Space charge induced surface stresses: implications in ceria and other ionic solids

Volume changes associated with point defects in space charge layers can produce strains that substantially alter thermodynamic equilibrium near surfaces in ionic solids. For example, near-surface compressive stresses exceeding -10 GPa are predicted for ceria. The magnitude of this effect is consistent with anomalous lattice parameter increases that occur in ceria nanoparticles. These stresses should significantly alter defect concentrations and key transport properties in a wide range of materials (e.g., ceria electrolytes in fuel cells).     

Direct separation of the enantiomers of cetirizine and related compounds by reversed-phase chiral HPLC

Summary Direct separations of the enantiomers of cetirizine and related compounds have been achieved by reversed-phase HPLC on the Chiralcel OD-R, a polysaccharide-derived chiral stationary phase; the mobile phase was usually perchlorate solution supplemented with acetonitrile. Resolution of the enantiomers of cetirizine and related compounds was good. The effect of the acetonitrile content of the mobile phase was investigated, and the effect of the structure of the chiral compounds on their behavior on the Chiralcel OD-R column is discussed.     

Europium(II) and ytterbium(II) cyclic organohydroborates with agostic interactions

The divalent lanthanide bis((cyclooctane-1,5-diyl)dihydroborate) complexes {K(THF)4}2{Ln{(mu-H)2BC8H14}4} (Ln = Eu, 3; Yb, 4) were prepared by a metathesis reaction between (THF)(x)LnCl2 and K[H2BC8H14] in THF in a 1:4 molar ratio. Although the reaction ratios were varied between 1:3 and 1:6, complexes 3 and 4 were the only lanthanide 9-BBN hydroborates produced. Because of disorder of THF in crystals of 3 and 4, good single-crystal X-ray structural data could not be obtained. However, when the potassium cation was replaced by the tetramethylammonium cation or when MeTHF (2-methyltetrahydrofuran) was employed in place of THF, good quality crystals were obtained. Complexes [NMe4]2[Ln{(mu-H)2BC8H14}4] (Ln = Eu, 5; Yb, 6) were afforded by metathesis reactions of NMe4Cl with 3 and 4 in situ. On the basis of the single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, the four 9-BBN tetrahydroborate ligands are tetrahedrally arranged around the lanthanide cation in 5 and 6. The two structures differ in that one alpha-C-H bond from each of the four {(mu-H)2BC8H14}4 units exhibits an agostic interaction with Eu(II) in 5 but, in complex 6, only two of the alpha-C-H bonds form agostic interactions with Yb(II). Complexes {K(MeTHF)3}2{Ln{(mu-H)2BC8H14}4} (Ln = Eu, 7; Yb, 8) were produced by employing MeTHF in place of THF. The structures of 7 and 8 display connectivity between the anion {Ln{(mu-H)2BC8H14}4}2- and the cation {K(MeTHF)3}+, in which the potassium not only interacts directly with the hydrogens of the Ln-H-B bridged bonds but is also involved in agostic interactions with alpha-C-H bonds. By systematically examining the structures of complexes 3-8 and taking into account the previously reported complexes (THF)4Ln{(mu-H)2BC8H14}2 (Ln = Eu, 1; Yb, 2), it is concluded that Eu(II) appears to have a better ability to form agostic interactions than Yb(II) because of its larger size, even though Yb(II) has a higher positive charge density.     

A green and expedient synthesis of enantiopure diketopiperazines via enzymatic resolution of unnatural amino acids

Dipeptides comprising a d-phenylglycyl moiety coupled to the l-enantiomer of 2-amino butyric acid, norvaline, norleucine, and homocysteine were successfully synthesized from d-phenylglycine amide and the racemate of the corresponding unnatural amino acid. The reaction is catalyzed by an immobilized form of penicillin G acylase in an aqueous medium. The dipeptides were subsequently converted into the corresponding enantiopure diketopiperazines in overall isolated yields of 22–33%.     

Self-diffusion in a non-uniform one dimensional system of point particles with collisions

Summary We generalize the results of Spitzer, Jepsen and others [1–4] on the motion of a tagged particle in a uniform one dimensional system of point particles undergoing elastic collisions to the case where there is also an external potential U(x). When U(x) is periodic or random (bounded and statistically translation invariant) then the scaled trajectory of a tagged particle converges, as A , to a Brownian motion W _D (t) with diffusion constant , where is the average density, is the mean absolute velocity and ^–1 the temperature of the system. When U(x) is itself changing on a macroscopic scale, i.e. , then the limiting process is a spatially dependent diffusion. The stochastic differential equation describing this process is now non-linear, and is particularly simple in Stratonovich form. This lends weight to the belief that heuristics are best done in that form.Dedicated to Frank Spitzer on the occasion of his 60th birthdayWork supported in part by NSF Grants No. PHY 8201708 and No. DMR 81-14726Heisenberg-fellowAlso Department of Physics