On the electronic structure of the hydrogenase H-cluster

X-ray absorption spectroscopic measurements and density functional calculations suggest that the hydrogenase H-cluster is best described as an electronically inseparable 6Fe-cluster due to extensive delocalization of frontier molecular orbitals of the iron centres, sulfide and the non-innocent dithiolate ligands.     

Half-metallic digital ferromagnetic heterostructure composed of a delta-doped layer of Mn in Si

We propose and investigate the properties of a digital ferromagnetic heterostructure consisting of a delta-doped layer of Mn in Si, using ab initio electronic-structure methods. We find that (i) ferromagnetic order of the Mn layer is energetically favorable relative to antiferromagnetic, and (ii) the heterostructure is a two-dimensional half-metallic system. The metallic behavior is contributed by three majority-spin bands originating from hybridized Mn-d and nearest-neighbor Si-p states, and the corresponding carriers are responsible for the ferromagnetic order in the Mn layer. The minority-spin channel has a calculated semiconducting gap of 0.25 eV. The band lineup is found to be favorable for retaining the half-metal character to near the Curie temperature. This kind of heterostructure may be of special interest for integration into mature Si technologies for spintronic applications.     

Decay of pure quantum turbulence in superfluid 3He-B

We describe measurements of the decay of pure superfluid turbulence in superfluid 3He-B, in the low temperature regime where the normal fluid density is negligible. We follow the decay of the turbulence generated by a vibrating grid as detected by vibrating wire resonators. Despite the absence of any classical normal fluid dissipation processes, the decay is consistent with turbulence having the classical Kolmogorov energy spectrum and is remarkably similar to that measured in superfluid 4He at relatively high temperatures. Further, our results strongly suggest that the decay is governed by the superfluid circulation quantum rather than kinematic viscosity.     

The mixed diol–dithiol 2,2‐bis(sulfanylmethyl)propane‐1,3‐diol: characterization of key intermediates on a new synthetic pathway

A new synthetic route to 2,2‐bis(sulfanylmethyl)propane‐1,3‐diol, (II), is described starting from the commercially available 2,2‐bis(hydroxymethyl)propane‐1,3‐diol. The structures of two intermediates on this route are described. 5,5‐Dimethenyl‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxane bis(thiocyanate) (systematic name: {[5‐(cyanosulfanyl)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl]sulfanyl}formonitrile), C₁₀H₁₄N₂O₂S₂, (X), crystallizes in the space group P2₁/c with no symmetry relationship between the two thiocyanate groups. There is a short intramolecular N...S contact for one thiocyanate group, while the second group is positioned such that this type of interaction is not possible. 1,3‐(Hydroxymethyl)propane‐1,3‐diyl bis(thiocyanate), C₇H₁₀N₂O₂S₂, (XI), also features a single short N...S contact in the solid state. Hydrogen bonding between two molecules of compound (XI) results in the formation of dimers in the crystal, which are then linked together by a second hydrogen‐bond interaction between the dimers. In addition, the structures of two intermediates from an unsuccessful alternative synthesis of (II) are reported. 2,2‐Bis(chloromethyl)propane‐1,3‐diol, C₅H₁₀Cl₂O₂, (VI), crystallized as an inversion twin with a minor twin fraction of 0.43 (6). It forms a zigzag structure as a result of intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The structure of 9,9‐dimethyl‐2,4,8,10‐tetraoxa‐3λ⁴‐thiaspiro[5.5]undecan‐3‐one, C₈H₁₄O₅S, (VII), shows evidence for a weak S...O contact with a distance of 3.2529 (11) Å.     

Global weathering of aromatic engineering thermoplastics

The rates of gloss loss and color shift for 24 aromatic engineering thermoplastics at nine exposure sites world-wide have been compared relative to a commercial Miami exposure site. The scatter among individual samples was large, but on average, light dose alone was enough to account for almost all of the rate differences among the various sites for these materials. Temperature, humidity, rainfall, and acid rain seemed to play minor roles for most samples. Samples containing no particulate pigment had more erratic gloss loss and showed some dependency on the amount of rainfall. The overall “cleanliness” of the samples seemed to be an important factor in gloss retention, and washing protocols during the exposure period and before readings were important variables in cases of slow erosion and/or no particulate pigment. Microbial growth (fungus) was observed on Miami samples after 12–18 months of exposure, but none was seen at any other site.

Relative to Miami defined as 1.0, the average rates of color shift and gloss loss were approximately 0.67 in the northern U.S., 0.8 in the central U.S., and 1.15 in the U.S. desert southwest. Southern Europe was nearly as harsh as Miami, while Northern Europe was comparable to the northern U.S. Northern Europe was found to be somewhat harsher than expected while the northern U.S. was slightly less harsh than expected based on light dose or temperature-weighted light dose. These conclusions apply only to aromatic engineering plastics and should not be assumed to hold for other kinds of materials, such as polyolefins or coatings, without experimental verification.     

Dissecting the intimate mechanism of cyanation of {2Fe3S} complexes related to the active site of all-iron hydrogenases by DFT analysis of energetics, transition states, intermediates and products in the carbonyl substitution pathway

A bridging carbonyl intermediate with key structural elements of the diiron sub-site of all-iron hydrogenase has been experimentally observed in the CN/CO substitution pathway of the {2Fe3S} carbonyl precursor, [Fe(2)(CO)(5){MeSCH(2)C(Me)(CH(2)S)(2)}]. Herein we have used density functional theory (DFT) to dissect the overall substitution pathway in terms of the energetics and the structures of transition states, intermediates and products. We show that the formation of bridging CO transitions states is explicitly involved in the intimate mechanism of dicyanation. The enhanced rate of monocyanation of {2Fe3S} over the {2Fe2S} species [Fe(2)(CO)(6){CH(2)(CH(2)S)(2)}] is found to rest with the ability of the thioether ligand to both stabilise a mu-CO transition state and act as a good leaving group. In contrast, the second cyanation step of the {2Fe3S} species is kinetically slower than for the {2Fe2S} monocyanide because the Fe2 atom is deactivated by coordination of the electron-donating thioether group. In addition, hindered rotation and the reaction coordinate of the approaching CN(-) group, are other factors which explain reactivity differences in {2Fe2S} and {2Fe3S} systems. The intermediate species formed in the second cyanation step of {2Fe3S} species is a mu-CO species, confirming the structural assignment made on the basis of FT-IR data (S. J. George, Z. Cui, M. Razavet, C. J. Pickett, Chem. Eur. J. 2002, 8, 4037-4046). In support of this we find that computed and experimental IR frequencies of structurally characterised {2Fe3S} species and those of the bridging carbonyl intermediate are in excellent agreement. In a wider context, the study may provide some insight into the reactivity of dinuclear systems in which neighbouring group on-off coordination plays a role in substitution pathways.     

Hydrocarbon chemistry : by G.A. Olah (C. Eaborn). J. Organomet. Chem., 334 (1987) C49-C50.

Sequential displacement of both N₂ ligands from cis-[Mo(N₂)₂(PMe₂Ph)₄] by CNMe occurs by a dissociative (I_d) mechanism (k₂/k₁～5,k₁ 0.020 min^?1 at 273 K) via the intermediate cis-[Mo(N₂)(CNMe)(PMe)₂Ph)₄] For t-BuNC substitution, the only detected intermediate appears to be [Mo(CNBu-t)(PMe₂Ph)₄] and no intermediate was detected in reactions of trans-[Mo(N₂)₂(Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂)₂] with CNMe. N₂ appears to be labilised by cis-ligands in the order t-BuNC > CNMe > N₂ > NCR.