On the shape of bottle-brush macromolecules: systematic variation of architectural parameters

We measured the form factor of bottle-brush macromolecules under good solvent conditions with small-angle neutron scattering and static light scattering. The systems under investigation are brushes, synthesized via the grafting-from route, built from a poly(alkyl methacrylate) backbone to which poly(n-butyl acrylate) side chains are densely grafted. The aim of our work is to study how the systematic variation of structural parameters such as the side chain length and backbone length change the conformation of the polymer brushes in solution. All spectra can be consistently described by a model, considering the bottle-brush polymers as flexible rods with internal density fluctuations. Parameters discussed are (1) the contour length per main chain monomer l(b), (2) the fractal dimension of the side chains Ds, as well as (3) the fractal dimension D, and (4) the Kuhn length lambdak of the overall brush. l(b)=0.253+/-0.008 nm is found to be independent of the side chain length and equal to the value found for the bare main chain, indicating a strongly stretched conformation for the backbone due to the presence of the side chains. The fractal dimension of the side chains is determined to be Ds=1.75+/-0.07 which is very close to the value of 10.588 approximately 1.70 expected for a three-dimensional self-avoiding random walk (3D-SAW) under good solvent conditions. On larger length scales the overall brush appears to be a 3D-SAW itself (D=1.64+/-0.08) with a Kuhn-step length of lambdak=70+/-4 nm. The value is independent of the side chain length and 46 times larger than the Kuhn length of the bare backbone (lambdak=1.8+/-0.2 nm). The ratio of Kuhn length to brush diameter lambda(k)d>or=20 determines whether lyotropic behavior can be expected or not. Since longer side chains do not lead to more persistent structures, lambda(k)d decreases from 8 to 4 with increasing side chain length and lyotropic behavior becomes unlikely.     

梳状高分子烷基侧链构象和堆积结构的红外光谱研究

以正十九烷和两种接枝烷基链的梳状高分子N-十八烷基聚乙烯亚胺(PEI18C)、N-十八烷基聚对苯甲酰胺(PBA18C)为研究对象,利用红外光谱对处于受限和自由状态的烷基链的构象和堆积结构随温度的变化进行了对比研究.结果表明,处于受限和自由状态的烷基链的构象排列和堆积结构及其转变行为不同,且受限于柔性PEI主链和刚性PBA主链的烷基链也不相同.从主链刚性的角度,探讨了影响烷基侧链构象和堆积结构的原因.     

Conformations in dioctyl substituted polyfluorene: a combined theoretical and experimental Raman scattering study

The structural properties of polyfluorenes (PF) are extremely sensitive to the choice of functionalizing side chains. Dioctyl substituted PF (PF8) adopts metastable structures that depend upon the thermal history and choice of solvents used in film forming conditions. We present a detailed study of the changes in the backbone and side chain morphology in PF8, induced by the various crystallographic phases, using Raman scattering techniques. The vibrational frequencies and intensities of fluorene oligomers are calculated using hybrid density-functional theory with a 3-21G(*) basis set. The alkyl side chains are modeled as limiting conformations: all anti, anti-gauche-gauche, and end gauche representations. The calculated vibrational spectra of single chain oligomers in conjunction with our experimental results demonstrate the beta phase, which is known to originate in regions of enhanced chain planarity as a direct consequence of the alkyl side chain conformation.     

3,9-咔唑聚合物基态和激发态性质的理论研究

用密度泛函B3LYP方法对3,9-咔唑低聚物[(3,9-carbazole)n(n=1,2,3,4,6,8)]体系进行了全优化, 计算得到电离能、电子亲合势、空穴抽取能及电子抽取能等相关能量, 用ZINDO和TD-DFT方法计算得到吸收光谱; 分析了各种能量的变化及光谱规律. 用外推法由低聚物分子的各种性质与聚合度n相联系得到高聚物的性质, 将所得结果与2,7-咔唑(2,7-carbazole)及类似聚合物进行了比较分析. 结果表明, 3,9位聚合的咔唑整体共轭程度降低, 光谱蓝移, 其IP值和聚芴相近, 可以作为空穴接受材料应用于多层电子荧光器件的空穴传输层. 用CIS方法进行优化得到部分分子的S1激发态结构, 用ZINDO和TD-DFT方法得到对应的发射光谱.     

