High rate detection of volatile products using differential electrochemical mass spectrometry: combining an electrode-coated membrane with hydrodynamic flow in a wall-tube configuration.

We present an experimental system that combines differential electrochemical mass spectrometry with hydrodynamic flow consisting of an impinging jet in a wall-tube configuration. This assembly allows simultaneous detection of electrochemical signals along with monitoring of dissolved gas species using differential electrochemical mass spectrometry under well-defined hydrodynamic conditions and over a wide range of mass transfer rates. The working electrode is deposited directly onto a thin, hydrophobic membrane, which also serves as the inlet to the mass spectrometer. This inlet provides extremely rapid mass detection as well as a high flux of products from the electrode surface into the mass spectrometer. The impinging jet is designed in a wall-tube configuration, in which the jet diameter is large compared to the electrode diameter, thus providing uniform and rapid mass transfer conditions over the entirety of the electrode surface. This combination of rapid detection and controllable flow conditions allows a wide range of hydrodynamic conditions to be accessed with simultaneous electrochemical and mass spectrometric detection of dissolved gas species, which is important in the analysis of a range of electrochemical reactions. The capabilities of this configuration are illustrated using a platinum-coated electrode and several electrochemical reactions, including ferrocyanide oxidation, proton reduction, and oxalic acid oxidation.

Catalytic reactions of carbene precursors on bulk gold metal.

Bulk gold metal powder, consisting of particles (5-50 microm) much larger than nanoparticles, catalyzes the coupling of carbenes generated from diazoalkanes (R(2)C=N(2)) and 3,3-diphenylcyclopropene (DPCP) to form olefins. It also catalyzes cyclopropanation reactions of these carbene precursors with styrenes. The catalytic activity of the gold powder depends on the nature of the gold particles, as determined by TEM and SEM studies. The reactions can be understood in terms of mechanisms that involve the generation of carbene R(2)C: intermediates adsorbed on the gold surface.

Nanoscale friction switches: friction modulation of monomolecular assemblies using external electric fields.

This paper presents experimental investigations to actively modulate the nanoscale friction properties of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) assembly using an external electric field that drives conformational changes in the SAM. Such "friction switches" have widespread implications in interfacial energy control in micro/nanoscale devices. Friction response of a low-density mercaptocarboxylic acid SAM is evaluated using an atomic force microscope (AFM) in the presence of a DC bias applied between the sample and the AFM probe under a nitrogen (dry) environment. The low density allows reorientation of individual SAM molecules to accommodate the attractive force between the -COOH terminal group and a positively biased surface. This enables the surface to present a hydrophilic group or a hydrophobic backbone to the contacting AFM probe depending upon the direction of the field (bias). Synthesis and deposition of the low-density SAM (LD-SAM) is reported. Results from AFM experiments show an increased friction response (up to 300%) of the LD-SAM system in the presence of a positive bias compared to the friction response in the presence of a negative bias. The difference in the friction response is attributed to the change in the structural and crystalline order of the film in addition to the interfacial surface chemistry and composition presented upon application of the bias.

Cyanobacteria as a biosorbent for mercuric ion.

The biosorption of Hg(2+) by two strains of cyanobacteria, Spirulina platensis and Aphanothece flocculosa, was studied under a batch stirred reaction system. Essential process parameters, including pH, biomass concentration, initial metal concentration, and presence of co-ions were shown to influence the Hg(2+) uptake. Hg(2+) uptake was optimal at pH 6.0 for both strains. The maximum loading capacities per gram of dry biomass were found to be 456 mg Hg(2+) for A. flocculosa and 428 mg Hg(2+) for S. platensis. At an initial concentration of 10 ppm Hg(2+), A. flocculosa was able to remove more than 98% of the mercury ion from solution. The biosorption kinetics of both strains showed that the metal uptake is bi-phasic, exhibiting a rapid initial uptake followed by a slower absorption process. The presence of dissolved Co(2+), Ni(2+), and Fe(3+) were found to play a synergistic role for Hg(2+) uptake by both strains. Regeneration of the biomass was examined by treating Hg(2+)-loaded samples with HCl and NH(4)Cl over four cycles of sorption and desorption.

Facile Syntheses of Titanium(II), Tin(II), and Vanadium(II) Porphyrin Complexes through Homogeneous Reduction. Reactivity of trans-(TTP)TiL(2) (L = THF, t-BuNC).

Facile syntheses of the meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrin (TTP) complexes trans-(TTP)Ti(THF)(2) (1), (TTP)Sn (2), and trans-(TTP)V(THF)(2) (3) are achieved through homogeneous reduction of high-valent precursors using NaBEt(3)H. The composition of the new compound trans-(TTP)Ti(THF)(2) was determined by spectroscopic and chemical characterization. Ligand displacement reactions of trans-(TTP)Ti(THF)(2) with t-BuNC produced a new Ti(II) complex, trans-(TTP)Ti(t-BuNC)(2). The ligand-binding preference of (TTP)Ti(II)L(n)() (n = 1, 2) is picoline approximately pyridine > t-BuNC > PhC&tbd1;CPh > EtC&tbd1;CEt > THF.

Synthesis, Electrochemistry, and Imido Transfer Reactions of (TTP)Ti(eta(2)-PhN=NPh).

