Synthesis,characterization and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles with controlled size and morphology

Zinc oxide monodispersed nanoparticles were synthesized using a modified polyol process without any requirement to use a catalyst or calcination step at high temperature. The morphology and the size of the resulting oxide particles were adjusted by using several synthesis parameters (temperature, alkaline ratio, hydrolysis ratio, etc.). The increasing of the alkaline ratio results in a great change of the elaborated particles morphology that evolved from irregular and anisotropic forms (conical, nanorod-like and elliptical) to spherical one. A growth mechanism of these particles was proposed on the basis of zincite crystal structure and the morphology evolution as a function of the synthesis parameters. The photoluminescence spectra show UV-excitonic and visible emission bands. The strongest intensity of the visible emission was observed in nanorod-like particles, which implies an increased fraction of oxygen vacancies in this sample. The rod-like particles with 1 μm length show the dominant UV-emission, which evidences their improved stoichiometry.     

A convenient and efficient method for incorporation of pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5) substituents into aliphatic compounds

Both SF₅Cl and SF₅Br undergo smooth, high yield addition to alkenes and alkynes under the mild free radical chain reaction conditions of triethylborane initiation at low temperature, although the SF₅Br chemistry is somewhat limited by its competing high electrophilic reactivity with electron rich alkenes. The SF₅Cl addition reaction is relatively insensitive to a wide variety of non-allylic functionalities.     

Benzimidazole condensed ring systems. 5. Studies on the Synthesis of Pyrimido[1,6-α]benzimidazole-1,3(2H,5H)-diones

The reaction of ethyl 1H-benzimidazole-2-acetate (1) with methyl or ethyl isocyantes 2a,b resulted in excellent yields of the respective 2-methyl- or 2-ethylpyrimido[1,6-a]benzimidazole-1,3(2H,5H)-diones 3a,b , while the reaction of 1 with phenyl isocyanate (2c) gave, unexpectedly, ethyl 2-(1-phenylcarbamoyl-1H,3H-benzimidazol-2-ylidene)-2-phenylcarbamoylacetate (4). Alkylation of 3 with trimethyl or triethyl phosphates 5a,b led to the 5-methyl or 5-ethyl derivatives 6a-d . Chlorination of 6 with sulfuryl chloride afforded the 4-chloro derivatives 7a-d.     

Dipolar additions with 1-(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)- and 1-(4,6-dimethoxy-s-triazin-2-yl)-3-oxidopyridinium betaines

Cycloaddition to 1-(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)- and 1-(4,6-dimethoxy-s-triazin-2-yl)-3-oxidopyridinium betaines across the 2,6-positions of the pyridine rings with indene, acenaphthylene and ethyl cinnamate gave substituted 8-aza[3.2.1]bicycIooct-3-en-2-ones, whereas the [6π + 4π] cycloaddition reaction with 6,6-dimethylfulvene gave a tricyclo[6.3.1.0^2.6]dodeca-2,(6),4,9-trien-11-one. Structural and configurational assignments of the cycloadducts were deduced from ¹H nmr and ir spectral data.     

