An in situ STM study on the long-range surface restructuring of Au(1 1 1) in a non-chloroaluminumated ionic liquid

We report an in situ STM study of a potential-dependent long-range surface restructuring of Au(1 1 1) electrode in neat 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborates (BMIBF₄) ionic liquid. Au(1 1 1) undergoes a significant long-range surface restructuring upon cathodic excursion to −1.0 V vs. Pt quasi-reference. The restructuring involves the formation of tiny pits, which then develops into a stable worm-like network with an average width of the network grids 2 nm. Electrochemical annealing occurs at the cathodic limit with the presence of a reduction product of cation BMI⁺. A smooth surface is recovered with the appearance of the typical (√3 × 22) reconstruction of Au(1 1 1). The surface restructuring is reestablished upon anodic excursion to −1.3 V after the adsorbed reduction product is oxidized. The long-range surface restructuring phenomenon is tentatively explained as a result of partial charge transfer to the weakly adsorbed BMI⁺, which reduces the metal–metal cohesive energy. In addition, the synergetic effect of the counter anion BF₄⁻ may also be involved. The results provide a knowledge of Au(1 1 1) electrode behavior in the neat ionic liquid and are beneficial to understanding in situ STM results involving surface morphological changes in such a media.     

A Novel Octahedral Hexasilver(I) Cluster: Ag_6[SSCN(n-C_4H_9)_2]_6

ＣｏｍｐｏｕｎｄｓｆｏｒｍｅｄｆｒｏｍＣｕ ,ＡｇａｎｄＡｕｗｉｔｈｄｉｔｈｉｏ ｌａｔｅｌｉｇａｎｄｓ ,ｓｕｃｈａｓｔｈｅｄｉａｌｋｙｌｄｉｔｈｉｏｃａｒｂａｍａｔｅ (ＤＴＣ) ,ｍｅｒｃａｐｔｏｔｈｉａｚｏｌｉｎｅ (ＨＭＴ)ａｎｄｄｉａｌｋｙｌｄｉｔｈｉｏｐｈｏｓｐｈａｔｅｓ(ＤＤＰ) ,ｈａｖｅｐｌａｙｅｄａｎｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔｒｏｌｅｉｎｔｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙ .1Ｃｕ(Ｉ) Ｓｃｌｕｓｔｅｒｓａｌｓｏｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎｉｍｐｌｉｃａｔｅｄｉｎｂｉｏｌｏｇｙａｓａｎ ｔｉ ｏｘｉｄａｎｔｓ .2Ｔｈｅｃｕｂａｎ…     

Determination of nalidixic acid by fluorometry with sodium borohydride and hydrogen peroxide

A simple and sensitive fluorometric method for the determination of nalidixic acid was established by using 0.75M sodium borohydride and 7.5% hydrogen peroxide solution as fluorogenic reagents. Analyte concentrations of 0.0232-11.6 pg/mL could be determined with high precision and accuracy by the method. A relative standard deviation of 1.75% was obtained for a nalidixic acid concentration of 0.232 pg/mL. The method was satisfactorily applied to the determination of nalidixic acid in human serum, fish muscle, and chicken muscle, and the calibration curves were linear from 0.23 to 58.00 pg/mL, from 9.28 to 32.48 mg/kg, and from 4.64 to 23.20 mg/kg, respectively. The specificity of the reaction is also discussed.     

Phase transfer catalyzed polymerization of 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol in the presence of either 2,4,6-trimethylphenol or 4-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenol

The synthesis of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) with one 2,6-dimethylphenol chain end (PPO–OH) and with well-defined molecular weight by phase transfer catalyzed polymerization of 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol ( 20 ) in the presence of either 2,4,6-trimethylphenol ( 1 ) or 4-t-butyl-2,6-dimethylphenol ( 1 ′) as chain initiators is described. The range of controllable molecular weights and the mechanism of molecular weight control are discussed based on the differences between the reactivities of 20 , 1 , and 1 ′ and of the corresponding reactive species. The PPO–OH synthesized from 20 / 1 ′ has structural units derived from 1 ′ attached only at the chain end. PPO–OH synthesized from 20 / 1 contains structural units derived from 1 both internally and at the chain ends. Structural units derived from side reactions were identified by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. A reaction mechanism is proposed to account for their formation.     

