Study of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in top soil of Punjab State from the North Western part of India

The concentration levels of ²³⁸U, ²³² Th, ⁴⁰K and ¹³⁷Cs in top soils of State of Punjab located in the North Western part of India were measured using conventional low background gamma ray spectrometric setup as well as Compton suppressed gamma ray spectrometric setup. The radioactivity level of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th was found to vary between 15 Bq/kg and 27 Bq/kg and between 16 Bq/kg and 57 Bq/kg respectively. The radioactivity level of ⁴⁰K was found to vary between 266 Bq/kg and 799 Bq/kg. The mean radioactivity level of the NORM in general was found to be similar to what is expected as a result of their normal abundance.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of trace level zirconium and hafnium with trioctylamine

Extraction behavior of zirconium and hafnium tracers,⁹⁵Zr and^175,181Hf, in HF, HCl, HNO₃ and H₂SO₄ media with the liquid anion exchanger TOA has been studied. Under optimum conditions, TOA was found to be very effective for quantitative extraction of the individual elements at their trace scale concentrations, but due to higher extractibility and almost identical chemical behavior of the radiotracers towards TOA, the reagent was not so effective for mutual separation of the elements when they were present as congeneric pairs in the aqueous solutions. Extents of extraction of the elements at different stages were measured by -ray spectrometry.     

Simulation of a complex spectrum: interplay of five electronic states and 21 vibrational degrees of freedom in C5H4 +

Using a five-state, all-mode vibronic coupling model Hamiltonian derived in a previous publication [A. Markmann et al., J. Chem. Phys. 122, 144320 (2005)], we have calculated the photoelectron spectrum of the pentatetraene cation in the neighborhood of the B (2)E state, which can be represented with charge-localized components. To this end, quantum nuclear dynamics calculations were performed using the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree method, taking all 21 vibrational normal modes into account. Compared to experiment, the main features are reproduced but higher accuracy experiments are necessary to gauge the accuracy of the predictions for the vibronic progressions at the rising flank of the spectrum.     

Novel copper(II) induced formation of a porphyrinogen derivative: X-ray structural,spectroscopic, and electrochemical studies of porphyrinogen complexes of Cu(II) and Co(III) complex of a trispyrazolyl tripodal ligand

Copper(II) complexes of a novel pyrazole containing porphyrinogen and cobalt(III) and zinc(II) complexes of a pyrazole containing tripodal ligand having N-donor atoms have been investigated. 5-Methyl-3-formylpyrazole (MPA) on reaction with copper(II) nitrate or perchlorate in the presence of tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) forms novel pyrazole-based porphyrinogen complexes [Cu(T(3)-porphyrinogen)(H(2)O)](NO(3))(2) (1a) and [Cu(T(3)-porphyrinogen)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))(2) (1b) where T(3)-porphyrinogen is 1,6,11,16-tetraaza-5,10,15,20-tetrahydroxy-2,7,12,17-tetramethylporphyrinogen. The same products are also obtained when tren is replaced by triethylamine. By contrast, the reaction between MPA, tren, and cobalt(II) perchlorate produces the cobalt(III) complex [Co(HMPz(3)tren)]ClO(4) (2) derived from the tripodal Schiff base tris[4-(3-(5-methyl-pyrazolyl)-3-aza-3-butenyl]amine (H(3)MPz(3)tren). The X-ray crystal structures of the copper(II) complexes (1a and 1b) and the cobalt(III) complex (2) have been determined. The structures show distorted square pyramidal coordination environments for 1a and 1b with the water molecule occupying the apical site, while for complex 2 a distorted octahedral geometry is obtained. Data for 1a follow: a = 19.476(3) A, b = 9.4116(8) A, c = 14.204(3) A; alpha = 90 degrees = gamma, beta = 107.58(2) degrees; V = 2482.0(7) A(3), Z = 4. Data for 1b follow: a = 20.967(3) A, b = 9.1563(18) A, c = 14.858(4) A; alpha = 90 degrees = gamma, beta = 108.44(3) degrees; V = 2706.0(10) A(3), Z = 4. Data for 2 follow: a = 21.293(3) A, b = 12.724(2) A, c = 19.777(4) A; alpha = 90 degrees = gamma, beta = 93.03(2) degrees; V = 5350.6(15) A(3), Z = 8. All three complexes crystallize in the monoclinic crystal system with the C2/c space group. The complexes are further characterized by UV-vis, IR, EPR, and electrochemical studies.     

