Crystal Structure of N-Propargylcarbazole and N-(3-lodopropargyl)carbazole

An X-ray study of N-propargylcarbazole (I) and N-(3-iodopropargyl)carbazole (II) has been carried out. In the crystal II acetylenic groups form zigzag ladder-like infinite motives extended along the b axis. The motives are characterized by alternation of more close (and capable, in principle, of topochemical dimerization in crystal) and more distant pairs of acetylenic groups. A hypothetical possibility of topochemical polymerization in crystal II under uniaxial compression with formation of the ordered trans-polyacetylene is considered.     

A new reaction of sulfur ylides. Imination of dimethylsulfonium ketoylides with tosyl isocyanate

Russian Chemical Bulletin -     

Energetic polymers as binders in composite propellants and explosives

The principles behind the use of polymeric binders in composite propellants and explosives are described with emphasis on the properties which they should possess in order to satisfy the requirements for inclusion in a composition. The desirability of using energetic polymers as binders in terms of both performance and safety, and the problems associated with their preparation and properties, are discussed. The contributions of chemical synthesis within DRA to overcome these problems will be shown. Preparation of energetic polymers both by polymer modification and by polymerization of an energetic monomer is described. We have developed three energetic polymers: poly-3-nitratomethyl-3-methyloxetane (polyNIMMO), polyglycidyl nitrate (polyG-LYN) and nitrated hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (NHTPB). Two of these (polyNIMMO and polyGLYN) have shown excellent properties in propellant and explosive formulations and proved that low-vulnerability, high-performance compositions are possible. The properties of the products from our work are compared with those of other groups and a glimpse of the future in this area is given to show the potential for new energetic polymers.     

Simultaneous measurement of thethermal diffusivity and specific heat near phase transitions

A technique for measuring the absolute thermal diffusivity along with the relative specific heat is introduced which is readily adaptable to a wide variety of applications. The thermal diffusivity and specific heat of CoO, near the antiferromagnetic transition; of SrTiO₃, near the structural phase transition; of Cr, near the first-order SDW-paramagnetic transition; and of EuO, near the ferromagnetic Curie point were measured. Except for SrTiO₃, the thermal diffusivities are found to mirror the specific heats, with no evidence for anomalies in the thermal conductivities, contrary to some earlier reports. A step increase in the thermal conductivity is observed on passing through the structural transition of SrTiO₃ from below which is of the same relative size as the step decrease of specific heat at T_c.     

Ureidopyrimidinones incorporating a functionalizable p-aminophenyl electron-donating group at C-6

[structure: see text] 2-Ureido-4-[1H]-pyrimidinones have been reported to dimerize via quadruple hydrogen bonding systems with dimerization constants >10(6) M(-1) in CDCl3. The dimerization constant, K(dim), is dependent on the solvent as well as the ring-substituents present, where previously alkyl (e.g., R1 = Me) and aromatic moieties (e.g., R1 = p-NO2C6H4, R1 = C6H2(OC13H27)3) have been incorporated at the C-6 position. To assess the influence of alternative, functionalizable, electron-donating groups on the dimerization motif and tautomeric distribution of isomers, the synthesis of compounds possessing aminophenyl functionality at the C-6 position has been achieved. NMR spectroscopy chemical shift analysis revealed that compound 2 (R1 = p-NH2C6H4, R2 = C6H13) existed as the 2-ureido-4-pyrimidinol dimeric DADA array in DMSO-d6, where a dimerization constant of 46 M(-1) was determined. This is the first time that a ureidopyrimidinone quadruple hydrogen bonding DADA array has been observed in pure DMSO, a highly polar solvent. The azo-derivative 5 of compound 2 was prepared which also adopted the pyrimidin-4-ol form in DMSO-d6. Compounds 7, 10 and 11 were then synthesized containing a more hydrophilic PEG unit in the lateral chain and the tautomeric distributions were determined.     

Interconversion of (S)-glutamate and (2S,3S)-3-methylaspartate: a distinctive B(12)-dependent carbon-skeleton rearrangement

The interconversion of (S)-glutamate and (2S,3S)-3-methylaspartate catalyzed by B(12)-dependent glutamate mutase is discussed using results from high-level ab initio molecular orbital calculations. Evidence is presented regarding the possible role of coenzyme-B(12) in substrate activation and product formation via radical generation. Calculated electron paramagnetic resonance parameters support experimental evidence for the involvement of substrate-derived radicals and will hopefully aid the future detection of other important radical intermediates. The height of the rearrangement barrier for a fragmentation-recombination pathway, calculated with a model that includes neutral amino and carboxylic acid substituents in the migrating glycyl group, supports recent experimental evidence for the interconversion of (S)-glutamate and (2S,3S)-3-methylaspartate through such a pathway. Our calculations suggest that the enzyme may facilitate the rearrangement of (S)-glutamate through (partial) proton-transfer processes that control the protonation state of substituents in the migrating group.     

A group theoretical study of f n systems in an environment of approximately icosahedral symmetry

Group theoretical methods are developed to determine in a generalised format for an f ⁿ ion in a crystal field environment of icosahedral symmetry, the effect on the energy level scheme when a crystal field distortion is considered parallel to any direction. As an illustration, the effect on the g-tensor components are examined as a function of the magnitude and the direction of the crystal field distortion. All appropriate reduced matrix elements in group theoretical terminology are evaluated for the f ⁿ -ion ground states. Specific results are given for the f ³-ion case and compared with electron paramagnetic resonance, optical, and magnetic susceptibility data.     

In situ study of colloid crystallization in constrained geometry

We visualized in real time electrodeposition-driven colloid crystal growth on patterned conductive surfaces. The electrode was patterned with dielectric ribs and conductive grooves; the groove width was commensurate or incommensurate with a two-dimensional colloid crystal lattice. Electrodeposition was carried out against gravity to decouple sedimentation and electrodeposition of colloid particles. Our experiments reveal the following: (i) Colloid crystal growth occurs under the action of electrohydrodynamic forces, in contrast with colloid assembly under the action of capillary forces. (ii) Confinement of the colloid arrays reduces the size of particle clusters. Small clusters easily undergo structural rearrangements to produce close-packed crystals when the groove width is commensurate or nearly commensurate with the 2D lattice. (iii) Incommensurability between the two-dimensional crystalline lattice and the groove width exceeding ca. 15% leads to the formation of non-close-packed structures and the distortion of colloid arrays.     

Application of symmetry coupling coefficients in the evaluation of the electronic spectra of d 7 ions

The optical absorption spectrum of cobalt chloride thiourea has been studied at room and liquid air temperatures. The results have been interpreted using group theoretical methods taking into account all the quartet states and several doublet states. Crystal field, electrostatic, and spin-orbit coupling interactions were included to yield the allowed transitions with the relative transition probabilities. The experimental results were interpreted for the following set of parameters: B = 750cm^–1, C = 3100cm^–1, = 7370cm^–1, = -200 cm^–1, = 500cm^–1, and = 450 cm^–1.