Spectrum analysis of U-doped LaBr3 single crystals. Part 1: crystal-field analysis

Single crystals of U³⁺:LaBr₃ were grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. High-resolution polarized absorption spectra of the crystals were recorded at 4.2 K in the 4000-50,000 cm⁻¹ range. Sixty-four experimental crystal-field energy levels of the U³⁺ ion were fitted to a semiempirical Hamiltonian employing free-ion, one-electron crystal-field as well as two-particle correlation crystal-field (CCF) operators with an r.m.s. deviation of 28 cm⁻¹. The performed analysis of the spectra enabled the determination of crystal-field parameters and assignment of the observed 5f³→5f³ transitions. The effects of selected CCF operators on the splitting of some specific U³⁺ multiplets have been investigated and the obtained values of Hamiltonian parameters are discussed and compared with those reported in previous analyses.     

Flow-injection chemiluminescence determination of epinephrine in pharmaceutical preparations using raw apple juice as enzyme source

Raw apple juice exhibits the activity of polyphenol oxidase which can be employed for the determination of mono-, di- and polyhydric phenols. The chemiluminescence detection in the two-channel manifold was used to develop the new procedure for determination of epinephrine. Epinephrine can be determined by this method in pharmaceutical preparations in concentration ranges 1.0–10.0 and 10.0–25.0 mg l⁻¹, with a detection limit of 0.2 mg l⁻¹. Good selectivity against typical antioxidants and other coexisting substances was achieved. Relatively slow loss of the enzyme activity was observed during 1 week. The proposed method is very simple. Fresh juice solution from one apple can be prepared in 10 min and used for at least 8 h with excellent precision. Consumption of luminol solution was 0.15 ml min⁻¹. The throughput was 20 samples per hour.     

Theoretical methods in thermodynamics of condensed phases

Theoretical possibilities of determining energetic and thermodynamic characteristics of chemical entities in gaseous and condensed (solid and liquid) phases are briefly reviewed. The considerations include quantum chemistry methods which enable evaluation of energetic quantities and statistical thermodynamics dependencies necessary for determining other thermodynamic characteristics. The possible applications of these methods are also discussed in brief.     

C-H...N and C-H...S hydrogen bonds--influence of hybridization on their strength

Simple complexes connected through C-H...S and C-H...N interactions are investigated: CH4...NH3, C2H4...NH3, C2H2...NH3, CH4...SH2, C2H4...SH2, and C2H2...SH2. Ab initio and DFT calculations are performed (SCF, MP2, B3LYP) using different basis sets up to the MP2/aug-cc-pVQZ//MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level of approximation. The Bader theory is applied since MP2/6-311++G(d,p) wave functions are used to find and to characterize bond critical points in terms of electron densities and their Laplacians. The influence of hybridization on the properties of C-H...S and C-H...N systems is also studied showing that the strength of such interactions increases in the following order: C(sp3)-H...Y, C(sp2)-H...Y, C(sp)-H...Y, where Y = S, N--it is in line with the previous findings on C-H...O hydrogen bonds. The results also show that CH4...SH2 and C2H4...SH2 complexes should be rather classified as van der Waals interactions and not as hydrogen bonds. The frequency associated with the C-H stretch of C(sp3)-H...S is blue-shifted.     

Optimized conditions for hydrocarbon group type analysis of base oils by thin-layer chromatography-flame ionisation detection

The results of research on the optimization of the thin-layer chromatography-flame ionisation detection for the determination of group composition of natural base oils, including separation of the aromatics into subgroups, are presented. Neutral base oils obtained in several steps of refining from vacuum distillation petroleum fractions are the most difficult to analyze by hydrocarbon group type analysis (HGTA) because of the high content of aliphatic fragments in their molecules. Factors affecting the accuracy and precision of the results were identified. The paper presents the analytical procedure, including two different calibration methods, as well as the results of studies on the reproducibility of HGTA of typical base oils of different viscosity classes under the optimized conditions. The same conditions were found suitable for HGTA of other high-boiling petroleum fractions by TLC with flame ionisation detection. The paper also introduces a new procedure for reproducible determination of polar fractions in base oils utilizing solid-phase extraction columns, and presents a corrected procedure for the determination of saturated compounds and aromatics (mono-, bi- and polycyclic) in base oils by column liquid chromatography.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the first aquation stage for the [Cr(pic)3]0 and [Cr(pic)2(OH)]2 0 complexes in HClO4 solutions

