Materials for hydrogen storage: structure and dynamics of borane ammonia complex

The activation energies for rotations in low-temperature orthorhombic ammonia borane were analyzed and characterized in terms of electronic structure theory. The perdeuterated (11)B-enriched ammonia borane, (11)BD(3)ND(3), sample was synthesized, and the structure was refined from neutron powder diffraction data at 175 K. This temperature has been chosen as median of the range of previously reported nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements of these rotations. A representative molecular cluster model was assembled from the refined geometry, and the activation energies were calculated and characterized by analysis of the environmental factors that control the rotational dynamics. The barrier for independent NH(3) rotation, E(a) = 12.7 kJ mol(-1), largely depends on the molecular conformational torsion in the solid-state geometry. The barrier for independent BH(3) rotation, E(a) = 38.3 kJ mol(-1), results from the summation of the effect of molecular torsion and large repulsive intermolecular hydrogen-hydrogen interactions. However, a barrier of E(a) = 31.1 kJ mol(-1) was calculated for internally correlated rotation with preserved molecular conformation. Analysis of the barrier heights and the corresponding rotational pathways shows that rotation of the BH(3) group involves strongly correlated rotation of the NH(3) end of the molecule. This observation suggests that the barrier from previously reported measurement of BH(3) rotation corresponds to H(3)B-NH(3) correlated rotation.     

Evolution of NMDA receptor cytoplasmic interaction domains: implications for organisation of synaptic signalling complexes

Background  

Glutamate gated postsynaptic receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) are essential for environmentally stimulated behaviours including learning and memory in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Though their genetics, biochemistry, physiology, and role in behaviour have been intensely studied in vitro and in vivo, their molecular evolution and structural aspects remain poorly understood. To understand how these receptors have evolved different physiological requirements we have investigated the molecular evolution of glutamate gated receptors and ion channels, in particular the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, which is essential for higher cognitive function. Studies of rodent NMDA receptors show that the C-terminal intracellular domain forms a signalling complex with enzymes and scaffold proteins, which is important for neuronal and behavioural plasticity     

High resolution atomic coherent control via spectral phase manipulation of an optical frequency comb

We demonstrate high resolution coherent control of cold atomic rubidium utilizing spectral phase manipulation of a femtosecond optical frequency comb. Transient coherent accumulation is directly manifested by the enhancement of signal amplitude and spectral resolution via the pulse number. The combination of frequency comb technology and spectral phase manipulation enables coherent control techniques to enter a new regime with natural linewidth resolution.     

Time-domain differentiation of terahertz pulses

We report on the time-domain differentiation of light waves by metallic transmission gratings. Time-resolved terahertz experiments show that the first time derivative of an arbitrary waveform can be achieved by use of gratings of subwavelength period. The results are in accord with classical diffraction theory and may permit novel applications for tailoring few-cycle light pulses and ultrahigh-frequency optoelectronics.     

Structure and magnetism of the tetra-copper(II)-substituted heteropolyanion [Cu(4)K(2)(H(2)O)(8)(alpha-AsW(9)O(33))(2)](8-)

The novel heteropolyanion [Cu(4)K(2)(H(2)O)(8)(alpha-AsW(9)O(33))(2)](8)(-) (1) has been synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and magnetic studies. Single-crystal X-ray analysis was carried out on [K(7)Na[Cu(4)K(2)(H(2)O)(6)(alpha-AsW(9)O(33))(2)].5.5H(2)O](n)(K(7)Na-1), which crystallizes in the tetragonal system, space group P42(1)m, with a = 16.705(4) A, b = 16.705(4) A, c = 13.956(5) A, and Z = 2. Interaction of the lacunary [alpha-AsW(9)O(33)](9)(-) with Cu(2+) ions in neutral, aqueous medium leads to the formation of the dimeric polyoxoanion 1 in high yield. Polyanion 1 consists of two alpha-AsW(9)O(33) units joined by a cyclic arrangement of four Cu(2+) and two K(+) ions, resulting in a structure with C(2)(v)() symmetry. All copper ions have one terminal water molecule, resulting in square-pyramidal coordination geometry. Three of the copper ions are adjacent to each other and connected via two micro(3)-oxo bridges. EPR studies on K(7)Na-1 and also on Na(9)[Cu(3)Na(3)(H(2)O)(9)(alpha-AsW(9)O(33))(2)].26H(2)O (Na(9)-2) over 2-300 K yielded g values that are consistent with a square-pyramidal coordination around the copper(II) ions in 1 and 2. No hyperfine structure was observed due to the presence of strong spin exchange, but fine structure was observed for the excited (S(T) = 3/2) state of Na(9)-2 and the ground state (S(T) = 1) of K(7)Na-1. The zero-field (D) parameters have also been determined for these states, constituting a rare case wherein one observes EPR from both the ground and the excited states. Magnetic susceptibility data show that Na(9)-2 has antiferromagnetically coupled Cu(2+) ions, with J = -1.36 +/- 0.01 cm(-)(1), while K(7)Na-1 has both ferromagnetically and antiferromagnetically coupled Cu(2+) ions (J(1) = 2.78 +/- 0.13 cm(-)(1), J(2) = -1.35 +/- 0.02 cm(-)(1), and J(3) = -2.24 +/- 0.06 cm(-)(1)), and the ground-state total spins are S(T) = 1/2 in Na(9)-2 and S(T) = 1 in K(7)Na-1.