Sodium Salicylate: An In-Depth Thermal and Photophysical Study.

Sodium salicylate (2-hydroxybenzoate) has been fully characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), thermogravimetric analysis in combination with in operando FTIR spectroscopy and GC-MS, as well as by UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy backed up by DFT calculations. SCXRD revealed a layered crystal structure composed of ionic sheets formed by Na+ -O contacts sandwiched between π-stacked aromatic rings of the salicylate anion oriented perpendicular to the layer plane. Only weak van der Waals interactions hold the individual sheets together. No solid/solid or solid/liquid phase transitions were observed upon heating, but a three-step decomposition was observed, with the first onset at 245 °C corresponding to concomitant release of CO2 and phenol. The UV/Vis absorption spectra show temperature-dependent absorption bands at around 305 and/or 345 nm, which according to DFT calculations correspond to the absorption of the carboxylate or phenolate proton transfer species, respectively. In solution, indications of the phenolate species are found only in a very apolar solvent (cyclohexane). Because of excited-state relaxation, emission always occurs from the phenolate structure, which explains the large Stokes shift.

Highly luminescent and color-tunable salicylate ionic liquids.

High quantum yields of up to 40.5% can be achieved in salicylate-bearing ionic liquids. A range of these ionic liquids have been synthesized and their photoluminescent properties studied in detail. The differences noted can be related back to the structure of the ionic liquid cation and possible interionic interactions. It is found that shifts of emission, particularly in the pyridinium-based ionic liquids, can be related to cation-anion pairing interactions. Facile and controlled emission color mixing is demonstrated through combining different ILs, with emission colors ranging from blue to yellow.

Ruthenium nanoparticles in ionic liquids: structural and stability effects of polar solutes.

Ionic liquids are a stabilizing medium for the in situ synthesis of ruthenium nanoparticles. Herein we show that the addition of molecular polar solutes to the ionic liquid, even in low concentrations, eliminates the role of the ionic liquid 3D structure in controlling the size of ruthenium nanoparticles, and can induce their aggregation. We have performed the synthesis of ruthenium nanoparticles by decomposition of [Ru(COD)(COT)] in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)], under H(2) in the presence of varying amounts of water or 1-octylamine. For water added during the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, a decrease of the solubility in the ionic liquid was observed, showed by nanoparticles located at the interface between aqueous and ionic phases. When 1-octylamine is present during the synthesis, stable nanoparticles of a constant size are obtained. When 1-octylamine is added after the synthesis, aggregation of the ruthenium nanoparticles is observed. In order to explain these phenomena, we have explored the molecular interactions between the different species using (13)C-NMR and DOSY (Diffusional Order Spectroscopy) experiments, mixing calorimetry, surface tension measurements and molecular simulations. We conclude that the behaviour of the ruthenium nanoparticles in [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] in the presence of 1-octylamine depends on the interaction between the ligand and the nanoparticles in terms of the energetics but also of the structural arrangement of the amine at the nanoparticle's surface.

C60 in olive oil causes light-dependent toxicity and does not extend lifespan in mice.

C60 is a potent antioxidant that has been reported to substantially extend the lifespan of rodents when formulated in olive oil (C60-OO) or extra virgin olive oil (C60-EVOO). Despite there being no regulated form of C60-OO, people have begun obtaining it from online sources and dosing it to themselves or their pets, presumably with the assumption of safety and efficacy. In this study, we obtain C60-OO from a sample of online vendors, and find marked discrepancies in appearance, impurity profile, concentration, and activity relative to pristine C60-OO formulated in-house. We additionally find that pristine C60-OO causes no acute toxicity in a rodent model but does form toxic species that can cause significant morbidity and mortality in mice in under 2 weeks when exposed to light levels consistent with ambient light. Intraperitoneal injections of C60-OO did not affect the lifespan of CB6F1 female mice. Finally, we conduct a lifespan and health span study in males and females C57BL/6 J mice comparing oral treatment with pristine C60-EVOO and EVOO alone versus untreated controls. We failed to observe significant lifespan and health span benefits of C60-EVOO or EVOO supplementation compared to untreated controls, both starting the treatment in adult or old age. Our results call into question the biological benefit of C60-OO in aging.

