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Three novel bismuth(III) complexes of the formulae [Bi(3-apac)2(H2O)Cl3](3-apac)2 (1), [Bi(μ-pda)(H2O)Cl]n (2) and [Bi(6,6′-bpdc)(H2O)(μ-Cl)] (3) (where 3-apac ​= ​3-aminopyrazine-2-carboxylic acid, H2pda ​= ​pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, 6,6′-H2bpdc ​= ​2,2′-bipyridine-6,6′-dicarboxylic acid) were synthesized. The X-ray crystallographic investigation reveals that 1 is a mononuclear compound and offers the first example of Bi(III) complex which proton transfer occurs in ligand molecules. 2 is a dinuclear coordination polymer, which consists of two [Bi(μ-pda)(H2O)Cl] units via two bridging O atoms of two pda2− ions. And the dinuclear complex 3 is built up from two Bi3+ ion cores which are bridged through two Cl– ions. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of 1–3 toward the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) was explored, and the mechanism of the photocatalytic degradation was discussed. The results indicate that 2 and 3 are good candidates for the photocatalytic degradation of RhB.

Divalent manganese is difficult to exist in alkaline solution because it is extremely easy to be incompletely oxidized to trivalent. But it can be achieved by controlled its processing method. The basic manganese chloride (Mn2(OH)3Cl) was prepared by the controlled droplet rate precipitation method, and the controlled droplet rate of sodium hydroxide solution was 1.0 ​mL ​min−1. Hydroxylamine hydrochloride was added as a reducing agent in the preparation process to prevent the oxidation of the product and influence its purity. The composition, structure and morphology of the basic manganese chloride were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The XRD analysis confirmed that the product was a single phase and its crystal structure belonged to orthorhombic system with cell parameters a ​= ​6.502 ​A, b ​= ​9.487 ​A, and c ​= ​7.071 ​A. The SEM images showed that the basic manganese chloride crystals obtained by this method was a cube formed by overlapping sheets square pieces with a side length of about 1 ​μm. Electrochemical tests revealed that the capacitance of the Mn2(OH)3Cl/C/Ni electrode was 187.6 ​F ​g−1 when it was charged and discharged with a current of 0.2 ​A ​g−1, and its capacitance was 14.3 ​F ​g−1 when electrode was charged and discharged with a current of 3.0 ​A ​g−1.

A novel coordination polymer [Ni2(μ4-btca)(phen)2(H2O)2]n (Ni-1) was synthesized by the solvothermal reaction of nickel sulfate, 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid (H4btca) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) in a N,N-dimethylformamide solution. The Ni(II) coordination polymer was characterized by elemental analyses, single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy. The X-ray crystallographic investigation reveals that Ni(II) ion is located in N2O4 coordination spheres, and possesses an octahedron coordination environment. Ni-1 displays a neutral chain, which is built up from the Ni(II) ions bridged by the deprotonated btca4− ligands with two different coordination modes and phen is an auxiliary ligand. The result of fluorescence shows that Ni-1 has fluorescent property. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility study (2–300 ​K) indicates the existence of antiferromagnetic interactions in Ni-1.

A novel transition metal–organic framework, [Ni2(μ4-btca)(1,4-bib)2(H2O)2]n, was obtained by the hydrothermal reaction of nickel chloride hexahydrate, 1,2,4,5-benzenetetra-carboxylic acid (H4btca) and 1,4-bis(1H-imidazol-4-yl)benzene (1,4-bib) in an ethanol aqueous solution. The composition and structure of the complex were characterized by elemental analyses, single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic system with the P 1 ‾ space group. Each nickel(II) ion is hexacoordinated in a 2N4O mode and has a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The thermal decomposition of the complex includes dehydration and pyrolysis of the ligands, and the final residue is nickel oxide. The magnetic property of the complex has been studied by variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements, and it possesses weak antiferromagnetic interactions.

Coal tar residues (CRT) are a toxic and carcinogenic waste from coal tar processing unit that need extensive post-treatment before their safe disposal. This study prepared activated carbon from coal tar residues using activating H3PO4 at 650–1200 °C. At 850 °C, the yielded activated carbon has an iodine value of 793.5 mg/g, total pore volume of 0.286 cm3/g and micropore volume of 0.255 cm3/g, which can have feasible usage as mediate quality activated carbon. Kinetic model fitting reveals that the presence of H3PO4 increases effective reaction collision rate and decreases activation energy of pyrolysis reactions.

The copper(II) complex of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid was synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, single crystal X-ray diffraction, FTIR and UV–Vis spectra, and thermogravimetric analysis coupled with infrared spectrometry (TGA-FTIR). The results show that the crystal structure of the complex belongs to the triclinic system, and the Cu(II) ion is five-coordinated by one pyridine N atom, two carboxylate O atoms from the ligand anion and two O atoms from two water molecules, forming a distorted triangular bipyramidal geometry. Under the conditions of a physiological pH environment, the interaction of the complex with herring sperm DNA was studied by means of spectral methods using acridine orange as a fluorescence probe. The bonding mode between the complex and DNA is evidenced to be intercalative binding, and the binding of the complex to DNA is driven by entropy.

Bi or Sb nanocrystalline metal particles can very easily be prepared by a solid–solid reaction of the powders of BiCl3 or SbCl3 and KBH4 at room temperature. The characterizations indicate that the resultant is the pure metal-nanoparticles with an average diameter of about 30–80 nm.

Ni–B alloy can be very easily prepared by a solid–solid reaction of the nickel chloride and potassium borohydride powders at room temperature. The chemical analysis shows that the composition of the Ni–B alloy is Ni x B ( x = 2–3). X-ray diffraction pattern and selected-area electron diffraction image indicate that the Ni–B alloy is amorphous. The picture of the transmission electron microscopy shows that the Ni–B alloy obtained by a solid–solid reaction is the amorphous Ni–B alloy nanoparticles with average diameters of 15–25 nm.