KCo(H2O)2BP2O8·0.48H2O and K0.17Ca0.42Co(H2O)2BP2O8·H2O: two cobalt borophosphates with helical ribbons and disordered (K,Ca)/H2O schemes

The two title compounds, potassium diaquacobalt(II) borodiphosphate 0.48‐hydrate and potassium–calcium(0.172/0.418) diaquacobalt(II) borodiphosphate monohydrate, were synthesized hydrothermally. They are new members of the borophosphate family characterized by _∞[BP₂O₈]³⁻ helices running along [001] and constructed of boron (Wyckoff position 6b, twofold axis) and phosphorus tetrahedra. The [CoBP₂O₈]⁻ anionic frameworks in the two materials are structurally similar and result from a connection in the ab plane between the CoO₄(H₂O)₂ coordination octahedra (6b position) and the helical ribbons. Nevertheless, the two structures differ in the disorder schemes of the K,Ca and H₂O species. The alkali cations in the structure of the pure potassium compound are disordered over three independent positions, one of them located on a 6b site. Its framework is characterized by double occupation of the tunnels by water molecules located on twofold rotation axes (6b) and a fraction of alkali cations; its cell parameters, compared with those for the mixed K,Ca compound, show abnormal changes, presumably due to the disorder. For the K,Ca compound, the K and Ca cations are on twofold axes (6b) and the channels are occupied only by disordered solvent water molecules. This shows that it is possible, due to the flexibility of the helices, to replace the alkali and alkaline earth cations while retaining the crystal framework.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and charge distribution of Na7As11O31: An oxygen-deficient layered sodium arsenate

A new sodium arsenate with layer structure has been synthesized and its crystal structure solved and refined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal is trigonal, space group , a=11.199(3) Å, c=5.411(2) Å, V=587.80(3) Å³, Z=1; the refinement converged to R=0.0282 and wR=0.0751 for 590 reflections with (I)>2sigma(I). The structural model gives the formula Na₇As₁₁O₃₂, which would be non-neutral; besides, the structural model is not validated by the charge distribution (CD) analysis, which gives an unsatisfactory agreement on the computed charges of the cations. The CD analysis suggest incomplete (5/6) occupation of the O5 site, which leads to the deficiency of an oxygen atom per unit cell and to formula Na₇As₁₁O₃₁: this new structural model corresponds to a neutral compound, is validated by the CD analysis, and results in better displacement parameters for O5 than its non neutral counterpart. The (001) anionic layers are built up from corner and edge sharing of As1 and As2 distorted octahedra and As3 distorted tetrahedra, the sodium cations playing the role of interlayer cations. The effects of the oxygen deficiency on the crystal structure are discussed.     

Forming architectured paper by printing a starch patterned grid: a new low-cost approach for lightweighting packaging

To meet the environmental challenges, the use of plastic packaging must be drastically reduced. Paper-based solutions may be a credible alternative provided that their production cost is reduced. One way may be to improve the paper stiffness to weight ratio. In this work, a simple and low-cost approach is proposed, which consists in printing a patterned grid of starch at the paper surface by using a widespread printing process. With only a small quantity of starch (7 g/m²), the bending stiffness of a packaging paper of 60 g/m² was multiplied by more than a factor three. This improvement originates from the permanent 3D shape the paper unexpectedly took after printing. The printed lines formed “valleys” whereas the unprinted zones were raised, forming “mountains”. Drying shrinkage of the starch is assumed to play a major role, in particular by inducing local buckling of the unprinted zones. In addition, the resulting 3D shape could be interestingly tuned by adjusting the grid pattern. Even if a better understanding is necessary to be able to well control the phenomena, this approach appears relevant to form “architectured” papers with improved bending resistance to weight ratio.

     

AgCo3PO4(HPO4)2

The structure of the hydro­thermally synthesized compound AgCo₃PO₄(HPO₄)₂, silver tricobalt phosphate bis­(hydrogen phosphate), consists of edge‐sharing CoO₆ chains linked together by the phosphate groups and hydrogen bonds. The three‐dimensional framework delimits two types of tunnels which accommodate Ag⁺ cations and OH groups. The title compound is isostructural with the compounds AM₃H₂(XO₄)₃ (A = Na or Ag, M = Co or Mn, and X = P or As) of the alluaudite structure type.     

