Plan C - Dany Joumaa

Last time we talked, I mentioned two compounds -- Eu(Tta)3TPTZ and Eu(DBM)3TPTZ. I'd like to report that the fate of these compounds are still pending, the reason being that we have yet again begun work on an alternative method of synthesis that involves Eu(Hfac)3TPTZ. Unlike the previous two methods wherein we added the Tta and DBM ligands first and the bulky TPTZ ligand last, we instead attempted to add the bulky ligand first and the smaller ligands last. Hopefully this will allow us to yield a product that is crystalline (and mostly pure). If we can make this method work for one version of the compound, it is our hope that we can make it work for the other two versions (Tta and DBM). We're in the process of removing byproducts now.

On the calculation side of things, I found out that two calculations I just ran yesterday -- one on Hfac and the other on acac -- both failed. The former failed because I didn't choose the right "basis set." You can think of a Basis set like a dictionary -- it prescribes how different atoms interact with each other on a fundamental level, chemically and electrostatically. When you choose the wrong basis set, the computer basically has no clue how to process your molecule, and either provides inaccurate data or crashes entirely. In my case, the computer crashed. The other calculation failed because the computer apparently could not find the appropriate input file (what a sad excuse). Unfortunately there's no way for me to have the computer check the syntax and the logic of my input script before it runs, which essentially means that I have to wait a day or more to find out that I omitted a tab or, in the case, find that my input file... didn't exist.

Oh well. Such is the situation.

Sorry I couldn't go to the fashion show or Angelynn's TPYO performance. I'm too busy being a hermit. I'm sure both were quite awesome to see, though.

All the best,
--Dany.