Tris(dimethylamido)bis(dimethylamine)titanium(IV) chloridobis(dimethylamine)[tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron–amido][tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron–nitrido]titanate(IV) toluene solvate

The title ionic solid, [Ti(C₂H₆N)₃(C₂H₇N)₂][Ti(C₁₈BF₁₅N)(C₁₈H₂BF₁₅N)Cl(C₂H₇N)₂]·C₇H₈, (I), comprises a cation with three dimethylamide ligands in the equatorial plane and two dimethylamine ligands positioned axially in a trigonal–bipyramidal geometry about the central Ti^IV atom. The anion has a highly distorted octahedral structure. The two dimethylamine ligands are coordinated mutually trans. The chloride is trans to the tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron–amide, while the sixth coordination site is occupied by an ortho‐F atom of the tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron–amide group in a trans disposition with respect to the tris(pentafluorophenyl)boron–nitride ligand. The most significant feature of the anion is the presence of an unprecedented terminal Ti[triple‐bond]N moiety [1.665 (2) Å], stabilized by coordination to B(C₆F₅)₃, with a Ti[triple‐bond]N—B angle of 169.50 (19)°.     

Ferrocenyl anthracenes: Synthesis and molecular structure

The synthesis of a series of ferrocenylanthracene derivatives is described, utilising the palladium catalysed coupling reaction of 1,1′-bis(chlorozincio)ferrocene with halo-anthracenes. Bis-1,1′-(9-anthracenyl)ferrocene (1) was characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction and shows an eclipsed ferrocenyl geometry. X-ray crystallographic studies indicate that there are no clear stacking interactions of either an intra- or intermolecular nature between the anthracenyl rings in the structure. A series of 9- and 10-disubstituted ferrocenylanthracene derivatives has also been prepared. In each case the palladium catalyst (Pd(dppf)Cl₂) is recovered in a modified form, e.g. as the [(dppf)PdBr(9-anthracenyl)] complex in the synthesis of bis-1,1′-(9-anthracenyl)ferrocene. The single crystal X-ray structure of one such palladium complex [(dppf)PdBr-9-(10-chloroanthracenyl)] (15a) has been determined in a case where chloride/bromide exchange had occurred in the palladium complex intermediate. The potential application of compound 1 as synthon for the construction of a molecular sensing device is discussed. Cyclic voltammetry and fluorescence studies have been carried out for selected derivatives.     

Marcus theory of outer-sphere heterogeneous electron transfer reactions: dependence of the standard electrochemical rate constant on the hydrodynamic radius from high precision measurements of the oxidation of anthracene and its derivatives in nonaqueous solvents using the high-speed channel electrode

The validity of Marcus theory for outer-sphere heterogeneous electron transfer for the electro-oxidation of a range of anthracene derivatives in alkyl cyanide solvents is investigated. The precision measurement of these fast electron transfers (k(0) >or= 1 cm s(-1)) is achieved by use of the high-speed channel electrode and, where necessary, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. First, the solvent effect on the rate of electron transfer is studied by considering the first oxidation wave of 9,10-diphenylanthracene in the alkyl cyanide solvents: acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile, and valeronitrile. Second, the variation of k(0) for a series of substituted anthracenes is investigated by analyzing the voltammetric response of the one-electron oxidations of 9-phenylanthracene, 9,10-dichloroanthracene, 9-chloroanthracene, 9,10-dicyanoanthracene, 9-cyanoanthracene, 9-nitroanthracene, 9,10-diphenylanthracene, and anthracene in acetonitrile. It is shown that the rate of electron transfer of a single compound in different alkyl cyanides is determined by the longitudinal dielectric relaxation properties of the solvent, while differences in rate between the substituted anthracenes in acetonitrile can be quantitatively rationalized by considering their relative hydrodynamic radii. This makes possible the accurate prediction of electron-transfer rates for a molecule by interpolation of rate constants known for related molecules.     

