Bronze roman mirrors: the secret of brightness

The surface microchemical structure of high tin leaded bronze Roman mirrors has been studied by means of scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical microscopy (OM) techniques. The results allowed understanding of the origin of their high chemical stability and silvery-lustrous appearance. Indeed, some areas of the selected Roman mirrors are still characterised by a highly reflective and silver coloured surface even though they have been buried in the soil for about 2000 years. The micro-chemical results obtained from these areas have revealed that the mirror surface was tin enriched via inverse-segregation phenomenon by tailoring the cooling parameters. Furthermore, the presence of tin could be likely enhanced via cycles of oxidation and selective copper corrosion processes, thus resulting in a tin surface enrichment as a semi-transparent amorphous-like tin oxide (SnO₂) film, as well as a copper depletion at the outer surfaces.     

Microchemical Investigation of Archaeological Copper Based Artefacts Disclosing an Ancient Witness of the Transition from the Value of the Substance to the Value of the Appearance

In many Italian archaeological sites dated between the sixth and third centuries BC, unworked lumps of Cu-based materials are sometimes found, the so called Aes Rude, which according to archaeological considerations were appreciated as currency, as a medium of exchange and as a form of saving. The microchemical investigation of these ancient artefacts discloses their nature as apparently not usable for any functional applications or possible use. Indeed, Aes Rude resemble ordinary copper material, but microchemical results indicate that they are constituted by highly ferruginous leaded copper, making them useless for producing other metal objects by means of casting or hot and cold working. Notwithstanding this intrinsic negative feature, the production of these intractable Cu-based alloys was deliberately carried out to maximise the process yield in terms of produced metal from an impure and unselected metal ore by tailoring the smelting process parameters. With these considerations in mind, the microchemical investigation of these ancient iron–copper alloys gives evidence of the passage from the acceptance of an artefact value based on its true nature or potential use to the acceptance of the value based only on its appearance or form irrespective of its present or future use. This information could contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of human thought and economic and social interactions.     

Sub-Ramsey numbers for arithmetic progressions

Letm 3 andk 1 be two given integers. Asub-k-coloring of [n] = {1, 2,...,n} is an assignment of colors to the numbers of [n] in which each color is used at mostk times. Call an arainbow set if no two of its elements have the same color. Thesub-k-Ramsey number sr(m, k) is defined as the minimumn such that every sub-k-coloring of [n] contains a rainbow arithmetic progression ofm terms. We prove that((k – 1)m ²/logmk) sr(m, k) O((k – 1)m ² logmk) asm , and apply the same method to improve a previously known upper bound for a problem concerning mappings from [n] to [n] without fixed points.Research supported in part by Allon Fellowship and by a Bat Sheva de-Rothschild grant.Research supported in part by the AKA Research Fund of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, grant No. 1-3-86-264.     

Sulfonylcarbamimidic azides from sulfonyl chlorides and 5-aminotetrazole

Treatment of o-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride ( 3 ) with 5-aminotetrazole (5-AT) gave [(2-nitrophenyl)-sulfonyl]carbamimidic azide ( 6 ), a ring-opened isomer of the expected N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide ( 4 ). Sulfonylcarbamimidic azide 6 was converted to 2-amino-N-(aminoiminomethyl)benzene-sulfonamide ( 7 ) with ethanolic stannous chloride, and to 3-amino-1,2,4-thiadiazine 1,1-dioxide ( 8 ) with sodium dithionite. Methanesulfonyl chloride ( 9 ) and 5-AT gave 2-(methylsulfonyl)carbamimidic azide ( 10 ), which isomerized to 5-[(methylsulfonyl)amino]-1H-tetrazole ( 11 ) in warm ethanol. Attempted cycloaddition of 2-(phenylsulfonyl)carbamimidic azide ( 13 ) and ethyl vinyl ether led only to alkylated tetrazole products. In addition, other tetrazole-alkylating reactions are described. Isomers produced from these alkylations were differentiated with ¹³C nmr spectroscopy.     

