mon Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2,5-dibromoterephthalic acid ethylene glycol monosolvate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-07-23 The title compound, C8H4Br2O4·C2H6O2, crystallizes with one-half of a 2,5-dibromoterephthalic acid (H2Br2tp) molecule and one-half of an ethylene glycol (EG) molecule in the the asymmetric unit. The whole molecules are generated by application of inversion symmetry. The H2Br2tp molecule is not planar, with the dibromobenzene ring system inclined by a dihedral angle of 18.62 (3)° to the carboxylic group. In the crystal, the H2Br2tp and EG molecules are linked into sheets propagating parallel to (overline{1}01) through O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, thereby forming R44 (12) and R44 (28) graph-set motifs. Br⋯O and weak π–π stacking interactions are also observed. Hirshfeld surface analysis was used to confirm the existence of these interactions. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure of tetramethylammonium 1,1,7,7-tetracyanohepta-2,4,6-trienide By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-08-23 The title compound, C4H12N+·C11H5N4−, contains one tetramethylammonium cation and one 1,1,7,7-tetracyanohepta-2,4,6-trienide anion in the asymmetric unit. The anion is in an all-trans conjugated C=C bonds conformation. Two terminal C(CN)2 dinitrile moieties are slightly twisted from the polymethine main chain to which they are attached [C(CN)2/C5 dihedral angles = 6.1 (2) and 7.1 (1)°]. The C—C bond distances along the heptadienyl chain vary in the narrow range 1.382 (2)–1.394 (2) Å, thus indicating the significant degree of conjugation. In the crystal, the anions are linked into zigzag chains along the [10overline{1}] direction by C—H⋯N(nitrile) short contacts. The antiparallel chains stack along the [110] direction with alternating separations between the neighboring anions in stacks of 3.291 and 3.504 Å. The C—H⋯N short contacts and stacking interactions combine to link the anions into layers parallel to the (overline{1}01) plane and separated by columns of tetramethylammonium cations. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure of catena-poly[[[bis(3-oxo-1,3-diphenylprop-1-enolato-κ2O,O')zinc(II)]-μ2-tris[4-(pyridin-3-yl)phenyl]amine-κ2N:N'] tetrahydrofuran monosolvate] By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-09-10 The reaction of bis(3-oxo-1,3-diphenylprop-1-enolato-κ2O,O')zinc(II), [Zn(dbm)2], with tris[4-(pyridin-3-yl)phenyl]amine (T3PyA) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) afforded the title crystalline coordination polymer, {[Zn(C15H11O2)2(C33H24N4)]·C4H8O}n. The asymmetric unit contains two independent halves of Zn(dbm)2, one T3PyA and one THF. Each ZnII atom is located on an inversion centre and adopts an elongated octahedral coordination geometry, ligated by four O atoms of two dbm ligands in equatorial positions and by two N atoms of pyridine moieties from two different bridging T3PyA ligands in axial positions. The crystal packing shows a one-dimensional polymer chain in which the two pyridyl groups of the T3PyA ligand bridge two independent Zn atoms of Zn(dbm)2. In the crystal, the coordination polymer chains are linked via C—H⋯π interactions into a sheet structure parallel to (010). The sheets are cross-linked via further C—H⋯π interactions into a three-dimensional network. The solvate THF molecule shows disorder over two sets of atomic sites having occupancies of 0.631 (7) and 0.369 (7). Full Article text
mon In situ decarbonylation of N,N-dimethylformamide to form dimethylammonium cations in the hybrid framework compound {[(CH3)2NH2]2[Zn{O3PC6H2(OH)2PO3}]}n By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-09-27 The title phosphonate-based organic–inorganic hybrid framework, poly[bis(dimethylammonium) [(μ4-2,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,4-diphosphonato)zinc(II)]], {(C2H8N)2[Zn(C6H4O8P2)]}n, was formed unexpectedly when dimethylammonium cations were formed from the in situ decarbonylation of the N,N-dimethylformamide solvent. The framework is built up from ZnO4 tetrahedra and bridging diphosphonate tetra-anions to generate a three-dimensional network comprising [100] channels occupied by the (CH3)2NH2+ cations. Within the channels, an array of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds help to establish the structure. In addition, intramolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the appended –OH groups of the phenyl ring and adjacent PO32− groups are observed. Full Article text
mon Crystal structures of two 4H-chromene derivatives: 2-amino-3-cyano-4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-7-hydroxy-4H-benzo[1,2-b]pyran 1,4-dioxane monosolvate and 2-amino-3-cyano-4-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-7-hydroxy-4H-benzo[ By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-09-27 In the title compounds, C16H9Cl2N2O2·C4H8O2 and C16H9Cl2N2O2, the bicyclic 4H-chromene cores are nearly planar with maximum deviations of 0.081 (2) and 0.087 (2) Å. In both structures, the chromene derivative molecules are linked into centrosymmetric dimers by pairs of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming R22(16) motifs. These dimers are further linked in the 3,4-dichlorophenyl derivative by N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into double layers parallel to (100) and in the 2,6-dichlorophenyl derivative by O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into ribbons along the [1overline{1}0] direction. In the 3,4-dichlorophenyl derivative, the 1,4-dioxane solvent molecules are connected to the chromene molecules via O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Full Article text
mon Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 4-[3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]-2-methoxyphenol monohydrate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-10-03 In the title pyrazoline derivative, C16H16N2O3·H2O, the pyrazoline ring has an envelope conformation with the substituted sp2 C atom on the flap. The pyrazoline ring makes angles of 86.73 (12) and 13.44 (12)° with the trisubstituted and disubstituted benzene rings, respectively. In the crystal structure, the molecules are connected into chains running in the b-axis direction by O—H⋯N hydrogen bonding. Parallel chains interact through N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking of the trisubstituted phenyl rings. The major contribution to the surface contacts are H⋯H contacts (44.3%) as concluded from a Hirshfeld surface analysis. Full Article text
mon Tetra-n-butylammonium orotate monohydrate: knowledge-based comparison of the results of accurate and lower-resolution analyses and a non-routine disorder refinement By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-10-08 The title hydrated molecular salt (systematic name: tetra-n-butylammonium 2,6-dioxo-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-4-carboxylate monohydrate), C16H36N+·C5H3N2O4−·H2O, crystallizes with N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonded double-stranded antiparallel ribbons consisting of the hydrophilic orotate monoanions and water molecules, separated by the bulky hydrophobic cations. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of the structure are joined by weaker non-classical C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. An accurate structure analysis conducted at T = 100 K is compared to a lower-resolution less accurate determination using data measured at T = 295 K. The results of both analyses are evaluated using a knowledge-based approach, and it is found that the less accurate room-temperature structure analysis provides geometric data that are similar to those derived from the accurate low-temperature analysis, with both sets of results consistent with previously analyzed structures. A minor disorder of one methyl group in the cation at low temperature was found to be slightly more complex at room temperature; while still involving a minor fraction of the structure, the disorder at room temperature was found to require a non-routine treatment, which is described in detail. Full Article text
