Copolymerization of acrylic acid to nylon-6 by trapped radicals—I. Vapour phase grafting

Film of nylon-6 has been γ-irradiated in vacuo to various doses D. Grafting has been effected by subsequent exposure in vacuo to vapour at 50° of composition 9.1 wt% acrylic acid and 90.9 wt% water. Determinations have been made of total vapour uptake as well as the individual swellings due to monomer and water. For D ? ca. 2 Mrad, the initial rate of grafting R_g increased with D in accord with R_g ∝ D^β with β = 0.45 ± 0.05, thus suggesting bimolecular chain termination. However, for D ? ca. 2 Mrad, there is no further increase in R_g. This is attributed in part to the fact that the radical yield is proportional to dose only for D ? ca. 2.5 Mrad. Diffusion controlled grafting has been predicted elsewhere to be characterized by β = 0.67. Grafting proceeds from the surface and the initial stages are concluded to be essentially free from diffusion control, since (a) β ≠ 0.67, (b) the rate of uptake of monomer vapour >R_g and (c) a large change in film thickness yields only a very small change in R_g.     

Hyperfine structure in the configurations4f 4 6s 2 and4f 4 5d 6s of Nd I

The high resolution laser-atomic-beam technique was used to investigate the hyperfine structure in Nd I 4f ⁴6s ^{2 5} I,⁵ F,⁵ S and 4f ⁴5d6s ⁷ L,⁷ K,⁷ I,⁷ H. The metastable states were populated by an arc discharge burning in the atomic beam. The measured hyperfine constantsA andB of the levels of 4f ⁴6s ² and 4f ⁴5d6s allow a parametric analysis to be performed using the effective tensor operator formalism. The experimental radial integrals of the 4f and 5d electrons fit with those of the other lanthanides. The 4f radial integrals are in agreement with values of optimized Hartree-Fock-Slater calculations. The spectroscopic quadrupole moments of¹⁴³Nd and¹⁴⁵Nd are deduced from the 4f parameters:Q _I =?0.610(21) b and ?0.314(12) b, respectively. TheQ _I resulting from the 5d parameter are in satisfactory agreement with these values. The hyperfine anomaly due to thes electron in 4f ⁴5d 6s amounts to about 1%.     

Moderate generation of sulfenylnitrenes from novel N-sulfenylsulfodiimides

N-Sulfenylated sulfodiimides were first prepared by the reaction of S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfodiimide with arenesulfenyl chlorides under the basic conditions. Thermolysis of S,S-diphenyl-N-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)- and S,S-diphenyl-N-(2,4-dinitrophenylsulfenyl)sulfodiimides in the presence of olefins proceeded at 50-80 °C to give the corresponding deiminated S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfimide and N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields. 2,4-Dinitrophenyl-sulfenylnitrene was trapped by trans- and cis-1-phenylpropenes stereospecifically. The thermolysis temperature of the N-sulfenylsulfodiimides was found to be lower than N-sulfenylsulfoximide and higher than N-sulfenyliminosulfonium salt and very effective to trap the sulfenylnitrene to give the N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields.     

Comparative XANES study on the two electron-doped high-Tc superconductor systems, (Sr,La)CuO2 and (Nd,Ce)2CuO4

Here we employ high-quality samples of (Sr_1−xLa_x)CuO₂ and (Nd_2−xCe_x)CuO₄ and XANES spectroscopy at O-K, Cu-L_2,3 and Ce-M_4,5 edges to gain comprehensive understanding of the electronic structure and doping in n-type high-T_c superconductors. Not only common but also slightly different features are revealed for the two systems. From O-K-edge spectra, the UHB is found essentially independent of the electron-doping level for both the systems, in line with our understanding that the doped electrons do not go to the O site in n-type copper-oxide superconductors. Another common observation is that the main Cu^II peak at the Cu-L₃ edge (due to transitions to the Cu^II-3d orbitals) systematically decreases in intensity upon electron doping, hence verifying the fact that the doped electrons go to the Cu site. The difference then between the two systems is that in (Sr_1−xLa_x)CuO₂ the weaker Cu^II peak due to transitions to the Cu^II-4s orbital depends on the degree of doping. Moreover, it was found that with increasing x, electron density increases much faster in (Sr_1−xLa_x)CuO₂ than in (Nd_2−xCe_x)CuO₄. This is a consequence of two phenomena: a tiny increase in oxygen content concomitant to the Ce^IV-for-Nd^III substitution and the somewhat lower Ce-valence value of +3.8 compared to the nominal tetravalent state.     

