The paradox of transparency : short-termism and the institutionalisation of Australian capital markets

As the ultimate corporate decision-makers, directors have an impact on the investment time horizons of the corporations they govern. How they make investment decisions has been profoundly influenced by the expansion of the investment chain and the increasing concentration of share ownership in institutional hands. By examining agency in light of legal theory, we highlight that the board is in fact sui generis and not an agent of shareholders. Consequently, transparency can lead to directors being 'captured' by institutional investor objectives and timeframes, potentially to the detriment of the corporation as a whole. The counter-intuitive conclusion is that transparency may, under certain conditions, undermine good corporate governance and lead to excessive short-termism.

How well are Australian infants and children aged 4 to 5 years doing? Findings from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children Wave 1

This report presents an analysis of the data from the first wave of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) to explore the wellbeing of 5,107 children in the infant cohort of the study and the 4,983 children, aged 4 to 5 years, in the child cohort. Wave 1 of LSAC includes measures of multiple aspects of children’s early development. These developmental measures are summarised in the LSAC Outcome Index, a composite measure which includes an overall index as well as three separate domain scores, tapping physical development, social and emotional functioning, and learning and cognitive development.

4-Hydroxy-4,4-diphenylbutan-2-one

The mol­ecules of the title compound, C16H16O2, display an intra­molecular O—HO hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl donor and the ketone acceptor. Inter­molecular C—Hπ inter­actions connect adjacent mol­ecules into chains that propagate parallel to the ac diagonal. The chains are arranged in sheets, and mol­ecules in adjacent sheets inter­act via inter­molecular O—HO hydrogen bonds.

Isopropylaminium 2-carboxy-4, 5-dichlorobenzoate

In the structure of the 1:1 proton-transfer compound of isopropylamine with 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid, C3H10N+·C8H3Cl2O4-, the three cation H-atom donors associate with three separate carboxyl O-atom anion acceptors, giving conjoint cyclic R44(12), R44(16) hydrogen-bonding cation-anion interactions in a one-dimensional ribbon structure. In the anions, the carboxyl groups lie slightly out of the plane of the benzene ring [maximum deviations = 0.439 (1) for a carboxylic acid O atom and 0.433 (1) Å for a carboxylate O atom]. However, the syn-related proton of the carboxylic acid group forms the common short intramolecular O-HOcarboxyl hydrogen bond.

Ethane-1,2-diaminium 4,5-dichlorophthalate

In the structure of the title compound, C2H10N22+·C8H2Cl2O42-, the dications and dianions form hydrogen-bonded ribbon substructures which enclose conjoint cyclic R21(7), R12(7) and R42(8) associations and extend down the c-axis direction. These ribbons inter-associate down b, giving a two-dimensional sheet structure. In the dianions, one of the carboxylate groups is essentially coplanar with the benzene ring, while the other is normal to it [C-C-C-O torsion angles = 177.67 (12) and 81.94 (17)°, respectively].

The structure of the copper(II) complex with 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid: The 1:1 complex 'adduct' salt trans-tetraaqua(2-carboxy-4,5-dichlorobenzoato)(4,5-dichlorobenzene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid)copper(II) 2-carboxy-4,5-dichlorobenzoate

The unusual (1:1) complex ‘adduct’ salt of copper(II) with 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid (H2DCPA), having formula [Cu(H2O)4(C8H3Cl2O4) (C8H4Cl2O4)] . (C8H3Cl2O4) has been synthesized and characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P21/c, with Z = 4 in a cell with dimensions a = 20.1376(7), b =12.8408(4) c = 12.1910(4) Å, β = 105.509(4)o. The complex is based on discrete tetragonally distorted octahedral [CuO6] coordination centres with the four water ligands occupying the square planar sites [Cu-O, 1.962(4)-1.987(4) Å] and the monodentate carboxyl-O donors of two DCPA ligand species in the axial sites. The first of these bonds [Cu-O, 2.341(4) Å] is with an oxygen of a HDCPA monoanion, the second with an oxygen of a H2DCPA acid species [Cu-O, 2.418(4) Å]. The un-coordinated ‘adduct’ molecule is a HDCPA counter anion which is strongly hydrogen-bonded to the coordinated H2DCPA ligand [O… O, 2.503(6) Å] while a number of peripheral intra- and intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions give a two-dimensional network structure.

