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At least 379 records · Page 21

Catalytic 1,3-Proton Transfer in Alkenes Enabled by Fe=NR Bond Cooperativity: A Strategy for p K a -Dictated Regioselective Transposition of C=C Double Bonds

Transition metal catalyzed alkene double bond transposition usually involves metal hydride intermediates. Despite significant advances in the design of catalysts that dictate product selectivity, control over substrate selectivity is less advanced and transition metal catalysts that selectively transpose double bonds in substrates containing multiple 1-alkene functionalities are rare. Herein, we report that the three-coordinate high spin (S = 2) Fe(II) imido complex [Ph 2 B( t BuIm) 2 Fe=NDipp][K(18-C-6)THF 2 ] (1-K(18-C-6)) catalyzes 1,3-proton transfer from 1-alkene substrates to afford 2-alkene transposition products. Mechanistic investigations involving kinetics, competition, and isotope labeling studies, supported by experimentally calibrated DFT computations, strongly support an unusual nonhydridic mechanism for alkene transposition that is enabled by the cooperative action of the iron center and basic imido ligand. As dictated by the pK a of the allylic protons, this catalyst enables the regioselective transposition of C=C double bonds in substrates containing multiple 1-alkenes. The high spin (S = 2) state of the complex allows a wide scope of functional groups to be tolerated, including those that are typical catalyst poisons, such as amines, N-heterocycles, and phosphines. Furthermore, these results demonstrate a new strategy for metal-catalyzed alkene transposition with predictable substrate regioselectivity.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Theoretical examination of nuclear spin diffusion in light-induced spin coherences in photosystem I

Microsecond coherence times are predicted in spin dynamics calculations of a donor–acceptor electron spin pair P + A 1A - created upon light excitation of photosystem I (PSI). The effects of nuclear spin diffusion (NSD) due to the anisotropic protein environment on the predicted coherence times T M are studied. Closely positioned pairs and triples of protons located 5–8 Å from the electron spin are shown to largely control T M . Additionally, knowledge of the crystal structure of PSI allows for spin dynamics calculations where specific cofactors and amino acid residues are removed or replaced and the identification of anisotropic environmental features controlling electronic decoherence. Finally, we show that NSD alone cannot explain the >3× shorter experimentally observed coherence times and suggest that methyl groups at key protein sites may explain this discrepancy.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

A Strong-QCD Regime Measurement of the Proton’s Spin Structure

The theory of the strong force, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) remains one of the most important ways to understand the fundamental properties of ordinary matter. However, at low momentum transfer Q 2 , in the regime where the strong force becomes extremely strong, our understanding of QCD for ordinary nucleons becomes hazy. Several cutting edge theories such as Chiral Perturbation Theory (χPT) and Lattice QCD have provided valuable predictions in this regime, but Lattice QCD has not yet extended predictions of many important quantities to this kinematic region, and Chiral Perturbation Theory has faced several important disagreements with experimental data for the neutron over the last several decades. It is therefore of extreme importance to have a benchmark of experimental data in the low energy regime for the proton’s behavior, as a test of leading theories for the behavior of QCD in this regime. The E08-027 (g2p) experiment ran at Jefferson Lab in 2012 with the goal of collecting this valuable data, and though I was still completing my undergraduate studies at the time, I became involved in the analysis in 2015 and built on the previous work to complete it and analyze the exciting results. This experiment achieved a high precision measurement of the spin structure functions g1 and g2 for the proton, quantities which describe the internal spin structure of the proton. These measurements were taken in the valuable low Q 2 region described above, and used to extract several moments of these spin structure functions which can be directly compared to the cutting-edge predictions of Chiral Perturbation Theory. Though the experiment’s timeline was such that I didn’t have a chance to work directly on the experimental setup, I had the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience working on a polarized target at UNH which is very similar to the crucial polarized target used in the g2p experiment. Full details of the g2p experiment and my experimental work at the University of New Hampshire are presented in this thesis, as well as a detailed description of the analysis process and the exciting benchmark results, which serve as a direct test of all current and future theories of QCD in the low-Q 2 regime.

