A hidden rule in metal sulfide fullerenes: A case study of Sc2S@C88

To elucidate the structure of a compound is a necessary step for its practical applications. To study the structure and properties of metal sulfide fullerene Sc₂S@C₈₈ detected by mass spectrometry, 11 194 isomers of C₈₈ and 33 isomers of Sc₂S@C₈₈ were systematically examined by density functional theory calculations. The calculations show that the two lowest‐energy isomers are Sc₂S@C₈₈:81 738 (IPR‐35) and Sc₂S@C₈₈:81 735 (IPR‐32), followed by Sc₂S@C₈₈:81 729 (IPR‐26), Sc₂S@C_88:81 712 (IPR‐9), and Sc₂S@C_88:81 733 (IPR‐30). Structural analysis shows that the first two energetically favored isomers are bridged by the third and fifth energetically favored isomers, which can transfer into each other via direct Stone–Wales rotation. The calculations of temperature effect show that the first two favored isomers become dominant forms of Sc₂S@C₈₈ with decreasing temperature and may coexist in the soot. This structural convertibility among favored isomers of Sc₂S@C₈₈ suggest a hidden rule that birds of a feather flock together in metal sulfide fullerenes. This rule may decrease the range of candidate cages for the structural identification of a metal sulfide fullerene. IR spectra are simulated for helping the future experimental identification of Sc₂S@C₈₈.     

Wannier-Mott excitons on a helically-shaped one-dimensional semiconductor

Within a simplified model, we explore how bound electron-hole pair (exciton) states and optical transitions between them are affected by the geometry of a helically shaped one-dimensional semiconductor. Among the illustrated geometrical effects are variable enhancement of the binding energy for different excitons and the appearance of new excitonic states with spatially separated electron and hole positioned on different turns of the helix.     

Study of indoor radon and thoron progeny levels in surrounding areas of Nalbari, Assam, India

With the growing understanding of the role of radon and its daughter products as major sources of radiation exposure, the importance of large number of estimation of radon concentration in various parts of the country is realized. Inhalation of radon, thoron and their decay products is the major source of the total radioactive dose received by the human population from natural radiation. The indoor radon and thoron progeny levels in Nalbari area of Assam are studied by using the LR-115 (type II) Solid State Nuclear Track Detector in Plastic Twin Chamber dosimeter. Radon and thoron progeny levels in different types of dwellings for one full calendar year are presented in this paper. For Assam Type (A.T.) houses, indoor radon progeny concentrations vary from 0.17 to 0.64 mWL with an annual geometric mean of 0.27 mWL and that for Reinforced Cement Concrete (R.C.C.) houses vary from 0.22 mWL to 0.60 mWL with the annual geometric mean of 0.37 mWL. The thoron progeny levels in A.T. houses also vary from 0.01 to of 0.05 mWL with an annual geometric mean of 0.02 mWL and that for R.C.C. houses vary from 0.02 to 0.08 mWL with the annual geometric mean of 0.04 mWL.      

Ethylene spacer-linked bis-acetamidopyridine for dicarboxylic acid recognition and polymeric new wave-like anti-perpendicular arrangement of a host–guest in the solid state

