Morphology of platinum electrodeposits in the three-dimensional sublayer to full layer range produced under different potential modulations on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

The topography of platinum electrodes produced by electrodeposition (19 to 200 mC cm-2) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) under different potential modulations was investigated by atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and H-atom electrosorption voltammetry. To modulate electrodeposition, (i) triangular potential cycling at 0.1 V s-1, (ii) a linear cathodic potential at 0.1 V s-1 and anodic potential step cycling, and (iii) square wave potential cycling at 5000 Hz were utilized. AFM and STM imaging showed that at lower platinum loading the HOPG surface was partially covered by a 3D sublayer of platinum. Electrodes produced by procedure (i) were made of faceted platinum aggregates of about 200 nm and nanoclusters in the range of 5-20 nm; those that resulted from procedure (ii) consisted of anisotropic aggregates of nanoclusters arranged as quasi-parallel domains. These electrodes from (i) and (ii) behaved as fractal objects. The electrodes resulting from procedure (iii) exhibited a flat surface that behaved as a Euclidean object. For all WEs, as the platinum loading was increased the HOPG surface was fully covered by a thin 3D layer of platinum aggregates produced by electrodeposition and coalescence phenomena. Large platinum loading led to electrodes with fractal geometry. Statistical parameters (root-mean-square height, skewedness, kurtosis, anisotropy, Abbot curve, number of protrusions and valleys, and fractal dimension) were obtained from the analysis of AFM and STM imaging data. Platinum electrodeposition coupled to either H-adatom formation for procedures (i) and (ii) or phonon dispersion for (iii) was involved in the surface atom rearrangements related to electrofaceting. The H-adatom electrosorption voltammetry data were used to evaluate the real electrode surface area via the voltammetric charge and to advance a tentative explanation of the contribution of the different crystallographic facets to the global electrochemical process dominated by weak H-Pt adsorption interactions.     

Pyrazole complexes as anion receptors

The behavior of the receptors [Re(CO)3(Hdmpz)3]BAr'4 (Hdmpz = 3,5-dimethylpyrazole) (1) and [Re(CO)3(HtBupz)3]BAr'4 (HtBupz = 3(5)-tert-butylpyrazole) (2; Ar' = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) toward the anions fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, hydrogensulfate, dihydrogenphosphate, nitrate, and perrhenate was studied in CD3CN solution. In most cases, the receptors were stable. Anion exchange was fast, and binding constants were calculated from the NMR titration profiles. The structure of the adduct [Re(CO)3(HtBupz)3] x NO3 (3) was determined by X-ray diffraction. Two pyrazole moieties are hydrogen-bonded to one nitrate oxygen atom, and the third pyrazole moiety is hydrogen-bonded to an oxygen atom of an adjacent nitrate, leading to infinite chains. The structure of the adduct [Re(CO)3(Hdmpz)3]BAr'4acetone (4), also determined by X-ray diffraction, showed a similar interaction of two pyrazole N-H groups with the acetone oxygen atom. F- and H2PO4(-) deprotonate the receptors, and HSO4(-) decomposed 1. The structure of one of the decomposition products (5), determined by X-ray diffraction, is consistent with pyrazole protonation and substitution by sulfate.     

Rhenium-mediated coupling of acetonitrile and pyrazoles. New molecular clefts for anion binding

The reaction of fac-[ReBr(CO)3(NCMe)2] (1) with either pyrazole (Hpz) or 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (Hdmpz) in a 1:2 Re/pyrazole ratio affords the known complexes fac-[ReBr(CO)3(Hpz)2] (2) and [ReBr(CO)3(Hdmpz)2] (3). Using a 1:1 ratio, MeCN as solvent, and longer reaction times led to a mixture in which the major components are the pyrazolylamidino complexes fac-[ReBr(CO)3(HN=C(CH3)pz-kappa2N,N)] (4) and fac-[ReBr(CO)3(HN=C(CH3)dmpz-kappa2N,N)] (5). The complexes fac-[ReBr(CO)3(Hpz)(NCMe)] (6) and fac-[ReBr(CO)3(Hdmpz)(NCMe)] (7) (along with 2 and 3) were found to be minor components of these reactions. Analogous reactions of fac-[Re(OClO3)(CO)3(NCMe)2] yielded fac-[Re(NCCH3)(CO)3(HN=C(CH3)pz-kappa2N,N)]ClO4 (8), fac-[Re(NCCH3)(CO)3(HN=C(CH3)dmpz-kappa2N,N)]ClO4 (9), fac-[Re(Hpz)(CO)3(HN=C(CH3)pz-kappa2N,N)]ClO4 (10), and fac-[Re(Hdmpz)(CO)3(HN=C(CH3)dmpz-kappa2N,N)]ClO4 (11). The X-ray structure of 11 showed the perchlorate anion to be hydrogen-bonded by the N-H groups of the pyrazole and pyrazolylamidino ligands. The behavior of the compound fac-[Re(Hdmpz)(CO)3(HN=C(CH3)dmpz-kappa2N,N)]BAr'4 (13) (synthesized by reaction of [ReBr(CO)3(Hdmpz)2] (3) with (i) AgOTf and (ii) NaBAr'(4)/MeCN) as an anion receptor has been studied in CD3CN solution. In addition, the structure of the supramolecular adduct fac-[Re(CO)3(Hdmpz)(HN=C(CH3)dmpz-kappa2N,N)].Cl (14), featuring chloride binding by the two N-H groups, was determined by X-ray diffraction.     

