Synthesis, crystal structures and ionic conductivities of Bi14P4O31 and Bi50V4O85. Two members of the series Bi18−4mM4mO27+4m (M=P, V) related to the fluorite-type structure

The two hitherto unknown compounds Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ and Bi₅₀V₄O₈₅ were prepared by the direct solid-state reaction of Bi₂O₃ and (NH₄)H₂PO₄ or V₂O₅, respectively. Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ crystallizes in a C-centred monoclinic symmetry (C2/c space group) with the unit-cell parameters: , , and β=93.63(1)° (Z=16). The symmetry of Bi₅₀V₄O₈₅ is also monoclinic (I2/m space group) with lattice parameters of , , and β=90.14(1)° (Z=2). Both structures correspond to a fluorite-type superstructure where the Bi and P or V atoms are ordered in the framework. An idealized structural model is proposed where the structures result of the stacking of mixed atomic layers of composition [Bi₁₄M₄O₃₁] and [Bi₁₈O₂₇] respectively. This new family can be formulated Bi_18−4mM_4mO_27+4m with M=P, V and where the parameter m (0?m?1) represents the ratio of the number of [Bi₁₄M₄O₃₁] layers to the total number of layers in the sequence. Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ corresponds to m=1 when Bi₅₀V₈O₈₅ corresponds to m=1/3. In this last case, the structural sequence is simply one [Bi₁₄V₄O₃₁] layer to two [Bi₁₈O₂₇] layers. As predicted by the proposed structural building principle, Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ is not a good ionic conductor. The conductivity at 650 °C is 4 orders of magnitude lower from those found in Bi₄₆M₈O₈₉ (M=P, V) (m=2/3) and Bi₅₀V₄O₈₅ (m=1/3).     

Die Reaktion von SeCl4 mit Übergangsmetalltetrachloriden. Synthese und Kristallstrukturen von (SeCl3)2MCl6 mit M = Zr,Hf, Mo,Re

The Reaction of SeCl₄ with Transition Metal Tetrachlorides. Synthesis and Crystal Structures of (SeCl₃)₂MCl₆ with M = Zr, Hf, Mo, Re The transition metal tetrachlorides ZrCl₄, HfCl₄ and MoCl₄ react with SeCl₄ in closed ampoules at temperatures of 140°C to (SeCl₃)₂MCl₆ (M = Zr, Hf, Mo) which are all isotypic and crystallize in the (SeCl₃)₂ReCl₆ structure type (orthorhombic, Fdd2, Z = 8, lattice constants for M = Zr: a = 1165.7(1)pm, b = 1287.2(2)pm, c = 2180.2(2)pm; for M = Hf: a = 1162.9(2)pm, b = 1285.0(2)pm, c = 2178.2(3)pm; for M = Mo: a = 1153.8(1)pm, b = 1267.7(1)pm, c = 2147.4(2)pm). The Cl^? ions form a hexagonal closest packing with one fourth of the octahedral holes filled by Se⁴⁺ and M⁴⁺ in an ordered way. The MCl₆ octahedra are regular, the SeCl₆ octahedra are distorted with 3 short and 3 long Se? Cl bonds (mean 215 pm and 287 pm). The structures can thus be regarded as built of SeCl₃⁺ and MCl₆^2? ions. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show for M = Zr the expected diamagnetic behavior, for M = Mo and Re paramagnetic behavior according to the Curie-Weiss law with magnetic moments of 2.5 B. M. for M = Mo and 3.7 B. M. for M = Re corresponding to 2 and 3 unpaired electrons respectivly.     

Online photocatalytic device for highly selective pre-column fluorescence derivatization of 5-hydroxyindoles with benzylamine

A fluorimetric liquid chromatographic method for the determination of 5-hydroxyindoles based on the benzylamine derivatization process mediated through an online photocatalytic oxidation has been developed. In this study, we used a photocatalytic column comprising tefzel tubing packed with TiO₂-coated glass beads, as a pre-column derivatization reactor. The fluorescence derivatization of 5-hydroxyindoles using benzylamine proceeded during their passage through the reaction column under near-UV irradiation. The 5-hydroxyindole derivatives were separated continuously on a reversed-phase liquid chromatography within 50 min, using 100 mM acetate buffer (pH 4.6)-acetonitrile (72:28, v/v; isocratic elution) containing 3 mM sodium octanesulfonate; the samples were detected fluorimetrically at 465 nm upon excitation at 350 nm. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) of the 5-hydroxyindoles were in the range from 160 to 360 fmol per 5 μL injection. We have applied this method, which requires minimal sample pre-treatment, to the determination of 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in human urine.     

