Energy of the Photosubstitutionally Reactive Excited State of Pentaammine(pyridine)ruthenium(II)

The photosensitized aquation of pentaammine(pyridine)ruthenium(II) by several dyes has been studied under conditions where only the sensitizers absorb light. The ratio of the quantum yields for ammine and pyridine substitution was the same as that for direct photoaquation. Sensitization was effective with singlet sensitizers Rhodamine-B (17 452 cm(-)(1)) and Safranine-T (17 690 cm(-)(1)), as well as the triplet sensitizer biacetyl (19 000 cm(-)(1)), but no reaction was observed with Neutral-Red (16 900 cm(-)(1)). The results indicate that the excited state precursor of the observed photosubstitution in the complex lies in the energy range between 17 000 and 17 700 cm(-)(1).     

Synthesis and Structural Studies of Platinum Complexes Containing Monodentate, Bridging, and Chelating Formamidine Ligands

The reactions of K(2)PtCl(4) with N,N'-diphenylformamidine (HDPhF) and N,N'-di-p-tolylformamidine (HDTolF) produce the trans square-planar compounds PtCl(2)(HDPhF)(2), 1a, and PtCl(2)(HDTolF)(2), 1b. Compound 1a crystallizes as yellow parallelepipeds in the space group P2(1)/c with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit and unit cell dimensions a = 23.427(7) ?, b = 16.677(6) ?, c = 12.980(4) ?, and beta = 96.10(2) degrees. These compounds are soluble in common organic solvents and have been used as starting materials for the preparation of diplatinum compounds. Treatment of 1a and 1b with NaOMe and the halide abstraction reagent TlPF(6) produces the compounds Pt(2)(&mgr;-DArF)(2)(eta(2)-DArF)(2), Ar = Ph (2a) and Tol (2b), respectively. Compound 2a crystallizes as yellow rods in the space group P&onemacr; with unit cell dimensions a = 12.296(3) ?, b = 12.310(4) ?, c = 15.374(4) ?, alpha = 90.75(2) degrees, beta = 91.02(2) degrees, and gamma = 110.20(2) degrees. Compound 2b crystallizes with a molecule of THF, as yellow rods in the space group P2(1)/c with a = 17.883(3) ?, b = 14.517(3) ?, c = 22.581(3) ?, and beta = 98.17(1) degrees. These compounds contain two cis bridging formamidinato ligands and two formamidinato ligands that are chelated to separate Pt centers. Upon heating, they further react to give the tetrabridged compounds Pt(2)(&mgr;-DArF)(4), Ar = Ph (3a), Tol (3b). Compound 3a crystallizes as orange cubes in the cubic space group I432 with a = 19.671(1) ?. On going from the bis-bridged, bis-chelate structure in 2a to the tetrabridged structure in 3a, the metal-metal separation decreases from 2.910(1) to 2.649(1) ?. Both 2band 3b have been oxidized to give the Pt(II)-Pt(III) compound Pt(2)(&mgr;-DTolF)(4)(PF(6)), 4. Compound 4 crystallizes as cubes in the tetragonal space group P4/ncc with a = 14.392(1) ? and c = 14.436(1) ?. The Pt-Pt distance in 4 is 2.5304(6) ?.     

Effects of Aqueous and Organic Solvents on the Conformational Properties of the Helix-Forming alpha-Methyl-beta-L-aspartamyl Residue

The conformational preferences of N-acetyl-N'-methyl-alpha-methyl-beta-L-aspartamide, which is the model compound for helical poly(beta-L-aspartate)s, have been determined by ab initio SCF-MO computations. Two driving patterns have been found for the existing 13 minimum energy conformations: (i) intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions of both amide-amide and amide-ester type; and (ii) repulsive interactions between the four oxygen atoms contained in the molecule. Self-consistent reaction-field (SCRF) calculations based on the method proposed by Miertus, Scrocco, and Tomasi have been performed in order to evaluate the effect of the solvent on the conformational preferences of the compound subject of study. Water and carbon tetrachloride were the solvents chosen for this purpose, and results have been discussed and interpreted on the basis of their electronic structures. The conclusions drawn from this study are of assistance to understand some features of the conformational transitions experimentally found in poly(beta-L-aspartate)s.     

Selective determination of cobalt using polyurethane foam and 2-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-2-p-cresol as a spectrophotometric reagent

The present work describes a selective, rapid and economical method for the determination of cobalt using the 2-(2-benzothiazolylazo)-p-cresol (BTAC) as a spectrophotometric reagent associated with a solid extraction on polyurethane foam. The BTAC reacts with Co(II) in the presence of Triton-X100 surfactant forming a green complex with maximum absorption at 615 nm. The reaction is used for cobalt determination within a pH range of 6.50-7.50, with an apparent molar absorptivity of 1.62 x 10(4) L mol(-1) cm(-1). Beer's Law is obeyed for a concentration of at least 1.60 microg ml(-1). A selective procedure is proposed for cobalt determination in the presence of Fe(II), Hg(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) up to milligram levels using masking agents. Polyurethane foam is used for the preconcentration and separation of cobalt from thiocyanate media and this procedure is applied to its determination in nickel salts and steel alloys.     

