Simultaneous speciation of mercury and butyltin compounds in natural waters and snow by propylation and species-specific isotope dilution mass spectrometry analysis

A robust method has been developed for simultaneous determination of mercury and butyltin compounds in aqueous samples. This method is capable of providing accurate results for analyte concentrations in the picogram per liter to nanogram per liter range. The simultaneous determination of the mercury and tin compounds is achieved by species-specific isotope dilution, derivatization, and gas chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (GC–ICP–MS). In derivatization by ethylation and propylation, reaction conditions such as pH and the effect of chloride were carefully studied. Ethylation was found to be more sensitive to matrix effects, especially for mercury compounds. Propylation was thus the preferred derivatization method for simultaneous determination of organomercury and organotin compounds in environmental samples. The analytical method is highly accurate and precise, with RSD values of 1 and 3% for analyte concentrations in the picogram per liter to nanogram per liter range. By use of cleaning procedures and SIDMS blank measurements, detection limits in the range 10–60 pg L^–1 were achieved; these are suitable for determination of background levels of these contaminants in environmental samples. This was demonstrated by using the method for analysis of real snow and seawater samples. This work illustrates the great advantage of species-specific isotope dilution for the validation of an analytical speciation method—the possibility of overcoming species transformations and non-quantitative recovery. Analysis time is saved by use of the simultaneous method, because of the use of a single sample-preparation procedure and one analysis.     

Surface reactivity of carbon monoxide with different gases on ruthenium film under UV illumination

Some photocatalytic reactions on a Ru film, where carbon monoxide participates as a reactant have been studied by means of mass spectrometry. Under UV irradiation carbon monoxide is oxidized to carbon dioxide if treated with oxygen. It is transformed to methanol in the presence of hydrogen, and in mixture with water gives hydrocarbon species.     

Aldol condensations over reconstructed Mg-Al hydrotalcites: structure-activity relationships related to the rehydration method

Two different rehydration procedures in the liquid or gas phase have been applied to reconstruct mixed oxides derived from calcined hydrotalcite-like materials to be used as catalysts for aldol condensation reactions. The as-synthesized hydrotalcite, its decomposition product, as well as the reconstructed solids upon rehydration were characterized by XRD, N(2) adsorption, He pycnometry, FTIR, SEM, TEM, (27)Al MAS-NMR and CO(2)-TPD (TPD=temperature-programmed desorption). Compared to the Mg-Al mixed oxide rehydrated in the gas phase (HT-rg), that rehydrated in the liquid phase (HT-rl) exhibits a superior catalytic performance with respect to the aldol condensation of citral with ketones to yield pseudoionones and in the self-aldolization of acetone. The textural properties of HT-rl and HT-rg differ strongly and determine the catalytic behavior. A memory effect led to a higher degree of reconstruction of the lamellar structure when the mixed oxide was rehydrated in the gas phase rather than in the liquid phase, although liquid-phase rehydration under fast stirring produced a surface area that was 26 times greater. This contrasts to typical statements in the literature claiming a higher degree of reconstruction in the presence of large amounts of water in the medium. CO(2)-TPD shows that the number of OH(-) groups and their nature are very similar in HT-rg and HT-rl, and cannot explain the markedly different catalytic behavior. Accordingly, only a small fraction of the available basic sites in the rehydrated samples is active in liquid-phase aldol condensations. Our results support the model in which only basic sites near the edges of the hydrotalcite platelets are partaking in aldol reactions. Based on this, reconstructed materials with small crystallites (produced by exfoliation during mechanical stirring), that is, possessing a high external surface area, are beneficial in the reactions compared to larger crystals with a high degree of intraplatelet porosity.     

Actinide heterobimetallic oxides (Th, U): reduction studies

In our laboratories we have been studying the synthesis and reactivity of binary actinide and lanthanide intermetallic compounds. In this work, the air-oxidation of ThCu₂ and AnNi₂ (An = Th, U) was followed by thermogravimetry (TG) and the products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The heterobimetallic oxides obtained are described by the formulas 2MO·ThO₂ (M = Cu, Ni) and 2NiO·UO₃. The thermogravimetric analysis under hydrogen of these heterobimetallic oxides show one mass loss for 2MO·ThO₂ and two mass losses for 2NiO·UO₃ over a wide range of temperature (293–1273 K). The characterization by XRD shows that the reduction products are 2M·ThO₂ (M = Cu, Ni) and 2Ni·UO₂, with all the actinides in the 4+ oxidation state. The actinide heterobimetallic oxides were described as copper or nickel supported catalysts.     