A combined X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering study of the phase transitions in Sr1−xCaxTiO3 (x=0.04, 0.06, and 0.12)

Results of powder X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering studies on the phase transitions in Sr_1−xCa_xTiO₃ (SCT) are presented for x=0.04, 0.06 and 0.12 in the temperature range 8-473 K. It is proposed that the space group of SCT in the composition range 0.06?x?0.35 is Imma with a⁰b^-b^- tilt system and not I4/mcm with a⁰a⁰c^- tilt system, as assumed by earlier workers. The lowering of the crystal symmetry from I4/mcm to Imma is supported by the observation of additional Raman lines, in agreement with the factor group analysis for the Imma space group. The structural E_g mode, characteristics of the non-cubic phase, is shown to be present even in the cubic phases of x=0.06 and x=0.12 but not of x=0.04 indicating the change in the local structure of the cubic phase of SCT for x?0.06. The presence of symmetry forbidden TO₂ mode in the Raman spectra of the cubic phase of SCT for x<0.06 and its absence for x?0.06 provides yet another characteristic feature distinguishing the I4/mcm and Imma space groups. The implications of the change in the tilt system from a⁰a⁰c^- to a⁰b^-b^- on the development of the polar order is also discussed.     

Semiclassical variational study of size effects in neutral and charged jellium droplets

An analytic expression for the total energy of metallic clusters composed ofN identical atoms of valencev and with net chargeQ is obtained by means of a variational solution of the Thomas-Fermi-Weizsäcker energy density functional within the spherical jellium model. The minimum energy is given as an expansion in decreasing powers of the cluster radiusR=r _s Z ^1/3, withZ=vN andr _s the radius per electron of the bulk metal. The coefficients are obtained as functions ofr _s . Terms of volume (R ³), surface (R ²), curvature (R), constant (R ⁰), (1/R) and (1/R ²) are clearly separated in the formula, as well as the different contributions (kinetic, coulombic and exchange-correlation) to each of them. The asymptotic values (R→∞) for the work functions,W(r _s ), and surface energies σ(r _s ), are compared to analogous semiclassical and Kohn-Sham calculations of jellium-like surfaces and to the experimental values. The size dependent behaviour of chemical potentials, μ(R), electron affinities,AF(R), and ionization potentials,IP(R), are easily obtained for any kind of metallic clusters. In particular we discuss the Coulomb and quantum corrections to the coefficients β, δ in the asymptotic formulae:IP?W+β/R andAF?W+δ/R.     

Solvation of magnesium chloride and sulfate in aqueous solutions at 278.15–323.15 K

Isoentropy compressibilities of aqueous magnesium chloride and sulfate were determined based on precision measurements of ultrasound velocity, density, and isobaric heat capacity at low to high concentrations at 278.15–323.15 K. The hydration numbers h and the molar parameters of volume and compressibility were calculated based on thermodynamically correct equations for hydration complexes (V _h , β _h V _h ), water in the hydration shell (V _1h , β_1h V _1h ), and the void containing a stoichiometric mixture of ions (V _2h , β_2h V _2h ). The h and β _h V _h values were found to be independent of temperature; the molar compressibility of the hydration sphere (β_1h V _1h ) and the stoichiometric mixture of ions without a hydration shell (β_2h V _2h ) were independent of the concentration under the stated conditions. The effect of the electrostatic field of ions on the temperature dependence of the molar volume of water in the hydration sphere was more significant than the effect of pressure on the temperature dependence of the molar volume of bulk water. This is attributed to changes in the dielectric constant of water in the vicinity of the electrolyte ions.     

