Sol-gel analogous aminolysis-ammonolysis of chlorosilanes to chlorine-free Si/(C)/N-materials.

Large amounts of chlorosilanes, especially SiCl4 and CH3SiCl3, are produced as side-products of the industrial fabrication of solar or electronic grade silicon and the Müller-Rochow process. It was a goal of the present study to transform these compounds into useful chlorine-free precursors for Si/(C)/N ceramics via a sol-gel analogous liquid processing route. Chlorine substitution of the chlorosilanes (mixtures) with diethylamine did not yield chlorine-free products, complete reactions are only possible with lithium diethylamide. However, aminolyses with n-propylamine were successful. Transamination with ammonia was not possible with diethylaminosilanes but was with n-propylaminosilanes in various solvents. This result was attributed to steric reasons and polar interactions of the N-H groups. Colourless solid or liquid polysilazanes were obtained, depending on the silane (mixture) and the solvent. Transamination reactions of CH3Si(NH-n-Pr)3 in chloroform reproducibly yielded a cage-like oligosilazane of the composition (CH3)9Si9(NH)12N. Single crystal X-ray structure analysis revealed a seven-cyclic cluster containing four six- and three ten-membered silazane rings. This unique silazane cage as well as the other aminosilanes and the silazanes were comprehensively characterised using multi-nuclear solid state and solution NMR, elemental analyses and thermal gravimetry (TGA).

Octahedral adducts of dichlorosilane with substituted pyridines: synthesis, reactivity and a comparison of their structures and (29)si NMR chemical shifts.

H(2)SiCl(2) and substituted pyridines (Rpy) form adducts of the type all-trans-SiH(2*)Cl(2)2 Rpy. Pyridines with substituents in the 4- (CH(3), C(2)H(5), H(2)C=CH, (CH(3))(3)C, (CH(3))(2)N) and 3-positions (Br) give the colourless solids 1 a-f. The reaction with pyrazine results in the first 1:2 adduct (2) of H(2)SiCl(2) with an electron-deficient heteroaromatic compound. Treatment of 1 d and 1 e with CHCl(3) yields the ionic complexes [SiH(2)(Rpy)(4)]Cl(2*)6 CHCl(3) (Rpy=4-methylpyridine (3 d) and 4-ethylpyridine (3 e)). All products are investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and (29)Si CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The Si atoms are found to be situated on centres of symmetry (inversion, rotation), and the Si-N distances vary between 193.3 pm for 1 c (4-(dimethylamino)pyridine complex) and 197.3 pm for 2. Interestingly, the pyridine moieties are coplanar and nearly in an eclipsed position with respect to the SiH(2) units, except for the ethyl-substituted derivative 1 e, which shows a more staggered conformation in the solid state. Calculation of the energy profile for the rotation of one pyridine ring indicates two minima that are separated by only 1.2 kJ mol(-1) and a maximum barrier of 12.5 kJ mol(-1). The (29)Si NMR chemical shifts (delta(iso)) range from -145.2 to -152.2 ppm and correlate with the electron density at the Si atoms, in other words with the +I and +M effects of the substituents. Again, compound 1 e is an exception and shows the highest shielding. The bonding situation at the Si atoms and the (29)Si NMR tensor components are analysed by quantum chemical methods at the density functional theory level. The natural bond orbital analysis indicates polar covalent Si-H bonds and very polar Si-Cl bonds, with the highest bond polarisation being observed for the Si-N interaction, which must be considered a donor-acceptor interaction. An analysis of the topological properties of the electron distribution (AIM) suggests a Lewis structure, thereby supporting this bonding situation.

Development of a robust technique for sampling volatile metal(loid)s in wetlands.

The formation of volatile organic and inorganic metals and metalloids in aquatic environments is a known, but not very intensively investigated, process. Several techniques have been developed over the past 10 years to determine these trace components. These techniques are of limited use in wetland environments, where samples have to be taken from the soil-water interface, and require an immediate sample analysis due to thermodynamic instabilities of the volatile metal(loid)s. This paper presents an innovative sampling technique for total concentrations of volatile metal(loid)s in wetlands, based on an in situ gas-water separation via a porous PTFE membrane and stabilising the volatile metal(loid)s in a liquid sorbent (NaOCl solution). Samples may thus be collected even at remote sites, where longer storage times have to be accounted for. The sampling system was tested by means of a laboratory facility simulating the generation of arsine and dimethyl arsine under abiotic conditions as well as under field conditions. Results for sampling efficiency, reproducibility, and long-term storage are presented. Application of the sampling system in the field is shown.