thermodynamic/kinetic control in the isomerization of the [[tBuNP(mu-NtBu)]2]2- ion

The unique structure of [(tBuN)(2)PK]( infinity ) (2) (containing [(tBuN)(2)P](-) monoanions) is in stark contrast to the previously reported Li(+) analogue [[[tBuNP(mu-NtBu)](2)](2)]Li(4) (1) (containing the dimeric [[tBuNP(mu-NtBu)](2)](2-) ion). DFT and (31)P NMR spectroscopic studies reveal that the formation of the monoanion arrangements are most thermodyamically favored for Li, Na, and K, 1 being the product of kinetic control and 2 being the product of thermodynamic control.     

Molybdenum alkynyls as alkynyl transfer reagents

Molybdenum alkynyl complexes [Mo(C identical to CR)(eta 3-allyl)(CO)2(phen)] feature long Mo-Calkynyl bond distances and propensity to undergo the cleavage of these bonds, a property that allowed their use as acetylide transfer reagents.     

Kinetic and mechanistic investigation of the aminolysis of 3-methoxyphenyl 3-nitrophenyl thionocarbonate, 3-chlorophenyl 3-nitrophenyl thionocarbonate,and bis(3-nitrophenyl) thionocarbonate

The reactions of the title thionocarbonates (6, 7, and 8, respectively) with a series of secondary alicyclic amines are subjected to a kinetic investigation in 44 wt % ethanol-water, 25.0 degrees C, ionic strength 0.2 M (KCl). Under excess amine, pseudo-first-order rate coefficients (k(obsd)) are obtained for all reactions. Reactions of substrates 6 and 7 with piperidine and of thionocarbonate 8 with the same amine and piperazine, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine, and morpholine show linear k(obsd) vs [amine] plots, with slopes (k(1)) independent of pH. On the other hand, these plots are nonlinear upward for the reactions of substrates 6 and 7 with all the amines, except piperidine, and also for the reactions of compound 8 with 1-formylpiperazine and piperazinium ion. For all these reactions a mechanistic scheme is proposed with the formation of a zwitterionic tetrahedral intermediate (T(+/-)), which can transfer a proton to an amine to give an anionic intermediate (T(-)). Rate and equilibrium microcoefficients of this scheme, k(1), k(-)(1), K(1) (= k(1)/k(-)(1)), and k(2), are obtained by fitting the nonlinear plots through an equation derived from the scheme. The Br?nsted-type plots for k(1) are linear with slopes beta(1) = 0.19, 0.21, and 0.26 for the aminolysis of 6, 7, and 8, respectively. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the formation of T(+/-) (k(1) step) is the rate-determining step. The k(1) values for these reactions follow the sequence 8 > 7 > 6, consistent with the sequence of the electron-withdrawing effects from the substituents on the "nonleaving" group of the substrates. The k(1) values for the aminolysis of 6, 7, and 8 are smaller than those for the same aminolysis of 3-methoxyphenyl, 3-chlorophenyl, and 4-cyanophenyl 4-nitrophenyl thionocarbonates (2, 3, and 4, respectively). The k(2) values (expulsion of the nucleofuge from T(+/-)) increase as the electron withdrawal from the nonleaving group increases. These values are smaller for the aminolysis of 6, 7, and 8 compared to those for the same aminolysis of 2, 3, and 4, respectively.     

The formation of dimeric phosph(III)azane macrocycles [[P(mu-NtBu)]2.LL]2 [LL = organic spacer

The dimeric macrocycles [[P(mu-NtBu)]2.LL]2 [LL = OCH2C(Me)2CH2O (1), 2,6-(NH)2C5H3N (2), 1,2-(NH)2C6H4(3)] have been obtained by the reactions of the appropriate diols and diamines (LLH2) with the dimeric phosph(III)azane [ClP(mu-NtBu)]2. Under different conditions the reaction of 1,2-(NH2)2C6H4 with [ClP(mu-NtBu)]2 gives the monomer [[P(mu-NtBu)]2.[1,2-(NH)2C6H4]] (4) (instead of the dimer 3). Contrary to the literature, the results illustrate that the formation of dimeric macrocycles is common in these reactions and dependent among other factors on the steric demands and length of the organic spacer (LL) as well as the reaction conditions.     

Synthesis of 1-substituted-6-methyluracils

A series of 6-methyl-1H-pyrimidin-2,4-diones bearing different substituents in the 1-position of the uracil ring were prepared starting from substituted ureas and diketene.     

