A Theoretical and Experimental Study on the Lewis Acid−Base Adducts (P4E3)·(BX3) (E = S, Se; X = Br, I) and (P4Se3)·(NbCl5)

The Lewis acid−base adducts (P4E3)·(BX3) (E = S, Se; X = Br, I) and (P4Se3)·(NbCl5) have been prepared and characterized by Raman, IR, and solid-state 31P MAS NMR spectroscopy. Hybrid density functional calculations (B3LYP) have been carried out for both the apical and the basal (P4E3)·(BX3) (E = S, Se; X = Br, I) adducts. The thermodynamics of all considered species has been discussed. In accordance with solid-state 31P MAS NMR and vibrational data, the X-ray powder diffraction structures of (P4S3)·(BBr3) [monoclinic, space group P21/m (No. 11), a = 8.8854(1) Å, b = 10.6164(2) Å, c = 6.3682(1) Å, β = 108.912(1)°, V = 568.29(2) Å3, Z = 2] and (P4S3)·(BI3) [orthorhombic, space group Pnma (No. 62), a = 12.5039(5) Å, b = 11.3388(5) Å, c = 8.9298(4) Å, V = 1266.09(9) Å3, Z = 4] indicate the formation of an apical P4S3 complex in the reaction of P4S3 with BX3 (X = Br, I). Basal adducts are formed when P4Se3 is used as the donor species. Vibrational assignment for the normal modes of these adducts has been made on the basis of comparison between theoretically obtained and experimentally observed vibrational data

Compressibility of the nitridosilicate SrYb[Si4N7] and the oxonitridoaluminosilicates MYb[Si4−xAlxOxN7−x] (x = 2; M = Sr, Ba)

The compressibilities of the nitridosilicate SrYb[Si4N7] and the oxonitridoaluminosilicates MYb[Si4−xAlxOxN7−x] (x = 2; M = Sr, Ba) were investigated by in situ high-pressure X-ray powder diffraction. Pressures up to 42 GPa were generated using the diamond–anvil cell technique. The title compounds are structurally stable to the highest pressure obtained. A fit of a third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation-of-state to the p–V data results in V0 = 302.91 (6) Å3, B0 = 176 (2) GPa and B′ = 4.4 (2) for SrYb[Si4N7]; V0 = 310.4 (1) Å3, B0 = 161 (2) GPa and B′ = 4.6 (2) for SrYb[Si4−xAlxOxN7−x]; and V0 = 317.3 (5) Å3, B0 = 168 (2) GPa and B′ = 4.7 (2) for BaYb[Si4−xAlxOxN7−x]. While the linear compressibilities of the a and c axes of BaYb[Si4−xAlxOxN7−x] are very similar up to 30 GPa, distinct differences were observed for SrYb[Si4N7] and SrYb[Si4−xAlxOxN7−x], with the c axis being the most compressible axis. In all of the investigated compounds the bulk compressibility is dominated by the compression behaviour of the tetrahedral network, while the size of the substituted cation plays a minor role

Characterisation of the tetrahalophosphonium cations PBrnI4 − n+ (0 ≤ n ≤ 4) by 31P MAS NMR, IR and Raman spectroscopy and the crystal structures of PI4+AlCl4−, PI4+AlBr4− and PI4+GaI4−

The novel tetrahalophosphonium salts PBr4+AsF6−, PI4+AlCl4− and PI4+EBr4− (E = Al, Ga) have been synthesised. A variety of solid complexes containing PBr4+ (e.g. PBr4+AsF6−, PBr4+AlBr4− PBr4+GaBr4−), PI4+ (e.g. PI4+AlCl4−, PI4+AlBr4−, PI4+GaBr4−) or the mixed species PBrnI4 − n+ (0 ≤ n ≤ 4, containing AlBr4−, GaBr4−, AsF6− or SbF6−) have been studied by solid-state 31P MAS NMR and vibrational spectroscopy. The influence of the counter-ion on the chemical shift and the vibrational frequencies are discussed. The crystal structures of PI4+AlCl4−, PI4+AlBr4− and PI4+GaI4− are reported. Evidence for the existence of the hitherto unknown mixed bromoiodophosphonium cations PBr3I+, PBr2I2+ and PBrI3+ has been confirmed by spin–orbit corrected density functional calculations of isotropic 31P chemical shifts for PBrnI4 − n+

