Stoichiometrically Controlled Revocable Self‐Assembled “Spiro” versus Quadruple‐Stranded “Double‐Decker” Type Coordination Cages

The simple combination of Pd^II with the tris‐monodentate ligand bis(pyridin‐3‐ylmethyl) pyridine‐3,5‐dicarboxylate, L , at ratios of 1:2 and 3:4 demonstrated the stoichiometrically controlled exclusive formation of the “spiro‐type” Pd₁L₂ macrocycle, 1 , and the quadruple‐stranded Pd₃L₄ cage, 2 , respectively. The architecture of 2 is elaborated with two compartments that can accommodate two units of fluoride, chloride, or bromide ions, one in each of the enclosures. However, the entry of iodide is altogether restricted. Complexes 1 and 2 are interconvertible under suitable conditions.     

Silica/Poly(1,5‐dioxepan‐2‐one) Hybrid Nanoparticles by “Direct” Surface‐Initiated Polymerization

Summary: Biodegradable poly(1,5‐dioxepan‐2‐one) (PDXO) was grown directly from Si OH groups of a silica nanoparticle by surface‐initiated, ring‐opening polymerization (SI‐ROP) of 1,5‐dioxepan‐2‐one (DXO). The direct SI‐ROP of DXO was achieved by heating a mixture of Sn(Oct)₂, DXO, and the silica nanoparticles (316 nm in diameter) in anhydrous toluene. The resulting silica/PDXO hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and field‐emission scanning electron microscopy.

The procedure for the surface‐initiated, ring‐opening polymerization of 1,5‐dioxepan‐2‐one on silica nanoparticles reported here.     

Synthesis of meso‐Pyrrole‐Substituted 22‐Oxacorroles by a “3+2” Approach

Unsymmetrical 22‐oxacorrole containing two aryl groups and one pyrrole group at the meso position was synthesized by condensing one equivalent of 16‐oxatripyrrane with one equivalent of meso aryl dipyromethane under mild acid‐catalyzed conditions followed by oxidation with 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone (DDQ). This [3+2] condensation approach was expected to yield meso‐free 25‐oxasmaragdyrin but unexpectedly afforded unsymmetrical meso‐pyrrole‐substituted 22‐oxacorrole. We demonstrated the versatility of the reaction by synthesizing four new meso‐pyrrole‐substituted 22‐oxacorroles. The reactivity of α‐position of meso‐pyrrole was tested by carrying out various functionalization reactions such as bromination, formylation, and nitration and obtained the functionalized meso‐pyrrole‐substituted 22‐oxacorroles in decent yields. The X‐ray structure obtained for one of the functionalized meso‐pyrrole substituted 22‐oxacorrole revealed that the macrocycle was nearly planar and the meso‐pyrrole was in the perpendicular orientation with respect to the macrocyclic plane. The meso‐pyrrole‐substituted 22‐oxacorroles absorb strongly in 400–700 nm region with one strong Soret band and four weak Q bands. The 22‐oxacorroles are strongly fluorescent and showed emission maxima at ≈650 nm with decent quantum yields and singlet‐state lifetimes. The 22‐oxacorroles are redox‐active and exhibited three irreversible oxidations and one or two reversible reduction(s). A preliminary biological study indicated that meso‐pyrrole corroles are biocompatible.     

“Click”‐Triggered Self‐Healing Graphene Nanocomposites

Strategies to compensate material fatigue are among the most challenging issues, being most prominently addressed by the use of nano‐ and microscaled fillers, or via new chemical concepts such as self‐healing materials. A capsule‐based self‐healing material is reported, where the adverse effect of reduced tensile strength due to the embedded capsules is counterbalanced by a graphene‐based filler, the latter additionally acting as a catalyst for the self‐healing reaction. The concept is based on “click”‐based chemistry, a universal methodology to efficiently link components at ambient reaction conditions, thus generating a “reactive glue” at the cracked site. A capsule‐based healing system via a graphene‐based Cu₂O (TRGO‐Cu₂O‐filler) is used, acting as both the catalytic species for crosslinking and the required reinforcement agent within the material, in turn compensating the reduction in tensile strength exerted by the embedded capsules. Room‐temperature self‐healing within 48 h is achieved, with the investigated specimen containing TRGO‐Cu₂O demonstrating significantly faster self‐healing compared to homogeneous (Cu(PPh₃)₃F, Cu(PPh₃)₃Br), and heterogeneous (Cu/C) copper(I) catalysts.

     

“Smart” poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate‐ran‐9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole) copolymers synthesized by nitroxide mediated radical polymerization

