Effects of alloying on the chemistry of CO and H2S on Fe surfaces

Deleterious gases such as CO and H(2)S can cause degradation of steel by reacting with the metal surface. Here we consider whether alloying the steel surface might be able to inhibit these damaging surface reactions by raising the barriers to molecular dissociation. We employ first-principles density functional theory techniques to investigate the elementary reaction pathways and barriers for CO and H(2)S on FeAl and Fe(3)Si surfaces and compare them with pure Fe surfaces (as a model for steel). We find that H(2)S dissociates on iron surfaces much more easily than CO does. Although FeAl surfaces raise the barriers for H(2)S dissociation, they significantly lower the barriers for CO dissociation. On the other hand, Fe(3)Si surfaces raise the barriers for CO dissociation, but they are as vulnerable as Fe surfaces to H(2)S dissociation. Our findings suggest that alloying iron with Al or Si is unlikely to simultaneously increase its resistance to the initial stages of chemical degradation by CO and H(2)S.     

Regioselective Re(I)-catalyzed coupling of terminal alkynes, Et2NH, and CO2 leading to anti-Markovnikov adducts

ReBr(CO)₅-catalyzed addition of Et₂NH and CO₂ to terminal alkynes afforded anti-Markovnikov adducts of alkenyl carbamates in good to excellent yield and high regioselectivity.     

Enhanced electrical conductivity in chemically modified carbon nanotube/methylvinyl silicone rubber nanocomposite

Chemically modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes/methlyvinyl silicone rubber (m-MWNT/VMQ) nanocomposites with relatively good dispersion of nanotubes were prepared by treating the surface of MWNT using γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (KH550). Significant enhanced electrical conductivity was discovered in the m-MWNT/VMQ nanocomposites. The results could be attributed a strong interaction between m-MWNT and VMQ which was from the chemically modification of the surface for MWNT. The electrical property was also discussed in order to understand the percolation and electrical transport mechanism. The m-MWNT/VMQ nanocomposites with high conductivity in this study are promising application as one of novel functional materials.     

Carbonyldinitrosyltris(fluorosulfato)tungstate(II) and ‐Molybdate(II) Anions: Synthesis,Spectroscopy, and Density Functional Theory Calculations

Carbonyldinitrosyltris(fluorosulfato)tungstate(II) and ‐molybdate‐(II) anions, [fac‐M(CO)(NO)₂(SO₃F)₃]^? (M=W, Mo), which are novel weakly coordinating anions that contain a metal carbonyl/nitrosyl moiety, have been generated in fluorosulfonic acid and completely characterized by multinuclear NMR, IR, and Raman spectroscopy as well as ESI mass spectrometry. ESI MS measurements performed for the first time on a superacidic solution system unambiguously reveal the formation of the monoanionic, mononuclear W and Mo complexes formulated as [M(CO)(NO)₂(SO₃F)₃]^? (M=W, Mo). Multinuclear NMR spectroscopic studies at natural abundance and ¹³C and ¹⁵N enrichment clearly indicate the presence of one CO ligand, two equivalent NO ligands, and two types of nonequivalent SO₃F^? groups in a 2:1 ratio. The IR and Raman spectra reveal that the two equivalent NO ligands have a cis conformation, thus indicating a fac structure. Density functional calculations at the B3LYP level of theory predict that these anions have a singlet ground state (¹A′) with a C_s symmetry along with C–O and N–O vibrational frequencies that are in agreement with the experimental observations. Mulliken population analysis shows that the monovalent negative charge is dispersed on the bulky sphere, the surface of which is covered by all the negatively charged O and F atoms with charge densities much lower than SO₃F^?, suggesting that [fac‐M(CO)(NO)₂(SO₃F)₃]^? (M=W, Mo) are weakly nucleophilic and poorly coordinating anions.     

