Powder diffraction study of a coordination polymer comprised of rigid building blocks: [Rh2(O2CCH3)4.mu2-Se2C5H8-Se,Se']infinity

The crystal structure of a new hybrid product comprised of two rigid building blocks, namely dirhodium(II) tetraacetate, [Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4)] (1), and 2,6-diselenaspiro[3.3]heptane, Se(2)C(5)H(8) (2), has been solved ab initio using laboratory source X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) data. The rigid body refinement approach has been applied to assist in finding an adequate model and to reduce the number of the refined parameters. Complex [Rh(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(4).mu(2)-Se(2)C(5)H(8)-Se,Se'] (3) conforms to the triclinic unit cell with lattice parameters of a = 8.1357(4), b = 8.7736(4), and c = 15.2183(8) A, alpha = 77.417(3), beta = 88.837(3), and gamma = 69.276(4) degrees, V = 989.66(8) A(3), and Z = 2. The centrosymmetric P space group was selected for calculations. The final values of the reduced wR(p), R(p), and chi(2) were calculated at 0.0579, 0.0433, and 5.95, respectively. The structure of 3 is a one-dimensional zigzag polymer built on axial Rh...Se interactions at 2.632(6) A. The 2,6-diselenaspiro[3.3]heptane ligand acts as a bidentate linker bridging dirhodium units via both selenium atoms. The geometrical parameters of individual groups for rigid body refinement have been obtained from X-ray powder data for dirhodium(II) tetraacetate (1) and from single-crystal X-ray diffraction for diselenium molecule 2. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 are reported here for the first time. For 1 indexing based on XRPD data has resulted in the triclinic unit cell P with lattice parameters of a = 8.3392(7), b = 5.2216(5), and c = 7.5264(6) A, alpha = 95.547(10), beta = 78.101(6), and gamma = 104.714(13) degrees, V = 309.51(5) A(3), and Z = 1. The final values were wR(p) = 0.0452, R(p) = 0.0340, and chi(2) = 1.99. The 1D polymeric motif built on axial Rh.O interactions of the centrosymmetric dirhodium units has been confirmed for the solid-state structure of 1. Compound 2,6-diselenaspiro[3.3]heptane (2) conforms to the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with the unit cell parameters of a = 5.9123(4), b = 19.6400(13), and c = 5.8877(4) A, beta = 108.5500(10) degrees, V = 648.15(8) A(3), and Z = 4.     

Electronic spectroscopy of para-fluorotoluene clusters

We report (1 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectra for clusters of para-fluorotoluene (pFT)_n (n = 1–11). After n = 2, the spectra appear to have converged in appearance, suggestive of a dimer chromophore, with weak bonding for subsequent additions of pFT molecules. The spectra also indicate dramatic, vibrational-mode-sensitive changes of oscillator strength between the monomer and the clusters. We also briefly describe the results of probing different parts of the expansion, and varying the laser power.     

An inter-laboratory comparison for determination of cortisol in saliva

An inter-laboratory comparison study for cortisol in saliva is reported in the present study. Nine laboratories representing four different methods participated in the study. Each laboratory measured five blind samples prepared from natural saliva spiked with a pure certified reference material in the range 0–70 nmol/L. The average observed values were established as means of eight laboratories, because one laboratory was excluded as an outlier. The natural content of cortisol in the pooled saliva was 6.8 nmol/L. The recovery of the certified reference material was 83%–131% (164% for the outlying laboratory). For five laboratories the 95%-confidence intervals of the recoveries did not cover 100%. The standard deviations for a concentration of 10 nmol/L were estimated for each laboratory. They were 0.64–1.67 nmol/L (6.26 nmol/L for the outlying laboratory). The present study emphasizes the need for an external proficiency-testing scheme and a certified reference material for cortisol in saliva. Received: 8 May 2002 Accepted: 3 September 2002     

Ab initio modeling of amide I coupling in antiparallel beta-sheets and the effect of 13C isotopic labeling on infrared spectra

Isotopic substitution with 13C on the amide C=O has become an important means of determining localized structural information about peptide conformations with vibrational spectroscopy. Various approaches to the modeling of the interactions between labeled amide sites, specifically for antiparallel two-stranded, beta-forming peptides, were investigated, including different force fields [dipole-dipole interaction vs density functional theory (DFT) treatments], basis sets, and sizes of model peptides used for ab initio calculations, as well as employing models of solvation. For these beta-sheet systems the effect of the relative positions of the 13C isotopic labels in each strand on their infrared spectra was investigated. The results suggest that the interaction between labeled amide groups in different strands can be used as an indicator of local beta-structure formation, because coupling between close-lying C=O groups on opposing chains leads to the largest frequency shifts, yet some alternate placements can lead to intensity enhancements. The basic character of the coupling interaction between labeled modes on opposing strands is independent of changes in peptide length, water solvent environment, twisting of the sheet structure, and basis set used in the calculations, although the absolute frequencies and detailed coupling magnitudes change under each of these perturbations. In particular, two strands of three amides each contain the basic interactions needed to simulate larger sheets, with the only exception that the C=O groups forming H-bonded rings at the termini can yield different coupling values than central ones of the same structure. Spectral frequencies and intensities were modeled ab initio by DFT primarily at the BPW91/6-31G** level for pairs of three, four, and six amide strands. Comparison to predictions of a classical coupled oscillator model show qualitative but not quantitative agreement with these DFT results.     

Dynamic studies of surface reactions with microscopic techniques

Work function changes which are combined with surface processes can be investigated and used to characterize adsorption states during heterogeneous catalytic reactions. The oscillatory behaviour of the CO-oxidation was studied on palladium and platinum single crystal surfaces as well as on platinum field emitter tips. On macroscopic crystals the reaction was simultaneously characterized by mass spectrometric analysis and by work function measurements via a Kelvin probe with an area of ≈ 30 mm² being probed. In a second series of experiments photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM) was applied to follow surface processes with a spatial resolution of ≈ 1 μm. Finally, Pt surfaces were investigated with a lateral resolution of ≈ 20 Å by using field emission microscopy (FEM).

Gas phase coupling of oscillations as demonstrated by the simultaneous oscillations of two separated macroscopic crystals, was missing at small areas of a field emitter. The PEEM registers local oscillations under conditions where the Kelvin probe fails to register dynamic processes. FEM-data showed that critical radii for nucleation could be as small as few Å.     

A metathesis-based approach to the synthesis of 2-pyridones and pyridines

The ring-closing metathesis reaction has been successfully employed to form a range of dihydropyridone intermediates, which are in the correct oxidation state to undergo a base-induced elimination to reveal the aromatic 2-pyridone. This mild and novel approach to six-membered heteroaromatic compounds then provides access to a wide variety of substituted pyridines in excellent overall yield.     

Synthesis of methanethial s-oxide (sulfine) and alkanethial s,s-dioxides by fluorodesilylation. Stereochemistry of their cyclopentadiene diels-alder adducts

Fluorodesilylation of trimethylsilylmethanesulfinyl chloride 4 in the presence of cyclopentadiene gives 2-thiabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene endo-2-oxide,5; in a like manner 1-trimethylsilylalkanesulfonic anhydrides afford endo- and exo-3-alkyl-2-thiabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene 2,2-dioxides, with the endo isomer predominating. Sulfine and alkyl sulfenes are invoked.