Octahedral rhodium cluster [Rh6Cp6(μ6-C)]2+(PF6 -)2

The 86-electron dicationic octahedral rhodium cluster [Rh₆Cp₆(_μ6-C)]²⁺(PF₆ ^-)₂ containing Cp ligands and the interstitial carbon atom was synthesized by the reaction of Rh₃Cp₃(μ-CO)₃ with RhCp(C₂H₄)₂ Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 395–396, February, 1999     

30-Electron cationic iron- and cobalt-containing triple-decker complexes with a central cyclopentadienyl ligand. The first synthesis of the parent triple-decker iron complex with cyclopentadienyl ligands, [(η-C5H5)Fe(μ-η:η-C5H5)Fe(η-C5H5)]PF6

The parent 30-electron triple-decker iron complex with cyclopentadienyl ligands, [(η-C₅H₅)Fe(μ-η:η-C₅H₅)Fe(η-C₅H₅)]PF₆ (1), was prepared for the first time by visible-light irradiation of ferrocene and [(η-C₅H₅)Fe(η-C₆H₆)]PF₆ in CH₂Cl₂ at 0 °C. An analogous reaction performed with the use of (η-C₅H₅)Co(η-C₄Me₄) (2) instead of ferrocene afforded the thermally labile 30-electron cationic iron-cobalt triple-decker complex [(η-C₅H₅)Fe(μ-η:η-C₅H₅)Co(η-C₄Me₄)]PF₆. The latter reacted with compound 2 at 20 °C to form the symmetrical 30-electron cationic dicobalt triple-decker complex [(η-C₄Me₄)Co(μ-η:η-C₅H₅)Co(η-C₄Me₄)] PF₆. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya. No. 7, pp. 1364–1367, July, 1999.     

Synthesis of the first metallacarborane triple-decker complexes with a central cyclopentadienyl ligand

The previously unknown metallacarboranes (η-C₅R₅)Ru(η-9-Me₂S-7,8-C₂B₉H₁₀) (R=H or Me) and (η-C₅H₅)Ni(η-9-Me₂S-7,8-C₂B₉H₁₀) were prepared and used in the synthesis of the first metallacarborane triple-decker complexes with a central cyclopentadienyl ligand, viz., [(η-C₅R₅)Ru(μ-η:η-C₅Me₅)Ru(η-9-Me₂S-7,8-C₂B₉H₁₀)]PF₆ (R=H or Me), [(η-9-Me₂S-7,8-C₂B₉H₁₀)Ni(μ-η:η-C₅H₅)Ni(η-9-Me₂S-7,8-C₂B₉H₁₀)]PF₆, and [(η-C₅H₅)Ni(μ-η:η-C₅H₅)Ni(η-9-Me₂S-7,8-C₂B₉H₁₀)]BF₄. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1368–1373, July, 1999.     

Obliquely propagating ion-acoustic shock waves in a degenerate quantum plasma

A theoretical investigation has been carried out on the propagation of non-linear ion-acoustic shock waves (IASHWs) in a magnetized degenerate quantum plasma system composed of inertial non-relativistic positively charged light and heavy ions, inertialess non-relativistically or ultra-relativistically degenerate electrons and positrons. The reductive perturbation method has been employed to derive the Burgers' equation. It has been observed that under consideration, our plasma model supports only positive potential shock structure. It is also found that the amplitude and steepness of the IASHWs have been significantly modified by the variation of ion kinematic viscosity, oblique angle, number density, and charge state of the plasma species. The results of our present investigation will be helpful for understanding the propagation of IASHWs in white dwarfs and neutron stars.     

Commensurability oscillations in NdBa2Cu3Oy single crystals

Commensurability between inter-vortex distance and crystal lattice constant is investigated by angular dependent magnetization in very pure twinned and twin-free NdBa₂ Cu₃ O_y single crystals. With increasing temperature the incommensurate states split up and become finally commensurate with half the vortex distance. These new commensurate states are related to a substructure of the intrinsic pinning potential within the unit cell and discussed with respect to temperature, field, anisotropy, and twin structure.     

Determining a 'safe' high-mass limit in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectra of coal derived materials with reference to instrument noise

Three methods for determining a 'safe' estimate for high-mass limits of MALDI spectra of coal derived liquids were explored, using a sample of coal-tar pitch and its pyridine-insoluble fraction. Co-addition of increasing numbers of single-shot spectra (10, 30, 50 and 100 pulses) showed visually observable reductions in noise levels, consistent with robust and statistically meaningful signals. Three separate types of post-acquisition calculation were used to identify high-mass limits of the spectra. (i) A literature method indicated high-mass limits similar to those observed visually-as a shift from baseline at the highest masses, nearly 350 000 u for the coal tar pitch and about 390 000 u for its pyridine insoluble fraction. (ii) Comparing instrument signal with pre-selected multiples of the standard deviation, upper mass estimates of between 40-60 000 u for the coal-tar pitch and about 95 000 u for its pyridine-insoluble fraction were found. (iii) Calculation of the slope was used to identify 'lift-off' of the spectrum from baseline. The angle between the smoothed spectrum and the baseline was matched to a pre-selected value (e.g. 0.5 degrees and 1 degrees ). However, the arbitrary specification of the key parameter did not establish this last method on a firm basis. The choice of a criterion for estimating high-mass limits of MALDI spectra remains a semi-quantitative procedure; a reasonably conservative high-mass limit may be estimated by comparison of signal with five times the standard deviation. However, evaluation of size exclusion chromatograms of the present samples using polystyrene standards suggests that molecular mass distributions of pitch samples arrived at by MALDI mass spectrometry are, at least partly, determined by the limitations of available instruments. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.