Dalton Transactions Blog

In this HOT article, the molecular structures of 1,2-closo-P₂B₁₀H₁₀ (1) and 1,2-closo-As₂B₁₀H₁₀ (2) have been determined by gas electron diffraction and the results obtained compared with those from computation at the MP2/6-31G** level of theory. The first examples of metalladiphosphaboranes and a considerable extension of the range of known metalladiarsaboranes, these compounds being prepared from deboronated derivatives of 1 and 2, respectively, are also reported.

Read more for FREE about the structural chemistry of closo-heteroboranes in the gas-phase…. at:

New chemistry of 1,2-closo-P₂B₁₀H₁₀ and 1,2-closo-As₂B₁₀H₁₀; in silico and gas electron diffraction structures, and new metalladiphospha- and metalladiarsaboranes
R. McLellan, N. M. Boag, K. Dodds, D. Ellis, S. A. Macgregor, D. McKay, S. L. Masters, R. Noble-Eddy, N. P. Platt, D. W. H. Rankin, H. E. Robertson, G. M. Rosair and A. J. Welch
Dalton Trans., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1DT10540J

A N^N Pt(II) bis(acetylide) complex containing coumarin was prepared in this Dalton Transactions Hot article.

The coordination chemistry of the complex was investigated to better understand its phosphorescence. Room temperature phosphorescence of coumarin has not previously been observed at room temperature, which is an exciting discovery.

The authors went on to use their complex as a sensitizer for triplet–triplet-annihilation based upconversion and luminescent oxygen sensing, with encouraging results.

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Coumarin phosphorescence observed with NN Pt(II) bisacetylide complex and its applications for luminescent oxygen sensing and triplet–triplet-annihilation based upconversion
Haiyang Sun, Huimin Guo, Wenting Wu, Xin Liu and Jianzhang Zhao
Dalton Trans., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1DT10490J

The most stable crystal structures of different TCN compounds are investigated in this Dalton Transactions Hot article.

Philippe F. Weck and colleagues from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, USA, use gradient-corrected density functional theory to look at the structures and properties of technetium nitride phases.

Technetium nitride is used in nuclear waste management, as nitride forms are a good way of storing technetium isotopes, a common by product of the nuclear fuel cycle, and also in nuclear medicine, where it acts a a radiopharmaceutical (if you are interested in radiopharmaceuticals, check out our recent themed issue)

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Interplay between structure, stoichiometry and properties of technetium nitrides
Philippe F. Weck, Eunja Kim and Kenneth R. Czerwinski
Dalton Trans., 2011, DOI: 10.1039/C1DT10334B

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have successfully dominated the commercial power supply market for advanced portable electronics.  In this regard, metallic Sn has attracted a great deal of interest as an anode material because of its high theoretical capacity offering a significant advantage over the currently used graphite but until now has not been utilized due to the huge volumetric changes during Li-insertion/extraction cycling, which leads to rapid pulverization and poor cyclability of the materials. 

This HOT article reports an interesting study on Sn/PPy composite as negative electrode using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) binder for Li-ion batteries.   The electrochemical results show that both the capacity retention and the rate capability are in the same order of nano-Sn/PPy-CMC > nano-Sn/PPy-PVDF > nano-Sn-CMC > nano-Sn-PVDF. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results show that CMC can prevent the formation of cracks in electrodes caused by the big volume changes during the charge–discharge process, and the PPy in the composite can provide a conducting matrix and alleviate the agglomeration of Sn nanoparticles. The present results indicate that the nano-Sn/PPy composite could be suitable for the next generation of anode materials.

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Tin/polypyrrole composite anode using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose binder for lithium-ion batteries
Shu-Lei Chou, Xuan-Wen Gao, Jia-Zhao Wang, David Wexler, Zhao-Xiang Wang, Li-Quan Chen and Hua-Kun Liu
Dalton Trans., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1DT10396B

Combining the properties of transition metals with the dynamic properties of mechanically interlocked molecules has the potential to create chemical systems with a variety of unique applications, the scope of which, are just beginning to be explored. However, the synthesis of such sophisticated ligands and their transition metal complexes still present a major challenge for synthetic inorganic chemists.

In their Dalton Transactions Hot Article Stephen Loeb and Darren Mercer introduce a practical method of incorporating inert metal ions directly into an interlocked species by constructing a ligand that is itself a permanently interlocked rotaxane. Read more about this clever synthesis in their Dalton Transactions Hot Communication:

Complexes of a [2]rotaxane ligand with terminal terpyridine groups
Darren J. Mercer and Stephen J. Loeb
Dalton Trans., 2011, 40, 6385-6387DOI: 10.1039/C1DT10569H

In this Dalton Transactions Hot Article, a team from the University of Florence, and Annie Powell from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology carried out a single crystal EPR study on a molecular nanomagnet (MNM).

The study was aimed at confirming the nature of the ground spin state and the fine determination of the magnetic anisotropy of an Fe₁₉ cluster.

Fe-based MNMs like the one reported in this study can be used as models for natural systems and provide clues for understanding the growth of inorganic cores in proteins.

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Single crystal EPR study at 95 GHz of a large Fe based molecular nanomagnet: toward the structuring of magnetic nanoparticle properties
L. Castelli, M. Fittipaldi, A. K. Powell, D. Gatteschi and L. Sorace
Dalton Trans., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1DT10311C, Paper

In this Dalton Transactions Hot Article, Fenghua Chen and colleagues prepared multifunctional nanoparticles composed of a Fe₃O₄–Au nanocomposite core and a porous silica shell.

The aim of the synthesis was to maintain the magnetic and optical properties of the nanocomposite while ensuring stability.

The catalytic activity of the product was tested on reduction of o-nitroaniline to benzenediamine by NaBH₄. The core/shell nanoparticles showed improved activity compared to Fe₃O₄–Au composite nanoparticles alone.

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Multifunctional nanocomposites constructed from Fe₃O₄–Au nanoparticle cores and a porous silica shell in the solution phase
Fenghua Chen, Qingtao Chen, Shaoming Fang, Yu’an Sun, Zhijun Chen, Gang Xie and Yaping Du
Dalton Trans., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1DT10374A, Paper