Microwave-Assisted Synthesis,Structure and Properties of a Nano-Double-Bowl-Like Heptanuclear Nickel(II) Cluster

A nano-double-bowl-like heptanuclear nickel cluster [Ni₇(mmp)₆(OH)₆]₂·(ClO₄)₂·12H₂O (1, Hmmp is 2-methoxy-6-methyliminomethyl-phenol) has been synthesized through the microwave-assisted reaction of Ni(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O with 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzaldehyde (Hhmb) and methylamine in distilled water only 29 min. The core of the complex 1 can be described as a double-bowl-like, while the dodecanuclear water cluster stands on the bowl. The magnetic investigation shows that 1 displays very weak ferromagnetic coupling between Ni^II ions.     

Influence of anodizing voltage mode on the nanostructure of TiO2 nanotubes

The nanostructure of self-ordered porous anodic TiO₂ nanotubes (PATNTs) has extraordinary influence on their physical and chemical properties. For this reason, extensive attention has been paid on pulse anodization to regulate the nanostructure of PATNT. However, the relationships between the nanostructures and current curves still remain unclear. Based on the traditional potentiostatic and pulse anodizations, five different modes (i.e., potentiostatic, pulse, triangle wave, decrease, and increase step by step) of applied voltage and their influences on the nanostructures of PATNT have been investigated in detail. The growing rates of the nanotubes anodized under five different modes were compared for the first time. The results show that the growing rate of pulse voltage anodization is the fastest, reaching 116.4 nm min^?1. The slowest is triangle wave voltage anodization, only 59.3 nm min^?1. When the applied voltage decreases step-by-step, branched nanotubes can be formed in the bottom of PATNT. Yet, when the applied voltage increases step-by-step, triple-layer nanotubes with different diameters are formed, and the forming mechanism of this special nanostructure is discussed. The present results may be helpful to understand the mechanism of PATNT and facilitate the assembling diverse nanostructures for extensive applications in photocatalysis, dye-sensitized solar cells, and biomedical devices.     

Synthesis of Chiral Exocyclic Amines by Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Aromatic Quinolin‐3‐amines

Asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic quinolin‐3‐amines was successfully developed with up to 94 % enantiomeric excess (ee). Introduction of the phthaloyl moiety to the amino group is crucial to eliminate the inhibition effect caused by the substrate and product, to activate the aromatic ring, and to improve the diastereoselectivity. This new methodology provides direct and facile access to chiral exocyclic amines. Notably, this report is the first on the highly enantioselective hydrogenation of aromatic amines.     

Reactivity of Oxygen Radical Anions Bound to Scandia Nanoparticles in the Gas Phase: CH Bond Activation

The activation of C?H bonds in alkanes is currently a hot research topic in chemistry. The atomic oxygen radical anion (O^?.) is an important species in C?H activation. The mechanistic details of C?H activation by O^?. radicals can be well understood by studying the reactions between O^?. containing transition metal oxide clusters and alkanes. Here the reactivity of scandium oxide cluster anions toward n‐butane was studied by using a high‐resolution time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer coupled with a fast flow reactor. Hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) from n‐butane by (Sc₂O₃)_NO^? (N=1–18) clusters was observed. The reactivity of (Sc₂O₃)_NO^? (N=1–18) clusters is significantly sizedependent and the highest reactivity was observed for N=4 (Sc₈O₁₃^?) and 12 (Sc₂₄O₃₇^?). Larger (Sc₂O₃)_NO^? clusters generally have higher reactivity than the smaller ones. Density functional theory calculations were performed to interpret the reactivity of (Sc₂O₃)_NO^? (N=1–5) clusters, which were found to contain the O^?. radicals as the active sites. The local charge environment around the O^?. radicals was demonstrated to control the experimentally observed size‐dependent reactivity. This work is among the first to report HAA reactivity of cluster anions with dimensions up to nanosize toward alkane molecules. The anionic O^?. containing scandium oxide clusters are found to be more reactive than the corresponding cationic ones in the C?H bond activation.     

Methane Activation by Diatomic Molybdenum Carbide Cations

Metal carbide species have been proposed as a new type of chemical entity to activate methane in both gas‐phase and condensed‐phase studies. Herein, methane activation by the diatomic cation MoC⁺ is presented. MoC⁺ ions have been prepared and mass‐selected by a quadrupole mass filter and then allowed to interact with methane in a hexapole reaction cell. The reactant and product ions have been detected by a reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer. Bare metal Mo⁺ and MoC₂H₂⁺ ions have been observed as products, suggesting the occurrence of ethylene elimination and dehydrogenation reactions. The branching ratio of the C₂H₄ elimination channel is much larger than that of the dehydrogenation channel. Density functional theory calculations have been performed to explore in detail the mechanism of the reaction of MoC⁺ with CH₄. The computed results indicate that the ethylene elimination process involves the occurrence of spin conversions in the C?C coupling (doublet→quartet) and hydrogen atom transfer (quartet→sextet) steps. The carbon atom in MoC⁺ plays a key role in methane activation because it becomes sp³ hybridized in the initial stages of the ethylene elimination reaction, which leads to much lower energy barriers and more stable intermediates. This study provides insights into the C?H bond activation and C?C coupling involved in methane transformation over molybdenum carbide‐based catalysts.     

