Synthesis and characterization of isotopically enriched methylmercury (CH3201Hg+)

A simple procedure for the synthesis of an important standard, isotopically enriched methylmercury, which is not commercially available, has been established successfully. The isotopically enriched standard synthesized is utilized in conventional isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS), as well as in speciated IDMS (SIDMS), for determination of the true concentration of methylmercury in environmental samples. The CH₃²⁰¹Hg⁺ standard has been synthesized from commercially available ²⁰¹HgO and tetramethyltin. The synthesis time required is 1 h at 60°C. The product is highly pure, yielding more than 90% as ²⁰¹Hg in CH₃²⁰¹Hg⁺. Hazardous dimethylmercury does not occur during this synthesis procedure. The product synthesized was analyzed using high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) and ICP‐MS alone in order to determine its concentration, isotopic composition and purity. The stability of the product was also evaluated for over 6 months and found to be stable at 4°C in the dark. The isotopically enriched methylmercury synthesized can be used in SIDMS and IDMS analyses as a standard. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and thermal behaviour of salicylaldimine-based liquid crystalline symmetrical dimers

A series of symmetrical dimers consisting of salicylaldimine moieties connected by flexible alkylene central spacer via ether linkages has been synthesized. In order to validate the empirical rule suggested by Date et al. to account for the smectic behaviour of such dimers, the chain length of the terminal alkoxy chain has been kept constant (C₈) while the number of methylene units in the central spacer was varied from C₃ to C₁₁. Another aim of the present investigation was to understand structure-property relationship in these dimers in which the salicylaldimine mesogenic segment has been used for the first time in dimers. The mesomorphic behaviour of these dimers was evaluated using optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry and the structure of some of the mesophases has been further investigated with the help of X-ray diffraction. Our studies reveal that the dimers consisting of 3 to 8 methylene units in the flexible spacer show only smectic (smectic C and smectic A) phases. For the dimers containing 4, 6 and 8 methylene units in the central spacer, a unique filament growth pattern has been observed in the smectic A phase while cooling from the isotropic phase. The dimers containing of C₉ to C₁₁ methylene groups exhibit the nematic phase in addition to smectic modifications. This observation indicates that when the terminal chains are shorter than the spacer, the tendency to form smectic phases is not fully extinguished but is perhaps reduced.     

Flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of residual free chlorine and chloramine

2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine has been suggested as a new reagent for the flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of residual chlorine based on its oxidation to 2,4-dinitrophenyldiazonium ion. The measurement of the decrease in colour intensity under reversed flow-injection (reagent injection) conditions has been used for the determination of 0.1–10 mg/l Cl present as free or combined chlorine, and for its speciation. The limit of detection was 0.05 mg/l Cl. Copper (II), iron (III) and many other ions have been found not to vitiate the results.     

A new spot test for cerium(IV)

Summary A new colour reaction for the detection of cerram(IV) which can be carried out both in a test tube and on a spot plate has been described. The test solution is treated with methylene blue in nitric acid solution (11) to form a rose-red colour. This simple procedure has an advantage over the existing tests in that it is applicable in the presence of oxidising agents like chromium(VI), vanadium(V), nitrate, perchlorate and of coloured ions like copper(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), chromium(III), iron(III), vanadium(IV), uranium(VI).

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Zusammenfassung Eine neue, sowohl in der Eprouvette wie auf der Tüpfelplatte ausführbare Farbreaktion zum Nachweis von Cer(IV) wurde angegeben. Die Probelösung wird mit salpetersaurer Methylenblaulösung behandelt und gibt eine rosarote Färbung. Die Reaktion hat gegenüber bekannten Tests den Vorteil, in Gegenwart von Oxydationsmitteln wie Cr(VI), V(V), NO₃ ^–, ClO₄ ^– bzw. in Anwesenheit gefärbter Ionen wie Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cr(III), Fe(III), V(IV) oder U(VI) anwendbar zu sein.

     

Titrimetric determination of vanadium(V) and chromium(VI) alone and in mixtures with hydrazine sulphate in phosphoric acid media

Hydrazine sulphate is proposed as a primary standard reagent for the direct titrimetric determination of vanadium(V) and chromium(VI) alone and in mixtures with potentiometric and photometric end-points, in 9–12 M phosphoric acid medium. The methods proposed possess advantages over those currently available. The use of phosphoric acid as a reaction medium not only accelerates the hydrazine-vanadium(V) reaction very much but also makes it follow an accurate stoichiometric path.     

Nickel nitrosyl complexes with the diphenylphosphinoethane ligand

Summary Four-coordinate nickel nitrosyl complexes of the general formula Ni(NO)X(Dppe) (Dppe=Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂) have been prepared byin situ formation of Ni(NO₂)X(Dppe), (X= Cl, Br, I or SCN) followed by reduction with triphenylphosphine, or carbon monoxide, and/or DMF. Oxygenation of the nitrosyl complexes gives the corresponding nitro products and as indicated by u.v.-vis spectroscopy involves formation of an intermediate. The oxygenation rate increases markedly in the presence of light or of a catalytic amount of benzoyl peroxide and a tentative explanation is offered for these observations. Ionic adducts are formed in reactions between the nitrosyl complexes and donor molecules.Paper presented in part at the XXth ICCC Conference.     

Electron impact induced fragmentation of some 1,2,4-triazole derivatives

The mass spectra of eight 1,2,4-triazole derivaties have been recorded and found tao reveal extensive hydrogen and skeletal migrations. The structures of the fragments have been confirmed by deuterium labelling and exact mass measurement. The compounds revealed striking differences in their spectra depending on the nature of the substituents.     

Enantioselective oxidation of olefins catalyzed by chiral copper bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine complexes: a reassessment

Copper complexes of chiral tridentate pybox ligands synthesized using a modified procedure have been studied as catalysts for the enantioselective allylic oxidation of olefins. A variety of olefins have been used in this reaction. Using 5 mol% of a Cu(II) complex of the tridentate pybox ligand, phenylhydrazine, and tert-butyl perbenzoate as oxidant in acetone, optically active allylic benzoates were obtained up to 94% ee in few hours. It was also observed that the use of molecular sieves in the reaction did not alter the enantioselectivity. Temperature was found to be very crucial in rate of the enantioselective allylic oxidation of olefins. Using EPR spectra, it has been shown that the Cu(II) species is reduced to Cu(I) by phenylhydrazine and phenylhydrazone, but the reduction with the former is faster in comparison to the latter. It was concluded that the rate enhancement was not specific to the presence of phenylhydrazine or phenylhydrazone, but both were equally responsible provided acetone was used as a solvent.