Syntheses and quadratic optical nonlinearities of ruthenium(II) complexes with ethynyl-connected N-methylpyridinium electron acceptors

We have prepared a number of new dipolar complexes containing ethynyl or buta-1,3-diynyl units linking electron-rich {Ru(II)(NH3)5}2+, trans-{Ru(II)(NH3)4L}+ (L = pyridine or N-methylimidazole), or trans-{Ru(II)Cl(pdma)2}+ [pdma = 1,2-phenylenebis(dimethylarsine)] centers to pyridinium electron acceptors. In acetonitrile solutions at 295 K, the new complexes display unusual blue-shifting of their metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) bands as the conjugation is extended, in a fashion similar to that of the corresponding ethenyl systems. Hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) and Stark spectroscopic measurements provide direct and indirect estimates of static first hyperpolarizabilities beta0, and both the linear and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are temperature- and medium-dependent. Thus, at 77 K in butyronitrile glasses, the MLCT bands display more normal red shifts upon conjugation extension. While the Stark-derived beta0 values generally increase as n (the number of ethynyl units) increases from 0 to 2, the HRS data show maximization at n = 1 for two of the ammine series but an increase upon moving from n = 1 to 2 for the pdma complexes. Comparisons with the analogous ethenyl chromophores show that the latter generally display larger beta0 values, whether determined via HRS or Stark data, and the inferiority of the ethynyl systems in terms of NLO response is more pronounced when n = 2. This differing behavior is attributable primarily to larger increases in the transition dipole moment mu12 (and, hence, donor-acceptor pi-electronic coupling) on elongation in the ethenyl chromophores.     

Enantioselective synthesis of nicotinic receptor probe 7,8-difluoro-1,2,3,4,5,6- hexahydro-1,5-methano-3-benzazocine

[Structure: see text] The development of a concise enantioselective synthesis of nicotinic alkaloid 1 is presented. The route features the synthesis and use of a "stable" aliphatic triflate 21 in an alkylation step to generate Heck precursor 24 and an enantioselective cyclization to establish a compound with the key [3.2.1]-bicyclic core, 29.     

Syntheses and properties of two-dimensional, dicationic nonlinear optical chromophores based on pyrazinyl cores

Six new dicationic 2D nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores with pyrazinyl-pyridinium electron acceptors have been synthesized by nucleophilic substitutions of 2,6-dichloropyrazine with pyridyl derivatives. These compounds have been characterized as their PF(6)(-) salts by using various techniques including electronic absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Large red shifts in the intense, π → π* intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) transitions on replacing -OMe with -NMe(2) substituents arise from the stronger π-electron donor ability of the latter. Each compound shows a number of redox processes which are largely irreversible. Single crystal X-ray structures have been determined for five salts, including two nitrates, all of which adopt centrosymmetric packing arrangements. Molecular first hyperpolarizabilities β have been determined by using femtosecond hyper-Rayleigh scattering at 880 and 800 nm, and depolarization studies show that the NLO responses of the symmetric species are strongly 2D, with dominant "off-diagonal" β(zyy) components. Stark (electroabsorption) spectroscopic measurements on the ICT bands afford estimated static first hyperpolarizabilities β(0). The directly and indirectly derived β values are large, and the Stark-derived β(0) response for one of the new salts is several times greater than that determined for (E)-4'-(dimethylamino)-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium hexafluorophosphate. These Stark spectroscopic studies also permit quantitative comparisons with related 2D, binuclear Ru(II) ammine complex salts.     

Quadratic and cubic nonlinear optical properties of salts of diquat-based chromophores with diphenylamino substituents

