Interferences in the determination of trace elements in high-purity tin

Reactor neutron activation analysis of antimony, indium and cadmium in high-purity tin is interfered with by nuclear reactions on the tin matrix. For a number of interfering reactions the cross-sections were determined. The following results were obtained:¹²²Sn(n,γ)^123mSn:σ_th=0.145 barn, I=0.79 barn;¹²²Sn(n,γ)¹¹³Sn:σ_th=0.52, I=25.4 barn;¹¹²Sn(n, 2n)¹¹¹Sn: microbarn;¹¹⁸Sn(n, α)¹¹⁵Cd: microbarn; and¹¹⁴Sn(n, p)^114m1In: microbarn.     

EXCITATION ENERGY TRANSFER IN THE CRYPTOPHYTES. FLUORESCENCE EXCITATION SPECTRA AND PICOSECOND TIME-RESOLVED EMISSION SPECTRA OF INTACT ALGAE AT 77 K

Excitation spectra of chlorophyll- a (Chl- a ) fluorescence in intact cells of Cryptomonas ovata, Chroomonas pauciplastida and Chroomonas salina were determined at 77 K. For all species the excitation spectra for emission from Chl- a associated with photosystem II (PSII) showed increased contributions by a carotenoid (493 nm) and phycobiliproteins, and decreased contributions by carotenoid (417 nm, 505 nm) and Chl- a (445 nm) as compared to excitation spectra for emission from Chl- a associated with photosystem I (PSI). Excitation spectra of C. salina and C. ovata showed an increased contribution by Chl- c ² to PSII Chl- a fluorescence emission. In all three species the absorbance band positions of Chl- a , as determined from the excitation spectra, were similar to those previously described in green plants. green algae and phycobilisome-containing organisms. Time-resolved 77 K fluorescence emission spectra of C. ovata and C. salina showed successive emission from both phycoerythrin and Chl- c ², PSII Chl- a , and PSI Chl- a. C. pauciplastida showed successive emission from phycocyanin, PSII Chl- a , and PSI Chl- a. Spectral red-shifts with time were observed for the phycobiliprotein peaks in all three species. The fluorescence decay of phycoerythrin in C. ovata and C. salina was faster than that of phycocyanin in C. pauciplastida. The results are discussed in relation to the organization of the antenna pigments of PSII and PSI in the cryptophyte algae.     

Stable Hydrogen-Bonded Spherical Capsules Formed from Self-Assembly of Pyrogallol[4]arenes

The self-assemblies of two pyrogallol[4]arenes held together by 48 intermolecular hydrogen bonds stably associate in the form of spherical hexameric capsules. The molecular structures of two hexameric capsules with large interior space were analyzed by single crystal X-ray crystallography.     

Synthesis of C2-symmetric trans-2,6-diarylpiperidinones via aryl cuprate addition: an unexpected stereochemical outcome

An efficient procedure for the preparation of trans-2,6-diaryl piperidinones has been developed. Addition of aryl Grignard reagents to 2-aryl dihydropyridones under catalytic copper promoted conditions generates the trans isomer exclusively, an unprecedented stereochemical event. The X-ray structures of both starting material and product have been solved and shed light on the steric constraints and substrate geometry leading to the observed product. The reaction conditions tolerate a variety of aromatic nucleophiles to generate C₂-symmetric products in good overall yields.     

Excited-state characters and dynamics of [W(CO)(5)(4-cyanopyridine)] and [W(CO)(5)(piperidine)] studied by picosecond time-resolved IR and resonance Raman spectroscopy and DFT calculations: roles of W --> L and W --> CO MLCT and LF excited states revised

The characters, dynamics, and relaxation pathways of low-lying excited states of the complexes [W(CO)(5)L] [L = 4-cyanopyridine (pyCN) and piperidine (pip)] were investigated using theoretical and spectroscopic methods. DFT calculations revealed the delocalized character of chemically and spectroscopicaly relevant molecular orbitals and the presence of a low-lying manifold of CO pi-based unoccupied molecular orbitals. Traditional ligand-field arguments are not applicable. The lowest excited states of [W(CO)(5)(pyCN)] are W --> pyCN MLCT in character. They are closely followed in energy by W --> CO MLCT states. Excitation at 400 or 500 nm populates the (3)MLCT(pyCN) excited state, which was characterized by picosecond time-resolved IR and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Excited-state vibrations were assigned using DFT calculations. The (3)MLCT(pyCN) excited state is initially formed highly excited in low-frequency vibrations which cool with time constants between 1 and 20 ps, depending on the excitation wavelength, solvent, and particular high-frequency nu(CO) or nu(CN) mode. The lowest excited states of [W(CO)(5)(pip)] are W --> CO MLCT, as revealed by TD-DFT interpretation of a nanosecond time-resolved IR spectrum that was measured earlier in a low-temperature glass (Johnson, F. P. A.; George, M. W.; Morrison, S. L.; Turner, J. J. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1995, 391-393). MLCT(CO) excitation involves transfer of electron density from the W atom and, to a lesser extent, the trans CO to the pi orbitals of the four cis CO ligands. Optical excitation into MLCT(CO) transition of either complex in fluid solution triggers femtosecond dissociation of a W-N bond, producing [W(CO)(5)(solvent)]. It is initially vibrationally excited both in nu(CO) and anharmonicaly coupled low-frequency modes. Vibrational cooling occurs with time constants of 16-22 ps while the intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution from the v = 1 nu(CO) modes is much slower, 160-220 ps. No LF excited states have been found for the complexes studied in a spectroscopically relevant range up to 6-7 eV. It follows that spectroscopy, photophysics, and photochemistry of [W(CO)(5)L] and related complexes are well described by an interplay of close-lying MLCT(L) and MLCT(CO) excited states. The high-lying LF states play only an indirect photochemical role by modifying potential energy curves of MLCT(CO) states, making them dissociative.     

