Preparation and Properties of Nickel and Iron Oxides obtained by Calcination of Layered Double Hydroxides

A constant pH precipitation method has been applied to obtain solids with Ni/Fe molar ratios of 2/1, 3/2, 1/1, 2/3, and 1/2. In all cases, a phase with the hydrotalcite‐like structure is obtained, containing Ni^II and Fe^III in the brucite‐like layers and carbonate in the interlayer, and, for samples with a Ni/Fe molar ratio lower than 2/1, amorphous hydrated iron oxides, undetected by X‐ray diffraction, are also formed. The solids have been characterized by element chemical analysis, powder X‐ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analysis, FT‐IR spectroscopy, temperature‐programmed reduction and assessment of specific surface area by nitrogen adsorption at ?196 °C. In all cases reduction leads to zero‐valent state for the metals, reduced nickel particles probably favouring reduction of Fe^III species; the specific surface area increases with the iron content, probably due to the amorphous nature of the hydrated iron oxides formed. Calcination at 1200 °C in air leads to well crystallized solids, formed by NiFe₂O₄ spinel and, additionally, rocksalt‐type NiO for Ni/Fe ratios larger than 1/2. In this way, solids with tailored compositions of these two phases can be prepared.     

Determination of phenolic compounds in water samples by on-line solid-phase extraction—supercritical-fluid chromatography with diode-array detection

Summary The eleven Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority phenolic compounds have been determined by solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled on-line to supercritical-fluid chromatography (SFC) with diodearray detection. The variables affecting chromatographic separation were optimized and the analytes were separated at 40 °C in two diol columns connected in series; a gradient of methanol, as modifier, and CO₂ was used as mobile phase. Under these conditions, all the compounds studied were separated to baseline in less than 13 min. PLRP-S and LiChrolut EN were tested as sorbents in a 10×3 mm i.d. laboratory-packed precolumn for solid-phase extraction. An ion-pair reagent, tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBA), was used in the extraction process to increase break-through volumes. The performance of the method was checked with tap and river waters and the pre-concentration of 20 mL of sample in a PLRP-S pre-column enabled phenolic compounds to be determined at low μg L⁻¹ levels with limits of detection ranging between 0.4 and 2 μg L⁻¹. The repeatability and reproducibility between days (n=3) for real samples spiked at 10 μg L⁻¹ were lower than 10%.     

The phenomenon of conglomerate crystallization. Part 40: The crystallization behavior oftrans- Co(III) amines (+)546-trans-[Co(3,2,3-tet)(NO2)2]Cl·3H2O (I), (−)589 -trans-[Co(3,2,3-tet)Cl2]NO3 (II), and of (+)546-trans-[Co(3,2,3-tet)(NO2)2]NO3 (III)

