The mechanism of ethylene polymerization by nickel salicylaldiminato catalysts - Agostic interactions and their kinetic isotope effects

The ethylene polymerization reaction of a neutral nickel catalyst was studied by DFT calculations at the Becke3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. As in related cases a β-agostic bond stabilizes the nickel alkyl ground states. Transition states for the insertion of the olefin show a distinct α-agostic interaction, which has not been observed for late metal polymerization catalysts before. An ethylene-alkyl complex was identified as the resting state of the reaction. The overall barrier height of the reaction amounts to 17.54 kcal/mol, which slightly increases to 17.60 kcal/mol for the polymerization of deuterated ethylene. Therefore, a small positive kinetic isotope effect (k_H/k_D = 1.09) can be calculated, which is caused by the α-agostic interaction in the transition state. A comparison to other late metal based polymerization systems reveals that the ethylene coordination step of highly active catalysts is significantly lower in energy compared to catalysts which are only moderately active.     

Synthesis and characterization of isotopically enriched methylmercury (CH3201Hg+)

A simple procedure for the synthesis of an important standard, isotopically enriched methylmercury, which is not commercially available, has been established successfully. The isotopically enriched standard synthesized is utilized in conventional isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS), as well as in speciated IDMS (SIDMS), for determination of the true concentration of methylmercury in environmental samples. The CH₃²⁰¹Hg⁺ standard has been synthesized from commercially available ²⁰¹HgO and tetramethyltin. The synthesis time required is 1 h at 60°C. The product is highly pure, yielding more than 90% as ²⁰¹Hg in CH₃²⁰¹Hg⁺. Hazardous dimethylmercury does not occur during this synthesis procedure. The product synthesized was analyzed using high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) and ICP‐MS alone in order to determine its concentration, isotopic composition and purity. The stability of the product was also evaluated for over 6 months and found to be stable at 4°C in the dark. The isotopically enriched methylmercury synthesized can be used in SIDMS and IDMS analyses as a standard. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

激光激活化学反应分离同位素反应池参数确定及其影响

在气体分子运动论、碰撞理论、流体力学和光化学反应、热化学反应及高斯光束理论基础上建立了位于激光器腔内外的反应池的设计尺寸同各相关参量和同位素产物产率、同位素分离系数间的关系，并给出了一些计算结果。     

Transesterification of an RNA model in buffer solutions in H2O and D2O

Transesterification of a phosphodiester bond of RNA models has been studied in various buffer solutions, under neutral and slightly alkaline conditions in H₂O and D₂O. The results show that imidazole is the only buffer system where a clear buffer catalysis on the cleavage of a phosphodiester bond is observed. The rate enhancement in sulphonic acid buffers is smaller, and a sulphonate base, particularly, is inactive as a catalyst. The rate‐enhancing effect of imidazole is, however, catalytic, and the catalytic inactivity of sulphonate buffers can be attributed to their structure and/or charge. The catalysis by imidazole is a complex system which, in addition to first‐order reactions, involves a process that shows a second‐order dependence in imidazole concentration. The latter reaction becomes significant in acidic imidazole buffers (pH < pK_a), as the buffer concentration increases. The kinetic solvent deuterium isotope effect k_H/k_D, referring to first‐order catalysis by imidazole base, is 2.3 ± 0.3. That referring to second‐order catalysis is most probably much larger, but an accurate value could not be obtained. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

利用低能质子束产生高强度放射性束流

加拿大TRIUMF实验室利用¹¹C成功验证了一种产生高强度(～10⁸ions/s)放射性束流的方法. 该方法不同于普通在线同位素分离方法, 它利用了13MeV的低能强流质子束, 可以产生一系列核天体物理实验感兴趣的高强度放射性束流.     

Pressure and temperature effects on the excess deuteron and proton conductance

The limiting molar conductances ° of deuterium chloride DCl in D₂O were determined as a function of pressure and temperature in order to examine the proton-jump mechanism in detail. The excess deuteron conductances °_E(D ⁺), as estimated by the equation [°_E(D ⁺) = °(DCl/D ₂ O) – °(KCl/D ₂ O)], increases with an increase in the pressure and temperature as well as the excess proton conductance [°_E(H ⁺) = °(HCl/H ₂ O) – °(KCl/H ₂ O)]. The isotope effect on the excess conductances, however, depends on the pressure and temperature contrary to the model proposed by Conway et al.: °_E(H ⁺)/°_E(D ⁺) decreases with increasing pressure and temperature. The magnitude of the decrease with pressure becomes more prominent at lower temperature. These results are discussed in terms of the pre-rotation of adjacent water molecules, the bending of hydrogen bonds with pressure, and the difference in strength of hydrogen bonds between D₂O and H₂O.     

14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内吸收传导和分布

应用同位素示踪技术研究了14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内的吸收、传导和分布行为.自显影结果显示,寡糖通过处理叶部或根部后能够被西瓜幼苗植株快速吸收,在叶片中的传导表现为从叶缘向叶片中心分布的趋势.将叶部处理8h和根部处理24h后,14C-寡糖即可以传导和分布到西瓜幼苗的整个植株体内,证明14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内具有较强的扩散和向基或向顶传导特征.结果表明,处理叶部4～120h时,根系、茎与未被直接处理的叶片等其它部位的放射性比活度分别由0.18×105和23.08×105Bq/kg变化为0.32×105和3.02×105Bq/kg,总体上表现出向基传导和分布的态势.处理根部4～120h时,西瓜幼苗植株根系、茎部、子叶和真叶中放射性比活度分别由22.23×105,2.23×105,8.33×105和12.78×105Bq/kg变化为431.11×105,42.23×105,65.57×105和78.89×105Bq/kg,表现出14C-寡糖在西瓜幼苗植株体内向顶传导作用和在地上部的积累态势很强.     

Crystal Structure, Infrared Spectrum and Isotope Effect of Uranium-Crown Ether Complexes

According to the experiment results of X-ray diffraction and IR, the reduced partition function ratio (RPFR) and the contribution of various related vibration modes of uranium-crown ether complex (DCH18C6·H_3O)_2UO_2Cl_4 were theoreticallv calculated in detail. The equilibrium constant K_(eq) (that is, the single stage isotopic separation factor α) of exchange reaction for uranium isotopic chemical exchange system UO_2~(2+)(H_2O)_5—(DCH18C6.H_3O)_2UO_2Cl_4 is estimated to be 1.000746 at 12℃ and 1.000672 at 29℃, respectively, which are quite close to the experimental values 1.0010±0.0002 arid 1.0012±0.0004. Theoretical analysis shows that in the course of forming the complex of uranium with crown ether, the coordinated water of uranium is stripped, which performs a key action on the remarkable isotope effect for this system.     

冠醚B15C5萃取分离锂同位素的阴离子效应

本文研究了B15C5冠醚萃取锂盐时,不同阴离子对体系的同位素分离效应的影响。结果表明,阴离子在冠醚萃取过程中不仅对萃取络合物的稳定性有显著影响,而且阴离子半径及软度越大时,萃取体系的锂同位素分离系数(α_(LI))也越大。