mon Crystal structures and hydrogen-bonding analysis of a series of solvated ammonium salts of molybdenum(II) chloride clusters By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-10-22 Charge-assisted hydrogen bonding plays a significant role in the crystal structures of solvates of ionic compounds, especially when the cation or cations are primary ammonium salts. We report the crystal structures of four ammonium salts of molybdenum halide cluster solvates where we observe significant hydrogen bonding between the solvent molecules and cations. The crystal structures of bis(anilinium) octa-μ3-chlorido-hexachlorido-octahedro-hexamolybdate N,N-dimethylformamide tetrasolvate, (C6H8N)2[Mo6Cl8Cl6]·4C3H7NO, (I), p-phenylenediammonium octa-μ3-chlorido-hexachlorido-octahedro-hexamolybdate N,N-dimethylformamide hexasolvate, (C6H10N2)[Mo6Cl8Cl6]·6C3H7NO, (II), N,N'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(propan-2-iminium) octa-μ3-chlorido-hexachlorido-octahedro-hexamolybdate acetone trisolvate, (C12H18N2)[Mo6Cl8Cl6]·3C3H6O, (III), and 1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium octa-μ3-chlorido-hexachlorido-octahedro-hexamolybdate N,N-dimethylformamide tetrasolvate, (C12H14N2)[Mo6Cl8Cl6]·4C3H7NO, (IV), are reported and described. In (I), the anilinium cations and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent molecules form a cyclic R42(8) hydrogen-bonded motif centered on a crystallographic inversion center with an additional DMF molecule forming a D(2) interaction. The p-phenylenediammonium cation in (II) forms three D(2) interactions between the three N—H bonds and three independent N,N-dimethylformamide molecules. The dication in (III) is a protonated Schiff base solvated by acetone molecules. Compound (IV) contains a methyl viologen dication with N,N-dimethylformamide molecules forming close contacts with both aromatic and methyl H atoms. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure of pyridinium tetraisothiocyanatodipyridinechromium(III) pyridine monosolvate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-11-15 In the crystal structure of the title compound, (C5H6N)[Cr(NCS)4(C5H5N)2]·C5H5N, the CrIII ions are octahedrally coordinated by four N-bonding thiocyanate anions and two pyridine ligands into discrete negatively charged complexes, with the CrIII ion, as well as the two pyridine ligands, located on crystallographic mirror planes. The mean planes of the two pyridine ligands are rotated with respect to each other by 90°. Charge balance is achieved by one protonated pyridine molecule that is hydrogen bonded to one additional pyridine solvent molecule, with both located on crystallographic mirror planes and again rotated by exactly 90°. The pyridinium H atom was refined as disordered between both pyridine N atoms in a 70:30 ratio, leading to a linear N—H⋯N hydrogen bond. In the crystal, discrete complexes are linked by weak C—H⋯S hydrogen bonds into chains that are connected by additional C—H⋯S hydrogen bonding via the pyridinium cations and solvent molecules into layers and finally into a three-dimensional network. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure of tris[bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphato-κO]pentakis(methanol-κO)europium methanol monosolvate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-11-19 The mononuclear title complex, [Eu(C24H34O4P)3(CH4O)5]·CH4O, (1), has been obtained as a minor product in the reaction between EuCl3(H2O)6 and lithium bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate in a 1:3 molar ratio in a methanol medium. Its structure exhibits monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry at 120 K and is isostructural with the La, Ce and Nd analogs reported previously [Minyaev et al. (2018a). Acta Cryst. C74, 590–598]. In (1), all three bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) phosphate ligands display the terminal κ1O-coordination mode. All of the hydroxy H atoms are involved in O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding, exhibiting four intramolecular and two intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Photophysical studies have demonstrated luminescence of (1) with a low quantum yield. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and contact enrichment ratios of 1-(2,7-dimethylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl)-2-(1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidene)ethanone monohydrate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-11-29 In the title hydrated hybrid compound C14H14N2OS2·H2O, the planar imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine ring system is linked to the 1,3-dithiolane moiety by an enone bridge. The atoms of the C—C bond in the 1,3-dithiolane ring are disordered over two positions with occupancies of 0.579 (14) and 0.421 (14) and both disordered rings adopt a half-chair conformation. The oxygen atom of the enone bridge is involved in a weak intramolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond, which generates an S(6) graph-set motif. In the crystal, the hybrid molecules are associated in R22(14) dimeric units by weak C—H⋯O interactions. O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the water molecules, forming infinite self-assembled chains along the b-axis direction to which the dimers are connected via O—H⋯N hydrogen bonding. Analysis of intermolecular contacts using Hirshfeld surface analysis and contact enrichment ratio descriptors indicate that hydrogen bonds induced by water molecules are the main driving force in the crystal packing formation. Full Article text
mon N,N'-Bis(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)ethanediamide monohydrate: crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational study By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-01 The molecular structure of the title bis-pyridyl substituted diamide hydrate, C14H14N4O2·H2O, features a central C2N2O2 residue (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0205 Å) linked at each end to 3-pyridyl rings through methylene groups. The pyridyl rings lie to the same side of the plane, i.e. have a syn-periplanar relationship, and form dihedral angles of 59.71 (6) and 68.42 (6)° with the central plane. An almost orthogonal relationship between the pyridyl rings is indicated by the dihedral angle between them [87.86 (5)°]. Owing to an anti disposition between the carbonyl-O atoms in the core, two intramolecular amide-N—H⋯O(carbonyl) hydrogen bonds are formed, each closing an S(5) loop. Supramolecular tapes are formed in the crystal via amide-N—H⋯O(carbonyl) hydrogen bonds and ten-membered {⋯HNC2O}2 synthons. Two symmetry-related tapes are linked by a helical chain of hydrogen-bonded water molecules via water-O—H⋯N(pyridyl) hydrogen bonds. The resulting aggregate is parallel to the b-axis direction. Links between these, via methylene-C—H⋯O(water) and methylene-C—H⋯π(pyridyl) interactions, give rise to a layer parallel to (10overline{1}); the layers stack without directional interactions between them. The analysis of the Hirshfeld surfaces point to the importance of the specified hydrogen-bonding interactions, and to the significant influence of the water molecule of crystallization upon the molecular packing. The analysis also indicates the contribution of methylene-C—H⋯O(carbonyl) and pyridyl-C—H⋯C(carbonyl) contacts to the stability of the inter-layer region. The calculated interaction energies are consistent with importance of significant electrostatic attractions in the crystal. Full Article text
