Ruthenium(II) 2-hydroxybenzophenone N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazone complexes

New ruthenium(II) complexes with 2-hydroxybenzophenone N(4)-substituted (Me, Ph and/or piperidyl) thiosemicarbazones have been prepared and characterised by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, thermal analysis, spectroscopy (i.r., ¹H-n.m.r. and u.v.–vis.) and by cyclic voltammetry. The thiosemicarbazones coordinate to ruthenium(II) as mononegative tridentate ligands via the deprotonated hydroxyl group, N¹ nitrogen and thione sulphur centres. The redox properties, nature of the electrode processes and the stability of the complexes towards oxidation in CH₂Cl₂ are discussed. The change in the E _1/2 values of the complexes can be related to the basicity of the N(4)-substituents. All the complexes display an irreversible one-electron charge-transfer couple in the potential range studied. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nano-sized Co(II)-8-hydroxyquinolate complex thin film via surface layer-by-layer chemical deposition method: Optimized factors and optical properties

An extensive study was performed and reported for evaluation and optimization of the factors affecting thin film formation of nano-sized Co(II)-8-hydroxyquinolate complex by surface layer-by-layer chemical deposition method. The formation of uniform thin films of nano-crystalline metal complex is heavily dependent on several important factors. Variation in metal and ligand concentrations (1:1–1:3) was found to show insignificant contribution to the molar stoichiometric ratio of the synthesized thin film of nano-sized Co(II)-8-hydroxyquinolate. The number of dipping cycles (2–50) was characterized by strong influence on the thin film thickness. The dependence of the immersion time (2–50 s) was proved to influence the crystal growth and homogeneity of the thin film. The role of pH of metal and ligand solutions was identified by strong contribution in development and formation of deposited Co(II)-8-hydroxyquinolate complex thin film. Finally, the role of solvent on the thin film formation was also studied and evaluated. Metal analysis, SEM, EI-MS, FT-IR and TGA were applied as monitoring techniques of these factors. The optical properties of Co(II)-8-hydroxyquinolate complex were also studied and the complex thin films were characterized by the highest optical transition from π–π* or n, π* states with energy gap in the UV-range at 3.13 eV. The lowest optical transition resulted from d–d transition or metal centered transition with energy 1.5 eV while, the optical transition at 2.35 eV is the contribution of metal ligand or ligand metal transition. In the light of the optical measurement, Co(II)-8-hydroxyquinolate complex can be considered as an organic semiconductor with the potential applications in the design of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEMs).     

Spectral Studies and Cathodic Reduction of some Thiazolylazo Derivatives

The structure of the 2-thiazolylazosalicylic acid molecule, TAS, has been determined by means of quantum SCF-CI calculations. The ionization potential and the electron affinity of TAS molecule were calculated to have the values 9.057 and 2.56 eV respectively. The solvation energies in different solvents, and the bond orders of the TAS molecule were calculated for the neutral state, the oxidized form (the cation) and the reduced form (the anion). Mixed solvent studies were carried out with TAS and 2-benzothiazolylazosalicylic acid (BTAS), using polar solvents (EtOH and MeOH) to confirm the formation of a solvent-solute complex. The azo group in the TAS molecule nas a considerable contribution in the SCFLUMO; thus cathodic reduction has been focused on the azo group and was verified experimentally by cathodic reduction.     

Methanol vapor‐induced morphology and current–voltage characteristic changes in a cast‐coated nafion film/interdigitated microarray electrode

Methanol vapor‐induced membranous changes in a cast‐coated Nafion thin film were studied through current–voltage (I–V) characteristics with an interdigitated microarray (IDA) electrode and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The obtained I–V curves showed that the as‐prepared Nafion film was stable under humidified nitrogen gas; however, the I–V profile dramatically changed with exposure to methanol vapor. Next, the morphology of the film was compared before and after methanol exposure with AFM images. On the basis of our observations, we found that the as‐prepared film had an irregularly complicated microstructure, whereas the structure became homogeneous in appearance after 30 min of exposure to methanol gas. The alternating‐current conductivity data, showing almost the same magnitude before and after exposure, strongly suggested that the I–V profile shift was based on a change in an electrode reaction mechanism induced by a change in the junction at the Nafion/IDA electrode interface. Furthermore, the methanol vapor‐pre‐exposed Nafion was stable for further exposure to methanol vapor, water vapor, or both. With the stabilized film used in combination with the IDA electrode, a reversible change in the magnitude of the current was observed when the methanol/water vapor ratio was varied. This indicated that the electrode reaction had good reproducibility after the treatment. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1103–1109, 2002     

Conductometric study of calcium carbonate prenucleation stage: underlining the role of CaCO3o ion pairs

