Application of EPMA to the localization and speciation of mercury in contaminated parts of chemical plants

The positions of enrichment of mercury and its compounds in surface layers and within the micro structure of metallic materials originating from closed-down chemical plants were detected by electron probe microanalysis. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry is useful for the analysis of mercury. However, the energy resolution is not sufficient for detecting small amounts of sulphur and to measure quantitatively the chemical bonding state of mercury as sulphide or chloride. Therefore, it was also necessary to use a wavelength dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The results show that mercury is mainly present in surface layers, and only in small amounts directly at the surface of the bulk material. On the basis of the results obtained, a decontamination process for mercury contaminated parts can be developed which is necessary prior to waste deposition or recycling of those materials.Dedicated to Professor Dr. rer.nat. Dr. h.c. Hubertus Nickel on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Applications of two-photon absorption for detection of CO in combustion gases

Laser-induced fluorescence has been used for detection of CO in different environments. The fluorescence light was obtained by using a two-photon transition between theX ^1– and theB ^1– electronical states around 230 nm. Cell measurements indicate a detection limit lower than 0.1 ppm. Measurements in a CH₄/air flame and in a low pressure dc discharge were realized with a diode-array detector, which was used in an imaging mode, permitting single-shot CO distributions to be captured.     

The role of weakly bound on-top oxygen in the catalytic CO oxidation reaction over RuO2(110)

RuO(2)-based catalysts are much more active in the oxidation of CO than related metallic Ru catalysts. This high catalytic activity (or low activation barrier) is attributed to the weak oxygen surface bonding of bridging O atoms on RuO(2)(110) in comparison with the strongly chemisorbed oxygen on Ru(0001). Since the RuO(2)(110) surface is able to stabilize an even more weakly bound on-top oxygen species, one would anticipate that the catalytic activity will increase further under oxidizing conditions. We will show that this view is far too simple to explain our temperature-programmed reaction experiments, employing isotope labeling of the potentially active surface oxygen species on RuO(2)(110). Rather, both surface O species on RuO(2)(110) reveal similar activities in oxidizing CO.     

Dimerization of n-butenes on nickel mordenite catalysts

The catalytic activity of synthetic and natural nickel exchanged mordenites of different compositions has been investigated in dimerization of n-butenes at high pressure in the liquid phase. High selectivities to n-octenes and methylheptenes were found. It is suggested that the mordenite channel structure influences the product distribution.

---

- . - . .

     

The L Spectrum of Fe and Fe3O4

The intensities of the Fe L lines/bands l = L₃M₁, η = L₂M₁, α_1,2 = L₃M_4,5, β₁ = L₂M₄, and β_3,4 = L₁M_2,3 were measured for pure Fe and Fe₃O₄ using a TAP crystal as the dispersing element. The energy of the exciting electrons, E₀, was varied in the range 5 ≤ E₀ ≤ 25 keV. For pure Fe the following results were obtained. The net peak height ratio Ll/Lα remains relatively constant with varying E₀ at approximately 14%. The E₀ dependence of Lη is similar to that of Ll, although Lη is less intense than Ll by a factor of 7. Lβ₁/Lα decreases from 20% for E₀ = 5 keV to about 5% for 25 keV. Lβ_3,4 behaves like Lβ₁ but is weaker by a factor of 15. For Fe₃O₄ a much weaker intensity of Lα was observed which can be partially explained by its stronger absorption. Again, the E₀ dependence of Ll and Lη is similar with Ll/Lα = 19% and Lη/Lα = 4%. Lβ₁ and Lβ_3,4 show a comparable E₀ dependence. Lβ₁/Lα decreases from 50% for E₀ = 5 keV to 34% for 25 keV. Lβ_3,4 is weaker than Lβ₁ by a factor of about 25. The observed E₀ dependence of the different lines was used to estimate a set of mass absorption coefficients. Our value for Lα in Fe agrees well with other data which were deduced from variable E₀ measurements but differs considerably from data given by Heinrich and Henke.     

An NMR method for assigning relative stereochemistry to beta-hydroxy ketones deriving from aldol reactions of methyl ketones

We describe a simple 1H NMR analysis that permits the stereochemistry of beta-hydroxy ketones to be assigned by visual inspection of the ABX patterns for the alpha-methylene unit of the beta-hydroxy ketone in the 1H NMR spectra. This method has been verified by application to a wide range of beta-hydroxy ketones deriving from aldol reactions of chiral aldehydes with a variety of chiral and achiral methyl ketone enolates (see Tables 1 and 2). The stereochemistry of 54 of these compounds have been assigned by rigorous chemical methods.     

Properties and performance of a quadrupole mass filter used for resonance ionization mass spectrometry

The performance of commercial quadrupole mass spectrometers (QMS) with a number of imperfections, as compared to the ideal hyperbolic geometry, has been characterized using the computer simulation program version 6.0. The analysis of simulated QMS geometries focuses primarily on modeling of the internal potential, the study of field deviations, and the influence of finite length on performance of the QMS. The computer simulation of ion trajectories in the QMS field yields predictions for optimum working conditions and provides estimates for the resolving power and the maximum isotopic abundance sensitivity. Experimental measurements that confirm these expectations are presented. Optimization of the geometry and various operational parameters of the QMS is an important step in the development of a system for highly selective ultratrace determination using laser-based resonance ionization mass spectrometry.     

First asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-sparteine

[reaction: see text] The total synthesis of (+)-sparteine was accomplished from 2,5-norbornadione in 15 steps and 15.7% overall yield. The key steps were two ring-expansion reactions, one involving an intramolecular Schmidt reaction and one using a novel variant of the photo-Beckmann rearrangement.     

Quadrupole moments of radium isotopes from the 7p 2 P 3/2 hyperfine structure in Ra II

The hyperfine structure and isotope shift of^221–226Ra and^212,214Ra have been measured in the ionic (Ra II) transition 7s ² S _1/2–7p ² P _3/2 (λ=381.4 nm). The method of on-line collinear fast-beam laser spectroscopy has been applied using frequency-doubling of cw dye laser radiation in an external ring cavity. The magnetic hyperfine fields are compared with semi-empirical and ab initio calculations. The analysis of the quadrupole splitting by the same method yields the following, improved values of spectroscopic quadrupole moments:Q _s (²²¹Ra)=1.978(7)b,Q _s (²²³Ra)=1.254(3)b and the reanalyzed valuesQ _s (²⁰⁹Ra)=0.40(2)b,Q _s (²¹¹Ra)=0.48(2)b,Q _s (²²⁷Ra)=1.58(3)b,Q _s (²²⁹Ra)=3.09(4)b with an additional scaling uncertainty of ±5%. Furthermore, theJ-dependence of the isotope shift is analyzed in both Ra II transitions connecting the 7s ² S _1/2 ground state with the first excited doublet 7p ² P _1/2 and 7p ² P _3/2.     

Reduction of an amorphous NiO?Al2O3/SiO2 catalyst by different olefins and hydrogen

By static magnetic measurements it was found that the ability to reduction of an amorphous NiO–Al₂O₃/SiO₂ catalyst decreases in the order: but-2-eneshydrogen isobutene>but-1-ene>propeneethene. The reduction temperatures are significantly higher than the dimerization reaction temperatures.

---

, NiO–Al₂O₃/SiO₂ : -2>-1> . .