mon Synthesis and crystal structure of catena-poly[[bis[(2,2';6',2''-terpyridine)manganese(II)]-μ4-pentathiodiantimonato] tetrahydrate] showing a 1D MnSbS network By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-01 The asymmetric unit of the title compound, {[Mn2Sb2S5(C15H11N3)2]·4H2O}n, consists of two crystallographically independent MnII ions, two unique terpyridine ligands, one [Sb2S5]4− anion and four solvent water molecules, all of which are located in general positions. The [Sb2S5]4− anion consists of two SbS3 units that share common corners. Each of the MnII ions is fivefold coordinated by two symmetry-related S atoms of [Sb2S5]4− anions and three N atoms of a terpyridine ligand within an irregular coordination. Each two anions are linked by two [Mn(terpyridine)]2+ cations into chains along the c-axis direction that consist of eight-membered Mn2Sb2S4 rings. These chains are further connected into a three-dimensional network by intermolecular O—H⋯O and O—H⋯S hydrogen bonds. The crystal investigated was twinned and therefore, a twin refinement using data in HKLF-5 [Sheldrick (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 3–8] format was performed. Full Article text
mon Synthesis and crystal structure of (1,8-naphthyridine-κ2N,N')[2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)phenyl-κ2N2,C1]iridium(III) hexafluoridophosphate dichloromethane monosolvate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-01 The solvated title salt, [Ir(C9H7N2)2(C8H6N2)]PF6·CH2Cl2, was obtained from the reaction between 1,8-naphthyridine (NAP) and an orthometalated iridium(III) precursor containing a 1-phenylpyrazole (ppz) ligand. The asymmetric unit comprises one [Ir(ppz)2(NAP)]+ cation, one PF6− counter-ion and one CH2Cl2 solvent molecule. The central IrIII atom of the [Ir(ppz)2(NAP)]+ cation is distorted-octahedrally coordinated by four N atoms and two C atoms, whereby two N atoms stem from the NAP ligand while the ppz ligands ligate through one N and one C atom each. In the crystal, the [Ir(ppz)2(NAP)]+ cations and PF6− counter-ions are connected with each other through weak intermolecular C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds. Together with an additional C—H⋯F interaction involving the solvent molecule, a three-dimensional network structure is formed. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and DFT studies of 1-benzyl-3-[(1-benzyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-5-yl)methyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-1,3-benzodiazol-2-one monohydrate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-01 In the title molecule, C24H21N5O·H2O, the dihydrobenzodiazole moiety is not quite planar, while the whole molecule adopts a U-shaped conformation in which there is a close approach of the two benzyl groups. In the crystal, chains of alternating molecules and lattice water extending along [201] are formed by O—HUncoordW⋯ODhyr and O—HUncoordW⋯NTrz (UncoordW = uncoordinated water, Dhyr = dihydro and Trz = triazole) hydrogen bonds. The chains are connected into layers parallel to (010) by C—HTrz⋯OUncoordW hydrogen bonds with the dihydrobenzodiazole units in adjacent layers intercalating to form head-to-tail π-stacking [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.5694 (11) Å] interactions between them, which generates the overall three-dimensional structure. Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (52.1%), H⋯C/C⋯H (23.8%) and O⋯H/H⋯O (11.2%) interactions. Hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals interactions are the dominant interactions in the crystal packing. Density functional theory (DFT) optimized structures at the B3LYP/ 6–311 G(d,p) level are compared with the experimentally determined molecular structure in the solid state. The HOMO–LUMO behaviour was elucidated to determine the energy gap. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure, DFT and Hirshfeld surface analysis of (E)-N'-[(1-chloro-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)methylidene]benzohydrazide monohydrate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-03 In the title compound, C18H15ClN2O·H2O, a benzohydrazide derivative, the dihedral angle between the mean plane of the dihydronaphthalene ring system and the phenyl ring is 17.1 (2)°. In the crystal, O—H⋯O, N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the benzohydrazide and water molecules, forming a layer parallel to the bc plane. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots indicate that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are from H⋯H (45.7%) and H⋯C/C⋯H (20.2%) contacts. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure, spectroscopic characterization and Hirshfeld surface analysis of aquadichlorido{N-[(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]aniline}copper(II) monohydrate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-07 The reaction of N-phenyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)methanimine with copper chloride dihydrate produced the title neutral complex, [CuCl2(C12H10N2)(H2O)]·H2O. The CuII ion is five-coordinated in a distorted square-pyramidal geometry, in which the two N atoms of the bidentate Schiff base, as well as one chloro and a water molecule, form the irregular base of the pyramidal structure. Meanwhile, the apical chloride ligand interacts through a strong hydrogen bond with a water molecule of crystallization. In the crystal, molecules are arranged in pairs, forming a stacking of symmetrical cyclic dimers that interact in turn through strong hydrogen bonds between the chloride ligands and both the coordinated and the crystallization water molecules. The molecular and electronic structures of the complex were also studied in detail using EPR (continuous and pulsed), FT–IR and Raman spectroscopy, as well as magnetization measurements. Likewise, Hirshfeld surface analysis was used to investigate the intermolecular interactions in the crystal packing. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure of strontium thiosulfate monohydrate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-17 SrS2O3·H2O was obtained from an aqueous solution of Na2S2O3 and Sr(NO3)2 and crystallizes in space group Poverline{1} with all atoms at general positions. The Sr2+ ion exhibits an [8 + 1] coordination defined by two terminal S and six O atoms of thiosulfate ions, one of the latter at a longer distance, and by one O atom of a water molecule. Two thiosulfate anions act as bidentate, four as monodentate ligands. The structure consists of mainly ionically interacting layers lying parallel to the crystallographic ab plane. The layers are connected by O—H⋯S and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds of moderate strength. Full Article text
mon Crystal structures of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin as the chloroform monosolvate and tetrahydrofuran monosolvate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-17 The crystal structures of the title compounds, two solvates (CHCl3 and THF) of a symmetric and highly substituted porphyrin, C44H2Br8F20N4 or OBrTPFPP, are described. These structures each feature a non-planar porphyrin ring, exhibiting a similar conformation of the strained ring independent of solvent identity. These distorted porphyrins are able to form hydrogen bonds and sub-van der Waals halogen interactions with enclathrated solvent; supramolecular interactions of proximal macrocycles are additionally affected by solvent choice. The crystal studied for compound 1·CHCl3 was refined as an inversion twin. One pentafluorophenyl group was modelled as disordered over two sites [occupancy ratio = 0.462 (7):0.538 (7)]. The chloroform solvate was also modelled as disordered over two orientations [occupancy ratio = 0.882 (7): 0.118 (7). Full Article text
