Analysis of green copper pigments in illuminated manuscripts by micro-Raman spectroscopy

In the majority of the literature describing green coloured materials used on ancient painting layers (15th or 16th century), two copper greens are mainly cited: malachite [CuCOr3 x Cu(OH)2] and verdigris [Cu(CH3COO)2 x [Cu(OH)2]3 x 2H2O]. It is shown, by micro-Raman spectroscopy, that the artists were actually employing more than these two copper greens, in particular various copper sulfates, among which the most common pigment found is posnjakite [CuSO4 x 3Cu(OH)2 x H2O]. In contrast to the PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) technique, Raman spectroscopy is a technique of choice, able to distinguish not only a copper sulfate from a carbonate or acetate but also the different sulfates themselves; in this respect, we found that the high wavenumber region (2800-4000 cm(-1)), characteristic of H2O vibrations, is of particular interest. It is also shown that numerous green areas were created with mixtures of a copper sulfate mixed with other pigments, for instance to enhance the colour depth. Finally, in some cases, no green pigment is actually employed but the colour is obtained by intimately mixing yellow and blue pigments. All these results led to a new look at the pigments which were in use on the palettes of the ancient artists.     

Efficient nickel-mediated intramolecular amination of aryl chlorides

The use of an in situ generated Ni(0) catalyst associated with 2,2'-bipyridine or N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene (SIPr) as a ligand and NaO-t-Bu as the base for the intramolecular coupling of aryl chlorides with amines is described. The procedure has been applied to the formation of five-, six-, and seven-membered rings. [reaction: see text]     

Heterogeneous reactions of solid nickel(II) complexes

The influence of different modes of preparation on the stoichiometry of thermal decomposition of isothiocyanatonickel(II) complexes with ammonia was studied. It was found that the complex Ni(NCS)₂(NH₃)₄ (I) prepared by heterogeneous reaction undergoes decomposition in two steps (–2 NH₃, –2 NH₃), while for complex II, of the same composition but prepared by homogeneous reaction from solution, the decomposition proceeds in three steps (–1 NH₃, –1 NH₃, –2NH₃). Electronic and infrared absorption spectra were used for the study of the spectral properties of the starting complex. It was found that the different stoichiometries of thermal decompositions of complexes I and II do not cause differences in the bonding strength of the ammonia molecules (chemical factor); this effect is rather brought about by physical factors such as different imperfections of the crystal lattice.

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Zusammenfassung Der Einfluß der Herstellung auf die Stöchiometrie der thermischen Zersetzung von Amin-Komplexen des Isothiocyanatonickels wurde studiert. Der Zerfall des Komplexes Ni(NCS)₂(NH₃)₄ (I), hergestellt durch heterogene Reaktion, verlief in zwei Etappen (–2 NH₃, –2 NH₃). Beim selben Komplex (II), hergestellt durch homogene Reaktion in Lösung, wurden jedoch drei Etappen beobachtet (–1 NH₃, –1 NH₃, –2 NH₃). Die Eigenschaften des Ausgangsproduktes wurden durch Elektronen- und IR-Spektroskopie untersucht. Das unterschiedliche thermische Verhalten ist nicht auf eine verschiedene Bindungsstärke der NH₃ Moleküle, sondern auf physikalische Ursachen, wie z. B. Unregelmässigkeiten im Kristallgitter zurückzuführen.

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Résumé On a étudié l'influence des diverses méthodes de préparation sur la stoechiométrie de la réaction de décomposition thermique des complexes de l'isothiocyanate de nickel(II) avec l'ammoniac. On a établi que le complexe Ni(SCN)₂(NH₃)₄, (I), préparé rar réaction hétérogène, subit une décomposition en deux étapes (–2NH₃, –2NH₃), tandis que le complexe (II), de même composition, mais préparé par réaction homogène, à partir de solutions, se décompose en trois étapes (–1NH₃,–1NH₃, –2NH₃). Les propriétés spectrales du complexe initial ont été étudiées par absorption électronique et infrarouge. On a trouvé que les différences de stoechiométrie des réactions de décomposition thermique des complexes (I) et (II) n'apportaient pas de différences entre les énergies de liaison des molécules d'ammoniac (facteur chimique). C'est plutôt à des facteurs physiques, comme les différentes imperfections du réseau cristallin, que cet effet serait dû.

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(II) . , Ni(NCS)₂(NH₃)₄ (I), , (–2NH₃,–2NH₃). , II , , (–1 NH₃,–1 NH₃ –2NH₃). . , I II ( ), , .

