Binuclear Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with Schiff-bases derived from crown ether platforms: Rare examples of ether oxygen atoms bridging metal centers

Bibracchial lariat ethers L³ and L⁴, derived from the condensation of N,N′-bis(2-aminobenzyl)-1,10-diaza-15-crown-5 or N,N′-bis(2-aminobenzyl)-4,13-diaza-18-crown-6 with salicylaldehyde, form binuclear complexes with Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II). Our studies show that the different denticity and crown moiety size of the two related receptors give rise to important differences on the structures of the corresponding complexes. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the [Ni₂(L³)(H₂O)₂]²⁺ and [Cu₂(L³)(NO₃)]⁺ complexes constitute a rare example in which an oxygen atom of the crown moiety is bridging the two six coordinate metal ions. In contrast, none of the oxygen atoms of the crown moiety is acting as a bridging donor atom in the [Co₂(L⁴)(CH₃CN)₂]²⁺, [Cu₂(L⁴)]²⁺ and [Zn₂(L⁴)]²⁺ complexes. This is attributed to the larger size the crown moiety and the higher denticity of L⁴ compared to L³. In [Co₂(L⁴)(CH₃CN)₂]²⁺ the metal ions show a distorted octahedral coordination, while in the Cu(II) and Zn(II) analogues the metal ions are five-coordinated in a distorted trigonal bipyramidal environment. In [Cu₂(L³)(NO₃)]⁺ the coordinated nitrate anion acts as a bidentate bridging ligand, which results in the formation of a 1D coordination polymer.     

High pressure DSC of phenolformaldehyde moulding compounds

The influence of pressure on the polycondensation reaction between novolac resin (N) present in commercially available moulding compounds and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) was studied up to 80 bars under air and in an inert atmosphere. For a low HMTA content (N/HMTA=98/2 mass ratio) high pressure enables the detection of two successive curing reactions. With increasing HMTA content the peak due to the first curing reaction becomes less pronounced at high pressure, while the enthalpy of the second increases. In an inert atmosphere both curing reactions are well observable even at ambient pressure and for lower HMTA content take place at lower temperatures, as expected. For the sample with N/HMTA=98/2 the curing reaction was followed using TG-MS.     

Bismuth film electrode for anodic stripping voltammetric determination of tin

The bismuth film electrode (BiFE), in combination with anodic stripping voltammetry, offers convenient measurement of low concentrations of tin. The procedure involves simultaneous in situ formation of the bismuth film electrode on a glassy carbon substrate electrode, together with electrochemical deposition of tin, in a non-deaerated model solution containing bismuth ions, catechol as complexing agent and the metal analyte, followed by an anodic stripping scan. The BiFE is characterized by an attractive electroanalytical performance, with two distinct voltammetric stripping signals corresponding to tin, accompanied with low background contributions. Several experimental parameters were optimized, such as concentration of bismuth ions and catechol, deposition potential, deposition time and pH of the model solution. In addition, a critical comparison is given with bare glassy carbon and mercury film electrodes, revealing the superior characteristics of BiFE for measurement of tin. BiFE exhibited highly linear behavior in the examined concentration range from 1 to 100 μg L⁻¹ of tin (R² = 0.997), an LoD of 0.26 μg L⁻¹ tin, and good reproducibility with a calculated R.S.D. of 7.3% for 10 μg L⁻¹ tin (n = 10). As an example, the practical applicability of BiFE was tested with the measurement of tin in a real sample of seawater.     

The randomized vacation policy for a batch arrival queue

This paper examines an M^[x]/G/1${\text{M}}^{[\text{x}]}/\text{G}/1$ queueing system with a randomized vacation policy and at most J vacations. Whenever the system is empty, the server immediately takes a vacation. If there is at least one customer found waiting in the queue upon returning from a vacation, the server will be immediately activated for service. Otherwise, if no customers are waiting for service at the end of a vacation, the server either remains idle with probability p   or leaves for another vacation with probability 1-p$1-p$. This pattern continues until the number of vacations taken reaches J. If the system is empty by the end of the J  th vacation, the server is dormant idly in the system. If there is one or more customers arrive at server idle state, the server immediately starts his services for the arrivals. For such a system, we derive the distributions of important characteristics, such as system size distribution at a random epoch and at a departure epoch, system size distribution at busy period initiation epoch, idle period and busy period, etc. Finally, a cost model is developed to determine the joint suitable parameters (p^∗,J^∗)$(p^{\ast }\text{,}{J}^{\ast })$ at a minimum cost, and some numerical examples are presented for illustrative purpose.     