Ruth, David↗

Ab Initio Study of Vibronic and Magnetic 5f-to-5f and Dipole-Allowed 5f-to-6d and Charge-Transfer Transitions in [UX 6 ] n – (X = Cl, Br; n = 1, 2)

The absorption spectra of the octahedral [UX 6 ] n– (X = Cl, Br; n = 1, 2) complexes in the near-infrared (NIR) and UV–vis spectral regions were studied theoretically, using a relativistic restricted active space second-order perturbation theory (RASPT2) wavefunction framework, with the spin–orbit (SO) coupling treated by state interaction, in conjunction with Kohn–Sham density functional theory calculations for determining the vibrational normal modes. The electric-dipole-allowed ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) and 5f-to-6d transitions, and the electric-dipole-forbidden 5f-to-5f ligand field (LF) transitions, are thereby obtained within the same theoretical framework. For the 5f-to-5f LF transitions, the observed absorption intensity is mostly due to vibronic coupling with low-energy electric-dipole-allowed transitions, but in some cases, the magnetic dipole intensity of the purely electronic transition has comparable intensity to the vibronic transitions. Here, experimental LF spectra of 5f 2 open-shell systems have been reported decades back, but ab initio calculations of their vibronic intensity have not yet been reported in the literature. Although the LF spectra for the 5f 2 systems can be assigned in detail, based on the calculations, the spectra are very complex and the underlying electronic states are strongly multiconfigurational. Therefore, the usefulness of the LF spectra beyond serving as a “fingerprint” of the LF and the metal oxidation state appears to be limited.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electronic Structure Distortions in Chromium Chelates Impair Redox Kinetics in Flow Batteries

Aminopolycarboxylate chelates are emerging as a promising class of electrolyte materials for aqueous redox flow batteries, offering tunable redox potentials, solubility, and pH stability through careful selection of ligands and transition metal ions. Despite their potential, the impact of molecular structure modifications on the electronic and electrochemical properties of these chelates remains underexplored. Here, in this study, we examine how introducing a hydroxyl group, often employed for its solubilizing properties, to the backbone of CrPDTA, a reference chelate material, significantly changes the thermodynamics and kinetics of the chelate's redox process. We correlate changes in molecular and electronic structures to different electrochemical responses resulting from the hydroxyl addition and show that the introduction of this functional group leads to a distortion in the octahedral coordination of chromium. Furthermore, increased anisotropic spin density and nonintegral oxidation state changes in the Cr metal center result in a larger barrier for electron transfer in CrPDTA‐OH. It is demonstrated that preserving a hexacoordinate chelate structure across a broad pH range is crucial for efficient flow battery application and it is emphasized that ligand modifications must avoid distorting the octahedral coordination of the transition metal.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Pursuing Heteroleptic Ligand Design Principles for Photoactive Fe Complexes with Ultrafast X-ray Emission and Variable-Temperature Optical Spectroscopies

Understanding the key parameters that govern the photophysical and photochemical properties of transition metal complexes is essential for the development of efficient photosensitizers for photocatalytic applications. Achieving this objective necessitates clear and detailed investigations of their electronic excited states, for which time-resolved metal Kβ X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) has proven highly effective. Here, we present a time-resolved Fe Kβ XES study of a heteroleptic Fe(II) polypyridyl carbene complex, [Fe(phen) 2 (C 4 H 10 N 4 )] 2+ (1; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), utilizing both the valence-to-core and Kβ mainline spectral regions, complemented by variable-temperature transient optical absorption (VT-TA) spectroscopy. Detailed analysis of the time-resolved Kβ XES data, supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and an Eyring analysis of the VT-TA data, reveals parallel excited state relaxation dynamics that support an assignment of the long-lived excited state to a triplet metal-centered state. Placing these results in the context of prior studies of heteroleptic Fe(II) polypyridyl cyanide complexes motivated a series of DFT calculations to investigate the effects of ligand structural flexibility and arrangement. These calculations reinforce the experimentally derived conclusion that constraining structural flexibility with multidentate ligands significantly impacts the excited state relaxation dynamics. Furthermore, our study emphasizes that the arrangement of strong field ligands in heteroleptic complexes substantially affects the energy of Jahn–Teller active triplet metal-centered states in low-spin d 6 metal complexes. Together, these findings provide synthetic design principles for extending metal-to-ligand charge transfer excited state lifetimes of heteroleptic Fe complexes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electro- and photoproduction of muon pairs with $$\mu $$CLAS12: double deeply virtual compton scattering, timelike compton scattering, and $$J/\psi $$ production

The CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer for operation at 12 GeV (CLAS12) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has played a central role in advancing the understanding of nucleon and nuclear structure. As increasingly precise data become available, new physics opportunities emerge that extend beyond the current capabilities of CLAS12. In this article, a program to explore the quark and gluon structure of the nucleon through di-muon electro- and photoproduction is presented. Its primary focus is the measurement of beam-spin asymmetries in Double Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering, . By independently varying the incoming and outgoing photon virtualities and momentum transfer, the DDVCS measurement provides access to the Generalized Parton Distributions over their full three-dimensional phase space, extending beyond the kinematic constraints of Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering and Timelike Compton Scattering. In addition, the large acceptance and high luminosity of the CLAS12 experiment will enable precision measurements of near-threshold production and high-statistics studies of Timelike Compton Scattering.

Alvarado, J. S.↗

A Conjugated Oligoelectrolyte Exhibiting Room Temperature Spin-Correlated Radical Pair Character for Biological Sensing

We report a water-soluble conjugated oligoelectrolyte (COE) composed of carbazole-benzophenone, COE-CbzBP, that exhibits photogenerated spin-correlated radical pair (SCRP) behavior sensitive to static electric fields from DNA but not from lipid bilayers. The SCRP forms from a thermally activated, spin-polarized state enabled by partial π-conjugation disruption at the donor–acceptor (carbazole-benzophenone) nitrogen–carbon (N–C) junction, which facilitates a twisted intramolecular charge-transfer (TICT) geometry. This state minimizes the singlet–triplet energy gap (ΔE ST = 0.12 eV), radical–pair exchange coupling (J RP ∼ ΔE ST /2), and charge separation free energy (ΔG CS ) in both DNA (−0.19 eV) and lipid bilayers (−0.55 eV). Room-temperature continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) reveals a photogenerated spin-polarized singlet for COE-CbzBP that splits upon DNA association, consistent with modulation of J RP and hyperfine coupling (A x ), presumably via electric field-spin coupling. No spin-polarized signal was observed under dark, cryogenic conditions, or in liposomes, but was quenched by the spin trap 4-POBN. Transient absorption and spectroelectrochemistry confirmed magnetic-field sensitive long-lived excited-state absorption features attributed to charge-separated states 3 [Cbz •+ -BP •– ]*, which were lengthened by DNA, and quenched in lipid bilayers and 4-POBN. Quantum chemical simulations show that planar geometries (lipid-like) increase ΔE ST by 0.31 eV compared to TICT-optimized structures. This geometry-dependent modulation explains the absence of SCRP signatures in rigid environments, underscoring the importance of TICT states, minimized ΔE ST , and favorable ΔG CS for achieving room-temperature SCRP generation. These findings establish design principles for TICT-enabled molecules exhibiting qubit-like behavior that operate under ambient and biologically relevant conditions, with direct implications for quantum information science (QIS).

Aromatic compounds↗

Impacts of free-floating objects: Unique Space Station experiments

The transfer of momentum and kinetic energy between planetary bodies forms the basis for wide-ranging problems in planetary science ranging from the collective long-term effects of minor perturbations to the catastrophic singular effect of a major collision. In the former case, the evolution of asteroid spin rates and orientations and planetary rotation rates are cited. In the latter case, the catastrophic angular momenta and the near-global disruption of partially molten planets are included. Although the collisional transfer of momentum and energy were discussed over the last two decades, major issues remain that largely reflect current limitations in earth-based experimental conditions and 3-D numerical codes. Two examples with potential applications in a Space Station laboratory are presented.

