Chemical vapor generation—electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry: new perspectives

Volatile species of Ag, Cu, Cd, and Zn were generated at room temperature by the addition of sodium tetrahydroborate (III) to an acidified solution of the analytes. The vapor-phase species were rapidly transported to a pre-heated graphite tube, the surface of which was previously treated with Ir as a permanent chemical modifier. The volatile species were trapped at the Ir treated tube surface, and the further heating of the furnace permits their determination by atomic absorption spectrometry. A univariate approach was used to achieve optimized conditions and derive the figures of merit. The limits of detection based on a 3σ_b criterion were 10 (1); 0.006 (6×10⁻⁴); 28 (2.8) and 1.1 (0.11) ng (μg ml⁻¹) for Ag, Cd, Cu and Zn, respectively. Precision of replicate measurements was typically approximately 10% R.S.D. Using a transfer line as short as possible should minimize losses of analyte during the transport to the graphite furnace. The overall efficiency of the volatile species generation and trapping process estimated for silver was 13%.     

Development of nano IrO<Subscript>2</Subscript> composite-reinforced nickel–phosphorous electrodes for hydrogen evolution reaction

Electroless and electroplated nickel electrodes are extensively used for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In the present work, TiO₂-supported IrO₂ mixed oxide composite was prepared and used to reinforce Ni–P electroless plates to be used as catalytic electrodes for HER. The electrodes exhibited high electrocatalytic activity when the electrodes were used for HER. All the parameters including particle size of the catalyst, surface roughness, and surface active sites were studied. The particle size of the IrO₂ catalyst in the mixed oxide was found to have high influence on the catalytic activity of the electrodes. Low overpotential as low as 70 mV at a current density of 200 mA cm⁻² was achieved with the mixed oxide-reinforced Ni–P electrodes.     

Homo- and hetero-bridged mixed-valence dinuclear complexes which contain the fragment ‘Rh(C6F5)3’

The reaction of the anionic mononuclear rhodium complex [Rh(C₆F₅)₃Cl(Hpz)]^t- (Hpz = pyrazole, C₃H₄N₂) with methoxo or acetylacetonate complexes of Rh or Ir led to the heterodinuclear anionic compounds [(C₆F₅)₃Rh(μ-Cl)(μ-pz)M(L₂)] [M = Rh, L₂ = cyclo-octa-1,5-diene, COD (1), tetrafluorobenzobarrelene, TFB (2) or (CO)₂ (4); M = Ir, L₂ = COD (3)]. The complex [Rh(C₆F₅)₃(Hbim)]⁻ (5) has been prepared by treating [Rh(C₆F₅)₃(acac)]⁻ with H₂bim (acac = acetylacetonate; H₂bim = 2,2′-biimidazole). Complex 5 also reacts with Rh or Ir methoxo, or with Pd acetylacetonate, complexes affording the heterodinuclear complexes [(C₆F₅)₃Rh(μ-bim)M(L₂)]⁻ [M = Rh, L₂ = COD (6) or TFB (7); M = Ir, L₂ = COD (8); M = Pd, L₂ = η³-C₃H₅ (9)]. With [Rh(acac)(CO)₂], complex 5 yields the tetranuclear complex [{(C₆F₅)₃Rh(μ-bim)Rh(CO)₂}₂]₂₋. Homodinuclear Rh^III derivatives [{Rh(C₆F₅)₃}₂(μ-L)₂]^·- [L₂ = OH, pz (11); OH, S^tBu (12); OH, SPh (13); bim (14)] have been obtained by substitution of one or both hydroxo groups of the dianion [{Rh(C₆F₅)₃(μ-OH)}₂]²⁻ by the corresponding ligands. The reaction of [Rh(C₆F₅)₃(Et₂O)_x] with [PdX₂(COD)] produces neutral heterodinuclear compounds [(C₆F₅)₃Rh(μ-X)₂Pd(COD)] [X = Cl (15); Br (16)]. The anionic complexes 1–14 have been isolated as the benzyltriphenylphosphonium (PBzPh₃⁺) salts.     

