A diruthenium-substituted polyoxometalate as an electrocatalyst for oxygen generation

Transition metal heteropolyanions have been used to catalyze a variety of organic oxidations but have not previously been used for O2 generation, despite sharing some structural similarities with dioxoruthenium water-oxidation catalysts. In this study, we report that the di-Ru-substituted polyoxometalate (POM) [Ru2Zn2(H2O)2(ZnW9O34)2]14- can be used to catalyze the electrochemical generation of O2. By comparing the behavior of this compound to that observed using a mono-Ru-substituted POM catalyst, we show that adjacent Ru sites are necessary to observe O2 generation. These observations suggest a reaction pathway involving two Ru-bound oxygen species combining to form O2 and are consistent with the accepted mechanism of electrochemical oxygen evolution. Finally, analysis of the observed electrode kinetics yields a Tafel slope of roughly 120 mV, which is similar to values reported previously for perovskite anodes.     

The use of bis(diphenylphosphino)amines with N-aryl functionalities in selective ethylene tri- and tetramerisation

A systematic study was conducted on the Cr catalysed tri- and tetramerisation of ethylene using bis(diphenylphosphino)amine ligands with N-aryl functionality. This study revealed that the oligomerisation reaction product selectivity is primarily dependent on the structure and size of the N-aryl groups.

Addition of sufficient steric bulk to the N-phenyl group via ortho-alkyl substitution increased the combined 1-hexene and 1-octene selectivity (overall alpha selectivity) to above 82% at an overall 1-octene selectivity of 56%. The introduction of a single carbon spacer between the N-atom and the aryl-moiety, as well as the addition of branching on this carbon, resulted in further selectivity improvements, achieving an overall 1-octene selectivity of 64% and an overall alpha selectivity of 84%. This was obtained at catalyst productivities in excess of 1,000,000 g/g Cr/h.     

Mise en evidence de la formation de R2MMR2 a partir de disila-1,2 et digerma-1,2 cyclohexenes-4

Intermediates with π-bonded Si or Ge are generated during gas phase pyrolysis of 1,2-disila- or 1,2-digerma-cyclohex-4-enes.Compounds such as R₂MMR₂ are successfully trapped by addition or [2 + 2] and [4 + 2] cycloadditions. These results were proved by mass spectrometry.     

Matrix effects in immunobiosensor determination of clenbuterol in urine and serum

The construction of immunochemical inhibition assays for beta-agonist and hormone residues have previously been described. In the present work the beta-agonist assay was further optimised for application to biological samples, using urine as the main model matrix. Matrix interferences with the antigen-antibody interaction and non-specific binding (NSB) of matrix components to the sensor surface were systematically studied. A full factorial design experiment was employed for evaluating the effects of assay buffer composition. In addition, the influence of antibody concentration and sample dilution on the matrix background was investigated. NSB from urine was highly affected by buffer pH and salt concentration, while buffer composition had little effect on matrix interferences with the antigen-antibody interaction. Ultra-filtration efficiently prevented NSB from urine and serum samples. Increased antibody dilution reduced the matrix background while sample dilution had an opposite effect.     

Koordinative Verankerung von Nickelkomplexen an Hectorit-Schichtsilicaten mit Hilfe langkettiger Diphenylphosphinogruppen

Coordinative Anchoring of Nickel Complexes on Hectorite-Layer Silicates through long-chain Diphenylphosphine Groups The treatment of sodium and calcium hectorites with 2-diphenylphosphinoethyltriethoxysilane leads, by condensation of free hydroxyl groups, to functionalized layer silicates with long-chain diphenylphosphine groups onto which nickel chloride can be coordinated. In these modified hectorites the fourth coordination site of the tetrahedrally coordinated nickel is occupied by a labile solvent molecule. On the other hand, the complex bis(2-diphenylphosphinoethyltriethoxysilane)nickel(II) chloride prepared beforehand also reacts with sodium hectorite under condensation; but the square-planar coordination of the four stable ligands (two chloride and two phosphor atoms) is maintained. This finds its expression in a significant activity decrease in catalytic reactions as compared to the aforementioned products.