A novel ditopic receptor and reversal of anion binding selectivity in the presence and absence of bound cation

A calix[4]arene-derived ditopic receptor 1 has been synthesized. In the absence of Na+, the receptor binds acetate in preference to diphenyl phosphate (as the tetrabutylammonium salts), but in the presence of Na+, the selectivity is reversed and the receptor, instead, binds diphenyl phosphate, and not acetate, which preferentially forms a salt ion-pair in free solution. [structure: see text]     

Dye guest-host effects in ferroelectric liquid crystals

Here we present the optic and electro-optic characteristics of ferroelectric dye guest-host devices incorporating different dye and S*_C host materials. We demonstrate fast response time (< 100 μs) single polarizer and zero-polarizer device configurations for high order parameter dichroic dyes and single polarizer fluorescent dye devices. The dynamic data include measurements of response times as functions of voltage, temperature and dye concentration, from which we conclude that the inclusion of certain dyes does not adversely affect the ferroelectric phase. The contrast ratios of these novel guest-host devices are also presented and are shown, as expected, to be functions of tilt angle (and therefore temperature). However, we demonstrate that the high tilt angle of 45° is not necessary for high contrast devices, and in fact for certain devices configurations θ = 22½° is optimum. These results are discussed.     

New synthetic routes to the kainoids: a synthesis of kainic acid and its analogues

New approaches to the synthesis of kainic acid and its analogues are presented. Two distinctly different approaches are described; the former utilised an intermolecular nitrile oxide addition to a homochiral substrate to furnish epikainate models and the second utilised amino acid chemistry to secure kainic acid.     

Developing expertise: how enactivism re-frames mathematics teacher development

In this article, we present a re-framing of teacher development that derives from our convictions regarding the enactive approach to cognition and the biological basis of being. We firstly set out our enactivist stance and then distinguish our approach to teacher development from others in the mathematics education literature. We show how a way of working that develops expertise runs through all mathematics education courses at the University of Bristol, and distil key principles for running collaborative groups of teachers. We exemplify these principles further through analysis of one group that met over 2 years as part of a research project focused on the work of Gattegno. We provide evidence for the effectiveness of the group in terms of teacher development. We conclude by arguing that the way of working in this group cannot be separated from the history of interaction of participants.     

Formation of spiro and ansa derivatives in the reaction of 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoropentane-1,5-diol with cyclotriphosphazene: Comparison with 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorobutane-1,4-diol

Reaction of cyclophosphazene, N₃P₃Cl₆ (1), with the sodium derivative of the fluorinated diol, 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoropentane-1,5-diol (2), in THF solution at room temperature afforded five isolated products, whose structures have been characterised by X-ray crystallography and ¹H, ¹⁹F and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy: the mono-spiro compound, N₃P₃Cl₄(OCH₂CF₂CF₂CF₂CH₂O) (3), its ansa isomer (4), a di-spiro derivative N₃P₃Cl₂(OCH₂CF₂CF₂CF₂CH₂O)₂ (5), its spiro-ansa (6) isomer and the tri-spiro compound N₃P₃(OCH₂CF₂CF₂CF₂CH₂O)₃ (7). Quantitative ³¹P NMR measurements of the soluble portion of the reaction mixture show that in the reaction of (1) with the sodium derivative of the fluorinated pentanediol (2) there is a small preference for spiro compounds compared to ansa compounds (ratio ca. 1.3:1), similar to the analogous reaction of (1) with the sodium derivative of the fluorinated butanediol where there is a slightly greater proportion of spiro compared to ansa compounds (ratio ca. 1.5:1). The relative proportions of spiro and ansa compounds is likely to depend on the fine balance in stabilities of the different medium-sized rings in the fluorinated pentanediol (spiro, 8- and ansa, 10-membered rings) compared to the fluorinated butanediol (spiro, 7- and ansa, nine-membered rings) derivatives of cyclophosphazene.