Oxidation of thiosulfate by manganese(III) and nickel(III) complexes: A kinetic and mechanistic investigation

The kinetics of the oxidation of thiosulfate ion by [Mn(Y)]^? (H₄Y = trans-cyclohezane-1,2-dimine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid) and [Ni(L¹)]²⁺ (HL¹ = 15-amino-3-methyl-4,7,10,13-tetraazapentadec-3-en-2-one oxime) have been investigated at 20.0, 30.0, and 40.0°C in aqueous solution and found to follow the general rate law ?d/dt [complex] = k_ox[S₂O₃^2?] [complex]. The large negative entropy (ΔS?) of activation for the reactions and the results of Marcus calculation provide support for inner-sphere mechanism to be operative. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics of electron transfer reactions of manganese (III) complexes of trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine,-NNN′N′-tetraacetic acid and 2,2′-bipyridyl with ascorbic acid in aqueous acid media

The kinetics of the reactions of manganese(III) complexes of trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine-NNN′N′-tetraacetic acid (H₄cydta) and 2,2′-bipyridyl (bpy) have been investigated in the acid ranges [H⁺] = 1.00 ×10⁻⁵ − 3.16 × 10⁻³ M and [H⁺] = 0.10 − 1.00 M, respectively, at different temperatures and at a constant ionic strength. Both the molecular and mono-anionic forms of ascorbic acid have been found to be reactive in the experimental acid ranges. The monoanionic species has been found to be more reactive than the molecular form. Attempts have been made to correlate the kinetic results in terms of the Marcus relationship for outer-sphere electron transfer reaction. Differences between the calculated rates (k_0.8) and experimental rates (k) by approximately four and seven orders of magnitude (k_0.8≪ k) suggest an innersphere pathway for the reaction of Mn(cydta)(H₂O)⁻. Inner-sphere reaction is also believed to be operative for the other reaction. The activation parameters have been evaluated and compared with other reported systems.     

Competing magnetic interactions in a dinuclear Ni(II) complex: antiferromagnetic O-H...O moiety and ferromagnetic N3- ligand

Synthesis, structural characteristics, magnetic studies and DFT calculations in Ni(II) dinuclear complexes containing two bridging N3- and an O-H...O linkage reveal the existence of ferromagnetic interactions between Ni(II) centers via N3- ligands and antiferromagnetic interactions through the H-bonded moiety. The overall magnetic behavior of the system depends on the delicate balance between these two competing interactions.     

Lopsided spiral galaxies

The light distribution in the disks of many galaxies is ‘lopsided’ with a spatial extent much larger along one half of a galaxy than the other, as seen in M101. Recent observations show that the stellar disk in a typical spiral galaxy is significantly lopsided, indicating asymmetry in the disk mass distribution. The mean amplitude of lopsidedness is 0.1, measured as the Fourier amplitude of the m=1$m=1$ component normalized to the average value. Thus, lopsidedness is common, and hence it is important to understand its origin and dynamics. This is a new and exciting area in galactic structure and dynamics, in contrast to the topic of bars and two-armed spirals (m=2)$(m=2)$ which has been extensively studied in the literature. Lopsidedness is ubiquitous and occurs in a variety of settings and tracers. It is seen in both stars and gas, in the outer disk and the central region, in the field and the group galaxies. The lopsided amplitude is higher by a factor of two for galaxies in a group.     

Low energy o-Ps–o-Ps elastic scattering using a simple model

A simple model is employed to investigate o-Ps–o-Ps scattering at low energies. This model contains the effect of exchange explicitly and a model long range potential in the framework of static-exchange model. These two physical features are of key importance in Ps-Ps (atom-atom) scattering system. S-wave triplet-triplet and singlet-singlet scattering lengths and corresponding phase shifts up to the incident momentum k=0.5 a.u. are in excellent agreement with those yielded by most elaborate and theoretically sound predictions.     

Family of mixed-valence oxovanadium(IV/V) dinuclear entities incorporating N4O3-coordinating heptadentate ligands: synthesis, structure, and EPR spectra