The crystal structure of superoxide dismutase from Plasmodium falciparum

Background: Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are important enzymes in defence against oxidative stress. In Plasmodium falciparum, they may be expected to have special significance since part of the parasite life cycle is spent in red blood cells where the formation of reactive oxygen species is likely to be promoted by the products of haemoglobin breakdown. Thus, inhibitors of P. falciparum SODs have potential as anti-malarial compounds. As a step towards their development we have determined the crystal structure of the parasite's cytosolic iron superoxide dismutase. Results: The cytosolic iron superoxide dismutase from P. falciparum (PfFeSOD) has been overexpressed in E. coli in a catalytically active form. Its crystal structure has been solved by molecular replacement and refined against data extending to 2.5 angstrom resolution. The structure reveals a two-domain organisation and an iron centre in which the metal is coordinated by three histidines, an aspartate and a solvent molecule. Consistent with ultracentrifugation analysis the enzyme is a dimer in which a hydrogen bonding lattice links the two active centres. Conclusion: The tertiary structure of PfFeSOD is very similar to those of a number of other iron-and manganese-dependent superoxide dismutases, moreover the active site residues are conserved suggesting a common mechanism of action. Comparison of the dimer interfaces of PfFeSOD with the human manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase reveals a number of differences, which may underpin the design of parasite-selective superoxide dismutase inhibitors

Low Temperature Precursor Route for Highly Efficient Spherically Shaped LED-Phosphors M2Si5N8:Eu2+ (M = Eu, Sr, Ba)

The highly efficient nitridosilicate phosphors M2Si5N8 (M = Sr, Ba, Eu) for phosphor-converted pc-LEDs were synthesized at low temperatures using a novel precursor route involving metal amides M(NH2)2. These precursors have been synthesized by dissolution of the respective metals in supercritical ammonia at 150°C and 300 bar. The thermal behavior and decomposition process of the amides were investigated with temperature programmed powder X-ray diffractometry and thermoanalytical measurements (DTA/TG). These investigations rendered the amides as suitable intermediates for reaction with silicon diimide (Si(NH)2). Thus, the desired nitridosilicate phosphors were obtained at relatively low temperatures around 1150−1400°C which is approximately 300°C lower compared to common synthetic approaches starting from metals or oxides. The influence of the thermal treatment on the phosphor morphology has been studied extensively. The accessibility of spherical phosphor particles represents another striking feature of this route since it improves light extraction from the crystallites due to decreasing light guiding and decreasing re-absorption inside the phosphor particle. The synthesized luminescent materials M2Si5N8:Eu2+ (M = Sr, Ba) exhibit quantum efficiencies and emission band widths (FWHM 70−90 nm) comparable to standard phosphor powders. Employment of Eu(NH2)2 as dopant reagent for synthesis of Ba2Si5N8:Eu2+ proved favorable for the formation of spherical crystallites compared to doping with Eu metal, halides, or oxide

Ba3Ga3N5 - A Novel Host Lattice for Eu2+ - Doped Luminescent Materials with Unexpected Nitridogallate Substructure