A racemic solution of (I) crystallizes as a conglomerate from which a crystal we selected was found to be (+)₅₄₆-trans-[Co(3,2,3-tet)(NO₂)₂]Cl·3H₂O (I), CoClO₇N₆C₈H₂₈. It crystallizes in the enantiomorphic space groupP2_l2_l2_l, with lattice constantsa=18.501(15) å,b=14.433(2) å, andc=6.441(3) å;V=1720.07 å³ andd(calc. M.W.=414.73,Z=4)=1.601 g cm^?3. A total of 2305 data were collected over the range of 4?≤2θ ≤55?; of these, 1724 (independent and withI > 3σ(I)) were used in the structural analysis. Data were corrected for absorption (Μ=11.920 cm^?1), and the relative transmission coefficients ranged from 0.8258 to 0.9565. Refinement was carried out for both lattice enantiomorphs, and at this stage theR(F) andR _w (F) residuals were, respectively, 0.0381 and 0.0479 for (+ + +) and 0.0448 and 0.0532 for (? ? ?). Thus, the former was selected as correct for our specimen, and the final cycle of refinement with the (+ + +) model converged toR(F) andR _w (F) of 0.0315 and 0.0365. A racemic solution of (II) crystallizes as a conglomerate from which a crystal we selected was found to be (?)₅₈₉-trans-[Co(3,2,3-tet)Cl₂]NO₃ (II), CoCl₂O₃N₅C₈H₂₂. It crystallizes in the enantiomorphic space groujp,P2_l with lattice constantsa=6.395(2) å,b=8.886(2) å,c=13.185(2) å, andΒ=99.24(2)?;V=739.59 å³ andd(calc. M.W.=366.14,Z=2)=1.646 g cm ^?3. A total of 2912 data were collected over the range of 4?<2θ<64?; of these, 2147 (independent and withI≥3σ(I)) were used in the structural analysis. Data were corrected for absorption (Μ =15.424 cm^?1), and the relative transmission coefficients ranged from 0.9632 to 0.9985. Refinement was carried out for both lattice enantiomorphs, and the finalR(F) andR _w (F) residuals were, respectively, 0.0326 and 0.0328 for (+ + +) and 0.0347 and 0.0348 for (? ? ?). Thus, the (+ + +) was selected as correct for our specimen. A racemic solution of (III) crystallizes as a conglomerate from which a crystal we selected was found to be (+)₅₈₉-trans-[Co(3,2,3-tet)(NO₂)₂]NO₃ (III), CoO₇N₇C₈H₂₂. It crystallizes in the enantiomorphic space group,P2_l with lattice constantsa=6.295(1) å, b=15.108(3) å,c=8.029(1) å, andΒ=100.28(2)?;V=751.35 å³ andd(calc. M.W.=387.24,Z=2)=1.712 g cm^?3. A total of 2393 data were collected over the range of 4?≤2θ≤60?; of these, 1869 (independent and withI≥3σ(I)) were used in the structural analysis. Data were corrected for absorption (Μ=11.859 cm^?1), and the relative transmission coefficients ranged from 0.8814 to 0.9976. Refinement was carried out for both lattice enantiomorphs and the finalR(F) andR _w (F) residuals were, respectively, 0.0463 and 0.0482 for (+ + +) and 0.0441 and 0.0442 for (? ? ?). Thus, the latter was selected as correct for our specimen, and the final cycle of refinement with the (? ? ?) model converged toR(F) andR _w (F) of 0.0436 and 0.0421. For all three compounds, the six-membered rings are chairs; the secondary nitrogens are chiral centers, and the five-membered rings are ordered and conformationally dissymmetric, as expected. Coincidentally, in (I), (II), and (III) the central rings are right-handed helices withδ(+50.0?),δ(+53.3?), andδ(+48.3?), respectively. Thus, the secondary nitrogens of all three cations are (R), rendering the cations chiral. The incidence of conglomerate crystallization intrans coordination compounds is rare, and those known are asymmetrically substituted (see Ref. 4 for the four known cases). Thus, the incidence of such crystallization mode in a new series of [trans- Co(amine ligands)X₂]⁺ cations bearing symmetrical pairs oftrans ligands was an unexpected and welcomed event. In all three cases, the counteranions are bonded to the hydrogens of the terminal -NH₂ moieties, thus forming an overall entity which resembles a macrocycle. In fact, parallels between the crystallization behavior of our compounds and that of macrocycles bearing related fragments is discussed. Finally, in the three compounds, homochiral cations are linked into infinite strings by hydrogen bonds between the axial ligands and amino hydrogens on adjacent cations of the string. In turn, strings are stitched together by the counteranions which form bonds with amino hydrogens on cations of adjacent strings.     

Crystal structures of phenyl-substituted cyclopropanes. IV. the crystal structure (at 21‡C and −100‡C) and the phenyl ring conformation in 4-cyclopropylacetanilide

