Reaktionen von MoNCl3 und WNCl3 mit elementarem Fluor. Kristallstrukturen von [MoO2F2(THF)2] und [WF4(NCl)(CH3CN)]

Reactions of MoNCl₃ and WNCl₃ with Elemental Fluorine. Crystal Structures of [MoO₂F₂(THF)₂] and [WF₄(NCl)(CH₃CN)] The nitrido chlorides MoNCl₃ and WNCl₃ as well as WCl₄(NCl) react with elemental fluorine forming the N-chloro imido complexes MoF₄(NCl) and WF₄(NCl), which were characterized by IR spectroscopy. With tetrahydrofurane MoF₄(NCl) reacts to give [MoF₄(NCl)(THF)], which in THF solution slowly converts into [MoO₂F₂(THF)₂]. From WF₄(NCl) with acetonitrile the complex [WF₄(NCl)(CH₃CN)] is obtained. Both donor acceptor complexes were characterized by crystal structure determinations. [MoO₂F₂(THF)₂] : Space group P2₁/n, Z = 4, structure solution with 1823 unique reflections, R = 0.033 for reflections with I > 2σ(I). Lattice dimensions at ?40°C: a = 636.2, b = 1119.5, c = 1625.2 pm; β = 93.92(1)º. The compound has a monomeric molecular structure with the fluorine atoms in trans-position to one another and with the oxygen atoms of the THF molecules in trans to the oxo ligands. [WF₄(NCl)(CH₃CN)] : Space group P2₁/m, Z = 2, structure solution with 1119 unique reflections, R = 0.038 for reflections with I > 2σ(I). Lattice dimensions at 20°C: a = 511.7, b = 714.9, c = 1002.5 pm; β = 102.59(10)º. The compound has a monomeric molecular structure in which the nitrogen atom of the acetonitrile molecule coordinates in trans-position to the N-chloro imido group W?N? Cl. The structural parameters of this group are WN = 172.2 pm, NCl = 161.1 pm, WNCl = 178.6º.     

Nitrous Oxide as a Hydrogen Acceptor for the Dehydrogenative Coupling of Alcohols

The oxidation of alcohols with N₂O as the hydrogen acceptor was achieved with low catalyst loadings of a rhodium complex that features a cooperative bis(olefin)amido ligand under mild conditions. Two different methods enable the formation of either the corresponding carboxylic acid or the ester. N₂ and water are the only by‐products. Mechanistic studies supported by DFT calculations suggest that the oxygen atom of N₂O is transferred to the metal center by insertion into the Rh?H bond of a rhodium amino hydride species, generating a rhodium hydroxy complex as a key intermediate.     

Experimental and Theoretical Study of Helium Broadening and Shift of HCO+ Rotational Lines

An experimental and theoretical study of pressure broadening and pressure shift of HCO⁺ rotational lines perturbed by collisions with He is presented. Results are reported from measurements at 88 K for the lines j=4←3, 5←4 and 6←5 with frequencies ranging from 0.35 to 0.54 THz. Using a new CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVQZ potential energy surface for the He–HCO⁺ interaction, the collisional line shape parameters are studied from fully quantum and semiclassical calculations. Results from the quantum treatment are in satisfactory agreement with experiments whereas the semiclassical approach can lead to appreciable differences. A study of the dependence of line width Γ and shift s as a function of the translational energy shows the presence of quantum oscillations. Calculations on a previous Hartree–Fock‐based potential energy surface lead to quite similar results for the collisional line shape parameters. Using a simplified version of the potential morphing method it is found that the line width Γ is particularly sensitive to the long‐range part of the potential energy surface. This also explains the success of the first line‐broadening calculations which date back to the 1950s.     

First principles and classical molecular dynamics simulations of solvated benzene

We have performed extensive ab initio and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of benzene in water in order to examine the unique solvation structures that are formed. Qualitative differences between classical and ab initio MD simulations are found and the importance of various technical simulation parameters is examined. Our comparison indicates that nonpolarizable classical models are not capable of describing the solute-water interface correctly if local interactions become energetically comparable to water hydrogen bonds. In addition, a comparison is made between a rigid water model and fully flexible water within ab initio MD simulations which shows that both models agree qualitatively for this challenging system.     

Femtosecond dynamics of electron transfer in a neutral organic mixed-valence compound

In this article we report a femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption study of a neutral organic mixed-valence (MV) compound with the aim to gain insight into its charge-transfer dynamics upon optical excitation. The back-electron transfer was investigated in five different solvents, toluene, dibutyl ether, methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), benzonitrile and n-hexane. In the pump step, the molecule was excited at 760 nm and 850 nm into the intervalence charge-transfer band. The resulting transients can be described by two time constant. We assign one time constant to the rearrangement of solvent molecules in the charge-transfer state and the second time constant to back-electron transfer to the electronic ground state. Back-electron transfer rates range from 1.5 × 10¹² s⁻¹ in benzonitrile through 8.3 × 10¹¹ s⁻¹ in MTBE, around 1.6 × 10¹¹ s⁻¹ in dibutylether and toluene and to 3.8 × 10⁹ s⁻¹ in n-hexane.     

Ultrafast ring-closure reaction of photochromic indolylfulgimides studied with UV-pump-IR-probe spectroscopy

The ring-opening and ring-closure reactions of a photochromic indolylfulgimide are investigated with femtosecond vibrational spectroscopy. Spectral signatures due to excited-state decay and vibrational cooling are seen in the mid-IR region. For the ring-opening reaction triggered with visible pulses, a lifetime of the excited electronic state of 4 ps was obtained in polar solution. In a nonpolar solvent, this time constant is reduced to 2 ps. The ring-closure reaction induced with UV pulses displays an excited-state lifetime and thus a building of the photoproduct of roughly 0.5 ps. For all processes, the subsequent cooling occurs on a 15-ps time scale lasting up to approximately 50 ps. The time-resolved IR measurements do not support the existence of any long-living intermediate states.     

Synthese und Kristallstruktur des Goldclusters [Au16(AsPh3)8Cl6]

Synthesis and Structures of the Gold Cluster [Au₁₆(AsPh₃)₈Cl₆] Reduction of Ph₃AsAuCl with NaBH₄ in ethanol yields the gold cluster [Au₁₆(AsPh₃)₈Cl₆]. It can be crystallized from dichloromethane/diisopropyl ether in form of dark red, light sensitive crystals with the space group P2₁/n and a = 1777.68(8), b = 3372.7(1), c = 2696.2(1)pm, β = 94.166(6)°, Z = 4). The inner skeleton of the 16 Au atoms consists of a centered icosahedron of which one of the corners binds to three additional Au atoms forming a tetrahedron pendent. The shortest Au–Au distances of 264.3 to 266.6 pm correspond to the bonds to the three external Au atoms. Within the icosahedron the distances between the central atom and the peripheral atoms (273.0–279.1 pm) are distinctly shorter than the distances between the peripheral atoms (283.6–299.0 pm).