A quantum wave packet dynamical study of the electronic and spin-orbit coupling effects on the resonances in Cl(2P) + H2 scattering

Dynamical resonances in Cl(2P) + H2 scattering are investigated with the aid of a time-dependent wave packet approach using the Capecchi-Werner coupled ab initio potential energy surfaces [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2004, 6, 4975]. The resonances arising from the prereactive van der Waals well (approximately 0.5 kcal/mol) and the transition-state (TS) region of the 2Sigma(1/2) ground spin-orbit (SO) state of the Cl(2P) + H2 system are calculated and assigned by computing their eigenfunctions and lifetimes. The excitation of even quanta along the bending coordinate of the resonances is observed. The resonances exhibit an extended van der Waals progression, which can be attributed to the dissociative states of ClH2. Excitation of H2 vibration is also identified in the high-energy resonances. The effect of the excited 2P(1/2) SO state of Cl on these resonances is examined by considering the electronic and SO coupling in the dynamical simulations. While the electronic coupling has only a minor impact on the resonance structures, the SO coupling has significant effect on them. The nonadiabatic effect due to the SO coupling is stronger, and as a result, the spectrum becomes broad and diffuse particularly at high energies. We also report the photodetachment spectrum of ClD2- and compare the theoretical findings with the available experimental results.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(arylene ether)s derived from 4,4′‐bishydroxybiphenyl and 4,4′‐bishydroxyterphenyl

A series of poly(arylene ether)s were successfully prepared by aromatic, nucleophilic substitution reactions with various perfluoroalkyl‐activated bisfluoromonomers with 4,4′‐bishydroxybiphenyl and 4,4′‐bishydroxyterphenyl. 4,4′‐Bishydroxyterphenyl was synthesized through the Grignard coupling reaction of magnesium salt of 4‐bromoanisole with dibromobenzene followed by demethylation with pyridine–hydrochloride. The products obtained by the displacement of fluorine atoms exhibited good inherent viscosity, up to 0.77 dL/g, and number‐average molecular weights up to 69,300. These poly(arylene ether)s showed very good thermal stability, up to 548 °C for 5% weight loss according to thermogravimetric analysis under synthetic air, and high glass‐transition temperatures, up to 259 °C according to differential scanning calorimetry, depending on the exact repeat unit structure. These polymers were soluble in a wide range of organic solvents, such as N‐methylpyrrolidone, dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, and CHCl₃, and were insoluble in dimethyl sulfoxide and acetone. Thin films of these poly(arylene ether)s showed good transparency and exhibited tensile strengths up to 132 MPa, moduli up to 3.34 GPa, and elongations at break up to 84%, depending on their exact repeating unit structures. These values are comparable to those of high‐performance thermoplastic materials such as poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) and Ultem poly(ether imide) (PEI). These poly(arylene ether)s exhibited low dielectric constants. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 55–69, 2002     

The effect of Zn, Al layered double hydroxide on thermal decomposition of poly(vinyl chloride)

Poly(vinyl chloride)/layered double hydroxide (LDH) composite was prepared by mixing 4 wt% Zn₂Al-CO₃-LDH with PVC and fluxing at 180 °C. The thermal decomposition behaviour of the LDH + PVC composite in air and nitrogen environments was systematically investigated. We found that mixing Zn₂Al-CO₃-LDH into PVC facilitates dehydrochlorination from ca. 300 to 270 °C but reduces the reaction extent to leave more chlorine on the polyene backbones both in air and N₂. We have also found that at 400-550 °C, both in air and N₂, LDH assists the formation of char-like materials and decreases the release of volatile hydrocarbons. From 550 to 800 °C, the char-like materials are mostly retained in N₂ while they are almost completely thermo-oxidized (burned) in air. Thus, addition of Zn₂Al-CO₃-LDH to PVC does not increase the thermal stability, but does promote charring to retard the generation of flame. The influence of LDH on PVC thermal properties has been also addressed mechanically.     

Proton transfer reactions in apolar aprotic solvents

Proton transfer reactions are advantageously investigated in low‐dielectric‐constant apolar aprotic solvents where specific solute–solvent interactions are greatly minimized, if not eliminated, and proton transfer occurs directly. An intriguing feature of these reactions is their general acid/base‐catalyzed kinetics with a timescale over microseconds to minutes. Proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET), a great promise in the development of renewable energy sources, is an emerging application of the reactions. This article is an updated review of the post‐1980 developments in understanding the mechanism of proton transfer reactions, quantitative structure–reactivity relationships, acid/base‐catalyzed molecular rearrangements, reverse trends between acidity parameters and ¹³C δ_co (a measure of electron population at the carboxyl carbon) in aromatic carboxylic acids, coupling of proton transfer with electron transfer, and PCET reactions in suitably designed model systems in apolar aprotic solvents for renewable energy devices. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.