Aquation of [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ and [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ in aqueous HClO₄ solutions leads to formation of the common product – [Cr(pic)₂(H₂O)₂]⁺. The first, reversible stage, the ring opening via Cr—N bond breaking in [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ is followed by the second, rate-determining step – one-end bonded pic ligand liberation. In the case of the [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ complex, the first faster stage produces the singly bridged dimer, which undergoes cleavage into the parent monomers in the second, much slower step. The subsequent aquation of [Cr(pic)₂(H₂O)₂]⁺ is extremely slow and leads to [Cr(pic)(H₂O)₄]²⁺ formation, which practically does not undergo further ligand substitution under the conditions applied. Kinetics of the first aquation stage for [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ and of the second step for [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ were studied spectrophotometrically in the 0.1–1.0 M HClO₄ range at I = 1.0 M. The observed pseudo-first order rate constant for [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ decreases with [H⁺] increase according to the rate law: k _obs = k ₁ + k _–1 Q ₁/[H⁺], where k ₁ and k _–1 are the rate constants of the forward and the reverse processes in the unprotonated substrate and Q ₁ is the protonation constant of the pyridine nitrogen atom. In the case of the [Cr(pic)₂(OH)]₂ ⁰ complex, the rate for the singly bridged dimer cleavage does not depend on [H⁺]. The activation parameters for the chelate-ring opening in [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ and for the singly bridged dimer cleavage have been determined and discussed. Some kinetic data of the slow, second aquation stage for the [Cr(pic)₃]⁰ complex and of the fast, first aquation stage for the doubly bridged dimer have been studied; for both reactions the rate increases linearly with the increase in [H⁺].     

Radiative lifetimes of the Rb(n 2 F)(n=6, 7, 8) states measured with the stepwise dipole-quadrupole excitation scheme

We report measurements of lifetimes of the Rb(n ² F)(n=6, 7, 8) states performed in a vapour cell. TheF-states were excited in a two-step sequence of an electric-dipole transition followed by an electric-quadrupole transition. Single photon counting was used for detection. The results are: (6² F)=171(4), (7² F)=262(15), (8² F)=387(12) (in ns). These lifetimes, have been compared with theoretical values given by different authors. An estimate of the cross sections for quenching due to collisions with ground-state Rb atoms is also given.This work was supported by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research under grant No. 2 2341 92 03     

Radon-222 and 226Ra concentrations in mineralized groundwaters of Gorzanów (Kłodzko Basin, Sudeten Mountains, SW Poland)

This work characterizes the occurrence of radionuclides ²²²Rn and ²²⁶Ra in the mineralized groundwaters of Gorzanów. The village is situated in the Sudeten Mountains, which are known in Poland for having increased concentrations of the aforesaid radionuclides in their groundwaters. However, in Gorzanów, the measured concentrations of ²²⁶Ra were low both in the reservoir rocks and mineralized waters. Consequently, the ²²²Rn concentration in the groundwaters also turned out to be low. The ²²⁶Ra content of these waters should mainly be associated with the dissolution of this nuclide, together with other main ions, at large depths, at slightly enhanced temperature. Radon-222, on the other hand, penetrates into the water during its outflow to the surface, in the zones of intensive friable deformations near fault zones. Thus, in the groundwaters of Gorzanów, the concentrations of these nuclides, subsequent in the uranium series, do not have a common genesis and they are not correlated with each other.     

Properties of a Ring Critical Pointas Measures of Intramolecular H-Bond Strength

Summary.  The topological parameters derived from the Bader theory such as the electron density and its Laplacian at the ring critical point (RCP) are analysed here as possible measures of the H-bond stength for intramolecular H-bonds. The parameters of RCP correlate well with the other properties of intramolecular H-bonds which are known as good measures of the H-bond strength. The calculations were performed on two samples of compounds with intramolecular H-bonds: the derivatives of malonaldehyde and the derivatives of o-hydroxybenzaldehyde. MP2 and HF calculations were carried out using a 6-311++G^** basis set. E-mail: slagra@krysia.uni.lodz.pl Received February 18, 2002; accepted (revised) May 27, 2002     

Direct Clay-Catalyzed Friedel-Crafts Arylation and Chlorination of the Hydrocarbon Adamantane

Multiple chlorinations and arylations at the tertiary positions of adamantane are promoted by FeCl₃-doped K10 montmorillonite in CCl₄ or in aromatic solvents. The process, remarkably easy to implement, can be tailored to selective formation of monosubstituted 1-adamantyl derivatives or 1,3-disubstituted adamantanes. The process achieves alkylation at the meta- and para-positions of toluene leading to a purely statistical distribution and displays no substrate specificity in competition experiments between toluene and benzene.