Metal–metal bonded alkaline-earth distannyls

The first families of alkaline-earth stannylides [Ae(SnPh₃)₂·(thf)_x] (Ae = Ca, x = 3, 1; Sr, x = 3, 2; Ba, x = 4, 3) and [Ae{Sn(SiMe₃)₃}₂·(thf)_x] (Ae = Ca, x = 4, 4; Sr, x = 4, 5; Ba, x = 4, 6), where Ae is a large alkaline earth with direct Ae–Sn bonds, are presented. All complexes have been characterised by high-resolution solution NMR spectroscopy, including ¹¹⁹Sn NMR, and by X-ray diffraction crystallography. The molecular structures of [Ca(SnPh₃)₂·(thf)₄] (1′), [Sr(SnPh₃)₂·(thf)₄] (2′), [Ba(SnPh₃)₂·(thf)₅] (3′), 4, 5 and [Ba{Sn(SiMe₃)₃}₂·(thf)₅] (6′), most of which crystallised as higher thf solvates than their parents 1–6, were established by XRD analysis; the experimentally determined Sn–Ae–Sn′ angles lie in the range 158.10(3)–179.33(4)°. In a given series, the ¹¹⁹Sn NMR chemical shifts are slightly deshielded upon descending group 2 from Ca to Ba, while the silyl-substituted stannyls are much more shielded than the phenyl ones (δ¹¹⁹Sn/ppm: 1′, −133.4; 2′, −123.6; 3′, −95.5; 4, −856.8; 5, −848.2; 6′, −792.7). The bonding and electronic properties of these complexes were also analysed by DFT calculations. The combined spectroscopic, crystallographic and computational analysis of these complexes provide some insight into the main features of these unique families of homoleptic complexes. A comprehensive DFT study (Wiberg bond index, QTAIM and energy decomposition analysis) points at a primarily ionic Ae–Sn bonding, with a small covalent contribution, in these series of complexes; the Sn–Ae–Sn′ angle is associated with a flat energy potential surface around its minimum, consistent with the broad range of values determined by experimental and computational methods.

The complete series of heterobimetallic alkaline-earth distannyls [Ae{SnR₃}₂·(thf)_x] (Ae = Ca, Sr, Ba) have been prepared for R = Ph and SiMe₃, and their bonding and electronic properties have been comprehensively investigated.     

Electroswitchable photoluminescence activity: synthesis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, photophysics, and X-ray crystal and electronic structures of [Re(bpy)(CO)3(C[triple bond]C[bond]C6H4[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C5Me5)(dppe)][PF6](n) (n = 0, 1)

A novel heterobimetallic alkynyl-bridged complex, [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C(5)Me(5))(dppe)], 1, and its oxidized species, [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C(5)Me(5))(dppe)][PF(6)], 2, have been synthesized and their X-ray crystal structures determined. A related vinylidene complex, [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond](H)C[double bond]C)Fe(C(5)Me(5))(dppe)][PF(6)], 3, has also been synthesized and characterized. The cyclic voltammogram of 1 shows a quasireversible reduction couple at -1.49 V (vs SCE), a fully reversible oxidation at -0.19 V, and a quasireversible oxidation at +0.88 V. In accord with the electrochemical results, density-functional theory calculations on the hydrogen-substituted model complex Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C)Fe(C(5)H(5))(dHpe) (Cp = C(5)H(5), dHpe = H(2)P[bond](CH(2))(2)[bond]PH(2)) (1-H) show that the LUMO is mainly bipyridine ligand pi* in character while the HOMO is largely iron(II) d orbital in character. The electronic absorption spectrum of 1 shows low-energy absorption at 390 nm with a 420 nm shoulder in CH(2)Cl(2), while that of 2 exhibits less intense low-energy bands at 432 and 474 nm and additional low-energy bands in the NIR at ca. 830, 1389, and 1773 nm. Unlike the related luminescent rhenium(I)-alkynyl complex [Re(bpy)(CO)(3)(C[triple bond]C[bond]C(6)H(4)[bond]C[triple bond]C[bond]H)], 4, complex 1 is found to be nonemissive, and such a phenomenon is attributed to an intramolecular quenching of the emissive d pi(Re) --> pi*(bpy) (3)MLCT state by the low-lying MLCT and LF excited states of the iron moiety. Interestingly, switching on of the luminescence property derived from the d pi(Re) --> pi*(bpy) (3)MLCT state can be demonstrated in the oxidized species 2 and the related vinylidene analogue 3 due to the absence of the quenching pathway.     

Electron counting and bonding analysis in triruthenium clusters containing sulfoximido ligands: true or false electron-deficient systems?