     

Phase coexistence in heterogeneous porous media: a new extension to Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulation method

The effect of confinement on phase behavior of simple fluids is still an area of intensive research. In between experiment and theory, molecular simulation is a powerful tool to study the effect of confinement in realistic porous materials, containing some disorder. Previous simulation works aiming at establishing the phase diagram of a confined Lennard-Jones-type fluid, concentrated on simple pore geometries (slits or cylinders). The development of the Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo technique by Panagiotopoulos [Mol. Phys. 61, 813 (1987)], greatly favored the study of such simple geometries for two reasons. First, the technique is very efficient to calculate the phase diagram, since each run (at a given temperature) converges directly to an equilibrium between a gaslike and a liquidlike phase. Second, due to volume exchange procedure between the two phases, at least one invariant direction of space is required for applicability of this method, which is the case for slits or cylinders. Generally, the introduction of some disorder in such simple pores breaks the initial invariance in one of the space directions and prevents to work in the Gibbs ensemble. The simulation techniques for such disordered systems are numerous (grand canonical Monte Carlo, molecular dynamics, histogram reweighting, N-P-T+test method, Gibbs-Duhem integration procedure, etc.). However, the Gibbs ensemble technique, which gives directly the coexistence between phases, was never generalized to such systems. In this work, we focus on two weakly disordered pores for which a modified Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo technique can be applied. One of the pores is geometrically undulated, whereas the second is cylindrical but presents a chemical variation which gives rise to a modulation of the wall potential. In the first case almost no change in the phase diagram is observed, whereas in the second strong modifications are reported.     

Two new terpyridine dimanganese complexes: a manganese(III,III) complex with a single unsupported oxo bridge and a manganese(III,IV) complex with a dioxo bridge. Synthesis, structure, and redox properties

Two new terpyridine dimanganese oxo complexes [Mn(2)(III,IV)(mu-O)(2)(terpy)(2)(CF(3)CO(2))(2)](+) (3) and [Mn(2)(III,III)(mu-O)(terpy)(2)(CF(3)CO(2))(4)] (4) (terpy = 2,2':6,2' '-terpyridine) have been synthesized and their X-ray structures determined. In contrast to the corresponding mixed-valent aqua complex [Mn(2)(III,IV)(mu-O)(2)(terpy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](3+) (1), the two Mn atoms in 3 are not crystallographically equivalent. The neutral binuclear monooxo manganese(III,III) complex 4 exhibits two crystallographic forms having cis and trans configurations. In the cis complex, the two CF(3)CO(2)(-) ligands on each manganese adopt a cis geometry to each other; one CF(3)CO(2)(-) is trans to the oxygen of the oxo bridge while the second is cis. In the trans complex, the two coordinated CF(3)CO(2)(-) have a trans geometry to each other and are cis to the oxo bridge. The electrochemical behavior of 3 in organic medium (CH(3)CN) shows that this complex could be oxidized into its corresponding stable manganese(IV,IV) species while its reduced form manganese(III,III) is very unstable and leads by a disproportionation process to Mn(II) and Mn(IV) complexes. Complex 4 is only stable in the solid state, and it disproportionates spontaneously in CH(3)CN solution into the mixed-valent complex 3 and the mononuclear complex [Mn(II)(terpy)(2)](2+) (2), thereby preventing the observation of its electrochemical behavior.     

A dinuclear manganese(II) complex with the [Mn(2)(mu-O(2)CCH(3))(3)](+) core: synthesis, structure, characterization, electroinduced transformation, and catalase-like activity

Reactions of Mn(II)(PF(6))(2) and Mn(II)(O(2)CCH(3))(2).4H(2)O with the tridentate facially capping ligand N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylamine (bpea) in ethanol solutions afforded the mononuclear [Mn(II)(bpea)](PF(6))(2) (1) and the new binuclear [Mn(2)(II,II)(mu-O(2)CCH(3))(3)(bpea)(2)](PF(6)) (2) manganese(II) compounds, respectively. Both 1 and 2 were characterized by X-ray crystallographic studies. Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/n, with a = 11.9288(7) A, b = 22.5424(13) A, c =13.0773(7) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 100.5780(10 degrees ), gamma = 90 degrees, and Z = 4. Crystals of complex 2 are orthorhombic, space group C222(1), with a = 12.5686(16) A, b = 14.4059(16) A, c = 22.515(3) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees, gamma = 90 degrees, and Z = 4. The three acetates bridge the two Mn(II) centers in a mu(1,3) syn-syn mode, with a Mn-Mn separation of 3.915 A. A detailed study of the electrochemical behavior of 1 and 2 in CH(3)CN medium has been made. Successive controlled potential oxidations at 0.6 and 0.9 V vs Ag/Ag(+) for a 10 mM solution of 2 allowed the selective and nearly quantitative formation of [Mn(III)(2)(mu-O)(mu-O(2)CCH(3))(2)(bpea)(2)](2+) (3) and [Mn(IV)(2)(mu-O)(2)(mu-O(2)CCH(3))(bpea)(2)](3+) (4), respectively. These results have shown that each substitution of an acetate group by an oxo group is induced by a two-electron oxidation of the corresponding dimanganese complexes. Similar transformations have been obtained if 2 is formed in situ either by direct mixing of Mn(2+) cations, bpea ligand, and CH(3)COO(-) anions with a 1:1:3 stoichiometry or by mixing of 1 and CH(3)COO(-) with a 1:1.5 stoichiometry. Associated electrochemical back-transformations were investigated. 2, 3, and the dimanganese [Mn(III)Mn(IV)(mu-O)(2)(mu-O(2)CCH(3))(bpea)(2)](2+) analogue (5) were also studied for their ability to disproportionate hydrogen peroxide. 2 is far more active compared to 3 and 5. The EPR monitoring of the catalase-like activity has shown that the same species are present in the reaction mixture albeit in slightly different proportions. 2 operates probably along a mechanism different from that of 3 and 5, and the formation of 3 competes with the disproportionation reaction catalyzed by 2. Indeed a solution of 2 exhibits the same activity as 3 for the disproportionation reaction of a second batch of H(2)O(2) indicating that 3 is formed in the course of the reaction.     