New quaternary carbon and nitrogen stabilized polyborides: REB15.5CN (RE: Sc, Y, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu), crystal structure and compound formation

A new family of quaternary carbon and nitrogen containing Rare Earth (RE: Sc, Y, Ho, Er, Tm and Lu) borides: REB_15.5CN, has been synthesized and structurally characterized by powder X-ray diffraction data. They are all isotypic with Sc_1−xB_15.5CN whose structure was solved based on single-crystal X-ray data and HRTEM investigations. The structure refinement converged at a R(F²) value of 0.044 for 364 reflections. The new structure type of Sc_1−xB_15.5CN is composed of a three-dimensional network based on interconnected slabs of boron (B₁₂)^ico icosahedra and (B₆)^oct octahedra. A linear [CBC] chain and nitrogen tightly bridges icosahedra. Sc partially occupies voids in the sheets of boron octahedra. It crystallizes with the trigonal space group P³m1, with Z=2. Lattice parameters (nm) are as follows: for RE: Sc, a,b=0.5568(4), c=1.0756(2); Y, a,b=0.55919(6), c=1.0873(2); Ho, a,b=0.55883(7), c=1.0878(6); Er, a,b=0.55889(5), c=1.0880(6); Tm, a,b=0.5580(1), c=1.0850(6); Lu, a,b=0.55771(9), c=1.0839(4). Magnetic characterization of ErB₁₇C_1.3N_0.6 has been performed.     

Determination of pKa values of some hydroxylated benzoic acids in methanol-water binary mixtures by LC methodology and potentiometry

An accurate estimation of pK_a values in methanol-water binary mixtures is very important for several separation techniques such as liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis that use these solvent mixtures. In this study, the pK_a values of 11 polyphenolic acids have been determined in methanol-water binary mixtures (10%, 20% and 30% (v/v)) by potentiometry, liquid chromatography (LC) and LC-DAD methodology.The results show a similar trend for the pK_a values of all the studied compounds, as they increase with increasing concentration of organic modifier, which allows a linear relationship between pK_a values and mole fraction of methanol to be obtained. The pK_a values obtained in aqueous medium have been compared with those given in the literature, and also with the values predicted by the SPARC on-line pK_a calculator. The data obtained have been used to test the feasibility of an estimation of dissociation constants in a methanol-water medium from the relationship between pK_a values and the organic cosolvent fraction in the mixtures.     

Validation of a direct non-destructive quantitative analysis of amiodarone hydrochloride in Angoron formulations using FT-Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy was applied for the direct non-destructive analysis of amiodarone hydrochloride (ADH), the active ingredient of the liquid formulation Angoron^®. The FT-Raman spectra were obtained through the un-broken as-received ampoules of Angoron^®. Using the most intense vibration of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) at 1568 cm⁻¹, a calibration model, based on solutions with known concentrations, was developed. The model was applied to the Raman spectra recorded from three as-purchased commercial formulations of Angoron^® having nominal strength of 50 mg ml⁻¹ ADH. The average value of the API in these samples was found to be 48.56 ± 0.64 mg ml⁻¹ while the detection limit of the proposed technique was found to be 2.11 mg ml⁻¹. The results were compared to those obtained from the application of HPLC using the methodology described in the European Pharmacopoeia and found to be in excellent agreement. The proposed analytical methodology was also validated by evaluating the linearity of the calibration line as well as its accuracy and precision. The main advantage of Raman spectroscopy over HPLC method during routine analysis is that it is considerably faster and no solvent consuming. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy is non-destructive for the sample. However, the detection limit for Raman spectroscopy is much higher than the corresponding for the HPLC methodology.     

