Structural influence on the photochromic response of a series of ruthenium mononitrosyl complexes

In mononitrosyl complexes of transition metals two long-lived metastable states corresponding to linkage isomers of the nitrosyl ligand can be induced by irradiation with appropriate wavelengths. Upon irradiation, the N-bound nitrosyl ligand (ground state, GS) turns into two different conformations: isonitrosyl O bound for the metastable state 1 (MS1) and a side-on nitrosyl conformation for the metastable state 2 (MS2). Structural and spectroscopic investigations on [RuCl(NO)py(4)](PF(6))(2)·1/2H(2)O (py = pyridine) reveal a nearly 100% conversion from GS to MS1. In order to identify the factors which lead to this outstanding photochromic response we study in this work the influence of counteranions, trans ligands to the NO and equatorial ligands on the conversion efficiency: [RuX(NO)py(4)]Y(2)·nH(2)O (X = Cl and Y = PF(6)(-) (1), BF(4)(-) (2), Br(-)(3), Cl(-) (4); X = Br and Y = PF(6)(-) (5), BF(4)(-) (6), Br(-)(7)) and [RuCl(NO)bpy(2)](PF(6))(2) (8), [RuCl(2)(NO)tpy](PF(6)) (9), and [Ru(H(2)O)(NO)bpy(2)](PF(6))(3) (10) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; tpy = 2,2':6',2"-terpyridine). Structural and infrared spectroscopic investigations show that the shorter the distance between the counterion and the NO ligand the higher the population of the photoinduced metastable linkage isomers. DFT calculations have been performed to confirm the influence of the counterions. Additionally, we found that the lower the donating character of the ligand trans to NO the higher the photoconversion yield.     

Automated analysis of polar pesticides in water by on-line solid phase extraction and gas chromatography using the co-solvent effect

In order to meet the requirements of analyzing very low concentrations of pesticides in water (typically at 0.1 μg/l or less), samples have to be concentrated prior to GC-analysis. Samplie pre-concentration by off-line methods based on solid phase extraction (SPE) or liquid-liquid extraction are very time consuming and cumbersome. Moreover, the quantitative performance of the analytical method as a whole in terms of accuracy and reliability is seriously hindered by elaborate, manually performed sample pre-treatment steps. This paper describes an automated method based on solid phase extraction and capillary gas chromatography. The technique was applied for the analysis of 31 polar organophosphorus and organonitrogen pesticides. A commercially available HPLC/GC instrument is modified, using the LC-part for solid phase extraction. The sample, of which only a few ml's is required to obtain sufficiently low detection limits, is delivered by a robotic large volume autosampler. After solid phase extraction and elution, the eluate is transferred into the GC via a so called “loop type interface”. In this paper the instrumentation and analytical methodology is described, as well as the main validation results. The quantitative performance (i.e. recovery and repeatability) of the most polar solutes like metamitron and dimethoate appears to be better than obtained with off-line SPE as a result of the more beneficial ratio between the amount of sorbent and the sample volume. As the loop-type interface causes losses of the most volatile compounds, a co-solvent is added. This co-solvent provides sufficient trapping capacity in the capillary pre-columns to allow quantitative analysis of even the most volatile pesticides. Moreover a better separation of early eluting compounds is also established.     

Synthesis and optical and electrochemical properties of core-fluorinated perylene bisimides

[reaction: see text] A series of bay position difluoro- or tetrafluoro-substituted perylene bisimides have been synthesized by nucleophilic halogen exchange reaction of the corresponding dibromo- and tetrachloro-substituted perylene bisimides, respectively, with potassium fluoride. Compared to the parent unsubstituted perylene bisimides, these compounds display hypsochromically shifted absorption and fluorescence spectra with fluorescence quantum yields up to unity enabling bright yellow emission. Their electrochemical properties and crystal structures of two perylene bisimides are also reported.     

Raman spectroscopy of selected lead minerals of environmental significance

The Raman spectra of the minerals cerrusite (PbCO(3)), hydrocerrusite (Pb(2)(OH)(2)CO(3)), phosgenite (Pb(2)CO(3)Cl(2)) and laurionite (Pb(OH)Cl) have been used to qualitatively determine their presence. Laurionite and hydrocerrusite have characteristic hydroxyl stretching bands at 3506 and 3576 cm(-1). Laurionite is also characterised by broad low intensity bands centred at 730 and 595 cm(-1) attributed to hydroxyl deformation vibrations. The minerals cerrusite, hydrocerrusite and phosgenite have characteristic CO (nu(1)) symmetric stretching bands observed at 1061, 1054 and 1053 cm(-1). Phosgenite displays complexity in the CO (nu(3)) antisymmetric stretching region with bands observed at 1384, 1327 and 1304 cm(-1). Cerrusite shows bands at 1477, 1424, 1376 and 1360 cm(-1). The hydrocerrusite Raman spectrum has bands at slightly different positions from cerrusite, with bands at 1479, 1420, 1378 and 1365 cm(-1). The complexity of the nu(3) region is also reflected in the nu(2) and nu(4) regions with the observation of multiple bands. Laurionite is characterised by two intense bands at 328 and 272 cm(-1) attributed to PbO and PbCl stretching bands. Importantly, all four minerals are characterized by their Raman spectra, enabling the mineral identification in leachates and contaminants of environmental significance.     