Schultz, Peter H.↗

Direct determination of momentum-resolved electron transfer in the photoexcited van der Waals heterobilayer WS 2 /MoS 2

Photoinduced charge separation in transition-metal dichalcogenide heterobilayers is being explored for moiré excitons, spin-valley polarization, and quantum phases of excitons/electrons. While different momentum points can be critically involved in charge separation dynamics, little is known directly from experiments. Here we determine momentum-resolved electron dynamics in the WS 2 /MoS 2 heterobilayer using time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Upon photoexcitation in the $\textit{K}$ valleys, we detect electrons in $\textit{M/2}$, $\textit{M}$, and $\textit{Q}$ valleys/points on timescales as short as ~70 fs, followed by dynamic equilibration in K and Q valleys in ~400 fs. Overall, these findings reveal the essential role of phonon scattering, the coexistence of direct and indirect interlayer excitons, and constraints on spin-valley polarization.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Supersonic Laminar Viscous Flow Past a Cone at Angle of Attack in Spinning and Coning Motion

Computational results obtained with a parabolic Navier-Stokes marching code are presented for supersonic viscous flow past a pointed cone at angle of attack undergoing a combined spinning and coning motion. The code takes into account the asymmetries in the flowfield resulting from the motion and computes the asymmetric shock shape, crossflow and streamwise shear, heat transfer, crossflow separation and vortex structure. The side force and moment are also computed. Reasonably good agreement is obtained with the side force measurements of Schiff and Tobak. Comparison is also made with the only available numerical inviscid analysis. It is found that the asymmetric pressure loads due lo coning motion are much larger than all other viscous forces due lo spin and coning, making viscous forces negligible in the combined motion.

Agarwal, Ramesh↗

Capping Effects on Spin and Charge Excitations in Parent and Superconducting Nd 1-x Sr x⁢ NiO 2

Superconductivity in infinite layer nickelates Nd 1-x⁢ Sr x NiO 2 has so far been achieved only in thin films, raising questions on the role of substrates and interfaces. Given the challenges associated with their synthesis it is imperative to identify their intrinsic properties. We use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to investigate the influence of the SrTiO 3 capping layer on the excitations of Nd 1-x ⁢Sr x⁢ NiO 2 (x =0 and 0.2). Spin excitations are observed in parent and 20% doped Nd 1-x Sr x ⁢NiO 2 regardless of capping, proving that magnetism is intrinsic to infinite-layer nickelates and appears in a significant fraction of their phase diagram. In parent and superconducting Nd 1-x Sr x ⁢NiO 2 , the spin excitations are slightly hardened in capped samples compared to the noncapped ones. Additionally, a weaker Ni-Nd charge transfer peak at ~0.6 eV suggests that the hybridization between Ni 3⁢d and Nd 5⁢d orbitals is reduced in capped samples. In conclusion, from our data, capping induces only minimal differences in Nd 1-x Sr x NiO 2 and we phenomenologically discuss these differences based on the reconstruction of the SrTiO 3 -NdNiO 2 interface and other mechanisms such as crystalline disorder.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Some design characteristics of the AMPTE turn and orbit change maneuvers

The maneuvers carried out by the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers (AMPTE) including the Charge Composition Explorer (CCE) and the Ion Release Module (IRM) spacecraft are analyzed. Analytic and graphical methods are developed in order to carry out sensitivity analyses that helped design the nominal maneuvers, by taking into account errors in burn initiating time, motor performance, and spin axis pointing. A tradeoff analysis between errors in timing and Delta V magnitude is shown for the IRM orbit transfer, and a technique that allows for the determination of the attitude of spinner spacecraft by way of the observed Doppler shift resulting from an unbalanced turn is investigated.

Kechichian, J. A.↗

Tether Transportation System Study

The projected traffic to geostationary earth orbit (GEO) is expected to increase over the next few decades. At the same time, the cost of delivering payloads from the Earth's surface to low earth orbit (LEO) is projected to decrease, thanks in part to the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). A comparable reduction in the cost of delivering payloads from LEO to GEO is sought. The use of in-space tethers, eliminating the requirement for traditional chemical upper stages and thereby reducing the launch mass, has been identified as such an alternative. Spinning tethers are excellent kinetic energy storage devices for providing the large delta vee's required for LEO to GEO transfer. A single-stage system for transferring payloads from LEO to GEO was proposed some years ago. The study results presented here contain the first detailed analyses of this proposal, its extension to a two-stage system, and the likely implementation of the operational system.

