Chemical Bonding and Pressure‐Induced Change of the Electron Configuration of Ytterbium in β‐YbAgGa2

Single‐phase polycrystalline samples of the intermetallic compound β‐YbAgGa₂ were synthesized by inductive heating and subsequent annealing for eight weeks at 670 K. Magnetic properties were characterized by susceptibility measurements and indicated intermediate valence of ytterbium at ambient pressure. Angle‐dispersive X‐ray powder diffraction data of orthorhombic β‐YbAgGa₂ indicate stability of the phase in the investigated pressure range from 0.1 MPa (ambient pressure) to 19 GPa. The pressure‐induced volume decrease is accompanied by an increase of the effective valence from 2.17 at ambient conditions to 2.71 at 16 GPa as evaluated by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy at the Yb L_III threshold. Analysis of the chemical bonding in β‐YbAgGa₂ by integrating the electron density of the polyanion in basins as defined by the electron localization function results in an electron count Yb^2.7+[(Ag^0.2—)(Ga1(3b)^1.0—)(Ga2(4b)^1.5—)]. This finding is close to the expected values calculated by means of the Zintl rules and fits well the results of magnetic susceptibility measurements and XAS investigations.     

Metallderivate von Molekülverbindungen. III. Molekül- und Kristallstruktur des Lithium-bis (trimethylsilyl)-phosphids · DME und des Lithium-dihydrogenphosphids · DME

Metal Derivatives of Molecular Compounds. III. Molecular and Crystal Structure of Lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)phosphide · DME and of Lithium dihydrogenphosphide · DME Lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)phosphide · DME 1 prepared from tris(trimethylsilyl)-phosphine and lithium methanide [2, 4] in 1,2-dimethoxyethane

1 1,2-Dimethoxyethan (DME); Tetrahydrofuran (THF); Bis[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]methyl-amin (PMDETA).

, crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnnn {a = 881.1(9); b = 1308.5(9); c = 1563.4(9) pm at ?120 ± 3°C; Z = 4 formula units}, lithium dihydrogenphosphide · DME 2 [10] prepared from phosphine and lithium- n -butanide in the same solvent, in P2 ₁ 2 ₁ 2 ₁ {a = 671.8(1); b = 878.6(1); c = 1332.2(2) pm at ?120 ± 3°C; Z = 4 formula units}. X-ray structure determinations (R _w = 0.036/0.045) show the bis(trimethylsilyl) derivative 1 to be dimeric with a planar P? Li? P? Li ring (P? Li 256 pm; Li? P? Li 76°; P? Li? P 104°), and the dihydrogenphosphide 2 to be polymeric with a linear Li? P? Li fragment (P? Li 254 to 260 pm; Li? P? Li 177°; P? Li? P 118°). The shortened P? Si distance (221 pm) of compound 1 and the structure of the PH ₂ group in 2 are discussed in detail. Lithium obtains its preferred coordination number 4 by a chelation with one molecule of 1,2-dimethoxyethane (Li? O 202 to 204 pm).     

Photoredox-enabled 1,2-dialkylation of α-substituted acrylates via Ireland–Claisen rearrangement

Herein, we report the 1,2-dialkylation of simple feedstock acrylates for the synthesis of valuable tertiary carboxylic acids by merging Giese-type radical addition with an Ireland–Claisen rearrangement. Key to success is the utilization of the reductive radical-polar crossover concept under photocatalytic reaction conditions to force the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement after alkyl radical addition to allyl acrylates. Using readily available alkyl boronic acids as radical progenitors, this redox-neutral, transition-metal-free protocol allows the mild formation of two C(sp³)–C(sp³) bonds, thus providing rapid access to complex tertiary carboxylic acids in a single step. Moreover, this strategy enables the efficient synthesis of highly attractive α,α-dialkylated γ-amino butyric acids (GABAs) when α-silyl amines are used as radical precursors – a structural motif that was still inaccessible in related transformations. Depending on the nature of the radical precursors and their inherent oxidation potentials, either a photoredox-induced radical chain or a solely photoredox mechanism is proposed to be operative.

A photocatalytic 1,2-dialkylation of α-substituted acrylates is enabled by a reaction cascade combining reductive radical-polar crossover with the established Ireland–Claisen rearrangement for the synthesis of valuable tertiary carboxylic acids.     

Periodic,multiplicative number-theoretical functions

D. Leitmann andD. Wolke [3] proved that multiplicative functions, which are restrictions of continuous, periodic functionsF: with irrational period, are constant equal to 0 or 1. In this note a simpler proof for this result is given.     

Modeling and numerical approximations for bubbles in liquid metal

In simulations of liquid metals, various model approximations, each of which justified by experimental results lead to a simplified two-phase flow problem. This paper discusses numerical justifications for these approaches and provides quantitative results for a single rising bubble as a benchmark. Representing a bubble as a rigid object is shown to be valid for low Eötvös numbers in contaminated systems. Qualitative differences can be observed for larger Eötvös numbers. Further simulations are undertaken with different ratios of inner and outer viscosity. The benchmark problem considered may also be interesting for more general applications.     

Intermediates of N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Dimerization Probed in the Gas Phase by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry: C−H⋅⋅⋅:C Hydrogen Bonding Versus Covalent Dimer Formation

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs, :C ) can interact with azolium salts ( C−H⁺ ) by either forming a hydrogen-bonded aggregate ( CHC⁺ ) or a covalent C−C bond ( CCH⁺ ). In this study, the intramolecular NHC–azolium salt interactions of aromatic imidazolin-2-ylidenes and saturated imidazolidin-2-ylidenes have been investigated in the gas phase by traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (TW IMS) and DFT calculations. The TW IMS experiments provided evidence for the formation of these important intermediates in the gas phase, and they identified the predominant aggregation mode (hydrogen bond vs. covalent C−C) as a function of the nature of the interacting carbene–azolium pairs.