The role of water in synthesised hydrotalcites of formula Mg(x)Zn(6 - x)Cr2(OH)16(CO3) x 4H2O and Ni(x)Co(6 - x)Cr2(OH)16(CO3) x 4H2O--an infrared spectroscopic study

Infrared spectroscopy has been used to characterise synthesised hydrotalcites of formula Mg(x)Zn(6 - x)Cr2(OH)16(CO3) x 4H2O and Ni(x)Co(6 - x)Cr2(OH)16(CO3) x 4H2O. The infrared spectra are conveniently subdivided into spectral features based (a) upon the carbonate anion (b) the hydroxyl units (c) water units. Three carbonate antisymmetric stretching vibrations are observed at around 1358, 1387 and 1482 cm(-1). The 1482 cm(-1) band is attributed to the CO stretching band of carbonate hydrogen bonded to water. Variation of the intensity ratio of the 1358 and 1387 cm(-1) modes is linear and cation dependent. By using the water bending band profile at 1630 cm(-1) four types of water are identified (a) water hydrogen bonded to the interlayer carbonate ion (b) water hydrogen bonded to the hydrotalcite hydroxyl surface (c) coordinated water and (d) interlamellar water. It is proposed that the water is highly structured in the hydrotalcite interlayer as it is hydrogen bonded to both the carbonate anion, adjacent water molecules and the hydroxyl surface.     

SOME CHLOROHYDROXYBENZENESULFONYL DERIVATIVES

Abstract

2,4-; 2,6-; 2,3-; 3,4-; 2,5-; and 3,5-dichlorophenols by reaction with chlorosulfonic acid were converted to the following substituted benzenesulfonyl chlorides: 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxy-; 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxy-; 2,3-dichloro-4-hydroxy-; 4,5-dichloro-2-hydroxy-; 2,5-dichloro-4-hydroxy-; and 2,6-dichloro-4-hydroxy-respectively. In addition o-chlorophenol gave 5-chloro-4-hydroxybenzene-1,3-bis-sulfonyl chloride. The various sulfonyl chlorides have been condensed with nucleophilic reagents, e.g. ammonia, amines, hydrazine, phenylhydrazine, N, N-dimethylhydrazine, and sodium azide. 3,5-Dichloro-2-hydroxybenzenesulfonyl azide has been reacted with norbornene, triphenylphosphine, dimethylsulfoxide, and cyclohexene. 3,5-Dichloro-2-hydroxybenzenesulfonyl chloride with phenylisocyanate gave the 2-(N-phenyl-carbamoyloxy) derivative which on heating gave a heterocyclic compound. The chlorohydroxybenzenesulfonyl derivatives are of interest as potential herbicides and their ir and nmr spectral characteristics are briefly discussed.     

Modification of Wyoming montmorillonite surfaces using a cationic surfactant

Surfaces of Wyoming SWy-2-Na-montmorillonite were modified using ultrasonic and hydrothermal methods through the intercalation and adsorption of the cationic surfactant octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (ODTMA). Changes in the surfaces and structure were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG), and electron microscopy. The ultrasonic preparation method results in a higher surfactant concentration within the montmorillonite interlayer when compared with that from the hydrothermal method. Three different molecular environments for surfactants within the surface-modified montmorillonite are proposed upon the basis of their different decomposition temperatures. Both XRD patterns and TEM images demonstrate that SWy-2-Na-montmorillonite contains superlayers. TEM images of organoclays prepared at high surfactant concentrations show alternate basal spacings between neighboring layers. SEM images show that modification with surfactant reduces the clay particle size and aggregation. Organoclays prepared at low surfactant concentration display curved flakes, whereas they become flat with increasing intercalated surfactant. Novel surfactant-modified montmorillonite results in the formation of new nanophases with the potential for the removal of organic impurities from aqueous media.     

Computational study of the adsorption energetics and vibrational wavenumbers of NH3 Adsorbed on the Ni(111) Surface

The structure and stabilities of NH(3) adsorbed on different sites of a Ni(111) surface are compared based on density functional, plane-waves calculations within a periodic framework. The surface has been modeled by 4- and 5-layer slabs with 2 x 2 and 3 x 3 unit cells. Calculated results are in good agreement with available experimental data, confirming the atop adsorption site to be the most favorable, with no preferred azimuthal orientation for the H atoms. For NH(3) adsorbed at the atop site, the one-dimensional potential energy profiles along the N-H and N-Ni bonds and the coupling between adjacent N-H bond oscillators have been calculated and fitted to an analytical expression using an accurate anharmonic potential model. Variational calculations have been performed to obtain frequencies for the N-H and N-Ni stretching vibrations and N-H stretching line widths. The model for calculating line widths has also been tested with CO adsorbed at the hcp hollow of the Ni(111) surface.     

Integration of a linear accelerator into a production line of mechanically deboned separated poultry meat

Linear accelerators, commonly called Linacs, are being used for different industrial processes. This kind of machine produces high power electron beams and can treat many products with a high throughput.

The main application of a Linac is the sterilization of medical disposable devices, polymerization and decontamination of food products. Salmonella commonly contaminates poultry. Thanks to E-beam treatment, it eradicates the pathogen quickly and permits the use of meat that should have been thrown away because of its infection.

The world’s first Linac dedicated to treat mechanically deboned poultry meat is located in Brittany at the Société des Protéines Industrielles. It is a Thomson CSF Linac product, the CIRCE II, with an energy of 10 MeV and a power of 10 kW. This Linac has been used for more than 8 years, and its technology is fully proven.