Surface-enhanced Raman scattering and the adsorption behavior of (RS)-phenylsuccinic acid

The surface geometry of (RS)-phenylsuccinic acid molecule was studied by analysis of the SERS spectra of aromatic dicarboxylic acid adsorbed on silver colloid surfaces. For a reliable analysis of the SERS spectrum, we also performed density functional theoretical calculations. The SERS spectral features indicated that the RSPSA molecules should bound to the silver as dicarboxylate, with a strongly tilted orientation with respect to the normal to the surface. Such a tilted orientation was presumed to occur by the simultaneous sigma and pi-type coordination of carboxylate groups to silver surface caused by the steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion between the two carboxylate groups, and thereby RSPSA on silver was easily displaced with aromatic carboxylic acids. A sigma-type coordination therefore seemed to be more important than a pi-type coordination for aromatic carboxylic acid derivatives to assemble on a silver surface. The large enhancement of in-plane bending, out of plane bending and ring breathing modes in the surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectrum indicates that the molecule is adsorbed on the silver surface in a 'at least vertical' configuration, with the ring perpendicular to the silver surface.     

Optimization of the catalytic asymmetric addition of nitroalkanes to cyclic enones with trans-4,5-methano-L-proline

[reaction: see text] The conjugate addition of symmetrical 2-nitroalkanes to 2-cycloalkenones catalyzed by trans-4,5-methano-l-proline proceeds with >99% ee and excellent chemical yields. 1-Nitroalkanes afford diastereomeric syn/anti products that can be separated with good individual enantioselectivities. Proline hydroxamic acid and its trans-4,5-methano -l-proline hydroxamic acid are also effective organocatalysts in the addition of 2-nitropropane to 2-cyclohexenone (75% and 81% ee, respectively).     

Non-random cation distribution in hexagonal Al0.5Ga0.5PO4

Based on powder X-ray diffraction and ³¹P Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MAS NMR) investigations of mixed phosphate Al_0.5Ga_0.5PO₄, prepared by co-precipitation method followed by annealing at 900 °C for 24 h, it is shown that Al_0.5Ga_0.5PO₄ phase crystallizes in hexagonal form with lattice parameter a=0.491(2) and c=1.106(4) nm. This hexagonal phase of Al_0.5Ga_0.5PO₄ is similar to that of pure GaPO₄. The ³¹P MAS NMR spectrum of the mixed phosphate sample consists of five peaks with systematic variation of their chemical shift values and is arising due to existence of P structural units having varying number of the Al³⁺/Ga³⁺ cations as the next nearest neighbors in the solid solution. Based on the intensity analysis of the component NMR spectra of Al_0.5Ga_0.5PO₄, it is inferred that the distribution of Al³⁺ and Ga³⁺ cations is non-random for the hexagonal Al_0.5Ga_0.5PO₄ sample although XRD patterns showed a well-defined solid solution formation.     

Crystal structure and conformation of N-(t-butoxycarbonyl)-L-isoleucyl-L-alanine benzylester

C₂₂N₂O₅H₃₂,M _r =404.5, monoclinic,C2,a=21.781(5),b=5.065(1),c=22.333(4)Å,=112.81(2)°,V=2271.1(9)ų,D _calc=1.148 g cm³, (CuK )=1.5418 Å,=5.89 cm^–1,F(000)=848, room temperature,R=0.058 for 2178 unique reflections [I2.5(I)]. The peptide linkage is in thetrans conformation. The molecule adopts the-sheet structure. The crystal structure is stabilized by a three-dimensional network of N-HO and C-HO hydrogen bonds.DCB Contribution No. 813.     

Bis(glycylglycinium) oxalate at 100 K

The structure of the title compound, 2C₄H₉N₂O₃⁺·C₂O₄²⁻, which has been determined by X‐ray diffraction, contains discrete glycyl­glycine (HGly–Gly)⁺ cations in general positions and oxalate anions which lie across centres of inversion. Although the geometry of the (HGly–Gly)⁺ cation is not significantly different compared with other structures containing this residue, a few changes in conformation are observed which indicate the presence of molecular interactions. The molecular network in the crystal consists of one nearly linear O—H⋯O, five N—H⋯O and two weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.     

Structure and conformational stability of CH2CHCH2X (X=F, Cl and Br) molecules—post Hartree–Fock and density functional theory methods

The molecular structure and conformational stability of CH₂CHCH₂X (X=F, Cl and Br) molecules were studied using ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The molecular geometries of 3-fluoropropene were optimized employing BLYP and B3LYP levels of theory of DFT method implementing 6-311+G(d,p) basis set. The MP2/6-31G^*, BLYP and B3LYP levels of theory of ab initio and DFT methods were used to optimize the 3-chloropropene and 3-bromopropene molecules. The structural and physical parameters of the molecules are discussed with the available experimental values. The rotational potential energy surface of the above molecules were obtained at MP2/6-31G^* and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory. The Fourier decomposition of the rotational potentials were analyzed. The HF/6-31G^* and MP2/6-31G^* levels of theory have predicted the cis conformer as the minimum energy structure for 3-fluoropropene, which is in agreement with the experimental values, whereas the BLYP/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory reverses the order of conformation. The ΔE values calculated for 3-chloropropene at MP2/6-31G^*, BLYP/6-311+G(d,p) and B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) levels of theory show that the gauche form is more stable than the cis form, which is in agreement with the experimental value. The same levels of theory have also predicted that the gauche form is stable than cis for 3-bromopropene molecule. The maximum hardness principle has been able to predict the stable conformer of 3-fluoropropene at HF/6-31G^* level of theory, but the same level of theory reverses the conformational stability of 3-chloropropene and 3-bromopropene molecules and MP2/6-31G^* level of theory predicted the stable conformer correctly.     

