A pentanuclear bimetallic complex of manganese(II) and aluminium(III) ions: tetra‐μ2‐iodido‐iodidobis(μ3‐2‐methoxyethanolato)bis(μ2‐2‐methoxyethanolato)dimethyl(tetrahydrofuran‐κO)aluminium(III)tetramanganese(II)

The molecule of the title compound, [Mn₄Al(CH₃)₂(C₃H₇O₂)₄I₅(C₄H₈O)], contains one Al^III and four Mn^II ions. Two Mn atoms are five‐coordinate in the form of a trigonal bipyramid or a square pyramid. The two other Mn atoms are six‐coordinate with an octahedral geometry. The fourcoordinate Al atom is linked to the manganese core by μ‐O_alkoxo bridges, forming an almost planar five‐membered ring.     

On Raman optical activity sign-switching between the ground and excited states leading to an unusual resonance ROA induced chirality

Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra recorded for a chiral naphthalene diimide derivative (nBu-NDI–BINAM) dissolved in a series of solvents exhibit strong solute to solvent induced chirality with: (1) dominating bands of solvents, (2) nBu-NDI–BINAM resonance ROA (RROA) bands which are barely visible, (3) monosignate RROA Solvent spectra with an unexpected sign concordant with that of the ECD band of the resonant electronic state, (4) bisignate RROA bands for a few solvents, and (5) superposition of non-resonant and resonant ROA bands of the chiral solvents. The unusual ROA enhancement was explained in terms of resonance energy transfer with resonant Raman emission. The surprising RROA sign-switching was found to be due to specific conformational equilibria where one solute conformer dominates in the ground and the other in the first excited singlet state, and, the signs of the related ECD bands of these two conformers are opposite.

Unusual solute to solvent induced chirality in ROA comes from specific conformer equilibria in the ground and the excited states.     

Analysis of selected ionic liquid cations by ion exchange chromatography and reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography

The chromatographic behavior of 8 ionic liquids - 7 homologues of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium and 4-methyl-N-butylpyridinium - has been investigated with a strong cation exchange adsorbent. In particular, the dependence of the retention properties of these solutes on mobile phase composition, pH, and buffer concentration was evaluated with the aim of optimizing and improving the selectivity and retention of solute separation. While using the SCX stationary phase, several interactions occurred with varying strengths, depending on the mobile phase composition. Cation exchange, nonspecific hydrophobic interactions, and adsorption chromatography behavior were observed. Reversed phase chromatography occurred at low concentrations of acetonitrile, electrostatic and adsorption interactions at higher organic modifier concentrations. Elevated buffer concentrations lowered the retention factors without affecting the selectivity of ionic liquids. Obtained results were further compared to the chromatographic behaviour of ionic liquids in the reversed phase system. All analyzed ionic liquids follow reversed-phase behavior while being separated. Much lower selectivity in the range of highly hydrophilic compounds is obtained. This suggests preferred use of ion chromatography for separation and analysis of compounds below 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl side chain.     

Preparation and characterization of electrodeposited Ni-Ru alloys: morphological and catalytic study

Nickel-ruthenium alloys with various compositions have been deposited by electrodeposition for the first time. Cyclic voltammetry and linear stripping voltammetry measurements show that codeposition of nickel with ruthenium is possible below the potential value of nickel reduction. High-quality alloys containing nickel and ruthenium can be plated at cathodic potentials ranging from − 0.5 to − 1.0 V vs SCE. Deposited coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The diffractograms obtained show that an increase of nickel concentration in alloy will lead to a change in the phase composition and formation of NiRu (100) and (101) phases which is observed to be 78 mas.% Ni. SEM studies confirm the surface homogeneity and presence of small, regular grains. AFM observation allows the estimation of the real surface area of obtained alloys which increase with more negative electrodeposition potentials. Ni-Ru alloys were found to be highly electroactive in the water splitting process, which can be connected with the presence of the NiRu phase and a well-developed electroactive area.

