Boron 1s photoelectron spectrum of 11BF3: vibrational structure and linewidth

The boron 1s photoelectron spectrum of (11)BF(3) has been measured at a photon energy of 400 eV and a resolution of about 55 meV. The pronounced vibrational structure seen in the spectrum has been analyzed to give the harmonic and anharmonic vibrational frequencies of the symmetric stretching mode, 128.1 and 0.15 meV, as well as the change in equilibrium BF bond length upon ionization, -5.83 pm. A similar change in bond length has been observed for PF(3) and SiF(4), but a much smaller change for CF(4). Theoretical calculations for BF(3) that include the effects of electron correlation give results that are in reasonable accord with the experimental values. The Lorentzian (lifetime) width of the boron 1s core hole in BF(3) is found to be 72 meV, comparable to the value of 77 meV that has been reported for CF(4).     

An NMR study of the species produced by the reactions of dialkyl magnesium and HCl with calcined silica and the polymerisation performance of Ziegler-Natta catalysts produced from this support material

The effect of calcinations on the silica surface groups and thereby on the activity of Ziegler-Natta catalysts in ethylene homopolymerisation has been studied. Silica was calcined at different temperatures and treated with MgR₂ and HCl. Silica surface groups were identified by using ¹H MAS NMR and ¹³C and ²⁹Si CP MAS NMR techniques. Magnesium, titanium and chlorine were measured by elemental analysis. Ziegler-Natta catalysts were prepared from these supports and subsequently used in ethylene homopolymerisation. Maximum activity was obtained with the catalyst based on 590 °C calcined silica. The results indicate that MgR₂ reacts with siloxane-groups (Si-O-Si) in the 300 °C calcined silica, leaving the hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl-groups unreacted. Low activity Si-O-Ti(Cl)₂-O-Si species are formed after reacting with TiCl₄. The higher activity in the catalyst based on 590 °C calcined silica can be explained by the formation of -Si(R)-O-Si-O-TiCl₃ groups, originating from the siloxane bridges which cannot form in 300 °C calcined silica. Other explanations for the higher activity are a higher Mg/Ti ratio or small amounts of crystal water formed in the 590 °C calcined silica.     

Syntheses and crystal structures of [Bu3SbCr(CO)5], [Bu3BiM(CO)5] (M = Cr, W), and [Bu3BiMnCp′(CO)2] (Cp′ = η-C5H4CH3)

Syntheses and crystal structures of [^tBu₃SbCr(CO)₅] (1), [^tBu₃BiM(CO)₅] [M = Cr (2), W (3)] and [^tBu₃BiMnCp′(CO)₂] (4) (Cp′ = η⁵-C₅H₄CH₃) are reported.     

The infrared spectra and theoretical calculations of frequencies of fac-tricarbonyl octahedral complexes of manganese(I)

The carbonyl stretching frequencies in the infrared spectra of 38 fac-tricarbonyl octahedral complexes of manganese(I) prepared in this laboratory were determined. These complexes may be grouped into three types: (a) neutral complexes of the structure (CO)(3)Mn(P-P)Z where P-P represents depe, dppe, or dppp, and Z represents various anionic functional groups bonded to the manganese; (b) ionic complexes of the structure [(CO)(3)Mn(P-P)Z](+)BF(4)(-) where Z represents various neutral molecules possessing one phosphorous, nitrogen, or oxygen atom coordinated to the manganese; (c) complexes of the structure (CO)(3)Mn(pn)Z where the chelating pn represents 1,1-diphenylphosphino-2,2-dimethylaminoethane, Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2)NMe(2). All of these complexes show three carbonyl stretching modes (2A' + A"). The effects on the frequencies of these modes induced by both the various Z groups and the various ligands are discussed. Theoretical calculations (B3LYP/6-31G) with optimization of the full molecule make it possible to distinguish between the three stretching modes and to make unambiguous assignments of appropriate symmetry species to each.     

Ligand discrimination in the reaction of nitrones with [PtCl2(PhCN)2]. Selective formation of mono-oxadiazoline and mixed bis-oxadiazoline complexes under thermal and microwave conditions

[2+3] Cycloaddition of nitrones to the nitrile ligands in the complexes cis- or trans-[PtCl2(PhCN)2] occurs under ligand differentiation and allows for selective synthesis of complexes of the type cis- or trans-[PtCl2(oxadiazoline)(PhCN)]. Microwave irradiation enhances the reaction rates of the cycloaddition considerably and further favours the selectivity towards the mono-cycloadduct with respect to thermal conditions, because the first cycloaddition is accelerated to a higher extent than the second one. Reaction of the trans-substituted mono-oxadiazoline complexes with a nitrone different from the one used for the first cycloaddition step gives access to mixed bis-oxadiazoline compounds of the composition trans-[PtCl2(oxadiazoline-a)(oxadiazoline-b)]. The corresponding cis-configured complexes, however, do not undergo further cycloaddition. All reactions described occur without isomerisation of the stereochemistry around the platinum center, independently of whether thermal or microwave heating is applied.     