A series of chromophoric salts has been prepared in which 4-(diphenylamino)phenyl (Dpap) electron donor groups are connected to electron-accepting diquaternized 2,2'-bipyridyl (diquat) units. The main aim is to combine large quadratic and cubic nonlinear optical (NLO) effects in potentially redox-switchable molecules with 2D structures. The chromophores have been characterized as their PF(6)(-) salts by using various techniques including electronic absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The visible absorption spectra are dominated by intense π → π* intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) bands, and all of the compounds show two reversible or quasireversible diquat-based reductions and partially reversible Dpap oxidations. Single crystal X-ray structures have been obtained for one salt and for the precursor compound (E)-4-(diphenylamino)cinnamaldehyde, both of which adopt centrosymmetric space groups. First hyperpolarizabilities β have been measured by using hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) with a 800 nm laser, and Stark (electroabsorption) spectroscopy of the ICT bands affords estimated static first hyperpolarizabilities β(0). The directly and indirectly derived β values are large and generally increased substantially for the bis-Dpap derivatives when compared with their monosubstituted analogues. Polarized HRS studies show that the NLO responses of the disubstituted species are dominated by "off-diagonal" β(zyy) components. Lengthening the diquaternizing alkyl unit lowers the electron-acceptor strength and therefore increases the ICT energies and decreases the E(1/2) values for diquat reduction. However, compensating increases in the ICT intensity prevent significant decreases in the Stark-based β(0) responses. Cubic NLO properties have been measured by using the Z-scan technique over a wavelength range of 520-1600 nm, revealing relatively high two-photon absorption cross-sections of up to 730 GM at 620 nm for one of the disubstituted chromophores.     

Some reactions of diazomethane with polyfluoroazaolefins

The reactons of some polyfluoroazaolefins with diazomethane are described. Thus 5-H-decafluoro-2-aza-hex-2-(Z)-ene yields 1-trifluoro-methyl-2-fluoro-2-(1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropyl)-aziridine as the sole isolable product. However, undecafluoro-2-azahex-2(Z)-ene yields not only the corresponding aziridine, 1-trifluoromethyl-2-fluoro-2-(heptafluoropropyl) aziridine, but also 1-trifluoromethyl-5-(heptafluoropropyl)-1,2,3-triazole, and 1-trifluoromethyl-2-fluoromethyl-2-(heptafluoropropyl) aziridine. 5-H-octafluoro-2-azahexa-2(Z)4(Z)-diene yielded the expected aziridine and 1-trifluoromethyl-2-fluoromethyl-2-(1,1,3,3,-tetra-fluoroprop-2-enyl)aziridine. No products were observed as a result of reactions at the C = C bond and no triazole was isolated in this case. Nonafluoroazacyclohex-1-ene gave the corresponding aziridine and a small amount of a compound believed to be 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoro-1,8,9-triazabicyclo [4,3,0] nonadiene i.e. the triazole product.     

Determination of methylcyclopentadienylmanganesetricarbonyl by gas chromatography—atomic absorption spectrometry at ng m-3 levels in air samples

A procedure is given for the determination of methylcyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl (MMT) at ng m^-3 concentrations in air. The method involves trapping of MMT in a small segment of gas chromatographic column and then determination by gas chromatography with an electrothermal atomic absorption detector. The detection limit of the procedure is 0.05 ng m^-3. Air samples from an underground car-park (when MMT was detected) were found to contain between 0.1 and 0.3 ng m^-3 MMT. MMT was not detected in any of the street air samples taken.     

Efficient,Reversible Redox‐Switching of Molecular First Hyperpolarizabilities in Ruthenium(II) Complexes Possessing Large Quadratic Optical Nonlinearities

Low‐energy metal‐to‐ligand charge‐transfer (MLCT) excitations are associated with the very large molecular nonlinear optical (NLO) coefficients, β, of the complexes [Ru^II(NH₃)₅(N‐R‐4,4′‐bipyridinium)]³⁺ (R=methyl, phenyl, or 4‐acetylphenyl). Chemical oxidation to the Ru^III forms causes bleaching of the MLCT absorptions and marked attenuation of the NLO responses. Both effects are completely reversed upon re‐reduction, and the extent of the β switching is about 10‐ to 20‐fold.     

Coordinate measurement in 2-D and 3-D geometries using frequency scanning interferometry

Frequency Scanning Interferometry (FSI) has been developed for robust precise distance measurements. We present the reconstruction of two and three dimensional geodetic grids, using simultaneous FSI measurements between grid nodes.The shape of the particle physics tracker inside the ATLAS experiment (currently under construction for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN) will be monitored using a geodetic grid of 842 remotely measured, fibre-coupled interferometers. The challenge is to make precise distance measurements in the hostile, high radiation environment and combine them to reconstruct node coordinates and hence the grid shape in quasi real time to a three dimensional precision of around .Two and three dimensional prototype grids with adjustable geometries have been measured, demonstrating shape reconstruction to a precision of around . Error propagation through these grids was studied with different reconstruction models. Grid redundancy allowed the agreement between software models and node coordinate reconstruction to be verified.