AuICl-bound N-heterocyclic carbene ligands form MII4(LAuCl)6 integrally gilded cages

The incorporation of an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) moiety into a self-assembled MII4L₆ cage framework required the NHC first to be metallated with gold(i). Bimetallic cages could then be constructed using zinc(ii) and cadmium(ii) templates, showing weak luminescence. The cages were destroyed by the addition of further gold(i) in the form of Au^I(2,4,6-trimethoxybenzonitrile)₂SbF₆, which caused the reversibly-formed cages to disassemble and controllably release the Au^I-NHC subcomponent into solution. This release in turn induced the growth of gold nanoparticles. The rate of dianiline release could be tuned by capsule design or through the addition of chemical stimuli, with different release profiles giving rise to different nanoparticle morphologies.     

Antiferromagnetic versus ferromagnetic exchange interactions in bis(μ-O(oximate))dinickel(II) units for a series of closely related cube shaped carboxamideoximate-bridged Ni(4) complexes. A combined experimental and theoretical magneto-structural study

The syntheses, crystal structures, and the experimental and theoretical magnetochemical characterization for three tetrametallic Ni(II) clusters, namely, [Ni(4)(L)(4)(Cl)(2)(MeOH)(2)](ClO(4))(2)·4MeOH (1), [Ni(4)(L)(4)(N(3))(2)(MeOH)(2)](ClO(4))(2)·2MeOH (2), and [Ni(4)(L1)(4)(pyz)(2)(PhCOO)(2)(MeOH)(2)](ClO(4))(2)·7MeOH (3) (where HL and HL1 represent bipyridine-2-carboxamideoxime and pyrimidine-2-carboxamideoxime, respectively) are reported. Within the Ni(4)(2+) units of these compounds, distorted octahedral Ni(II) ions are bridged by carboxamideoximato ligands to adopt a distorted tetrahedral disposition. The Ni(4)(2+) unit, of C(2) symmetry, can also be viewed as a cube with single [O-atom] and double [NO oxime] bridging groups as atom edges, which define two almost square-planar Ni(O)(2)Ni rings and four irregular hexagonal Ni(NO)(2)Ni rings. To analyze the magnetic properties of 1-3, we have considered the simplest two-J model, where J(1) = J(2) (exchange interactions between the Ni(II) ions belonging to the Ni(O)(2)Ni square rings) and J(a) = J(b) = J(c) = J(d) (exchange interactions between the Ni(II) ions belonging to the Ni-(NO)(2)Ni hexagonal rings) with the Hamiltonian H = -J(1)(S(1)S(2) + S(3)S(4)) - J(a)(S(1)S(3) + S(1)S(4) + S(2)S(3) + S(2)S(4)). The J(1) and J(a) values derived from the fitting of the experimental susceptibility data are -5.8 cm(-1) and -22.1 cm(-1) for 1; -2.4 cm(-1) and -22.8 cm(-1) for 2, and +15.6 cm(-1) and -10.8 cm(-1) for 3. The magneto-structural results and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the exchange interactions inside the Ni(μ-O)(2)Ni square rings depend on the Ni-O-Ni bridging angle (θ) and the out-of-plane angle of the NO oximate bridging group with respect to the Ni(O)(2)Ni plane (τ), whereas the interactions propagated through the Ni-N-O(Ni)-Ni exchange pathways defining the side of the hexagonal rings depend on the Ni-N-O-Ni torsion angle (α). In both cases, theoretical magneto-structural correlations were obtained, which allow the prediction of the angle for which ferromagnetic interactions are expected. For compound 3, the existence of the axial magnetic exchange pathway through the syn-syn benzoate bridge may also contribute (in addition to the θ and τ angles) to the observed F interaction in this compound through orbital countercomplementarity, which has been supported by DFT calculations. Finally, DFT calculations clearly show that the antiferromagnetic exchange increases when the dihedral angle between the O-Ni-O planes of the Ni(μ-O)(2)Ni square ring, β, increases.     

A family of double-bowl pseudo metallocalix[6]arene discs

We report the synthesis and magnetic characterisation of a series of planar [M?] (M= Ni(II), Zn(II)) disc complexes [Ni?(OH)?(L?)?](NO?)? (1), [Ni?(OH)?(L?)?](NO?)?·2MeOH (2), [Ni?(OH)?(L?)?](NO?)?·3MeNO? (3), [Ni?(OH)?(L?)?](NO?)?·2MeCN (4), [Zn?(OH)?(L?)?](NO?)?·2MeOH·H?O (5) and [Zn?(OH)?(L?)?](NO?)?·3MeNO? (6) (where HL? = 2-iminomethyl-6-methoxy-phenol, HL? = 2-iminomethyl-4-bromo-6-methoxy-phenol). Each member exhibits a double-bowl pseudo metallocalix[6]arene topology whereby the individual [M?] units form molecular host cavities which are able to accommodate various guest molecules (MeCN, MeNO? and MeOH). Magnetic susceptibility measurements carried out on complexes 1 and 4 indicate weak exchange between the Ni(II) centres.     

A family of [Mn6] complexes featuring tripodal ligands

The synthesis and magnetic properties of four new Mn complexes containing tripodal alcohol ligands are reported: [Mn6(OAc)6(H2tea)2(tmp)2].2MeCN (1.2MeCN), [Mn6(acac)4(OAc)2(Htmp)2(H2N-ep)2] (2), [Mn6(OAc)8(tmp)2(py)4].2py (3.2py), and [Mn6(OAc)8(thme)2(py)4].2py (4.2py) [H3tea, triethanolamine; H3tmp, 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)propane; H2N-H2ep, 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol; H3thme, 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane]. All complexes are mixed-valent with a [Mn(III)2Mn(II)4] oxidation assignment and are constructed from four edge-sharing triangles but differ slightly in that complexes 1 and 2 display a [Mn(III)2Mn(II)4(mu2-OR)6(mu3-OR)4]4+ core, while complexes 3 and 4 feature [Mn(III)2Mn(II)4(mu2-OR)2(mu3-OR)4]8+ and [Mn(III)2Mn(II)4(mu2-OR)4(mu3-OR)4]6+ cores, respectively. dc and ac magnetic susceptibility studies in the 2-300 K range for complexes 1-4 reveal the presence of dominant antiferromagnetic exchange interactions, leading to ground states of S = 0 for 1 and 2, while complexes 3 and 4 display S = 4 ground states with D = -0.44 and -0.58 cm(-1), respectively. Single-molecule magnetism behavior was confirmed for 3 and 4 by the presence of sweep-rate and temperature-dependent hysteresis loops in single-crystal M vs H studies at temperatures down to 40 mK. Theoretical density functional calculations were used to evaluate the individual pairwise exchange interactions present, confirming the diamagnetic ground states for 1 and 2 and the S = 4 ground states for 3 and 4.     

High-spin M2+ carboxylate triangles from the microwave

The reaction of M(O2CMe)2.4H2O (M = Ni, Co) with NaN3 in pyridine/MeOH under microwave irradiation and controlled pressure/temperature leads to the formation of the trimetallic species [M3(N3)3(O2CMe)3(py)5] (M = Ni, 1; Co, 2) in 4 min and in high yields. Both complexes display dominant ferromagnetic interactions and high-spin ground states.     

A finite element model for ultrasonic cutting

Using a single-blade ultrasonic cutting device, a study of ultrasonic cutting of three very different materials is conducted using specimens of cheese, polyurethane foam and epoxy resin. Initial finite element models are created, based on the assumption that the ultrasonic blade causes a crack to propagate in a controlled mode 1 opening, and these are validated against experimental data from three point bend fracture tests and ultrasonic cutting experiments on the materials. Subsequently, the finite element model is developed to represent ultrasonic cutting of a multi-layered material. Materials are chosen whose properties allow a model to be developed that could represent a multi-layer food product or biological structure, to enable ultrasonic cutting systems to be designed for applications both in the field of food processing and surgical procedures. The model incorporates an estimation of the friction condition between the cutting blade and the material to be cut and allows adjustment of the frequency, cutting amplitude and cutting speed.     

1,1,1-Tris(hydroxymethyl)propane in manganese carboxylate chemistry: synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of a mixed-valence [MnIII4MnII4] cluster featuring the novel [MnIII4MnII4(mu3-OR)6(mu2-OR)8]6+ core

The reaction between MnBr(2).4H(2)O with H(3)tmp (1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)propane) in MeCN in the presence of Na(O(2)CCMe(3)) and NBu(4)Br produces the complex [Mn(8)(O(2)CCMe(3))(2)(tmp)(2)(Htmp)(4)Br(4)(H(2)O)(2)].2MeCN (1.2MeCN) in good yield. The centrosymmetric octanuclear molecule consists of four Mn(III) and four Mn(II) ions assembled together by fourteen alkoxo bridges to give a [Mn(III)(4)Mn(II)(4)(mu(3)-OR)(6)(mu(2)-OR)(8)](6+) rod-like core in which the metal centres are arranged in a planar zigzag fashion. Peripheral ligation is provided by a combination of bridging pivalate ions, terminal bromides and water molecules. Dc magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal the presence of dominant antiferromagnetic interactions leading to a spin ground state of S = 0. A rationalization of this result is attempted by structural comparison with previously reported tetranuclear manganese complexes containing the [Mn(III)(2)Mn(II)(2)(mu(3)-OR)(2)(mu(2)-OR)(4)] core in which the magnetic interactions are ferromagnetic.     

The automatic visualisation of carry-over in high-throughput flow injection analysis mass spectrometry

A high-throughput flow injection analysis mass spectrometry system (FIA-MS) was developed for the purity estimation of multiple parallel combinatorial chemistry synthetic samples, and has measured over 70 000 samples in two years. An in-house Visual Basic application called RackViewer allows a fast, direct, easy and economic inspection of the estimates at geographically dispersed laboratory workbenches via the corporate network. Due to the large numbers of samples involved, surreptitious inter-sample carry-over represents one threat to the accuracy of these purity estimates. It can become serious when reducing the measurement duty cycle in order to develop faster throughput rates. Over 400 samples drawn equally from five different combinatorial synthetic families were measured to explore this threat. By analogy with the colour rendering of the purity estimates, inter-sample carry-over was automatically calculated for each measurement, colour rendered and then depicted within RackViewer. Our FIA-MS in daily use has a median basal carry-over of 0.88%.