In situ hydrolysis of imine derivatives on Au(111) for the formation of aromatic mixed self-assembled monolayers: multitechnique analysis of this tunable surface modification

This paper presents a novel method for preparing aromatic, mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with a dilute surface fraction coverage of protonated amine via in situ hydrolysis of C═N double bond on gold surface. Two imine compounds, (4'-(4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylideneamino)biphenyl-4-yl)methanethiol (CF(3)-C(6)H(4)-CH═N-C(6)H(4)-C(6)H(4)-CH(2)-SH, TFBABPMT) and (4'-(4-cyanobenzylideneamino)biphenyl-4-yl)methanethiol (CN-C(6)H(4)-CH═N-C(6)H(4)-C(6)H(4)-CH(2)-SH, CBABPMT), self-assembled on Au(111) to form highly ordered monolayers, which was demonstrated by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A nearly upright molecular orientation for CF(3)- and CN-terminated SAM was detected by near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) measurements. Afterward, the acidic catalyzed hydrolysis was carried out in chloroform or an aqueous solution of acetic acid (pH = 3). Systematic studies of this hydrolysis process for CN-terminated SAM in acetic acid at 25 °C were performed by NEXAFS measurements. It was found that about 30% of the imine double bonds gradually cleaved in the first 40 min. Subsequently, a larger hydrolysis rate was observed due to the freer penetration of acetic acid in the SAM and resultant more open molecular packing. Furthermore, the molecular orientation in mixed SAMs did not change during the whole hydrolysis process. This partially hydrolyzed surface contains a controlled amount of free amines/ammonium ions which can be used for further chemical modifications.     

Doped semimetal clusters: ternary, intermetalloid anions [Ln@Sn7Bi7]4- and [Ln@Sn4Bi9]4- (Ln = La, Ce) with adjustable magnetic properties

Two K([2.2.2]crypt) salts of lanthanide-doped semimetal clusters were prepared, both of which contain at the same time two types of ternary intermetalloid anions, [Ln@Sn(7)Bi(7)](4-) and [Ln@Sn(4)Bi(9)](4-), in 0.70:0.30 (Ln = La) or 0.39:0.61 (Ln = Ce) ratios. The cluster shells represent nondeltahedral, fullerane-type arrangements of 14 or 13 main group metal atoms that embed the Ln(3+) cations. The assignment of formal +III oxidation states for the Ln sites was confirmed by means of magnetic measurements that reveal a diamagnetic La(III) compound and a paramagnetic Ce(III) analogue. Whereas the cluster anions with a 14-atomic main-group metal cage represent the second examples in addition to a related Eu(II) cluster published just recently, the 13-atomic cages exhibit a yet unprecedented enneahedral topology. In contrast to the larger cages, which accord to the Zintl-Klemm-Busmann electron number-structure correlation, the smaller clusters require a more profound interpretation of the bonding situation. Quantum chemical investigations served to shed light on these unusual complexes and showed significant narrowing of the HOMO-LUMO gap upon incorporation of Ce(3+) within the semimetal cages.     

Deprotonierte Dithiocarbaminsäureester als Thiolat-S-Donor-Liganden. Strukturen von Ph(H)NC(S)SMe,Co(PhNC(S)SMe)3 und Cu6(PhNC(S)SMe)6

Deprotonated Dithiocarbamic Acid Esters as Thiolate S-Donor Ligands. Structures of Ph(H)NC(S)SMe, Co(PhNC(S)SMe)₃, and Cu₆(PhNC(S)SMe)₆ The reaction of N-phenyl-S-methyldithiocarbamate, PhN(H)C(?S)SMe, ( 1 ) with cobalt(II) and copper(II) salts yields the monomeric compound Co^III(PhNC(S)SMe)₃ ( 2 ) and the hexameric compound Cu₆^I(PhNC(S)SMe)₆ ( 3 ). These complexes contain the negatively charged imino-thiolate ligand PhN?C(? S)SMe, which has been formed by deprotonation of 1 . The crystal structures of 1 – 3 have been determined. 1 forms centrosymmetrical dimers through N? H …? S bridge bonds, the conformation in the solid state and in solution is Z,E′. Co^III shows in 2 a trigonal-antiprismatic coordination, with the ligands acting as N,S-chelates. 3 contains an octahedral Cu₆-core with Cu …? Cu-distances ranging from 276.3(5) to 305.7(4) pm. Each copper center is trigonally coordinated to one nitrogen and two sulfur atoms of three different ligands. Crystal data: 1 , triclinic, space group P1 , a = 590.5(6), b = 869.0(1), c = 968.5(9) pm, α = 67.29(8), β = 78.44(8), γ = 81.64(9)°, Z = 2, 1 775 reflections, R(R_w) = 0.0317(0.032). 2 , orthorhombic, space group Pbca, a = 978.0(2), b = 1 842.9(4), c = 3 059.7(6) pm, Z = 8, 1 129 reflections, R(R_w) = 0.0997(0.0886). 3 , monoclinic, space group P2₁/c, a = 1 363.1(3), b = 1 342.8(3), c = 1 671.9(3) pm, β = 103.48°, Z = 2, 1 374 reflections, R(R_w) = 0.0708(0.0617).     