The revised generalized Tikhonov method for the backward time-fractional diffusion equation

In this paper, we solve the backward problem for a time-fractional diffusion equation with variable coefficients in a bounded domain by using the revised generalized Tikhonov regularization method. Convergence estimates under an a-priori and a-posteriori regularization parameter choice rules are given. Numerical example shows that the proposed method is effective and stable.     

Global H1 solvability of the 3D logarithmic Schrödinger equation

In this paper we investigate the existence of a unique global mild solution in $H^1\left({\mathbb{R}}^3\right)$ of the initial-boundary value problem associated with the logarithmic Schrödinger equation $i{?}_t\psi =?D\Delta \psi +\sigma \log \left(\right|\psi {|}^2)\psi$, with $D>0$ and $\sigma \in \mathbb{R}?\left\{0\right\}$.     

Existence results for a nondensely-defined impulsive neutral differential equation with state-dependent delay

In this paper, we prove the existence of integral solutions for a first order nondensely-defined impulsive neutral differential equation with state-dependent delay. The results are obtained by using suitable fixed point theorems. As applications of these main theorems, some consequences are obtained for the sub-linear growth cases.     

Existence and approximation of solutions for a class of nonlinear impulsive functional differential equations with anti-periodic boundary conditions

This paper describes the method of quasilinearization for first-order nonlinear impulsive functional differential equations with anti-periodic boundary conditions. A monotone iterative technique coupled with lower and upper solutions is employed to obtain sequences of approximate solutions converging monotonically and quadratically to the unique solution of the problem at hand.     

Cyclization Cascade of Allenyl Azides: Synergy Between Theory and Experiment

Collaborative work between experimentalists and computational chemists have demonstrated a stong synergy which allowed the rationalization of allenyl azide chemistry and permited the development of an efficient synthetic tool aimed at the preparation of several alkaloids. Saturated allenyl azides undergo a reaction cascade involving key diradical intermediates that follow the Curtin-Hammett model whereas unsaturated allenyl azides form indolidene intermediates that furnish the final indole products via electrocyclic ring closure events taking place out of the Curtin-Hammett regime. The regiochemistry of the reaction cascade with the latter substrates can be manipulated by Cu(I) addition to the reaction mixture.     

Theoretical study of the vinyl allene oxide to cyclopent-2-en-1-one rearrangement: mechanism, torquoselectivity and solvent effects

Density-functional calculations in the gas phase and solvent (PCM) at the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p) level were performed to study a series of six reactions that involve the rearrangement of vinyl allene oxides to cyclopent-2-en-1-ones along two distinct mechanistic pathways, namely concerted and stepwise. Calculations predict that stepwise pathways are highly competitive processes that occur via biradical/zwitterionic intermediates. Torquoselectivity is predicted to result from the concerted pathway leading to a stereodefined 4,5-disubstituted cyclopent-2-en-1-ones that should have memory of the starting terminal double-bond geometry and oxide configuration. The stepwise pathway cannot show torquoselectivity as cyclization of the planar oxidopentadienyl zwitterion can follow enantiomorphous conrotations. The concerted/stepwise mechanistic preference depends mainly on the olefin geometry and is further modulated by epoxide substitution. The influence of the solvent (PCM model for dichloromethane or water) is moderate, although the greater (de)stabilization of the polarized oxidopentadienyl zwitterions along the stepwise mechanism does alter the kinetic preferences exhibited by the systems in vacuo. Results with system 1e suggest that, if vinyl allene oxide II having a double bond with Z-geometry, an intermediate in the biogenesis of epi-jasmonic acid IV, is processed along an in stepwise mechanism following ring opening, the enzyme allene oxide cyclase must enforce enantiofacial torquoselectivity.     

α-Alkyl-α-Amino-β-Lactam Peptides: Design,Synthesis, and Conformational Features

Remarkable asymmetric induction is achieved in the alkylation of the lithium enolate of the β-lactam 1 . This allows the first time access to a new family of peptidomimetics 2 with predictable conformational constraints.