Substitution and Redox Properties of Some Organoisocyanide Cobalt(II) Complexes

The reactions of four tetrakis(arylisocyanide)cobalt(II) complexes, [Co(CNR)4(ClO4)2] {R = 2,6-Me2C6H3 (A), 2,4,6-Me3C6H2 (B), 2,6-Et2C6H3 (C), and 2,6-iPr2C6H3 (D)}, with two pyridines, 4-CNpy and 4-Mepy, have been kinetically studied in trifluoroethanol medium. Each of the reactions, which was monitored over a temperature range of 293 to 318 K, exhibited two distinct processes proposed to be an initial fast substitution process followed by a slow reduction process. For each pyridine, steric hindrance was observed to play a significant role in the rates of the reactions, which decrease with increasing size of the arylisocyanide ligand in the order k(A) > k(B) > k(C) > k(D). Addition of each of three triarylphosphines, PR3 (R = Ph, C6H4Me-p, C6H4OMe-p), to solutions of pentakis(t-octylisocyanide)cobalt(II), [Co(CNC8H17-t)5](ClO4)2, resulted in a shift in the λmax of the electronic spectrum accompanied by a change in color of the solutions. The shift is attributed to ligand substitution. The reactions of the cobalt(II) complex [Co(CNC8H17-t)5]2+ with the triarylphosphines are proposed to proceed via a combination of substitution, reduction, and disproportionation mechanisms with final formation of disubstituted Co(I) complexes. The order of reactivity of the complex with the triarylphosphines was found to be P(C6H4OMe-p)3 > P(C6H4Me-p)3 > PPh3. This order is explained in terms of the electron donating/π-acceptor properties of the phosphines

Outreach:Impact on Skills and Future Careers of Postgraduate Practitioners Working with the Bristol ChemLabS Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Postgraduate engagement in delivering outreach activities is more commonplace than it once was. However, the impact on postgraduate students (typically studying for a Ph.D. degree) of participating in the delivery of these outreach activities has rarely, if ever, been recorded. The Bristol ChemLabS Outreach program has been running for ca. 17 years, and in that time, many postgraduate students have been involved (approximately 500), with around 250 typically for up to 3 years. We sought to investigate the impact of outreach engagement on postgraduate alumni who were involved in the program for over 3 years (32) and how the experiences and training of the outreach program had impacted on their careers postgraduation. Thirty of the 32 postgraduates engaged and ∼70% reported that their outreach experience had influenced their decision making on future careers. Many respondents reported that the skills and experiences gained through outreach participation had contributed to success in applying for and interviewing at their future employers. All respondents reported that outreach had helped them to develop key skills that were valued in the workplace, specifically, communication, teamwork, organizational skills, time planning, event planning, and event management. Rather than a pleasant distraction or an opportunity to supplement income, all participants noted that they felt there were many additional benefits and that this was time well spent. Outreach should not be viewed as a distraction to science research but rather an important enhancement to it provided that the program is well constructed and seeks to develop those delivering the outreach activities

SelEXSIDE: Fast and Easy Measurement of Multiple-Bond ¹H,¹³C Coupling Constants for Stereochemical Analysis

Long-range ¹H,¹³C coupling constants (^<i>n</i><i>J</i>_CH) are underutilized parameters for stereochemical structure determination, primarily because they are not easy to measure. This report describes a rapid and easily interpreted method for the measurement of one or more ^<i>n</i><i>J</i>_CH values based on a ¹³C band-selective EXSIDE (SelEXSIDE), which reduces experiment times from many hours down to a few minutes while allowing a simple and straightforward readout of ^<i>n</i><i>J</i>_CH values from the resulting in-phase doublet signal

Outreach; impact on skills and future careers of postgraduate practitioners working with the Bristol ChemLabS Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Postgraduate engagement in delivering outreach activities is more commonplace than it once was. However, the impact on postgraduate students (typically studying for a Ph.D. degree) of participating in the delivery of these outreach activities has rarely, if ever, been recorded. The Bristol ChemLabS Outreach program has been running for ca. 17 years, and in that time, many postgraduate students have been involved (approximately 500), with around 250 typically for up to 3 years. We sought to investigate the impact of outreach engagement on postgraduate alumni who were involved in the program for over 3 years (32) and how the experiences and training of the outreach program had impacted on their careers postgraduation. Thirty of the 32 postgraduates engaged and ∼70% reported that their outreach experience had influenced their decision making on future careers. Many respondents reported that the skills and experiences gained through outreach participation had contributed to success in applying for and interviewing at their future employers. All respondents reported that outreach had helped them to develop key skills that were valued in the workplace, specifically, communication, teamwork, organizational skills, time planning, event planning, and event management. Rather than a pleasant distraction or an opportunity to supplement income, all participants noted that they felt there were many additional benefits and that this was time well spent. Outreach should not be viewed as a distraction to science research but rather an important enhancement to it provided that the program is well constructed and seeks to develop those delivering the outreach activities

Outreach: Impact on Skills and Future Careers of Postgraduate Practitioners Working with the Bristol ChemLabS Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Postgraduate engagement in delivering outreach activities is more commonplace than it once was. However, the impact on postgraduate students (typically studying for a Ph.D. degree) of participating in the delivery of these outreach activities has rarely, if ever, been recorded. The Bristol ChemLabS Outreach program has been running for ca. 17 years, and in that time, many postgraduate students have been involved (approximately 500), with around 250 typically for up to 3 years. We sought to investigate the impact of outreach engagement on postgraduate alumni who were involved in the program for over 3 years (32) and how the experiences and training of the outreach program had impacted on their careers postgraduation. Thirty of the 32 postgraduates engaged and ∼70% reported that their outreach experience had influenced their decision making on future careers. Many respondents reported that the skills and experiences gained through outreach participation had contributed to success in applying for and interviewing at their future employers. All respondents reported that outreach had helped them to develop key skills that were valued in the workplace, specifically, communication, teamwork, organizational skills, time planning, event planning, and event management. Rather than a pleasant distraction or an opportunity to supplement income, all participants noted that they felt there were many additional benefits and that this was time well spent. Outreach should not be viewed as a distraction to science research but rather an important enhancement to it provided that the program is well constructed and seeks to develop those delivering the outreach activities

Outreach: Impact on Skills and Future Careers of Postgraduate Practitioners Working with the Bristol ChemLabS Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Postgraduate engagement in delivering outreach activities is more commonplace than it once was. However, the impact on postgraduate students (typically studying for a Ph.D. degree) of participating in the delivery of these outreach activities has rarely, if ever, been recorded. The Bristol ChemLabS Outreach program has been running for ca. 17 years, and in that time, many postgraduate students have been involved (approximately 500), with around 250 typically for up to 3 years. We sought to investigate the impact of outreach engagement on postgraduate alumni who were involved in the program for over 3 years (32) and how the experiences and training of the outreach program had impacted on their careers postgraduation. Thirty of the 32 postgraduates engaged and ∼70% reported that their outreach experience had influenced their decision making on future careers. Many respondents reported that the skills and experiences gained through outreach participation had contributed to success in applying for and interviewing at their future employers. All respondents reported that outreach had helped them to develop key skills that were valued in the workplace, specifically, communication, teamwork, organizational skills, time planning, event planning, and event management. Rather than a pleasant distraction or an opportunity to supplement income, all participants noted that they felt there were many additional benefits and that this was time well spent. Outreach should not be viewed as a distraction to science research but rather an important enhancement to it provided that the program is well constructed and seeks to develop those delivering the outreach activities