A novel stabilisation model for ruthenium nanoparticles in imidazolium ionic liquids: in situ spectroscopic and labelling evidence.

In situ labelling and spectroscopic experiments are used to explain the key points in the stabilisation of ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) generated in imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) by decomposition of (eta(4)-1,5-cyclooctadiene)(eta(6)-1,3,5-cyclooctatriene)ruthenium(0), Ru(COD)(COT), under dihydrogen. These are found to be: (1) the presence of hydrides at the RuNP surface and, (2) the confinement of RuNPs in the non-polar domains of the structured IL, induced by the rigid 3-D organisation. These results lead to a novel stabilisation model for NPs in ionic liquids.

Small nickel nanoparticle arrays from long chain imidazolium ionic liquids.

A series of six long chain alkyl mono- and bi-cationic imidazolium based salts with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (NTf2(-)) as the anion were synthesized and characterized. The single crystal structure of 1-methyl-3-octadecylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide could be obtained by X-ray analysis. All these long chain alkyl imidazolium based ILs were applied in the synthesis of nickel nanoparticles via chemical decomposition of an organometallic precursor of nickel. In these media, spontaneous decomposition of Ni(COD)2 (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) in the absence of H2 occurred giving small NPs (≤4 nm) with narrow size distributions. Interestingly, formation of regularly interspaced NP arrays was also observed in long chain ILs. Such array formation could be interesting for potential applications such as carbon nanotube growth.

Interface-assisted ionothermal synthesis, phase tuning, surface modification and bioapplication of Ln3+-doped NaGdF4 nanocrystals.

Phase-selective synthesis of trivalent lanthanide-doped NaGdF4 nanocrystals, capped by ionic liquid cations bearing long alkyl chains, succeeded via a one-step interface-assisted ionothermal route. Owing to the existence of an interface formed between hydrophobic ionic liquids and ethylene glycol, selectively either pure cubic or hexagonal phase NaGdF4 could be obtained by changing the amount of the added surfactant, polyethyleneimine. By doping various trivalent lanthanide cations, multicolor emissions under excitation by a single wavelength could be achieved. The nanocrystals can be surface derivatized by an amphiphilic polymer and endowed with functional groups that allow the particles to not only be dispersed in aqueous solutions but also present biocompatibility. After conjugation with biotin, the nanocrystals could be used for time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer biodetection.

Ligand effect on the catalytic activity of ruthenium nanoparticles in ionic liquids.

Suspensions of small sized (1-2.5 nm) ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) have been obtained by decomposition, under H(2), of (η(4)-1,5-cyclooctadiene)(η(6)-1,3,5-cyclooctatriene)ruthenium(0), [Ru(COD)(COT)], in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)], and in the presence of different compounds acting as ligands: C(8)H(17)NH(2), PPhH(2), PPh(2)H and H(2)O. Previous and new liquid NMR experiments showed that the ligands are coordinated or in the proximity to the surface of the RuNPs. Herein is reported how the ligand affects the catalytic performance (activity and selectivity) compared to a ligand-free system of RuNPs, when RuNPs in [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] are used as catalysts for the hydrogenation of various unsaturated compounds (1,3-cyclohexadiene, limonene and styrene). It has been observed that σ-donor ligands increase the activity of the nanoparticles, contrarily to π-acceptor ones.

Influence of ionic association, transport properties, and solvation on the catalytic hydrogenation of 1,3-cyclohexadiene in ionic liquids.