Infrared spectroscopy of N-methylacetamide in water from high-level QM/MM calculations简

The infrared(IR) spectra of the N-methylacetamide molecule in water are calculated by using the MD simulation with high-level QM/MM corrections. The B3LYP and MP2 levels with 6-311++G** basis set are used for the QM region, respectively. Our results show all IR spectra at the B3LYP level are well consistent with the corresponding MP2 results. A dynamical charge fluctuation is observed for each atom along the simulation trajectories due to the electrostatic polarization(EP) effects from surrounding solvent environment. We find that the QM/MM corrected IR spectra satisfactorily reproduce the experimental vibrational features of amide I–III modes.     

(R)-3,3-二甲基-2-羟基-4-氧代丁酸乙酯的不对称合成

研究了异丁醛与乙醛酸乙酯不对称羟醛缩合反应合成(R)-3,3-二甲基-2-羟基-4-氧代丁酸乙酯,考察了催化剂种类及用量、反应时间、反应溶剂对羟醛缩合反应的影响。确定较佳反应条件为:L-组氨酸作催化剂,用量为乙醛酸乙酯物质的量的30%,乙二醇为溶剂,反应时间24h。(R)-3,3-二甲基-2-羟基-4-氧代丁酸乙酯的收率达75%,ee值为73%。产物结构经1H NMR,GC-MS进行了表征。     

固载脯氨酸的毛发状纳米粒子的合成及其应用研究

毛发状粒子表面的聚合物链是一个具有一定流动性的动态体系,其负载的催化剂综合了均相和非均相负载催化剂的优点,为手性催化剂的负载和实用化提供了一条新的途径。本文利用Si O2纳米粒子表面修饰制得的功能基,通过表面RAFT聚合,并经过氨基去保护后制得负载脯氨酸的毛发状纳米粒子。通过热重、红外和透射电镜对毛发状二氧化硅纳米粒子的结构进行表征,并将获得的毛发状纳米粒子作为催化剂直接催化不对称Aldol反应。     

A New Tetranuclear Cobalt Cluster with （1H-Benzimidazol-2-yl）-methanol Synthesis and Crystal Structure

A new tetranuclear cluster [Co4(bm)6Cl2]·(H2O)2·(CH3OH)(1, Hbm is(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-methanol) has been synthesized by solvothermal method and structurally determined by IR, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 belongs to monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 21.1713(5), b = 12.7948(3), c = 24.0195(9) , β = 95.309(3)°, V = 6478.6(3) 3, Z = 4, F(000) = 2568, Dc = 1.289 g·cm–3, Mr = 1257.63, μ = 9.096 mm–1, S = 1.000, the final R = 0.0861 and wR = 0.2552 for 4956 observed reflections with I 2σ(I). Two connected face-sharing cubes are observed in the framework of 1, each with one vertex missing. Complex 1 forms a 2-D network through N–H···O hydrogen bonds. The apparent holes can be observed.     

ZIF-67 derived carbon wrapped discontinuous CoxP nanotube as anode material in high-performance Li-ion battery

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) are prospective anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high theoretical capacities and low redox voltages. Herein, we report a template directing method to develop a tube-sheath hybrid composing of cobalt phosphide particles encapsulated in metal organic frameworks (MOFs) derived N-doped carbon sheaths (Co_xP@NC). The utilization of directing template leads to a homogenous distribution of the subsequently formed cobalt phosphide particles, restrains the aggregation of cobalt phosphides, and thus results in the superb rate capability and cyclability. Contributable to the integrated merits of the interior downsized cobalt phosphide particles and the outer ZIF-67 derived porous carbon sheath, the volume expansion during cycling is effectively suppressed. The Co_xP@NC hybrid shows superb electrochemical performance as anode material for LIB, with good reversible capacity of 928 mAh·g^?1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g^?1, and high stability of 526 mAh·g^?1 after 600 cycles at 1.0 A g^?1. This work provides a route for rational design of MOF derived carbon-based anode material for LIB, which could also be applied as a promising platform in diverse field.