Binäre Lanthan‐Stannide mit Sn:La‐Verhältnissen nahe 1:1 – Synthesen,Kristallstrukturen, Chemische Bindung

Four binary lanthanum stannides close to the 1:1 ratio of Sn:La were synthesized from mixtures of the elements. The structures of the compounds have been determined by means of single‐crystal X‐ray data. The low temperature (α) form of LaSn (CrB‐type, orthorhombic, space group Cmcm, a = 476.33(6), b = 1191.1(2), c = 440.89(6) pm, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0247), crystallizes with the CrB‐type. The structure exhibits planar tin zigzag chains with a Sn–Sn bond length of 299.1 pm. In contrast to the electron precise Zintl compounds of the alkaline earth elements, additional La–Sn bonding contributions become apparent from the results of band structure calculations. In the somewhat tin‐richer region, the new compound La₃Sn₄ (orthorhombic, space group Cmcm, a = 451.45(4), b = 1190.44(9), c = 1583.8(2) pm, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0674), crystallizing with the Er₃Ge₄ structure type, exhibits Sn₃ segments of the zigzag chains of α‐LaSn together with a further Sn atom in a square planar Sn coordination with increased Sn–Sn bond lengths. In the Lanthanum‐richer region, La₁₁Sn₁₀ (tetragonal, space group I4/mmm, a = 1208.98(5), c = 1816.60(9) pm, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0325) forms the undistorted tetragonal Ho₁₁Ge₁₀ structure type. Its structure, which contains isolated Sn atoms, [Sn₂] dumbbells and planar [Sn₄] rings is related to the high temperature (β) form of LaSn. The structure of β‐LaSn (space group Cmmm, a = 1766.97(6), b = 1768.28(5), c = 1194.32(3) pm, Z = 60, R1 = 0.0453), which forms a singular structure type, can be derived from that of La₁₁Sn₁₀ by the removal of thin slabs. Due to the different stacking of the remaining layers, planar [Sn₄] chain segments and linear [Sn–Sn–Sn] anions are formed as additional structural elements. The chemical bonding (Sn–Sn covalent bonding, Sn–La contributions) is discussed on the basis of the simple Zintl concept and the results of FP‐LAPW calculations (density of states, band structure, valence electron densities and electron localization function).     

Structural Aspects of Copper‐Mediated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization with a Novel Tetradentate Bisguanidine Ligand

This contribution reports the synthesis of the novel tetradentate bisguanidine ligand 2′,2′‐[ethane‐1, 2‐diylbis(methylazanediyl)]bis(ethane‐2, 1‐diyl)bis(1, 1, 3, 3‐tetramethylguanidine) ( L1 , TMG₂dmtrien), which combines two weak amine and two strong guanidine donor functions. Two new copper(II) complexes were isolated and structurally characterized as complexes [Cu(TMG₂dmtrien)][Br]₂ · 3MeCN ( C1 [Br]₂ · 3MeCN) and [Cu(TMG₂dmtrien)][Cl]₂ · 3MeCN ( C2 [Cl]₂ · 3MeCN). The cations C1 and C2 [Cu(TMG₂dmtrien)]²⁺ show a square‐planar coordination environment and are chiral with both enantiomers being observed in the unit cell. We investigated the application of L1 in copper‐mediated styrene ATRP. L1 shows with CuBr and PEBr as initiator a high polymerization activity according to the polymerization rate. First order kinetics confirm the living character of the polymerization. However, the deviation of molecular weights from theoretical molecular weights and the broad molecular weight distributions hint for a low controlled ATRP. The ATRP with further copper(I) salts {CuCl, [Cu(MeCN)₄]BF₄ and [Cu(MeCN)₄]PF₆} and PECl and PEBr as initiators were investigated as well. Herein the use of [Cu(MeCN)₄]PF₆ with PECl led to promising results.     

Growth mechanism of thermally processed Cu(In,Ga)S2 precursors for printed Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 solar cells

We investigate a process used for the selenisation of particle‐based precursors to prepare low‐cost Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ (CIGS) solar cells. It is suitable for high throughput with a short optimum selenisation duration of 3–5 min and employs a rapid thermal annealing system with elemental selenium vapour. Homogeneous crack‐free Cu(In,Ga)S₂ precursor films of up to 1 µm are obtained via doctor blading. The high selenium vapour pressure in the selenisation reaction chamber results in the formation of a compact Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ layer on top of a carbon‐rich underlayer. In order to investigate the phase development in the film, the selenisation process was interrupted at different stages and the samples were monitored via XRD and surface‐sensitive Raman measurements. We find the formation of a polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ phase already after 1 s at the target temperature of 550 °C. Furthermore, the effect of initial precursor thickness on solar cell parameters is discussed. Complete solar cells are prepared by conventional methods, leading to conversion efficiencies well above 8%. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