Electrochemical deposition of Ni-Ru alloys with various composition and their catalytic activity in water splitting process

     

Silver based mercury film electrode: Part IV. Comparison of theoretical and experimental voltammetric results obtained for cadmium

Using the silver based mercury film electrode (SBMFE) and cyclic and stripping voltammetric techniques the behaviour of cadmium has been compared with the behaviour of lead as well as with the predictions of the theory of de Vries and van Dalen. At the SBMFE with film thickness between 0.1 and 2 μm lead behaves with good agreement with theoretical predictions and only at thicknesses higher than 2 μm some deviations occur due to collecting of the excess mercury at the bottom of the wire electrode. On the other hand even at thin film electrodes the behaviour of cadmium deviates significantly from the predictions of the theory. The height of the anodic peak decreases and its width increases; also the displacement of the potentials of both cathodic and anodic peaks is smaller than the values predicted theoretically. The deviations are caused neither by the formation of intermetallic compounds in the bulk of mercury phase nor by the formation of heterogenous cadmium amalgam; they reflect the interaction between cadmium dissolved in mercury and the solid silver amalgam which is the substrate of the mercury film. Owing to the effect discussed the stripping determination of cadmium at SBMFE is characterized by a lower sensitivity and reproducibility.     

The intermediacy of metathiophosphonate PhPSO in the reaction of N-tert-butyl-P-phenylphosphonamidothioic acid with alcohols

Kinetic studies of the reaction of N-tert-butyl-P-phenylphosphonamidothioic acid (1) with alcohols were carried out in CH2Cl2 by means of 31P NMR spectrometry. The reaction is of the first order with respect to thio acid 1. The first-order rate constant at 30 degrees C increases with increasing methanol concentration below 0.25 M, but otherwise the rate constants are either independent of alcohol concentration (MeOH above 0.25 M, BuOH) or decrease with increasing alcohol concentration (i-PrOH, t-BuOH). The effect of alcohols on the order of the reaction and parameters of activation, as well as results of competition experiments, lead us to the conclusion that reaction of 1 with alcohols occurs by an elimination-addition mechanism involving the association of the thio acid 1 and the alcohol and then formation in the rate-determining step of an encounter complex 2' ' involving metathiophosphonate 4, amine, and alcohol. Metathiophosphonate 4 reacts preferentially with the alcohol as the encounter complex (primary alcohols) or after diffusion apart as a "free" intermediate (hindered alcohols).     

Dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with nitrous oxide in the presence of mesoporous silica materials modified with transition metal oxides

The novel mesoporous templated silicas (MCM-48, SBA-15, MCF, and MSU) were used as supports for transition metal (Cu, Cr, or Fe) oxides. The catalysts were synthesized using the incipient wetness impregnation, and characterized by low-temperature N2 sorption, DRIFT, photoacoustic IR spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia. It was shown that the preparation method used results in different distributions and dimensions of the transition metal oxide clusters on the inert support surface. The prepared catalysts were tested in the reaction of oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene in the presence of nitrous oxide. The iron-containing catalysts showed the highest catalytic activity. The presence of isolated Fe3+ was found to be the most important factor influencing the ethylbenzene conversion. The undesirable effect of the increase in selectivity toward CO2 was observed for the samples with the highest concentrations of acidic surface sites.     

Thermal decomposition of surface compounds for the generation of small quantities of acetaldehyde: Calibration of a thermal desorption-gas chromatography-flame ionization detection

The paper presents a new method for the generation of acetaldehyde in the amounts that allow to calibrate the measuring system. The method is based on thermal decomposition of surface compounds at the range 130-190 °C, in which an acetaldehyde as the decomposition product is released. The synthetic pathway leading to the desired surface compounds is described. Investigations demonstrated that the synthesis of the compounds on the surface of the support material (silica gel) was carried out homogeneously. The technique proposed was used for the generation of gaseous standard mixtures containing acetaldehyde for the calibration of a thermal desorber-gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector system.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of phosphocarnitine enantiomers

Racemic phosphocarnitine 3 has been synthesized starting from diethyl 3-chloro-2-oxopropanephosphonate 4 in three steps involving reduction of 4 to the corresponding 2-hydroxyphosphonate 5, conversion of the latter to phosphonic acid 6, and final reaction with trimethylamine, affording the trimethylammonium salt of 3. Baker's yeast reduction of 4 and enzymatic kinetic resolution of (+/-)-5 afforded the enantiomerically pure precursors of phosphocarnitine, (R)-(+)-5 and (S)-(-)-5, which were converted to (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-phosphocarnitine 3, respectively.