Genetic characterization of Escherichia coli RecN protein as a member of SMC family of proteins

The proteins of SMC family are characterized by having Walker A and B sites. The Escherichia coli RecN protein is a prokaryotic member of SMC family that involved in the induced excision of Tn10 and the repair of the DNA double strand breaks. In this work, the Walker A nucleotide binding site of the E. coli RecN protein was mutated by changing the highly conserved lysine residue 35 to the aspartic acid (D), designated as recN_K35D. Reverse genetics was utilized to delete the entire recN gene (ΔrecN108) or introduce the recN_K35D gene into the E. coli chromosomal DNA. The recN_K35D cells showed decrease in the frequency of excision of Tn10 from gal76::Tn10 after treatment with mitomycin C compared to recN⁺ cells. The ΔrecN108 cells showed an un-induced increase in the frequency of Tn10 excision from gal76::Tn10 in rec⁺ background while, recBC sbcBC ΔrecN108 cells are completely deficient in Tn10 excision. The recombination proficiency is reduced in cells carrying recBC sbcBC cells in addition recN_K35D mutation. We observed that the Walker A nucleotide binding site is important for the RecN protein. Strains that deleted recN gene are recombination deficient and more sensitive to mitomycin C than strains carrying recN_K35D.     

Fuzzy Symmetry Characteristics of Propadine Molecule

The fuzzy symmetry characteristics for the internal-rotation of propadine were analyzed using the fuzzy symmetry theory for molecule and molecular orbital (MO). In the process of rotation, three different symmetry point groups D_2h, D_2d, and D₂ were considered. Using the D_4h point group, which is the minimal point group including all symmetry elements of D_2h, D_2d, and D₂, we can analyze the fuzzy symmetry for this process. The elements included in D_4h point group can be classified to four subsets: (i) G0—it includes all the elements in D₂ point group, also belongs to all the above three point groups of D_2h, D_2d, and D₂; (ii) G1—it includes the elements in D_2h point group, but not in D_2d point group; (iii) G2—it includes the elements in D_2d point group, but not in D_2h point group; (iv) G3—it includes the elements in D_4h point group, but not in D_2h or D_2d point group. On the basis of the above four subsets, we analyzed the membership functions and the regularity of variation in MOs for the internal-rotation of propadine.     

New investigation of Vilsmeier-type reaction using pyrazolones with various amides

New investigation of Vilsmeier-type reaction was evaluated to realize the solvent effect by using pyrazolones to react with various of amides, including formamide, N-methylformamide, N-propylformamide, N-tert-butylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-diethylformamide (DEF), N,N-dipropylformamide (DPF), N,N-diisopropylformamide, N,N-dibutylformamide, piperidine-1-carbaldehyde, and pyrrolidine-1-carbaldehyde, in the presence of phosphorous oxychloride POCl₃. The unexpected resulting products were observed in this work according to the difference chemoseletivities of substituted amides. The plausible reactive pathways were proposed to explain the experimental result.     

Magnetic properties of La0.5−xLnxSr0.5MnO3 (Ln=Pr, Nd, Gd and Y)