A Raman spectroscopic study of the antimonite mineral peretaite Ca(SbO)4(OH)2(SO4)2•2H2O

Raman spectra of mineral peretaite Ca(SbO)4(OH)2(SO4)2•2H2O were studied, and related to the structure of the mineral. Raman bands observed at 978 and 980 cm-1 and a series of overlapping bands observed at 1060, 1092, 1115, 1142 and 1152 cm-1 are assigned to the SO42- ν1 symmetric and ν3 antisymmetric stretching modes. Raman bands at 589 and 595 cm-1 are attributed to the SbO symmetric stretching vibrations. The low intensity Raman bands at 650 and 710 cm-1 may be attributed to SbO antisymmetric stretching modes. Raman bands at 610 cm-1 and at 417, 434 and 482 cm-1 are assigned to the SO42- 4 and 2 bending modes, respectively. Raman bands at 337 and 373 cm-1 are assigned to O-Sb-O bending modes. Multiple Raman bands for both SO42- and SbO stretching vibrations support the concept of the non-equivalence of these units in the coquandite structure.

One-dimensional hydrogen-bonded structures in the 1:1 proton-transfer salts of 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid with the aliphatic Lewis bases diisopropylamine and hexamethylenetetramine

The crystal structures of the 1:1 proton-transfer compounds of 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid with the aliphatic Lewis bases diisopropylamine and hexamethylenetetramine, viz. diisopropylaminium 2-carboxy-4,5-dichlorobenzoate (1) and hexamethylenetetraminium 2-carboxy-4,5-dichlorobenzoate hemihydrate (2), have been determined. Crystals of both 1 and 2 are triclinic, space group P-1, with Z = 2 in cells with a = 7.0299(5), b = 9.4712(7), c = 12.790(1)Å, α = 99.476(6), β = 100.843(6), γ = 97.578(6)o (1) and a = 7.5624(8), b = 9.8918(8), c = 11.5881(16)Å, α = 65.660(6), β = 86.583(4), γ = 86.987(8)o (2). In each, one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chain structures are found: in 1 formed through aminium N+-H...Ocarboxyl cation-anion interactions. In 2, the chains are formed through anion carboxyl O...H-Obridging water interactions with the cations peripherally bound. In both structures, the hydrogen phthalate anions are essentially planar with short intra-species carboxylic acid O-H...Ocarboxyl hydrogen bonds [O…O, 2.381(3) Å (1) and 2.381(8) Å (2)].

Hydrogen bonding in the water stabilized structure of the modified unsymmetrically substituted viologen chromophore, N-ethyl-N'-(2-phosphonomethyl)-4,4'-bipyridylium dichloride

The crystal structure of the modified unsymmetrically N, N'-substituted viologen chromophore, N-ethyl- N'-(2-phosphonoethyl)-4, 4'-bipyridinium dichloride 0.75 hydrate. (1) has been determined. Crystals are triclinic, space group P-1 with Z = 2 in a cell with a = 7.2550(1), b = 13.2038(5), c = 18.5752(7) Å, α = 86.495(3), β = 83.527(2), γ = 88.921(2)o. The two independent but pseudo-symmetrically related cations in the asymmetric unit form one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chains through short homomeric phosphonic acid O-H...O links [2.455(4), 2.464(4)A] while two of the chloride anions are similarly strongly linked to phosphonic acid groups [O-H…Cl, 2.889(4), 2.896(4)Å]. The other two chloride anions together with the two water molecules of solvation (one with partial occupancy) form unusual cyclic hydrogen-bonded bis(Cl...water) dianion units which lie between the layers of bipyridylium rings of the cation chain structures with which they are weakly associated.

Crystallographic characterization of the first reported crystalline form of the potent hallucinogen (R)-2-amino-1-(8-bromobenzo[1,2-b;5,4-b']difuran-4-yl)propane or `bromodragonfly': the 1:1 anhydrous proton-transfer compound with 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid

The 1:1 proton-transfer compound of the potent substituted amphetamine hallucinogen (R)-1-(8-bromobenzo[1,2-b; 4,5-b']difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane (common trivial name 'bromodragonfly') with 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, 1-(8-bromobenzo[1,2-b;4,5-b']difuran-4-yl)-2-mmoniopropane 2-carboxy-4,6-dinitrophenolate, C13H13BrNO2+ C7H3N2O7- forms hydrogen-bonded cation-anion chain substructures comprising undulating head-to-tail anion chains formed through C(8) carboxyl O-H...O(nitro) associations and incorporating the aminium groups of the cations. The intra-chain cation-anion hydrogen-bonding associations feature proximal cyclic R33(8) interactions involving both a N+-H...O(phenolate) and the carboxyl O--H...O(nitro)associations. Also present are aromatic pi-pi ring interactions [minimum ring centroid separation, 3.566(2)A; inter-plane dihedral angle, 5.13(1)deg]. A lateral hydrogen-bonding interaction between the third aminium proton and a carboxyl O acceptor link the chain substructures giving a two-dimensional sheet structure. This determination represents the first of any form of this compound and confirms that it has the (R) absolute configuration. The atypical crystal stability is attributed both to the hydrogen-bonded chain substructures provided by the anions, which accommodate the aminium proton-donor groups of the cations and give cross-linking, and to the presence of cation--anion aromatic ring pi-pi interactions.

4-(4-Nitrobenzyl)pyridinium 5-nitrosalicylate

In the title salt, C12H11N2O2+·C7H4NO5-, the cations and anions interact through asymmetric cyclic pyridinium-carboxylate N-HO,O' hydrogen-bonding associations [graph set R12(4)], giving discrete heterodimers having weak cation-anion - aromatic ring interactions [minimum ring centroid separation = 3.7116 (9) Å]

Bis[2-(2,4-dinitrobenzyl)pyridinium] biphenyl-4,4'-disulfonate

In the structure of the title compound, the salt 2(C12H10N3O4+) (C12H8O6S2)2- . 3H2O, determined at 173 K, the biphenyl-4,4'-disulfonate dianions lie across crystallographic inversion centres with the sulfonate groups interacting head-to-head through centrosymmetric cyclic bis(water)-bridged hydrogen-bonding associations [graph set R4/4(11)], forming chain structures. The 2-(2,4-dinitrobenzyl)pyridinium cations are linked to these chains through N+-H...O(water) hydrogen bonds and a two-dimensional network structure is formed through water bridges between sulfonate and 2-nitro O atoms, while the structure also has weak cation--anion pi-pi aromatic ring interactions [minimum ring centroid separation 3.8441(13)A].

4-Methylpyridinium 2-carboxy-4,5-dichlorobenzoate

In the structure of the 1:1 proton-transfer compound of 4-methylpyridine (\g-picoline) with 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid, C6H8N+ C8H3Cl2O4- . H2O, determined at 200 K, the 4,5-dichlorophthalate anions are bridged by the water molecule through O--H...O~carboxyl~ hydrogen bonds, giving zig-zag chains which extend along the c axial direction of the unit cell. The 4-methylpyridine cations are linked to the chains through single N--H...O~water~ hydrogen bonds and occupy the voids within the chains in the one-dimensional structure. The anions have the common 'planar' conformation with the short intramolecular O--H...O(carboxyl) hydrogen bond.

Hydrate stabilization in the three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded structure of the brucinium compound, bis(2,3-dimethoxy-10-oxostrychnidinium) biphenyl-4,4'-disulfonate hexahydrate

The crystal structure of the 2:1 proton-transfer compound of brucine with biphenyl-4,4’-disulfonate, bis(2,3-dimethoxy-10-oxostrychnidinium) biphenyl-4,4'-disulfonate hexahydrate (1) has been determined at 173 K. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P21 with Z = 2 in a cell with a = 8.0314(2), b = 29.3062(9), c = 12.2625(3) Å, β = 101.331(2)o. The crystallographic asymmetric unit comprises two brucinium cations, a biphenyl-4,4'-disulfonate dianion and six water molecules of solvation. The brucinium cations form a variant of the common undulating and overlapping head-to-tail sheet sub-structure. The sulfonate dianions are also linked head-to-tail by hydrogen bonds into parallel zig-zag chains through clusters of six water molecules of which five are inter-associated, featuring conjoint cyclic eight-membered hydrogen-bonded rings [graph sets R33(8) and R34(8)], comprising four of the water molecules and closed by sulfonate O-acceptors. These chain structures occupy the cavities between the brucinium cation sheets and are linked to them peripherally through both brucine N+-H...Osulfonate and Ocarbonyl…H-Owater to sulfonate O bridging hydrogen bonds, forming an overall three-dimensional framework structure. This structure determination confirms the importance of water in the stabilization of certain brucine compounds which have inherent crystal instability.