Direct Comparison of Subvalent,Polycationic Group 13 Cluster Compounds: Lessons learned on Isoelectronic DMPE Substituted Gallium and Indium Tetracation Salts

The tetracationic, univalent cluster compounds [{M(dmpe)}₄]⁴⁺ (M=Ga, In; dmpe=bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane) were synthesized as their pf salts ([pf]⁻=[Al(OR^F)₄]⁻; R^F=C(CF₃)₃). The four-membered ring in [{M(dmpe)}₄]⁴⁺ is slightly puckered for M=Ga and almost square planar for M=In. Yet, although structurally similar, only the gallium cluster is prevalent in solution, while the indium cluster forms temperature dependent equilibria that include even the monomeric cation [In(dmpe)]⁺. This system is the first report of one and the same ligand inducing formation of isoelectronic and isostructural gallium/indium cluster cations. The system allows to study systematically analogies and differences with thermodynamic considerations and bonding analyses, but also to outline perspectives for bond activation using cationic, subvalent group 13 clusters.     

The effect of electron correlation on the conformational space of melatonin

The pineal gland hormone melatonin regulates several physiological processes including circadian rhythm and also alleviates oxidative stress‐induced degenerative diseases. In spite of its important biological roles, no high level ab initio conformational study has been conducted to reveal its structural features. In this work, the conformational flexibility of melatonin was investigated using correlated ab initio calculations. Conformers, obtained previously at the Hartree‐Fock level (HF/6‐31G*), were fully optimized using second order Møller‐Plesset perturbation theory applying the frozen core approximation (MP2(FC)/6‐31G*). Furthermore, single‐point MP4(SDQ,FC)/6‐31G*//MP2(FC)/6‐31G* computations were performed to investigate the effect of higher order perturbation terms. The HF and MP2 conformational spaces are considerably different: the initial 128 structures converged into 102 different local minima as confirmed by frequency calculations; 28 new minima appeared and 26 previous HF local minima disappeared; no “all‐trans” C3 side chain conformations are seen at the MP2(FC) level. The MP2 global minimum conformation is stabilized by an aromatic‐side chain interaction. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2008     

A novel vapor phase process for aromatic ketone synthesis

The vapor phase catalytic reaction between aromatic carboxylic acid and acetic acid was investigated. Many metal oxides catalyzed the reaction between 2methylbenzoic acid (OTA) and acetic acid (AA) to produce 2methylacetophenone (OMA), and weakly acidic oxides such as Th, U, Ce, and La oxide exhibited higher yield of OMA. The OMA yield depended on the catalyst support. SiO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, and ZrO₂ with a surface area of less than 200 m² g^–1 appeared to be suitable as industrial catalyst supports. CeO₂ on Al₂O₃was chosen as an industrial catalyst for the synthesis of OMA because of higher productivity, longer catalyst life, and lifting of legal restrictions on catalyst handling. This catalyst system can also be applied to the syntheses of acetophenone, nitroacetophenone, and chloroacetophenone.     

微波波谱方法与应用研究进展

综述了微波波谱法及其应用研究进展,阐述了微波波谱法的基本原理及仪器构造。对微波波谱法在分子结构及构象分析、弱相互作用体系的研究、分析化学、星际物质的探测等方面的应用进行了综述。并展望了微波波谱方法未来的发展趋势。     

Theoretical study of reaction channels for the weakly bound complex systems created with HF,CO2, and various amines

This investigation conducted reaction channels of weakly bound complexes CO₂…HF, CO₂…HF…NH₃, CO₂…HF…NH₂CH₃, CO₂…HF…NH(CH₃)₂, and CO₂…HF…N(CH₃)₃ systems, using the Gaussian 98 package at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(3df,2pd) level. The syn‐fluoroformic acid or syn‐fluoroformic acid plus NH₃ or amine conformers are more stable than the related anti‐fluoroformic acid or anti‐fluoroformic acid plus NH₃ or amine conformers. However, the above‐mentioned weakly bound complexes are more stable than both the related syn‐ and anti‐type fluoroformic acid or acid plus NH₃ or amine conformers and their related decomposed into CO₂ + HF or CO₂ + NHR₃F (R?H, CH₃) combined molecular systems. Five reaction channels of the weakly bound complexes exist. Each channel includes weakly bound complexes and their related above‐mentioned systems. Moreover, each reaction channel contains two transition states. The transition state between the weakly bound complex and anti‐fluoroformic acid type structure (T₁₃) is significantly higher than that of internal rotation (T₂₃) between syn‐ and anti‐FCO₂H (or FCO₂H…NR₃) structures. However, the above‐mentioned T₁₃ can significantly decrease its energy by adding the third molecule NH₃ or NR₃ (R?H or CH₃). The more CH₃ that is substituted in NR₃ of the reaction channel, the lower the activation energy of the transition state in the system is affected. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Coordination Chemistry of Diiodine and Implications for the Oxidation Capacity of the Synergistic Ag+/X2 (X=Cl,Br, I) System

