Spectroscopic evidence on the acetonitrile cleavage at mild condition

Among the present numerous chemical libraries, acetonitrile is the one of famous common organic solvents widely used in modern science and industry. Since it has been known as very stable and inert solvent, there has been little doubt on its catalytic decomposition to cyanide in mild condition. In this report, I provide new evidence on the catalytic decomposition of acetonitrile at conventional gold surfaces without any electrochemical treatment. Various surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) measurements on high-purity acetonitrile reveal that the observed anomalous peak originates from the plasmonically cleaved cyanide group on SERS-active gold surface, which is also supported by the results of time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). This work sheds light on the plasmonic induced unprecedented reaction of the small chemical species that have been known intact.

Non-aqueous solvent extraction of indium from an ethylene glycol feed solution by the ionic liquid Cyphos IL 101: speciation study and continuous counter-current process in mixer-settlers

A solvometallurgical process for the separation of indium(iii) and zinc(ii) from ethylene glycol solutions using the ionic liquid extractants Cyphos IL 101 and Aliquat 336 in an aromatic diluent has been investigated. The speciation of indium(iii) in the two immiscible organic phases was investigated by Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, EXAFS and 115In NMR spectroscopy. At low LiCl concentrations in ethylene glycol, the bridging (InCl3)2(EG)3 or mononuclear (InCl3)(EG)2 complex is proposed. At higher lithium chloride concentrations, the first coordination sphere changes to two oxygen atoms from one bidentate ethylene glycol ligand and four chloride anions ([In(EG)Cl4]-). In the less polar phase, indium(iii) is present as a tetrahedral [InCl4]- complex independent of the LiCl concentration. After the number of theoretical stages had been determined using a McCabe-Thiele diagram for extraction by Cyphos IL 101, the extraction and scrubbing processes were performed in lab-scale mixer-settlers to test the feasibility of working in continuous mode. Indium(iii) was extracted quantitatively in four stages, with 19% co-extraction of zinc(ii). The co-extracted zinc(ii) was scrubbed selectively in six stages using an indium(iii) scrub solution. Indium(iii) was recovered from the loaded less polar organic phase as indium(iii) hydroxide (98.5%) by precipitation stripping with an aqueous NaOH solution.

The DFT Quest for Possible Reaction Pathways, Catalytic Species, and Regioselectivity in the InCl3-Catalyzed Cycloaddition of N-Tosyl Formaldimine with Olefins or Allenes

The present work focuses on a theoretical investigation of the plausible mechanism, determination of catalytically active species, and understanding of the regioselectivity in the InCl₃-catalyzed cycloaddition of N-tosyl formaldimine with alkenes or allenes. InCl₃ and InCl₂⁺ coordinated by dichloroethane (InCl₂⁺-DCE) were investigated as model catalytic systems. DFT data supported that InCl₂⁺-DCE represent the plausible in situ generated catalytic species. The catalytic cycle starts from the coordination of N-tosyl formaldimine to InCl₂⁺-DCE, generating an In-complexed iminium intermediate. This then undergoes intermolecular reaction (aza-Prins) with alkene substrate to form a carbocation intermediate, which is chemoselectively attacked by the second N-tosyl formaldimine molecule to form a formaldiminium intermediate. In a final step, this intermediate undergoes the ring closure, leading to hexahydropyrimidine along with the regeneration of catalyst. In addition, our DFT results indicate that N-tosyl formaldimine not only acts as a reactant but also accelerates the 1,3-H-shift as a proton acceptor, giving an experimentally observed allylamide product. Also, the "iminium/alkene/imine" path was supported by calculation results for diastereoselective [2 + 2 + 2] reaction using an internal alkene. Finally, the regioselectivity of the InCl₃-catalyzed cycloaddition using allenes along with N-tosyl formaldimine was also analyzed.

First multi-tool exploration of a gas-condensate-pyrolysate system from the environment of burning coal mine heaps: An in situ FTIR and laboratory GC and PXRD study based on Upper Silesian materials

A methodological approach to the complex geochemical analysis of the coal fire in burning coal mine heaps (BCMH) of Upper Silesian Coal Basin has been developed. The other approach used is gas chromatography and indicatory tubes. Powder X-Ray Diffraction is applied for phase analysis to determine the species composition of mineral condensates present within and around gas flues. The gas compositions are proved to be extremely variable, when comparing both different BCMH and flues or flue zones of the same heaps. One outstanding determination concerns GeCl₄, found in most samples often in large quantities. No evident dependence between the gas and mineral condensate compositions is found: N-rich condensates may but do not have to be associated with NH₃-, pyridine-, or NO_x-rich gases. This is also true for S-rich and Cl-rich mineralization in connection with gases of SO₂, H₂S, OCS, CS₂, thiophene, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, HCl, and various halogenated hydrocarbons. Fluorine is rarely present as HF, whereas SiF₄ occurs more frequently and in much larger quantities. AsH₃ is mainly a trace gas but may locally be enriched. Besides the common gases, a number of trace gases is also determined based on residual FTIR spectra. Those with the highest presence chance include cyanogen isocyanate, cyanogen N-oxide, (iso)cyanic acid, c-cyanomethanimine (ethylenediimine), isocyanatomethane, iodocyanoacetylene, acetonitrile, acetaldehyde, m-hydroxybenzonitrile (m-cyanophenol), isonitrosyl chloride, nitrosyl isocyanide, difluorosilane, pentacene, triphenylene, thiazolidine, cyclohexane, and a trinitrenetriazine. The occurrence of some metals and semimetals (e.g., Al, Mg, Ga) as neutral hydroxides, suggested by other authors to occur in natural gases, is possibly confirmed. The presence of trace metal carbonyls, nitrosyls and hydrides is also possible.