Requirements vs acceptability in proficiency testing schemes and other interlaboratory comparisons

Many laboratories take part in proficiency testing schemes, external quality assessment programmes and other interlaboratory comparisons. These have many similarities but also important differences in their modus operandi and evaluation of performance of participating laboratories. This paper attempts to highlight both the similarities and differences. It also puts particular emphasis on requirements called ”target values for uncertainty” and their meaning. Received: 24 January 2001 Accepted: 25 January 2001     

Electrochemical reactivity at redox-molecule-based nanoelectrode ensembles

A model describing electrochemical reactivity at nanoelectrode ensembles consisting of redox-molecule-based active sites immobilized on otherwise passivated electrode surfaces is presented. A mathematical treatment in terms of hemispherical diffusion of redox-active solutes to a layer of independent molecule-based nanoelectrode sites is shown to be equivalent to one in terms of a bimolecular diffusion-limited reaction between a layer of immobilized redox molecules and a reservoir of redox-active solutes. This equivalence derives from the fact that in both cases the mass-transfer problem is essentially that of hemispherical diffusion. The model is further developed to consider rate limitation by both the bimolecular redox reaction between the active-site molecule and redox molecules in solution and the heterogeneous redox reaction between the electrode and the active-site molecule. Analytical expressions are derived for the current–voltage relation corresponding to catalyzed electron transfer at an ensemble of redox-molecule-based nanoelectrode sites, and the expressions are used to interpret preliminary data for ultrasensitive electrochemical detection in flow streams via an electrochemical amplification process that is thought to involve redox mediation by individual analyte molecules adsorbed onto monolayer-coated electrodes.     

IR and Raman spectra of two layered aluminium phosphates Co(en)3Al3P4O16 · 3H2O and [NH4]3[Co(NH3)6]3[Al2(PO4)4]2 · 2H2O

The FT IR and FT Raman spectra of Co(en)₃Al₃P₄O₁₆ · 3H₂O (compound I) and [NH₄]₃[Co(NH₃)₆]₃[Al₂(PO₄)₄]₂ · 2H₂O (compound II) are recorded and analysed based on the vibrations of Co(en)₃³⁺, Co(NH₃)₆³⁺, NH₄⁺, Al---O---P, PO₃, PO₂ and H₂O. The observed splitting of bands indicate that the site symmetry and correlation field effects are appreciable in both the compounds. In compound I, the overtone of CH₂ deformation Fermi resonates with its symmetric stretching vibration. The NH₄ ion in compound II is not free to rotate in the crystalline lattice. Hydrogen bonding of different groups is also discussed.     

A T‐shaped selenenyl halide

The title selenenyl halide complex, 3‐iodo‐2‐phenyl‐3H‐3‐selenaindazole, C₁₂H₉IN₂Se, has an almost planar conformation and a nearly ideal T‐shape for the Se(INC) moiety [Se—I 2.8122 (12), Se—C 1.881 (7) and Se—N2 2.051 (6) Å; C—Se—N 79.6 (3), C—Se—I 96.8 (2) and N—Se—I 176.17 (17)°]. This arrangement, together with the two selenium lone pairs, leads to a distorted trigonal‐bipyrimidal geometry about the Se atom. Intermolecular interactions are largely limited to stacking forces.     

A ter­phenyl halide series: 2,6‐Trip2­H3C6X (Trip = 2,4,6‐triiso­propyl­phenyl; X = Cl,Br, I)

The sterically encumbered ter­phenyl halides 2′‐chloro‐2,2′′,4,4′′,6,6′′‐hexaisopropyl‐1,1′:3′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₃₆H₄₉Cl, (I), 2′‐bromo‐2,2′′,4,4′′,6,6′′‐hexaisopropyl‐1,1′:3′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₃₆H₄₉Br, (II), and 2′‐iodo‐2,2′′,4,4′′,6,6′′‐hexaisopropyl‐1,1′:3′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₃₆H₄₉I, (III), crystallize in space group Pnma. They are isomorphous and isostructural with a plane of symmetry through the centre of the mol­ecule. The C–halide bond distances are 1.745 (3), 1.910 (4) and 2.102 (6) Å for (I)–(III), respectively.     

