Complementarity and the temporal Uncertainty principle. Insight into the dichotomous formulations of the Curtin-Hammett principle. A new formulation

By the temporal Uncertainty principle, chemical systems may be described in terms of ‘kinetic’ or ‘thermodynamic’ complementary formulations, based on rate or equilibrium constants, and free energy changes respectively. Thereby, the paradox of the dichotomous formulations of the Curtin-Hammett principle is resolved. A new formulation of the principle is suggested, and a fundamental conflict with transition state theory is indicated.     

Studies on the dissolution of carbide fuels

The dissolution of carbide fuels was tried with the aid of various oxidants like H₂O₂, NaBiO₃, (NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₆, (NH₄)₂S₂O₈, and AgO in nitric acid medium. During the dissolution, the carbon dioxide liberated has been measured. Among the oxidants studied, H₂O₂ and NaBiO₃ appeared to be more effective for dissolution of carbides. 200–300 mg of sintered uranium carbide sample dissolved within 15 minutes in the presence of oxidants H₂O₂ or NaBiO₃. Mixed carbide sample (70%) was dissolved within 30 min, whereas plutonium carbide required more than one hour. From the resulting solutions uranium and plutonium could be determined by conventional redox methods. More than 97% of plutonium could be recovered and purified from the resulting carbide solutions by conventionally used anion exchange method.     

An improved method for the potentiometric determination of plutonium using cerium/IV/ as an oxidant

An improved method for the determination of plutonium in an aliquot using cerium/IV/ as an oxidant is reported. Plutonium is oxidized quantitatively to plutonium/VI/ in nitric acid medium by cerium/IV/, the excess of which is chemically destroyed in a single step by hydrochloric acid. Plutonium/VI/ is then reduced to plutonium/IV/ with a known amount of Fe/II/, the excess of which is back titrated potentiometrically with standard dichromate. Results of analysis of 3–5 mg amounts of plutonium in aliquots containing standard plutonium nitrate solution are reliable within 0.2%. Effect of the presence of some relevant foreign ions has been studied. The application of the method for the analysis of mixtures containing various amounts of uranium and plutonium has been examined.     

Ruthenium(II) complexes containing triphenylphosphine/triphenylarsine and bidentate Schiff bases derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and primary amines

The synthesis and characterisation of some new hexa-coordinated Schiff base complexes of the type [RuCl(CO)(EPh₃)(B)(L)] (E = P or As; B = PPh₃ or AsPh₃ or py or pip; L = anion of the Schiff bases derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and aniline, 4-chloroaniline or 2-methylaniline) are reported. I.r., electronic, ¹H-n.m.r, ³¹P-n.m.r. spectra, catalytic activity and antibacterial activity of the complexes are discussed. An octahedral structure has been tentatively proposed for all the complexes.     

Halogenated Squaraine Dyes as Potential Photochemotherapeutic Agents. Synthesis and Study of Photophysical Properties and Quantum Efficiencies of Singlet Oxygen Generation*

Abstract— We describe the synthesis and photophysical studies, including measurements of quantum yields of triplet excited states and singlet oxygen generation of bis(3,5-dibromo-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine (2) and bis(3,5-diiodo-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine (3). These dyes exist in solution in the protonated, neutral, single and double depro-tonated forms, depending on pH. The pK_a values of these dyes were found to be relatively lower than those of the parent bis(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine (1). Only the single deprotonated forms (Sq) of 2 and 3 showed measurable fluorescence. In microheterogeneous media such as in the presence of β-cyclodextrin, cetyltrunethylammonium bromide and polyvinylpyrrolidone), bathochromic shifts in the absorption and emission spectra of Sq were observed with a substantial enhancement in their fluorescence yields. Triplet excited states are the main transient intermediates obtained upon 532 nm laser excitation of the various forms of 2 and 3 in methanol. These triplets have lifetimes in the range from 0.061 to 132 μs. The triplet quantum yields of double deprotonated forms are low (φT = <0.01), whereas the neutral and Sq^?forms of 2 (φr = 0.12 and 0.22) and 3 (φ_T= 0.24 and 0.5), respectively, exhibited significant triplet yields. Quantum yields of singlet oxygen generation by Sq^?forms of 2 and 3 were determined in methanol and were found to be 0.13 and 0.47, respectively, which are in good agreement with the triplet yields obtained in these systems.     