Extraction of rhodium and iridium with 4-(non-5-yl) pyridine

The extraction of rhodium and iridium with 4-(non-5-yl)pyridine (NP) was investigated. The rate of rhodium extraction increases with increasing concentration of NP and chloride ions. Spectroscopic studies indicate that the extracted species is an ion pair, RhCl^3?₆ 3HNP⁺. Under the conditions of optimum Rh extraction ([Cl^?]=3.7 M, [NP]=0.3 M, [H]=0.08 M), iridium is also extracted by NP with similar efficiency in the form of IrCl^3?₆ 3HNP⁺. The use of hypophosphorous acid to labilize rhodium results in a better extraction of rhodium without significantly changing the extraction of iridium. The efficiency and kinetics of the rhodium extraction improve with increasing chloride concentration. For [Cl^?] ? 3.7 M, [H₃PO₂]=2.5 M, [NP]=0.3 M and Ph ≈ 1.6, 82% of rhodium is extracted in 4 min and 95% in 30 min.     

Mixed-metal cluster chemistry VI: Phosphine substitution at CpMoIr3(μ-CO)3(CO)8; X-ray crystal structure of CpMoIr3(μ-CO)3(CO)7(PPh3)

Reactions of CpMoIr₃(μ-CO)₃(CO)₈ (1) with stoichiometric amounts of phosphines afford the substitution products CpMoIr₃(μ-CO)₃(CO)_8−x (L)_x (L = PPh₃, x = 1 (2), 2 (3); L = PMe₃, x = 1 (4), 2 (5), 3 (6)) in fair to good yields (23–54%); the yields of both 3 and 6 are increased on reacting 1 with excess phosphine. Products 2–5 are fluxional in solution, with the interconverting isomers resolvable at low temperatures. A structural study of one isomer of 2 reveals that the three edges of an MoIr₂ face of the tetrahedral core are spanned by bridging carbonyls, and that the iridium-bound triphenyiphosphine ligates radially and the molybdenum-bound cyclopentadienyl coordinates axially with respect to this Molr₂ face. Information from this crystal structure, ³¹P NMR data (both solution and solid-state), and results with analogous tungsten—triiridium and tetrairidium clusters have been employed to suggest coordination geometries for the isomeric derivatives.     

Thermoanalytical investigation of the synthesis of pyrazine and bipyrazine via the pyrolysis of the bis(pyrazinecarboxylate)copper(II) complex

The pyrolysis of hydrated bis(pyrazinecarboxylate)copper(II) under an argon atmosphere proceeds via the loss of the water molecules at 84–95°C, ΔH=40.4 kJ (mol H₂O)^?1 followed by the thermal decomposition of the complex at 284–325°C, ΔH=97.0 kJ·mol^?1, yielding 0.72 mole of pyrazine, 0.28 mole of bipyrazine, and 2 mole of CO₂ per mole of complex.     

RECP calculations for reactions of H2 with Pt,Os, Ir,and Re — a systematic comparison

Summary Relativistic effective core potential calculations have been carried out for the reactions of Pt, Os, Ir, and Re with H₂. The calculations demonstrate the importance of a singly occupied 6s orbital for forming a strong bond. Pt and Ir have low-lying states with such occupancy, whereas Os and Re only attains this through a rather costly excitation. In consequence, the reaction barriers are considerably smaller for Pt and Ir than for Os and Re.     

Iridium Complexes of 2,2′‐Bidipyrrins

The reaction of [{Ir(cod)(μ‐Cl)}₂] and K₂CO₃ or of [{Ir(cod)(μ‐OMe)}₂] alone with the non‐natural tetrapyrrole 2,2′‐bidipyrrin (H₂BDP) yields, depending on the stoichiometry, the mononuclear complex [Ir(cod)(HBDP)] or the homodinuclear complex [{Ir(cod)}₂(BDP)]. Both complexes react readily with carbon monoxide to yield the species [Ir(CO)₂(HBDP)] and [{Ir(CO)₂}₂(BDP)], respectively. The results from NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction reveal different conformations for the tetrapyrrolic ligand in both complexes. The reaction of [{Ir(coe)₂(μ‐Cl)}₂] with H₂BDP proceeds differently and yields the macrocyclic [4e^?,2H⁺]‐oxidized product [IrCl₂(9‐Meic)] (9‐Meic = monoanion of 9‐methyl‐9,10‐isocorrole), which can be addressed as an iridium analog of cobalamin.     

