,Fe, and Ni) bearing Non‐Innocent Catechol‐Based Ligands: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

The different thermally induced intermolecular electron transfer (IET) processes that can take place in the series of complexes [M(Cat‐N‐BQ)(Cat‐N‐SQ)]/[M(Cat‐N‐BQ)₂], for which M=Co ( 2 ), Fe ( 3 ) and Ni( 4 ), and Cat‐N‐BQ and Cat‐N‐SQ denote the mononegative (Cat‐N‐BQ^?) or dinegative (Cat‐N‐SQ^2?) radical forms of the tridentate Schiff‐base ligand 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐1,2‐quinone‐1‐(2‐hydroxy‐3,5‐di‐tert‐butylphenyl)imine, have been studied by variable‐temperature UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopies. Depending on the metal ion, rather different behaviors are observed. Complex 2 has been found to be one of the few examples so far reported to exhibit the coexistence of two thermally induced electron transfer processes, ligand‐to‐metal (IET^LM) and ligand‐to‐ligand (IET^LL). IET^LL was only found to take place in complex 3 , and no IET was observed for complex 4 . Such experimental studies have been combined with ab initio wavefunction‐based CASSCF/CASPT2 calculations. Such a strategy allows one to solicit selectively the speculated orbitals and to access the ground states and excited‐spin states, as well as charge‐transfer states giving additional information on the different IET processes.     

First examples of neutral rhenium(V) complexes with a novel semi-rigid ligand containing a P,N,N,S donor atom set: Synthesis,characterisation and crystal structure

A new PN₂S ligand, N-[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]-2-[(S-trityl)acetylamino]ethanamide [Ph-P(Ph₂)N₂S(Trt)], was synthesised and reacted with Re^V precursors. The reaction of both tritylated and detritylated ligands with ReOCl₃(PPh₃)₂ gave the same expected neutral complex [ReO{Ph-P(Ph₂)N₂S}] (4) in good yield. An unexpected neutral and diamagnetic species, [ReN{Ph-P(Ph₂)N₂S(Trt)}] (5), has been isolated during the complexation of the tritylated ligand with ReNCl₂(PPh₃)₂. The complexes, characterized by classical spectroscopic methods and X-ray analysis for 4, are the first examples of neutral semi-rigid-PN₂S rhenium(V) complexes.