Use of the tubulin bound paclitaxel conformation for structure-based rational drug design

A new computational docking protocol has been developed and used in combination with conformational information inferred from REDOR-NMR experiments on microtubule bound 2-(p-fluorobenzoyl)paclitaxel to delineate a unique tubulin binding structure of paclitaxel. A conformationally constrained macrocyclic taxoid bearing a linker between the C-14 and C-3'N positions has been designed and synthesized to enforce this "REDOR-taxol" conformation. The novel taxoid SB-T-2053 inhibits the growth of MCF-7 and LCC-6 human breast cancer cells (wild-type and drug resistant) on the same order of magnitude as paclitaxel. Moreover, SB-T-2053 induces in vitro tubulin polymerization at least as well as paclitaxel, which directly validates our drug design process. These results open a new avenue for drug design of next generation taxoids and other microtubule-stabilizing agents based on the refined structural information of drug-tubulin complexes, in accordance with typical enzyme-inhibitor medicinal chemistry precepts.     

Combined first-principles computational and experimental multinuclear solid-state NMR investigation of amino acids

13C, 14N, 15N, 17O, and 35Cl NMR parameters, including chemical shift tensors and quadrupolar tensors for 14N, 17O, and 35Cl, are calculated for the crystalline forms of various amino acids under periodic boundary conditions and complemented by experiment where necessary. The 13C shift tensors and 14N electric field gradient (EFG) tensors are in excellent agreement with experiment. Similarly, static 17O NMR spectra could be precisely simulated using the calculation of the full chemical shift (CS) tensors and their relative orientation with the EFG tensors. This study allows correlations to be found between hydrogen bonding in the crystal structures and the 17O NMR shielding parameters and the 35Cl quadrupolar parameters, respectively. Calculations using the two experimental structures for L-alanine have shown that, while the calculated isotropic chemical shift values of 13C and 15N are relatively insensitive to small differences in the experimental structure, the 17O shift is markedly affected.     

Thermometric determination and analytical application of the landolt effect

The thermometric determination of the Landolt effect applied to the hydrogen peroxide—iodide—ascorbic acid reaction is described. The appropriate kinetic equations are used to interpret the thermometric curve and the calibration curve of the indicator reaction catalysed by molybdenum. The effects of the iodide, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrogen ion concentrations on the shape of the thermometric curves are discussed. This thermometric method can be used to determine micro amounts of iron, zirconium, thorium, vanadium, molybdenum and tungsten, with satisfactory accuracy and precision.     

The relationship between the structures of Cu(II) complexes and their chemical transformations

The paper presents the results of a study of M ₂ ^I M ^II(SO₄)₂ compounds withM ^I= K, Rb, Cs or Tl, andM ^II=Cu or Ni, in the interval from room temperature to the melting temperature. All the compounds studied show endo- or exothermic excursions in their DTA curves, corresponding to phase transitions connected with colour changes of the compounds. For M ₂ ^I Cu(SO₄)₂, whereM ^I is K or Tl, several modifications could be prepared at laboratory temperature, probably distortion isomers. No modifications of this type could be prepared, however, for M ₂ ^I Ni(SO₄)₂ compounds.

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Zusammenfassung Die Ergebnisse einer Untersuchung von M ₂ ^I M ^II(SO₄)₂-Verbindungen Cs, Tl;M ^II=Cu, Ni) im Temperaturbereich von Raum- bis Schmelztemperatur werden beschrieben. Alle untersuchten Verbindungen zeigen in ihren DTA-Kurven mit Farbänderungen einhergehende, durch Phasenumwandlungen bedingte endo- und exotherme Peaks. Bei Laboratoriumstemperatur konnten verschiedene Modifikationen von M ₂ ^I Cu(SO₄)₂ (mitM ^I gleich K oder Tl) hergestellt werden, wobei es sich wahrscheinlich um Distorsionsisomere handelt. Keine Modifikationen dieses Typs konnten jedoch für M ₂ ^I Ni(SO₄)₂ erhalten werden.

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M ₂ ^I M ^II(SO₄)₂, ¹-, Rb, Cs Tl, aM ¹¹-Cu Ni, . - -, , . M ₂ ^I Cu(SO₄)₂, ¹- l, , , , . , M _i ² Ni(SO₄)₂ .