[en] In order to gain insights into effect of substituents on selectivity of Am/Eu separation, the synthesis and extractions tests were undertaken on the series of bipyridyl-based ligands (amides of 2,2'-bipyridyl-6,6'-dicarboxylic acid: L_Ph - N,N'-diethyl-N,N'-diphenyl amide; L_Bu2 - tetrabutyl amide; L_Oct2 - tetraoctyl amide; L_3FPh - N,N'-diethyl-N,N'-bis-(3-fluorophenyl) amide; as well as N,N'-diethyl-N,N'-diphenyl amide of 4,4'-dibrom-2,2'-bipyridyl-6,6'-dicarboxylic acid and N,N'-diethyl-N,N'-diphenyl amide of 4,4'-dinitro-2,2'-bipyridyl-6,6'-dicarboxylic acid) as well as structure and stability of their complexes with lanthanides and actinides were studied. The extraction tests were performed for Am, lanthanide series and transition metals in polar diluents in presence of chlorinated cobalt dicarbolide and have shown high distribution coefficients for Am. Also was found that the type of substituents on amidic nitrogen exerts great influence on the extraction of light lanthanides. For understanding of the nature of this effect we made QC-calculations at DFT level, binding constants determination and X-Ray structure determination of the complexes. The UV/VIS titration performed show that the composition of all complexes of the amides with lanthanides in solution is 1:1. In spite of the binding constants are high (lgβ about 6-7 in acetonitrile solution), lanthanide ions have binding constants with the same order of magnitude for dialkyl substituted extractants. The X-Ray structures of the complexes of bipyridyl-based amides show the composition of 1:1 and the coordination number of the ions being 10. The DFT optimized structures of the compounds are in good agreement with that obtained by X-Ray. The gas phase affinity of the amides to lanthanides shows strong correlation with the distribution ratios. We can infer that the bipyridyl-based amides form complexes with metal nitrates which have similar structure in solid and gas phases and in solution, and the DFT calculations are a proper method to predict the distribution ratios for the amidic extractants. (author)

[en] The heat capacities of benzoylferrocene (BOF), C₅H₅FeC₅H₄COC₆H₅, and benzylferrocene (BF), C₅H₅FeC₅H₄CH₂C₆H₅, have been measured by the low-temperature adiabatic calorimetry in the temperature range from 6 K to 372 K. The purity benzylferrocene and thermodynamic properties - the triple point temperature and the enthalpy of fusion have been obtained. The ideal gas thermodynamic functions (changes of the entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy) of BOF and BF were derived at T = 298.15 K using the heat capacities and previously determined data on the saturation vapours pressures and the enthalpies of sublimation. The ideal gas enthalpy of formation and absolute entropy of BOF at T = 298.15 K have been obtained from quantum chemical calculations, where as the thermodynamic properties of BF have been estimated by empirical method of group equations. A good agreement between experimental and theoretical values provides an additional check of the reliability of the experimental data

[en] A new method for electrocatalytic aerobic epoxidation of alkenes catalyzed by binuclear Cu(II) complexes with azomethine ligands based on 2,6-diformyl-4-tert-butylphenol is described. In acetonitrile–water (5%), at the potential of Cu^II/Cu^I redox couple (–0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl/KCl) at room temperature the epoxide is obtained in an average yield of around 50%. Contrary to the majority of known epoxidations, no strong oxidants are involved and no free hydrogen peroxide is formed in the reaction, thus making it ecologically friendly. The DFT quantum-chemical modeling of the reaction mechanism revealed that a copper hydroperoxo-complex rather than hydrogen peroxide or a copper oxo-complex oxidizes alkene. The process is very selective since neither products of hydroxylation of benzene ring in styrene nor of allylic oxidation of cyclohexene were detected.

[en] Two new phosphine oxide-functionalized 1,10-phenanthroline ligands, tetradentate 2,9-bis(butylphenylphosphine oxide)-1,10-phenanthroline (BuPh-BPPhen, L${}^1$) and tridentate 2-(butylphenylphosphine oxide)-1,10-phenanthroline (BuPh-MPPhen, L${}^2$), were synthesized and studied comparatively for their coordination with trivalent actinides and lanthanides. The complexation mechanisms of these two ligands toward trivalent f-block elements were thoroughly elucidated by NMR spectroscopy, UV/vis spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectrometry, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, solvent extraction, and theoretical calculation methods. NMR titration results demonstrated that 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 (metal to ligand) lanthanides complexes formed for L${}^1$, whereas 1 : 1, 1 : 2 and 1 : 3 lanthanide complexes formed for L${}^2$ in methanol. The formation of these species was validated by fluorescence spectrometry, and the corresponding stability constants for the complexes of Nd${}^{III}$ with L${}^1$ and L${}^2$ were determined by using UV/vis spectrophotometry. Structures of the 10-coordinated 1 : 1-type complexes of EuL${}^1$(NO${}_3$)${}_3$ and [EuL${}^2$(NO${}_3$)${}_3$(H${}_2$O)] Et${}_2$O in the solid state were characterized by X-ray crystallography. In solvent-extraction experiments, L${}^1$ exhibited extremely strong extraction ability for both Am${}^{III}$ and Eu${}^{III}$, whereas L${}^2$ showed nearly no extraction toward Am${}^{III}$ or Eu${}^{III}$ due to its high hydrophilicity. Finally, the structures and bonding natures of the complex species formed between Am${}^{III}$/Eu${}^{III}$ and L${}^1$/L${}^2$ were analyzed in DFT calculations. (© 2021 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)