Kinetics of thermal decomposition of Co3O4 powder and single crystals

Kinetics of thermal decomposition in vacuum of Co₃O₄ powder as well as single crystals has been investigated. Discrepancies with the results of previous authors have been discussed. Decomposition of Co₃O₄ proceeds through formation of a compact layer of CoO and hence diffusion is the rate-limiting factor. The experimental curves α(t) be described for 0.05 < α < 0.85 using a modified Ginstling-Brounshtein equation: 1 ? 2α/3 ? (1 ? α)^2/3 = ktⁿ where the activation energy varies with the degree of decomposition.     

Non empirical quantum mechanical calculations of the1H,13C,15N and17O magnetic shielding constants and of the spin-spin coupling constants in formamide,hydrated formamide and N-methylformamide

The magnetic shielding constants of the different atoms of formamide, hydrated formamide and N-methylformamide are calculated by anab initio method. For the protons of formamide the measured differences between their chemical shifts are correctly reproduced by theory, provided that the molecular geometry used as input is carefully chosen. The differences between the values of the magnetic shielding constants calculated for formamide and hydrated formamide show that intermolecular hydrogen bonding produces variations of chemical shifts for all the atoms of the molecule except the formyl proton. The calculated chemical shift variations between formamide and N-methylformamide are compared to the experimental values and discussed in relation with different hydrogen bonding possibilities of the two molecules. The calculation of the contact term of the spin-spin coupling constants of formamide and hydrated formamide shows that in most cases the measured trends are satisfactorily reproduced and that the variations of these terms upon hydration are less than 3%.     

Influence of response factors on determining equilibrium association constants of non-covalent complexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A method for determining the equilibrium association constant of a complexation reaction A + B left harpoon over right harpoon AB by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is described. The method consists in measuring the relative intensities of the peaks corresponding to A and to AB in equimolar A-B solutions at different concentrations C(0). The results are fitted by a non-linear least-squares procedure, with the two variable parameters being the equilibrium association constant K(a) and a factor R, defined by I(AB)/I(A) = R x [AB]/[A]. The factor R is the ratio between the response factors of AB and A, and corrects for the relative electrospray responses of the complex and the free substrate A, mass discrimination of instrumental origin and/or moderate in-source dissociation. The method is illustrated with the following two systems: complexes between a double-stranded 12-base pair oligonucleotide and minor groove binders, and cyclodextrin complexes with alpha,omega-dicarboxylic acids. For the oligonucleotide complexes, it is found that the response of the complex is not dramatically different to the response of the free oligonucleotide duplex, as the double helix conformation is disturbed by the drug only to a minor extent. In the case of cyclodextrin complexes, these complexes were found to have a much higher response than free cyclodextrin. This may be due to the fact that cyclodextrin is neutral in solution, whereas the complex is charged, but it can also stem from the fact that a significant proportion of the complex is in a non-inclusion geometry. The present method requires the exact determination of the concentrations of the reactants and is applicable to 1 : 1 complexes.     

Analyse conformationnelle de derives carbonylés du furanne et du thiophène par utilisation de la position et de l'intensite des bandes infrarouges

The carbonyl bands of 2-formyl and 3-formyl-furans [¹⁸O] are determined and explained. The magnitude of the inductive and mesomeric effects in 2-acyl and 3-acyl-thiophenes and furans is discussed on the basis of a comparison of the frequencies and the intensities of the v(CO) and v(CC) bands. The conformational preference of some aroyl-furans and aroyl-formyl-furans and the rotation around the C(Ar)-C(O) bonds are related to these parameters.     

Diastereoselective preparation of 2,4,6-trisubstituted-2'-cyanopiperidines: application to the construction of the carbon framework of perhydrohistrionicotoxin

The anodic cyanation of methanolic solutions of the 2-alkyl-N-phenylpiperidines 6b-d was performed in a flow cell equipped with a graphite felt anode. The reaction led to the formation of the 2-cyano-6-alkyl-N-phenylpiperidines 2b-d and proceeded with a high degree of regioselectivity. The 1H NMR spectra of the aminonitriles 2b-d showed an epimeric mixture at C-6. The major isomer has a trans configuration in which the cyano group is axial and the alkyl substituent is equatorial. Conversely, electrochemical oxidation of the 4-methyl-6-pentyl-N-phenylpiperidine 6e afforded the trisubstituted aminonitrile 2e as a single diastereomer (> 98% de). The 4-cyanobutyl side chain was incorporated in a two-step procedure to yield dinitrile 4e. This latter compound was directly converted into spiropiperidine 5e by using the Thorpe-Ziegler annulation procedure. The overall sequence (4 steps, 43%) allows the construction of the basic carbon framework of perhydrohistrionicotoxin.     

