Unveiling the complex configurational landscape of the intralayer cavities in a crystalline carbon nitride

The in-depth understanding of the reported photoelectrochemical properties of the layered carbon nitride, poly(triazine imide)/LiCl (PTI/LiCl), has been limited by the apparent disorder of the Li/H atoms within its framework. To understand and resolve the current structural ambiguities, an optimized one-step flux synthesis (470 °C, 36 h, LiCl/KCl flux) was used to prepare PTI/LiCl and deuterated-PTI/LiCl in high purity. Its structure was characterized by a combination of neutron/X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The range of possible Li/H atomic configurations was enumerated for the first time and, combined with total energy calculations, reveals a more complex energetic landscape than previously considered. Experimental data were fitted against all possible structural models, exhibiting the most consistency with a new orthorhombic model (Sp. Grp. Ama2) that also has the lowest total energy. In addition, a new Cu(i)-containing PTI (PTI/CuCl) was prepared with the more strongly scattering Cu(i) cations in place of Li, and most closely matching with the partially-disorder structure in Cmc2₁. Thus, a complex configurational landscape of PTI is revealed to consist of a number of ordered crystalline structures that are new potential synthetic targets, such as with the use of metal-exchange reactions.

The layered carbon nitride, poly(triazine imide), exhibits a complex configurational landscape for the coordination of cations within its intralayer cavities that has been elucidated for the first time.     

Manganese(III)-Catalysed Oxidation of Sulphides with Sodium Chlorite in an Aprotic Solvent in the Presence of Alumina

A wide variety of sulphides can be readily converted to the corresponding sulphoxides in good to excellent yields by treatment with a combination of sodium chlorite, (salen)manganese(III) complex, and chromatographic alumina in dichloromethane under mild and neutral conditions.     

Intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy of platinum sulfide in the near infrared

A new electronic transition of PtS with a red degraded band head at 12 460 cm⁻¹ was recorded and analyzed. Gas phase PtS was produced in a platinum-lined hollow cathode with a trace of SF₆ gas, and the spectrum was recorded at near Doppler resolution using intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy. Molecular constants for the newly identified excited state are presented.     

Efficient Preparation of γ-Hydroxynitriles via Nitrile Enolate-Epoxide Reactions: Scope and Diastereoselectivity

The nucleophilic opening of epoxides by nitrile enolates using an efficient, convenient protocol is described. The diastereoselectivity of this reaction was explored and found to give syn:anti ratios ranging from 1.1:1.0 to 4.8:1.0.