Towards High Performance Chemical Vapour Deposition V2O5 Cathodes for Batteries Employing Aqueous Media

The need for clean and efficient energy storage has become the center of attention due to the eminent global energy crisis and growing ecological concerns. A key component in this effort is the ultra-high performance battery, which will play a major role in the energy industry. To meet the demands in portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, and large-scale energy storage systems, it is necessary to prepare advanced batteries with high safety, fast charge ratios, and discharge capabilities at a low cost. Cathode materials play a significant role in determining the performance of batteries. Among the possible electrode materials is vanadium pentoxide, which will be discussed in this review, due to its low cost and high theoretical capacity. Additionally, aqueous electrolytes, which are environmentally safe, provide an alternative approach compared to organic media for safe, cost-effective, and scalable energy storage. In this review, we will reveal the industrial potential of competitive methods to grow cathodes with excellent stability and enhanced electrochemical performance in aqueous media and lay the foundation for the large-scale production of electrode materials.     

Indyllithium and the Indyl Anion [InL]−: Heavy Analogues of N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes

Reduction of the indate complex In(NON^Ar)(μ‐Cl)₂Li(OEt₂)₂ (NON^Ar=[O(SiMe₂NAr)₂]^2?; Ar=2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃) with sodium generates the In^II diindane species [In(NON^Ar)]₂. Further reduction with a mixture of potassium and [2.2.2]crypt affords the In^I N‐heterocyclic indyl anion [In(NON^Ar)]^?, which crystallizes with a non‐contacted [K([2.2.2]crypt)]⁺ cation. The indyl anion can also be isolated as the indyllithium compound In(NON^Ar)(Li{THF}₃), which contains an In?Li bond. Density functional theory calculations show that the HOMO of the indyl anion is a metal‐centred lone pair, and preliminary reactivity studies confirm its nucleophilic behaviour.     

The synthesis of a [2.2]paracyclophane-derived secondary phosphine oxide and a study of its reactivity

A planar chiral secondary phosphine oxide based on [2.2]paracyclophane was synthesized and its chemistry investigated; it was shown to be a competent pre-ligand in palladium(0)-mediated reactions, and displayed promising activity in gold(I)-catalysed cyclisations. The secondary phosphine oxide could be transformed into a collection of P-stereogenic tertiary phosphine oxides. These are rare examples of the planar chirality of [2.2]paracyclophane being combined with a P-stereogenic centre. Unfortunately, epimerisation of the phosphorus stereocentre during reduction limits the use of this chemistry.     

Locally (soluble-by-finite) groups with all proper insoluble subgroups of finite rank

A group G has finite rank r if every finitely generated subgroup of G is at most r-generator. If C is a class of groups then we let C* denote the class of groups G in which every proper subgroup of G is either of finite rank or in C. We let denote the class of soluble groups and the class of soluble groups of derived length at most d, where d is a positive integer. We let λ denote the set of closure operations and let denote the λ-closure of the class of periodic locally graded groups. Amongst other results we prove that a soluble -group is either of finite rank or of derived length at most d and also that a group in the class is either locally soluble, or has finite rank, or is isomorphic to one of or for suitable locally finite fields . The second author would like to thank the Department of Mathematics at Bucknell University for its hospitality while part of this work was being done.     

A structural, theoretical and coordinative evaluation of the bicyclic guanidinate derived from 1,4,6-triazabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-4-ene

Partial deprotonation of the bicyclic guanidine 1,4,6-triazabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-4-ene (Htbo) is achieved using (n)BuLi. Isolation of the resulting lithium salts has resulted in the structural characterization of the mixed anion complex {[Li(tbo)()(tboH)](2)}(infinity) (where -H = 1-(2-aminoethyl)-2-imidazolidinethione) and the partially deprotonated salt Li(6)(tbo)(6)(Htbo)(3), . The neutral guanidine Htbo reacts cleanly with AlMe(3) and ZnMe(2) to afford the organometallic complexes [Al(tbo)Me(2)](2) [](2), and Zn(3)(tbo)(4)Me(2) (). Structural characterization of these compounds enables comparison between the {5:5}-bicyclic system, [tbo](-), and the previously reported {6:6}-bicyclic system, [hpp](-) (where hppH = 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine). Results indicate that delocalization within the [tbo](-) anion is restricted to the CN(2) amidinate component, with retention of electron density in the non-bonding nitrogen lone-pair. These conclusions are supported by a DFT analysis of the neutral guanidines, Htbo and hppH.     

New structural types and different oxidation levels in the family of Mn6-oxime single-molecule magnets

The synthesis and magnetic properties of three new members of a family of salicyaldoxime based [Mn6] single-molecule magnets possessing new structural types, core topologies and Mn oxidation state distributions are reported. The isostructural complexes [MnIII6O2(R-sao)6(X)2(EtOH)6] (R = Et, X = Br (1); R = Me, X = I (2)) exhibit single-molecule magnet behaviour with spin Hamiltonian parameters S = 12, g = 1.98 and D = -0.36 cm(-1) in both cases. The hexametallic cluster [MnIII4MnIV2O2(OMe)(4-)(Et-sao)6(MeOH)2].MeOH (3.MeOH) possesses a planar rod-like topology and a mixed valent [MnIV4MnIII2] core, which is unprecedented in this family of [Mn6] SMMs.     

Synthesis, characterization and antitumor activity of 1,2-disubstituted ferrocenes and cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

Seven different ferrocene derivatives have been tested in vitro against Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Neither ferrocene nor the monosubstituted derivative N,N-dimethylaminomethylferrocene showed cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀ > 1000 μM for 3 h treatments). Better results were obtained with 1,2-disubstituted derivatives. The IC₅₀ values ranged from 376.6 μM for 1,2-diformylferrocene to 71.2 μM for racemic 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenecarboxamide. The latter derivative was also encapsulated in native β-cyclodextrin (CD), heptakis-2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-β-CD (TRIMEB) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HPβCD) to give 1:1 (host:guest) inclusion compounds. The existence of true inclusion complexes in the solid state was confirmed by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, FTIR and ¹³C CP MAS NMR spectroscopy. The IC₅₀ value for the β-CD inclusion compound was identical to that obtained for the nonincluded ferrocene derivative. By contrast, the inclusion compounds comprising TRIMEB and HPβCD yielded IC₅₀ values of 25.2 and 20.0 μM, respectively. No obvious relationship could be established between the redox behavior of the compounds determined by cyclic voltammetry and the biochemical data.     

Phosphaguanidines as scaffolds for multimetallic complexes containing metal-functionalized phosphines

Phospha(III)guanidines, R2PC{NR'}{NHR'}, have been used to synthesize multimetallic compounds containing combinations of aluminum with platinum or copper, in which the main-group metal is N,N'-bound by an amidinate moiety, thereby generating a metal-functionalized phosphine that bonds to the transition metal through phosphorus.     

An Air‐Stable Semiconducting Polymer Containing Dithieno[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐d]arsole

Arsole‐containing conjugated polymers are a practically unexplored class of materials despite the high interest in their phosphole analogues. Herein we report the synthesis of the first dithieno[3,2‐b;2′,3′‐d]arsole derivative, and demonstrate that it is stable to ambient oxidation in its +3 oxidation state. A soluble copolymer is obtained by a palladium‐catalyzed Stille polymerization and demonstrated to be a p‐type semiconductor with promising hole mobility, which was evaluated by field‐effect transistor measurements.