mon A new pseudopolymorph of perchlorinated neopentasilane: the benzene monosolvate Si(SiCl3)4·C6H6 By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-31 A new pseudopolymorph of dodecachloropentasilane, namely a benzene monosolvate, Si5Cl12·C6H6, is described. There are two half molecules of each kind in the asymmetric unit. Both Si5Cl12 molecules are completed by crystallographic twofold symmetry. One of the benzene molecules is located on a twofold rotation axis with two C—H groups located on this rotation axis. The second benzene molecule has all atoms on a general position: it is disordered over two equally occupied orientations. No directional interactions beyond normal van der Waals contacts occur in the crystal. Full Article text
mon Poly[[tetradecakis(μ-propionato)heptabarium] propionic acid monosolvate tetrahydrate] By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-31 The title compound, {[Ba7(C3H5O2)14]·0.946C3H6O2·4H2O}n, is represented by a metal–organic framework structure that is held together by Ba—O—Ba bonds, as well as by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds of moderate strength. The structure comprises of four independent Ba2+ cations (one of which is situated on a twofold rotation axis), seven independent propionate and two independent water molecules. The bond-valence sums of all the cations indicate a slight overbonding. There is also an occupationally, as well as a positionally disordered propionic acid molecule present in the structure. Its occupation is slightly lower than the full occupation while the disordered molecules occupy two positions related by a rotation about a twofold rotation axis. In addition, the methyl group in the symmetry-independent propionic acid molecule is also disordered, and occupies two positions. Each propionic acid molecule coordinates to just one cation from a pair of symmetry-equivalent Ba2+ sites and is simultaneously bonded by an O—H⋯Opropionate hydrogen bond. This means that on a microscopic scale, the coordination number of the corresponding Ba2+ site is either 9 or 10. The methyl as well as hydroxy hydrogen atoms of the disordered propionic acid molecule were not determined. Full Article text
mon The crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses of a cadmium(II) and a zinc(II) mononuclear complex of the new tetrakis-substituted pyrazine ligand N,N',N'',N'''-[pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetrayltetrakis(methylene)]tetrakis By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-02-18 The whole molecule of the cadmium(II) complex, diiodido{N,N',N'',N'''-[pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetrayltetrakis(methylene)]tetrakis(N-methylaniline)-κ3N2,N1,N6}cadmium(II), [CdI2(C36H40N6)], (I), of the ligand N,N',N'',N'''-[pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetrayltetrakis(methylene)]tetrakis(N-methylaniline) (L), is generated by a twofold rotation symmetry; the twofold axis bisects the cadmium atom and the nitrogen atoms of the pyrazine ring. The ligand coordinates in a mono-tridentate manner and the cadmium atom has a fivefold CdN3I2 coordination environment with a distorted shape. In the zinc(II) complex, dichlorido{N,N',N'',N'''-[pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetrayltetrakis(methylene)]tetrakis(N-methylaniline)-κ3N2,N1,N6}zinc(II) dichloromethane 0.6-solvate, [ZnCl2(C36H40N6)]·0.6CH2Cl2, (II), ligand L also coordinates in a mono-tridentate manner and the zinc atom has a fivefold ZnN3Cl2 coordination environment with a distorted shape. It crystallized as a partial dichloromethane solvate. In the crystal of I, the complex molecules are linked by weak C—H⋯I contacts, forming ribbons propagating along [100]. In the crystal of II, the complex molecules are linked by a series of C—H⋯π interactions, forming layers lying parallel to the (1overline{1}1) plane. In the crystals of both compounds there are metal–halide⋯π(pyrazine) contacts present. The Hirshfeld analyses confirm the importance of the C—H⋯halide contacts in the crystal packing of both compounds. Full Article text
mon Phosphorescent mono- and diiridium(III) complexes cyclometalated by fluorenyl- or phenyl-pyridino ligands with bulky substituents, as prospective OLED dopants By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-02-18 The crystal structures of tris[9,9-dihexyl-2-(5-methoxypyridin-2-yl-κN)-9H-fluoren-3-yl-κC3]iridium pentane monosolvate, [Ir(C31H38NO)3]·C5H12, (I), di-μ2-chlorido-bis{bis[2-(5-fluoropyridin-2-yl)-9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-3-yl]iridium} pentane 0.3-solvate, [Ir2(C30H35FN)4Cl2]·0.3C5H12, (II), di-μ2-cyanato-bis{bis[9,9-dihexyl-2-(5-methoxypyridin-2-yl)-9H-fluoren-1-yl]iridium} pentane monosolvate, [Ir2(C31H38NO)4(NCO)2(NCO)2]·C5H12, (III), and {μ-N,N'-bis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]oxamidato}bis(bis{2-[4-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)pyridin-2-yl]phenyl-κ2C1,N'}iridium)–chlorobenzene–pentane (1/2.3/0.4), [Ir2(C20H19N)4(C18H6F12N2O2)]·2.3C6H5Cl·0.4C5H12, (IV), synthesized in the quest for organic light-emitting devices, were determined. The bis-μ2-chloro and bis-μ2-cyanato complexes have ΔΔ and ΛΛ configurations of the distorted octahedral Ir centres in racemic crystals, whereas the oxamido complex has a centrosymmetric (meso) structure with the ΔΛ configuration. The bridging oxamido moiety has a nearly planar anti geometry. All structures show substantial disorder of both host molecules and solvents of crystallization. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure, characterization and Hirshfeld analysis of bis{(E)-1-[(2,4,6-tribromophenyl)diazenyl]naphthalen-2-olato}copper(II) dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-02-18 In the title compound, [Cu(C16H8Br3N2O)2]·C2H6OS, the CuII atom is tetracoordinated in a square-planar coordination, being surrounded by two N atoms and two O atoms from two N,O-bidentate (E)-1-[(2,4,6-tribromophenyl)diazenyl]naphthalen-2-olate ligands. The two N atoms and two O atoms around the metal center are trans to each other, with an O—Cu—O bond angle of 177.90 (16)° and a N—Cu—N bond angle of 177.8 (2)°. The average distances between the CuII atom and the coordinated O and N atoms are 1.892 (4) and 1.976 (4) Å, respectively. In the crystal, complexes are linked by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and by π–π interactions involving adjacent naphthalene ring systems [centroid–centroid distance = 3.679 (4) Å]. The disordered DMSO molecules interact weakly with the complex molecules, being positioned in the voids left by the packing arrangement of the square-planar complexes. The DMSO solvent molecule is disordered over two positions with occupancies of 0.70 and 0.30. Full Article text
mon A binuclear CuII/CaII thiocyanate complex with a Schiff base ligand derived from o-vanillin and ammonia By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-02-21 The new heterometallic complex, aqua-1κO-bis(μ2-2-iminomethyl-6-methoxyphenolato-1κ2O1,O6:2κ2O1,N)bis(thiocyanato-1κN)calcium(II)copper(II), [CaCu(C8H8NO2)2(NCS)2(H2O)], has been synthesized using a one-pot reaction of copper powder, calcium oxide, o-vanillin and ammonium thiocyanate in methanol under ambient conditions. The Schiff base ligand (C8H9NO2) is generated in situ from the condensation of o-vanillin and ammonia, which is released from the initial NH4SCN. The title compound consists of a discrete binuclear molecule with a {Cu(μ-O)2Ca} core, in which the Cu⋯Ca distance is 3.4275 (6) Å. The coordination geometries of the four-coordinate copper atom in the [CuN2O2] chromophore and the seven-coordinate calcium atom in the [CaO5N2] chromophore can be described as distorted square planar and pentagonal bipyramidal, respectively. In the crystal, O—H⋯S hydrogen bonds between the coordinating water molecules and thiocyanate groups form a supramolecular chain with a zigzag-shaped calcium skeleton. Full Article text