The crystal structure of 4-cyclopropylacetanilide was investigated at room temperature (21C) and at –100C in order to determine the orientation of the phenyl ring with respect to the cyclopropane moiety and the effect of this substituent on the stereochemistry of the three-membered ring. The compound was chosen because it is one of the few species containing a simple phenyl ring as the sole cyclopropane ring substituent and whose crystals are suitable for X-ray diffraction at room temperature. The substance crystallizes in space groupP2_l/c at either temperature (no phase transitions) with cell constants: (at 21C)a=9.725(2),b=10.934(3), andc=9.636(2) å,=106.13(1);V=984.21 å³ andd(calc;z=4)=1.182 g cm^–3. The relevant parameters for the –100C structure area=9.557(4),b=10.980(2), andc=9.641(2) å,=106.34(3);V=970.76 å³ and d(calc;z=4)=1.199 g cm^–3. Final values wereR(F)=0.042, R_w=0.035, using unit weights, and its nonhydrogen atoms were used to phase the low-temperature data, whose final discrepancy indices wereR(F)=0.051,R _w =0.061. The phenyl substituent is almost exactly in the bisecting conformation with respect to the C-C-C angle at the point of attachment to cyclopropane and conjugative effects are clearly evident in the lengths of the cyclopropane ring [1.494(3), 1.498(3), and 1.474(4) å, the later being the distal bond]. If one omits the terminal methylene fragments at C10 and C11, the atoms comprising the acetanilide fragment and the substituted carbon of the cyclopropane ring lie in a nearly perfect plane. Molecular mechanics as well as semiempirical (AM1) calculations were carried out in order to determine the structure of the energy-minimized configurations in the two computational environments. The molecular conformations thus obtained are close to that experimentally observed from the X-ray diffraction experiment. In both theoretical models, the lowest energy conformation is that in which the plane of the phenyl ring bisects the cyclopropane C-C-C angle as was experimentally observed. Finally, the shape of the conformational barrier as a function of the orientation of the plane of the phenyl ring was computed, giving a maximum barrier to rotation of 2.2 kcal/mol. Similar calculations were carried out for two other aryl cyclopropanes, whose rings (naphthalene and anthracene) cannot adopt the bisecting position. Comparisons of experimental geometrical parameters as well as of the barriers to rotation are presented.on leave at the University of Houston, 1995–1996.     

Determination of azolic fungicides in wine by solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry

A method for simultaneous analysis of eight azolic fungicides: cyproconazole, diniconazole, tetraconazole, thiabendazole, flusilazole, triadimenol, triadimefon, carbendazim and the degradation product 2-aminobenzimidazole in wine samples is described. The compounds are isolated from the samples and concentrated by solid-phase extraction on polymeric cartridges. The determination is carried out by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection in positive ionization and selected ion monitoring modes. The influence of parameters such as the mobile phase composition, column temperature, corona current and fragmentor voltage is studied and the proposed method is validated. Recoveries of the nine compounds added to wine samples range from 83 to 109%, with relative standard deviations below 10%. The quantitation limits are between 9 and 31 microg/L. Real wine samples are analyzed by the proposed method, also.     

The phenomenon of conglomerate crystallization. XX. Spontaneous resolution in coordination compounds. XVIII.

The title compound, [cis-Co(en)₂(NO₂)₂](NO₂) (1), crystallizes in the polar, nonenantiomorphic, monoclinic space group, Cc, with lattice constants:a=9.198(2) Å,b=12.444(2),c=9.963(3), and=96.76(2)°;V=1132.39 ų andd(calc;Z=4) =1.860 g cm^–3. Thus, with NO_2– as the counteranion, [cis-Co(en)₂(NO₂)₂] crystallizes in a heterochiral lattice containing racemic pairs of cations. A total of 2699 data were collected over the range of 4°270°; of these, 1859 (independent and withI3(I)) were used in the structural analysis. Data were corrected for absorption (=15.465 cm^–1) and the relative transmission coefficients ranged from 0.9934 to 0.7112. Refinement was carried out for both lattice polarities and the finalR(F) andR _w (F) residuals were, respectively, 0.0242 and 0.0202 for (–––) and 0.0264 and 0.0243 for (+++). Thus, the former was selected as correct for our specimen.Unlike all previous X-ray diffraction studies of the structural properties of the cation [cis-Co(en)₂(NO₂)₂]⁺, which are found to have a pair of oppositely configured en rings [i.e., () or ()], we find that in1 the cations are in the lowest energy conformation and configuration; i.e., () or (). We attribute this change in configuration to the formation of strong interionic hydrogen bonds between nitrite anion oxygens and the axial—NH₂ hydrogens, which markedly weaken the intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonds between ligand—NO₂ oxygens and the hydrogens of those same amine moieties. Thus, the nitrite anions behave exactly as nitrate anions, except that the hydrogen bonds found here are stronger than those formed by the latter. This is as expected since the negative charge is delocalized over two, instead of three, oxygens.     

