Coligand role in the NHC nickel catalyzed C–F bond activation: investigations on the insertion of bis(NHC) nickel into the C–F bond of hexafluorobenzene

The reaction of [Ni(Mes₂Im)₂] (1) (Mes₂Im = 1,3-dimesityl-imidazolin-2-ylidene) with polyfluorinated arenes as well as mechanistic investigations concerning the insertion of 1 and [Ni(ⁱPr₂Im)₂] (1ipr) (ⁱPr₂Im = 1,3-diisopropyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene) into the C–F bond of C₆F₆ is reported. The reaction of 1 with different fluoroaromatics leads to formation of the nickel fluoroaryl fluoride complexes trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(F)(Ar^F)] (Ar^F = 4-CF₃-C₆F₄2, C₆F₅3, 2,3,5,6-C₆F₄N 4, 2,3,5,6-C₆F₄H 5, 2,3,5-C₆F₃H₂6, 3,5-C₆F₂H₃7) in fair to good yields with the exception of the formation of the pentafluorophenyl complex 3 (less than 20%). Radical species and other diamagnetic side products were detected for the reaction of 1 with C₆F₆, in line with a radical pathway for the C–F bond activation step using 1. The difluoride complex trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(F)₂] (9), the bis(aryl) complex trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(C₆F₅)₂] (15), the structurally characterized nickel(i) complex trans-[Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(C₆F₅)] (11) and the metal radical trans-[Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(F)] (12) were identified. Complex 11, and related [Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(2,3,5,6-C₆F₄H)] (13) and [Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(2,3,5-C₆F₃H₂)] (14), were synthesized independently by reaction of trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(F)(Ar^F)] with PhSiH₃. Simple electron transfer from 1 to C₆F₆ was excluded, as the redox potentials of the reaction partners do not match and [Ni(Mes₂Im)₂]⁺, which was prepared independently, was not detected. DFT calculations were performed on the insertion of [Ni(ⁱPr₂Im)₂] (1ipr) and [Ni(Mes₂Im)₂] (1) into the C–F bond of C₆F₆. For 1ipr, concerted and NHC-assisted pathways were identified as having the lowest kinetic barriers, whereas for 1, a radical mechanism with fluoride abstraction and an NHC-assisted pathway are both associated with almost the same kinetic barrier.

A combined experimental and theoretical study on the mechanism of the C–F bond activation of C₆F₆ with [Ni(NHC)₂] is provided.     

Application of modified Neumann expansion for analytical evaluation of two-center,two-electron integrals over slater-type orbitals

A modified form of the Neumann expansion in terms of products of orthogonal polynomials for the inverse interelectronic distance r¹₁₂ is proposed. This expansion has been applied in order to derive a unified analytical formula for two-center and two-electron integrals over Slater-type orbitals. The results are equivalent to those given recently by Yasui and Saika, but the expansion itself can be used for building up a realistic algorithm for evaluation of three- and four-electron integrals determined by using correlated variational wave functions.     

Sandwich structures at oil-water interfaces under alkaline conditions

Equilibrium liquid crystal (LC) layer on an interface between crude oils and water was observed at high pH. This layer is composed mainly of sodium naphthenates produced in situ at the water/oil interface. Transient LC layer was also evolved at the interface of aqueous phase of sodium hydroxide solutions and oleic phase of naphthenic acid (NA) solutions as result of a chemical reaction between NaOH and NA. This chemical reaction causes transport process resulting in a disturbance of the interface. Optical observation of this interface disturbance reviled that the interface covered with LC shows considerably lower flexibility as compared to LC free interface. The LC layer eventually dissolves in the water phase at low oil-to-water ratio, while at high oil-to-water ratio it can form an equilibrium phase, which spreads spontaneously at the oil-water interface.     