A comprehensive study of measurement uncertainty in tomographic reconstruction of void-profiles in a mercury-nitrogen flow

 The liquid–metal magneto-hydrodynamic (LMMHD) facility at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Mumbai) has a two-phase mercury–nitrogen flow system which is currently used for various studies related to void-fraction, flow, pressure, slip-ratio, of the flow system. Non-invasive measurements of steady-state void-fraction profiles has been carried out by a 60 mCi Cesium-137 gamma-ray source and a NaI(Tl) detector mounted on a trolley. The reconstructed cross-sectional void-fraction profiles were in the riser section of the LMMHD loop, and in this process radial tomographic methods were used, e.g. least-squares and chord-segment-inversion (CSI). The present work investigates the possible uncertainties in the profiles thus measured. A simple statistical model has been developed for the CSI algorithm due to the inherent “square nature” of the data matrix. The inherent Poisson error has been also investigated in this exercise. Received: 1 December 1997/Accepted: 30 May 1998     

Influence of intermolecular amide hydrogen bonding on the geometry, atomic charges, and spectral modes of acetanilide: An ab initio study

Acetanilide, a compound of pharmaceutical importance possessing pain-relieving properties due to its blocking the pulse dissipating along the nerve fiber, is subjected to vibrational spectral investigation using NIR FT Raman, FT-IR, and SERS. The geometry, Mulliken charges, and vibrational spectrum of acetanilide have been computed using the Hartree-Fock theory and density functional theory employing the 6-31G (d) basis set. To investigate the influence of intermolecular amide hydrogen bonding, the geometry, charge distribution, and vibrational spectrum of the acetanilide dimer have been computed at the HF/6-31G (d) level. The computed geometries reveal that the acetanilide molecule is planar, while twisting of the secondary amide group with respect to the phenyl ring is found upon hydrogen bonding. The trans isomerism and “amido” form of the secondary amide, hyperconjugation of the C=O group with the adjacent C-C bond, and donor-acceptor interaction have been investigated using computed geometry. The carbonyl stretching band position is found to be influenced by the tendency of the phenyl ring to withdraw nitrogen lone pair, intermolecular hydrogen bonding, conjugation, and hyperconjugation. A decrease in the NH and C=O bond orders and increase in the C-N bond orders due to donor-acceptor interaction can be observed in the vibrational spectra. The SERS spectral analysis reveals that the flat orientation of the molecule on the adsorption plane is preferred.     

Characterization of aging-induced microstructural changes in M250 maraging steel using magnetic parameters

The best combinations of mechanical properties (yield stress and fracture toughness) of M250 maraging steel is obtained through short-term thermal aging (3–10 h) at 755 K. This is attributed to the microstructure containing precipitation of intermetallic phases in austenite-free low-carbon martensite matrix. Over-aged microstructure, containing reverted austenite degrades the mechanical properties drastically. Hence, it necessitates identification of a suitable non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique for detecting any reverted austenite unambiguously during aging. The influence of aging on microstructure, room temperature hardness and non-destructive magnetic parameters such as coercivity (H_c), saturation magnetization (M_s) and magnetic Barkhausen emission (MBE) RMS peak voltage is studied in order to derive correlations between these parameters in aged M250 maraging steel. Hardness was found to increase with precipitation of intermetallics during initial aging and decrease at longer durations due to austenite reversion. Among the different magnetic parameters studied, MBE RMS peak voltage was found to be very sensitive to austenite reversion (non-magnetic phase) as they decreased drastically up on initiation of austenite reversion. Hence, this parameter can be effectively utilized to detect and quantify the reverted austenite in maraging steel specimen. The present study clearly indicates that the combination of MBE RMS peak voltage and hardness can be used for unambiguous characterization of microstructural features of technological and practical importance (3–10 h of aging duration at 755 K) in M250 grade maraging steel.     

Synthesis of novel heterocyclic fused 1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes and accompanying rearrangements in their cycloaddition reactions with ketenes: synthesis of heterocyclic fused pyrimidinone derivatives

The reactions of 1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes 1 with 2-aminothiophenol have been shown to result in excellent yields of N-benzothiazol-2-yl-N′-aryl benzamidines 2. Their regioselective [4+2] cycloadditions with various ketenes are shown to yield novel benzothiazolo pyrimidinones 4. A similar and convenient protocol for the synthesis of bisthiosubstituted 1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes 8 and 9 and interesting rearrangements accompanying their [4+2] cycloadditions with a number of ketenes are described.