Synthesis and characterization of the unusual cluster [Ni2(GaAr′)2(η:η-μ2-C2H4)]: Ready addition of ethylene to Ni(COD)(GaAr′)2 at 25 °C and 1 atmosphere

The nickel (0) compound Ni(COD)(GaAr′)₂ (Ar′ = C₆H₃-2,6-(C₆H₃-2,6-i-Pr₂)₂), 1, was synthesized by the reaction of Ni(COD)₂ (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with (GaAr′)₂. Compound 1 reacted with ethylene at 25 °C and at 1 atm pressure to give the bimetallic cluster [Ni₂(GaAr′)₂(η¹:η¹-μ₂-C₂H₄)], 2, through the incorporation of one molecule of ethylene and displacement of COD. The structure of 2 featured an unusual Ni₂Ga₂C₂ core bicyclic structure in which the C₂H₄ moiety bridges the Ga···Ga edge of a Ga₂Ni₂ tetrahedron. The galliums each carry an η¹-bonded Ar′ substituent which complexes the nickel atom by an η⁶-π interaction with one of its flanking Ar’ rings.     

Discovering the chemical reactivity of the molecular oxonitride [{Ti(η-C5Me5)(μ-O)}3(μ3-N)]

The ability of the oxonitride [{Ti(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(μ-O)}₃(μ₃-N)] (1) to act as an organometallic ligand has been studied from both theoretical and experimental points of view. DFT calculations have allowed understanding the electronic structure of 1, and rationalizing its chemical behavior by comparison with the electronic structures of isoelectronic species [{Ti(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(μ-O)}₃(μ₃-CH)] and [{Ti(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(μ-NH)}₃(μ₃-N)]. Reactions of 1 with different inorganic molecules such as [Mo(CO)₃(1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃)] or AlEt₃ have confirmed the possibility of 1 to act as a tridentate or monodentate ligand to give the [{(CO)₃Mo}(μ₃-O)₃{Ti₃(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₃(μ₃-N)}] (2) and [{Et₃Al}(μ₃-O){(μ-O)₂Ti₃(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₃(μ₃-N)}] (3) complexes, respectively. Surprisingly, reactions of 1 with [M(CO)₆] (M = Cr, Mo, W) complexes led to activate the μ₃-N unit in 1 to afford the new compounds [Ti₃(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₃(μ-O)₄{(NC)M(CO)₅}]₂ [M = Cr (4), Mo (5), W (6)]. Molecular structures of complexes 2-6 have been established by single crystal X-ray analysis.     

Silver delafossite nitride, AgTaN2?

A new silver nitride, AgTaN₂, was synthesized from NaTaN₂ by a cation-exchange reaction, using a AgNO₃-NH₄NO₃ flux at 175 °C. Its crystal structure type is delafossite (R3¯m) with hexagonal lattice parameters of a=3.141(3) Å, c=18.81(2) Å, in which silver is linearly coordinated to nitrogen. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis and combustion nitrogen/oxygen analysis gave a composition with atomic ratios of Ag:Ta:N:O as 1.0:1.2(1):2.1(1):0.77(4), which is somewhat Ta rich and indicates some oxide formation. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed a Ta- and O-rich surface and transmission electron microscope observation exhibited aggregates of ca. 4-5 nm-sized particles on the surface, which are probably related to the composition deviation from a AgTaN₂. The lattice parameters of stoichiometric AgTaN₂ calculated by density functional theory agree with the experimental ones, but the possibility of some oxygen incorporation and/or silver deficiency is not precluded.     

Decomposition of molybdate–hexamethylenetetramine complex: One single source route for different catalytic materials

Decomposition of ammonium heptamolybdate–hexamethylentetramine (HMTA) complex (HMTA)₂(NH₄)₄Mo₇O₂₄·2H₂O was studied as a function of treatment conditions in the range 300–1173 K. The evolution of solid products during decomposition was studied by thermal analysis and in situ EXAFS. Depending on the nature of the gas used for treatment, single phases of highly dispersed nitrides Mo₂N, carbide Mo₂C, or oxide MoO₂ can be obtained. The nature of the products obtained was explained by qualitative thermodynamical considerations. Morphology of the solids considerably depends on such preparation parameters as temperature and mass velocity of the gas flow. For the nitride-based materials, catalytic activity was evaluated in the model thiophene HDS reaction. It was demonstrated that NH₃-treated samples showed better catalytic activity than N₂-treated ones due to cleaner surface and better morphology. Transmission microscopy, XRD and XPS studies showed that MoS₂ is formed on the surface during HDS reaction or sulfidation with H₂S. Optimized nitride-derived catalysts showed mass activity several times higher than unsupported MoS₂ or MoS₂/Al₂O₃ reference catalyst.     