Electrochemical Investigations Give Some Insights into the Coordination Chemistry of New Stable Iridium(+1), Iridium(0), and Iridium(−1) Complexes

The redox chemistry of the stable tetracoordinated 16 valence electron d⁸‐[Ir^+I(tropp^Ph)₂]⁺(PF₆)^? and pentacoordinated 18 valence d⁸‐[Ir^+I(tropp^Ph)₂Cl] complexes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (tropp^Ph=dibenzotropylidenyl phosphine). The experiments were performed using a platinum microelectrode varying scan rates (100 mV/s–10 V/s) and temperatures (? 40 to 20 °C) in tetrahydrofuran, THF, or acetonitrile, ACN, as solvents. In THF, the overall two‐electron reduction of the 16 valence electron d⁸‐[Ir^+I(tropp^Ph)₂]⁺(PF₆)^? proceeds in two well separated slow heterogeneous electron transfer steps according to: d⁸‐[Ir^+I (tropp^Ph)₂]⁺+e^?→d⁹‐[Ir⁰(tropp^Ph)₂]+e^?→d¹⁰‐[Ir^?I(tropp^Ph)₂]^?, [k^s₁=2.2×10^?3 cm/s for d⁸‐Ir^+I/d⁹‐Ir⁰ and k^s₂=2.0×10^?3 cm/s for d⁹‐Ir⁰/d¹⁰‐Ir^?I]. In ACN, the two redox waves merge into one “two‐electron” wave [k^s_1,2=7.76×10^?4 cm/s for d⁸‐Ir^+I/d⁹‐Ir⁰ and d⁹‐Ir⁰/d¹⁰‐Ir^?I] most likely because the neutral [Ir⁰(tropp^Ph)₂] complex is destabilized. At low temperatures (ca. ? 40 °C) and at high scan rates (ca. 10 V/s), the two‐electon redox process is kinetically resolved. In equilibrium with the tetracoordianted complex [Ir^+I(tropp^Ph)₂]⁺ are the pentacoordinated 18 valence [Ir^+I(tropp^Ph)₂L]⁺ complexes (L=THF, ACN, Cl^?) and their electrochemical behavior was also investigated. They are irreversibly reduced at rather high negative potentials (? 1.8 to ? 2.4 V) according to an ECE mechanism 1) [Ir^+I(tropp^Ph)₂(L)]+e^?→[Ir⁰(tropp^Ph)₂(L)]; 2) [Ir⁰(tropp^Ph)₂(L)]→[Ir(tropp^Ph)₂]+L, iii) [Ir⁰(tropp^Ph)₂]+e^?→[Ir^?I(tropp^Ph)₂]^?. Since all electroactive species were isolated and structurally characterized, our measurements allow for the first time a detailed insight into some fundamental aspects of the coordination chemistry of iridium complexes in unusually low formal oxidation states.     

The Structures and Characterization of Two New Oxides of the Sr4PtO6 Type: NaCa3IrO6 and NaCa3RuO6

NaCa₃IrO₆ ( I ) and NaCa₃RuO₆ ( II ) crystallize with trigonal (rhombohedral) symmetry in the space group R3 c, Z = 6, for I a = 9.272(3) Å, c = 11.214(1) Å; for II a = 9.244(3) Å, c = 11.201(1) Å. NaCa₃IrO₆ ( I ) and NaCa₃RuO₆ ( II ) are isotypic to compounds of the Sr₄PtO₆ structure type. The structures have been solved by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction data analysis with the reliability factors for I of R = 0.032 and R_w = 0.039; and the the reliability factors for II of R = 0.024 and R_w = 0.031. The structure consists of infinite chains of alternating face-sharing MO₆ octahedra, where M?Ir or Ru, and NaO₆ trigonal prisms. The chains are separated by the calcium cations.