Taming the Reactivity of Phosphiranium Salts: Site-Selective C-Centered Ring Opening for Direct Synthesis of Phosphinoethylamines

Advances in the field of phosphorus chemistry are documented, by revealing the synthetic utility of previously underutilized quaternary phosphiranium salts (QPrS) as three-chain-atom electrophilic building blocks. Notably, control of their challenging C-centered electrophilicity is disclosed with an expedient synthesis of tertiary β-anilino phosphines as a proof-of-concept.     

Rydberg states of small NaAr(n)* clusters

The 4s and 5s Rydberg excited states of NaAr(n)* clusters are investigated using a pseudopotential quantum-classical method. While NaAr(n) clusters in their ground state are known to be weakly bound van der Waals complexes with Na lying at the surface of the argon cluster, isomers in 4s or 5s electronically excited states of small NaAr(n)* clusters (n< or =10) are found to be stable versus dissociation. The relationship between electronic excitation and cluster geometry is analyzed as a function of cluster size. For both 4s and 5s states, the stable exciplex isomers essentially appear as sodium-centered structures with similar topologies, converging towards those of the related NaAr(n)+ positive ions when the excitation level is increased. This is consistent with a Rydberg-type picture for the electronically excited cluster, described by a central sodium ion solvated by an argon shell, and an outer diffuse electron orbiting around this NaAr(n)+ cluster core.     

The structure of chlorophyll a-water complexes: insights from quantum chemistry calculations

Computations show that chlorophyll a is able to coordinate a maximum of two water molecules in hydrophobic media that form a bridge between the Mg atom and the methyl ester carbonyl group.     

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Cachrys libanotis from Algeria

The essential oil of aerial parts of Cachrys libanotis L. (Apiaceae) from east Algeria was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Thirty-one compounds were identified, the main components being germacrene-D (18.0%), gamma-terpinene (6.4%), p-cymene (5.5%), caryophyllene oxide (5.1%), and limonene (5.1%).     

Optical and structural characterization of KBr crystals doped cadmium bromide (CdBr2)

In this paper we demonstrate the presence of CdBr₂ and cadmium aggregates in KBr matrix during Czochralski growth of KBr crystals. The chemical decomposition of CdBr₂ due to high temperature of crystallisation and reformation of cadmium bromide seems to be responsible for this effect.