On-line focused microwave digestion-hydride generation of inorganic and organic selenium: Total determination and inorganic selenium speciation by atomic absorption spectrometry

An on-line FIA pretreatment with HBr/KBrO₃, assisted by on-line focused microwave-induced digestion, has been coupled with hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) for final detection for total selenium determination. This total selenium determination is virtually independent of the different Se species investigated (selenite, selenate, selenomethionine, selenoethionine and selenocystine). Detection limits of 0.8 μg l⁻¹ of Se can be achieved by AAS with precisions better than 5%. This continuous flow system for selenium determination allows a high sample throughput (about 30 samples h⁻¹ can be analyzed) in which high automation can be achieved and constitutes a convenient real-time continuous detector for the different selenocompounds tested. Direct non-chromatographic speciation of inorganic selenium (selenite and selenate in their mixtures) is demonstrated by simple on-off operation of the focused microwaves connected in the flow system.

Validation of this simple on-line FIA system has been carried out by analyzing total Se recovered from spiked tap waters and by speciating mixtures of Se(IV) and Se(VI) spiked to the same samples. The fast conversion of Se compounds into volatile selenium could be considered as a sort of specific “general” detector for Se compounds which can be extremely useful for Se speciation by hybrid chromatographic techniques.     

Formation of compound I by photo-oxidation of compound II

[reaction: see text] Compound I is the heme-iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cation formed in peroxidase and catalase enzymes by reaction with hydrogen peroxide. As an alternative to chemical oxidations of porphyrin-iron(III) species, various compound I species were produced by 355 nm laser flash photolysis photooxidation of the corresponding compound II species, porphyrin-iron(IV)-oxo derivatives. The method is demonstrated by production and kinetic studies of the compound I species from 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin-iron, from horseradish peroxidase, and from wild-type horse skeletal myoglobin.     

Density functional investigations of the properties and thermochemistry of UF6 and UF5 using valence-electron and all-electron approaches

The structural properties and thermochemistry of UF6 and UF5 have been investigated using both Hartree-Fock and density functional theory (DFT) approximations. Within the latter approach, the local spin-density approximation, the generalized gradient approximation, and hybrid density functionals were considered. To describe the uranium atom we employed small-core (60 electrons) and large-core (78 electrons) relativistic effective core potentials (RECPs), as well as the all-electron approximation based on the two-component third-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess Hamiltonian. For structural properties, we obtained very good agreement with experiment with DFT and both large and small-core RECPs. The best match with experiment is given by the hybrid functionals with the small-core RECP. The bond dissociation energy (BDE) was obtained from the relative energies of the fragments [UF6 --> UF5 + F], corrected for zero-point energy and spin-orbit interaction. Very good agreement was found between the BDE obtained from all-electron calculations and those calculated with the small-core RECP, while those from the large-core RECP are off by more than 50%. In order to obtain good agreement with experiment in the BDE it is imperative to work with hybrid density functionals and a small-core RECP.     

Exploring the capabilities of X-ray absorption spectroscopy for determining the structure of electrolyte solutions: computed spectra for Cr(3+) or Rh(3+) in water based on molecular dynamics

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra of Cr(3+) and Rh(3+) in aqueous solution are analyzed and compared with computed spectra derived from structural results obtained by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. This procedure quantifies the reliability of the EXAFS structural determination when applied to ions in solution. It provides guidelines for interpreting experimental spectra of octahedrally coordinated metal cations in aqueous solution. A set of relationships among Debye-Waller factors is proposed on the basis of MD results to reduce the number of independent fit parameters. The determination of the second hydration shell is examined. Calculated XANES spectra compare well with experimental ones. Indeed, the splitting observed on the main peak of the Rh K-edge was anticipated by the calculations. Simulated spectra from MD structures of increasing cluster size show a relationship between the second hydration shell and features of the XANES region at energies just above the edge. The combination of quantum and statistical calculations with the XANES spectrum is found to be very fruitful to get insight into the quantitative estimation of structural properties of electrolyte solutions.     

Release of iron from ferritin by aceto- and benzohydroxamic acids

The release of iron from ferritin by aceto- and benzohydroxamic acids was studied at two different iron chelator concentrations (100 and 10 mM), at two pH values (7.4 and 5.2), and in the presence or absence of urea. Collectively, the results demonstrate that both aceto- and benzohydroxamic acids remove iron from ferritin. Aceto- and benzohydroxamic acids penetrate the ferritin shell and react directly with the iron core of the ferritin cavity probably forming mono(hydroxamate) iron(III) complexes which exit ferritin and react with the excess hydroxamate in the solution to produce bis(hydroxamate) iron(III) complexes. The sizes of both the benzohydroxamic acid and the mono(benzohydroxamate) iron(III) complex, 6 and 7 A, respectively, are larger than that of the ferritin channels which indicates the flexibility of the channels to allow the entry and exit of these molecules. The size of the hydroxamic acid influenced the effectiveness of the iron release from ferritin following the expected trend with smaller iron chelators showing greater effectiveness. Likewise, the percentage of iron removed from ferritin was pH-dependent; the percentage of iron removed at pH 5.2 was greater than that at pH 7.4. Finally, the presence of urea, capable of opening the ferritin channels, dramatically increased the effectiveness of the iron chelator in removing iron from ferritin, especially at pH 7.4.