Conformational transitions and aggregations of regioregular polyalkylthiophenes

Diverse conformational transitions and aggregations of regioregular poly (3-alkylthiophene)s (PATs) in different environment have been studied by means of AFM and UV-vis-spectroscopy. In methanol, which is a non-solvent for both alkyl side groups and aromatic backbone at low polymer concentration, PATs chains fold into compact poorly ordered flat structures. At higher polymer concentration PATs molecules undergo 3D aggregation into near spherical particles. In hexane, which is a selective solvent for alkyl side chains, PATs molecules undergo ordered main-chain collapse followed by 1D aggregation. Concentration-independent red shift of λmax and good resolved fine vibronic structure in the electronic absorption spectra indicate that planarization occurs on the single-molecule level.     

Blend of electroactive poly(3-dodecylthiophene) with comb-like alkylated polyacrylate

The conformational mode change of the stiff alkylated polymer, poly(3-dodecyl thiophene) (PDDT), with a flexible comb-like coil poly(octadecyl acrylate) (PODA), and the effect of intermolecular interaction between these two alkylated polymers with different chemical structure of the backbone were investigated using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD). In addition to the characteristics of thermochromism, a homogeneous one phase was observed above 175°C when the PODA content was 10 wt % or less. Increased conductivity in the PDDT/PODA blend due to the highly conjugated π-system of PDDT backbone was observed in the presence of nonelectroactive PODA. A red-shift of absorption maximum of PDDT/PODA blend observed in solid state at room temperature. From the FTIR spectra, the gauche-trans conformational structure change of methylene units was investigated in two alkylated polymer blends. The increase of combined heat of fusion of the alkyl side chain melting of PDDT and the endothermic peak of PODA, as well as the interlayer d-spacing of PDDT main chain were also observed with the addition of PODA in blends. A more ordered conformational structure of rigid rod backbone of PDDT was induced due to the attractive intermolecular interaction which can cause cocrystallization between the alkylated side chains of two polymers. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 :1025–1041, 1997     

N-烷基化聚对苯二甲酰对苯二胺梳状高分子中烷基侧链对刚性主链堆积行为的影响

基于聚对苯二甲酰对苯二胺(PPTA), 采用N-烷基化方法制备了系列PPTACns(烷基侧链碳原子数n=8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18)刚性主链梳状高分子, 利用DSC, XRD和FTIR等方法研究了其主链堆积行为、 分子链构象及热性能等与烷基侧链长度及结晶特性之间的关系. XRD和DSC结果表明, 当烷基侧链碳原子数达到14时, 烷基侧链发生结晶. XRD结果显示, PPTACns具有层状结构, 烷基侧链长度对主链层间距影响显著. FTIR研究发现, 烷基侧链的聚集状态对PPTACns分子链的构象产生较大影响, 伴随着烷基侧链结晶的熔融, PPTACns的分子链构象发生显著改变. 烷基侧链处于熔融状态的PPTACns的ν_C=O和γ_C-H谱带峰位与烷基侧链不结晶的PPTACn接近.     

Tuning the arrangement of mono-crown ether-substituted phthalocyanines in Langmuir-Blodgett films by the length of alkyl chains and the cation in subphase

Amphiphilic phthalocyanines with one crown ether and three alkyl chain substitutions can form stable monolayers on a water surface. This monolayer can be transferred to a substrate by a vertical dipping method. The arrangement of phthalocyanine molecules in LB films was affected by the length of alkyl chains and the coordination of alkali ions in crown ether. Davydov splitting was observed in the absorption spectra of the LB films of phthalocyanine with the shortest alkyl chain substitutions, and this splitting was affected by the alkali ions in the subphase.     