Structural Studies of Transition Metal Compounds

A historical overview will be given on the structural studies on transition metal compounds and their interaction with other fields of coordination chemistry. About three decades have passed away since the structure and absolute configuration of tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) complex ion were determined. At present accumulation of the structural data for isomers has enabled us to understand structural principles of chelate complexes in considerable detail. The energy minimization calculations can predict the detailed geometries of the complexes. Differences in thermodynamic properties between different conformers are well reproduced. Aspherical distribution of 3d electrons in transition metal complexes was detected for the first time in crystals of [Co(NH3)₆][Co(CN)₆] in 1973. Such an accurate electron density study provides important information on the d electrons placed in a ligand field. The high-spin and low-spin states can be distinguished unequivocally. In spite of a very small valence/total electron ratio, the asphericity of 4d and 5d electrons in a ligand field can be detected. The crystal structures of a series of dimeric copper(II) carboxylate adducts of the general formula [Cu(RCOO)₂L]₂ have been determined or redetermined as accurately as possible. The temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility of these crystals indicated that the isolated pairs of Cu(II) ions interact strongly through exchange forces. Molecular orbital calculations revealed that the electron population in the carbon atom of the bridging OCO group plays an important role in determining the strength of the spin superexchange interaction. In the crystals of some cobaloxime complexes, racemization of chiral groups bonded to Co proceeds on X-ray exposure without degradation of crystallinity. Several intermediate stages could be determined by X-ray analysis. Various reaction pathways were recognized and the reaction rate could be correlated with the atomic arrangement in the crystal.     

Spectroscopic Studies on the Interaction of Tetramethylpyridylporphyrins and Cationic Clays

In the present work, the interaction between5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)-21H,23H-porphine (TMPyP) and its metallated form(CoTMPyP) with three cationic clays was investigatedby X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-VIS and resonance Ramanspectroscopies. Sodium montmorillonites K10 and KSFand a synthetic fluorohectorite (FHT) containingdifferent macrocycle loadings, were prepared by an ionexchange reaction. In nonsaturated KSF and FHT, theCoTMPyP molecule assumes a flat orientation, relativeto the host layers, giving rise to at least twoabsorption bands in the Soret region (ca. 445 and 465 nm)assigned to adsorbed and intercalated CoTMPyP,respectively. For the delaminated K10 sample, a broadband centered around 456 nm, indicates a majorcontribution from the metalloporphyrin on the clayexternal surfaces. The electronic spectra of FHTsamples containing increasing amounts of CoTMPyPshow bands red shifted even when a small amount ofporphyrin is used, suggesting that the electroniclevels of the macrocycle are more affected by theinteraction with the clay than by the metalloporphyrindistortion inside the galleries. The resonance Ramanspectra obtained for all CoTMPyP samples presentedonly minor shifts in peak positions and band width,with the exception of the FHT saturated sample, wherethe bands are clearly broader when compared to otherloadings, suggesting that porphyrin aggregation isoccurring. In the case of TMPyP, the bands at ca. 430and 468 nm were assigned to nonprotonated andprotonated molecules, respectively. This assignment issupported by resonance Raman spectroscopy, which alsoshowed the ₂ mode (ca. 1550 cm^-1) to bethe most sensitive peak to protonation.     

Synthese,Struktur und einige Reaktionen [N-(N′,N′,N″,N″-tetramethyl)-guanidinyl]-substituierter Phosphorylverbindungen

Synthesis, Structure, and some Reactions of N-(N′,N′,N″,N″-tetramethyl)guanidinyl-substituted Phosphoryl Compounds The tetramethylguanidinyl-substituted phosphoryl compounds 1 – 10 were prepared in the reaction of the appropriate chlorophosphoryl compounds with either N′,N′,N″,N″-tetramethylguanidine (HTMG) or N-trimethylsilyl-(N′,N′,N″,N″-tetramethyl)guanidine (TMSTMG). With methyl iodide 1 reacted with N-alkylation to give the ammonium salt 11. 1 reacted with BF₃ · Et₂O at both imino nitrogen atoms with formation of the bis-BF₃-adduct 12 . The X-ray structure determination of phenylphosphonic acid-bis(N′,N′,N″,N″-tetramethylguanidinide) 3 shows shortened PN-bonds and widened PNC-angles, consistent with the partial double bond character of the PN-bond.     

