Molecular orbitals of the oxocarbons (CO)n, n = 2-6. Why does (CO)4 have a triplet ground state?

Cyclobutane-1,2,3,4-tetrone has been both predicted and found to have a triplet ground state, in which a b(2g) σ MO and an a(2u) π MO are each singly occupied. The nearly identical energies of these two orbitals of (CO)(4) can be attributed to the fact that both of these MOs are formed from a bonding combination of C-O π* orbitals in four CO molecules. The intrinsically stronger bonding between neighboring carbons in the b(2g) σ MO compared to the a(2u) π MO is balanced by the fact that the non-nearest-neighbor, C-C interactions in (CO)(4) are antibonding in b(2g), but bonding in a(2u). Crossing between an antibonding, b(1g) combination of carbon lone-pair orbitals in four CO molecules and the b(2g) and a(2u) bonding combinations of π* MOs is responsible for the occupation of the b(2g) and a(2u) MOs in (CO)(4). A similar orbital crossing occurs on going from two CO molecules to (CO)(2), and this crossing is responsible for the triplet ground state that is predicted for (CO)(2). However, such an orbital crossing does not occur on formation of (CO)(2n+1) from 2n + 1 CO molecules, which is why (CO)(3) and (CO)(5) are both calculated to have singlet ground states. Orbital crossings, involving an antibonding, b(1), combination of lone-pair MOs, occur in forming all (CO)(2n) molecules from 2n CO molecules. Nevertheless, (CO)(6) is predicted to have a singlet ground state, in which the b(2u) σ MO is doubly occupied and the a(2u) π MO is left empty. The main reason for the difference between the ground states of (CO)(4) and (CO)(6) is that interactions between 2p AOs on non-nearest-neighbor carbons, which stabilize the a(2u) π MO in (CO)(4), are much weaker in (CO)(6), due to the much larger distances between non-nearest-neighbor carbons in (CO)(6) than in (CO)(4).     

Sesquiterpenes from the inner bark of the silver birch and the paper birch

The compositions of the mixtures of sesquiterpenoids, largely hydrocarbons that were found in the inner bark of the silver birch, Betula pendula Roth and the paper birch, Betulapapyrifera Marshall, grown in New Zealand were analyzed by SPME-GCMS. The major components of the volatile oil from the inner bark of B. pendula were trans alpha-bergamotene (31%) and alpha-santalene (19%). This composition was quite different from that of the oil from the branches, buds and leaves of the same species from Turkey, but was very similar to that of the oil from the bark of B. pubescens from Russia. The major components of the oil from the inner bark of B. papyrifera were trans alpha-bergamotene (18%), ar-curcumene (12%), E-beta-farnesene (12%), Z-beta-farnesene (10%) and cis-alpha-bergamotene (8%).     

Evidence for the formation of the (Ph3P)2Pt complex of 3,7-dimethyltricyclo[3.3.0.03,7]oct-1(5)-ene, the most highly pyramidalized alkene in a homologous series. Isolation and X-ray structure of the product of the ethanol addition to the complex

[reaction: see text] Attempts to isolate the (Ph(3)P)(2)Pt complex of the highly pyramidalized olefin 3,7-dimethyltricyclo[3.3.0.0(3,7)]oct-1(5)-ene 2 by generation of 2 in the presence of (Ph(3)P)(2)PtC(2)H(4), followed by crystallization of the complex (2-Pt) from THF-ethanol, resulted in the isolation of the adduct of 2-Pt with ethanol (5). Calculations confirm that addition of alcohol across the C1-C5 bond is more favorable in 2-Pt than in the corresponding (Ph(3)P)(2)Pt complexes of less pyramidalized olefins, despite the stronger Pt-C bonds in 2-Pt.     

Remote control of diastereoselectivity in intramolecular reactions of chiral allylsilanes

During investigations of cyclization reactions between chiral allylsilanes and N-acyliminium ions, it was discovered that a suitably positioned benzyloxy group on the allylsilane component caused a reversal in the diastereoselectivity of these reactions relative to that normally observed with alkyl-substituted allylsilanes. This effect was subsequently observed in two other reaction types. Investigations into this effect led to the proposal of product formation through thermodynamic control facilitated by neighboring group interactions with a transient cationic species. This hypothesis was experimentally supported by the isolation of an intermediate in the proposed mechanistic pathway.     

s- and p-wave neutron spectroscopy: Part VI. Level density and neutron excess

Neutron total cross-section curves for Ca⁴⁰, Ca⁴⁴, Cr⁵⁰, Cr⁵², Cr⁵⁴, Fe⁵⁴ and natural Fe, Ti, and Cr have been measured in the kev region. Level spacings have been estimated for the predominant isotope in each of the samples measured, and are compared to similar data found for even N, odd Z targets. After correcting for differences in the angular momenta and excitation energies, it is found that on the average (between A = 35 and 60) $\text{d [}\text{ln}\text{D}{}_0\text{(6}\text{Mev}\text{)] = (?}\text{ln}\text{D}{}_0\text{?Z}\text{)dZ + (?}\text{ln}\text{D}{}_0\text{?N}\text{) dN ? 0.3 dZ ? 0.3 dN}$, and hence D₀(6 Mev) is proportional to exp ?0.3(N ? Z). D₀(6 Mev) is the spin and energy independent spacing parameter. Except for slight signs of a maximum at N = 28, D₀ (6 Mev) appears (between A = 35 and 60) to be strongly dependent only on the neutron excess, N ? Z, and not on N, Z, or A; uncertainties in the correction for excitation are such that it is likely that the absolute value of the exponent, 0.3 (N ? Z) is a lower limit. Isotopic and J^π assignments of many resonances in the natural fluorine and chromium cross-section curves are suggested.