Magnetic and electron transport properties of four series of manganates of the composition La_0.5−xLn_xSr_0.5MnO₃ (Ln=Pr, Nd, Gd and Y) have been investigated to examine how the ferromagnetic metallic nature of the parent La compound changes over to antiferromagnetic insulating behavior, with change in Ln and x due to the associated changes in the A-site cation radius as well as the size disorder. When Ln=Pr and Nd, there is a transition from the tetragonal I4/mcm structure to the orthorhombic Immm and Imma structures at x=0.2 and 0.35, respectively. There is a gradual evolution of the properties from those of La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ to those of Pr_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ or Nd_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ with increase in x. Thus, when x>0.2 and >0.35, respectively, the Pr- and Nd-substituted manganates show ferromagnetic transitions followed by antiferromagnetic transitions at low temperatures, with the ferromagnetic T_C decreasing with increasing x. The Gd and Y series of compounds are all orthorhombic and show a decrease in T_C with the increase in x, the ferromagnetism disappearing at high x. At a value of x corresponding to the A-site cation radius of Pr_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃, the Gd and Y series of compounds exhibit ferromagnetism in the 250-300 K region and undergo an antiferromagnetic transition on cooling. The T_C−T_N gap is sensitive to the disorder arising from the size mismatch.     

Infrared band intensities: a comparative study of the transition moment matrix elements for the fundamental and overtones: Part II. Application to CO,HCl and OH

The various expressions considered in Part I for the transition moment matrix elements of fundamental and first two overtones are applied to carbon monoxide. The coefficients a_ij in the expressions R^io = Σa_ijp_j (where R^io is the transition moment integral for the O → i vibrational transition and p_j is the dipole moment derivative ?^jP/?XXX^j, XXX = (r — r_e)/r_e, r_e is equilibrium bond distance) are reported for i,j = 1, 2, 3. It is found that these coefficients do not vary by more than 5% when compared for the same i,j values in various expressions irrespective of the most exhaustive treatments used in deriving the original expressions. On the basis of the values of the coefficients obtained for CO, generalisations have been suggested on the effects of inclusion of mechanical and electrical anharmonicity to the intensities of fundamental and first two overtones. It is generally observed that the contribution of p'₁, is about 100 fold more than the contribution of p'₂, for R¹⁰. On the other hand the contributions of p'₁, and p, for R²⁰ and R³⁰ are of nearly equal magnitude but opposite in sign. The contribution of p'₁ to R¹⁰ is much higher than its contribution to R²⁰ and R²⁰. The various observations lead us to conclude that, whereas the effect of inclusion of mechanical anharmonicity on the intensity of the fundamental band is negligible, this effect is almost comparable to the effect of inclusion of electrical anharmonicity for the first two overtones. Simple forms of the a_ij expressions are applied to HC1 and OH to demonstrate the effect of variation of molecular constants on the a_ij values. On the basis of the observed trend in the values of these coefficients for CO, HCl and OH general remarks on the effects of hydrogen bonding on IR band intensities are given.     

Engineering of Yeast Old Yellow Enzyme OYE3 Enables Its Capability Discriminating of (E)-Citral and (Z)-Citral

The importance of yeast old yellow enzymes is increasingly recognized for direct asymmetric reduction of (E/Z)-citral to (R)-citronellal. As one of the most performing old yellow enzymes, the enzyme OYE3 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288C exhibited complementary enantioselectivity for the reduction of (E)-citral and (Z)-citral, resulting in lower e.e. value of (R)-citronellal in the reduction of (E/Z)-citral. To develop a novel approach for the direct synthesis of enantio-pure (R)-citronellal from the reduction of (E/Z)-citral, the enzyme OYE3 was firstly modified by semi-rational design to improve its (R)-enantioselectivity. The OYE3 variants W116A and S296F showed strict (R)-enantioselectivity in the reduction of (E)-citral, and significantly reversed the (S)-enantioselectivity in the reduction of (Z)-citral. Next, the double substitution of OYE3 led to the unique variant S296F/W116G, which exhibited strict (R)-enantioselectivity in the reduction of (E)-citral and (E/Z)-citral, but was not active on (Z)-citral. Relying on its capability discriminating (E)-citral and (Z)-citral, a new cascade reaction catalyzed by the OYE3 variant S296F/W116G and glucose dehydrogenase was developed, providing the enantio-pure (R)-citronellal and the retained (Z)-citral after complete reduction of (E)-citral.     