Bangham, M. E.↗

Design, Development and Hotfire Testing of Monolithic Copper and Bimetallic Additively Manufactured Combustion Chambers

NASA and industry partners are working towards fabrication process development to reduce costs and schedules associated with manufacturing liquid rocket engine components with the goal of reducing overall mission costs. One such technique being evaluated is powder-bed fusion or selective laser melting (SLM) otherwise commonly referred to as additive manufacturing. The NASA Low Cost Upper Stage Propulsion (LCUSP) program was designed to develop processes and material characterization for the GRCop-84 copper-alloy commensurate with powder bed additive manufacturing, evaluate bimetallic deposition and complete testing of a full scale combustion chamber. As part of this development, the process has been transferred to industry partners to enable a long-term supply chain of monolithic copper combustion chambers. As a direct spin off of this program, NASA is working with industry partners to further develop the printing process for the GRCop-84 material in addition to the C-18150 (CuCrZr) material. To advance the process further and allow for optimization with multiple materials, NASA is also investigating the feasibility of bimetallic additively manufactured chambers. A 1.2k sized thrust-chamber was designed and developed to compare the printing process of the GRCop-84 and C-18150 SLM materials. A series of similar MCC liners also completed development with an Inconel 625 jacket bonded to the GRcop-84 liner evaluating direct metal deposition (DMD) laser and arc-based techniques. This paper describes the design, development, manufacturing and testing of these combustion chambers and associated lessons learned throughout the design and development process.

Gradl, Paul↗

Computation of supersonic laminar viscous flow past a pointed cone at angle of attack in spinning and coning motion

Computational results obtained with a parabolic Navier-Stokes marching code are presented for supersonic viscous flow past a pointed cone at angle of attack undergoing a combined spinning and coning motion. The code takes into account the asymmetries in the flow field resulting from the motion and computes the asymmetric shock shape, crossflow and streamwise shear, heat transfer, crossflow separation and vortex structure. The side force and moment are also computed. Reasonably good agreement is obtained with the side force measurements of Schiff and Tobak. Comparison is also made with the only available numerical inviscid analysis. It is found that the asymmetric pressure loads due to coning motion are much larger than all other viscous forces due to spin and coning, making viscous forces negligible in the combined motion.

Agarwal, R.↗

Band-mixing effects in one-dimensional charge transfer insulators

The low-energy properties of transition metal oxides (TMOs) are governed by the electrons occupying strongly correlated $d$-orbitals that are hybridized with surrounding ligand oxygen $p$ orbitals to varying degrees. Their physics is thus established by a complex interplay between the transition-metal (TM)-ligand hopping $t$, charge transfer energy $\Delta_\mathrm{CT}$, and on-site TM Hubbard repulsion $U$. Here, we study the spectral properties of a one-dimensional (1D) analog of such a $pd$ system, with alternating TM $d$ and ligand anion $p$ orbitals situated along a chain. Using the density matrix renormalization group method, we study the model's single-particle spectral function, x-ray absorption spectrum, and dynamical spin structure factor as a function of $\Delta_\mathrm{CT}$ and $U$. In particular, we present results spanning from the Mott insulating ($\Delta_\mathrm{CT} > U$) to negative charge transfer regime $\Delta_\mathrm{CT} < 0$ to gain a better understanding of the ground and momentum-resolved excited state properties of these different regimes. Our results can guide new studies on TMOs that seek to situate them within the Mott-Hubbard/charge transfer insulator classification scheme.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Durability of the accretion disk of millisecond pulsars

Pulsars with pulsation periods in the millisecond range are thought to be neutron stars that have acquired an extraordinarily short spin period through the accretion of stellar material spiraling down onto the neutron star from a nearby companion. Nearly all the angular momentum and most of the mass of the companion star is transferred to the neutron star. During this process, wherein the neutron star consumes its companion, it is required that a disk of stellar material be formed around the neutron star. In conventional models it is supposed that the disk is somehow lost when the accretion phase is finished, so that only the rapidly spinning neutron star remains. However, it is possible that, after the accretion phase, a residual disk remains in stable orbit around the neutron star. The end result of such an accretion process is an object that looks much like a miniature (about 100 kilometers), heavy version of Saturn: a central object (the neutron star) surrounded by a durable disk.

Michel, F. C.↗