The crystal and mol­ecular structures of the title organotin di­thio­carbamate compounds, [Sn(C6H5)3(C7H10NS2)] (I) and [Sn(C6H5)2(C7H10NS2)2] (II), present very distinct tin atom coordination geometries. In (I), the di­thio­carbamate ligand is asymmetrically coordinating with the resulting C3S2 donor set defining a coordination geometry inter­mediate between square-pyramidal and trigonal–bipyramidal. In (II), two independent mol­ecules comprise the asymmetric unit, which differ in the conformations of the allyl substituents and in the relative orientations of the tin-bound phenyl rings. The di­thio­carbamate ligands in (II) coordinate in an asymmetric mode but the Sn—S bonds are more symmetric than observed in (I). The resulting C2S4 donor set approximates an octa­hedral coordination geometry with a cis-disposition of the ipso-carbon atoms and with the more tightly bound sulfur atoms approximately trans. The only directional inter­molecular contacts in the crystals of (I) and (II) are of the type phenyl-C—H⋯π(phen­yl) and vinyl­idene-C—H⋯π(phen­yl), respectively, with each leading to a supra­molecular chain propagating along the a-axis direction. The calculated Hirshfeld surfaces emphasize the importance of H⋯H contacts in the crystal of (I), i.e. contributing 62.2% to the overall surface. The only other two significant contacts also involve hydrogen, i.e. C⋯H/H⋯C (28.4%) and S⋯H/H⋯S (8.6%). Similar observations pertain to the individual mol­ecules of (II), which are clearly distinguishable in their surface contacts, with H⋯H being clearly dominant (59.9 and 64.9%, respectively) along with C⋯H/H⋯C (24.3 and 20.1%) and S⋯H/H⋯S (14.4 and 13.6%) contacts. The calculations of energies of inter­action suggest dispersive forces make a significant contribution to the stabilization of the crystals. The exception is for the C—H⋯π contacts in (II) where, in addition to the dispersive contribution, significant contributions are made by the electrostatic forces.

Two scientists at the Smithsonian Institution have been honored with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for their innovative research and scientific leadership. It is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

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On February 12, 2018, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery unveiled its commissioned portraits of former President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama by artists Kehinde […]

The post Installation of the Obama portraits appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

President Barack Obama reiterated his strong support for science and technology today in a speech to members of the National Academy of Sciences at its 150th annual meeting.

Today President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum to address climate change and national security. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine look forward to taking the lead in engaging the academic community in efforts to guide this initiative, and are well-positioned to tap the broad, multidisciplinary expertise of researchers across the nation.

In the second of the three Presidential debates, President Obama displayed the passion he lacked the first time around.  He also made his arguments more concisely, and didn't shy away from direct engagement with Mitt Romney.  Snap polls after the debate show most viewers and listeners though Obama won the debate, though the percentages weren't nearly as overwhelming as Romney's advantage last time out.

Will the President's apparent victory show up in the polls as dramatically as Romney's previous win?  What will the stakes be like for next Monday's final, tie-breaking, matchup?

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling, said the federal government must pay health insurers $12 billion under a provision of the Affordable Care Act.; Credit: Patrick Semansky/AP

The U.S. Supreme Court has told the federal government that it has to pay $12 billion to insurance companies, money that was promised in the Affordable Care Act as part of the start-up costs of Obamacare in the first three years of its existence.

The law, as enacted, promised to limit profits and losses for insurance companies in the first three years of the Obamacare program. Some companies made more money than allowed by the formula, and had to pay some back to the government, and other companies lost money and were owed money by the government under the formula.

But in 2014, the first year that the ACA's plan was in place, the Republican-controlled Congress reneged on the promise to appropriate money for the companies that had lost money. It did the same for the next two years as well, adding to appropriation bills a rider that barred the government from fulfilling the promise in the statute. After President Trump was elected, his administration supported the GOP-led refusal to pay.

The insurance companies sued, and on Monday the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government has to pay up.

The vote was 8-to-1, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing for the majority that the decision reflects a principle "as old as the nation itself. The government should honor its obligations."

She noted that the language of the ACA was "rare" in that it permitted lawsuits to enforce the provisions at issue here, provisions that declare the government"shall pay" the losses suffered by insurance companies that participated over the first three years.

The lone dissenter was Justice Samuel Alito, who called the decision "a massive bailout" for the insurance industry, which "took a calculated risk and lost."