[4+1] Cycloaddition of N-acylimine derivatives with isocyanides: efficient synthesis of 5-aminooxazoles and 5-aminothiazoles

[4+1] Cycloaddition reaction between isocyanides and N-acylimine derivatives generated from N-acyl N,O-acetals acting as isocyanophiles has been developed. These reactions proceeded smoothly and cleanly to afford the corresponding 5-aminooxazoles in high yields. This reaction was extended to the syntheses of 5-aminothiazoles by using N-thioacyl N,O-acetals. A wide range of N-acyl N,O-acetals, N-thioacyl N,O-acetals, and isocyanides were found to be applicable to this reaction.     

Structures and phase diagram for the system CaTiO3-La2/3TiO3

High-resolution neutron and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction have been used to examine various compositions across the system (1−x)CaTiO₃−xLa_2/3TiO₃. The structures at room temperature were determined according to composition: in Pbnm for 0?x?0.5, Ibmm for 0.5<x<0.7, then I4/mcm for 0.7?x<0.9, and finally in Cmmm for x?0.9. Although the four structures are the same as those proposed previously in an X-ray diffraction study, the phase boundaries are somewhat different, in particular the Pbnm↔Ibmm phase boundary has been extended from x?0.4 to x>0.5 in the current study based on our high-resolution neutron diffraction data. From in situ measurements to identify structures above room temperature, an approximate composition-temperature phase diagram has been constructed, involving four temperature-induced phase transitions: Pbnm→I4/mcm, Ibmm→I4/mcm, I4/mcm→Pm3¯m and Cmmm→P4/mmm.     

Fluorescence observations on complex formation between linear and hyperbranched polyelectrolytes in dilute aqueous solutions

The complexation between poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) or AMPS copolymers was investigated with the relative excimer emission intensity I_E/I_M of a cationic probe 1-pyrenemethylamine hydrochloride (PyMeA · HCl), fluorescence nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) I_Py/I_Np of naphthalene to pyrene labels, the fluorescence anisotropy r and I_E/I_M of pyrene labels. PEI was a hyperbranched weak polycation in acid solution, which formed complex with anionic polyelectrolytes due to the electrostatic attraction. The I_E/I_M of PyMeA · HCl probe decreased to zero, the intra-, intermolecular NRET I_Py/I_Np and I_E/I_M of pyrene labels on the AMPS copolymers reached their maxima when χ was increased from 0 to 2.4, which was defined as the mole ratio of the amino group in PEI to the AMPS group in the polyanion. These facts indicated the formation of nonstoichiometric complex of the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes when χ = 2.4 at the concentration much lower than their overlap concentrations. The intermolecular aggregate appeared as indicated by an increase in the intermolecular I_Py/I_Np and r with χ up to 2.4 due to neutralizing and hydrophobizing the polyelectrolytes and the bridging effect of the PEI chain bound on different polyanion chains. At high pH, PEI became a neutral polymer and did not bind with the AMPS anion to form the complex as illustrated by the constant value of r for the pyrene labels attached to the AMPS polyanion as that without addition of PEI. The amino group in PEI quenched pyrene and naphthalene emission, resulting a decrease in both I_Np and I_Py.     

Generalized quantum mechanical two-centre problems

If χ _i (χ _k ) is an exact generalized diatomic orbital (solution of Eq. (1) of text), a sequence of functions χ _i ^(N) converging to χ _i may be constructed so that matrix elements of frequently occurring operators between χ _i ^(N) and χ _k ^(N) may be computed without any numerical integration. Exact expectation values are given for kinetic and potential energy, dipole moment, θ ²=x ²+y ², and quadrupole moment 3z ²?r ², for various ratios of nuclear charges Z ₁,Z ₂ and for several distances R. Special subjects discussed in terms of computed expectation values are:

1. R-dependence of the contributions to total energy of HeH²⁺ in state 2pσ and of LiH³⁺ in state 3dσ
2. RZ-and λ-dependence of dipole and quadrupole moment functions in state 1sσ
3. Some properties of those generalized diatomic orbitals which approach, for R going to 0, Slater-type atomic functions.