AlPO-Catalysed asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions of cyclopentadiene with chiral acrylates

Reactions of cyclopentadiene with several chiral acrylates are studied and compared with the same reactions catalysed by Zn(II)-exchanged K10 montmorillonite. In general, amorphous AlPO₄ is a more efficient catalyst than the clay. In particular, the reaction of cyclopentadiene with (−)-8-phenylmenthyl acrylate leads to 74% diastereomeric excess (d.e.) in methylene chloride at low temperatures. This result constitutes the highest asymmetric induction described to date for a solid-catalysed asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction. When the reactions are carried out in the absence of a solvent a noticeable decrease in selectivity is observed, probably due to an extensive competition of the non-catalysed reaction.     

A simple and very sensitive spectrophotometric method for the direct determination of copper ions

A sensitive spectrophotometric method for the direct determination of copper in aqueous samples without a preconcentration step has been developed. It is based on the formation of a yellow complex with the chromogenic reagent di-2-pyridyl ketone benzoylhydrazone (dPKBH) in an alkaline medium. The complex stoichiometry was 1:2 (Cu:dPKBH) and presents maximum absorbance at 370 nm. The influence of chemical variables affecting the behaviour of the system such as pH, concentration of dPKBH, buffer solution and ethanol, order of addition of the reagents and stability of the complex, were evaluated. The molar absorptivity (epsilon) was 3.92x10(4) L mol(-1) cm(-1), and Beer's law was obeyed up to 3 mg L(-1) of copper. The relative standard deviation was 0.46% (n=11) for a sample containing 1 mg L(-1) Cu(II). The limit of detection was 2.5 micro g L(-1) and was therefore more sensitive than the direct methods reported previously. Finally, the method was successfully validated by analysing several real samples with different matrices, such as tap water, natural water or copper alloys, with an average relative error of 2.46%.     

Lead(II) thiocyanate complexes with bibracchial lariat ethers: an X-ray and DFT study

Compounds of formula [Pb(L2)(NCS)2] (1) and [Pb(L4)(SCN)2] (2) (where L2 is the lariat crown ether N,N'-bis(3-aminobenzyl)-4,13-diaza-18-crown-6 and L4 is the Schiff-base lariat crown ether N,N'-bis(3-(salicylaldimino)benzyl)-4,13-diaza-18-crown-6) were isolated and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction analyses. The X-ray crystal structures of both compounds show the metal ion coordinated to the six donor atoms of the crown moiety, leaving the corresponding pendant arms uncoordinated. The coordination sphere of lead(II) is completed by two thiocyanate groups that coordinate either through their nitrogen (1) or sulfur (2) atoms. The organic receptor adopts a syn conformation in 1, while in 2 it shows an anti conformation. To rationalize these unexpected different conformations of the L2 and L4 receptors in compounds 1 and 2, as well as the different binding modes found for the thiocyanate ligands, we have carried out theoretical calculations at the DFT (B3LYP) level. These calculations predict the syn conformation being the most stable in both 1 and 2 complexes. So, the anti conformation found for 2 in the solid state is tentatively attributed to the presence of intermolecular pi-pi interactions between phenol rings, for which the dihedral angle between the least-squares planes of both rings amounts to 2.6 degrees and the distance between the center of both rings is 3.766 A. On the other hand, the analysis of the electronic structure has revealed that the Pb-ligand bonds present highly ionic character in this family of compounds. They also suggest a greater transfer of electron density from the NCS- ligands when they coordinate through the less electronegative S atom. The Pb-SCN covalent bond formation mainly occurs due to an effective overlap of the occupied 3p z orbitals of the S atoms and the unoccupied 6p z AO of the Pb atom, while the Pb-NCS bonding interaction is primarily due to the overlap of the 6s and 7s AO of Pb with sp(1.10) hybrids of the N donor atoms. Our electronic structure calculations can rationalize the different coordination of the thiocyanate groups in compounds 1 and 2: the simultaneous formation of two Pb-SCN bonds is more favorable for S-Pb-S angles close to 180 degrees , for which the overlap between the occupied 3p z orbitals of the S atoms and the unoccupied 6 pz AO of the Pb atom is maximized.     

Dramatic changes in geometry after ionization: experimental and theoretical studies on the electronic properties of fluorocarbonyl (mono-, di-, and tri-) sulfur compounds

In this work, we present a complete study on He I photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) for the fluorocarbonyl mono-, di-, and trisulfur compounds FC(O)SCl, FC(O)SSCH(3), and FC(O)SSSC(O)F. After optimizations of the structure for stable conformers at different levels of theory, a complete theoretical study involving the calculation of the ionization energies using orbital valence Green's functional (OVGF) was performed. Calculations of radical-cationic forms were carried out in order to compare their properties with those of the neutral molecules. The first IP values are 10.7, 9.0, and 10.5 eV for FC(O)SCl, FC(O)SSCH(3), and FC(O)SSSC(O)F, respectively. The groups bonded to the S atom mainly influence the ionizations originating from the sulfur lone pairs. A wide electronic delocalization in the FC(O)S moiety can be deduced from experimental and theoretical results, which leads to a strong energetic stabilization of the n' '(S) (sulfur lone pair pi orbital). Other conclusions relate to effects on the substituents attached to the S atom and the importance of the molecular planarity in the orbital stabilization of the FC(O)S moiety for the neutral molecules. It is worthwhile mentioning that FC(O)SCl retains its planar structure after ionization, but drastic changes occur in the geometry of both FC(O)SSCH(3) and FC(O)SSSC(O)F. The FC(O)SSCH(3) molecule adopts a heavy atom planar structure after ionization. The FC(O)SSS moiety becomes a planar form after the ionization of the FC(O)SSSC(O)F molecule, whereas the second C(O)F group maintains its original conformation with respect to the SSS group.