On the planarity of tetracoordinate carbon enclosed by annulene perimeters

Proposals that planar tetracoordinate carbon might be achieved by enclosure in an annulene perimeter have been examined by means of MNDO calculations. Unfortunately, the lowest energy forms of 1–3, and 5 are indicated to distort as far away from planarity as possible, consistent with the strain demands of the carbon skeletons. Even in hypothetical stereomutation transition states, planar tetracoordination around the central carbon should be energetically difficult to achieve in these hydrocarbons, which, at best, are expected to be unstable strained polyolefins. Planar tetracoordinate carbon is more likely to be achieved when both π and σ systems provide effective stabilization through multicenter bonding. Several illustrative proposals for experimental examination are presented.     

Binuclear ruthenium(III) complexes: synthesis,characterisation, catalytic activity in aryl–aryl couplings and biological activity

Binuclear ruthenium(III) complexes containing a binucleating Schiff base ligand, L and Ph₃P or Ph₃As, [RuX₂(EPh₃)₂]₂L (X = Cl or Br; E = P or As) have been prepared by reacting [RuCl₃(PPh₃)₃], [RuCl₃(AsPh₃)₃], [RuBr₃(AsPh₃)₃] and [RuBr₃(PPh₃)₂(MeOH)] with Schiff bases in a 2:1 molar ratio. The Schiff bases used in this study were prepared by condensing the appropriate diamine with salicylaldehyde or benzoylacetone in a 1:2 molar ratio respectively. The complexes were characterised by analytical, spectral (i.r., electronic, e.p.r.) and electrochemical data. An octahedral structure has been proposed for all the new ligand-bridged binuclear Ru^III complexes. The new complexes have been used as catalysts in aryl–aryl couplings and also subjected to antifungal activity studies.     

Three-dimensional open-framework neodymium oxalates with organic functional groups protruding in 12-member channels

Two open-framework neodymium oxalates, [NH(3)CH(2)CH(NH(3))CH(3)][Nd(C(2)O(4))(2)(HCOO)].H(2)O (I) and [OC(CH(3))NCH(2)CH(CH(3))NH(3)][Nd(C(2)O(4))(2)].H(2)O (II), have been synthesized hydrothermally in the presence of 1,2-diaminopropane (1,2-DAP) and formic (I) and acetic (II) acids. The Nd atoms in both these oxalates have 9-fold coordination with respect to the oxygens, with the Nd atom in a distorted monocapped square antiprism coordination in I and in an idealized D(3)(h) triply capped trigonal prism coordination in II. The three-dimensional framework structures of I and II are built up by in-plane linkages between the Nd and the oxalate moieties, forming layers with 12-membered honeycomb-like apertures, pillared by an out-of-plane oxalate unit. The 12-memberd channel in I contains a dangling formate group in addition to the disordered amine molecule, while in II, the channel has N-(2-aminopropyl acetimide) molecules formed by the in situ reaction of 1,2-DAP and acetic acid. The accessibility of the formate and N-(2-aminopropyl acetimide) functional groups in I and II, respectively, uniformly distributed within the channels enables chemical manipulation. Crystal data: I, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c (no. 14), M = 459.5, a = 9.0279(4) A, b = 18.1362(8) A, c = 8.5631(4) A, beta = 102.735(10) degrees, V = 1367.56(11) A(3), Z = 4, R(1) = 0.0229, wR(2) = 0.0599 [1782 observed reflections with I > 2sigma(I)]; II, triclinic, space group P(-)1 (no. 2), M = 454.5, a = 8.6222(9) A, b = 9.5683(10) A, c = 9.5712(10) A, alpha = 109.388(2) degrees, beta = 98.508(10) degrees, gamma = 102.361(12) degrees, V = 706.73(13) A(3), Z = 2, R(1) = 0.0446, wR(2) = 0.115 [1730 observed reflections with I > 2sigma(I)].