mon Polymorphism of 2-(5-benzyl-6-oxo-3-phenyl-1,6-dihydropyridazin-1-yl)acetic acid with two monoclinic modifications: crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-02-25 Two polymorphs of the title compound, C19H16N2O3, were obtained from ethanolic (polymorph I) and methanolic solutions (polymorph II), respectively. Both polymorphs crystallize in the monoclinic system with four formula units per cell and a complete molecule in the asymmetric unit. The main difference between the molecules of (I) and (II) is the reversed position of the hydroxy group of the carboxylic function. All other conformational features are found to be similar in the two molecules. The different orientation of the OH group results in different hydrogen-bonding schemes in the crystal structures of (I) and (II). Whereas in (I) intermolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with the pyridazinone carbonyl O atom as acceptor generate chains with a C(7) motif extending parallel to the b-axis direction, in the crystal of (II) pairs of inversion-related O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with an R22(8) ring motif between two carboxylic functions are found. The intermolecular interactions in both crystal structures were analysed using Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure of N'-[4-(dimethylamino)benzylidene]furan-2-carbohydrazide monohydrate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-04-09 The condensation of 2-furoic hydrazide and 4-dimethyl aminobenzaldehyde in ethanol yielded a yellow solid formulated as the title compound, C14H15N3O2·H2O. The crystal packing is stabilized by intermolecular O(water)—H⋯O,N(carbohydrazide) and N—H⋯O(water) hydrogen bonds, which form a two-dimensional network along the bc plane. Additional C—H⋯O interactions link the molecules into a three-dimensional network. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the benzene and the furan ring is 34.47 (6)°. The carbohydrazide moiety, i.e., the C=N—N—C=O fragment and the benzene ring are almost coplanar, with an angle of 6.75 (9)° between their mean planes. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 4-{[(anthracen-9-yl)methyl]amino}benzoic acid dimethylformamide monosolvate By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-04-24 The title compound, C22H17NO2·C3H7NO, was synthesized by condensation of an aromatic aldehyde with a secondary amine and subsequent reduction. It was crystallized from a dimethylformamide solution as a monosolvate, C22H17NO2·C3H7NO. The aromatic molecule is non-planar with a dihedral angle between the mean planes of the aniline moiety and the methyl anthracene moiety of 81.36 (8)°. The torsion angle of the Caryl—CH2—NH—Caryl backbone is 175.9 (2)°. The crystal structure exhibits a three-dimensional supramolecular network, resulting from hydrogen-bonding interactions between the carboxylic OH group and the solvent O atom as well as between the amine functionality and the O atom of the carboxylic group and additional C—H⋯π interactions. Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed to quantify the intermolecular interactions. Full Article text
mon Hydrogen-bonding patterns in 2,2-bis(4-methylphenyl)hexafluoropropane pyridinium and ethylenediammonium salt crystals By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-04-24 The crystal structures of two salt crystals of 2,2-bis(4-methylphenyl)hexafluoropropane (Bmphfp) with amines, namely, dipyridinium 4,4'-(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane-2,2-diyl)dibenzoate 4,4'-(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane-2,2-diyl)dibenzoic acid, 2C5H6N+·C17H8F6O42−·C17H10F6O4, (1), and a monohydrated ethylenediammonium salt ethane-1,2-diaminium 4,4'-(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane-2,2-diyl)dibenzoate monohydrate, C2H10N22+·C17H8F6O42−·H2O, (2), are reported. Compounds 1 and 2 crystallize, respectively, in space group P21/c with Z' = 2 and in space group Pbca with Z' = 1. The crystals of compound 1 contain neutral and anionic Bmphfp molecules, and form a one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chain motif. The crystals of compound 2 contain anionic Bmphfp molecules, which form a complex three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded network with the ethylenediamine and water molecules. Full Article text
mon 1 kHz fixed-target serial crystallography using a multilayer monochromator and an integrating pixel detector By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-08-17 Reliable sample delivery and efficient use of limited beam time have remained bottlenecks for serial crystallography (SX). Using a high-intensity polychromatic X-ray beam in combination with a newly developed charge-integrating JUNGFRAU detector, we have applied the method of fixed-target SX to collect data at a rate of 1 kHz at a synchrotron-radiation facility. According to our data analysis for the given experimental conditions, only about 3 000 diffraction patterns are required for a high-quality diffraction dataset. With indexing rates of up to 25%, recording of such a dataset takes less than 30 s. Full Article text
mon Crystallographic insights into diamond-shaped 7M martensite in Ni–Mn–Ga ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-08-15 For Heusler-type Ni–Mn–Ga ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys, the configuration of the martensite variants is a decisive factor in achieving a large magnetic shape-memory effect through field-induced variant reorientation. Based upon the spatially resolved electron backscatter diffraction technique, the microstructural evolution associated with the martensitic transformation from austenite to seven-layered modulated (7M) martensite was investigated on a polycrystalline Ni53Mn22Ga25 alloy. It was clearly shown that grain interior nucleation led to the formation of diamond-shaped 7M martensite within the parent austenite matrix. This diamond microstructure underwent further growth through an isotropic expansion with the coordinated outward movement of four side habit planes, followed by an anisotropic elongation with the forward extension of a type-I twin pair. A two-step growth model is proposed to describe the specific morphology and crystallography of 7M martensite. In addition, the habit planes were revealed to possess a stepped structure, with the {1 0 1}A plane as the terrace and the {0 1 0}A plane as the step. The characteristic combination of martensite variants and the underlying mechanism of self-accommodation in the martensitic transformation have been analysed in terms of the minimum total transformation strain, where the deformation gradient matrix was constructed according to the experimentally determined orientation relationship between the two phases. The present results may deepen the understanding of special martensite microstructures during the martensitic transformation in ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys. Full Article text
