Immobilization of Ru(III) complex on silica: a heterogenized catalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols in water at room temperature

We have developed a heterogenized catalyst (‘SiO₂’–NH₂–Ru^III) by the immobilization of [Ru(acac)₂(CH₃CN)₂]PF₆ on SiO₂. The catalyst was characterized by SEM, solid state NMR, EPR, FT-IR, ICP, and BET surface area analyses. ‘SiO₂’–NH₂–Ru^III catalyzed the selective oxidation of alcohols with periodic acid in water at room temperature. This protocol was applicable to the controlled oxidation of structurally diverse primary and secondary alcohols. The catalyst could be quantitatively recovered and reused up to six cycles without significant loss of catalytic activity.     

A Gallium‐Substituted Distibene and an Antimony‐Analogue Bicyclo[1.1.0]butane: Synthesis and Solid‐State Structures

RGa {R=HC[C(Me)N(2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃)]₂} reacts with Sb(NMe₂)₃ with insertion into the Sb? N bond and elimination of RGa(NMe₂)₂ ( 2 ), yielding the Ga‐substituted distibene R(Me₂N)GaSb?SbGa(NMe₂)R ( 1 ). Thermolysis of 1 proceeded with elimination of RGa and 2 and subsequent formation of the bicyclo[1.1.0]butane analogue [R(Me₂N)Ga]₂Sb₄ ( 3 ).     

Unraveling the roles of the acid medium, experimental probes, and terminal oxidant, (NH4)2[Ce(NO3)6], in the study of a homogeneous water oxidation catalyst

The oxidation of water catalyzed by [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(OH(2))](ClO(4))(2) (1; tpy = 2,2';6',2'-terpyridine; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) is evaluated in different acidic media at variable oxidant concentrations. The observed rate of dioxygen evolution catalyzed by 1 is found to be highly dependent on pH and the identity of the acid; e.g., d[O(2)]/dt is progressively faster in H(2)SO(4), CF(3)SO(3)H (HOTf), HClO(4), and HNO(3), respectively. This trend does not track with thermodynamic driving force of the electron-transfer reactions between the terminal oxidant, (NH(4))(2)[Ce(NO(3))(6)] (CAN), and Ru catalyst in each of the acids. The particularly high reactivity in HNO(3) is attributed to the NO(3)(-) anion: (i) enabling relatively fast electron-transfer steps; (ii) participating in a base-assisted concerted atom-proton transfer process that circumvents the formation of high energy intermediates during the O-O bond formation process; and (iii) accelerating the liberation of dioxygen from the catalyst. Consequently, the position of the rate-determining step within the catalytic cycle can be affected by the acid medium. These factors collectively contribute to the position of the rate-determining step within the catalytic cycle being affected by the acid medium. This offering also outlines how other experimental issues (e.g., spontaneous decay of the Ce(IV) species in acidic media; CAN/catalyst molar ratio; types of catalytic probes) can affect the Ce(IV)-driven oxidation of water catalyzed by homogeneous molecular complexes.     

New tetraphosphane ligands {(X2P)2NC6H4N(PX2)2} (X = Cl, F,OMe, OC6H4OMe-o): synthesis, derivatization, group 10 and 11 metal complexes and catalytic investigations. DFT calculations on intermolecular P...P interactions in halo-phosphines

The reaction of p-phenylenediamine with excess PCl 3 in the presence of pyridine affords p-C 6H 4[N(PCl 2) 2] 2 ( 1) in good yield. Fluorination of 1 with SbF 3 produces p-C 6H 4[N(PF 2) 2] 2 ( 2). The aminotetra(phosphonites) p-C 6H 4[N{P(OC 6H 4OMe- o) 2} 2] 2 ( 3) and p-C 6H 4[N{P(OMe) 2} 2] 2 ( 4) have been prepared by reacting 1 with appropriate amount of 2-(methoxy)phenol or methanol, respectively, in the presence of triethylamine. The reactions of 3 and 4 with H 2O 2, elemental sulfur, or selenium afforded the tetrachalcogenides, p-C 6H 4[N{P(O)(OC 6H 4OMe- o) 2} 2] 2 ( 5), p-C 6H 4[N{P(S)(OMe) 2} 2] 2 ( 6), and p-C 6H 4[N{P(Se)(OMe) 2} 2] 2 ( 7) in good yield. Reactions of 3 with [M(COD)Cl 2] (M = Pd or Pt) (COD = cycloocta-1,5-diene) resulted in the formation of the chelate complexes, [M 2Cl 4- p-C 6H 4{N{P(OC 6H 4OMe- o) 2} 2} 2] ( 8, M = Pd and 9, M = Pt). The reactions of 3 with 4 equiv of CuX (X = Br and I) produce the tetranuclear complexes, [Cu 4(mu 2-X) 4(NCCH 3) 4- p-C 6H 4{N(P(OC 6H 4OMe- o) 2) 2} 2] ( 10, X = Br; 11, X = I). The molecular structures of 1- 3, 6, 7, and 9- 11 are confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The weak intermolecular P...P interactions observed in 1 leads to the formation of a 2D sheetlike structure, which is also examined by DFT calculations. The catalytic activity of the Pd(II) 8 has been investigated in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions.     

