95Mo NMR spectral studies on seven-coordinate molybdenum(II) isocyanide complexes

The ⁹⁵Mo NMR spectra of a series of seven-coordinate molybdenum(II) isocyanide complexes of the types [Mo(CNR)_7-nL_n](PF₆)₂ (R = CH₃, CHMe₂, CMe₃, C₆H₁₁, CH₂Ph; L = py, bpy, Me₂bpy, phen, dppe, P-n-Bu₃; n = 0,1,2) [Mo(CNC-Me₃)₆X]PF₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) and [{Mo(CNCMe₃)₄(NN)}₂(μ-CN)](PF₆)₃ (NN = bpy, Me₂bpy, phen) have been studied. The ⁹⁵Mo chemical shift range for this group of complexes is about 1100 ppm. An increase in the size of the R group attached to the isocyanide ligand generally tends to shield the ⁹⁵Mo nucleus. Replacement of the isocyanide ligand with a phosphorus ligand also increases the shielding, whereas the replacement of isocyanide with a heterocyclic nitrogen donor leads to deshielding by 800–900 ppm. This group of complexes shows a normal halogen dependence, i.e. replacement of Cl^? by Br^? and I^? increases the shielding of the ⁹⁵Mo nucleus. The cyano-bridged cations [{Mo(CNCMe₃)₄(NN)}₂(μ-CN)]³⁺ (NN = bpy, Me₂bpy, or phen) show two ⁹⁵Mo NMR signals, one for the molybdenum coordinated to the carbon of the bridging CN and one for the N-coordinated molybdenum. Comparison of the chemical shifts and linewidths of the cyano-bridged species with those of the corresponding mononuclear molybdenum(II) complexes [Mo(CNCMe₃)₅(NN)](PF₆)₂ leads to the assignment of the more deshielded signal to the N-coordinated molybdenum. The ¹⁴N and ³¹P NMR spectra for these complexes have also been measured, as have the ¹³C NMR spectra of the pairs of complexes [Mo(CNCMe₃)₅(NN)](PF₆)₂ and [{Mo(CNCMe₃)₄(NN)}₂(μ-CN)](PF₆)₃ (NN = bpy or phen). The ¹⁸³W NMR spectra for [W(CNR)₅(bpy)](PF₆)₂ (R = CMe₃ and CH₂Ph), show that the δ(¹⁸³W)/δ(⁹⁵Mo) chemical shift ratios for isocyanide complexes are different from the ratio found for M⁰ and M^VI.     

Gas-chromatographic determination of deltamethrin in crops

A rapid and economical method is described for the determination of deltamethrin in wheat, rice, peanuts and corn. It is based on simultaneous extraction and clean-up on a column packed with alumina and silica gel using n-hexane-ethyl ether (8:2, v/v), followed by a derivatization step and gas-chromatographic analysis. Recoveries from fortified cereal and peanut samples were determined at four concentration levels and ranged from 73 to 109%. The detection limits were 0.01 to 0.03 mg/ kg. This method simplifies the traditional procedures in terms of sample size, solvent consumption and analysis time. Received: 25 March 1997 / Revised: 3 June 1997 / Accepted: 4 June 1997     

Gas-chromatographic determination of deltamethrin in crops

A rapid and economical method is described for the determination of deltamethrin in wheat, rice, peanuts and corn. It is based on simultaneous extraction and clean-up on a column packed with alumina and silica gel using n-hexane-ethyl ether (8:2, v/v), followed by a derivatization step and gas-chromatographic analysis. Recoveries from fortified cereal and peanut samples were determined at four concentration levels and ranged from 73 to 109%. The detection limits were 0.01 to 0.03 mg/ kg. This method simplifies the traditional procedures in terms of sample size, solvent consumption and analysis time. Received: 25 March 1997 / Revised: 3 June 1997 / Accepted: 4 June 1997     

Synthesis, structure, and characterization of molybdenum(VI) imido complexes with N-salicylidene-2-aminophenol

Diimido complexes of the type Mo(NAr)2Cl2(dme) (dme = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) react with N-salicylidene-2-aminophenol (sapH2) in methanol in the presence of 2 equiv of triethylamine to form complexes with the general formula Mo(NAr)(1,2-OC6H4NH)(sap). The structures of three of these compounds (NAr = 2,6-dimethylphenylimido (1), 2,4,6-trimethylphenylimido (2), 2-tert-butylphenylimido3) have been determined by X-ray crystallography. The coordination sphere around the Mo is a distorted octahedron. The oxygen from the 2-aminophenol is trans to the imido nitrogen, whereas the amido nitrogen and the tridentate sap occupy the four equatorial positions. The Mo-N-C imido linkages have angles of 167.5(2) degrees (1), 163.2(2) degrees (2), and 162.4(1) degrees (3). A precursor complex to the imido-amido complex, Mo(NAr)(sap)(OCH3)2 (4, NAr = 2,4,6-trimethylphenylimido), has been isolated and characterized. Compound 4 reacts with 2-aminophenol to form 2, with 2-aminothiophenol to form Mo(NAr)(1,2-SC6H4NH)(sap) (5), with catechol to form Mo(NAr)(1,2-OC6H4O)(sap) (6), with naphthalene-2,3-diol to form Mo(NAr)(naphthalene-2,3-diolate)(sap) (7), with 1,2-benzenedithiol to form Mo(NAr)(1,2-SC6H4S)(sap) (8), and with 1,2-phenylenediamine to form Mo(NAr)(1,2-HNC6H4NH)(sap) (9). The structures of compounds 5-9 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. With the exception of compound 8, the structures are similar to those of 1,2, and 3, with the bidentate ligand occupying one axial and one equatorial position. In 8, 1,2-benzendithiolate occupies two equatorial positions, and the nitrogen from sap is located trans to the imido nitrogen. All complexes were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and UV-vis spectroscopy. When a solution of 4 is exposed to moisture-containing air, MoO2(sap)(CH3OH) (10) is formed. The structure of 10 was also determined.     

