Molecular structure of an extremely crowded iron(II) dihydride complex: FeH2(PMePh2)4

The crystal structure of FeH₂(PMePh₂)₄ shows this to exist as thecis isomer in the solid state with major distortions of the FeP₄ skeleton:cis P-Fe-P angles 98.1(1)–107.2(1)° andtrans P-Fe-P angle 143.3(1)°. All hydrogen atoms were refined, and the mean Fe-H separation is 1.59 Å. Long Fe-P distances, 2.187(3)–2.251(3) Å, emphasize the crowding in this molecule. Crystallographic data:a=11.684(4) Å,b=37.793(17),c=9.765(3),=90.81(1)°, andZ=4 in space groupP2₁/n (No. 14).R(F)=6.3% andR _w (F)=6.0% for 2585 observed reflections collected at —162°C.     

Generalized Bayes minimax estimators of the mean of multivariate normal distribution with unknown variance

We construct a broad class of generalized Bayes minimax estimators of the mean of a multivariate normal distribution with covariance equal to σ²I_p, with σ² unknown, and under the invariant loss δ(X)−θ²/σ². Examples that illustrate the theory are given. Most notably it is shown that a hierarchical version of the multivariate Student-t prior yields a Bayes minimax estimate.     

Analysis of amphetamine and methamphetamine in municipal wastewater influent and effluent using weak cation‐exchange SPE and LC‐MS/MS

Amphetamine and methamphetamine are emerging contaminants—those for which no regulations currently require monitoring or public reporting of their presence in our water supply. In this research, a protocol for weak cation‐exchange (WCX) SPE coupled with LC‐MS/MS was developed for determination of emerging contaminants amphetamine and methamphetamine in a complex wastewater matrix. Gradient LC parameters were adjusted to yield baseline separation of methamphetamine from other contaminants. Methamphetamine‐D5 was used as the internal standard (IS) to compensate for sample loss during SPE and for signal loss during MS (matrix effects). Recoveries were 102.1 ± 7.9% and 99.4 ± 4.0% for amphetamine and methamphetamine, respectively, using WCX sorbent. Notably, methamphetamine was determined to be present in wastewater influent at each sampling date tested. Amphetamine was present in wastewater influent on two of four sampling dates. Amphetamine concentrations ranged from undetectable to 86.4 ng/L in influent, but it was undetectable in wastewater effluent. Methamphetamine was detected in influent at concentrations ranging from 27.0–60.3 ng/L. Methamphetamine concentration was reduced but incompletely removed at this facility. Although absent in one post‐UV effluent sample, concentrations of methamphetamine ranged from 10.8–14.8 ng/L.     

Evaluation of molecular mechanics calculated binding energies for isolated and monolayer organic molecules on graphite

The calculated molecule-surface binding energy, E(cal)( *), for physical adsorption was determined using molecular mechanics MM2 parameters for a model graphite surface and various organic molecules. The results for E(cal)( *) were compared to published experimental binding energy values, E( *), from gas chromatography (GC) or thermal desorption (TD). The binding energies from GC were for isolated molecules in the Henry's law region of adsorption, and the binding energies from TD were for molecules in monolayer coverage on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). A simple desorption model was used to allow the calculation of monolayer coverage to include both molecule-surface and molecule-molecule interactions and then the results were compared to experimental values. For the 14 TD organic adsorbates (polyaromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, benzene, substituted benzenes, methane, chloroalkanes, N,N-dimethylformamide, and C(60) Buckyball), the experimental versus calculated binding energies were E( *)=1.1193E(cal)( *) and r(2)=0.967. The GC E( *) values were also well correlated by calculated E(cal)( *) values for a set of 11 benzene and methyl substituted benzenes and for another set of 10 alkanes and haloalkanes. The TD E(cal)( *) mechanics computation provides a useful comparison to the one for GC data since adsorbate-adsorbate interactions as well as adsorbate-surface must be considered.     

