Dioxo-molybdenum(VI) and mono-oxo-molybdenum(IV) complexes supported by new aliphatic dithiolene ligands: new models with weakened Mo=O bond characters for the arsenite oxidase active site

The cis-dioxo-molybdenum(VI) complexes, [MoO2(L(H))2]2- (1b), [MoO2(L(S))(2)]2- (2b), and [MoO2(L(O))2]2- (3b) (L(H) = cyclohexene-1,2-dithiolate, L(S) = 2,3-dihydro-2H-thiopyran-4,5-dithiolate, and L(O) = 2,3-dihydro-2H-pyran-4,5-dithiolate), with new aliphatic dithiolene ligands were prepared and investigated by infrared (IR) and UV-vis spectroscopic and electrochemical methods. The mono-oxo-molybdenum(IV) complexes, [MoO(L(H))2]2- (1a), [MoO(L(S))2]2- (2a), and [MoO(L(O))2]2- (3a), were further characterized by X-ray crystal structural determinations. The IR and resonance Raman spectroscopic studies suggested that these cis-dioxo molybdenum(VI) complexes (1b-3b) had weaker Mo=O bonds than the common Mo(VI)O2 complexes. Complexes 1b-3b also exhibited strong absorption bands in the visible regions assigned as charge-transfer bands from the dithiolene ligands to the cis-MoO2 cores. Because the oxygen atoms of the cis-Mo(VI)O2 cores are relatively nucleophilic, these complexes were unstable in protic solvents and protonation might occur to produce Mo(VI)O(OH), as observed with the oxidized state of arsenite oxidase.     

Chemistry of organosilicon compounds 118. Novel ring contraction reaction of (η4-1,2-disilacyclohexadiene)iron tricarbonyls

1,1,2,2-Dimethyl-3,6-diphenyl-1,2-disilacyclohexadiene reacts with iron pentacarbonyl or diiron nonacarbonyl to give the corresponding (diene)iron tricarbonyl complex which undergoes novel ring contraction reaction to (η⁴-1,1-dimethyl-2,5-diphenyl-1-silacyclopentadiene)iron tricarbonyl on thermolysis at 160°C. Similar results were observed with 1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-3,4,5,6-tetraphenyl-1,2-disilacyclohexadiene.     

Computer simulation study of metastable ice VII and amorphous phases obtained by its melting

Molecular dynamics simulations of metastable ice VII and cubic ice Ic are carried out in order to examine (1) the ability of commonly used water interaction potentials to reproduce the properties of ices, and (2) the possibility of generating low-density amorphous (LDA) structures by heating ice VII, which is known to transform to LDA at approximately 135 K at normal pressure [S. Klotz, J. M. Besson, G. Hamel, R. J. Nelmes, J. S. Loveday, and W. G. Marshall, Nature (London) 398, 681 (1999)]. We test four simple empirical interaction potentials of water: TIP4P [W. L. Jorgensen, J. Chandrasekhar, J. D. Madura, R. W. Impey, and M. L. Klein, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 926 (1983)], SPC/E [H. J. C. Berendsen, J. R. Grigera, and T. P. Straatsma, J. Phys. Chem. B 91, 6269 (1987)], TIP5P [M. W. Mahoney and W. L. Jorgensen, J. Chem. Phys. 112, 8910 (2000)], and ST2 [F. H. Stillinger and A. Rahman, J. Chem. Phys. 60, 1545 (1974)]. We have found that TIP5P ice VII melts at 210 K, TIP4P at 90 K, and SPC/E at 70 K. Only TIP5P water after transition has a structure similar to that of LDA. TIP4P and SPC/E have almost identical structures, dissimilar to any known water or amorphous phases, but upon heating both slowly evolve towards LDA-like structure. ST2 ice VII is remarkably stable up to 430 K. TIP4P and SPC/E predict correctly the cubic ice collapse into a high-density amorphous ice (HDA) at approximately 1 GPa whereas TIP5P remains stable up to approximately 5 GPa. The densities of the simulated ice phases differ significantly, depending on the potential used, and are generally higher than experimental values. The importance of proper treatment of long-range electrostatic interactions is also discussed.     

Reaction potential map analysis of chemical reactivity—III

Reaction potential maps (RPM) have been introduced as a new tool for the study of molecular reactivity. The equipotential energy maps, which are created on given planes around a molecule, define reaction contours towards specific counter-reagent models and are evaluated by perturbation theory. Since the calculated interaction energy involves electrostatic, polarization, exchange, and charge transfer energies, the RPM's can be used to predict site selectivity in a variety of chemical reactions. We found that the calculated RPM's of the SCN^– anion explained well the experimental observations that it reacts at the S atom with soft electrophiles and at the N atom with hard electrophiles. The difference in reactivity between SCN^– and OCN^– was clearly shown by the RPM's of these anions. The ambident nucleophilic nature of the NO ₂ ^– and the CH₂CHO^– anions was also well represented by their RPM's.     

