Evidence of conformational equilibrium of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium in its ionic liquid salts: Raman spectroscopic study and quantum chemical calculations

Raman spectra of liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMI+) salts, EMI(+)BF4-, EMI(+)PF6-, EMI(+)CF3SO3-, and EMI(+)N(CF3SO2)2-, were measured over the frequency range 200-1600 cm(-1). In the range 200-500 cm(-1), we found five bands originating from the EMI+ ion at 241, 297, 387, 430, and 448 cm(-1). However, the 448 cm(-1) band could hardly be reproduced by theoretical calculations in terms of a given EMI+ conformer, implying that the band originates from another conformer. This is expected because the EMI+ involves an ethyl group bound to the N atom of the imidazolium ring, and the ethyl group can rotate along the C-N bond to yield conformers. The torsion energy for the rotation was then theoretically calculated. Two local minima with an energy difference of ca. 2 kJ mol(-1) were found, suggesting that two conformers are present in equilibrium. Full geometry optimizations followed by normal frequency analyses indicate that the two conformers are those with planar and nonplanar ethyl groups against the imidazolium ring plane, and the nonplanar conformer is favorable. It elucidates that bands at 241, 297, 387, and 430 cm(-1) mainly originate from the nonplanar conformer, whereas the 448 cm(-1) band does originate from the planar conformer. Indeed, the enthalpy for conformational change from nonplanar to planar EMI+ experimentally obtained by analyzing band intensities of the conformers at varying temperatures is practically the same as that evaluated by theoretical calculations. We thus conclude that the EMI+ ion exists as either a nonplanar or planar conformer in equilibrium in its liquid salts.     

Direct nanocomposite of crystalline TiO2 particles and mesoporous silica as a molecular selective and highly active photocatalyst

Well-crystallised TiO2 particles (P-25, 20-30 nm in diameter) were directly incorporated into surfactant-templated mesoporous silica particles (pore diameter: 2.7 nm), and the composite material with a high TiO2 content (60 wt%) showed molecular selective and enhanced photocatalysis for decomposition of 4-nonylphenol.     

Complete selection of a self-assembling homo- or hetero-cavitand cage via metal coordination based on ligand tuning

Selective formation of a homo- or hetero-cavitand cage via metal-coordination, by using tetra(4-pyridyl)-cavitand (1), tetrakis(4-pyridylethynyl)-cavitand (2), or tetrakis(4-cyanophenyl)-cavitand (3) as deep cavitand ligands and Pd(dppp)(OTf)2 (4) as a connector, has been investigated by 1H NMR and CSI-MS. When the cavitand and 4 were mixed in CDCl3 in a 2:4 molar ratio, 1 gave a complicated mixture, whereas 2 or 3 formed a homo-cavitand cage {2(2).4[Pd(dppp)]}8+.8(TfO-) (5) or {2(3).4[Pd(dppp)]}8+.8(TfO-) (6), respectively, as a single species. In a 1:1:4 mixture of 2, 3, and 4, homo-cavitand cages 5 and 6 were observed in a 1:1 ratio. In marked contrast, a mixture of 1, 3, and 4 in a 1:1:4 ratio was exclusively self-assembled into a hetero-cavitand cage {1.3.4[Pd(dppp)]}8+.8(TfO-) (7). The selectivity for the self-assembly of the homo- or hetero-cavitand cage via metal coordination would arise from a combination of factors such as coordination ability and steric demand of cavitand ligands.     

Synthesis of new hydrolyzable polyurethanes from L‐gulonic acid‐derived diols and diisocyanates

New polyurethanes with lactone groups in the pendants and main chains were synthesized by the polyaddition of two kinds of L ‐gulonolactone‐derived diols (2,3‐O‐isopropylidene‐L ‐gulono‐1,4‐lactone and 5,6‐O‐isopropylidene‐L ‐gulono‐1,4‐lactone) with hexamethylene diisocyanate and methyl (S)‐2,6‐diisocyanatohexanoate and by the subsequent deprotection of isopropylidene groups. They were hydrolyzed more quickly than the polyurethane derived from methyl β‐D ‐glucofuranosidurono‐6,3‐lactone in a phosphate buffer solution, the pH value of which was 8.0, at 27 °C. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 4158–4166, 2002     

Preparation of porous clay minerals with organic-inorganic hybrid pillars using solvent-extraction route

A microporous clay mineral with organic-inorganic hybrid pillars was synthesized using a hydrochloric acid (HCl)/ethanol extraction method after intercalation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) or TEOS/methyltriethoxysilane (MTS) into the cetyltrimetylammonium ion (CTA)-exchanged vermiculite. The products retained their layered structure, due to the formation of stable pillars by the polymerization of hydrolyzed TEOS and MTS during the HCl/ethanol treatment. The BET surface areas, which increased to above 500 m2g(-1) with an increase in the HCl concentration up to 0.4 moldm(-3), are nearly equal to that of the calcined product obtained by the conventional method. However, the pore sizes of HCl/ethanol-treated materials were narrower than those of the calcined product, owing to the formation of the polysiloxane networks in the gallery. A water adsorption study showed that the product treated with a TEOS/MTS mixture had a hydrophobic surface as a result of the successful incorporation of methyl groups at the surface of the pillars. This novel method is advantageous for the synthesis of organophilic pillared clays with different kinds of organic materials in the interlayers.     

Ionic liquid crystal as a hole transport layer of dye-sensitized solar cells

Use of a new ionic liquid crystal, 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide, and iodine as an electrolyte of dye-sensitized solar cells leads to a high short circuit photocurrent density and a high light-to-electricity conversion efficiency, due to a self-assembled structure of the imidazolium cations, resulting in high conductivity of the electrolyte.     

Diffusion Monte Carlo study of correlation in the hydrogen molecule

The diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) method shows that correlation in H₂ produces a set of three spatial changes: (i) an enhancement in the electron density distribution n( r ) in the left and right anti‐binding regions that include separately the immediate vicinity of each of the two nuclei, (ii) a reduction in n( r ) in the binding region intervening between the two nuclei as a counterbalance, and (iii) a concomitant increase in the equilibrium internuclear separation. It is stressed that the correlation energy E^c (= T^c + V^c) for diatomic molecules be defined by the difference in the total energy between the exact and the Hartree–Fock (HF) variational calculations that are performed at individually optimized internuclear separations. It is this definition that makes it possible to involve a significant contribution from a correlation‐induced change in the equilibrium internuclear separation as part of the correlation energy and to relate (i) and (ii) to (iii) in consistency with the electrostatic theorem. The present calculations fulfill the virial theorem to an accuracy of ?V/T = 2.00 for DMC and ?V^HF/T^HF = 2.000 for HF. The present correlation energy E^c = ?0.0408 hartree is not only in good agreement with the most accurate value previously reported, but also can be analyzed into all its components in accordance with the correlational virial theorem 2T^c + V^c = 0. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Recent progress in the improvement of hydrothermal stability of zeolites

Zeolites have been successfully employed in many catalytic reactions of industrial relevance. The severe conditions required in some processes, where high temperatures are frequently combined with the presence of steam, highlight the need of considering the evolution of the catalyst structure during the reaction. This review attempts to summarize the recently developed strategies to improve the hydrothermal framework stability of zeolites.

This review attempts to summarize the recently developed strategies to improve the hydrothermal framework stability of zeolites.