Crystal structure and vibrational spectra of hydrazinium (2+) tri-μ-fluoro bis[pentafluorozirconate (IV)] fluoride and vibrational spectra of its hafnium analogue

Monoclinic (N₂H₆)₃Zr₂F₁₃·F crystallizes in space group P2₁-C ₂ ² (No. 4) with unit cell dimensionsa=5.670(1),b=10.984(2),c=10.601(2) Å,=93.88(1)°,V=658.7(4) ų andZ=2. Two different types of N₂H₆ ²⁺ ions are present. One is involved in strong H-bonds to F^– ions in infinite chains running along the a axis (the shortest N-F distance is 2.437(5) Å), and the other links the structure through weaker bi- and trifurcated H-bonds to fluorine ligands of the Zr₂F₁₃ ^5– ions. The N-N bond lengths range from 1.430(5) to 1.446(5) Å with apparently no meaningful correlation to the type of N₂H₂ ²⁺ ions. The Zr₂F₁₃ ^5– ions have very nearly C₂ point symmetry and are formed by joining two distorted bicapped trigonal prisms of ZrF₈-units through a common face. Distances of Zr-F terminal bonds range from 2.015(2) to 2.112(2) Å and of bridging bonds from 2.133(2) to 2.212(2) Å. (N₂H₆)₃Hf₂F₁₃·F is isomorphous. The vibrational spectra of the two compounds are nearly identical, with the exception of a strong infrared band, which is assigned to a stretching mode with the moving central atom within the anion. The anion part of the spectrum is simple, showing broad unresolved bands. The cation part shows two types of N₂H₆ ^– ions. H-Bonding is strongly present in the spectra, but no simple correlations with the H-bond strength is evident.     

Electrocatalysis by foreign metal monolayers: Oxidation of formic acid on platinum

It was demonstrated that some foreign metal monolayers formed by underpotential deposition have pronounced catalytic effects on the oxidation of formic acid on platinum. The explanation of these effects was sought within the framewor of existing data on the formic acid oxidation and the underpotential deposition. It was found that the catalytic effect of foreign metal monolayers originates in the decrease of hydrogen adsorption thus preventing the formation of the main poisoning species COH. At the same time these experiments confirm the previously postulated mechanism of formation of the poisoning species involving adsorbed hydrogen.     

Viskosimetrische Untersuchung des Systems LiNO3−H2O

Zusammenfassung Die Temperaturabhängigkeit der Viskosität im System LiNO₃–H₂O und im Temperaturbereich 20–70°C wird in der Gleichung =A expB/T=T ₀ zusammengefaßt; aus der so erhaltenen Beziehung werden Rückschlüsse auf die Struktur der Lösungen gezogen.

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Temperature dependence of the viscosity in the system LiNO₃–H₂O is expressed by =A expB/T-T ₀ in the temperature range 20–70°C. Possible relations to structural changes in the solutions are considered.

     

Cyclic chronopotentiometry of nickel(II) at mercury electrodes in acidic perchlorate solutions: Case of higher order nonregenerative reactions following electron transfer

The reduction of Ni²⁺ ions at mercury electrodes in acidic perchlorate solutions, at perchlorate concentrations below 0.2 M, is characterized by absence of kinetic control in the preceding step, and by a complex reaction mechanism following the electron transfer. This reaction sequence is known to involve intermetallic compound formation between Ni and Hg and is best described, as shown here, by a parallel second and third order kinetic scheme. Apparent rate coefficients for this kinetic scheme were determined using cyclic chronopotentiometric data and fitting by digital simulation. A linearization test of computed kinetic rate coefficients versus the number of transitions permits quantitative tests of validity of assumptions made.     

Hybridization in some macrocyclic polyacetylenes

The hybridization in several cyclic polyacetylene compounds has been calculated by the maximum overlap method, assuming planar and non-planar geometries of the molecules. In the planar configuration the hybrids describing the molecular skeleton deviate from the corresponding bond directions. We have a few “bent” bonds, but in contrast to the situation in small rings, here the deviation angles are negative, i.e., the hybrids point toward the inside of the ring. Non-planar structures in which acetylene groups are kept in a plane and CCH₂ or CH₂ groups are displaced out of the plane show less deviation from the bond directions of bent bonds. Furthermore, the deviation angles decrease with an increase in the out-of-plane displacement of methylene groups. Finally, when the angle of bending of the molecules approaches 50°, the deviation vanishes, predicting a puckered conformation for the molecules. Correlation between CC stretching vibration frequencies and the corresponding CC bond overlap is discussed.     

Delphinidin–Aluminum(III) Complexes in Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Media: Spectroscopic Characterization and Theoretical Study

Summary. The study of delphinidin complexation with trivalent aluminum in acidic aqueous buffered (pH 3.0 and 3.8) and methanolic solutions was performed utilizing electronic absorption spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. In its structure delphinidin possesses several chelating sites in competition towards aluminum(III). Molar ratio plots denoted the formation of only one aluminum(III):delphinidin complex of stoichiometry of 1:1 in both investigated media. Semiempirical calculations, performed at the restricted HF AM1 level, enabled the determination of the structural features of free delphinidin and structural modifications caused by chelation of aluminum(III). Considering the pigment molecular structure and the results of the theoretical calculations it is possible to equally implicate C3′–C4′ and C4′–C5′ hydroxyl groups as those with the predominant chelating power.     