Investigation of the surface composition of NiOMgO solid solutions by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The surface composition of NiOMgO solid solutions has been investigated by XPS. It has been found that no appreciable deviation from bulk composition is present, or, if present, it goes in the direction of a slight depletion in Ni²⁺ ions at the surface. The approximations involved and the problems encountered in the determination of the surface composition of air-exposed oxide samples are discussed.     

Modeling cell dynamics under mobile phone radiation

Perturbations by pulse-modulated microwave radiation from GSM mobile phones on neuron cell membrane gating and calcium oscillations have been suggested as a possible mechanism underlying activation of brain states and electroencephalographic epiphenomena. As the employ of UMTS phones seems to reveal other symptoms, a unified phenomenological framework is needed. In order to explain possible effects of mobile phone radiation on cell oscillations, GSM and UMTS low-frequency envelopes have been detected, recorded and used as input in cell models. Dynamical systems endowed with contiguous regular and chaotic regimes suitable to produce stochastic resonance can both account for the perturbation of the neuro-electrical activity and even for the low intensity of the signal perceived by high sensitive subjects. Neuron models of this kind can be employed as a reductionist hint for the mentioned phenomenology. The Hindmarsh-Rose model exhibits frequency enhancement and regularization phenomena induced by weak GSM and UMTS. More realistic simulations of cell membrane gating and calcium oscillations have been performed with the help of an adaptation of the Chay-Keizer dynamical system. This scheme can explain the suspected subjective sensitivity to mobile phone signals under the thermal threshold, in terms of cell calcium regularity mechanisms. Concerning the two kinds of emission, the stronger occupation of the ELF band of last generation UMTS phones is compensated by lower power emitted.     

Hygienic aspects related to burial

Burial grounds are generally provided by local authorities in cemeteries (subject to planning consent and to compliance with any considerations for environmental health). Their design has been submitted to studies of hydrogeological characteristics of soil with regard to its ability to purify wastewater coming from corpse decomposition, its ability to avoid the infiltration of pollutants in groundwater, and its ability to skeletonize buried corpses within the given times foreseen by the law in force. Greater environmental awareness has necessitated that new and existing burial grounds are assessed to determine the environmental load which they could release to soil or any downstream component. This problem arises in countries where there is a high density of built-up areas, a custom of disposing of the dead by burial, a lack of available spaces and suitable soils to designate as burial grounds. This paper reports some results from a study carried out on ground lands of Italy in order to revise articles 82 and 83 of the Decree No 285 of 1990 in force in relation to burial grounds. Soil permeability to water and air is a parameter of critical importance in relation to purification and/or diffusion of leachates from inhumed corpses in the soil, and in relation to its influence on the time necessary to completely skeletonize a human corpse.     

Delay-Induced Periodic Behaviour in Competitive Populations

Journal of Statistical Physics - We consider self-propelled particles confined between two parallel plates, moving with a constant velocity while their moving direction changes by rotational...     

Emerging techniques for submicrometer particle sizing applied to Stöber silica

The accurate characterization of submicrometer and nanometer sized particles presents a major challenge in the diverse applications envisaged for them including cosmetics, biosensors, renewable energy, and electronics. Size is one of the principal parameters for classifying particles and understanding their behavior, with other particle characteristics usually only quantifiable when size is accounted for. We present a comparative study of emerging and established techniques to size submicrometer particles, evaluating their sizing precision and relative resolution, and demonstrating the variety of physical principles upon which they are based, with the aim of developing a framework in which they can be compared. We used in-house synthesized St?ber silica particles between 100 and 400 nm in diameter as reference materials for this study. The emerging techniques of scanning ion occlusion sensing (SIOS), differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS), and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) were compared to the established techniques of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning mobility particle sizing (SMPS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The size distributions were described using the mode, arithmetic mean, and standard deviation. Uncertainties associated with the six techniques were evaluated, including the statistical uncertainties in the mean sizes measured by the single-particle counting techniques. Q-Q plots were used to analyze the shapes of the size distributions. Through the use of complementary techniques for particle sizing, a more complete characterization of the particles was achieved, with additional information on their density and porosity attained.