Searching for gallium bioactive compounds: Gallium(III) complexes of tridentate salicylaldehyde semicarbazone derivatives

In the search for gallium bioactive compounds five Ga(III) complexes, [Ga^III(L-H)₂](NO₃), with tridentate salicylaldehyde semicarbazone derivatives as ligands (L) have been synthesized and characterized in the solid state and in solution by different techniques. The crystal structure of [Ga^III(L4-H)₂](NO₃)·2H₂O, where L4 is 3-ethoxysalicylaldehyde semicarbazone, was solved by X-ray diffraction methods. The gallium(III) ion is in a distorted octahedral environment, coordinated to two nearly planar and mutually perpendicular 3-ethoxysalicylaldehyde semicarbazonato anions acting as tridentate ligands through their phenol and carbonyl oxygen atoms and their azomethine nitrogen atom. Their biological potential has been explored by evaluating their activity on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, causative agent of tuberculosis, and their cytotoxicity on tumor cell lines. Three different human tumor cell lines were selected that show different degrees of resistance to metallodrugs: ovarian A2780 (low resistance), breast MCF7 (medium resistance) and prostate PC3 (high resistance) cells. Although the complexes have not shown activity on M. tuberculosis, complexation with gallium has led to the enhancement of the cytotoxic potencies of the organic compounds. Those complexes that contain a bromide substituent at the phenolate ring have shown the highest cytotoxicities. In particular, [Ga^III(L2-H)₂](NO₃), where L2 is 5-bromosalicylaldehyde semicarbazone,·has shown a remarkable cytotoxicity on A2780 tumor cell line with an IC₅₀ value of the same order than cisplatin (IC_{50 Ga-L2} = 2.4 ± 0.3 μM; IC_{50 cisplatin} = 2.0 ± 0.1 μM, 72 h incubation at 37 °C). Interestingly, this complex has also shown moderate cytotoxicity against MCF7 and PC3 cells (IC_{50 MCF7} = 30 ± 6; IC_{50 PC3} = 18 ± 3 μM). Therefore, this gallium compound could be considered a promising wide spectrum potential anti-tumor agent.     

Study of correlation effects on stability of many-body complexes in III–V nitride quantum dots

The aim of this work is to analyze theoretically the correlation energies, for neutral, positive and negative excitons and bi-excitons in the III–V nitride In_xGa_1−xN/GaN quantum dot; where x=17.5% denotes the indium concentration. So, we propose a model consistent with experimental observations that is small In_xGa_1−xN truncated pyramids with circular base lying on wetting layer, both buried into GaN matrix. The correlation energies of many-body complexes X, X⁻, X⁺ and XX are investigated as a function of the quantum dot radius r_c and the intrinsic electric field.     

Carbon hard masks for etching sub-90 nm structures

Carbon hard mask structures have been used to etch a variety of materials typically used in sub 90 nm DRAM manufacture. The results indicate that carbon hard masks can be used very effectively to structure oxide, nitride and metal films giving the CD performance required for the technologies being investigated.     

Surface site dependence to negative ion formation

The processes of electron transfer and dissociative scattering are explored for collisions of hyperthermal NO⁺ on GaAs(110). The experiments reveal a marked angular dependence to O⁻ emergence. A strong correlation between the O⁻ scattering angle and the final atom-surface interaction site provides a map of the lateral dependence to reactivity. The results are modeled by sequential neutralization, dissociation, and electron attachment steps. Classical trajectory calculations, in conjunction with an empirical opacity function, accurately reproduce the experimental results. The opacity function is interpreted as the probability that an electron will attach to a departing O fragment as a function of the last surface site the atom impacts. The experiments indicate that O⁻ emergence occurs predominantly for oxygen atoms which come in close contact with the localized dangling bond states of GaAs(110).     

Forty years of Umpolung in organometallic chemistry: from carbanionic nucleophiles to metallic electrophiles

The evolution of mechanistic insight into the nature of organometallic reactions over the last forty years is recounted from the personal perspective of a chemist trained in the empirical tradition of organometallic chemistry. Starting from the viewpoint prevailing in the 1950s of organometallics as potential carbanionic nucleophiles, this investigator has become persuaded by his researches with Group 13 organometallics of the merits of treating these reagents as organometallic electrophiles. The profound effects that a tricoordinate boron center can exert on the structure and reactivity of boracyclopolyenes is a telling illustration of such boron electrophilicity operating in an intramolecular fashion. The elucidation of the mechanisms of both the carbalumination and the hydroalumination of olefins and acetylenes has adduced cogent evidence for the rate-determining step being the electrophilic attack of tricoordinate aluminum on the carbon-carbon π-electron cloud of the substrate. Finally, in an investigation of the molecular basis for Ziegler-Natta catalysis, the Breslow-Natta soluble catalyst for the polymerization of ethylene, Cp₂TiCl₂-R_nAlCl_3−n, was examined in detail and compelling evidence has been adduced that the active catalyst site is the solvent-separated ion-pair, [Cp₂TiR]⁺ [R_nAlCl_4−n]⁻.. Here again, the polymerization reaction is initiated by an organometallic electrophile, indeed by an even more powerful cationic electrophile. The net effect of these studies has been an Umpolung in the manner with which this chemist and many of his colleagues view organometallic reaction mechanisms.