Influence of nanoparticle surface functionalization on the thermal stability of colloidal polystyrene films

The installation of large scale colloidal nanoparticle thin films is of great interest in sensor technology or data storage. Often, such devices are operated at elevated temperatures. In the present study, we investigate the effect of heat treatment on the structure of colloidal thin films of polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles in situ by using the combination of grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and optical ellipsometry. In addition, the samples are investigated with optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). To install large scale coatings on silicon wafers, spin-coating of colloidal pure PS nanoparticles and carboxylated PS nanoparticles is used. Our results indicate that thermal annealing in the vicinity of the glass transition temperature T(g) of pure PS leads to a rapid loss in the ordering of the nanoparticles in spin-coated films. For carboxylated particles, this loss of order is shifted to a higher temperature, which can be useful for applications at elevated temperatures. Our model assumes a softening of the boundaries between the individual colloidal spheres, leading to strong changes in the nanostructure morphology. While the nanostructure changes drastically, the macroscopic morphology remains unaffected by annealing near T(g).     

Complexes of type C6H7(+)·L (L = N2 and CO2) studied by explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory

Complexes of the benzenium ion (C(6)H(7)(+)) with N(2) or CO(2) have been studied by explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory at the CCSD(T)-F12x (x = a, b) level [T. B. Adler et al., J. Chem. Phys. 127, 221106 (2007)] and the double-hybrid density functional B2PLYP-D [T. Schwabe and S. Grimme, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 9, 3397 (2007)]. Improved harmonic vibrational wavenumbers for C(6)H(7)(+) have been obtained by CCSD(T?)-F12a calculations with the VTZ-F12 basis set. Combining them with previous B2PLYP-D anharmonic contributions we arrive at anharmonic wavenumbers which are in excellent agreement with recent experimental data from p-H(2) matrix isolation IR spectroscopy [M. Bahou et al., J. Chem. Phys. 136, 154304 (2012)]. The energetically most favourable conformer of C(6)H(7)(+)·N(2) shows a π-bonded structure similar to C(6)H(7)(+)·Rg (Rg = Ne, Ar) [P. Botschwina and R. Oswald, J. Phys. Chem. A 115, 13664 (2011)] with D(e) ≈ 870 cm(-1). For C(6)H(7)(+)·CO(2), a slightly lower energy is calculated for a conformer with the CO(2) ligand lying in the ring-plane of the C(6)H(7)(+) moiety (D(e) ≈ 1508 cm(-1)). It may be discriminated from other conformers through a strong band predicted at 1218 cm(-1), red-shifted by 21 cm(-1) from the corresponding band of free C(6)H(7)(+).     

Synthesis of pyrimidines from 3-trifluoromethylsulfonyl-oxypropeniminium triflates and nitriles; molecular and crystal structure of the 1:1 and 1:2 Adducts of a 4-(2-diethylaminovinyl)pyrimidine with triflic acid

The 3-trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy-1-hexeniminium triflate 1 reacts with two equivalents of an aliphatic nitrile or of benzonitrile to give the 4-(2-diethylaminovinyl)pyrimidinediium bis(triflates) 4 , which can be deprotonated to give the monoprotonated or neutral pyrimidines 5 and 6 , respectively. When the related 1-phenyl-substituted iminium salt 7 is heated in acetonitrile at 140°, 1,5-cyclization of the cation leading to indane derivative 8 competes with formation of the pyrimidinium salt 9 . X-ray crystal structure determination reveals significant differences in the bond lengths of mono-and diprotonated 4-(2-diethylaminovinyl)pyrimidines 5a and 4a .     

Chemical reaction studies in CH4/Ar and CH4/N2 gas mixtures of a dielectric barrier discharge

Chemical reactions in a dielectric barrier discharge at medium pressure of 250-300 mbar have been studied in CH(4)/Ar and CH(4)/N(2) gas mixtures by means of mass spectrometry. The main reaction scheme is production of H(2) by fragmentation of CH(4), but also production of higher order hydrocarbon molecules such as C(n)H(m) with n up to 9 including formation of different functional CN groups is observed. Formation of C(2)H(2), C(2)H(4), and C(2)H(6) molecules has been investigated in some detail. Significant differences are noted in comparison to a theoretical estimate.     

Azimuthal Dipolar Rotor Arrays on Surfaces

A set of dipolar molecular rotor compounds was designed, synthesized and adsorbed as self-assembled 2D arrays on Ag(111) surfaces. The title molecules are constructed from three building blocks: (a) 4,8,12-trioxatriangulene (TOTA) platforms that are known to physisorb on metal surfaces such as Au(111) and Ag(111), (b) phenyl groups attached to the central carbon atom that function as pivot joints to reduce the barrier to rotation, (c) pyridine and pyridazine units as small dipolar units on top. Theoretical calculations and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) investigations hint at the fact that the dipoles of neighboring rotors interact through space through pairs of energetically favorable head-to-tail arrangements.