The synergistic Ag⁺/X₂ system (X=Cl, Br, I) is a very strong, but ill‐defined oxidant—more powerful than X₂ or Ag⁺ alone. Intermediates for its action may include [Ag_m(X₂)_n]^m+ complexes. Here, we report on an unexpectedly variable coordination chemistry of diiodine towards this direction: ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ), [Ag₂(I₂)₄]²⁺( A ^?)₂ and [Ag₂(I₂)₆]²⁺( A ^?)₂?(I₂)_x≈0.65 form by reaction of Ag( A ) ( A =Al(OR^F)₄; R^F=C(CF₃)₃) with diiodine (single crystal/powder XRD, Raman spectra and quantum‐mechanical calculations). The molecular ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ) is ideally set up to act as a 2 e^? oxidant with stoichiometric formation of 2 AgI and 2 A ^?. Preliminary reactivity tests proved this ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ) starting material to oxidize n‐C₅H₁₂, C₃H₈, CH₂Cl₂, P₄ or S₈ at room temperature. A rough estimate of its electron affinity places it amongst very strong oxidizers like MF₆ (M=4d metals). This suggests that ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ) will serve as an easily in bulk accessible, well‐defined, and very potent oxidant with multiple applications.     

Homoleptic Phosphaalkyne Complexes of Silver(I)

By employing silver salts with a weakly coordinating anion Ag[A] ([A]=[FAl{OC₁₂F₁₅}₃], [Al{OC(CF₃)₃}₄]), two phosphaalkynes could be coordinated side‐on to a bare silver(I) center to form the unprecedented homoleptic complexes [Ag(η²‐P≡CtBu)₂][FAl{OC₁₂F₁₅}₃] ( 1 ) and [Ag(η²‐P≡CtBu)₂][Al{OC(CF₃)₃}₄] ( 2 ). DFT calculations show that the perpendicular arrangement in 1 is the minimum energy structure of the coordination of the two phosphaalkynes to a silver atom, whereas for 2 a unique square‐planar coordination mode of the phosphaalkynes at Ag⁺ was found. Reactions with donor molecules yield the trigonally planar coordinated silver salts [((CH₃)₂CO)Ag(η²‐P≡CtBu)₂][FAl{OC₁₂F₁₅}₃] ( 3 ) and [(C₇H₈)₂Ag(η²‐P≡CtBu)][FAl{OC₁₂F₁₅}₃] ( 4 ). All of the compounds were comprehensively characterized in solution and in the solid state.     

一例可分离的双核铁氢自由基阳离子

成功分离得到了一例双核铁氢自由基阳离子盐cis-[Fe₂Cp₂（μ-H）（μ-PPh₂）（CO）₂]^·+[Al（OC（CF₃）₃）₄]^-（cis-1^·+[Al（OC（CF₃）₃）₄]^-）晶体，并使用单晶X射线衍射、电子顺磁共振、红外光谱、紫外-可见光谱以及密度泛函理论对它进行了表征和理论计算。电子顺磁共振和密度泛函理论计算分析表明，自由基的自旋密度主要均等分布于2个铁原子上。     

Tetrakis(pentafluoroethyl)gallate, [Ga(C2F5)4]−, Ionic Liquids

We synthesized new imidazolium-based tunable aryl alkyl ionic liquids (TAAILs) with the weakly coordinating tetrakis(pentafluoroethyl)gallate anion, [Ga(C₂F₅)₄]⁻. Phenyl and phenyl derivatives (2-Me, 4-OMe, 2,4-F) were combined with varying alkyl chain lengths at the imidazolium core leading to TAAILs, which were investigated with regard to their viscosity, conductivity, and electrochemical window and compared to EMIM and BMIM standard cations. Remarkable low viscosities of 29 cP at 25 °C for [BMIM][Ga(C₂F₅)₄] were achieved. However, the EMIM and BMIM gallates show electrochemical instability, releasing pentafluoroethane at a voltage of 1.5 V. The 2-Me-substituted gallate-TAAILs slowly decompose over several weeks, whereas all other gallate-TAAILs showed no decomposition at all. With electrochemical windows of up to 5.15 V and low viscosities in a range of 66–162 cP, the gallate-TAAILs are promising candidates as electrolytes in electrochemical applications.     

Size Matters! On the Way to Ionic Liquid Systems without Ion Pairing

Several, partly new, ionic liquids (ILs) containing imidazolium and ammonium cations as well as the medium‐sized [NTf₂]^? (0.230 nm³; Tf=CF₃SO₃^?) and the large [Al(hfip)₄]^? (0.581 nm³; hfip=OC(H)(CF₃)₂) anions were synthesized and characterized. Their temperature‐dependent viscosities and conductivities between 25 and 80 °C showed typical Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT) behavior. Ion‐specific self‐diffusion constants were measured at room temperature by pulsed‐gradient stimulated‐echo (PGSTE) NMR experiments. In general, self‐diffusion constants of both cations and anions in [Al(hfip)₄]^?‐based ILs were higher than in [NTf₂]^?‐based ILs. Ionicities were calculated from self‐diffusion constants and measured bulk conductivities, and showed that [Al(hfip)₄]^?‐based ILs yield higher ionicities than their [NTf₂]^? analogues, the former of which reach values of virtually 100 % in some cases.From these observations it was concluded that [Al(hfip)₄]^?‐based ILs come close to systems without any interactions, and this hypothesis is underlined with a Hirshfeld analysis. Additionally, a robust, modified Marcus theory quantitatively accounted for the differences between the two anions and yielded a minimum of the activation energy for ion movement at an anion diameter of slightly greater than 1 nm, which fits almost perfectly the size of [Al(hfip)₄]^?. Shallow Coulomb potential wells are responsible for the high mobility of ILs with such anions.