Calcium carbonate crystallization process, especially the prenucleation stage, has increasingly been the subject of several works. In the present work, a simple method based on electrical conductivity modeling applied to the FCP (Fast Controlled Precipitation) method data is used to highlight the role of CaCO₃^o ion pairs on calcium carbonate prenucleation stage. A good agreement was obtained between the resistivity vs pH curves estimated by the McCleskey model equation and obtained experimentally in a FCP test. Results showed that the nucleation process begins with the formation of CaCO₃^o ion pairs as pre‐nuclei as soon as the calcite‐equilibrium pH is reached. Additionally CaCO₃^o content increases with pH to form aggregates, which depend on the saturation state of the solution. Basing on our thermodynamic data, these aggregates do not form amorphous calcium carbonate ACC as an intermediate phase. They lead to the formation of stable calcium carbonate nuclei which will further evolve to crystallize. Furthermore we demonstrate that in addition to their inhibitory effect on the Ca²⁺ and CO₃²⁻ association to form ion pairs, the two scale inhibitors sodium triphosphate (STP) and sodium polyacrylate (RPI) reduce ion pairs aggregation rate.     

Non-symmetric ether-linked liquid crystalline dimers with a highly polar end group

A new class of non-symmetric dimeric compounds derived from 4-cyano-4′-hydroxybiphenyl in which two rigid parts are connected via flexible spacers have been designed and synthesised. These materials possess trialkoxy chains attached at one end of the molecule, while the other end consists of a biphenyl moiety terminated with the highly polar cyano group. The molecular structures of these dimers have been confirmed by elemental analysis and spectroscopic data and their phase behaviour has been characterised by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Almost all of the synthesised materials exhibit liquid crystalline properties depending on the number of carbon atoms in the terminal chains, where all short chains derivatives form nematic phases and depending on the length of the internal spacer long terminal chains homologues display crystalline or unidentified smectic phase.     

Novel mono- and dinucleating ligands-containing artificial di- and tetrahistidine and their zinc(II) complexes as a structural phosphotriesterase models for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl diphenylphosphate (p-NPDPP)

Two new artificial peptides with histidine side chains, namely N-methyl N,N′-bis(Im-bzl-l-histidylmethylestermethyl)amine L1 and N,N′,N″,N?-tetrakis(Im-bzl-l-histidylmethyl-estermethyl)ethylene diamine L2 have been synthesized and were shown to form stable zinc complexes [L1Zn(H₂O)₂](ClO₄)₂ 1 and [L2Zn₂(H₂O)₃](ClO₄)₄ 2, respectively. Solution studies (pH–¹NMR titrations) of the ligand L2 in the presence of zinc ions were also reported. The catalytic activity of zinc complex species 1 and 2 as structural phosphotriestrase models were tested on the hydrolysis/detoxification of p-nitrohenl diphenylphosphate (p-NPDPP). From the correlation between the pH-rate profiles and the species distribution curves, the catalytically active species could be identified. On the basis of R-dependence as well as the rate acceleration of each complex, the possibility of cooperative action of zincs in dinuclear zinc complex is debated.     

Thermodynamic Properties of Quaternary Aqueous Solutions of Chlorides Charge-type 1-1*1-1*2-1: NH4Cl + NaCl + YCl2 + H2O with Y ≡ Mg2+, Ca2+, and Ba2+

Thermodynamic properties of quaternary aqueous solutions of mixed chlorides of 1-1*1-1*2-1 charge type with the cations (Na⁺, NH₄ ⁺; Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺) were determined using the hygrometric method. The quaternary systems NH₄Cl + NaCl + MgCl₂ + H₂O, NH₄Cl + NaCl + CaCl₂+ H₂O, and NH₄Cl + NaCl + BaCl₂ + H₂O have been studied at 25 °C. The water activities were measured at total molalities from 0.44 mol⋅kg⁻¹ to saturation for different ionic-strength fractions y of NH₄Cl, y=(0.20,0.50,0.80), and different ionic strength ratios z for other solutes, z=(0.20,0.50 and 0.80) for each value of y. The obtained data allows the calculation of osmotic coefficients.     

Influence of the counteranion on silver(I)–dithioether coordination polymers

In order to rationalize the effect of the size and coordinating ability of counteranions upon the structure of Ag(I)–dithioether coordination polymers, a series of such polymers has been synthesized by the combination of the 1,3-bis(methylthio)propane building block and AgX silver salts (X = ClO₄⁻ (1), BF₄⁻ (2), CF₃SO₃⁻ (3), SbF₆⁻ (4), C₆H₅COO⁻ (5), CF₃COO⁻ (6), CF₃CF₂CF₂COO⁻ (7) and ⁻OOCCF₂CF₂COO⁻ (8)). Except in two cases, all complexes form 1D-coordination polymers.