The relative permittivity of 1,2-dimethoxyethane and N,N-dimethylformamide mixtures from −10 to 40°C

Binary solutions of N,N-dimethylformamide and 1,2-dimethoxyethane have been investigated by means of dielectric measurements at temperatures ranging from –10 to +40°C, and for nine mixtures covering the whole miscibility field expressed by the mole fraction of one component (0X₁1). The experimental data were used to study the dependence of on T and X₁, of the type = (T), = (X₁), and = (T,X₁). Further, the excess mixing function _E has been evaluated in order to identify particular patterns of interaction between unlike molecules and any other factor that could modify such patterns. The minimum in the _E vs. composition plots suggests the formation of an adduct of stoichiometric ratio DMFDME=11 at all the investigated temperatures.     

Structural and Transport Properties of Mg1−xMnxMn2O4±δ Spinels

The synthesis and structural properties of Mg_1−xMn_2+xO₄, for 0≤x≤1 are described. Complete miscibility in the solid state exists for this system. For the material with the correct stoichiometry, i.e. MgMn₂O₄, the effect of temperature on the cation distribution was investigated= above 600°C the inversion degree (m) starts increasing. The electrical conductivity shows a small dependence on P(O₂) which is consistent with the small oxygen non-stoichiometry determined by means of thermogravimetry. The main contribution to the transport properties arises from the inversion equilibrium. Two distinct conductivity regimes, below and above the inversion threshold, can be assumed to explain the electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power results.     

Non-destructive in situ determination of pigments in 15th century wall paintings by Raman microscopy

Raman microscopy has been applied to the study of 15th century wall paintings in a chapel of St. Orso Priory palace (Aosta, Italy) in view of their restoration. The use of a transportable instrument has made it possible to work non-destructively in situ without sampling. The main inorganic pigments used by the unknown artist, namely mercury sulphide, azurite, white lead, red and yellow ochre, carbon black and lead tin yellow type I have been identified, and the presence of organic substances and of some decay products (calcium sulphate and oxalate) has been observed.     

Liquid-Phase Selective Oxidation of Propane on Silica-Supported Nafion Catalysts

The liquid-phase partial oxidation of propane in the presence of the Fen+/H2O2 Fenton system at 70℃ and 1.4 atm on silica supported Nafion catalysts has been investigated. The reaction proceeds via a radical reaction path the efficiency of which is improved by silica-supported Nafion catalysts. Because of the direct relationship between reaction rate and concentration of sulphonic acid sites of Nafion catalysts, it is inferred that the active phase enahnces the kinetics of propane conversion by promoting the rate of active radicals generation.     

Photochemistry of Dihydrido(hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borato)(Z-cyclooctene)iridium. Synthetic Intermediates and Mechanism of the Photochemical Formation of Hydridophenyl(hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borato)(trimethyl phosphite)iridium

The photolysis of a benzene solution of [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(COE)], 1 (Tp(Me2) = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate, COE = Z-cyclooctene), in the presence of P(OMe)(3), gives the stable novel complex [Tp(Me2)IrH(C(6)H(5))(P(OMe)(3))], 3a. The photochemical syntheses of [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(P(OMe)(3))], from 1 and P(OMe)(3) in diethyl ether, and [Tp(Me2)IrH(2)(CH(2)=CHCOO(t)Bu)], from 1 in tert-butyl acrylate, are also reported. The above reactions and several experiments using C(6)D(6) and P(OCD(3))(3) show that, in all cases, the primary photoproduct is the 16-electron, five-coordinate iridium(III) intermediate {Tp(Me2)IrH(2)}, 6a, produced by loss of COE from 1. The above experiments also allow the postulation of a mechanistic pathway for the formation of 3a which involves the oxidative addition of an aromatic C-H bond by 6a. Furthemore, the photochemical reaction of 1 in the presence of P(OCD(3))(3) shows that, under the reaction conditions used, oxidative addition of C-H bonds of P(OMe)(3) and of coordinated Tp(Me2)-ligands, presumably, to the intermediates 6a and {Tp(Me2)IrH(C(6)H(5))}, also occurs. Thus, coordinatively unsaturated iridium(III) species readily activate C-H bonds.     