Treatment of (TTP)Ti(eta(2)-RC&tbd1;CR) (R = Et or Ph) with PhN=NPh results in formation of the azobenzene adduct (TTP)Ti(eta(2)-PhN=NPh) (1) in good isolated yield. Complex 1 reacts with (TTP)Ti(eta(2)-RC&tbd1;CR) at elevated temperatures to cleanly afford 2 equiv of the phenylimido compound, (TTP)Ti=NPh (2). The azobenzene complex, 1, is also formed in low yields by the reaction of the (TTP)Ti=NPh (2) with excess 1,2-diphenylhydrazine. The electrochemistry of the azobenzene adduct (1) and the phenylimido complex (2) is investigated by cyclic voltammetry experiments.

A novel iron complex containing an N,O-type bidentate oxazoline ligand: Synthesis, X-ray studies, DFT calculations and catalytic activity.

A five-coordinated Fe(III) complex with the distorted trigonal bipyramidal configuration was synthesized by reactions of FeCl3⋅6H2O and 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)oxazoline (Hphox) as a bidentate ON donor oxazoline ligand. Complex [Fe(phox)2Cl] was fully characterized, including by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. DFT calculations were accompanied with experimental results in order to obtain a deeper insight into the electronic structure and vibrational normal modes of complex. Oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides in one-step was conducted by this complex as catalyst using urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP) in mixture of CH2Cl2/CH3OH (1:1) under air at room temperature. The results show that using this system in oxidation of sulfides, sulfoxides are obtained as the main products, together with variable amounts of sulfones (≤13%), depending on the nature of the substrate.

Imidomolybdenum(IV) porphyrin complexes: synthesis, characterization, and intermetal imido transfer reactivity.

The imido(meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrinato)molybdenum(IV) complexes, (TTP)Mo=NR, where R = C6H5 (1a), p-CH3C6H4 (1b), 2,4,6-(CH3)3C6H2 (1c), and 2,6-(i-Pr)2C6H4 (1d), can be prepared by the reaction of (TTP)MoCl2 with 2 equiv of LiNHR in toluene. Upon treatment of the imido complexes with pyridine derivatives, NC5H4-p-X (X = CH3, CH(CH3)2, C[triple bond]N), new six-coordinate complexes, (TTP)Mo=NR.NC5H4-p-X, were observed. The reaction between the molybdenum imido complexes, (TTP)Mo=NC6H5 or (TTP)Mo=NC6H4CH3, and (TTP)Ti(eta2-PhC[triple bond]CPh) resulted in complete imido group transfer and two-electron redox of the metal centers to give (TTP)Mo(eta2-PhC[triple bond]CPh) and (TTP)Ti=NC6H5 or (TTP)Ti=NC6H4CH3.

Reaction of tin porphyrins with vicinal diols.

Reactions of tin porphyrins with vicinal diols were investigated. Treatment of (TTP)Sn(CCPh)(2) or (TTP)Sn(NHtolyl)(2) with pinacol and 2,3-diphenylbutane-2,3-diol afforded diolato complexes (TTP)Sn[OC(Me)(2)C(Me)(2)O] (1) and (TTP)Sn[OC(Ph)(Me)C(Ph)(Me)O] (2), respectively. Both complexes underwent C-C cleavage reactions to give (TTP)Sn(II) and ketones. Reaction of (TTP)Sn(CCPh)(2) with 1 equivalent of o-catechol generated (TTP)Sn(CCPh)(OC(6)H(4)OH) (3), which subsequently transformed into (TTP)Sn(OC(6)H(4)O) (4). With excess catechol, disubstituted (TTP)Sn(OC(6)H(4)OH)(2) (5) was obtained. (TTP)Sn(CCPh)(OCHRCHROH) (R = H, 6; R = Ph, 8) and (TTP)Sn(OCHRCHROH)(2) (R = H, 7; R = Ph, 9) were obtained analogously by treatment of (TTP)Sn(CCPh)(2) with appropriate diols. In the presence of dioxygen, tin porphyrin complexes were found to promote the oxidative cleavage of vicinal diols and the oxidation of alpha-ketols to alpha-diketones. Possible reaction mechanisms involving diolato or enediolato intermediates are discussed. The molecular structure of (TTP)Sn(CCPh)(OC(6)H(4)OH) (3) was determined by X-ray crystallography.

A new and efficient method for the selective olefination of aldehydes with ethyl diazoacetate catalyzed by an iron(II) porphyrin complex.

Olefination of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with ethyl diazoacetate was achieved in excellent yields with triphenylphosphine and catalytic amounts of iron(II) meso-tetra(p-tolyl)porphyrin. The reaction conditions are mild and the process is efficient and highly selective (>90%) for the synthesis of the trans-olefin isomer. Results of mechanistic studies are discussed.

Synthesis and characterization of chiral tetraaza macrocyclic nickel(II) and palladium(II) complexes.

Chiral tetraaza macrocyclic nickel(II) and palladium(II) complexes 2a-e, containing one or two (R,R)-(-)-1,2-cyclohexanediyl bridges, were synthesized by template condensation reactions and characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR, IR, UV-vis, and mass spectrometry. The electrophilic reactivity of 2a was explored. Crystal structures of Ni complex 2b and metal-free ligand 5 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.