Multiple-timescale photoreactivity of a model compound related to the active site of [FeFe]-hydrogenase

Ultraviolet (UV) photolysis of (mu-S(CH 2) 3S)Fe 2(CO) 6 ( 1), a model compound of the Fe-hydrogenase enzyme system, has been carried out. When ultrafast UV-pump infrared (IR)-probe spectroscopy, steady-state Fourier transform IR spectroscopic methods, and density functional theory simulations are employed, it has been determined that irradiation of 1 in an alkane solution at 350 nm leads to the formation of two isomers of the 16-electron complex (mu-S(CH 2) 3S)Fe 2(CO) 5 within 50 ps with evidence of a weakly associated solvent adduct complex. 1 is subsequently recovered on timescales covering several minutes. These studies constitute the first attempt to study the photochemistry and reactivity of these enzyme active site models in solution following carbonyl ligand photolysis.     

New cubic phase of Li3N: stability of the N3- ion to 200 GPa

Diamond-anvil cell experiments augmented by first-principles calculations have found a remarkable stability of the N(3-) ion in Li3N to a sixfold volume reduction. A new (gamma) phase is discovered above 40(+/-5) GPa, with an 8% volume collapse and a band gap quadrupling at the transition determined by synchrotron x-ray diffraction and inelastic x-ray scattering. gamma-Li(3)N (Fm3m, Li(3)Bi-like structure) remains stable up to 200 GPa, and calculations do not predict metallization until approximately 8 TPa. The high structural stability, wide band gap, and simple electronic structure make this N(3-) based system analogous to lower valency compounds (MgO, NaCl, Ne), meriting its use as an internal pressure standard.     

Emission of discrete vortex rings by a vibrating grid in superfluid 3He-B: a precursor to quantum turbulence

We report a transition in the vorticity generated by a grid moving in the B phase of superfluid 3He at T相似文献   

An electrochemical and DFT study on selected beta-diketiminato metal complexes

Selected homoleptic metal beta-diketiminates M(I)L and M(II)L2 [M(I) = Li or K, M(II) = Mg, Ca or Yb; L: L(Ph) = [N(SiMe3)C(Ph)]2CH, L(Bu(t)) = N(SiMe3)C(Ph)C(H)C(Bu(t))N(SiMe3), L* = [N(C6H3Pr(i)2-2,6)C(Me)]2CH] have been studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The primary reduction (E(p)red, the peak reduction potential measured vs. SCE in thf containing 0.2 M [NBu4][PF6] with a scan rate 100 mV s(-1) at a vitreous carbon electrode at ambient temperature) is essentially ligand-centred: E(p)red being ca. -2.2 V (LiL(Ph) and KL(Ph)) and -2.4 V [Mg(L(Ph))2, LiL(Bu(t)) and Ca(L(Ph))2], while LiL* is significantly more resistant to reduction (E(p)red = -3.1 V). These observations are consistent with the view that the two (L(Ph)) or single (L(Bu(t))) C-phenyl substituent(s), respectively, are available for -electron-delocalisation of the reduced species, whereas the N-aryl substituents of L* are unable to participate in such conjugation for steric reasons. The primary reduction process was reversible on the CV-time scale only for LiL(Bu(t)), Ca(L(Ph))2 and Yb(L(Ph))2. For the latter this occurs at a potential ca. 500 mV positive of Ca(L(Ph))2, consistent with the notion that the LUMO of Yb(L(Ph))2 has substantial metal character. The successive reversible steps, each separated by ca. 500 mV, indicate that there is strong electronic communication between the two ligands of Yb(L(Ph))2. The overall three-electron transfer sequence shows that the final reduction level corresponds to [Yb(II)(L(Ph))2-(L(Ph))3-]. DFT calculations on complexes Li(L(Ph))(OMe2)2 and Li2(L(Ph))(OMe2)3 showed that both HOMO and LUMO orbitals are only based on the ligand with a HOMO-LUMO gap of 4.21 eV. Similar calculations on a doubly reduced complex Yb[(mu-L(Ph))Li(OMe2)]2 demonstrated that there is a considerable Yb atomic orbital contribution to the HOMO and LUMO of the complex.     

Quantum confinement induced molecular correlated insulating state in La4Ni3O8

The recently synthesized layered nickelate La4Ni3O8, with its cupratelike NiO2 layers, seemingly requires a Ni1 (d(8))+2Ni2 (d(9)) charge order, together with strong correlation effects, to account for its insulating behavior. Using density functional methods including strong intra-atomic repulsion (Hubbard U), we obtain an insulating state via a new mechanism: without charge order, correlated (Mott) insulating behavior arises based on quantum-coupled, spin-aligned molecular Ni2-Ni1-Ni2 d(z)(2) trimer states across the trilayer (molecular rather than atomic states), with antiferromagnetic ordering within layers. The weak and frustrated magnetic coupling between cells may account for the small spin entropy that is removed at the Néel transition at 105 K and the lack of any diffraction peak at the Néel point.     

Spectral responses of gyrotropic chiral sculptured thin films to obliquely incident plane waves

Gyrotropic chiral sculptured thin films (STFs) exhibit optical activity due to their structural chirality, local anisotropy, and magneto-optic gyrotropy. We adapted two algorithms for nongyrotopic chiral STFs to investigate the circular-polarization-sensitivity of gyrotropic chiral STFs to incident plane waves. The impacts of gyrotropy and oblique angles of incidence on the reflectances and the transmittances were examined, and several conclusions drawn. In particular, we found that the incorporation of gyrotropy results in a blueshift of the Bragg regime.     

Computational design of multifunctional materials

We propose a general scheme for the computational design of new materials using density functional theory. We then apply the scheme to two classes of materials; ferromagnetic ferroelectrics and half-metallic antiferromagnets. Our first “designer” ferromagnetic ferroelectric has subsequently been synthesized and the predicted properties verified. Our computations on half-metallic antiferromagnets have stimulated experimental study but the phenomenon remains unconfirmed.