Coinage Metal Complexes with Di-tertiary-butyl Sulfide as Precursors with Ultra-Low Decomposition Temperature

We report here the synthesis of [Cu₂(TFA)₄(^tBu₂S)₂] ( 1 ), [Ag₄(TFA)₄(^tBu₂S)₄] ( 2 ) and [AuCl(^tBu₂S)] ( 3 ) (TFA=trifluoroacetate), which decompose in solution medium at ultra-low temperature (e. g., in boiling toluene) to afford phase-pure and highly crystalline Cu₉S₅, Ag₂S and metallic Au nanoparticles, respectively. The low decomposition temperature of these precursors is attributed to the facile decomposition mechanism in the di-tertiary-butyl sulfide ligand. These results are a significant step in the direction of establishing a general low-temperature strategy spanning a range of systems including thermodynamically metastable materials and incorporate them in technologies that are sensitive to the harsh conditions.     

Spray desorption collection: an alternative to swabbing for pharmaceutical cleaning validation

Spray Desorption Collection (SDC) allows for much larger areas of surfaces to be sampled compared to traditional swabbing techniques, providing a valuable pre-concentration advantage. Closely related to desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), analytes from the sample surface are collected onto a selected collection surface, which in a second step can be analyzed directly. Here we demonstrate the application of SDC as a large surface area sampling tool coupled with paper spray MS (PS-MS) and demonstrate its capabilities for cleaning validation of pharmaceutical equipment for both acidic and basic active ingredients from an aluminium surface.     

Binding of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate to lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase studied by fluorescence techniques

The solvatochromic fluorescent probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) has been used to study the hydrophobicity and conformational dynamics of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). The ANS to LCAT binding constant was estimated from titrations with ANS, keeping a constant concentration of LCAT (2 microM). Apparent binding constant was found to be dependent on the excitation. For the direct excitation of ANS at 375 nm the binding constant was 4.7 microM(-1) and for UV excitation at 295 nm was 3.2 microM(-1). In the later case, not only ANS but also tryptophan (Trp) residues of LCAT is being excited. Fluorescence spectra and intensity decays show an efficient energy transfer from tryptophan residues to ANS. The apparent distance from Trp donor to ANS acceptor, estimated from the changes in donor lifetime was about 3 nm and depends on the ANS concentration. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence emission and anisotropies have been characterized. The lifetime of ANS bound to LCAT was above 16 ns which is characteristic for it being in a hydrophobic environment. The ANS labeled LCAT fluorescence anisotropy decay revealed the correlation time of 42 ns with a weak residual motion of 2.8 ns. These characteristics of ANS labeled LCAT fluorescence show that ANS is an excellent probe to study conformational changes of LCAT protein and its interactions with other macromolecules.     

Anhydrous scandium, yttrium, lanthanide and actinide halide complexes with neutral oxygen and nitrogen donor ligands

Studies on lanthanide and actinide halide complexes with neutral O- and/or N-donor ligands have intensified in recent years due to their implications in homogeneous catalysis, magnetic and optical materials, as synthons for the synthesis of novel coordination and organometallic compounds and, for Ln(II) halide complexes, as reducing agents in organic synthesis. Synthetic strategies, structural diversity as well as some important properties and reactivities of these anhydrous metal (including scandium and yttrium) halide complexes are reviewed here. These complexes also hold potential as starting materials for constructing more sophisticated heterometallic assemblies by crystal engineering; the compounds of this class, either discrete ion-pairs or coordination polymers, being discussed separately under the heading heterometallic lanthanide and actinide halide complexes. The aim of this article is to provide a reference text for the researchers working in the lanthanide and actinide coordination chemistry field and to identify and signify the area of future research.     

Redistribution reactions of heteroleptic barium iodide derivatives: Synthesis and structures of trans-BaI2(DME)(triglyme), cis-BaI2(DME)(tetraglyme) and [Ba(tetraglyme)2]I2 · C7H8