Synthesis and structural studies of Rh, Pd, Ni complexes and one-pot synthesis of binuclear Ru complex [(η-p-cymene)Ru(μ2-Cl)3Ru{PhN(P(OC6H4OMe-o)2)2}Cl]

The Rh^I, Ru^II, Pd^I and Ni^II complexes of the aminobis(phosphonite), PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂ (1) are reported. The reactions of 1 with [Rh(COD)Cl]₂ in 1:1 and 2:1 molar ratio afford the mono- and diolefin substituted chloro bridged chelate complexes, [(COD)Rh₂(μ₂-Cl)₂{PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}] (2) and [Rh(μ₂-Cl){PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}]₂ (3), respectively. Similarly, the cationic mono- and bis-chelate complexes, [Rh(COD){PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}]OTf (4) and [Rh{PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}₂]OTf (5) are obtained by treating 1 with [Rh(COD)Cl]₂ in the presence of AgOTf in appropriate ratios. The dinuclear Rh^I carbonyl complex, [RhCl(CO){μ-PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}]₂ (6) is prepared by treating 1 with 0.5 equiv. of [Rh(CO)₂Cl]₂. Reaction of 1 with cis-[NiBr₂(DME)] (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) affords [{PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}NiBr₂] (7) whereas with [Ru-(η⁶-p-cymene)Cl₂]₂ in refluxing THF medium produces an interesting and rare bimetallic Ru^II complex, [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(μ₂-Cl)₃Ru{PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}Cl] (8). Redox condensation of the Pd⁰ and Pd^II derivatives with 1 affords the dinuclear Pd^I complex, [PdBr{μ-PhN(P(OC₆H₄OMe-o)₂)₂}]₂ (9). The formation and structure of complexes 2-9 are assigned through various spectroscopic and micro analysis data. The molecular structures of 5 and 7-9 are confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies.     

Optical bandgap and electrical conductivity studies on near stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystals prepared by VTE process

Vapour transport equilibrium (VTE) technique was used to prepare near stoichiometric LiNbO₃ (NSLN) crystals. Simultaneous occurrence of reduction has been observed during the Li-enrichment that results in the weak absorption bands centred at 1.7, 2.6 and 3.7 eV in the absorption spectrum. Annealing in oxygen atmosphere resulted in decrease in the intensity of these bands. The indirect and direct band-gap energies for NSLN crystals evaluated from absorption studies are reported. The energy of the phonon involved in the indirect transition is ～85 meV (685 cm^?1). Near room temperature ac-conductivity measurements reveal lower conductivity for oxygen annealed NSLN crystal in comparison to as prepared NSLN and CLN specimens. The activation energies for ac-conductivity along the z-direction for NSLN and CLN crystals in the temperature range 500–1100 K are 1.03 eV and 0.96 eV, respectively.     

Crystal growth,dielectric and FIR reflectivity studies on PZN(0.91)‐PT(0.09) single crystals

Crystal growth of PZN‐PT single crystals using slow cooling flux technique with PbO flux is reported in this communication. Optimum growth conditions to maximize the amount of perovskite are also suggested. The grown crystals are characterized by dielectric and FIR spectroscopy. Temperature dependence of ε′ very close to the transition temperature shows a first order phase transition. Diffused phase transition and strong frequency dependence of ε′ around transition temperature are also observed. The real part of ε′ was found to obey the relation ε′ – ε_∞ = χ′(T‐T_o)². Dispersion in the ferroelectric phase is suggested to originate from ordering of domains. Competition in the B‐site occupancy by Zn, Nb and Ti ions is suggested to be the origin for the additional modes in the FIR reflectivity at room temperature. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Studies towards the total synthesis of an epoxy isoprostane phospholipid,a potent activator of endothelial cells

We report studies toward the total synthesis of an epoxy isoprostane, namely the preparation of compound 9 which is an analogue of the elimination product 7 of the naturally occurring epoxy isoprostane 4 by a straightforward route using a three-component coupling, and have shown by several spectroscopic criteria that it closely resembles the natural material.     

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution X-ray diffraction and refractive index analyses of Ti-doped lithium niobate (Ti:LiNbO3) nonlinear optical single crystal

Congruent LiNbO₃ single crystals with Ti ion dopants (2 and 5 mol%) were successfully grown by Czochralski technique in the automatic diameter control facility. As-grown crystal boules were oriented into (0 0 1) direction cut and optically polished for all measurements. Influence of Ti-ion incorporation into LiNbO₃ was studied by core level XPS analysis. Powder X-ray diffraction studies were carried out on doped lithium niobate for phase identification. High-resolution X-ray diffraction technique was used to study the crystalline quality through full-width at half-maximum values. The refractive index values are more for doped samples than for pure sample as determined by prism coupling technique with different laser sources.     

The Intermetalloid Cluster [(Cp*AlCu)6H4], Embedding a Cu6 Core Inside an Octahedral Al6 Shell: Molecular Models of Hume–Rothery Nanophases

Defined molecular models for the surface chemistry of Hume–Rothery nanophases related to catalysis are very rare. The Al‐Cu intermetalloid cluster [(Cp*AlCu)₆H₄] was selectively obtained from the clean reaction of [(Cp*Al)₄] and [(Ph₃PCuH)₆]. The stronger affinity of Cp*Al towards Cu sweeps the phosphine ligands from the copper hydride precursor and furnishes an octahedral Al₆ cage to encapsulate the Cu₆ core. The resulting hydrido cluster M₁₂H₄ reacts with benzonitrile to give the stoichiometric hydrometalation product [(Cp*AlCu)₆H₃(N=CHPh)].