In this paper, 1,2-bis(2-acetamido-6-pyridyl)ethane, receptor 1, having an ethylene spacer is reported to recognise dicarboxylic acids. The binding study in the solution phase is carried out using ¹H NMR (1:1) and UV–vis experiments and in the solid phase by single-crystal X-ray analysis. In ¹H NMR, the downfield shifts of specific amide protons of receptor 1 in 1:1 complexes of receptor and guest diacids, and in the UV–vis experiment, the appearance of an isosbestic point as well as significant binding constants are observed, which thus unambiguously support the complexation of receptor 1 with dicarboxylic acids in solution. Receptor 2, simple 2-acetamido-6-methylpyridine, has lower binding constants than receptor 1 due to cooperative binding of two pyridine amide groups with two acid groups of diacids. In the solid phase, the ditopic receptor 1 shows a grid-like polymeric hydrogen-bonded network that changes to a polymeric wave-like 1:1 anti-perpendicular network instead of the syn–syn polymeric 1:1 (Goswami, S.; Dey, S.; Fun, H.-K.; Anjum, S.; Rahman, A.-U. Tetrahedron Lett. 2005 (a) Goswami, S., Ghosh, K. and Dasgupta, S. 2000. J. Org. Chem., 65: 1907–1914. (b) Goswami, S.; Ghosh, K.; Mukherjee, R. Tetrahedron2001, 57, 4987–4993. (c) Goswami, S.; Ghosh, K.; Halder, M. Tetrahedron Lett.1999, 40, 1735–1738. (d) Goswami, S.; Dey, S.; Fun, H.-K.; Anjum, S.; Rahman, A.-U. Tetrahedron Lett.2005, 46, 7187–7191. (e) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Razak, I.A.; Fun, H.-K. Supramol. Chem.2006, 18, 571–574. (f) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Fun, H.-K. Cryst. Eng. Comm.2008, 10, 507–517. (g) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Sen, D.; Fun, H.-K.; Chantrapromma, S. Tetrahedron2008,64, 6426–6433. (h) Goswami, S.; Dey, S.; Jana, S. Tetrahedron2008, 64, 6358–6363 [Google Scholar], 46, 7187–7191), anti–anti polymeric 1:1 (Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Razak, I.A.; Fun, H.-K. Supramol. Chem. 2006 (a) Goswami, S., Ghosh, K. and Dasgupta, S. 2000. J. Org. Chem., 65: 1907–1914. (b) Goswami, S.; Ghosh, K.; Mukherjee, R. Tetrahedron2001, 57, 4987–4993. (c) Goswami, S.; Ghosh, K.; Halder, M. Tetrahedron Lett.1999, 40, 1735–1738. (d) Goswami, S.; Dey, S.; Fun, H.-K.; Anjum, S.; Rahman, A.-U. Tetrahedron Lett.2005, 46, 7187–7191. (e) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Razak, I.A.; Fun, H.-K. Supramol. Chem.2006, 18, 571–574. (f) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Fun, H.-K. Cryst. Eng. Comm.2008, 10, 507–517. (g) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Sen, D.; Fun, H.-K.; Chantrapromma, S. Tetrahedron2008,64, 6426–6433. (h) Goswami, S.; Dey, S.; Jana, S. Tetrahedron2008, 64, 6358–6363 [Google Scholar], 18, 571–574; Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Fun, H.-K. Cryst. Eng. Comm. 2008, 10, 507–517; Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Sen, D.; Fun, H.-K.; Chantrapromma, S. Tetrahedron 2008, 64, 6426–6433), syn–syn 2:2 (Karle, I.L.; Ranganathan, D.; Haridas, V. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997 (a) Garcia-Tellado, F., Goswami, S., Chang, S.K., Geib, S.J. and Hamilton, A.D. 1990. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 112: 7393–7394. (b) Geib, S.J.; Vicent, C.; Fan, E.; Hamilton, A.D. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl.1993, 32, 119–121. (c) Garcia-Tellado, F.; Geib, S.J.; Goswami, S.; Hamilton, A.D. J. Am. Chem. Soc.1991, 113, 9265–9269. (d) Karle, I.L.; Ranganathan, D.; Haridas, V. J. Am. Chem. Soc.1997, 119, 2777–2783. (e) Moore, G.; Papamicaël, C.; Levacher, V.; Bourguignon, J.; Dupas, G. Tetrahedron2004, 60, 4197–4204. (f) Korendovych, I.V.; Cho, M.; Makhlynets, O.V.; Butler, P.L.; Staples, R.J.; Rybak-Akimova, E.V. J. Org. Chem.2008, 73, 4771–4782. (g) Ghosh, K.; Masanta, G.; Fröhlich, R.; Petsalakis, I.D.; Theodorakopoulos, G. J. Phys. Chem. B2009, 113, 7800–7809 [Google Scholar], 119, 2777–2783) or top–bottom-bound 1:1 (Garcia-Tellado, F.; Goswami, S.; Chang, S.K.; Geib, S.J.; Hamilton, A.D. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1990 (a) Goswami, S., Ghosh, K. and Dasgupta, S. 2000. J. Org. Chem., 65: 1907–1914. (b) Goswami, S.; Ghosh, K.; Mukherjee, R. Tetrahedron2001, 57, 4987–4993. (c) Goswami, S.; Ghosh, K.; Halder, M. Tetrahedron Lett.1999, 40, 1735–1738. (d) Goswami, S.; Dey, S.; Fun, H.-K.; Anjum, S.; Rahman, A.-U. Tetrahedron Lett.2005, 46, 7187–7191. (e) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Razak, I.A.; Fun, H.-K. Supramol. Chem.2006, 18, 571–574. (f) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Fun, H.-K. Cryst. Eng. Comm.2008, 10, 507–517. (g) Goswami, S.; Jana, S.; Dey, S.; Sen, D.; Fun, H.-K.; Chantrapromma, S. Tetrahedron2008,64, 6426–6433. (h) Goswami, S.; Dey, S.; Jana, S. Tetrahedron2008, 64, 6358–6363 [Google Scholar], 112, 7393–7394) co-crystals.