New Furano-sesquiterpenoids from Mediterranean Sponges

A mixture of sponges of the East Pyrenean Mediterranean is shown to contain the known sponge products longifolin ( 1 ), avarol ((+)- 3 ), and avarone ( 4 ) and the terrestrial-plant product sesquirosefuran ( 2 ), besides to the new furano-sesquiterpenoids tavacfuran (= 3-methyl-2-[(3′Z)-3′-methyl-4″-methyl-2″-furyl-3′-butenyl]furan; ( 5 ) and tavacpallescensin (= 5,10-dihydro-6,9-dimethyl-4H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]furan; 6 ) and the new furano-butenolide sesquiterpenoids tavacbutenolide-1 (= (±-4-ethoxy-2-methyl-4-)[(2′E)-2′-methyl-4′-(3″-methyl-2″-furyl)-2′-butenyl]-2-buten-4-olide; (±)- 7 ) and tavacbutenolide-2 (= (±)-4-ethoxy-3-methyl-4-[2′E)-3′-methyl-4′-(4″-methyl-2″-furyl)-2′-butenyl]-2-buten-4-olide; (±)- 8 ). Structural assignments are based on NMR data and on the synthesis of the (E)-isomer of 5 . The sponge Dysidea tupha of the same area is also shown to contain the two sesquiterpenoids ent-furodysinin ((?)- 14 ), which is enantiomeric to a product of a Dysidea sp. of Australian waters, and tuphabutenolide ((+)- 15 ).     

Stereochemistry of photoinitiated emulsion polymerization

The tacticity of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) samples made by emulsion polymerization (EP) has been determined by NMR spectroscopy at higher resolution than any previous study. When photoinitiation is employed at room temperature, the polymer obtained is highly syndiotactic and more stereoregular than that obtained in homogeneous radical polymerization under the same conditions. The percentage of racemic dyads and the length of racemic sequences vary significantly with the degree of conversion and the temperature, but not with variation of the hydrophobic or the hydrophilic part of the detergent molecules. A magnetic field of 5 kG or less accelerates the polymerization reaction and increases the polymer molecular weight when dibenzyl ketone is employed as oil-soluble photoinitiator, and has an indirect influence on the polymer tacticity. From measurements of the temperature dependence of the polymer steric composition, the difference of activation enthalphy and entropy of the meso and racemic additions have been calculated. The values do not follow the correlations from precedent literature for radical polymerization in solution if the reaction is considered a first-order Markov process. The persistence ratio p depends on the detergent and the temperature of the EP; in some cases its difference from unity exceeds the experimental error. These results are interpreted as a conformational effect of the locus of the polymerization in the first stage of the EP (when micelles are present) that favors the racemic addition more than is expected in a homologous solvent such as an alkane, e.g., at the same temperature.     

Cocoa Shell as a Step Forward to Functional Chocolates—Bioactive Components in Chocolates with Different Composition

Chocolate is considered as both caloric and functional food. Its nutritional properties may be improved by addition of fiber; however, this may reduce polyphenols content. The aim of this research was to determine the influence of cocoa shell addition (as a source of fiber) and its combination with different ingredients (cocoa butter equivalents (CBE), emulsifiers, dairy ingredients) on polyphenols of dark and milk chocolates. Total polyphenol (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents were determined spectrophotometrically, identification and quantification of individual compounds by high pressure liquid chromatography and antioxidant capacity by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Results showed that even though addition of cocoa shell to chocolate results in reduced contents of TPC, TFC, and individual compounds, it is not significant compared to ones reported by other authors for commercial chocolates. Other ingredients influence determined values for all investigated parameters; however, additional research is needed to reveal exact mechanisms and implications.     

Metric Lie algebras with maximal isotropic centre

A metric Lie algebra is a Lie algebra equipped with an invariant non-degenerate symmetric bilinear form. It is called indecomposable if it is not the direct sum of two metric Lie algebras. We are interested in describing the isomorphism classes of indecomposable metric Lie algebras. In the present paper we restrict ourselves to a certain class of solvable metric Lie algebras which includes all indecomposable metric Lie algebras with maximal isotropic centre. We will see that each metric Lie algebra belonging to this class is a twofold extension associated with an orthogonal representation of an abelian Lie algebra. We will describe equivalence classes of such extensions by a certain cohomology set. In particular we obtain a classification scheme for indecomposable metric Lie algebras with maximal isotropic centre and the classification of metric Lie algebras of index 2.