Three new Re(CO) 3 Cl complexes (ReL1-ReL3) containing the N,N-bidentate ligands 1-(2-pyridyl)-3-phenylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (L1), 1-(2-pyridyl)-3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (L2), and 1-(2-pyridyl)-3-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (L3) were synthetized and fully characterized. Photophysical properties of L1-L3 and ReL1-ReL3 were studied with absorption and emission spectroscopy. The X-ray structure of ReL3 was determined. Time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations were performed in order to elucidate the electronic structures and the excited states of ligands and complexes. Ligands L1 and L2 show 1 π-π* emission with limited charge-transfer character (CT), while L3 emits from an excited state with higher CT character due to the presence of a dimethylamino group. No emissive metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) states are found for the rhenium complexes. ReL1 and ReL2, although similar to their ligands, display a ligand-centered 1 π-π*/ 3 π-π* dual emission; singlet emissions fall at 21.8 × 10 3 (458 nm) and 22.6 × 10 3 cm -1 (443 nm), respectively, and the structured triplet emissions have two peaks at 17.9 × 10 3 (558 nm) and 16.3 × 10 3 cm -1 (613 nm) in both complexes. ReL3 emits from a ligand-centered CT state at 18.9 × 10 3 cm -1 (530 nm). Finally, the complex [Re(L1)(CO) 3 py]PF 6 (ReL1py) (where py ) pyridine) was prepared and studied by spectroscopy and computational methods. The complex has high-energy emission centered at 22.9 × 10 3 cm -1 (437 nm). DFT calculations show that dual fluorescence almost disappears due to the reduced spin-orbit coupling. Finally, electrochemical properties of ligands and rhenium complexes have been investigated.

Keywords: Rhenium / X-ray structure / TDDFT / UV/Vis spectroscopy / Luminescence (L3), were studied by spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and computa-

Accurate determinations of stable isotope ratios require a calibration using at least two reference materials with different isotopic compositions to anchor the isotopic scale and compensate for differences in machine slope. Ideally, the delta values of these reference materials should bracket the isotopic range of samples with unknown delta values. While the practice of analyzing two isotopically distinct reference materials is common for water (VSMOW-SLAP) and carbonates (NBS 19 and L-SVEC), the lack of widely available organic reference materials with distinct isotopic composition has hindered the practice when analyzing organic materials by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). At present only L-glutamic acids USGS40 and USGS41 satisfy these requirements for delta13C and delta15N, with the limitation that L-glutamic acid is not suitable for analysis by gas chromatography (GC). We describe the development and quality testing of (i) four nicotine laboratory reference materials for on-line (i.e. continuous flow) hydrogen reductive gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-IRMS), (ii) five nicotines for oxidative C, N gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS, or GC-IRMS), and (iii) also three acetanilide and three urea reference materials for on-line oxidative EA-IRMS for C and N. Isotopic off-line calibration against international stable isotope measurement standards at Indiana University adhered to the 'principle of identical treatment'. The new reference materials cover the following isotopic ranges: delta2H(nicotine) -162 to -45 per thousand, delta13C(nicotine) -30.05 to +7.72 per thousand, delta15N(nicotine) -6.03 to +33.62 per thousand; delta15N(acetanilide) +1.18 to +40.57 per thousand; delta13C(urea) -34.13 to +11.71 per thousand, delta15N(urea) +0.26 to +40.61 per thousand (recommended delta values refer to calibration with NBS 19, L-SVEC, IAEA-N-1, and IAEA-N-2). Nicotines fill a gap as the first organic nitrogen stable isotope reference materials for GC-IRMS that are available with different delta15N values. Comparative delta13C and delta15N on-line EA-IRMS data from 14 volunteering laboratories document the usefulness and reliability of acetanilides and ureas as EA-IRMS reference materials.

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Lately, long-chain primary alcohols have been investigated in depth on account of their biological activities. In particular, 1-octacosanol (C(28)H(57)OH), the main component of policosanol, the hypolipidaemic fatty alcohol mixture obtained from sugar cane wax, has been the subject of a multitude of pharmacological studies. The aim of this work was to search a convenient synthetic protocol for the preparation of 1-octacosanol in a gram scale. The key step was a Wittig reaction between the octadecyltriphenylphosphonium ylide and the methyl 10-oxodecanoate. Some steps were further improved by power ultrasound and microwave irradiation, either alone or in combination. Our methodology is suitable for a rapid generation of homologues by varying the chain length in the alkyl halide. Due to the high commercial value, a series of 1-octacosanol samples, either isolated from natural sources or from synthesis (different origin and suppliers), were analysed by gas chromatography-combustion-isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) and according to the carbon isotopic content, classified on the basis of their origin.