Optical Nanocomposite Planar Waveguides Doped with Rare-Earth and Noble Metal Elements

The present paper is focused on multilayer Er³⁺-doped silica-titania planar waveguides, co-doped with silver, which were prepared by spin-coating on silica glass, or buffered single crystal silicon substrates. The single layer thickness (0.4 m) and refractive index (1.60–1.63) were measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry at 715 nm. The thickness of the waveguides (measured by mechanical profilometry) was 1 m and their optical propagation losses were measured at different laser wavelengths (488 nm, 514 nm and 633 nm), exhibiting an approximately Rayleigh-like behavior. The thermal precipitation of silver nanocrystallites was achieved, both in air and under a controlled atmosphere (dry nitrogen) and these were characterized by visible absorption spectroscopy, which clearly showed the development of a plasmon absorption band near 415 nm, by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The Er³⁺ metastable level lifetimes for the emission at ca. 1.54 m were found to be ca. 4–6 ms, for Er³⁺ concentrations varying between 0.2–2.0 mol% (or (0.4–4.4) × 10²⁰ ions/cm³), but no significant variation was observed with the Ag concentration added (up to 2.5 mol%).     

Fused Mesoionic Heterocycles: Synthesis of 1,2,4-triazolo(4,3-b)-1,2,4-triazole derivatives

A number of mesoionic compounds derivatives of the bicyclic system 1,2,4-triazolo(4,3-b)-1,2,4-triazole have been prepared from 4-amino-1-methyl-3,5-bis(methylthio)-1,2,4-triazolium iodide and aryl isothiocyanates.     

Pyrrolopyridine analogs of nalidixic acid. 1. Pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines

A series of 4,7-dihydro-4-oxo-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-5-carboxylic acids was synthesized from ethyl 5-methyl(or 5H)-2-aminopyrrole-3-carboxylate. The starting pyrroles were obtained by reaction of carbethoxyacetamidine with bromoacetone or chloroacetaldehyde. One compound ( 10 ) showed antibacterial activity in vitro.     

Acetylenic derivatives of metal carbonyls of the triad Fe,Ru, Os—XI Mass spectra of some binuclear complexes

The mass spectra of the following acetylenic derivatives of iron, ruthenium and osmium carbonyls are reported: the iron compounds Fe₂(CO)₆[C₂(C₆H₅)s₂]₂, Fe₂(CO)₆[C₂(CH₃)₂]₂ and Fe₂(CO)₆[C₂(C₂H₅)₂]₂, the ruthenium compounds Ru₂(CO)₆[C₂(C₆H₅)₂]₂, and Ru₂(CO)₆[C₂(CH₃)₂]₂ and the osmium compounds Os₂(CO)₆[C₂(C₆H₅)₂]₂, Os₂(CO)₆[C₂HC₆H₅]₂ and Os₂(CO)₆[C₂(CH₃)₂]₂. Iron compounds exhibit breakdown schemes where binuclear, mononuclear and hydrocarbon ions are present. On the other hand, ruthenium and osmium compounds fragment in a similar way and give rise to singly and doubly charged binuclear ions. Phenylic derivatives of ruthenium and osmium also give weak triply charged ions. The results are discussed in terms of relative strengths of the metal-metal and metal-carbon bonds.     

Defect and dopant properties of MgTa2O6

Atomistic computer simulation techniques have been used, for the first time, to reproduce the crystal structure of MgTa₂O₆ and to investigate the defect chemistry and dopant properties of this material. The calculated defect energetics suggest that the concentration of intrinsic atomic defects in this phase is insignificant and that the system is probably stable to both oxidation and reduction. Dopant solution energy versus ion size trends are found for both isovalent and aliovalent dopant incorporation at Mg and Ta sites. Divalent dopants (e.g. Ca, Cu) preferentially occupy the Mg site whereas dopants with higher charge (e.g. Sc, Zr, Nb) are more favorable on the Ta site. High migration activation energies (>2 eV) predict limited ionic conductivity in this material.