Aromatic substitution

It is demonstrated that a previously developed topological expression for the total π-electron energy of aromatic molecules provides a good qualitative account of localization energies. The logarithm of the ratio of the algebraic structure counts for the ground state and the localized reaction intermediate is the principle energy determining factor. This expression fails for hydrocarbons with unusually small HOMO-LUMO separations. An alternative topological expression that includes a correction for this situation provides an excellent non-empirical explanation for the successful empirical use of Dewar reactivity numbers in correlating exact localization energies. The present analysis provides an explanation for the success of the traditional resonance structure counting technique in predicting relative rates of aromatic substitution. The analysis develop applied only to alternant hydrocarbons.     

Interactions of silver halide sols with hydrolyzed hafnium species

Summary Coagulation and reversal of charge effects of freshly prepared and heated solutions of hafnium tetrachloride have been studied as a function of the p_H using aged silver halide sols and solsin statu nascendi. It was shown that the critical coagulation concentration and the critical stabilization concentration (due to charge reversal) increased with increasing p_H. These observations have been related to the hydrolysis of the hafnium ion. At p_H values above 4 essentially the entire amount of hafnium is present in the form of the neutral soluble, species Hf(OH)₄. This accounts for the inability of the hafnium solutions to reverse the charge of the sols at higher p_H values. The adsorption measurements carried out with the aid of the radioactive isotope¹⁸¹Hf showed that the neutral hydrolyzed species are strongly adsorbed on negatively charged silver iodide particles. The adsorbed amounts of hafnium on a AgI sol are considerably larger than in the case of charged hydrolyzed ions (such as hydrolyzed thorium ions) on a similar sol. This is explained by the ability of the neutral hafnium species, Hf(OH)₄. to form a close-packed adsorbed layer. The results confirm previous findings that the enhanced adsorption of hydrolyzed ions is caused by the presence of the hydroxyl group, whereas the ionic charge plays a negligible role in this case.

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Zusammenfassung Die Koagulations- und Umladungserscheinungen von frisch dargestellten und durch Erwärmung gealterten Lösungen von Hafniumchlorid wurden an Silberhalogenid-Solen in der Abhängigkeit vom p_H untersucht. Es wurde festgestellt, daß die kritische Koagulationskonzentration und die kritische Stabilisationskonzentration (die Umladungsgrenze) mit steigendem p_H höher werden. Diese Beobachtungen wurden durch die Hydrolyse des Hafnium-Ions erklärt. Wenn p_H>4 ist, bestcht nahezu die ganze Menge von Hafnium als neutrale, gelöste Hf(OH)₄ Moleküle. Damit wird es erklärt, daß die Silberhalogenid-Teilchen bei höheren p_H-Werten durch Hafniumsalze nicht umgeladen werden können. Die mittels des radioaktiven Isotopen¹⁸¹Hf durchgeführten Messungen zeigten, daß die neutralen Hf(OH)₄ — Moleküle stark an den negativ geladenen Silberjodid-Teilchen adsorbiert sind. Die adsorbierte Menge per Mol von AgI ist beträchtlich größer als die Menge der geladenen, hydrolysierten Ionen (wie z. B. ThOH³⁺), die an dem gleichen Sol bestimmt wurde. Dieser Effekt ist leicht erklärt, da man mit den neutralen adsorbierten Molekülen eine fest gepackte Adsorptionsschicht bilden kann. Diese Resultate bestätigen die früheren Befindungen, daß die höhere Adsorptionsfähigkeit der hydrolysierten Ionen durch die Hydroxylgruppe verursacht wird, während die Ionenladung eine zu vernachlässigende Rolle spielt.

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Supported by the U.S. Army Research Office (Durham), Grant No. DA-ARO (D)-31-124-G 656.

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Part of a PhD Thesis byL. J. Stryker, supported by a NASA Traineeship.     

Mercury(II) complex with terpyridine: structure of the 2∶1 solvate of [Hg(terpy)2](CF3SO3)2 with acetone

[Hg(terpy)₂](CF₃SO₃)₂·0.5(CH₃)₂CO crystallizes in the triclinic space group witha=14.631(6),b=15.258(4),c=18.785(7) Å, =69.66(2), =70.72(1), =88.55(1)°. The crystal structure consists of two independent [Hg(terpy)₂]²⁺ cations, four trifluoromethanesulfonate anions and an acetone molecule in the asymmetric unit. Each mercury atom is coordinated by two tridentate terpyridine ligands forming an irregular six-coordination polyhedron. The Hg–N bond lengths range from 2.27(2) to 2.53(2) Å.     

Radon and gamma-radiation measurements in schools on the territory of the abandoned uranium mine “Žirovski vrhl”

On the territory of the abandoned uranium mine irovski vrh, Slovenia, indoor radon and gamma dose rate measurements were carried out in nineteen schools from February 10 to May 10, 1995, using scintillation cells and etched track detectors for radon and thermoluminescence dosimeters for gamma-ray detection. In five schools indoor radon levels exceeded 400 Bq·m^-3, which is the proposed Slovene action level. The maximum average radon value of 1600 Bq·m^-3 and the maximum gamma-dose rate of 172 Sv·month^-1 were found in the same school. According to the ICRP 65 methodology, annual effective doses from radon decay products ranged from 0.05 to 6.10 mSv for pupils and from 0.04 to 4.90 mSv for teachers. Gamma dose rates ranged from 0.05 to 0.19 mSv·y^-1 for pupils and from 0.07 to 0.27 mSv·y^-1 for teachers.