     

Oxidation and reductive bromination of Bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)aminoxyl

One-electron oxidation of bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)aminoxyl with antimony pentachloride and bromine leads to the formation of oxoammonium salts with anions SbCl ₆ ^? and Br ₃ ^? respectively. The salt with the Br ₃ ^? anion converted at heating into a mixture of bromodiphenylamines which formed also from the aminoxyl as a result of previously unknown reaction of three-electron reductive bromination. The mechanisms of these reactions were assumed.     

Association reaction between SiH3 and H2O2: a computational study of the reaction mechanism and kinetics

The association reaction between silyl radical (SiH₃) and H₂O₂ has been studied in detail using high-level composite ab initio CBS-QB3 and G4MP2 methods. The global hybrid meta-GGA M06 and M06-2X density functionals in conjunction with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set have also been applied. To understand the kinetics, variational transition-state theory calculation is performed on the first association step, and successive unimolecular reactions are subjected to Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus calculations to predict the reaction rate constants and product branching ratios. The bimolecular rate constant for SiH₃–H₂O₂ association in the temperature range 250–600 K, k(T) = 6.89 × 10^?13 T ^?0.163exp(?0.22/RT) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 agrees well with the current literature. The OH production channel, which was experimentally found to be a minor one, is confirmed by the rate constants and branching ratios. Also, the correlation between our theoretical work and experimental literature is established. The production of SiO via secondary reactions is calculated to be one of the major reaction channels from highly stabilized adducts. The H-loss pathway, i.e., SiH₂(OH)₂ + H, is the major decomposition channel followed by secondary dissociation leading to SiO.     

Tuning Nanoparticle Catalysis for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Advances in chemical syntheses have led to the formation of various kinds of nanoparticles (NPs) with more rational control of size, shape, composition, structure and catalysis. This review highlights recent efforts in the development of Pt and non‐Pt based NPs into advanced nanocatalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under fuel‐cell reaction conditions. It first outlines the shape controlled synthesis of Pt NPs and their shape‐dependent ORR. Then it summarizes the studies of alloy and core–shell NPs with controlled electronic (alloying) and strain (geometric) effects for tuning ORR catalysis. It further provides a brief overview of ORR catalytic enhancement with Pt‐based NPs supported on graphene and coated with an ionic liquid. The review finally introduces some non‐Pt NPs as a new generation of catalysts for ORR. The reported new syntheses with NP parameter‐tuning capability should pave the way for future development of highly efficient catalysts for applications in fuel cells, metal‐air batteries, and even in other important chemical reactions.     

Synthesis of Privileged Scaffolds by Using Diversity‐Oriented Synthesis

An elegant reagent‐controlled strategy has been developed for the generation of a diverse range of biologically active scaffolds from a chiral bicyclic lactam. Reduction of the chiral lactam with LAH or alkylation with LHMDS to trigger different cyclization reactions have been shown to generate privileged scaffolds, such as pyrrolidines, indolines, and cyclotryptamines. Their amenability to substitution allows us to create various compound libraries by using these scaffolds. In silico studies were used to estimate the drug‐like properties of these compounds. Selected compounds were subjected to anticancer screening by using three different cell lines. In addition, all these compounds were subjected to antibacterial screening to gauge the spectrum of biological activity that was conferred by our DOS methodology. Gratifyingly, with no additional iterative cycles, our method directly generated anticancer compounds with potency at low nanomolar concentrations, as represented by spiroindoline 14 .