The influence of the nature of two different ionic liquids, namely 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)], and 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [C(1)C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)], on the catalytic hydrogenation of 1,3-cyclohexadiene with [Rh(COD)(PPh(3))(2)][NTf(2)] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) was studied. Initially, the effect of different concentrations of 1,3-cyclohexadiene on the molecular interactions and on the structure in two ionic liquids was investigated by NMR and by molecular dynamic simulations. It was found that in both ionic liquids 1,3-cyclohexadiene is solvated preferentially in the lipophilic regions. Furthermore, the higher solubility of 1,3-cyclohexadiene in [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] and the smaller positive values of the excess molar enthalpy of mixing for the 1,3-cyclohexadiene + [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] system in comparison with 1,3-cyclohexadiene + [C(1)C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] indicate more favorable interactions between 1,3-cyclohexadiene and the C(1)C(4)Im(+) cation than with the C(1)C(1)C(4)Im(+) cation. Subsequently, diffusivity and conductivity measurements of the 1,3-cyclohexadiene + ionic liquid mixtures at different compositions allowed a characterization of mass and charge transport in the media and access to the ionicity of ionic liquids in the mixture. From the dependence of the ratio between molar conductivity and the conductivity inferred from NMR diffusion measurements, Λ(imp)/Λ(NMR), on concentration of 1,3-cyclohexadiene in the ionic liquid mixture, it was found that increasing the amount of 1,3-cyclohexadiene leads to a decrease in the ionicity of the medium. Finally, the reactivity of the catalytic hydrogenation of 1,3-cyclohexadiene using [Rh(COD)(PPh(3))(2)][NTf(2)] performed in [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] at different compositions of 1,3-cyclohexadiene and in [C(1)C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] at one composition was related linearly to the viscosity, hence the reaction rate is determined by the mass transport properties of the media.

How do physical-chemical parameters influence the catalytic hydrogenation of 1,3-cyclohexadiene in ionic liquids?

The catalytic hydrogenation of 1,3-cyclohexadiene using [Rh(COD)(PPh(3))(2)]NTf(2) (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) was performed in two ionic liquids: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)], and 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [C(1)C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)]. It is observed that the reaction is twice as fast in [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] than in [C(1)C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)]. To explain the difference in reactivity, molecular interactions and the microscopic structure of ionic liquid +1,3-cyclohexadiene mixtures were studied by NMR and titration calorimetry experiments, and by molecular simulation in the liquid phase. Diffusivity and viscosity measurements allowed the characterization of mass transport in the reaction media. We could conclude that the diffusivity of 1,3-cyclohexadiene is 1.9 times higher in [C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] than in [C(1)C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)] and that this difference could explain the lower reactivity observed in [C(1)C(1)C(4)Im][NTf(2)].

Imidazolium ionic liquids as promoters and stabilising agents for the preparation of metal(0) nanoparticles by reduction and decomposition of organometallic complexes.

The organometallic complexes ([Ru(COD)(2-methylallyl)2] and [Ni(COD)2] (COD=1,5-cyclooctadiene) dissolved in imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) undergo reduction and decomposition, respectively, to afford stable ruthenium and nickel metal(0) nanoparticles (Ru(0)-NPs and Ni(0)-NPs) in the absence of classical reducing agents. Depending on the case, the reduction/auto-decomposition is promoted by either the cation and/or anion of the neat imidazolium ILs.

Synthesis and characterisation of ionic liquids based on 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and MCl(4), M = Hf and Zr.

Dialkylimidazolium chlorometallate molten salts resulting from the combination of zirconium or hafnium tetrachloride and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [C(1)C(4)Im][Cl], have been prepared with a molar fraction of MCl(4), R = n(MCl4)/n(MCl4) + n([C1C4IM][Cl]) equal to 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.33, 0.5, 0.67. The structure and composition were studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), (35)Cl (263 to 333 K), (1)H and (13)C solid state and solution NMR spectroscopy, and electrospray ionisation (ESI) mass spectrometry. The primary anions of the MCl(4)-based ILs were [MCl(5)], [MCl(6)] and [M(2)Cl(9)], whose relative abundances varied with R. For R = 0.33, pure solid [C(1)C(4)Im](2)[MCl(6)], for both M = Zr and Hf are formed (m.p. = 366 and 385 K, respectively). For R = 0.67 pure ionic liquids [C(1)C(4)Im][M(2)Cl(9)] for both M = Zr and Hf are formed (T(g) = 224 and 220 K, respectively). The thermal dissociation has been attempted of [C(1)C(4)Im](2)[HfCl(6)], and [C(1)C(4)Im](2)[ZrCl(6)] monitored by (35)Cl and (91)Zr solid NMR (high temperature up to 551 K).