Covalent Inorganic Azides

The chemistry of covalent inorganic azides originated with the synthesis of aqueous HN₃ solutions by Tony Curtis in 1890. A little later, in 1900, it proved possible to prepare iodine azide, IN₃, as the first member of the meanwhile complete series of halogen azides. Since then it has been possible to synthesize, in addition to HN₃ and the stable salt H₂NSbF, azide compounds of elements from Groups 13 to 17. In these compounds the N₃ moiety acts as a pseudohalogen and is primarily covalently coordinated to the nonmetal. Only a few organic azides, however, as well as HN₃, H₂N, and all halogen azides have been thoroughly studied with respect to structure and bonding. The combined application of diffraction methods (X-ray and electron diffraction) and microwave spectroscopy together with quantum chemical approaches such as ab initio SCF and density functional calculations have led in the last few years to an improved understanding of the molecular properties of numerous nonmetal azides, almost all of which are explosive. This interaction of theory and experiment has greatly enhanced the development of azide chemistry and has led to realistic expectations for the synthesis of as yet unknown nonmetal azides.     

Crystallization-induced asymmetric transformation of chiral-at-metal ruthenium(II) complexes bearing achiral ligands

Recently, we observed that the enantiopure Lambda form of the tributylammonium salt of the chiral anion tris[tetrachlorobenzene-1,2-bis(olato)]phosphate, also named Trisphat, was able to induce an efficient resolution of a Delta,Lambda racemic mixture of cis-[Ru(dmp)2(NCCH3)2](PF6)2 (dmp=2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) due to the spontaneous and selective precipitation of the heterochiral pair [Delta-Ru(dmp)2(CH3CN)2][Lambda-Trisphat]2. We report here that the combination of such a stereoselective precipitation process and irradiation results in the quantitative conversion of the initial [Ru(dmp)2(NCCH3)2]2+ racemate into only one of the two enantiomers. This is the first example in inorganic chemistry of an asymmetric transformation that leads to a chiral complex with no chiral ligand. Finally, three new racemic ruthenium bis(diimine) complexes, namely [Ru(dmp)2(NCCH3)Py](PF6)2 (Py=pyridine), [Ru(dmp)2(1,3-diaminopropane)](PF6)2, and [Ru(dmp)2(ethylenediamine)](PF6)2 were synthesized. For all of them, crystallization-induced asymmetric transformation proved to be an efficient way of obtaining the corresponding optically active chiral-at-metal complexes in high yields and with excellent stereoselectivities.     

Redox troponization as a novel method for the synthesis of stereoisomeric Eschenmoser's oximes and related non-benzenoid aromatic systems

A novel method for the synthesis of the oxime of 4-methyl-2,4,6-cycloheptatrien-1-one (Eschenmoser's oxime) is proposed. The method involves redox enlargement of the ring of 4-dibromomethyl-4-methyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one oxime through the action of Ni(PPh₃)₄ in DMF (in the presence of Zn). The product is formed as a mixture ofsyn- andanti-forms readily interconverting in solutions. A similar reaction of 4-methyl-4-trichloromethyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one oxime afforded the dimer of agem--centered semiquinoid carbene (1,2-bis-(1-methyl-4-oxyimino-2,5-cyclohexadienyl)-1,2-dichloroethylene), together withsyn- andanti-isomers of 4-chloro-5-methyl-2,4,6-cycloheptatrien-1-one oxime, which are readily separable but also quickly interconverting in solutions. For the latter compounds, the complete¹H NMR assignment of the stereoisomeric structures has been carried out.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 519–523, March, 1995.The authors are grateful to the International Science Foundation (Grant MHW000) as well as the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 94-03-08873) for the financial support of the work.