Preparation,Crystal Structures,and Thermal Studies of Alkaline Earth Nitrocarboxylates

The preparation, crystal structures, and thermal properties of [Ca(pyr)₂(4‐nba)₂]_n ( 1 ) (pyr = pyrazole; 4‐nba = 4‐nitrobenzoate) {[Ca(H₂O)₂(3‐npth)] · H₂O}_n ( 2 ) (3‐npth = 3‐nitrophthalate), [Mg(H₂O)₅(3‐npth)] · 2H₂O ( 3 ), and [Mg(H₂O)₄(2‐nba)₂] ( 4 ) (2‐nba = 2‐nitrobenzoate) are reported. The anhydrous Ca^II compound 1 and the diaqua Ca^II‐3‐nitrophthalate monohydrate 2 are one‐dimensional coordination polymers containing a hexacoordinate Ca^II ion located on a center of inversion in 1 and a heptacoordinated Ca^II ion in 2 . In 1 , the 4‐nitrobenzoate moiety acts as a μ₂‐bridging bidentate ligand, whereas the 3‐nitrophthalate anion exhibits a μ₃‐bridging pentadentate coordination mode in 2 . The hexacoordinate Mg^II‐containing compounds 3 and 4 do not contain a [Mg(H₂O)₆]²⁺ unit and the central Mg^II ion is coordinated to at least one monodentate carboxylate unit namely the monodentate 3‐npth molecule in 3 and two trans monodentate 2‐nba molecules in 4 . Hydrogen bonding between the lattice water molecules results in the formation of a water dimer in 3 . A comparative study of 17 alkaline earth nitrocarboxylates is described.     

Ionic liquid nanotribology: mica-silica interactions in ethylammonium nitrate

Colloid probe atomic force microscopy has been used to study the nanotribological properties of the silica-ethylammonium nitrate (EAN)-mica system. Normal force curve measurements reveal a series of steps at separations that are consistent with the size of an EAN ion pair (0.5 nm) due to displacement of structured solvent layers as the two surfaces are brought together. At closest separations, two steps are measured with widths of 0.3 nm and 0.1 nm, which are too small to be due to an ion pair layer. The 0.3 nm step is attributed to a partial displacement of a silica-bound cation-rich layer, with residual cations being removed in the subsequent 0.1 nm step. Lateral force measurements reveal that the frictional response is dependent on the number of ion pair layers between the surfaces. At low forces, when there is more than a single layer of EAN between silica and mica, the lateral force increases relatively steeply with applied load, and is independent of the sliding speed. At intermediate forces, a single layer of cations in an intercalated bilayer structure is present between the surfaces. The friction coefficient (μ) increases logarithmically with sliding speed consistent with an activated, discontinuous sliding process. At high force, μ is small and once again, independent of sliding velocity. The adsorbed cation layer is bound primarily to mica and compressed by the high normal force. This robust layering with a well-defined sliding plane permits the colloid probe to slide easily over the mica surface.     

0(gs)+ -->2(1)+ transition strengths in 106Sn and 108Sn

The reduced transition probabilities, B(E2; 0(gs)+ -->2(1)+), have been measured in the radioactive isotopes (108,106)Sn using subbarrier Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. Deexcitation gamma rays were detected by the highly segmented MINIBALL Ge-detector array. The results, B(E2;0(gs)+ -->2(1)+)=0.222(19)e2b2 for 108Sn and B(E2; 0(gs)+-->2(1)+)=0.195(39)e2b2 for 106Sn were determined relative to a stable 58Ni target. The resulting B(E2) values are approximately 30% larger than shell-model predictions and deviate from the generalized seniority model. This experimental result may point towards a weakening of the N=Z=50 shell closure.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Tellurium(II) bis(2‐methoxycarbonylethanethiolate): A Novel Coordination Mode of Tellurium

The tellurium(II) dithiolates Te[SCH₂CH₂C(O)OCH₃]₂, ( 1 ), Te[SCH₂CH₂CH₂SC(O)CH₃]₂, ( 2 ), and Te[SCH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂SC(O)CH₃]₂, ( 3 ) were synthesized from Te(S^tBu)₂ and the corresponding thiol. All compounds are sensitive toward higher temperatures and light and decompose to elemental tellurium and the disulfide. In the solid state, the Te atom of 1 exhibits the novel Te(S₂Te₂) coordination mode. Additionally to the two Te—S bonds, each Te atom forms two long Te···Te contacts to neighboring molecules, leading to a coordination number of four and a distorted sawhorse configuration. No intramolecular Te···O interactions are present in the solid state, in accordance with ab initio calculations (MP2/ecp‐basis) for the isolated molecule. ¹²⁵Te NMR shifts of all compounds lay within a narrow range and close to the respective shift of other Te(SCH₂R)₂ compounds. VT ¹²⁵Te NMR spectra gave no hint to donor acceptor interactions in solution for any of the compounds and thus corroborate results from IR‐spectroscopy, ab initio geometry optimizations, and thermochemical calculations.     

Determination of zinc in copper by atomic-fluorescence flame spectroscopy

The application of atomic-fluorescence flame spectroscopy to the determination of trace quantities of zinc in copper is described. A limit of detection of 10(-5)% zinc in copper has been established. The scatter of primary radiation from within the flame determined the limit of detection, but it is suggested that scatter is not a serious limitation to the practical application of the technique.     

Monitoring the Reversibility of GPCR Signaling by Combining Photochromic Ligands with Label-free Impedance Analysis

G protein-coupled cell surface receptors (GPCR) trigger complex intracellular signaling cascades upon agonist binding. Classic pharmacological assays provide information about binding affinities, activation or blockade at different stages of the signaling cascade, but real time dynamics and reversibility of these processes remain often disguised. We show that combining photochromic NPY receptor ligands, which can be toggled in their receptor activation ability by irradiation with light of different wavelengths, with whole cell label-free impedance assays allows observing the cell response to receptor activation and its reversibility over time. The concept demonstrated on NPY receptors may be well applicable to many other GPCRs providing a deeper insight into the time course of intracellular signaling processes.     

Lewis Superacidic Divalent Bis(m-terphenyl)element Cations [(2,6-Mes2C6H3)2E]+ of Group 13 Revisited and Extended (E=B,Al, Ga,In, Tl)

In a combined experimental and computational study, the molecular and electronic structures of the divalent bis(m-terphenyl)element cations [(2,6-Mes₂C₆H₃)₂E]⁺ of group 13 ( 1 , E=B; 2 , E=Al; 3 , E=Ga; 4 , E=In; 5 , E=Tl) were investigated. The preparation and characterization of 2 , 3 and 5 were previously reported by Wehmschulte's (Organometallics 2004 , 23, 1965–1967; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003 , 125, 1470–1471) and our groups (Organometallics 2009 , 28, 6893–6901). The indinium ion 4 was prepared and fully characterized for the first time. Attempts to prepare the borinium ion 1 by fluoride or hydride abstraction were unsuccessful. The electronic structures of 1 – 5 and the stabilization by the bulky m-terphenyl substituents were analyzed using quantum chemical calculations and compared to the divalent bis(m-terphenyl)pnictogenium ions [(2,6-Mes₂C₆H₃)₂E]⁺ of group 15 ( 6 , E=P; 7 , E=As; 8 , E=Sb; 9 , E=Bi) previously investigated by our group (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018 , 57, 10080–10084). The calculated fluoride ion affinities (FIA) of 1–9 are higher than that of SbF₅, which classifies them as Lewis superacids.