The reaction between BaI₂ · 2H₂O and NaHFIP [HFIP = OCH(CF₃)₂] in a 1:1 stoichiometry gave the heterometallic compound NaBaI₂(HFIP)(H₂O)(THF)_0.5 (1). Attempts to recrystallize 1 in the presence of N- or O-donor ligands lead to redistribution reactions. Barium iodide adducts such as BaI₂(DME)₃ (2), trans-BaI₂(DME)(triglyme) (3) and cis-BaI₂(DME)(tetraglyme) (4) were isolated with DME as solvent. A similar behavior was observed for the reaction between BaI₂ · 2H₂O and NaTFA (TFA = O₂CCF₃) in a 1:1 stoichiometry in THF, and [Ba(tetraglyme)₂]I₂ · C₇H₈ (6) was isolated in the presence of excess tetraglyme. All compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR as well as single crystal X-ray studies for 3, 4 and 6. Compounds 3 and 4 are covalent adducts with eight- and nine-coordinate barium, respectively. Compound 6 is an ionic compound where two tetraglyme ligands wrap the 10-coordinate barium cation in a helical fashion. The presence of DME actually allows the coordination number of barium in the mixed-ligand adducts 3 and 4 to be tuned. The average Ba–O bond lengths (2.80 for 3 to 2.87 Å for 6) reflect the coordination number of the metal. The same observation is valid for the average Ba–I bond distance, 3.442 for 3 vs. 3.536 Å for 4.     

A single pulse shock tube study of pentene isomer pyrolysis

A single-pulse shock tube study of the four pentene isomers is carried out at 2 ± 0.16 bar and 900–1600 K. C₁ to C₆ species profiles were recorded using gas chromatography mass spectrometry analyses. The species are identified using mass spectrometry and quantified by flame ionization detection. High-pressure limiting and pressure-dependent rate constants for 2M1B, 2M2B and 3M1B + ? were calculated using RRKM theory with a Master Equation (ME) analysis using the Master Equation System Solver, MESS. A mechanism was formulated based on rate rules and theoretical calculations. Comparisons between experimental results and model simulations are provided for all of the five pentene isomers investigated with satisfactory agreement. Furthermore, an insight is provided into the influence of molecular structure on the reactivity of pyrolysis chemistry. Interestingly, it is found that the HACA mechanism is much less prominent for benzene formation compared to the role of cyclopentadienyl radical recombination with methyl radicals and also the recombination of propargyl radicals.     

A new method for decomposition in the Jacobian of small genus hyperelliptic curves

Decomposing a divisor over a suitable factor basis in the Jacobian of a hyperelliptic curve is a crucial step in an index calculus algorithm for the discrete log problem in the Jacobian. For small genus curves, in the year 2000, Gaudry had proposed a suitable factor basis and a decomposition method. In this work, we provide a new method for decomposition over the same factor basis. The advantage of the new method is that it admits a sieving technique which removes smoothness checking of polynomials required in Gaudry’s method. Also, the total number of additions in the Jacobian required by the new method is less than that required by Gaudry’s method. The new method itself is quite simple and we present some example decompositions and timing results of our implementation of the method using Magma.     

A motivated proof of the Göllnitz–Gordon–Andrews identities

We present what we call a “motivated proof” of the Göllnitz–Gordon–Andrews identities. A similar motivated proof of the Rogers–Ramanujan identities was previously given by G. E. Andrews and R. J. Baxter, and was subsequently generalized to Gordon’s identities by J. Lepowsky and M. Zhu. We anticipate that the present proof of the Göllnitz–Gordon–Andrews identities will illuminate certain twisted vertex-algebraic constructions.     

From discrete [Y(DMF)8][Cu4(mu3-I)2(mu-I)3I2] ion pairs to extended [Y(DMF)6(H2O)2][Cu7(mu4-I)3(mu3-I)2(mu-I)4(I)]1infinity and [Y(DMF)6(H2O)3][Cu(I)7Cu(II)2(mu3-I)8(mu-I)6]2infinity arrays by H-bond templating in a confined solvent-free environment

An ionic heterometallic species [Y(DMF)(8)][Cu(4)(micro(3)-I)(2)(micro-I)(3)I(2)](1) was isolated from a solution of CuI, NH(4)I and YI(3)(Pr(i)OH)(4) in DMF-isopropoxyethanol, and was converted in a confined environment by progressive substitution of the DMF ligands with water molecules first into a 1D zig-zag structure [Y(DMF)(6)(H(2)O)(2)][Cu(7)(micro(4)-I)(3)(micro(3)-I)(2)(micro-I)(4)(I)](1infinity)(2) and finally into a 2D sheet [Y(DMF)(6)(H(2)O)(3)][Cu(I)(7)Cu(II)(2)(micro(3)-I)(8)(micro-I)(6)](2infinity)(3) by H-bond templating.