The impact of P-substituents on the structures, spectroscopic properties, and reactivities of POCOP-type pincer complexes of nickel(II)

The room temperature reaction of NiBr(2)(NCCH(3))(x) with the pincer-type ligand POCHOP(Ph) gave the new pincer complex (POCOP(Ph))NiBr (1, POCOP(Ph) = κ(P), κ(C), κ(P)-2,6-{Ph(2)PO}(2)C(6)H(3)). Complex 1 reacts with AgX to give the analogous Ni-X derivatives (X = CN, 2; OSO(2)CF(3), 3; OC(O)CH(3), 4; ONO(2), 5), whereas complex 3 reacts with phenylacetylene and NEt(3) to give the Ni-CCPh derivative 6. On the other hand, reaction of 1 or 3 with RLi or RMgI did not afford the desired Ni-R derivatives, giving instead the corresponding iodo and hydroxo derivatives. Complexes 1-6 have been characterized by NMR, IR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The solid state structural and IR data indicate that Ni-C(sp) interaction is dominated by ligand-to-metal σ-donation in 2 and 6. Cyclic voltammetry measurements indicate that complexes 3 and 4 display reversible redox behaviour (Ni(II)/Ni(III)); comparison of the E(0)(1/2) values for these complexes and their POCOP(i-Pr) analogues shows that both the X ligands and the P-substituent have a considerable impact on the ease of oxidation in this family of complexes.     

The novel arsenate Na4Co7−xAl2/3x(AsO4)6 (x = 1.37): crystal structure,charge‐distribution and bond‐valence‐sum investigations

The title compound, tetrasodium cobalt aluminium hexaarsenate, Na₄Co_7−xAl_2/3x(AsO₄)₆ (x = 1.37), is isostructural with K₄Ni₇(AsO₄)₆; however, in its crystal structure, some of the Co²⁺ ions are substituted by Al³⁺ in a fully occupied octahedral site (site symmetry 2/m) and a partially occupied tetrahedral site (site symmetry 2). A third octahedral site is fully occupied by Co²⁺ ions only. One of the two independent tetrahedral As atoms and two of its attached O atoms reside on a mirror plane, as do two of the three independent Na⁺ cations, all of which are present at half‐occupancy. The proposed structural model based on a careful investigation of the crystal data is supported by charge‐distribution (CHARDI) analysis and bond‐valence‐sum (BVS) calculations. The correlation between the X‐ray refinement and the validation results is discussed.     

Le phosphate de cobalt et de lithium à valence mixte Li4+xCo2−x(P2O7)2 (x = 0,03): étude structurale et analyse de distribution de charge

The title compound, namely lithium cobalt(II/III) bis(diphosphate), Li_4.03Co_1.97(P₂O₇)₂, is a new mixed‐valent lithium/cobalt(II/III) phosphate. Three metal sites out of seven are occupied simultaneously by Li⁺ and Co^II/III ions. This disorder was established both from an analysis of the atomic displacement ellipsoids and Li/Co—O bond distances, and by means of a charge‐distribution (CHARDI) model, which provides satisfactory agreement on the computed charges (Q) for all the cations.     

From imidates to vinyl-1,2,4-triazoles: Synthesis,mechanistic aspects and first issues of their reactivity

The reaction of variously substituted acylimidates with hydrazine derivatives represents an efficient and easy to set synthetic entry towards 5-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole derivatives. The construction of the triazole ring allows the installation of variety of substituent combination at the N(1), C(3) and C(5) positions of the five-membered heterocycle in good to high yields. The method reveals selective towards 5-vinyl-1,2,4-triazoles avoiding the potential formation of seven- and five-membered side-products as supported by theoretical calculations and NMR experiments. First lines of Pd-catalyzed arylation of the vinyl fragment towards 5-styryl-1,2,4-triazoles and Cu-catalyzed arylation at the N(1) site are finally described.