Bis-functionalized fullerene-dibenzo[18]crown-6 conjugate: synthesis and cation-complexation dependent redox behavior

A one-step synthesis of bis-pyrrolidine functionalized fullerene-dibenzo[18]crown-6 conjugate and its metal cation complexation to the crown ether entity dependent redox behavior is reported.     

Hydrophosphination of boron–boron multiple bonds

Five compounds containing boron–boron multiple bonds are shown to undergo hydrophosphination reactions with diphenylphosphine in the absence of a catalyst. With diborenes, the products obtained are highly dependent on the substitution pattern at the boron atoms, with both 1,1- and 1,2-hydrophosphinations observed. With a symmetrical diboryne, 1,2-hydrophosphination yields a hydro(phosphino)diborene. The different mechanistic pathways for the hydrophosphination of diborenes are rationalised with the aid of density functional theory calculations.

Compounds containing boron–boron double and triple bonds are shown to undergo uncatalysed hydrophosphination reactions with diphenylphosphine.     

Supercritical fluid extraction of isoflavones from biological samples with ultra-fast high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

An efficient method of modifier addition for supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of polar isoflavones was developed and yielded extraordinarily high recoveries. To find the optimal extraction conditions, a temperature and pressure optimization and modifier impact study was performed in naturally contaminated and spiked samples. Ultra-fast high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) was used for the determination of isoflavones on an Atlantis dC18 high-speed reversed phase chromatographic column (20 x 2.1 mm, 3 microm particle size). A newly elaborated supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) procedure allowed more accurate (< 5%) and precise (< 4-7%) determination of isoflavones in biological materials. The HPLC/MS method significantly reduced analysis time with simultaneous improvement of sensitivity and detection limits. The on-column limits of detection LOD (S/N = 3) for isoflavone glycosides (daidzin, genistin, glycitin, ononin, and sissotrin) were 1.3-3.6 fmol and 0.2-1.0 fmol for aglycones (daidzein, glycitein, genistein, formononetin, and biochanin A), respectively.     

Heterobimetallic Gold/Ruthenium Complexes Synthesized via Post-functionalization and Applied in Dual Photoredox Gold Catalysis

The synthesis of heterobimetallic Au^I/Ru^II complexes of the general formula syn- and anti-[{AuCl}( L1 ∩ L2 ){Ru(bpy)₂}][PF₆]₂ is reported. The ditopic bridging ligand L1 ∩ L2 refers to a P,N hybrid ligand composed of phosphine and bipyridine substructures, which was obtained via a post-functionalization strategy based on Diels-Alder reaction between a phosphole and a maleimide moiety. It was found that the stereochemistry at the phosphorus atom of the resulting 7-phosphanorbornene backbone can be controlled by executing the metal coordination and the cycloaddition reaction in a different order. All precursors, as well as the mono- and multimetallic complexes, were isolated and fully characterized by various spectroscopic methods such as NMR, IR, and UV-vis spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry. Photophysical measurements show efficient phosphorescence for the investigated monometallic complex anti-[( L1 ∩ L2 ){Ru(bpy)₂}][PF₆]₂ and the bimetallic analogue syn-[{AuCl}( L1 ∩ L2 ){Ru(bpy)₂}][PF₆]₂, thus indicating a small influence of the {AuCl} fragment on the photoluminescence properties. The heterobimetallic Au^I/Ru^II complexes syn- and anti-[{AuCl}( L1 ∩ L2 ){Ru(bpy)₂}][PF₆]₂ are both active catalysts in the P-arylation of aryldiazonium salts promoted by visible light with H-phosphonate affording arylphosphonates in yields of up to 91 %. Both dinuclear complexes outperform their monometallic counterparts.