Dinuclear (V(IV)V(V)) oxophenoxovanadates of general formula [V2O3L] have been synthesized in excellent yields by reacting bis(acetylacetonato)oxovanadium(IV) with H3L in a 2:1 ratio in acetone under an N2 atmosphere. Here L3- is the deprotonated form of 2,6-bis[{{(2-hydroxybenzyl)(N',N'-(dimethylamino)ethyl)}amino}methyl]-4-methylphenol (H3L1), 2,6-bis[{{(5-methyl-2-hydroxybenzyl)(N',N'-(dimethylamino)ethyl)}amino}methyl]-4-methylphenol (H3L2), 2,6-bis[{{(5-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzyl)(N',N'-(dimethylamino)ethyl)}amino}methyl]-4-methylphenol (H3L3), 2,6-bis[{{(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzyl)(N',N'-(dimethylamino)ethyl)}amino}methyl]-4-methylphenol(H3L4), 2,6-bis[{{(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzyl)(N'N'-(dimethylamino)ethyl)}amino}methyl]-4-methylphenol (H3L5), or 2,6-bis[{{(5-methoxy-2-hydroxybenzyl)(N'N'-(dimethylamino)ethyl)}methyl]-4-methylphenol (H3L6). In [V2O3L1], both the metal atoms have distorted octahedral geometry. The relative disposition of two terminal V=O groups in the complex is essentially cis. The O=V...V=O torsion angle is 24.6(2) degrees . The V-O(oxo)-V and V-O(phenoxo)-V angles are 117.5(4) and 93.4(3) degrees , respectively. The V...V bond distance is 3.173(5) A. X-ray crystallography, IR, UV-vis, and 1H and 51V NMR measurements show that the mixed-valence complexes contain two indistinguishable vanadium atoms (type III). The thermal ellipsoids of O2, O4, C10, C14, and C15 also suggests a type III complex in the solid state. EPR spectra of solid complexes at 77 K display a single line indicating the localization of the odd electron (3d(xy)1). Valence localization at 77 K is also consistent with the 51V hyperfine structure of the axial EPR spectra (3d(xy)1 ground state) of the complexes in frozen (77 K) dichloromethane solution: S = 1/2, g(parallel) approximately 1.94, g(perpendicular) approximately 1.98, A(parallel) approximately 166 x 10(-4) cm(-1), and A(perpendicular) approximately 68 x 10(-4) cm(-1). In contrast isotropic room-temperature solution spectra of the family have 15 hyperfine lines (g(iso) approximately 1.974 and A(iso) approximately 50 x 10(-4) cm(-1)) revealing that the unpaired electron is delocalized between the metal centers. Crystal data for the [V2O3L1].CH2Cl2 complex are as follows: chemical formula, C32H43O6N4Cl2V2; crystal system, monoclinic; space group, C2/c; a = 18.461(4), b = 17.230(3), c = 13.700(3) A; beta = 117.88(3) degrees ; Z = 8.     

Density estimation for a class of stationary nonlinear processes

Let {X _t ;t∈ℤ be a strictly stationary nonlinear process of the formX _t =ε _t +∑ _r=1 ^∞ W _rt , whereW _rt can be written as a functiong _r (ε _t−1,...ε _t-r-q ), {ε _t ;t∈ℤ is a sequence of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random variables withE|ε₁| ^g < ∞ for some γ>0 andq≥0 is fixed integer. Under certain mild regularity conditions ofg _r and {ε _t } we then show thatX ₁ has a density functionf and that the standard kernel type estimator baded on a realization {X ₁,...,X _n } from {X _t } is, asymptotically, normal and converges a.s. tof(x) asn→∞. The research of this author was partially carried out while he was a research scholar, on a sabbatical leave, at the Department of Statistics and Probability, Michigan State University.     

Arsenic calamity in the Indian subcontinent What lessons have been learned?

Groundwater arsenic (As) contamination in West Bengal (WB, India) was first reported in December 1983, when 63 people from three villages of two districts were identified by health officials as suffering from As toxicity. As of October 2001, the authors from the School of Environmental Studies (SOES) have analyzed >105 000 water samples, >25 000 urine/hair/nail/skin-scale samples, screened approximately 86 000 people in WB. The results show that more than 6 million people in 2700 villages from nine affected districts (total population approximately 42 million) of 18 total districts are drinking water containing >/=50 mug l(-1) As and >300 000 people may have visible arsenical skin lesions. The As content of the physiological samples indicates that many more may be sub-clinically affected. Children in As-affected villages may be in special danger. In 1995, we had found three villages in two districts of Bangladesh where groundwater contained >/=50 mug l(-1) As. The present situation is that in 2000 villages in 50 out of total 64 districts of Bangladesh, groundwater contains As above 50 mug l(-1) and more than 25 million people are drinking water above >/=50 mug l(-1) As. After years of research in WB and Bangladesh, additional affected villages are being identified on virtually every new survey. The present research may still reflect only the tip of iceberg in identifying the extent of As contamination. Although the WB As problem became public almost 20 years ago, there are still few concrete plans, much less achievements, to solve the problem. Villagers are probably in worse condition than 20 years ago. Even now, many who are drinking As-contaminated water are not even aware of that fact and its consequences. 20 years ago when the WB government was first informed, it was a casual matter, without the realization of the magnitude this problem was to assume. At least up to 1994, one committee after another was formed but no solution was forthcoming. None of the expert reports has suggested solutions that involve awareness campaigns, education of the villagers and participation of the people. Initially, international aid agencies working in the subcontinent simply did not consider that As could be present in groundwater. Even now, while As in drinking water is being highlighted, there have been almost no studies on how additional As is introduced through the food chain, as large amounts of As are present in the agricultural irrigation water. Past mistakes, notably the ceaseless exploitation of groundwater for irrigation, continue unabated today; at this time, more groundwater is being withdrawn than ever before. No efforts have been made to adopt effective watershed management to harness the extensive surface water and rainwater resources of this region. Proper watershed management and participation by villagers are needed for the proper utilization of water resources and to combat the As calamity. As in groundwater may just be nature's initial warning about more dangerous toxins yet to come. What lessons have we really learned?