Factors controlling the formation and stability of air bubbles stabilized by partially hydrophobic silica nanoparticles

Air bubbles have been formed using partially hydrophobic silica nanoparticles as the stabilizer. The particles were of primary particle size 20 nm, chemically treated to different degrees with dichlorodimethylsilane to render them partially hydrophobic. Above a certain bubble size range (typically 80-microm diameter), the bubbles seemed to be almost indefinitely stable, while for any size above 20 microm their stability against disproportionation is far better than bubbles stabilized by any protein film investigated in previous studies. A possible theoretical justification for this observation is presented. Bubbles could be formed by shaking water with the particles, but a much higher volume fraction of bubbles was obtained by pressurizing the aqueous phase to 5 atm overnight followed by suddenly releasing the pressure to nucleate bubbles within the silica dispersion. Sonicating the silica dispersion before nucleation also gave more bubbles, which were also found to be more stable. There appeared to be an optimum degree of surface hydrophobicity that gave maximum foamability and foam stability, where around 20-33% of the silanol groups on the silica surface had been converted to dimethylsilane groups. However, a sharp increase in stability occurred when between 1.8 and 2 mol dm(-3) NaCl was also included in the aqueous phase. The change in stability due to inclusion of salt can be rationalized in terms of changes occurring in the value of the particle contact angle. The effects of increasing sonication and an optimum surface chemical treatment can be explained by the need to make the particles sufficiently hydrophobic so that they adsorb strongly enough, while at the same time minimizing their tendency to aggregate in the bulk aqueous phase, which hinders their adsorption. Furthermore, confocal laser scanning microscopy of the bubble dispersions suggests that a large volume fraction of stable bubbles is only formed when the particles adsorbed to the bubbles are also part of a spanning silica particle network in the bulk aqueous solution, forming a weak gel with a finite yield stress.     

Industrial methods for the production of optically active intermediates

Enantiomerically pure amino acids, amino alcohols, amines, alcohols, and epoxides play an increasingly important role as intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry and agrochemistry, where both a high degree of purity and large quantities of the compounds are required. The chemical industry has primarily relied upon established chemical methods for the synthesis of these intermediates, but is now turning more and more to enzymatic and biotechnological fermentation processes. For the industrial implementation of many transformations alternative methods are available. The advantages of the individual methods will be discussed herein and exemplified by syntheses of relevant compounds.     

Application of low-pressure gas chromatography-ion-trap mass spectrometry to the analysis of the essential oil of Turnera diffusa (Ward.) Urb

Turnera diffusa Willd. var. afrodisiaca (Ward) Urb. (syn. T. aphrodisiaca) belongs to the family of Turneraceae and is an aromatic plant growing wild in the subtropical regions of America and Africa. It is widely used in the traditional medicine as e.g. anti-cough, diuretic, and aphrodisiac agent. This work presents a 3 min chromatographic analysis using low-pressure (LP) gas chromatography (GC)-ion-trap (IT) mass spectrometry (MS). The combination of a deactivated 0.6 m x 0.10 mm i.d., restrictor with a wide-bore CP-Wax 52 capillary column (10 m x 0.53 mm i.d., 1 microm) reduces the analysis time by a factor of 3-7 in comparison to the use of a conventional narrow bore column. Chromatographic conditions have been optimized to achieve the fastest separation with the highest signal/noise ratio in MS detection. These results allow fast and reliable quality control of the essential oil to be achieved.     

Os(II)-nitrosyl and Os(II)-dinitrogen complexes from reactions between Os(VI)-nitrido and hydroxylamines and methoxylamines

Reactions between the Os(VI)-nitrido salts (e.g., trans-[Os(VI)(tpy)(Cl)(2)(N)]PF(6) (tpy = 2,2':6',2"-terpyridine), cis-[Os(VI)(tpy)(Cl)(2)(N)]PF(6), and fac-[Os(VI)(tpm)(Cl)(2)(N)]PF(6) (tpm = tris(pyrazol-1-yl)methane)) and the hydroxylamines (e.g., H(2)NOH and MeHNOH) and the methoxylamines (e.g., H(2)NOMe and MeHNOMe) in dry MeOH at room temperature give three different types of products. They are Os(II)-dinitrogen (e.g., trans-, cis-, or fac-[Os(II)-N(2)]), Os(II)-nitrosyl [Os(II)-NO](+) (e.g., trans- or cis-[Os(II)-NO](+)), Os(IV)-hydroxyhydrazido (e.g., cis-[Os(IV)-N(H)N(Me)(OH)](+)), and Os(IV)-methoxyhydrazido (e.g., trans-/cis-[Os(IV)-N(H)N(H)(OMe)](+), and trans-/cis-[Os(IV)-N(H)N(Me)(OMe)](+)) adducts. The products depend in a subtle way on the electron content of the starting nitrido complexes, the nature of the hydroxylamines, the nature of the methoxylamines, and the reaction conditions. Their appearance can be rationalized by invoking the formation of a series of related Os(IV) adducts which are stable or decompose to give the final products by two different pathways. The first involves internal 2-electron transfer and extrusion of H(2)O, MeOH, or MeOMe to give [Os(II)-N(2)]. The second which gives [Os(II)-NO](+) appears to involve seven-coordinate Os(IV) intermediates based on the results of an (15)N-labeling study.