A TEM and XRD study of the SbNbSe3 misfit layer structures

Two new misfit layer structures have been synthesized within the Sb-Nb-Se system. Powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques (electron diffraction, HREM, XEDS) have been used to determine the nature of their structure. According to TEM and XEDS data (for more than 15 crystals studied) both phases are monolayer type, i.e. (SbSe)1+delta (NbSe2). Electron microscopy reveals a composite modulated structure that consists of the periodical intergrowth of a pseudotetragonal SbSe layer, denominated as Q, and a pseudohexagonal layer NbSe2, denominated as H. Both layers fit along b, stack along c and do not fit along a (misfit) giving rise to an incommensurate modulation along this direction. The two phases differ in the symmetry of the Q layers being in one case orthorhombic (for delta = 0.17) and monoclinic in the other (for delta = 0.19). After the characterization of the sample by electron microscopy the unit cells of the basic layers could be refined for both phases by powder X-ray diffraction: aQ = 5.824(2) A, bQ = 5.962(5) A, cQ = 23.927(6) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees and aH = 3.415(5) A, bH = 5.962(6) A,, cH = 11.962(1) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the orthorhombic phase; aQ = 5.844(2) A, bQ = 5.981(1) A, cQ = 23.919(5) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 96.00(3)degrees and aH = 3.439(1) A, bH = 5.994(2) A, cH = 11.956(3) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the monoclinic phase. The phase with the monoclinic Q-sublattice often appears as twinned crystals. The more abundant crystals are disordered intergrowths of both monolayer phases.     

"Nanocatalyst ∪ reagent-on-a-polymer film": a new polymer-supported system for (electro-)catalytic reactions

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) has been used to immobilize both the metal particle catalyst and the reagent, (cyano-)borohydride, by simple doping and chemical reduction. These films have shown catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of nitrophenol and electro-oxidation of methanol, formic acid and borohydride.     

Regioselective synthesis and structural elucidation of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives using 1D and 2D NMR spectral techniques

Regioselective synthesis of 2-[1-(2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)-1H-[1,2,3]triazol-4-ylmethoxy]-benzaldehyde derivatives was achieved by [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of 2-(prop)-2-ynyloxy-benzaldehyde derivatives with phenacyl azide. The regiochemistry and the spectral assignments of the synthesized triazole derivatives were studied using both 1D and 2D NMR spectral techniques in solution.     

Tandem isomerization-lactonization of olefinic fatty acids using the Lewis acidic ionic liquid, choline chloride·2ZnCl2

The tandem isomerization-lactonization of unsaturated fatty acids to their corresponding γ-lactones was carried out for the first time in the presence of a Lewis acidic ionic liquid, choline chloride·2ZnCl₂. The ionic liquid initially catalyzes the stepwise migration of the double bond along the carbon chain toward the carboxyl group at the Δ4 position, which subsequently undergoes lactonization resulting in the formation of γ-lactones. This one step process allows the formation of γ-lactone in good yield with little or no formation of δ-lactones. The studied ionic liquid plays the dual role of solvent as well as catalyst.     

Completion of the Total Synthesis of Several Bioactive Sarpagine/Macroline Alkaloids including the Important NF-κB Inhibitor N4-Methyltalpinine

The unification of the general synthetic strategy regarding the important and emerging group of C-19 methyl-substituted sarpagine/macroline alkaloids has culminated in the completion of the total synthesis of several bioactive alkaloids. Key transformations include an ACE-Cl mediated late-stage N(4)-demethylation and an anhydrous acid-mediated intramolecular quaternary hemiaminal formation between a tertiary amine and an aldehyde function to allow efficient access to several biologically important alkaloids from this group. Herein, the enantiospecific total synthesis of the first known sarpagine/macroline alkaloid with NF-κB inhibitory activity, N(4)-methyltalpinine (as a chloride salt), as well as the anticancer alkaloids talpinine, O-acetyltalpinine, and macrocarpines F–G, are described.     

Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> magnetic nanoparticles for bulk scale synthesis of 4′-chloro-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine

Terpyridines are unique class of functional compounds that is extensively spotlighted in diverse fields like synthesis of supramolecular chemistry, nanomaterials, medicinal chemistry intermediates, drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients and so on. The key challenges for the production of terpyridine lie in the bulk scale synthesis of intermediates. The expansively used synthon for terpyridine synthesis is 4′-chloro-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine and their bulk scale synthesis under the ambient conditions using a Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ magnetic nanomaterial catalyst is investigated in the present work. In the protocol stabilized, ethyl-2-pinacolate and acetone were reacted in the presence of NaH to obtain 1,5-bis(2-pyridinyl) pentane-1,3,5-trione. The enolate of acetone is difficult to generate even with NaH and we used Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ to increase the rate of H₂ gas evolution. The triketone is cyclized with CH₃COONH₄ to obtain 2,6-bis(2-pyridinyl)-4-pyridine. This reaction proceeds quantitatively and the off-white solid was easy to isolate from the reaction medium. The subsequent aromatization was observed with PCl₅/POCl₃ and acidic silica gel promoted the product yield to reach ~78%. The crux of the present protocol is that it does not involve any column purification and significant yield of 4′-chloro-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine can be conveniently attained. The Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ aids in the stabilization of carbonyl on the solid support and abstraction of hydrogen from methyl group of acetone. The 40 nm sized Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ favored the maximum yield attributed to the density of active sites to promote the reactions. Due to high value nature of 4′-chloro-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, the nominal 30% yield improvement achieved at the bulk scale gauges significant at the industrial scale.     

On polynomial EkP matrices

In this paper the relation betweenEP--matrices andE ^k P--matrices over an arbitrary filedF is studied. Further, conditions for the product ofE ^k P--matrices to be anE ^k P--matrix and for the reverse order law to hold for the polynomial Moore-Penrose inverse of the product ofE ^k P--matrices are determined     

Effect of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin on the electrochemical oxidation and polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene

The electrochemical oxidation of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) on platinum is studied in electrolyte solutions containing hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD). HP-β-CD is found to increase the solubility of EDOT up to a concentration of 0.026 M in aqueous solutions. Addition of HP-β-CD (0.1 M) produces a slight red shift of the EDOT main absorption band from 254.9 to 257.7 nm and an increase of the HP-β-CD concentration decreases the absorption coefficient, _max to 6150 l mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ in the UV–vis region, indicating complex formation. The cyclic voltammetric response of EDOT in 0.1 M aqueous LiClO₄ solutions consists of an ill-defined wave (P₁) and an adsorption peak (P₂). Contrary to the case of oxidation in acetonitrile medium, a post-peak is observed in the voltammograms of EDOT electro-oxidation in aqueous LiClO₄ solutions due to the adsorption of the oxidized EDOT species. A gradual reduction of the peak current of P₂ with increasing [HP-β-CD] and its total disappearance at high [HP-β-CD] suggest complex formation between HP-β-CD and EDOT√⁺ and also the peak P₂ to be due to adsorption of EDOT√⁺ species. The experiments intended to show the effect of ‘pre-adsorbed’ HP-β-CD on EDOT oxidation led to the conclusion that adsorbed HP-β-CD also solubilizes EDOT at the electrode surface. The CV behaviour of EDOT in HP-β-CD is discussed in comparison with that in sodium dodecylsulfate micellar solutions. Addition of increasing amounts of HP-β-CD shifts P₁ positively and P₂ negatively while also suppressing P₂ totally and reducing the peak current of P₁ to a significant extent. At a higher concentration of HP-β-CD, viz. 0.05 M, a peak appears at 1.29 V as a result of the above two opposing effects of CD on the peak potentials of P₁ and P₂. This resultant peak (P_composite) is more positive relative to the position of P₁ observed in the absence of HP-β-CD. The positive shift of the peak and peak current reduction indicate that EDOT (or an oxidized EDOT species) possibly interacts with the outer nucleophilic part of HP-β-CD. The electro-oxidation processes occurring at P₁ and P₂ are explained using an oligomeric approach, in which the electrochemical reactions are coupled to chemical reactions or adsorption of the oxidized species. Potential cycling of the platinum electrode in solutions containing 0.026 M EDOT+0.05 M HP-β-CD+0.1 M LiClO₄ between −0.5 and 1.2 V yields an adherent and smooth polymer film of poly(ethylenedioxythiophene), as shown in the SEM examination. In situ resistance measurements carried out with the polymer films in the electroactive region show a minimum resistance in the potential range of 0.3–0.4 V. Even the electrochemically-reduced films are found to possess some residual electrical conductivity.     

Solid state structural aspects of electrochemically prepared poly (p -phenylene) thin films – crystalline order and spherulite morphology

The electrochemical polymerization of benzene via the microemulsion approach yields highly crystalline and anisotropic “spherulitic” polyparaphenylene (PPP) thin films. The crystalline order and the origin of spherulite morphology are discussed. Received: 29 July 1997 / Accepted: 27 October 1997     

Reductive N-alkylation of aromatic amines and nitro compounds with nitriles using polymethylhydrosiloxane

The potential utility of polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) as a reducing agent for reductive N-alkylation of aromatic amines and nitro compounds using nitriles as an alkylating agent and Pd(OH)₂/C as a catalyst is described. The application of this method for the synthesis of several heterocyclic compounds is also reported.