Hydrogen bonding and the conformations of poly(alkyl acrylamides)

The conformations of poly(alkyl acrylamide) oligomers in nonpolar solvents were studied using molecular dynamics techniques. Poly(methyl acrylamide) was found to collapse to a globule-like conformation at low temperatures; however, excluded volume effects inhibited the collapse of poly(octadecyl acrylamide). A high density of structured units, characterized by a trans-gauche-trans-trans-gauche-trans torsional sequence along the backbone, was noted in all simulations. Such units were found to create a particularly stable set of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. An oligomer constructed with these stable units was found to have significantly lower minimized energy than both the all-trans and the helical backbone conformations. The constructed conformation had lower Coulomb energy (more hydrogen bonds) than the all-trans conformation and lower dihedral energy (less backbone distortion) than the helical conformation. The propensity for poly(octadecyl acrylamide) to form hydrogen bonds introduced significant disorder into the orientation of the alkyl side chains. This disorder would inhibit crystallization and restrict the ability of such polymers to form epitaxial seeds for nucleating paraffin crystals.     

Investigating the impact of regiochemistry in ester functionalized polyfurans

In this study, the impact of ester side group regiochemistry on electronic and conformational properties of regioregular polyfurans was explored. A derivative with alternating head-to-head and tail-to-tail orientation of the side groups was synthesized and compared with its head-to-tail analogue, and these were benchmarked against the related regioregular poly(3-hexylfurans). The study revealed that alkyl ester side groups in a head-to-head orientation will create significant steric strain as compared with linear alkyl chains with identical regiochemistry. Though the head-to-head ester side groups lead to twisting along the polymer backbone, they also produce a protective effect against photodegradation in comparison with a poly(3-hexylfuran). Altogether, the work highlights how side groups can impact conformational properties and stability of polyfurans.     

Controlling the conformation of arylamides: computational studies of intramolecular hydrogen bonds between amides and ethers or thioethers

The role of an ortho-alkylthioether group in controlling the conformation around the ring-N bonds of meta-connected arylamide oligomers is studied. Density functional theory (DFT) geometries of model compounds, including acetanilide, an ether acetanilide, and a thioether acetanilide, and their corresponding diamides, show that for either monoamide or diamide the alkyl side chain of the thioether should be perpendicular to the aryl plane, whereas for the ether monoamide, the alkyl side chain is in the aryl plane. DFT ring-N torsional potentials and constrained geometries of the model compounds demonstrate that carbonyl-S repulsion leads to a high torsional barrier and that intramolecular N-H...S and C-H...O hydrogen bonds and ring-amide conjugation lead to N-H having a preferred orientation in the benzene plane pointing towards S. The N-H bond lengthens and the ortho-ring C-H bond shortens in a regular pattern in the approach to the preferred orientation. Calculated IR frequencies for the N-H stretch show a clear red shift between model compounds without and with the thioether side chain.     

Conformational change,intrachain aggregation and photophysical properties of regioregular poly(3‐octylthiophene) in alkanes

This study explores the role of segmental solubility of regioregular poly(3‐octylthiophene) (rr‐P3OT) on chain organization and its photophysical properties. In good solvent chlorobenzene (CRB), rr‐P3OT chain adopts an extended conformation, allowing long conjugation length of π‐electrons. Cyclohexane is a good solvent for octyl side chain but a poor solvent for the thiophene backbone. The selective segmental interactions of rr‐P3OT with this solvent induce conformational change of the polymer. Addition of cyclohexane into the CRB solution leads to chain coiling, which in turn causes significant decrease of the conjugation length. Absorption and photoluminescence spectra of the rr‐P3OT in cyclohexane exhibit a blueshift of about 16 nm compared to those of the CRB solution. The change of chain conformation is also detectable by monitoring the variation of quantum yield upon increasing cyclohexane ratio. The quantum yield drops from 0.17 ± 0.01 to 0.11 ± 0.01 when the extended rr‐P3OT chain transforms into coiled conformation. Hexane is a nonsolvent for rr‐P3OT due to its relatively low solubility parameter. The addition of hexane into rr‐P3OT solution in cyclohexane forces dense packing of thiophene rings within the coiled chain. An intrachain aggregation occurs in this system, leading to the appearance of three distinct redshift peaks in absorption spectra and the drastic drop of quantum yield. Correlation between the growth of redshift peaks and the decrease of quantum yield is clearly observed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013 , 51, 1288–1297     

Semifluorinated side group poly(oxyethylene) derivatives having extremely low surface energy: Synthesis, characterization, and surface properties