Monday's decision was the third involving Obamacare at the Supreme Court. Conservative groups, and now the Trump administration, have consistently sought to invalidate or undermine the law — so far, with limited or no success. But next year, the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider once again whether the law is unconstitutional.

Despite repeated efforts by Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration to either undermine or entirely do away with the program, Obamacare has remained popular, likely because it has enabled millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions, to obtain medical insurance and medical coverage for the first time.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A new proposal would expand offshore drilling in U.S. waters, but it's drawing fire from supporters as well as critics of the oil and gas industry.

In a recently released video, the first lady talks up the healthy new choices that kids will see in their school lunches this year

President Barack Obama challenged world leaders to join the United States in fighting global warming. Watch the entire 10-minute speech here.

Mother Nature Network's 'Ask Vanessa' offers unsolicited advice on the environment for the president.

Obama is an agent of change. Or at least he's supposed to be. Peter Dykstra grades six areas of the Obama presidency.

Comedian beats up BP CEO look-alike on 'Colbert Report'.

Should we care that Obama's Presidential Limo will get single digit miles per gallon?

Paul Scott sells Nissan Leafs for a living. He put up his retirement savings for a few minutes with the president to talk about EVs and climate change.

Covering some 500 million acres of ocean, the expanded marine sanctuary would be four times larger than California.

An ad of President Obama selling chicken at a Whole Foods is perceived as racist.

Actor and environmentalist says President stood up to Big Oil by delaying project and calling for more environmental reviews.

The State Department has denied the proposed oil pipeline from Canada, heading off a congressionally mandated deadline of Feb. 21.

Climate activist Bill McKibben says now is the time for the Obama administration to stand up to the richest industry on Earth.

Video: President visits a wind turbine blade manufacturing plant in Iowa and discusses how the administration's clean energy investments are creating jobs and i

In his State of the Union speech, Obama unveils plans to expand U.S. oil and gas production, but vows not to 'walk away from the promise of clean energy.'

The president discussed the nation's growing clean energy economy at a Daimler facility in North Carolina.

The 50,000-year-old, perfectly preserved forest is showcased like never before in a newly released documentary.

The president is getting a report card for his first 100 days in office from Michael Pollan and others. How's he doing on the food front?

The EPA will continue to draw fire, but the veto weapon should protect the agency as long as Obama is in the White House.

President Obama joined CEA Chairman Austan Goolsbee at the "Winning the Future" Forum on Small Business in Cleveland.

President Obama calls on Congress to end the oil industry subsidies.

The president steps up efforts to protect the pollinators — and their $24 billion contribution to the U.S. economy.

No U.S. president has waxed as poetically about mining the moon the way John F. Kennedy did about landing on it.

President Obama has a tricky balancing act to perform as BP plans to resume offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

But environmental groups say oil is still coming ashore and more work needs to be done.

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, host a party at the White House on May 10 for mothers, grandmothers an

Massive twitter campaign invites @barackobama to visit Appalachia and see mountaintop removal first hand.

Alabama county’s decision to store coal ash from the Tennessee spill fills coffers, but also spurs worries about consequences.

MNN introduces you to the key characters in the Eco-bama drama including Steven Chu, Carol Browner and more.

While easy to focus on the gross-out factor, the tale of a stranded train filled with sewage sludge shines a light on the complicated afterlife of our waste.

The granola guru John Mackey has a new book and is once again making waves with his outspoken views.

As the president leapfrogs from India to Indonesia to Seoul, he's making deals on green energy in the hopes of curbing climate change.

The administration drank the conservative Kool-Aid and agreed that tightening ozone emission rules would have hurt the economy. But clean air is popular politic

President Obama thanked the staff of the Environmental Protection Agency during a Tuesday afternoon speech.

The longtime environmental cop is known for being tough, pragmatic and likable.

Lush, lovely and totally invasive, running bamboo has been branded as public enemy number one in several towns in the Northeast.

The EPA is punting on two more big decisions, making it a tough year for anyone who votes the environment.

Media mogul offers to lobby at no charge in support of wind power.

The White House is taking a political risk: Spurn environmentalists enough times, and they might return the favor.

While they declined a televised science debate, the candidates did provide written answers to 14 questions from the country's top scientists.

For the first time in two decades, a U.S. presidential debate season has passed without any candidate or moderator mentioning climate change.

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's surprise endorsement of Obama follows the devastating effect of Hurricane Sandy on New York City and the Northeast.