A series of poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate‐ran‐9‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐9H‐carbazole) (poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK)) random copolymers, with VBK molar feed compositions f_VBK,0 = 0.02–0.09, were synthesized using 10 mol % [tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino] nitroxide (SG1) relative to 2‐([tert‐butyl[1‐(diethoxyphosphoryl)‐2,2‐dimethylpropyl]amino]oxy)‐2‐methylpropionic acid (BlocBuilder) at 80 °C and 90 °C. Controlled polymerizations were observed, even with f_VBK,0 = 0.02, as reflected by a linear increase in number average molecular weight (M_n) versus conversion X ≤ 0.6 with final copolymers characterized by relatively narrow, monomodal molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n ≈ 1.5). Poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK) copolymers were deemed sufficiently pseudo‐“living” to reinitiate a second batch of N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMAA), with very few apparent dead chains, as indicated by the monomodal shift in the gel permeation chromatography chromatograms. Poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK) random copolymers exhibited tuneable lower critical solution temperature (LCST), in aqueous solution, by modifying copolymer composition, solution pH and by the addition of the water‐soluble poly(DMAA) segment. ¹H NMR analysis determined that, in water, the VBK units of the poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK) random copolymer were segregated to the interior of the copolymer aggregate regardless of solution temperature and that poly(DMAEMA‐ran‐VBK)‐b‐poly(DMAA) block copolymers formed micelles above the LCST. In addition, the final random copolymer and block copolymer exhibited temperature dependent fluorescence due to the VBK units. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Azide/alkyne‐“click”‐reactions on amino resin materials: An LC‐ESI‐TOF analysis

This article describes the reaction of amino resins with functional molecules using the azide/alkyne‐“click”‐reaction, opening a simple chemical modification of amino resins under aqueous conditions. Alkyne‐modified melamine‐formaldehyde resins are prepared via a direct cocondensation approach using propargylic alcohol (21.6–86.3 mmol) as additive. Subsequently, alkyne‐modified mono‐, bi‐, and trinuclear melamine‐species are identified via LC‐ESI‐TOF methods proving the covalent incorporation of alkyne‐moieties in amounts of up to 3.9 mol %. Subsequent modification of the alkyne‐modified resins was accomplished by reaction of functional azides (octyl azide (1), (azidomethyl)benzene (2), 1‐(6‐azidohexyl) thymine (3), and 4‐azido‐N‐(2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐4‐yl)benzamide (4)) with Cu(I)Br and DIPEA as a base. The formation of triazolyl‐modified MF‐resins was proven by LC‐ESI‐TOF methods, indicating the successful covalent modification of the amino resin with the azides 1 – 4 . © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Octadecanuclear Gear Wheels by Self‐Assembly of Self‐Assembled “Double Saddle”‐Type Coordination Entities: Molecular “Rangoli”

A series of self‐assembled “double saddle”‐type trinuclear complexes of [Pd₃L′₃ L ₂] formulation have been synthesized by complexation of a series of cis‐protected palladium(II) components with a slightly divergent “E‐shaped” non‐chelating tridentate ligand, 1,1′‐(pyridine‐3,5‐diyl)bis(3‐(pyridin‐3‐yl)urea ( L ). The cis‐protecting agents L′ employed in the study are ethylenediamine (en), tetramethylethylenediamine (tmeda), 2,2′‐bipyridine (bpy), and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen), for 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 , respectively. The crystal structures of [Pd₃(tmeda)₃( L )₂](NO₃)₆ ( 2 ), [Pd₃(bpy)₃( L )₂](NO₃)₆ ( 3 ), and [Pd₃(phen)₃( L )₂](NO₃)₆ ( 4 ) unequivocally support the new architecture. Two of the “double saddle”‐type complexes ( 3 and 4 ) are suitably crafted with π surfaces at the strategically located cis‐protecting sites to facilitate intermolecular π–π interactions in the solid state. As a consequence, six units of the 3 (or 4 ) are assembled, by means of six‐pairs of π–π stacking interactions, in a circular geometry to form an octadecanuclear molecular ring of [(Pd₃L′₃ L ₂)₆] composition. The overall arrangement of the rings in the crystal packing is equated with the traditional Indian art form rangoli.     

Synthesis,characterization, and cross‐linking of a library of statistical copolymers based on 2‐“soy alkyl”‐2‐oxazoline and 2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline

The synthesis of statistical copolymers consisting of 2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline (EtOx) and 2‐“soy alkyl”‐2‐oxazoline (SoyOx) via a microwave‐assisted cationic ring‐opening polymerization procedure is described. The majority of the resulting copolymers revealed polydispersity indices below 1.30. The reactivity ratios (r_EtOx 1.4 ± 0.3; r_SoyOx = 1.7 ± 0.3) revealed a clustered monomer distribution throughout the polymer chains. The thermal and surface properties of the pEtOx‐stat‐SoyOx copolymers were analyzed before and after UV‐curing demonstrating the decreased chain mobility after cross‐linking. In addition, the cross‐linked materials showed shape‐persistent swelling upon absorption of water from the air, whereby as little as 5 mol % SoyOx was found to provide efficient cross‐linking. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5371,–5379, 2007     

A Constrained Disorder Refinement: “Reinvestigation of “Single‐Crystal X‐ray Structure of 1,3‐Dimethylcyclobutadiene” by M. Shatruk and I. V. Alabugin”

Shatruk and Alabugin propose an alternative structural model for the observed electron density that we have attributed to the photochemical formation of 1,3‐dimethylcyclobutadiene in a protective solid crystalline matrix. The main criticism from Shatruk and Alabugin concerns the modeling of the disorder in the calixarene cavity and in particular the neglect of a residual electron density close to the O1 atom. We published (Chem. Eur. J. 2011 , 17, 10021) our opinion concerning this “ignored peak” in the Supporting Information of the paper. The current response to the Correspondence demonstrates that Shatruk and Alabugin have over‐modeled our data by assigning a small electron density peak, which is hardly more than the density corresponding to a hydrogen atom, to an under‐occupied oxygen site, using inappropriate refinement contraints.