1H-NMR Relaxation of Water Molecules in the Aqueous Microcrystalline Cellulose Suspension Systems and Their Viscosity

An intensive study for aqueous microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) suspensions was carried out in view of the relationship between a viscosity and a 1H spin-spin relaxation time (T2) of water. An investigation was carried out for four suspension systems with the different particle size distributions. The proton mole ratio () of bound water against MCC particles and T2 of bound water (T2,b) were evaluated from the T2 values obtained by Carr-Purcell- Meiboom-Gill (C.P.M.G) method and those by solid echo method, respectively. As a result of these analyses, the T2,b value for the aqueous MCC suspension was evaluated as 5 × 10–3 s and it was found that the system having a larger tended to show a higher viscosity. By relating the above results to the observation of the suspensions by an optical microscope, it was concluded that a network formed by MCC particles plays an important role in generating a high viscosity of MCC suspension, and that an averaged mobility of water molecules is sensitively affected by the network structure.     

Synthesis of ion-exchange membranes by radiation-induced multiple grafting of methyl α,β,β-trifluoroacrylate

Methyl α,β,β-trifluoroacrylate (MTFA) was grafted onto polymer films with the multiple grafting technique initiated by α-rays: the yields were similar to those of the single-step grafting procedure with any irradiation dose. Grafted polymer obtained in the single-step experiments were distributed mainly near the film surface, whereas graft polymer from the multiple grafting experiments were distributed uniformly in the film at graft yields greater than 20%. The electric resistance of the hydrolyzed multiple graft polymer film in a 2N NaOH solution was much lower than that of one-step graft film at the same graft yield.     

Electronic structural changes between nickel(II)-semiquinonato and nickel(III)-catecholato states driven by chemical and physical perturbation

The selective synthesis of tetracoordinate square-planar low-spin nickel(II)-semiquinonato (Ni(II)-SQ) and nickel(III)-catecholato (Ni(III)-Cat) complexes, 1 and 2, respectively, was achieved by using bidentate ligands with modulated nitrogen-donor ability to the nickel ion. The electronic structures of 1 and 2 were revealed by XPS and EPR measurements. The absorption spectra of 1 and 2 in a noncoordinating solvent, dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), are completely different from those in tetrahydrofuran (THF), being a coordinating solvent. As expected from this result, the gradual addition of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), which is also a coordinating solvent like THF, into a solution of 1 or 2 in CH2Cl2 leads to color changes from blue (for 1) and brown (for 2) to light green, which is the same color observed for solutions of 1 or 2 in THF. Furthermore, the same color changes are induced by varying the temperature. Such spectral changes are attributable to the transformation from square-planar low-spin Ni(II)-SQ and Ni(III)-Cat complexes to octahedral high-spin Ni(II)-SQ ones, caused by the coordination of two solvent molecules to the nickel ion.     

Synthesis of pyrido[1′,2′:1,2]imidazo[4,5-b]quinoxalines

Synthesis of pyrido[1′,2′:1,2]imidazo[4,5-b]quinoxalines by the facile cyclizations of 2,3-dichloroquinoxalines with 2-aminopyridines and of 2-amino-3-chloroquinoxalines with various substituted pyridines is described.     

Efficient eosin y dye-sensitized solar cell containing Br-/Br3- electrolyte

We found that Br-/Br3- is more suitable than an I-/I3- couple in dye-sensitized solar cells in terms of higher open-circuit photovoltage (Voc) production and higher overall energy conversion efficiency (eta) if the dye sensitizer has a more positive potential than that of Br-/Br3-. Under simulated AM1.5 one sun, an eosin Y dye-sensitized solar cell containing 0.4 M LiBr + 0.04 M Br2 electrolyte in acetonitrile yielded a short-circuit photocurrent (Jsc) of 4.63 mA cm(-2), Voc of 0.813 V, and fill factor (FF) of 0.693, corresponding to 2.61% of eta. Under the same conditions except for the electrolyte 0.4 M LiI + 0.04 M I2 in acetonitrile instead, the device produced 1.67% of eta (Jsc = 5.15 mA cm(-2), Voc = 0.451 V, FF = 0.721). Replacement of I-/I3- with Br-/Br3- in eosin Y dye-sensitized solar cells yielded a significant increase in Voc offset by slight decreases in Jsc and FF, leading to an increase in eta by 56%. The significant gain in Voc was attributed to the enlarged energy level difference between the redox potential of the electrolyte and the Fermi level of TiO2 and the suppressed charge recombination as well. The rate for charge recombination between bromine and the injected electrons was determined to be first order in bromine.     

A new finding in selective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of α-fluorinated ketones; a new and practical route for the synthesis of α-fluorinated esters

α-Fluorinated esters were effectively prepared by the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of α-fluorinated ketones with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA) under mild conditions. The yield of the esters was influenced by the choice of solvent, base, and substituent on the aryl group of the ketones. 4-Methoxyphenyl substituted fluoroketones were oxidized almost quantitatively with m-CPBA within 10 min to 12 h at room temperature using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) as a cosolvent with CH₂Cl₂ (1:1, v/v) and aqueous buffer (KH₂PO₄-NaOH, pH 7.6) as an additive base. The oxidation reaction rates of α-fluorinated ketones were higher than those of the corresponding non-fluorinated ketones. The fluorine atom at α-position of fluoromethyl aryl ketones enhanced the reactivity in the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation.