[2+2] Photodimerization of Stilbazoles Promoted by Oxalic Acid in Suspension

In this study, a very simple technique to perform efficiently photodimerization of some vinylpyridines is reported. By irradiating a stirred mixture of several stilbazoles with solid oxalic acid dihydrate dispersed in a nonpolar (i.e., cyclohexane) or moderately polar (benzene, dichloromethane, dioxane) solvent, the corresponding dimeric cyclobutane adducts were obtained in high yields and excellent regio- and stereoselectivities. The strategy could also be applied successfully to oily, waxy, or even insoluble stilbazoles. Moreover, the oxalic acid loading could be lowered to substoichiometric amounts. When further optimizations were needed, our strategy was found to be highly flexible to identify other oligocarboxylic acids as alternative additives to improve, or even overturn, the regioselectivity. Oxalic acid and other oligocarboxylic acids were found to be capable of orienting more than 50 stilbazoles toward photodimerization under these conditions.     

Efficient Synthesis of α‐Trifluoromethyl Carboxylic Acids and Esters through Fluorocarboxylation of gem‐Difluoroalkenes

A facile synthetic procedure for the preparation of α‐trifluoromethyl carboxylic acids and esters was achieved through multicomponent coupling reactions between gem‐difluoroalkenes, cesium fluoride, and carbon dioxide. The products were generated in moderate to excellent yields, and the synthetic utility of this method was demonstrated through the preparation of trifluoromethylated versions of popular nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).     

Interaction between excitons in 3D and 2D laser-excited semiconductors

Analytical expressions of the exciton-exciton interaction in 3D and 2D laser-excited semiconductors are approximately derived in rather easy-to-handle forms which enable us to study in detail their dependences on the exciton momenta, the momentum transferred between two excitons and the electron-hole mass ratio.We would like to thank Prof. Nguyen Van Hieu and Prof. Dao Vong Due for their support given to us in the research of highly excited media.     

Ferro- and antiferromagnetism in oxychalcogenides LnCrOX2 (Ln = La or Nd and X = S or Se)

The two isomorphous compounds LaCrOS₂ and LaCrOSe₂ are ferromagnetic (T_c = 35 and 51 K, respectively). This implies ferromagnetic super-superexchange interactions. NdCrOS₂ is antiferromagnetic (T_N = 72 K) and undergoes a spin-flop transition (H_c = 54 KOe at 20 K). The study of the thermal variation of Cr³⁺ and Nd³⁺ magnetic moments below T_N allows a rough estimate of the Cr---Nd and Cr---Cr exchange fields ratio (0.1).     

Can the pentazole anion (N5−) be isolated and/or trapped in metal complexes?

The 1,3-dipolar cycloreversion pathway of the pentazole anion (N₅^?) to the azide anion (N₃^?) plus dinitrogen (N₂) has been investigated using ab initio methods. At the MP4SDQ/6–31 + G* level of theory plus zero-point energy contributions, the pentazole anion is predicted to lie at 31 kcal mol^?1 above the N₃^? + N₂ system but the energy barrier for decomposition is 22 kcal mol^?1. This indicates that the pentazole anion could be isolated in an inert matrix at low temperature. Comparison between extended Hückel calculations on the (N₅)M(CO)₃ and (C₅H₅)M(CO)₃ complexes (with M = Fe²⁺, Mn⁺ and Cr) suggests that the N₅^? complexes would be formed if the fragments could be brought together. Predicted vibrational frequencies of the N₅^? anion are also reported.     

Two-phonon processes in Heisenberg ferromagnet

Using the method of double-time retarded Green function, an expression for the spin energy spectrum including the contributions of one-phonon and two-phonon processes has been derived. Calculations have been performed using the spin wave approximation. The broadening of the energy level is roughly estimated in a peculiar case.I would like to thank Dr. Dagmat Fraitová for her advice and help.     

X-ray diffraction,differential scanning calorimetric and spectroscopic studies of phase transitions in the bidimensional compound (C12H25NH3)2CdCl4

The existence of three main crystalline phases (called III, II and I) in (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃)₂CdCl₄ has been revealed by differential scanning calorimetry. X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic studies. The crystal- lographic evolution with increasing temperature appears to be monoclinic (III) → orthorhombic (II) → tetragonal (I). The low temperature phase III is the only ordered structure. The phase transition (III-II), which is of first order type, corresponds to an order-disorder mechanism involving the organic part of the structure (alkylammonium chains) whereas the phase transition (II-I), which is of second-order type, is related to the arrangement of the mineral matrix (octahedra of perovskite layers). An intermediate disordered form II', stable in a very narrow temperature range and structurally similar to the form II, has also been observed, so that the transformation (III-II) proceeds, in fact, in two steps (III-II'-II). The variation enthalpies observed at the transitions (III-II'-II) and analyzed through an order-disorder mechanism demonstrate the high disorder of the alkylammonium chains in form II, in agreement with spectroscopic results. No thermal anomaly or spectroscopic modification is observed for the high temperature transition (II-I).     

Study of the interface formed between poly(2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxyl)-p-phenylene vinylene) and indium tin oxide in top emission organic light emitting diodes

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique have been used to investigate the interface formed between poly(2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxyl)-p-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) and indium tin oxide (ITO) layer in top emission organic light emitting diodes. A weak but noticeable diffusion of indium into the polymer film was observed. Interactions between the diffused metallic atoms with the polymer resulted in the formation of carbon-metal complexes at the interface region. Compared to the ITO/MEH-PPV interface, the penetration of indium into the polymer layer was less important and may be explained by the surface morphology of the polymer film. It was however, a probable factor for fast degradation of devices using this structure.     

Soft magnetic properties and giant magneto-impedance effect of Fe73.5−xCrxSi13.5B9Nb3Au1 (x=1–5) alloys

In this paper, the effect of microstructural and surface morphological developments on the soft magnetic properties and giant magneto-impedance (GMI) effect of Fe_73.5−xCr_xSi_13.5B₉Nb₃Au₁ (x=1, 2, 3, 4, 5) alloys was investigated. It was found that the Cr addition causes slight decrease in the mean grain size of α-Fe(Si) grains. AFM results indicated a large variation of surface morphology of density and size of protrusions along the ribbon plane due to structural changes caused by thermal treatments with increasing Cr content. Ultrasoft magnetic properties such as the increase of magnetic permeability and the decrease of coercivity were observed in the samples annealed at 540 °C for 30 min. Accordingly, the GMI effect was also observed in the annealed samples.