mon CryoEM at 100 keV: a demonstration and prospects By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-10-11 100 kV is investigated as the operating voltage for single-particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM). Reducing the electron energy from the current standard of 300 or 200 keV offers both cost savings and potentially improved imaging. The latter follows from recent measurements of radiation damage to biological specimens by high-energy electrons, which show that at lower energies there is an increased amount of information available per unit damage. For frozen hydrated specimens around 300 Å in thickness, the predicted optimal electron energy for imaging is 100 keV. Currently available electron cryomicroscopes in the 100–120 keV range are not optimized for cryoEM as they lack both the spatially coherent illumination needed for the high defocus used in cryoEM and imaging detectors optimized for 100 keV electrons. To demonstrate the potential of imaging at 100 kV, the voltage of a standard, commercial 200 kV field-emission gun (FEG) microscope was reduced to 100 kV and a side-entry cryoholder was used. As high-efficiency, large-area cameras are not currently available for 100 keV electrons, a commercial hybrid pixel camera designed for X-ray detection was attached to the camera chamber and was used for low-dose data collection. Using this configuration, five single-particle specimens were imaged: hepatitis B virus capsid, bacterial 70S ribosome, catalase, DNA protection during starvation protein and haemoglobin, ranging in size from 4.5 MDa to 64 kDa with corresponding diameters from 320 to 72 Å. These five data sets were used to reconstruct 3D structures with resolutions between 8.4 and 3.4 Å. Based on this work, the practical advantages and current technological limitations to single-particle cryoEM at 100 keV are considered. These results are also discussed in the context of future microscope development towards the goal of rapid, simple and widely available structure determination of any purified biological specimen. Full Article text
mon Charge density view on bicalutamide molecular interactions in the monoclinic polymorph and androgen receptor binding pocket By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-01 High-resolution single-crystal X-ray measurements of the monoclinic polymorph of bicalutamide and the aspherical atom databank approach have served as a basis for a reconstruction of the charge density distribution of the drug and its androgen receptor (AR) and albumin complexes. The contributions of various types of intermolecular interactions to the total crystal energy or ligand:AR energy were estimated. The cyan and amide groups secured the ligand placement in the albumin (Lys-137) and the AR binding pocket (Leu-704, Asn-705, Arg-752), and also determined the packing of the small-molecule crystals. The total electrostatic interaction energy on average was −230 kJ mol−1, comparable with the electrostatic lattice energy of the monoclinic bicalutamide polymorph. This is the result of similar distributions of electropositive and electronegative regions on the experimental and theoretical molecular electrostatic potential maps despite differences in molecular conformations. In general, bicalutamide interacted with the studied proteins with similar electrostatic interaction energies and adjusted its conformation and electrostatic potential to fit the binding pocket in such a way as to enhance the interactions, e.g. hydrogen bonds and π⋯π stacking. Full Article text
mon Structural and kinetic insights into flavin-containing monooxygenase and calponin-homology domains in human MICAL3 By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-01 MICAL is an oxidoreductase that participates in cytoskeleton reorganization via actin disassembly in the presence of NADPH. Although three MICALs (MICAL1, MICAL2 and MICAL3) have been identified in mammals, only the structure of mouse MICAL1 has been reported. Here, the first crystal structure of human MICAL3, which contains the flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) and calponin-homology (CH) domains, is reported. MICAL3 has an FAD/NADP-binding Rossmann-fold domain for monooxygenase activity like MICAL1. The FMO and CH domains of both MICAL3 and MICAL1 are highly similar in structure, but superimposition of the two structures shows a different relative position of the CH domain in the asymmetric unit. Based on kinetic analyses, the catalytic efficiency of MICAL3 dramatically increased on adding F-actin only when the CH domain was available. However, this did not occur when two residues, Glu213 and Arg530, were mutated in the FMO and CH domains, respectively. Overall, MICAL3 is structurally highly similar to MICAL1, which suggests that they may adopt the same catalytic mechanism, but the difference in the relative position of the CH domain produces a difference in F-actin substrate specificity. Full Article text
mon Cascading transitions toward unconventional charge density wave states in the quasi-two-dimensional monophosphate tungsten bronze P4W16O56 By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-16 Single crystals of the m = 8 member of the low-dimensional monophosphate tungsten bronzes (PO2)4(WO3)2m family were grown by chemical vapour transport technique and the high crystalline quality obtained allowed a reinvestigation of the physical and structural properties. Resistivity measurements revealed three anomalies at TC1 = 258 K, TC2 = 245 K and TC3 = 140 K, never observed until now. Parallel X-ray diffraction investigations showed a specific signature associated with three structural transitions, i.e. the appearance of different sets of satellite reflections below TC1, TC2 and TC3. Several harmonics of intense satellite reflections were observed, reflecting the non-sinusoidal nature of the structural modulations and a strong electron–phonon coupling in the material. These transitions could be associated with the formation of three successive unconventional charge density wave states. Full Article text
mon The flavin mononucleotide cofactor in α-hydroxyacid oxidases exerts its electrophilic/nucleophilic duality in control of the substrate-oxidation level By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-09-24 The Y128F single mutant of p-hydroxymandelate oxidase (Hmo) is capable of oxidizing mandelate to benzoate via a four-electron oxidative decarboxylation reaction. When benzoylformate (the product of the first two-electron oxidation) and hydrogen peroxide (an oxidant) were used as substrates the reaction did not proceed, suggesting that free hydrogen peroxide is not the committed oxidant in the second two-electron oxidation. How the flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-dependent four-electron oxidation reaction takes place remains elusive. Structural and biochemical explorations have shed new light on this issue. 15 high-resolution crystal structures of Hmo and its mutants liganded with or without a substrate reveal that oxidized FMN (FMNox) possesses a previously unknown electrophilic/nucleophilic duality. In the Y128F mutant the active-site perturbation ensemble facilitates the polarization of FMNox to a nucleophilic ylide, which is in a position to act on an α-ketoacid, forming an N5-acyl-FMNred dead-end adduct. In four-electron oxidation, an intramolecular disproportionation reaction via an N5-alkanol-FMNred C'α carbanion intermediate may account for the ThDP/PLP/NADPH-independent oxidative decarboxylation reaction. A synthetic 5-deaza-FMNox cofactor in combination with an α-hydroxyamide or α-ketoamide biochemically and structurally supports the proposed mechanism. Full Article text
mon 3D domain swapping in the TIM barrel of the α subunit of Streptococcus pneumoniae tryptophan synthase By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-01-31 Tryptophan synthase catalyzes the last two steps of tryptophan biosynthesis in plants, fungi and bacteria. It consists of two protein chains, designated α and β, encoded by trpA and trpB genes, that function as an αββα complex. Structural and functional features of tryptophan synthase have been extensively studied, explaining the roles of individual residues in the two active sites in catalysis and allosteric regulation. TrpA serves as a model for protein-folding studies. In 1969, Jackson and Yanofsky observed that the typically monomeric TrpA forms a small population of dimers. Dimerization was postulated to take place through an exchange of structural elements of the monomeric chains, a phenomenon later termed 3D domain swapping. The structural details of the TrpA dimer have remained unknown. Here, the crystal structure of the Streptococcus pneumoniae TrpA homodimer is reported, demonstrating 3D domain swapping in a TIM-barrel fold for the first time. The N-terminal domain comprising the H0–S1–H1–S2 elements is exchanged, while the hinge region corresponds to loop L2 linking strand S2 to helix H2'. The structural elements S2 and L2 carry the catalytic residues Glu52 and Asp63. As the S2 element is part of the swapped domain, the architecture of the catalytic apparatus in the dimer is recreated from two protein chains. The homodimer interface overlaps with the α–β interface of the tryptophan synthase αββα heterotetramer, suggesting that the 3D domain-swapped dimer cannot form a complex with the β subunit. In the crystal, the dimers assemble into a decamer comprising two pentameric rings. Full Article text
