Malonate-containing manganese(III) complexes: synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetic properties of AsPh4[Mn(mal)2(H2O)2

The novel manganese(III) complexes PPh4[Mn(mal)2(H2O)2] (1) and AsPh4[Mn(mal)2(H2O)2] (2) (PPh4+ = tetraphenylphosphonium cation, AsPh4+ = tetraphenylarsonium cation, and H2mal = malonic acid) have been prepared, and the structure of 2 was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. 2 is a mononuclear complex whose structure is made up of trans-diaquabis(malonato)manganate(III) units and tetraphenylarsonium cations. Two crystallographically independent manganese(III) ions (Mn(1) and Mn(2)) occur in 2 that exhibit elongated octahedral surroundings with four oxygen atoms from two bidentate malonate groups in equatorial positions (Mn(1)-O = 1.923(6) and 1.9328(6) A and Mn(2)-O = 1.894(6) and 1.925(6) A) and two trans-coordinated water molecules in the axial sites (Mn(1)-Ow = 2.245(6) A and Mn(2)-Ow = 2.268(6) A). The [Mn(mal)2(H2O)2]- units are linked through hydrogen bonds involving the free malonate-oxygen atoms and the coordinated water molecules to yield a quasi-square-type anionic layer growing in the ab plane. The shortest intralayer metal-metal separations are 7.1557(7) and 7.1526(7) A (through the edges of the square). The anionic sheets are separated from each other by layers of AsPh4+ where sextuple- and double-phenyl embraces occur. The magnetic behavior of 1 and 2 in the temperature range 1.9-290 K reveals the occurrence of weak intralayer ferromagnetic interactions (J = +0.081(1) (1) and +0.072(2) cm(-1) (2)). These values are compared to those of the weak antiferromagnetic coupling [J = -0.19(1) cm(-1)], which is observed in the chain compound K2[Mn(mal)2(MeOH)2][Mn(mal)2] (3), where the exchange pathway involves the carboxyate-malonate bridge in the anti-syn conformation. The structure of 3 was reported elsewhere. Theoretical calculations on fragment models of 2 and 3 were performed to analyze and substantiate both the nature and magnitude of the magnetic couplings observed.     

Metal binding to bipyridine-modified PNA

Substitution of natural nucleobases in PNA oligomers with ligands is a strategy for directing metal ion incorporation to specific locations within a PNA duplex. In this study, we have synthesized PNA oligomers that contain up to three adjacent bipyridine ligands and examined the interaction with Ni2+ and Cu2+ of these oligomers and of duplexes formed from them. Variable-temperature UV spectroscopy showed that duplexes containing one terminal pair of bipyridine ligands are more stable upon metal binding than their nonmodified counterparts. While binding of one metal ion to duplexes that contain two adjacent bipyridine pairs makes the duplexes more stable, additional metal ions lower the duplex stability, with electrostatic repulsions being, most likely, an important contributor to the destabilization. UV titrations showed that the presence of several bipyridine ligands in close proximity of each other in PNA oligomers exerts a chelate effect. A supramolecular chelate effect occurs when several bipyridines are brought next to each other by hybridization of PNA duplexes. EPR spectroscopy studies indicate that even when two Cu2+ ions coordinate to a PNA duplex in which two bipyridine pairs are next to each other, the two metal-ligand complexes that form in the duplex are far enough from each other that the dipolar coupling is very weak. EXAFS and XANES show that the Ni2+-bipyridine bond lengths are typical for [Ni(bipy)2]2+ and [Ni(bipy)3]2+ complexes.     

All-cis-1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexacarboxylate two-dimensional gadolinium(III) complexes: Synthesis,X-ray crystal structure and magnetic properties

The first gadolinium(III) complexes with the trideprotonated form of the 1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexacarboxylic acid (H₃clhex³⁻) of formulae [Gd(H₃clhex)(H₂O)₄]_n·3nH₂O (1) and [Gd(H₃clhex)(H₂O)₄]_n·6nH₂O (2) have been prepared through the gel technique and their structures determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of 1 is made up of 6³ honey-comb layers which are generated by [Gd(H₂O)₄]³⁺ cations and H₃clhex³⁻ anions acting as three-fold nodes and three-fold connectors, respectively. The structure of 2 consists of a [4⁴,6²] two-dimensional network extended in the ac plane where the H₃clhex⁻³ groups act as four-fold connectors and the [Gd(H₂O)₄]³⁺ units as four-fold nodes. Compound 1 crystallises in a non-centrosymmetric space group P2₁. Its absolute structure could be determined reliably, indicating the spontaneous resolution of a homochiral crystal and the freezing of one of the conformations of the all-cis H₃clhex⁻³ ligand. Compound 2 crystallises in the P2₁/n space group, the presence of an inversion centre making both conformations to occur. 1 and 2 are different solvates of the same system, the latter one synthesised under a higher pH value of the gel than the former. The investigation of the magnetic properties of 1 and 2 in the temperature range 1.9–300 K reveals a Curie law behaviour for the two compounds.     

Structure,microstructure and optical properties of cerium oxide thin films prepared by electron beam evaporation assisted with ion beams

Cerium oxide thin films were prepared by combined electron beam evaporation and ion beam assisted deposition techniques (EBE–IBAD). Their crystallographic structures, microstructures, and optical properties were studied as a function of the substrate temperature (200 °C and 500 °C) and the dose of Ar⁺ or O₂⁺ ion assistance during growth. X-ray diffraction was used to estimate the crystallographic texture, grain size, microstrain and lattice constant. Sample microstructure was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Transmission UV–vis spectroscopy was employed to obtain optical information (band gap, density, and refractive index). All films showed a cubic CeO₂ structure with different preferential growth depending on the preparation conditions. The bombardment with Ar⁺ ions during film deposition proved to be very effective for changing the film structure, hindering columnar growth and producing smaller grain sizes and higher values of microstrain and lattice constant. Films grown at 200 °C and Ar⁺ ion assistance showed the highest density, the smallest grain size (～10 nm) and a high expansion of the lattice constant (up to ～1%). This expansion is related to the presence of Ce³⁺ at the grain boundaries. Ion assistance during the growth leads to films with higher values of refractive index and lower values of band gap.     

Correlations between mark-houwink-sakurada parameters for linear and star-like polymers

The influence of the excluded volume on the intrinsic viscosity of linear and star-like polymers in dilute solution is reflected on the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada (MHS) parameters k and “a”. A correlation between these parameters and the number of arms for star-like polybutadiene in different solvents is proposed. Also, for various linear polymers, a relation describing the decrease of parameter k with increasing “a”, the proportionality coefficient being the unperturbed parameter k_θ, is established.