Etude par diffraction X et microscopie electronique du système CaTiO3---Ca2Fe2O5

In order to check the extended defect model previously proposed for the nonstoichiometric perovskite A_nM_nO_3n−1 (n 2), the Ca₂Ti_2−2xFe_2xO_6−x solid solution has been studied by means of X-ray diffraction and electron microscope investigations. The results show the existence of a continuous evolution (0 x 1) with two different regions. Close to the CaTiO₃ composition (0 x 0.40) the oxygen vacancies seem to be randomly distributed and the symmetry remains pseudocubic. In the composition range 0.55 x 1, the electron microscope patterns show an ordering of the defects: the oxygen vacancies are ordered in the (0k0) planes in strings parallel to the [101] direction. It is concluded from these observations that perpendicular to the Oy direction isolated planes of tetrahedra arranged in rows separate planes of corner-linked octahedra. The n = 2; 2.5; 3, et 4 terms of the A_nM_nO_3n−1 series have been identified. C.S. planes characteristic of classical nonstoichiometric oxides with small cations do not appear: instead, tetrahedra planes succeed to the previous octahedra planes as the degree of nonstoichiometry increases.

Résumé

Afin de vérifier le modèle de non-stoechiométrie proposé dans un travail précédent pour les perovskites lacunaires A_nM_nO_3n−1 (n 2), la solution solide Ca₂Ti_2−2xFe_2xO_6−x a été, étudiée par diffraction X et microscopie électronique. Les résultats montrent l'existence d'une évolution continue (0 x 1) avec deux domaines différents. Pour les compositions proches de CaTiO₃ (0 x 0.40), les lacunes oxygénées semblent être distribuées statistiquement et la symétrie demeure pseudocubique. Dans le domaine de compositions 0.55 x 1, les images de microscopie électronique montrent un ordre des défauts: les lacunes d'oxygène sont ordonnées dans les plans (0k0) en rangées parallèles à la direction [101]. Ces observations ont permis de conclure que perpendiculairement à la direction Oy des plans isolés de files de tétraèdres séparent des plans d'octaèdres liés par leurs sommets. Les termes n = 2; 2.5; 3 et 4 des séries A_nM_nO_3n−1 ont été identifiés. Des plans de cisaillement rencontrés dans les oxydes non-stoechiométriques classiques de petits cations n'ont pas été mis en évidence: par contre, des plans de tétraèdres se substituent aux plans d'octaèdres initiaux lorsque le degré de non-stoechiométrie augmente.     

Extract-photometric determination of vanadium(V) with 3-indole-acetohydroxamic acid

Summary A spectrophotometric study has been carried out of the violet complex 3-indole-acetohydroxamic acid-vanadium extracted into a solution of trioctylmethyl-ammonium chloride in toluene [_max 525 nm; =5381 l mol^–1 cm^–1; stoichiometry 1:3 (metal:reagent)]. A new method for the extract-spectrophotometric determination of V⁵⁺ in the range of 2–7 g/g is proposed and interferences by foreign ions were investigated. The method has been satisfactorily applied to the determination of vanadium(V) in fuel oil. The relative error is ±2.9%.     

Positive ion chemistry of esters of carboxylic acids in air plasma at atmospheric pressure

Ionization of esters of carboxylic acids RCOOR' (R = H, alkyl; R' = alkyl) within the air plasma of the Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI) source occurs largely via H(+)-transfer and, to a minor extent, via NO(+) association. The protonated ester MH(+) is normally observed as M(2)H(+) and as higher aggregates (M(3)H(+), M(3)H(+)(H(2)O)) also at high source temperature. The behavior of M(2)H(+) upon collisional activation is consistent with the reported dissociation of proton-bound dimers to MH(+) species that, in turn, fragment according to the known paths of lowest energy. In addition, other important product ions form within the plasma, some in very high relative abundance, which are attributed to ion-molecule condensation reactions between neutral M and either MH(+) or M(2)H(+) resulting in the elimination of CO, R'OH, alkene from the alkoxy moiety of the ester and HCOOH. A general scheme is proposed to account for the experimental observations, which suggest that the encounter complex formed between MH(+) and M or between M(2)H(+) and M may either collisionally relax to the protonated dimer or trimer, respectively, or react via covalent bond forming and cleaving steps to eliminate stable neutral molecules. The proposed scheme is supported by both the observed concentration dependence and the temperature dependence of the products relative abundances within the plasma. Such reactions can be the dominant process, as in the case of formate esters. A second significant ionization route involves addition of NO(+) to form M(n)NO(+) (n = 1, 2, 3). An additional product corresponding to [M(2)NO(+) - CO(2)] is also observed with iso- and n-butyl formate esters.     