Determination of trace impurities in tin by neutron activation analysis

A method was developed for the determination of 15 trace elements in tin. High-purity tin samples (99.9999% and 99.999%) as well as tin of technical quality were analysed. Reactor neutron activation of the tin samples was followed by distillation of the matrix activities from a HBr−H₂SO₄ medium and Ge(Li) gamma-ray spectrometry of the distillation residue. The sensitivity of the method is generally high. For the high-purity samples the detection limits vary from 0.02 ppb (scandium) to 200 ppb (iron) for irradiation of 1 g of tin for 1 week at a thermal flux of 5·10¹²n·cm⁻². ·sec⁻¹. To decontaminate the surface of the tin samples, pre- and post-irradiation etching procedures were applied. The efficiency of these etching techniques was studied.     

Automorphism groups of finite distributive lattices with a given sublattice of fixed points

For a latticeL, aL is a fixed point ofL if and only iff(a)=a for every automorphismf ofL. Let Aut (L) andS (L) denote the group of automorphisms ofL and the sublattice of fixed points ofL, respectively. It is shown that ifG is a finite group other thanZ ₂ ² ,Z ₂ ³ ,Z ₂ ⁴ ,Z ₃ ² or the quaternion group of order 8 andL is a finite automorphism free distributive lattice that is not near Boolean then there is a finite distributive latticeL such that Aut (L)G andS(L)L.The support of the National Research Council of Canada is gratefully acknowledged.     

Addition of palladium and platinum tri-tert-butylphosphine groups to Re-Sn and Re-Ge bonds

The reaction of Re2(CO)8[mu-eta2-C(H)=C(H)Bu(n)](mu-H) with Ph3SnH at 68 degrees C yielded the new compound Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2)2 (10) which contains two SnPh2 ligands bridging two Re(CO)(4) groups, joined by an unusually long Re-Re bond. Fenske-Hall molecular orbital calculations indicate that the bonding in the Re2Sn2 cluster is dominated by strong Re-Sn interactions and that the Re-Re interactions are weak. The 119Sn M?ssbauer spectrum of 10 exhibits a doublet with an isomer shift (IS) of 1.674(12) mm s(-1) and a quadrupole splitting (QS) of 2.080(12) mm s(-1) at 90 K,characteristic of Sn(IV) in a SnA2B2 environment. The IS is temperature dependent, -1.99(14) x 10(-4) mm s(-1) K(-1); the QS is temperature independent. The temperature-dependent properties are consistent with the known Gol'danskii-Kariagin effect. The germanium compound Re2(CO)8(mu-GePh2)2 (11) was obtained from the reaction of Re2(CO)8[mu-eta2-C(H)=C(H)Bu(n)](mu-H) with Ph3GeH. Compound 11 has a structure similar to that of 10. The reaction of 10 with Pd(PBu(t)3)2 at 25 degrees C yielded the bis-Pd(PBu(t)3) adduct, Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2)2[Pd(PBu(t)3)]2 (12); it has two Pd(PBu(t)3) groups bridging two of the four Re-Sn bonds in 10. Fenske-Hall molecular orbital calculations show that the Pd(PBu(t)3) groups form three-center two-electron bonds with the neighboring rhenium and tin atoms. The mono- and bis-Pt(PBu(t)3) adducts, Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2(2)[Pt(PBu(t)3)] (13) and Re2(CO)8(mu-SnPh2)2[Pt(PBu(t)3)]2 (14), were formed when 10 was treated with Pt(PBu(t)3)2. A mono adduct of 11, Re2(CO)8(mu-GePh2)2[Pt(PBu(t)3)] (15), was obtained similarly from the reaction of 11 with Pt(PBu(t)3)2.     

Investigation of a stereoselective co-mediated rearrangement reaction

A stereocontrolled approach to alpha-alkyl beta-alkynyl cyclohexanones is reported through a Lewis acid mediated rearrangement reaction of enol ethers bearing an Co-alkyne moiety. The reaction proceeds with high levels of stereoselectivity in the presence of Ti- and B-Lewis acids to provide a range of alpha,beta-disubstituted cyclohexanones in high yield although the products are prone to epimerization at the alpha-position in the presence of the B-promoter system. The potential for an enantioselective variant of this process is outlined, and a rationale for the observed stereochemical trends and detailed structural analyses of the ketone products are described.