Theoretical study on the structure, stability, and electronic properties of the guanine-Zn-cytosine base pair in M-DNA

M-DNA is a type of metalated DNA that forms at high pH and in the presence of Zn, Ni, and Co, with the metals placed in between each base pair, as in G-Zn-C. Experiments have found that M-DNA could be a promising candidate for a variety of nanotechnological applications, as it is speculated that the metal d-states enhance the conductivity, but controversy still clouds these findings. In this paper, we carry out a comprehensive ab initio study of eight G-Zn-C models in the gas phase to help discern the structure and electronic properties of Zn-DNA. Specifically, we study whether a model prefers to be planar and has electronic properties that correlate with Zn-DNA having a metallic-like conductivity. Out of all the studied models, there is only one which preserves its planarity upon full geometry optimization. Nevertheless, starting from this model, one can deduce a parallel Zn-DNA architecture only. This duplex would contain the imino proton, in contrast to what has been proposed experimentally. Among the nonplanar models, there is one that requires less than 8 kcal/mol to flatten (both in gas and solvent conditions), and we propose that it is a plausible model for building an antiparallel duplex. In this duplex, the imino proton would be replaced by Zn, in accordance with experimental models. Neither planar nor nonplanar models have electronic properties that correlate with Zn-DNA having a metallic-like conductivity due to Zn d-states. To understand whether density functional theory (DFT) can describe appropriately the electronic properties of M-DNAs, we have investigated the electronic properties of G-Co-C base pairs. We have found that when self-interaction corrections (SIC) are not included the HOMO state contains Co d-levels, whereas these levels are moved below the HOMO state when SIC are considered. This result indicates that caution should be exercised when studying the electronic properties of M-DNAs with functionals that do not account for strong electronic correlations.     

Volcano relationships in metal cluster catalysis: An infrared spectroscopic monitor of site character

Active osmium cluster catalysts (derived from Os₃(CO)₁₂, H₂Os₃(CO)₁₀, H₄Os₄(CO)₁₂, Os₆(CO)₁₈ and H₂Os₁₀C(CO)₂₄ supported on silica, alumina, titania, and ceria) contain, in their infrared spectra, a band in the region 1930–1985 cm⁻¹ that is characteristic of the cluster/support combination. The activities of these catalysts for reactions of hydrogen with ethene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and ethane, relate to their characteristic CO stretching frequencies, giving ‘volcano’ curves. Evidence from ethene hydrogenation kinetics confirms that the characteristic CO-frequency is a monitor of strength of adsorption at the catalytically active site. Dedicated to Professor Pál Tétényi on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Computing the superexchange electronic factor of electron transfer theory using a grid‐based numerical method

We report a method for calculating the electronic factor in the superexchange rate equation of electron transfer theory; this method is a basis set independent, grid‐based numerical technique that utilizes fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) and a Lanczos recursion in a pseudospectral framework and is used to treat a three‐dimensional one‐electron model of the electronic factor. We compare eigenvalues calculated from the current method to eigenvalues from the literature for both one‐dimensional (1D) and three‐dimensional (3D) model problems and find that the current method provides excellent accuracy and efficiency. With respect to the superexchange electronic factor, we use model potentials to calculate the tunneling matrix elements with the present method to illustrate how the method can be used to address current issues in superexchange. In particular, we show how this method is useful in evaluating the effect of the bridge potential on the superexchange electronic factor when using repulsive‐core pseudopotentials to represent the bridge. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 21: 1262–1273, 2000     

The products of the reaction of the hydroxyl radical with 2-ethoxyethyl acetate

The gas-phase reaction products of the OH radical with 2-ethoxyethyl acetate (EEA, CH₃C(O)OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₃) have been investigated. 1,2-Ethanediol acetate formate (EAF, CH₃C(O)OCH₂CH₂OC(O)H) and ethyl formate (EF, HC(O)OCH₂CH₃) were identified as the two main products. A third product, ethylene glycol diacetate (EGD, CH₃C(O)OCH₂CH₂OC(O)CH₃), was also observed. EAF, EF, and EGD formation yields were determined to be 0.37 ± 0.03 and 0.328 ± 0.018 and 0.040 ± 0.005, respectively. Proposed reaction mechanisms are discussed and compared with these data. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.