Preparation and crystal structure of Nb6.74 Ta5.26S4 – a new compound in the ternary system Ta?Nb?S

Nb_6.74Ta_5.26S₄ has been prepared by high temperature techniques. The crystal structure has been determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data (R/R_w = 0.0588/0.0655). The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma with unit cell dimensions a = 959.11 (26) pm, b = 336.37 (10) pm, and c = 3282.51 (74) pm. The orthorhombic cell contains four formula units. Its structure is similar to that of Nb-rich sulfides, rather than to that of Ta-rich sulfides. The metal coordinations are capped distorted cubic prisms and pentagonal prisms while the coordinations of sulfur are capped trigonal prisms.     

Alpha and deuteron induced reactions on vanadium

The stacked foil technique was used in combination with γ-ray spectroscopy to obtain excitation functions for the production of different nuclei using natural vanadium as target and 85 MeV α-particles and 46.5 MeV deuterons as projectiles. The data are compared with theoretical predictions provided by an equilibrium and pre-equilibrium reaction model. In most cases the theoretical predictions seriously under-estimated the measured cross sections.     

Chemical synthesis and firefly luciferase produced dehydroluciferyl-coenzyme A

Dehydroluciferyl-coenzyme A (L-CoA) was chemically synthesized and characterized by MS, UV-vis spectrometry and RP-HPLC. The identity of the chemically synthesized compound with the one that was produced by firefly luciferase was confirmed. Moreover, the reversibility of the enzymatic conversion of dehydroluciferin ? dehydroluciferyl-adenylate ? L-CoA was also confirmed. The chemical synthesis of L-CoA, described here, may help the clarification of the activator effect of CoA on luciferase bioluminescent assays, in which the enzyme catalyzed formation of L-CoA and the consequent destruction of L-AMP is one of the possible explanations for that effect.     

A hydrogenation product derived from the diterpenoid barbatusin:A revised structure

The structure of the hydrogenation product of barbatusin, a diterpenoid from Coleus barbatus Bentham has been revised on the basis of NMR and X-ray data. A geminal coupling of unusually high magnitude has been observed and analysed.     

Determination of the atmospheric neutrino spectra with the Fréjus detector

The combined analysis of the final event set of data on neutrino interactions inside the detector, upward going stopping muons and horizontal muons recorded in the Fréjus experiment is presented. The absolute atmospheric neutrino spectra in the energy range for electron neutrinos and for muon neutrinos are determined. Based on the parameterization of Volkova for thev ^µ a spectral index of =2.66±0.05 is obtained from the ratio of horizontal muons over upward going stopping muons and from the measurement of the energy loss of horizontal muons inside the detector. The neutrino spectra are compared with various flux calculations. They do not show any evidence for neutrino oscillations in agreement with earlier analyses of the Fréjus data.Now atUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA     

Dithiacrown Ether Substituted Porphyrazines: Synthesis, Single-Crystal Structure, and Control of Aggregation in Solution by Complexation of Transition-Metal Ions

The synthesis of novel magnesium, copper, and metal-free porphyrazines, peripherally substituted with dithia-7-crown-2 (MPz(7)), dithia-15-crown-5 (MPz(15)), and dithia-18-crown-6 (MPz(18)) macrocycles is reported. These compounds are prepared starting from dicyanoethylene containing crown ethers 3, 2(1), and 2(2), respectively, which contain sulfur as well as oxygen heteroatoms. The "crowned" porphyrazines bind silver(I) and mercury(II) perchlorates. UV/vis spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements reveal that addition of the transition-metal ions leads to dimerization of the porphyrazine complexes. In the case of the dithia-18-crown-6-substituted porphyrazines, the dimers break up to form monomeric 6:1 guest-host complexes when more than 2 equiv of the metal ion is added. The single-crystal structures of the crown ether 2(2) and the porphyrazine MgPz(18) are presented. Compound C(14)H(20)N(2)O(4)S(2) (2(2)) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with a = 10.9310(13) ?, b = 19.383(3) ?, c = 8.6976(14) ?, beta = 108.898(11) degrees, V = 1743.5(5) ?(3), and Z = 4. The structure refinement converged to R = 0.0366 and R(w) = 0.0504. Compound C(56)H(82)MgN(8)O(17)S(8) (MgPz(18)) crystallizes in the triclinic space group P&onemacr; with a = 9.584(3) ?, b = 17.672(2) ?, c = 19.620(4) ?, alpha = 84.904(14) degrees, beta = 85.21(2) degrees, gamma = 89.29(2) degrees, V = 3298.4(13) ?(3), and Z = 2. The structure refinement converged to R1 = 0.0839 and wR2 = 0.2196. The electrical properties of H(2)Pz(18) have been studied by complex impedance spectroscopy. The bulk electrical conductivity of this compound is approximately 1 order of magnitude higher than that of the corresponding 18-crown-6 phthalocyanine.     

Electrochemical and ESR study of 5-nitrofuryl-containing thiosemicarbazones antiprotozoal drugs

Cyclic voltammetry and electron spin resonance (ESR) techniques were used in the investigation of several potential antiprotozoal thiosemicarbazones nitrofurane derivatives. A self-protonation process involving the protonation of the nitro group due to the presence of an acidic proton in the thiosemicarbazone moiety was observed in the first step of a CEE(rev) reduction mechanism of these derivatives. ESR spectra of the free radicals obtained by electrolytic reduction were characterized and analyzed. AM1 methodology was used to obtain the optimized geometries and UB3LYP calculations were performed to obtain the theoretical hyperfine coupling constants. The theoretical study exhibited an unusual assignment of the spin densities showing a free radical centered in the thiosemicarbazone moiety rather than the nitro which are in agreement with the experimental hyperfine pattern.     

Scandium-catalyzed allylboration of aldehydes as a practical method for highly diastereo- and enantioselective construction of homoallylic alcohols

A general approach for the allylation of aldehydes using stable, air-tolerant camphor-based chiral allylboronates under Sc(OTf)3 catalysis is described. This practical methodology provides both syn and anti propionate units and other homoallylic alcohols with very high levels of diastereo- and enantioselectivity for several substrates, including functionalized aliphatic aldehydes useful toward the elaboration of complex natural products.     

Characterization of individual atmospheric particles by element mapping in electron probe microanalysis

In this paper procedures for the characterization of individual aerosol particles by element mapping in the electron microprobe are presented. The number, size and qualitative chemical composition of particles is derived from a combination of secondary or backscattered electron images and element distribution maps. Accuracy of the size distribution and reliability of the qualitative analysis procedure were checked with silicate samples. In order to obtain a semi-quantitative estimate of the chemical composition of individual particles the count rates taken from element distribution maps are corrected for matrix and geometric effects using particle ZAF procedures.Dedicated to Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. Hubertus Nickel on the occasion of his 65th birthday