Triruthenium clusters containing a methylphenylsulfoximido cap or bridge, Ru₃(CO)₉(μ₂-H)[μ₃-NS(O)MePh] (1), Ru₃(CO)₁₀(μ₂-H)[μ₃-NS(O)MePh] (2), Ru₃(CO)₈(μ₃-η²-CPhCHBu)[μ₃-NS(O)MePh] (3), Ru₃(CO)₉(μ₃-η²-PhCCCCHPh)[μ₂-NS(O)MePh] (4), and Ru₃(CO)₇(μ₂-CO)(μ₃-η²-PhCCCCHPh)[μ₃-NS(O)MePh] (5) have been examined by EHT and DFT calculations in order to analyze the bonding present in the clusters and to establish the electron counting. They clearly show that a μ₃-sulfoximido group is not a 3e⁻ ligand as one may be led to think at first sight, but rather acts as a three-orbital/5e⁻ system, i.e. should be considered as isolobal to an N---R⁻ ligand. Because of some delocalization of its π-type orbitals on the sulfur and oxygen atoms, it is expected to bind slightly less strongly to metal atoms than classical imido ligands. Once in a μ₂ coordination mode, the sulfoximido ligand retains a lone pair on its pyramidalized N atom and becomes a two-orbital/3e⁻ ligand. It follows that clusters 1, 2, 4 and 5 are electron-precise, whereas cluster 3 is electron deficient with respect to the 18e⁻ rule but obeys the polyhedral skeletal electron pair electron-counting rules. Consistently, all the calculated clusters exhibit large HOMO–LUMO gaps and no trace of electron deficiency can be found in their electronic structures.     

Synthesis of tetracyclic and pentacyclic phenothiazines via benzotriazole methodology

Treatment of 10-(benzotriazol-1-yl)alkylphenothiazine with electron-rich alkenes in the presence of zinc bromide gave tetracyclic phenothiazines 4 and 9 as well as pentacyclic phenothiazines 5 , which have potential use in the pharmaceutical industry.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of cortical bone with ultrashort TE pulse sequences

PurposeNormal adult cortical bone has a very short T₂ and characteristically produces no signal with pulse sequence echo times (TEs) routinely used in clinical practice. We wished to determine whether it was possible to use ultrashort TE (UTE) pulse sequences to detect signal from cortical bone in human subjects and use this signal to characterise this tissue.Subjects and MethodsSeven volunteers and 10 patients were examined using ultrashort TE pulse sequences (TE=0.07 or 0.08 ms). Short and long inversion as well as fat suppression pulses were used as preparation pulses. Later echo images were also obtained as well as difference images produced by subtracting a later echo image from a first echo image. Saturation pulses were used for T₁ measurement and sequences with progressively increasing TEs for T₂* measurement. Intravenous gadodiamide was administered to four subjects.ResultsSignal in cortical bone was detected with UTE sequences in children, normal adults and patients. This signal was usually made more obvious by subtracting a later echo image from the first provided that the signal-to-noise ratio was sufficiently high.Normal mean adult T₁s ranged from 140 to 260 ms, and mean T₂*s ranged from 0.42 to 0.50 ms. T₁ increased significantly with age (P<.01).Increased signal was observed after contrast enhancement in the normal volunteer and the three patients to whom it was administered.Reduction in signal from short T₂ components was seen in acute fractures, and increase in signal in these components was seen with new bone formation after fracture malunion. In a case of osteoporosis, bone cross-sectional area and signal level appeared reduced.ConclusionSignal can be detected from normal and abnormal cortical bone with UTE pulse sequences, and this can be used to measure its T₁ and T₂* as well as observe contrast enhancement. Difference images are of value in increasing the conspicuity of cortical bone and observing abnormalities in disease.     

Mechanism of the carbopalladation of alkynes by aryl-palladium complexes

The reaction between trans-PhPdI(PPh₃)₂ and EtO₂C-CCH has been investigated. This carbopalladation step involved in palladium-catalyzed multicomponent reactions with alkynes gives the unusual trans-adduct EtO₂C-C(PdIL₂)CHPh 1 as the major complex formed by isomerization of the primary cis-adduct EtO₂C-C(PdIL₂)CHPh 2. The carbopalladation was regiospecific. A multicarbopalladation was also observed by successive carbopalladation of EtO₂C-CCH by the vinyl-palladium complexes themselves generated in carbopalladation steps, leading to cationic complexes.