Titanium imido complexes containing 1,3,5-triazacyclohexane ligands

The syntheses of the 1,3,5-trimethyl- and tri-tert-butyl-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane-supported imido complexes [M(NR)(R′₃tach)Cl₂] (M = Ti or Zr (NMR only); R = Bu^t or 2,6-C₆H₃Prⁱ₂; R′ = Me or Bu^t) are reported, along with that of the thermally robust dibenzyl derivative [Ti(NBu^t)(Me₃tach)(CH₂Ph)₂]. The tert-butylimido ligand in [Ti(NBu^t)(Me₃tach)Cl₂] undergoes exchange with ArNH₂ (Ar = 4-C₆H₄Me or 2,6-C₆H₄Me or 2,6-C₆H₃Prⁱ₂) to form the corresponding arylimides [Ti(NAr)(Me₃tach)Cl₂]. The Me₃tach ring in [Ti(NR)(Me₃tach)Cl₂] undergoes slow exchange with Bu^t₃tach or Me₃tacn (1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) to give the ring-exchanged products [Ti(NR)(Bu^t₃tach)Cl₂] and [Ti(NR)(Me₃tacn)Cl₂], respectively. The complexes [Ti(NR)(Me₃tach)X₂] (R = Bu^t or 2,6-C₆H₃Prⁱ₂; X = Cl or CH₂Ph) exhibit room-temperature dynamic NMR behaviour via an unusual trigonal twist of the facially coordinated Me₃tach ligand, and the activation parameters for these processes have been measured and are discussed. The X-ray structures of [Ti(NR)(Bu^t₃tach)Cl₂] (R = Bu^t or 2,6-C₆H₃Prⁱ₂) and [Ti(NBu^t)(Me₃tach)(X)₂] [X= Cl or CH₂Ph) are reported. Me₃tach and Bu^t₃tach = 1,3,5-trimethyl- and tri-tert-butyl-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane, respectively.     

Tensor Distributions on Signature-changing Space-times

Irregularities in the metric tensor of a signature-changing space-time suggest that field equations on such space-times might be regarded as distributional. We review the formalism of tensor distributions on differentiable manifolds, and examine to what extent rigorous meaning can be given to field equations in the presence of signature-change, in particular those involving covariant derivatives. We find that, for both continuous and discontinuous signature-change, covariant differentiation can be defined on a class of tensor distributions wide enough to be physically interesting.     

IR,Raman and SERS spectra of 3,5‐dinitrosalicylic acid

IR, Raman and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of 3,5‐dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) were recorded and analysed. The vibrational wavenumbers were computed by the ab initio method using RHF/6–21G* basis and they were found to be in good agreement with the experimental values. The effect of the concentration dependence on the SERS intensity of the molecule was studied. The molecular plane assumes a tilted orientation with respect to the silver surface. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Degradation of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Model Compounds at Constant Elevated Temperature Studied via High Resolution Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI‐MS)

The products of the thermal degradation at 95 °C over 10 months of ω‐saturated and non‐saturated poly(methyl methacrylate) (pMMA) model compounds were identified with high accuracy via quadrupole ion trap and quadrupole ion trap‐time of flight (Q‐ToF) mass spectrometry. Analysis of the samples taken via these techniques indicated that degradation of vinyl terminated pMMA proceeds via the incorporation of oxygen via the formation of ethylene oxide type end groups, which subsequently rearrange under the expulsion of formaldehyde and 2‐oxo‐propionic acid methyl ester. The corresponding saturated model compounds were demonstrated to be stable over the same time period. The present findings highlight for the first time that poly(methyl methacrylate) degradation does not necessarily and exclusively proceed via radical intermediates.

     

A Novel Approach to Processing High‐Performance Polymers that Exploits Entropically Driven Ring‐Opening Polymerization

Summary: Blends of the poly(ether sulfone) derived from 4,4′‐biphenol and 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone (Radel‐R™) with its homologous macrocyclic oligomers show greatly lowered melt viscosities relative to that of the parent polymer, potentially enabling more facile production and fabrication of fiber‐reinforced composite materials. The macrocycles can then undergo entropically driven ring‐opening polymerization in situ. The required blends can be obtained easily in one step, by carrying out polycondensations at concentrations lower than those usually used for polymer synthesis.

Percentage of MCOs 5 in the product as a function of total monomer concentration.