The alkaline earth nitridogallate Ba3Ga3N5 was synthesized from the elements in a sodium flux at 760°C utilizing weld shut tantalum ampules. The crystal structure was solved and refined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Ba3Ga3N5 (space group C2/c (No. 15), a = 16.801(3), b = 8.3301(2), c = 11.623(2) Å, β = 109.92 (3)°, Z = 8) contains a hitherto unknown structural motif in nitridogallates, namely, infinite strands made up of GaN4 tetrahedra, each sharing two edges and at least one corner with neighboring GaN4 units. There are three Ba2+ sites with coordination numbers six or eight, respectively, and one Ba2+ position exhibiting a low coordination number 4 corresponding to a distorted tetrahedron. Eu2+ - doped samples show red luminescence when excited by UV irradiation at room temperature. Luminescence investigations revealed a maximum emission intensity at 638 nm (FWHM =2123 cm−1). Ba3Ga3N5 is the first nitridogallate for which parity allowed broadband emission due to Eu2+ - doping has been found. The electronic structure of both Ba3Ga3N5 as well as isoelectronic but not isostructural Sr3Ga3N5 was investigated by DFT methods. The calculations revealed a band gap of 1.53 eV for Sr3Ga3N5 and 1.46 eV for Ba3Ga3N5

Initial State Interactions for K−K^--Proton Radiative Capture

The effects of the initial state interactions on the $K^--p$ radiative capture branching ratios are examined and found to be quite sizable. A general coupled-channel formalism for both strong and electromagnetic channels using a particle basis is presented, and applied to all the low energy $K^--p$ data with the exception of the {\it 1s} atomic level shift. Satisfactory fits are obtained using vertex coupling constants for the electromagnetic channels that are close to their expected SU(3) values.Comment: 16 pages, uses revte

Nitride Zeolites from Ammonothermal Synthesis

Oxide zeolites are synthesized from aqueous solutions in an established way employing hydrothermal synthesis. Transferring this approach to nitride zeolites requires a solvent providing nitrogen for which ammonia has proven to be particularly suitable. We present the successful ammonothermal synthesis of the (oxo)nitridosilicate compounds Ce3[Si6N11], Li2RE4[Si4N8]O3 (RE=La, Ce) and K1.25Ce7.75[Si11N21O2]O0.75. Within this procedure, the usage of supercritical ammonia as a solvent as well as the utilization of the mineralizers NaN3, Li3N and KN3, respectively, allowed the targeted synthesis of large single crystals. Formation of these (oxo)nitridosilicates depends mainly on the employed mineralizer despite their similar degree of condensation. The three compounds were structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction and their crystal structures contain a wide range of different ring sizes within their tetrahedra networks. The zeolite(-like) crystal structures are elucidated and compared to known nitridosilicate representatives of the respective structure types. Their elemental composition was investigated using energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and incorporation of the O rather than N−H functionality was confirmed by Fourier-Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as by charge distribution (CHARDI) and bond valence sum (BVS) calculations. The presented examples demonstrate that ammonothermal synthesis provides a one-step access from elemental starting materials towards nitride zeolites

Li14Ln5[Si11N19O5]O2F2 with Ln = Ce, Nd-Representatives of a Family of Potential Lithium Ion Conductors

The isotypic layered oxonitridosilicates Li14Ln5[Si11N19O5]O2F2 (Ln = Ce, Nd) have been synthesized using Li as fluxing agent and crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pmmn (Z = 2, Li14Ce5[Si11N19O5]O2F2: a = 17.178(3), b = 7.6500(15), c = 10.116(2) Å, R1 = 0.0409, wR2 = 0.0896; Li14Nd5 Si11N19O5]O2F2: a = 17.126(2), b = 7.6155 15), c = 10.123(2) Å, R1 = 0.0419, wR2 = 0.0929). The silicate layers consist of dreier and sechser rings interconnected via common corners, yielding an unprecedented silicate substructure. A topostructural analysis indicates possible 1D ion migration pathways between five crystallographic independent Li positions. The specific Li-ionic conductivity and its temperature dependence were determined by impedance spectroscopy as well as DC polarization/depolarization measurements. The ionic conductivity is on the order of 5 × 10−5 S/cm at 300°C, while the activation energy is 0.69 eV. Further adjustments of the defect chemistry (e.g., through doping)can make these compounds interesting candidates for novel oxonitridosilicate based ion conductors