Thin-Layer Chromatography with an Isolated Support and Forced Flow of the Mobile Phase

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC -     

Molecular vibrations in a gradient extremal path

Summary The calculation of vibrational states using a gradient extremal path is discussed. Gradient extremal paths are defined by local criteria, which lead to stable solutions. This has certain advantages in comparison with a steepest-descent path, which is often difficult to determine accurately. For cases where a reaction path formalism is applicable, a path based on the gradient extremal concept gives results in close agreement with those obtained using traditional steepest-descent methods. We present algorithms for carrying out such calculations and also give some numerical results.     

Stereoselective formation of glycosyl sulfoxides and their subsequent equilibration: ring inversion of an alpha-xylopyranosyl sulfoxide dependent on the configuration at sulfur

A series of four S-allyl D-thiopyranosides, alpha- and beta-manno and xylo, were oxidized with MCPBA at low temperature to give seven of the eight possible sulfoxides, whose configuration at sulfur was determined either directly by X-ray crystallography or by correlation with closely related structures. For the axial thioglycosides oxidation leads very predominantly to the (R)(S)-diastereomer in the xylo series and exclusively so in the manno series; the configuration at C2 is of little importance in determining the stereoselectivity of oxidation of axial thioglycopyranosides. In the equatorial series the configuration at C2 has a significant effect on the outcome of the reaction as, although both series favored the (S)(S)-sulfoxide, selectivity was significantly higher in the case of the beta-mannoside than of the beta-xyloside. The two alpha-xylo sulfoxides have different conformations of the pyranoside ring with the (R)(S)-isomer adopting the (1)C(4) chair and the (S)(S)-diastereomer the (4)C(1). Each pair of diastereomeric sulfoxides was thermally equilibrated in C(6)D(6) and in CD(3)OD. In the mannose series the kinetic isomers are also thermodynamically preferred. In the xylose series, on the other hand, the nature of the thermodynamic isomer in both the alpha- and beta-anomers is a function of solvent with a switch observed on going from C(6)D(6) to CD(3)OD. The results are rationalized in terms of the exo-anomeric effect, steric shielding provided by H3 and H5 in the axial series, the interaction of the C2-O2 and sulfoxide dipoles, and increased steric interactions on hydrogen bonding of the sulfoxides to CD(3)OD.     

Synthesis of 2,2-Dimethyl-1,2-Dihydro-3H-pyrrol-3-one Preliminary Communication

The title compound 3g is obtained via two different routes, either in a multistep synthesis starting from 2-amino-2-methylpropionic acid (methylalanine) or by light-induced, oxidative dealkylation of the corresponding N-isopropyl derivative 3c .     

Labeling vibrations by light: ultrafast transient 2D-IR spectroscopy tracks vibrational modes during photoinduced charge transfer

We report on a novel ultrafast two-dimensional infrared laser experiment that correlates vibrational bands of reactant and product of a photoreaction. The possibilities of this technique are demonstrated for the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) in [Re(CO)3Cl(dmbpy)] (dmbpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'bipyridine) where we correlated the CO vibrational modes of the ground state and the MLCT state. A distinct vibrational mode is excited in the electronic ground state by an infrared laser pulse. This vibrational label survives the subsequent electronic excitation and can be followed in the excited electronic state. It is shown that the order of the vibrational energy levels is not preserved when exciting the molecule as was commonly assumed in the literature.     

High-energy collision-induced dissociation of oxosteroids derivatised to Girard hydrazones

Neutral oxosteroids have been derivatised with Girard T and P hydrazine reagents to give the corresponding Girard hydrazone quaternary ammonium salts. Both Girard T (GT) and Girard P (GP) hydrazones of oxosteroids give very intense [M](+) ion signals in electrospray (ES) mass spectra and fragment within the ES interface and collision cell to give characteristic fragment ions. GT and GP derivatives give informative high-energy collision-induced dissociation spectra, from which the structure of the precursor oxosteroid can be determined. Both charge-remote and charge-mediated mechanisms are responsible for the formation of the fragment ions at high collision-energy.