Synthesis and Theoretical Investigation of a 1,8‐Bis(bis(diisopropylamino)cyclopropeniminyl)naphthalene Proton Sponge Derivative

We report herein the synthesis and characterization of a new proton sponge derivative, 1,8‐bis(bis(diisopropylamino)cyclopropeniminyl)naphthalene 4 (DACN), as well as its bis‐protonated counterpart 6 . A crystal structure of 6 is presented, along with variable temperature ¹H NMR data on the BF₄^? salt ( 6?BF₄ ). DFT calculations were performed to investigate the structure of the monoprotonated species 7 and to gain insight into the structural and electronic nature of all three species. The proton affinity (PA) of 4 , calculated at the B3LYP/6‐311G++(d,p)//B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) level, taking into account thermal corrections from the B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) method, was 282.3 kcal mol^?1, while its pK_a was estimated at 27.0. NICS calculations were performed to examine the changes in aromaticity within these systems upon each successive protonation. Lastly, homodesmotic reaction schemes were used in order to estimate the factors contributing to the strong PA predicted for 4 .     

Kinetics and mechanistic details of bulk ZnO dissolution using a thiol–imidazole system

Oxide dissolution is important for metal extraction from ores and has become an attractive route for the preparation of inks for thin film solution deposition; however, oxide dissolution is often kinetically challenging. While binary “alkahest” systems comprised of thiols and N-donor species, such as amines, are known to dissolve a wide range of oxides, the mechanism of dissolution and identity of the resulting solute(s) remain unstudied. Here, we demonstrate facile dissolution of both bulk synthetic and natural mineral ZnO samples using an “alkahest” that operates via reaction with thiophenol and 1-methylimidazole (MeIm) to give a single, pseudotetrahedral Zn(SPh)₂(MeIm)₂ molecular solute identified by X-ray crystallography. The kinetics of ZnO dissolution were measured using solution ¹H NMR, and the reaction was found to be zero-order in the presence of excess ligands, with more electron withdrawing para-substituted thiophenols resulting in faster dissolution. A negative entropy of activation was measured by Eyring analysis, indicating associative ligand binding in, or prior to, the rate determining step. Combined experimental and computational surface binding studies on ZnO reveal stronger, irreversible thiophenol binding compared to MeIm, leading to a proposed dissolution mechanism initiated by thiol binding to the ZnO surface with the liberation of water, followed by alternating MeIm and thiolate ligand additions, and ultimately cleavage of the ligated zinc complex from the ZnO surface. Design rules garnered from the mechanistic insight provided by this study should inform the dissolution of other bulk oxides into inks for solution processed thin films.

Oxide dissolution is important for metal extraction from ores and has become an attractive route for the preparation of inks for thin film solution deposition; however, oxide dissolution is often kinetically challenging.     

Microporosity of a Guanidinium Organodisulfonate Hydrogen‐Bonded Framework

Guanidinium organosulfonates (GSs) are a large and well‐explored archetypal family of hydrogen‐bonded organic host frameworks that have, over the past 25 years, been regarded as nonporous. Reported here is the only example to date of a conventionally microporous GS host phase, namely guanidinium 1,4‐benzenedisulfonate ( p ‐G₂BDS ). p ‐G₂BDS is obtained from its acetone solvate, AcMe@ G₂BDS , by single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal (SC‐SC) desolvation, and exhibits a Type I low‐temperature/pressure N₂ sorption isotherm (SA_BET=408.7(2) m² g^?1, 77 K). SC‐SC sorption of N₂, CO₂, Xe, and AcMe by p ‐G₂BDS is explored under various conditions and X‐ray diffraction provides a measurement of the high‐pressure, room temperature Xe and CO₂ sorption isotherms. Though p ‐G₂BDS is formally metastable relative to the “collapsed”, nonporous polymorph, np ‐G₂BDS , a sample of p ‐G₂BDS survived for almost two decades under ambient conditions. np ‐G₂BDS reverts to zCO₂@ p ‐G₂BDS or yXe@ p ‐G₂BDS (y,z=variable) when pressure of CO₂ or Xe, respectively, is applied.     

Thermochemistry of Binding of Lead(II) and Cadmium(II) by Saccharides in Aqueous Solution

Solution calorimetry was used to determine enthalpies and stability constants for binding of lead(II) or cadmium(II) by galacturonic acid and several monosaccharides in aqueous solution. New values for enthalpies of solution in water are reported for galacturonic acid and maltose monohydrate. The interaction of water solvent with the reactants is the largest factor in the binding process.     

Strong Bragg gratings photoinduced by 633-nm illumination in evaporated As2Se3 thin films

Bragg gratings are used in several photonic devices to reflect, and thus to isolate, specific wavelengths of light. Gratings can be photoinduced in chalcogenide glasses by illumination of bandgap light in an interference pattern. We used holographic interferometry to create Bragg gratings in amorphous As2Se3 thin films with a period of 0.56 microm by illumination with 633-nm light. The quality of the gratings was tested in real time, and refractive-index modulations as high as 0.037 were measured. These gratings were found to be stable over a period of several months if they were kept in the dark.     

Use of floating electrodes in transient isotachophoresis to increase the sensitivity of detection

We report a protocol for on-chip electrophoretic sample loading and sample component separation in which each operation requires simultaneous control of the potential of only two electrodes: during the sample-loading phase, the potentials at the ends of the separation channel are electrically floating; during electrophoresis of the sample mixture down the separation channel, the potentials at the ends of the sample-introduction channel are floating. This method, which we call "floating-stacking," avoids the dispersion/distortion of the sample plug that is commonly associated with simultaneous electrical control of only two electrodes in a crossed-channel or offset-double-tee injection system. Further, when this floating loading/separation is done in the presence of back-transient-isotachophoresis, sample loss from the plug of material being injected is minimal and a significant concentration increase--up to 13x--of the sample components in the separated bands occurs relative to the commonly used "pinch-and-pull-back" technique (which requires simultaneous electrical control of four electrodes).     

Yttrium polyoxometalates. Synthesis and characterization of a carbonate-encapsulated sandwich-type complex

Reaction of A-alpha-PW(9)O(34)(9)(-) with YCl(3) in an aqueous Na(2)CO(3) solution produces a dianion-encapsulated A-type sandwich polyoxometalate, (YOH(2))(3)(CO(3))(A-alpha-PW(9)O(34))(2)(11)(-). The X-ray structure of this complex reveals that three Y(III) ions are sandwiched between two A-alpha-PW(9)O(34)(9)(-) moieties and that a carbonate dianion is encapsulated in the same plane as the three Y(III) atoms. The oxygen atoms of the CO(3)(2)(-) are sitting at the midpoints of the sides of the triangle formed by the three Y(III) ions. (31)P and (13)C NMR studies confirm that this complex is significantly more stable than the analogous A-type sandwich polyoxometalates containing divalent metals.