Two diamond-type octacyanometallate(IV)–nickel(II) assemblies chelated by macrocyclic ligands

Two octacyanometallate-based Ni^II–M^IV [M?=?Mo(1), W(2)] bimetallic assemblies chelated with tetradentate macrocyclic ligands have been synthesized by slow diffusion and characterized structurally. In both complexes, M and Ni centers acting as linker and connector, respectively, are connected by M–CN–Ni–NC–M linkages to form a 3-D diamond-type topological network. Magnetic behaviors of both complexes show a very weak antiferromagnetic interaction between Ni^II ions mediated by the diamagnetic [M(CN)₈]^4? bridges.     

Salt effects on macrophase separations in non‐stoichiometric mixtures of oppositely charged macromolecules: Theory and experiment

In the field of biological applications, polyelectrolyte complexes are proposed to encapsulate bioactive compounds, to deliver drugs, and also to transfect genes into cells under the name of polyplexes. Complex formation is obtained by addition of a polycation solution into a polyanion solution or vice‐versa. This work proposes a theoretical approach to describe complex formation in the case of non‐stoichiometric mixtures of oppositely charged macroions having different degrees of ionization and different degrees of polymerization under different salt conditions. In a second part, comparison was made with experimental data collected when a weak polybase, namely poly(l ‐lysine) under its bromide form was added stepwise to solutions of various polyanions under their sodium salt form, namely poly(l ‐lysine citramide imide), poly(l ‐lysine citramide), and poly(β‐malic acid), the latter lacking hydroxyl groups attached to the main chain. The stability of stroichiometric complexes made of poly(l ‐lysine) and poly(l ‐lysine citramide) having different molecular masses is discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1717–1730     

The Efect of Queueing Strategy on Network Trafc

In recent years,the transportation system has been faced by increasing challenge in congestion and inefciency,and research in trafc network has become a significant area of interest.In this paper,we introduce a dynamic-information-based(DIB)queueing strategy into network trafc model under the efcient routing strategy.DIB makes a packet with higher priority to be delivered if there are less packets travelling along its path from the current node to the destination.It is found that,compared with the traditional first-in-first-out(FIFO)queueing strategy,DIB can efectively balance the trafc load of the system via delaying packets to be delivered to congested nodes.Although the network capacity has no obvious changes,some other indexes which reflect transportation efciency are efciently improved in the congestion state.Besides,extensive simulation results and discussions are provided to explain the phenomena.The results may provide novel insights for research on trafc systems.     

Photoswitchable Composite Polymer Electrolytes Using Spiropyran-Immobilized Nanoporous Templates

Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) with smart, stimuli-responsive characteristics have gained considerable attention owing to their noninvasive manipulation and applications in future technologies. To address this potential, in this work, we demonstrate photoresponsive composite polymer electrolytes, consisting of gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) and spiropyran-immobilized nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (SP-AAO) templates. Under UV irradiation, the close SP form isomerizes to the open merocyanine (MC) form, creating extremely polarized AAO surfaces; whereas, under visible light irradiation, the MC form reverts to the SP form, creating neutral surface conditions. The electrostatic interactions between ions and AAO surfaces are investigated by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Moreover, the behavior of ionic conductivity of the GPE@SP-AAO is found to be consistent with the kinetics of isomerization tracked by UV-Vis spectroscopy. This work provides a promising platform for developing next-generation photoelectronic smart devices.     

Cobalt titanate–cobalt oxide composite thin films deposited from heterobimetallic precursor

A single molecular heterobimetallic complex, [Co₂Ti(μ₃‐O)(TFA)₆(THF)₃] (1) [TFA = trifluoroacetate, THF = tetrahydrofuran], was synthesized, structurally and spectroscopically characterized and implemented as a single‐source precursor for the preparation of CoTiO₃–CoO composite thin films by aerosol‐assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD). The precursor complex was prepared by interaction of Co(OAc)₂.4H₂O [OAc = (CH₃COO^?)] with Ti(iso‐propoxide)₄ in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid in THF, and was analysed by melting point, CHN, FT‐IR, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The precursor complex thermally decomposed at 480 °C to give a residual mass corresponding to a CoTiO₃–CoO composite material. Good‐quality crystalline CoTiO₃–CoO composite thin films deposited at 500 °C by AACVD and characterized through powder X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy/energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy show that the crystallites have a rose‐flower‐like morphology with an average petal size in the range of 2–6 µm. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A mixed‐ligand quinazoline‐based Ni(II) Schiff base complex: Synthesis,characterization, crystal structure,antimicrobial investigation and catalytic activity for the synthesis of 2H–indazolo[2,1‐b]phthalazine‐triones

A tridentate Schiff base ligand, (E)‐3‐((2‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxybenzylidene)amino)‐2‐methylquinazolin‐4(3H)‐one [HL], and its mixed‐ligand Ni(II) complex [Ni(L)(imi)], were synthesized and fully characterized using elemental analysis, FT‐IR, UV–Vis and ¹HNMR spectroscopy techniques. The structure of the synthesized ligand and complex was determined with single crystal X‐ray diffraction method. In the complex, a square planner geometry was observed around the Ni(II) central atom coordinated with the donor atoms of the Schiff base ligand and one nitrogen of imidazole group. In addition, the catalytic activity of the complex on the three‐component condensation of hydrazine hydrate with phthalic anhydride and dimedone to obtain 2H–indazolo[2,1‐b]phthalazine‐triones was investigated. Furthermore, in‐vitro antimicrobial studies were performed that indicated the great antibacterial activities of the Ni(II) complex against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus bacteria.     

Poisson–Boltzmann for oppositely charged bodies: an explicit derivation

The interaction between two parallel charged plates in ionic solution is a general starting point for studying colloidal complexes. An intuitive expression of the pressure exerted on the plates is usually proposed, which includes an electrostatic plus an osmotic contribution. We present here an explicit and self-consistent derivation of this formula in the only framework of the Poisson–Boltzmann (PB) theory. We also show that, depending on external constraints, the correct thermodynamic potential can differ from the usual PB free energy. For asymmetric, oppositely charged plates, the resulting expression predicts a non-trivial equilibrium position with the plates separated by a finite distance. The depth of this energy minimum is decisive for the stability of the complex. It is therefore crucial to obtain its explicit dependence on the charge densities of the plates and on the ion concentration. Analytic expressions for the position and depth of the energy minimum were derived in 1975 by Ohshima [Colloid Polym. Sci. 253, 150 (1975)] but, surprisingly, these important results seem to have been overlooked. We retrieve these expressions in a simpler formalism, more familiar to the physics community, and give a physical interpretation of the observed behavior.     

Synthesis,crystal structure and magnetic property of a maleonitriledithiolate nickel(III) complex containing an ammonium crown ether cation

The synthesis, molecular structure and spectroscopic and magnetic properties of (NH₄)₂(15-crown-5)₃[Ni(mnt)₂]₂ (mnt?=?maleonitriledithiolate dianion) are reported. The most notable structural feature of (NH₄)₂(15-crown-5)₃[Ni(mnt)₂]₂ is that the ions form a stacked structure with well-separated columns along the c and a axes. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate strong antiferromagnetic interactions in the complex.     

A dinuclear diamagnetic copper(II) complex [Cu2(ophen)2]Cl2 with hydroxylated phen

A dinuclear diamagnetic copper(II) complex, [Cu₂(ophen)₂]Cl₂ (Hophen = 2-hydroxy-1,10-phenanthroline), has been synthesized and characterized, providing good structural evidence for the long-debated Gillard mechanism.