Remarkable variations in the luminescence of frozen solutions of [Au[C(NHMe)(2)](2)](PF(6)) x 0.5(acetone). Structural and spectroscopic studies of the effects of anions and solvents on Gold(I) carbene complexes

The unusual luminescence behavior of the two-coordinate gold(I) carbene complex, [Au[C(NHMe)(2)](2)](PF(6)) x 0.5(acetone), is reported. Upon freezing in a liquid N(2) bath, the colorless, nonluminescent solutions of [Au[C(NHMe)(2)](2)](PF(6)) x 0.5(acetone) become intensely luminescent. Strikingly, the colors of the emission differ in different solvents and appear only after the solvent has frozen. Solid [Au[C(NHMe)(2)](2)](PF(6)) x 0.5(acetone) is also luminescent, and the luminescence is attributed to the formation of extended chains of gold(I) centers that are connected through aurophilic attractions. Crystallographic studies of [Au[C(NHMe)(2)](2)](PF(6)) x 0.5(acetone) and [Au[C(NHMe)(2)](2)](BF(4)), which is also luminescent, reveal that both involve extended chains of cations and that the anions are hydrogen bonded to the cations through cation N-H groups. However, these chains differ in the Au...Au separations in each and in the carbene ligand orientations. In contrast, [Au[C(NMe(2))(NHMe)](2)](PF(6)) forms a colorless, nonluminescent solid, and in that solid there are no Au...Au interactions, a factor which supports the contention that aggregated species are responsible for the luminescence of [Au[C(NHMe)(2)](2)](PF(6)) x 0.5(acetone) in the solid state and in frozen solutions.     

Optimization of the abnormal Beckmann rearrangement: application to steroid 17-oximes

A novel and practical procedure was developed for the abnormal Beckmann rearrangement of steroid 17-oximes. Treatment of the 17-oximes with TFA/CH(OMe)(3) in boiling THF for 2 h gives the corresponding 13,17-seco alkene nitrile products in unprecedented high yields (70-92%). Since the alkene nitriles can be subsequently converted into 18-norsteroids, this general method provides a highly efficient route to these biologically important compounds and, by extension, to other structurally related natural products.     

Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation. A short route to the cyclopentyl core of viridenomycin

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation effects a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation of racemic isoprene monoepoxide and a surrogate for Nazarov's reagent in which a quaternary center is created with exellent ee. The resultant adduct allows easy access to a substrate for ring-closing metathesis to form a cyclopentenone and sets the stage for an 11-step synthesis of the cyclopentyl core of the antibiotic antitumor agent viridenomycin. [reaction: see text]     

Copper-catalyzed arylation of amines using diphenyl pyrrolidine-2-phosphonate as the new ligand

[Chemical reaction: See text] We have developed a general, efficient, and inexpensive catalyst system for arylation of amines by using 10 mol % of CuI as the copper source, 20 mol % of diphenyl pyrrolidine-2-phosphonate (DPP) as the ligand, K3PO4 as the base, and DMF containing 2% water (v/v) as the solvent.     

TiO2 sol-gel derived amperometric biosensor for H2O2 on the electropolymerized phenazine methosulfate modified electrode

A novel hydrogen peroxide biosensor was developed based on the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in a TiO(2) sol-gel matrix on an electropolymerized phenazine methosulfate (PMS) modified electrode surface. Such membranes are of interest due to their high surface area, biological compatibility, and ease of fabrication. HRP entrapped in the TiO(2) matix was stable and retained its activity to a large extent. Cyclic voltammetry and amperometric measurements were employed to demonstrate the feasibility of electron transfer between immobilized HRP and the glassy carbon electrode via electropolymerized PMS. The influence of various experimental parameters such as operating potential, pH, temperature, and stability was investigated for optimum analytical performance. The biosensor provided a wide linear calibration range from 4.0x10(-6) M to 1.0x10(-3) M, with a detection limit of 8.0x10(-7) M at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The sensor retained 80% of its original activity after two months of operation.     

Perturbations in thenp 1,3 P Rydberg sequences of neutralYb probed by Zeeman-effect and lifetime measurements

Thenp P Rydberg sequence of neutral Ytterbium is strongly perturbed. These perturbations were monitored by measuring theg _J factors and lifetimes of 19 states, including both singlets and triplets as well as states from the perturbing configurations. A pulsed laser setup was used. Theg _J factors were obtained from a Zeeman quantum-beat experiment and the lifetimes by direct observation of the decay of the fluorescence light.