     

On the line intensity ratios of prominent Si II,Si III,and Si IV multiplets

Line intensities of singly, doubly and triply ionized silicon (Si II, Si III, and Si IV, respectively) belonging to the prominent higher multiplets, are of interest in laboratory and astrophysical plasma diagnostics. We measured these line intensities in the emission spectra of pulsed helium discharge. The Si II line intensity ratios in the 3s3p²²D–3s²4p²P^o, 3s²3d²D–3s²4f²F^o, and 3s²4p²P^o–3s²4d²D transitions, the Si III line intensity ratios in the 3s3d³D–3s4p³P^o, 3s4p³P^o–3s4d³D, 3s4p³P^o–3s5s³S, 3s4s³S–3s4p³P^o, and 3s4f³F^o–3s5g³G transitions, and the Si IV line intensity ratios in the 4p²P^o–4d²D and 4p²P^o–5s²S transitions were obtained in a helium plasma at an electron temperature of about 17,000 ± 2000 K. Line shapes were recorded using a spectrograph and an ICCD camera as a highly-sensitive detection system. The silicon atoms were evaporated from a Pyrex discharge tube designed for the purpose. They represent impurities in the optically thin helium plasma at the silicon ionic wavelengths investigated. The line intensity ratios obtained were compared with those available in the literature, and with values calculated on the basis of available transition probabilities. The experimental data corresponded well with line intensity ratios calculated using the transition probabilities obtained from a Multi Configuration Hartree–Fock approximation for Si III and Si IV spectra. We recommend corrections of some Si II transition probabilities.     

Polymorphism in PbBiOXO4 compounds (X=V, P, As). Part I: Crystal structures of α- and β-PbBiOVO4

Reinvestigation of PbBiOVO₄ thermal behaviour revealed a phase transition. As shown by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and high-resolution neutron powder diffraction, α-PbBiOVO₄ transforms to β-PbBiOVO₄ at 550 °C. At 25 °C, α-PbBiOVO₄ is triclinic, S.G. P-1, Z=2, with a=5.6088(3), b=7.1109(3), c=7.2978(3) Å, α=108.957(2), β=111.889(2), and γ=94.833(2)°. Above 550 °C, β-PbBiOVO₄ is monoclinic, S.G. C2/m, Z=4, with a=13.61(1), b=5.64(1), c=7.18(1) Å, and β=113.75(1)°. Both structures are built upon (O₂Bi₂Pb₂)_∞ chains parallel to the [100] direction in the α polymorph and [001] in the β-polymorph. These chains are undulated in α and linear in β. In both structures, VO₄ tetrahedra are organized in two sets of rows parallel to (O₂Bi₂Pb₂)_∞ chains, thus building layers of (OBiPb) sandwiched by two layers of VO₄ oriented head to tail; VO₄ displays different orientations in α- and β-PbBiOVO₄.     

Electronic spectra of o-, m- and p-tolunitrile—substituent effect on internal rotation of the methyl group

The S₁ ← S₀ fluorescence excitation spectra and the S₁→S₀ dispersed fluorescence spectra of o-, m-and p-tolunitrile were measured in supersonic jets. Low-frequency bands due to internal rotation of the methyl group were observed in m- and p-tolunitrile. Observed band positions and relative intensities of the internal rotational bands were reproduced by a calculation using a free rotor basis set. From the analysis, the potential curve of the internal rotation was determined in both S₁ and S₀. It was found that the barrier height increases in going from S₀ to S₁ in m-tolunitrile, while it decreases in p-tolunitrile. In contrast, no low-frequency band was found in o-tolunitrile. It is concluded that the potential curve in o-tolunitrile does not change in going from S₀ to S₁. The change of the barrier height by electronic excitation in tolunitriles differs greatly from that observed in other toluene derivatives. It is suggested that the electronic properties of a substituent are important for the methyl rotation in the excited state.