Bifunctional catalysis of Mo/HZSM-5 in the dehydroaromatization of methane with CO/CO2 to benzene and naphthalene

The catalytic dehydrocondensation of methane to aromatics such as benzene and naphthalene was studied on the Mo carbide catalysts supported on micro- and mesoporous materials such as HZSM-5 (0.6 nm) and FSM-16 (2.7 nm). The Mo catalysts supported on H-ZSM-5 having appropriate micropores (0.6 nm size) and Si/Al ratios (20-70) exhibit higher yields (90-150 nmol/g-cat/s) and selectivities (higher than 74% on the carbon basis) in methane conversion to aromatic products such as benzene and naphthalene at 973 K and 1 atm, although they are drastically deactivated because of substantial coke formation. It was demonstrated that the CO/CO₂ addition to methane effectively improves the catalyst performance by keeping a higher methane conversion and selectivities of benzene formation in the prolonged time-on-stream. The oxygen derived from CO and CO₂ dissociation suppresses polycondensation of aromatic products and coke formation in the course of methane conversion. XAFS and TG/DTA/mass-spectrometric studies reveal that the zeolite-supported Mo oxide is endothermally converted under the action of methane around 955 K to nanosized particles of molybdenum carbide (Mo₂C) (Mo-C, coordination number = 1,R- 2.09 å; Mo-Mo, coordination number = 2.3–3.5;R = 2.98 å). The SEM pictures showed that the nanostructured Mo carbide particles are highly dispersed on and inside the HZSM-5 crystals. On the other hand, it was demonstrated by IR measurements of pyridine adsorption that the Mo/HZSM-5 catalysts having the optimum SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios around 40 show the maximum Brönsted acidity among the catalysts with the SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios of 20–1900. There is a close correlation between the activity of benzene formation in the methane aromatization and the Brönsted acidity of HZSM-5 due to the bifunctional catalysis.     

Nickel-promoted ligand-free palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction

Summary A Ni-promoted ligand free palladium catalyst system for Suzuki coupling of aryl bromides has been developed in high efficiency under mild reaction conditions. It was obtained in situ by introducing NiCl₂ to PdCl₂/PVP using a parallel high-throughput screening technique. A wide range of aryl bromides bearing a variety of functional groups was evaluated.     

Ag(I) complexes with alkylidene-bis(2-aminopyrimidines) as building units for discrete metallomacrocyclic frames. A structural and solution study

Alkylidene-bis(2-aminopyrimidines) (pyr2Cx, x = 2-5) are useful ligands to interact with Ag(I) yielding discrete metallocycles. Crystal structures of the [(pyr2C2)Ag(NO3)]2 and [(H-pyr2C4)Ag(NO3)2]2 have been isolated where each macrocyclic moiety interacts with their surroundings through weak interactions, yielding 3D discrete structures, On the other hand, the solution study shows that the equilibrium constants for the formation of Ag(pyr2Cx)+ complexes are higher than the literature values for Ag(I) complexes with single pyrimidines, although the differences could be explained by invoking the solid-state structures of the Ag(I)-pyr2Cx complexes.     

Determination of mercury in soils and sediments by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry with slurry sampling

A graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometric procedure for the determination of mercury is presented, in which the samples are suspended in a solution containing hydrofluoric and nitric acids. Silver nitrate (4% m/v) and potassium permanganate (3%) are incorporated, in the order specified, and aliquots are directly introduced into the graphite furnace. A fast heating programme with no conventional pyrolysis step is used. The detection limit for mercury in a 125 mg ml⁻¹ suspension is 0.1 μg g⁻¹. Calibration is performed by using aqueous standards. The reliability of the procedure is proved by analysing certified reference materials.     

Liquid chromatography particle beam-mass spectrometry with massive cluster impact

A new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique is described that utilizes a particle beam interface to transport and deposit desolvated analyte molecules onto a target surface that is bombarded by a primary beam of massive multiply charged glycerol cluster ions to generate secondary ions for mass analysis. The massive cluster ion beam is generated by electrohydrodynamic emission from a solution of 1. 5-M ammonium acetate in glycerol. In the present instrumental configuration the massive cluster ion gun is placed above the target probe and the particle beam interface is connected through a side port of the mass spectrometer. The massive cluster ion beam and particle beam are intercepted by a target surface substituted for a conventional ion volume. The target surface is positioned such that it is ～ 45 ° to the primary cluster ion beam, the particle beam, and the mass analyzer axis. This geometric orientation represents a compromise among the performances of these three elements. The feasibility of this liquid chromatography-particle beam on-line with massive cluster impact is demonstrated by flow injections of acetylcholine chloride and gramicidin S. Spectra generated from this preliminary study indicate promise for routine liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of polar compounds by using a robust inlet and an effective generation of secondary ions without an added matrix.