Organometallic gold(III) and gold(I) complexes as catalysts for the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to nitrones: synthesis of novel gold-nitrone derivatives

Gold(III) and gold(I) anionic salts mediate the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of N-benzyl-C(2-pyridyl)nitrone (2-PyBN) (1) and methyl acrylate (2) (gold 5-10 mol% with respect to the nitrone) decreasing the reaction time and favouring the formation of the exo (cis) isomer. The best catalyst found was Na[AuCl₄] (7) able to perform the addition reaction in 56 h (instead of the 96 h required for the control experiment) and giving an endo/exo relation between isomers of 44/56 (as opposed to 73/27, blank reaction). The catalytic activity of several organometallic gold complexes with the radicals pentafluorophenyl (C₆F₅) or mesityl (2,4,6-(CH₃)₃C₆H₂) has been also investigated. In some cases the activity is very similar to that obtained with inorganic salts. With the aim of identifying possible metallic intermediates in the cycloaddition reaction, novel gold(III) and gold(I) nitrone derivatives such as [Au(C₆F₅)Cl₂(2-PyBN)] (21), [Au(C₆F₅)₂Cl(2-PyBN)] (22) and [Au(C₆F₅)(2-PyBN)] (23) have been prepared and characterized. The reaction between [AuCl₃(tht)] and 2-PyBN unexpectedly affords the ionic compound [2-PyBN-H][AuCl₄] (5) which also displays catalytic activity and moderate regioselectivity and whose crystal structure has been confirmed by X-ray studies.     

A new route for synthesizing cholesterol analogs with fluorocarbon side chains and their liquid-crystalline aliphatic esters

A new and efficient route has been developed to synthesize 17β-(1-methyl-3-perfluoroalkyl)propyl-3β-androsterol (1) in nine steps from hyodeoxycholic acid via selective addition of 1-perfluoroalkyl iodide to 24-norchola-5,22-dien-3β-ol. From (1), the first series of steroidal liquid crystalline aliphatic esters (smectic A) with fluorocarbon side chains has been prepared.     

The crystal structures of two Mercury Perrhenates

The mercury perrhenates with the empirical formulas HgReO₄ and Hg₂ReO₅ were prepared by annealing powdered mixtures of mercury(II)oxide and mercury(II)metaperrhenate Hg(ReO₄)₂ in sealed silica tubes. Their crystal structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray data. HgReO₄ crystallizes dimeric with nearly linear O₃Re? O? Hg? Hg? O? ReO₃ molecular units and Hg₂ReO₅ has a solid state structure, where Hg(I) and Hg(II) together with oxygen atoms form 14-membered rings, which are condensed to two-dimensionally infinite polycationic nets of composition (Hg₂²⁺ · 2 HgO)_n. These nets are separated from each other by tetrahedral ReO₄^? anions.     

Reactions of 2-arsa- and 2-stiba-1,3-dionato lithium complexes with group 4-7 metal halides

The reactions of a range of 2-arsa- and 2-stiba-1,3-dionato lithium complexes with group 4-7 metals have been investigated. These have given rise to several complexes in which an arsadionate acts as a chelating ligand; [V{η²-O,O-OC(Bu^t)AsC(Bu^t)O}₃], [M{η²-O,O-OC(Bu^t)AsC(Bu^t)O}₂(DME)], M=Cr or Mn; or as an η¹-As-diacylarsenide, [MnBr(CO)₄{As[C(O)Bu^t]₂Li(DME)}]₂. In addition, reactions of lithium arsadionates with TaCl₅ have led to metal mediated arsadionate decomposition reactions and arsadionate oxidative coupling reactions to give the known arsaalkyne tetramer, As₄C₄Bu^t₄, and the new tetraacyldiarsane, [{As[C(O)Mes]₂}₂] Mes=mesityl, respectively. The treatment of several lithium arsadionates with [MoBr₂(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂] has also initiated arsadionate decomposition reactions and the formation of the metal carboxylate complexes, [MoBr(CO)₂{η²-O₂C(R)}(PPh₃)₂] R=Bu^t, Ph, Mes. The X-ray crystal structures of six of the prepared complexes are discussed.