mon Structural elucidation of triclinic and monoclinic SFCA-III – killing two birds with one stone By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2019-11-20 A part of the system CaO-SiO2–Al2O3–Fe2O3–MgO which is of relevance to iron-ore sintering has been studied in detail. For a bulk composition corresponding to 10.45 wt% CaO, 5.49 wt% MgO, 69.15 wt% Fe2O3, 13.37 wt% Al2O3 and 1.55 wt% SiO2 synthesis runs have been performed in air in the range between 1100 and 1300°C. Products have been characterized using reflected-light microscopy, electron microprobe analysis and diffraction techniques. At 1250°C, an almost phase-pure material with composition Ca2.99Mg2.67Fe3+14.58Fe2+0.77Al4.56Si0.43O36 has been obtained. The compound corresponds to the first Si-containing representative of the M14+6nO20+8n polysomatic series of so-called SFCA phases (Silico-Ferrites of Calcium and Aluminum) with n = 2 and is denoted as SFCA-III. Single-crystal diffraction investigations using synchrotron radiation at the X06DA beamline of the Swiss Light Source revealed that the chemically homogenous sample contained both a triclinic and monoclinic polytype. Basic crystallographic data are as follows: triclinic form: a = 10.3279 (2) Å, b = 10.4340 (2) Å, c = 14.3794 (2) Å, α = 93.4888 (12)°, β = 107.3209 (14)° and γ = 109.6626 (14)°, V = 1370.49 (5) Å3, Z = 2, space group P{overline 1}; monoclinic form: a = 10.3277 (2) Å, b = 27.0134 (4) Å, c = 10.4344 (2) Å, β = 109.668 (2)°, V = 2741.22 (9) Å3, Z = 4, space group P21/n. Structure determination of both modifications was successful using diffraction data from the same allotwinned crystal. A description of the observed polytypism within the framework of OD-theory is presented. Triclinic and monoclinic SFCA-III actually correspond to the two possible maximum degree of order structures based on OD-layers containing three spinel (S) and one pyroxene (P) modules (〈S3P〉). The existence of SFCA-III in industrial iron-ore sinters has yet to be confirmed. Polytypism is likely to occur in other SFCA-members (SFCA, SFCA-I) relevant to sintering as well, but has so far been neglected in the characterization of industrial samples. Our results shed light on this phenomenon and may therefore be also helpful for better interpretation of the powder diffraction patterns that are used for phase analysis of iron-ore sinters. Full Article text
mon Quantitative three-dimensional nondestructive imaging of whole anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-04-17 Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria play a key role in the global nitrogen cycle and in nitrogenous wastewater treatment. The anammox bacteria ultrastructure is unique and distinctly different from that of other prokaryotic cells. The morphological structure of an organism is related to its function; however, research on the ultrastructure of intact anammox bacteria is lacking. In this study, in situ three-dimensional nondestructive ultrastructure imaging of a whole anammox cell was performed using synchrotron soft X-ray tomography (SXT) and the total variation-based simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (TV-SART). Statistical and quantitative analyses of the intact anammox bacteria were performed. High soft X-ray absorption composition inside anammoxosome was detected and verified to be relevant to iron-binding protein. On this basis, the shape adaptation of the anammox bacteria response to iron was explored. Full Article text
mon Linearly polarized X-ray fluorescence computed tomography based on a Thomson scattering light source: a Monte Carlo study By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-04-06 A Thomson scattering X-ray source can provide quasi-monochromatic, continuously energy-tunable, polarization-controllable and high-brightness X-rays, which makes it an excellent tool for X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT). In this paper, we examined the suppression of Compton scattering background in XFCT using the linearly polarized X-rays and the implementation feasibility of linearly polarized XFCT based on this type of light source, concerning the influence of phantom attenuation and the sampling strategy, its advantage over K-edge subtraction computed tomography (CT), the imaging time, and the potential pulse pile-up effect by Monte Carlo simulations. A fan beam and pinhole collimator geometry were adopted in the simulation and the phantom was a polymethyl methacrylate cylinder inside which were gadolinium (Gd)-loaded water solutions with Gd concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 4.0 wt%. Compared with the case of vertical polarization, Compton scattering was suppressed by about 1.6 times using horizontal polarization. An accurate image of the Gd-containing phantom was successfully reconstructed with both spatial and quantitative identification, and good linearity between the reconstructed value and the Gd concentration was verified. When the attenuation effect cannot be neglected, one full cycle (360°) sampling and the attenuation correction became necessary. Compared with the results of K-edge subtraction CT, the contrast-to-noise ratio values of XFCT were improved by 2.03 and 1.04 times at low Gd concentrations of 0.2 and 0.5 wt%, respectively. When the flux of a Thomson scattering light source reaches 1013 photons s−1, it is possible to finish the data acquisition of XFCT at the minute or second level without introducing pulse pile-up effects. Full Article text
mon High-dynamic-range transmission-mode detection of synchrotron radiation using X-ray excited optical luminescence in diamond By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-03-13 Enhancement of X-ray excited optical luminescence in a 100 µm-thick diamond plate by introduction of defect states via electron beam irradiation and subsequent high-temperature annealing is demonstrated. The resulting X-ray transmission-mode scintillator features a linear response to incident photon flux in the range 7.6 × 108 to 1.26 × 1012 photons s−1 mm−2 for hard X-rays (15.9 keV) using exposure times from 0.01 to 5 s. These characteristics enable a real-time transmission-mode imaging of X-ray photon flux density without disruption of X-ray instrument operation. Full Article text