Positive and negative ion chemistry of the anesthetic halothane (1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane) in air plasma at atmospheric pressure

The ion chemistry of 1-bromo-1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethane (the common anesthetic halothane) in air plasma at atmospheric pressure was investigated by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). The major positive ion observed at low declustering (API interface) energies is the ionized dimer, M(+.)M, an unexpectedly abundant species which possibly is stabilized by two H-bonding interactions. At higher energies [M--HF](+.) and [M--Br](+) prevail; the former, corresponding to ionized olefin [ClBrC=CF(2)](+.), appears to originate from M(+.)M and is quite stable towards fragmentation. The latter fragment ion ([M--Br](+)) and its analogue, [M--Cl](+), which is also observed though at much lower abundance, are originally ethyl cations (+)CHX--CF(3) (X = Br, Cl) which, upon collisional activation, rearrange and fragment to CHFX(+) via elimination of CF(2). All of the above described ions are also observed in humid air: in addition, the oxygenated ion [ClBrC=CFOH](+.) also forms in humid air via water addition to [ClBrC=CF(2)](+.) and HF elimination, as observed earlier for ionized trichloroethene. In contrast with similar chloro- and fluoro-substituted ethanes, halothane does not react with H(3)O(+) in the APCI plasma, a result confirmed by selected ion APCI triple-quadrupole (TQ) experiments. Major negative ions formed from halothane in the air plasma are Br(-) and, to a lesser extent, Cl(-), and their complexes with neutral halothane. APCI-TQ experiments indicated that Br(-) and Cl(-) are formed via reaction of halothane with O(2) (-.), O(2) (-.)(H(2)O) and O(3) (-.), possibly via dissociative electron transfer or nucleophilic substitution. Competing proton transfer was also observed in the reaction with O(2) (-.) and, at high halothane pressure, also with O(2) (-.)(H(2)O); at lower pressures the molecular anion M(-.) was observed instead. The other minor anions of the air plasma, NO(2) (-), N(2)O(2) (-.) and NO(3) (-), were found to be unreactive towards halothane.     

Novel CFCs-substitutes recommended by EPA (hydrofluorocarbon-245fa and hydrofluoroether-7100): Ion chemistry in air plasma and reactions with atmospheric ions

The ion chemistry of the title compounds, a nonafluorobutyl methyl ether and a hydrofluoropropane, is elucidated by a combination of studies using atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. In the positive ion mode, the hydrofluoroether readily forms an [M - F]+ ion, attributable to hydronium ion induced dehydrofluorination, the product of which can be further hydrated to give a protonated hydrofluoroester. By contrast, the hydrofluoropropane does not react with the hydronium ion but rather gives hydrofluoroalkenylium cations via H atom and F atom abstraction by the dioxygen radical cation. In the negative ion mode, the fluorobutyl methyl ether undergoes dissociative electron capture with O2-*, O2-*(H2O), O3-*, and NO2- to generate the fluorobutoxy anion, which can dissociate by CF2[doublebond]O loss to give the perfluorocarbanion when the precursor ions are internally excited. The hydrofluoropropane reacts readily with common atmospheric anions to form molecular complexes with F-, O2-*, and O3-* and the strongly H-bonded species, O2-*(HF) and F-(HF). Interestingly, isomeric pentafluoropropanes form in the reaction with O2-*, either O2-*(HF) or F-(HF), depending on the specific pattern of the fluoro substitution.