pared with less than 5% removal of iron from transferrin by deferoxamine in the same period of time (at a deferoxamine: transferrin ratio of 100:1). Both of these synthetic catecholamides are now being investigated in animal studies to see whether they are safe for use in humans. D
IUPAC recommends inorganic nomenclature The International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry's Commission on Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry has developed a set of provisional recommendations and is seeking reactions to it. The recommendations deal with the nomenclature of hydrides of nitrogen and derived cations, anions, and ligands. The commission points out that the nomenclature in this area presents particularly difficult problems because of the different relationships involved. To begin with, the simple hydrides and many of their derivatives are commercial chemicals with well-established nonsystematic trivial and abbreviated names. Further complicating the situation, the hydrides are inorganic but their most numerous derivatives are organic. Proposed nomenclature therefore must be compatible with additive (inorganic) and substitutive (organic) nomenclature. And
also must be in accord with current trends toward more systematic nomenclature. The proposed rules are the result of six years of discussion and adjustment at annual meetings of the commission together with a representative of the Commission on the Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry. The inorganic commission admits the rules aren't perfect, but it says they provide a compromise among existing names, future trends, and inorganic and organic nomenclature practices. The systematic names are based on organic principles and the hydride name "azane" where there is hydrogen to be substituted. Where there is no hydrogen or only "acidic hydrogen," the systematic names are based on the name of the element, nitrogen. Thus, commonly named ammonia, NH3, is equivalent to azane.3 The commonly named anion nitride, N ~, remains nitride in its systematic name. The commission points out that it isn't proposing that the systematic names should at present take precedence over the well-established names for the common hydrides and common derivatives. But it notes that with the trend toward systematic nomenclature, they may do so in the future. Thus the proposed rules describe the trivial names and nonsystematically but well-established derived names as "for present use" or "preferred at the present time," rather than as "preferred."
The proposed nomenclature rules cover a number of areas: hydrides; cations derived by the addition of a proton or protons to the hydride or dinitrogen; anions derived by the loss of a proton or protons from the hydrides; ligands derived from the nitrogen hydrides; the nitrogen hydrides and their cations as ligands; ligands formally derived from the nitrogen hydrides by the loss of a proton or protons; ligands derived from the nitrogen hydride mono-cations by loss of a proton or protons from the uncharged nitrogen center; and organic derivatives of the nitrogen hydride ligands. With the systematic names for the hydrides, NH3 is azane, N2H4 is diazane, N2H2 is diazene, and HN3 is hydrogen trinitride. The systematic names are preferred, particularly for naming derivatives, with ammonia (preferred for NH3) and hydrazine (preferred for N2H4) as recognized exceptions. Diazene is preferred for N2H2, although diimide is a common name and diimine is also in use. The common name hydrogen azide is the most widely accepted name for HN3 and is retained for present use (hydrazoic acid is another name in use). Communications on the proposed nomenclature rules can be sent to the secretary of the commission, Dr. D. M. P. Mingos, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford 0X13QR, U.K. D
HEXCEL CUSTOM SYNTHESIS OF FINE ORGANIC CHEMICALS
specialty chemicals East 205 Main Street Lodi, N.J. 07644
(201)472-6800
TX 134 624 West/Mid-West 215 N. Centennial Street Zeeland, Michigan 49464 (616)772-2193 TX 226 375
At HEXCEL,custom synthesis of organic chemicals is more than the processing equipment alone. It is the skill and dedication "of people with over two decades of broad process experience. It is also the dedication to a program of quality assurance designed to meet or exceed the most demanding requirements of our customers. Hydrogénations Kolbe Carboxylations Quaternizations
Reductions Reductive Aminations
. . . a wide variety of other organic reactions such as; alkylations, amidations, condensations, dehydrohalogenations, esterifications, halogenations, neutralizations and oxidations. Feb. 19, 1979 C&EN
35