mon A single-crystal diamond X-ray pixel detector with embedded graphitic electrodes By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-03-31 The first experimental results from a new transmissive diagnostic instrument for synchrotron X-ray beamlines are presented. The instrument utilizes a single-crystal chemical-vapour-deposition diamond plate as the detector material, with graphitic wires embedded within the bulk diamond acting as electrodes. The resulting instrument is an all-carbon transmissive X-ray imaging detector. Within the instrument's transmissive aperture there is no surface metallization that could absorb X-rays, and no surface structures that could be damaged by exposure to synchrotron X-ray beams. The graphitic electrodes are fabricated in situ within the bulk diamond using a laser-writing technique. Two separate arrays of parallel graphitic wires are fabricated, running parallel to the diamond surface and perpendicular to each other, at two different depths within the diamond. One array of wires has a modulated bias voltage applied; the perpendicular array is a series of readout electrodes. X-rays passing through the detector generate charge carriers within the bulk diamond through photoionization, and these charge carriers travel to the nearest readout electrode under the influence of the modulated electrical bias. Each of the crossing points between perpendicular wires acts as an individual pixel. The simultaneous read-out of all pixels is achieved using a lock-in technique. The parallel wires within each array are separated by 50 µm, determining the pixel pitch. Readout is obtained at 100 Hz, and the resolution of the X-ray beam position measurement is 600 nm for a 180 µm size beam. Full Article text
mon Combined X-ray and neutron single-crystal diffraction in diamond anvil cells By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-02-01 It is shown that it is possible to perform combined X-ray and neutron single-crystal studies in the same diamond anvil cell (DAC). A modified Merrill–Bassett DAC equipped with an inflatable membrane filled with He gas has been developed. It can be used on laboratory X-ray and synchrotron diffractometers as well as on neutron instruments. The data processing procedures and a joint structural refinement of the high-pressure synchrotron and neutron single-crystal data are presented and discussed for the first time. Full Article text
mon Real- and Q-space travelling: multi-dimensional distribution maps of crystal-lattice strain (∊044) and tilt of suspended monolithic silicon nanowire structures By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-02-01 Silicon nanowire-based sensors find many applications in micro- and nano-electromechanical systems, thanks to their unique characteristics of flexibility and strength that emerge at the nanoscale. This work is the first study of this class of micro- and nano-fabricated silicon-based structures adopting the scanning X-ray diffraction microscopy technique for mapping the in-plane crystalline strain (∊044) and tilt of a device which includes pillars with suspended nanowires on a substrate. It is shown how the micro- and nanostructures of this new type of nanowire system are influenced by critical steps of the fabrication process, such as electron-beam lithography and deep reactive ion etching. X-ray analysis performed on the 044 reflection shows a very low level of lattice strain (<0.00025 Δd/d) but a significant degree of lattice tilt (up to 0.214°). This work imparts new insights into the crystal structure of micro- and nanomaterial-based sensors, and their relationship with critical steps of the fabrication process. Full Article text
mon Monte Carlo simulation of neutron scattering by a textured polycrystal By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-03-30 A method of simulating the neutron scattering by a textured polycrystal is presented. It is based on an expansion of the scattering cross sections in terms of the spherical harmonics of the incident and scattering directions, which is derived from the generalized Fourier expansion of the polycrystal orientation distribution function. The method has been implemented in a Monte Carlo code as a component of the McStas software package, and it has been validated by computing some pole figures of a Zircaloy-4 plate and a Zr–2.5Nb pressure tube, and by simulating an ideal transmission experiment. The code can be used to estimate the background generated by components of neutron instruments such as pressure cells, whose walls are made of alloys with significant crystallographic texture. As a first application, the effect of texture on the signal-to-noise ratio was studied in a simple model of a diffraction experiment, in which a sample is placed inside a pressure cell made of a zirconium alloy. With this setting, the results of two simulations were compared: one in which the pressure-cell wall has a uniform distribution of grain orientations, and another in which the pressure cell has the texture of a Zr–2.5Nb pressure tube. The results showed that the effect of the texture of the pressure cell on the noise of a diffractogram is very important. Thus, the signal-to-noise ratio can be controlled by appropriate choice of the texture of the pressure-cell walls. Full Article text
mon A study of the strain distribution by scanning X-ray diffraction on GaP/Si for III–V monolithic integration on silicon By journals.iucr.org Published On :: The distribution of plastic relaxation defects is studied using a nondestructive sub-micrometre X-ray diffraction scanning technique. Full Article text
mon Pattern matching indexing of Laue and monochromatic serial crystallography data for applications in Materials Science By journals.iucr.org Published On :: An algorithm, based on the matching of q-vectors pairs, is combined with three-dimensional pattern matching using a nearest-neighbors approach to index Laue and monochromatic serial crystallography data recorded on small unit cell samples. Full Article text
mon Orientational disorder of monomethyl-quinacridone investigated by Rietveld refinement, structure refinement to the pair distribution function and lattice-energy minimizations By scripts.iucr.org Published On :: 2020-05-08 The crystal structure of the organic pigment 2-monomethyl-quinacridone (Pigment Red 192, C21H14N2O2) was solved from X-ray powder diffraction data. The resulting average structure is described in space group Poverline 1, Z = 1 with the molecule on the inversion centre. The molecules are arranged in chains. The molecules, which have no inversion symmetry, show orientational head-to-tail disorder. In the average structure, the methyl group is disordered and found on both ends of the molecule with an occupancy of 0.5 each. The disorder and the local structure were investigated using various ordered structural models. All models were analysed by three approaches: Rietveld refinement, structure refinement to the pair distribution function (PDF) and lattice-energy minimization. All refinements converged well. The Rietveld refinement provided the average structure and gave no indication of a long-range ordering. The refinement to the PDF turned out to be very sensitive to small structural details, giving insight into the local structure. The lattice-energy minimizations revealed a significantly preferred local ordering of neighbouring molecules along the [0ar 11] direction. In conclusion, all methods indicate a statistical orientational disorder with a preferred parallel orientation of molecules in one direction. Additionally, electron diffraction revealed twinning and faint diffuse scattering. Full Article text
mon Orientational disorder of monomethyl-quinacridone investigated by Rietveld refinement, structure refinement to the pair-distribution function and lattice-energy minimizations By journals.iucr.org Published On :: The crystal structure of the nanocrystalline pigment monomethyl-quinacridone was solved from X-ray powder data. The orientational disorder was investigated using Rietveld refinements, structure refinement to the pair-distribution function, and lattice-energy minimizations of various ordered structural models. Full Article text
mon Crystal structure of the nucleoid-associated protein Fis (PA4853) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa By journals.iucr.org Published On :: The crystal structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Fis is composed of an N-terminal flexible loop and a C-terminal helix–turn–helix motif. Full Article text