Cleavage of the peptide bond of beta-alanyl-L-histidine (carnosine) induced by a Co(III)-amine complexes: reaction, structure and mechanism

Cleavage of the peptide bond occurs when beta]-alanyl-L-histidine (carnosine) reacts with [Co(tren)Cl2]+ (tren = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine) to give [Co(tren)(histidine)](2+) 1 and [Co(tren)(beta-alanine)](2+) 2. [Co(tren)(histidine)](2+) 1 crystallizes in the enantiomorphic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) and 2 crystallizes in the P2(1)/c space group. The mechanism of the cleavage reactions were studied in detail for the precursor [Co(tren)Cl2]+ and [Co(trien)Cl2]+, which convert into [Co(tren)(OH)2]+/[Co(tren)(OH)(OH2)]2+ and [Co(trien)(OH)2]+/[Co(trien)(OH)(OH2)]2+ in water at basic pH (trien = 1,4,7,10-tetraazadecane). At a slightly basic pH, the initial coordination of the substrate (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is by the carboxylate group for the reaction with [Co(tren)Cl2]+. This is followed by a rate-limiting nucleophilic attack of the hydroxide group at the beta-alanyl-L-histidine carbonyl group. In a strongly basic reaction medium substrate, binding of the metal was through carboxylate and amine terminals. On the other hand, for the reaction between [cis-beta-Co(trien)Cl2]+ and beta-alanyl-L-histidine, the initial coordination of the substrate takes place via an imidazole ring nitrogen, independently, and followed by a nucleophilic attack of the hydroxide group at the beta-alanyl-L-histidine carbonyl group. The circular dichroism spectrum for 1 suggests that a very small extent of racemization of the amino acid (L-histidine) takes place during the cleavage reaction between [Co(tren)Cl2]+ and beta-alanyl-L-histidine. Reaction between [cis-beta-Co(trien)Cl2]+ and beta-alanyl-L-histidine also causes cleavage of the peptide bond, producing a free beta-alanyl molecule and a cationic fragment [cis-alpha-Co(trien)(histidine)](2+) 3 that crystallizes in the optically active space group P2(1)2(1)2(1). Unlike the previous case an appreciable degree of racemization of the L-histidine takes place during the reaction between [cis-beta-Co(trien)Cl2]+ and beta-alanyl-L-histidine. Crystals containing L-histidine and D-histidine fragments in the [cis-alpha-Co(trien)(histidine)]2+ moiety were crystallographically documented by mounting a number of randomly selected crystals.     

Kinetic study on the homogeneous esterification of acetic acid with isoamyl alcohol

The liquid‐phase esterification of acetic acid and isoamyl alcohol has been studied to develop a kinetic model using a sequential experimental design based on the divergence criterion. Data come from batch reactor experiments, performed in the temperature range of 316–363 K. Discrimination among 36 possible kinetic models, written in terms of activity, mole fractions, and molar densities, is possible through the deviance information criterion, as estimated by a Markov chain Monte Carlo technique. The obtained results indicate a negligible heat of reaction and a clear autocatalytic effect of acetic acid on the esterification rate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 45: 10–18, 2013     

Electrodeposition of nanostructured catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion: Current trends and innovative strategies

This review discusses the latest advances in electrodeposition of nanostructured catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion: fuel cells, water splitting, and carbon dioxide electroreduction. The method excels at preparing efficient and durable nanostructured materials, such as nanoparticles, single atom clusters, hierarchical bifunctional combinations of hydroxides, selenides, phosphides, and so on. Yet, in most cases, chemical composition cannot be decoupled from catalyst morphology. This compromises the rational design of electrodeposition procedures because performance indicators depend on both morphology and surface chemistry. We expect electrodeposition will keep unraveling its potential as the preferred method for electrocatalyst synthesis once a deeper understanding of the electrochemical growth process is combined with complex chemistries to have control of the morphology and the surface composition of complex (bifunctional) electrocatalysts.