Alkyl- and aryl-substituted corroles. 4. Solvent effects on the electrochemical and spectral properties of cobalt corroles

Solvent effects on the electrochemistry and spectroscopic properties of alkyl- and aryl-substituted corroles in nonaqueous media are reported. The oxidation and reduction of six compounds containing zero to seven phenyl or substituted phenyl groups on the macrocycle were studied in four different nonaqueous solvents (CH(2)Cl(2), PhCN, THF, and pyridine) containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate. Dimers were formed upon oxidation of all corroles in CH(2)Cl(2), but this was not the case in the other three solvents, where either monomers or dimers were formed upon oxidation depending upon the solvent Gutmann donor number and the number or location of aryl substituents on the macrocycle. The half-wave potentials were analyzed as a function of the number of aryl substituents on the macrocycle as well as the concentration of added pyridine to PhCN solutions of the compound, and these data were combined with data from the spectroelectrochemistry experiments to determine the stoichiometry of the species actually in solution after the first oxidation or first reduction of each compound. The results of these experiments indicate that reduction of the bispyridine adduct (Cor)Co(III)(py)(2) proceeds via the monopyridine complex (Cor)Co(III)(py) to give in each case the unligated cobalt(II) corrole [(Cor)Co(II)](-). In contrast, pyridine remains coordinated after electrooxidation, and the final product was characterized as [(Cor)Co(III)(py)(2)](+).     

Synthesis of Unsubstituted and 4,4′-Substituted Oligobipyridines as Ligand Strands for Helicate Self-Assembly

A general strategy for the synthesis of oligobipyridine ligands 2 – 5 containing from two to five 2,2′-bipyridine subunits, for helical metal complexes is described (sec Scheme). Both the unsubstituted parent strands ( a series) as well as their derivatives bearing fester or amide functions in the 4,4′-positions of the bipyridine moieties ( b – d series) have been obtained.     

Etude théorique de derives substitués du benzène

Résumé Dans les conditions explicitées lors du premier article de cette série, la méthode semi-empirique de Pariser-Parr-Pople est appliquée à l'étude électronique des dialcoxybenzènes symétriques. Le calcul met en évidence l'influence de la position relative des substituants sur les potentiels d'ionisation, le déplacement des bandes électroniques du benzène et les intensités des bandes d'absorption. Pour les dérivés ortho et para, ce travail met en évidence l'existence d'un transfert électronique lors de l'excitation jusqu'aux deux premiers singulets excités, alors qu'un phénomène analogue se produit pour les quatre premiers singulets des composés méta. Enfin la réactivité chimique des positions substituables de ces molécules est discutée.

---

Theoretical study of substituted benzenesII. Symmetrical dialkoxybenzenes

In the conditions we gave in the first paper, the semi empirical Pariser-Parr-Pople's method has been applied for the electronic study of symetrical dialkoxybenzenes. These calculations show the effect of the substituants position on ionization potentials, spectroscopic shifts on benzene absorption bands and corresponding intensities. This work indicates that the excitation to the first and second singlet induces an electronic transfer from the heteroatom in the case of ortho and para derivatives; for meta compounds, the same phenomenon occurs for the four first singlets. At last, the reactivity of substituable positions is discussed.

---

Zusammenfassung Die im Teil I erfolgte Untersuchung der Monoalkoxybenzole wurde auf die entsprechenden Dialkoxyverbindungen ausgedehnt, wobei sich zeigt, wie Ionisierungspotentiale, Absorptions- und IntensitÄtsverschiebungen von der gegenseitigen Lage der Substituenten abhÄngen. Die ersten zwei SingulettübergÄnge zeigen im Fall der ortho- und para-Verbindungen Ladungsübergang; im Fall der meta-Verbindungen sind es die ersten vier.

     

Surface plasmon near-field imaging of very thin microstructured polymer layers

We report on the near-field imaging of microstructured polymer layers deposited on an homogeneous metal thin film on which a surface plasmon mode is excited. The microstructures in the polymer layers are designed by electron beam lithography, and the near-field imaging is performed with a photon scanning tunneling microscope (PSTM). We show that, despite their very small height, the microstructures can be conveniently imaged with a PSTM thanks to the field enhancement at the surface of the metal thin film supporting the surface plasmon. The influence of the illumination conditions on the contrast of the PSTM images is discussed. In particular, we show that both the field enhancement and the near-field intensity distribution around the microstructures depend dramatically upon the illumination conditions, leading to the conclusion that the PSTM is well suited for spatially resolved near-field surface plasmon sensing purposes.