Poly[oxy[[2-(perfluorooctyl)ethyl]thiomethyl]ethylene]s (H2F8TP-Xs, where X is mole% of perfluorooctyl groups in the side chain) with different levels of conversion were synthesized using polymer analogous reactions from poly[oxy(chloromethyl)ethylene] and 2-perfluorooctyl ethane thioacetate. H2F8TP-20, 41, 64, and 85 were obtained by changing the poly[oxy(chloromethyl)ethylene] to 2-perfluorooctyl ethane thioacetate mole ratio in the reaction from 0.35 to 1.50. H2F8TP-85 (85% conversion) was found to have an extremely low surface energy of 6.2 mN/m at room temperature, which was attributed to the highly ordered perfluorinated alkyl groups on the surface as a result of phase separation between the perfluorinated side chain part and the hydrogenated flexible backbone. The films of the polymers were characterized by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS).     

Chain microstructure and conformation of partially quaternized poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)

¹H-NMR spectroscopy was used to establish the chain microstructure and conformation produced by the quaternization reaction of syndiotactic poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate], a polymer with tertiary amino groups in the side chains. A chain microstructure with mini blocks of modified units was found by analyzing the N⁺CH₃ signal that was proved to be split in accordance with the composition triads. The macromolecular backbone changes its form by quaternization, from a close to an expanded coil, was confirmed by light scattering measurements and NOE spectra modifications. The two linked processes, the block formation and chain expansion can be the key in developing a reaction mechanism explaining both positive and negative deviations from a second-order kinetic model.     

Surface-induced conformational changes in poly(3-hexylthiophene) monolayer films

With the aim of elucidating the surface-induced molecular ordering in regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) monolayer films, we have controlled the intermolecular interactions at the interface between P3HT and the insulator substrate by using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) functionalized with two kinds of groups (-NH2 and -CH3). We have found that, depending on the surface properties of such modified insulator substrates, the P3HT chains in the monolayer films can adopt two different conformations (edge-on and face-on). This surprising variation in chain conformation arises because of the specific interactions of the P3HT chains with the modified insulator substrates, which can be explained in terms of the following factors: the unshared electron pairs of the SAM end groups (in the -NH2 system), the pi-H interactions between the thienyl backbone bearing pi systems and the H (hydrogen) atoms of the SAM end groups, and interdigitation between the alkyl chains of P3HT and the alkyl chains of the SAMs (in the -NH2 system).     

LB film structure of poly(2-methoxy,5-(8-methoxy-3,6-dioxa-1-undecoxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) studied by spectroscopy

A PPV derivative, poly(2-methoxy,5-(8-methoxy-3,6-dioxa-1-undecoxy)-p-phenylene vinylene), has been synthesized by the Gilch route to study the influence of a long alkyl side chain and a di(ethylene oxide) methyl ether group on the multilayer structure obtained by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. UV-visible, PL, and FTIR spectra are applied to study the conformation and orientation of the MMDU-PPV molecules in multilayer organization. MMDU-PPV is apt to form a transferable monolayer film, in which the plane of its pi system is perpendicular to the air-water interface. The adjacent conjugated main chains of MMDU-PPV in LB films are aligned in parallel fashion and packed with the plane of its pi system approximately perpendicular to the layer plane and not organized to compact pi-stacking structure for introducing di(ethylene oxide) methyl ether (DEOM) side chains to conjugated main chains. The long alkyl side chains are characterized by all trans-zigzag conformation and average tilt angle of 36+/-1.5 degrees. The layer-by-layer multilayer of MMDU-PPV obtained by Langmuir-Blodgett technique exhibits some in-plane anisotropy and more pure photoluminescence than that of the dilute MMDU-PPV solution.     

Influence of an Unnatural Amino Acid Side Chain on the Conformational Dynamics of Peptides

In this work, a non‐natural amino acid, H‐propargylglycine‐OH (Pra), is chosen to examine the side‐chain effect on the backbone conformation of small peptides. The conformations of two synthesized Pra‐containing tripeptides, Ac‐Pra‐Pra‐NH₂ (PPTP) and Ac‐Pra‐Ala‐NH₂ (PATP), are examined by infrared (IR) spectroscopy in combination with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and quantum chemical computations. By analyzing the joint distributions of backbone torsional angles, several significant conformations can be identified for the two tripeptides solvated in D₂O. At room temperature, 44 % of PPTP exists in the α‐α conformation and 33 % of PATP exists in the α‐polyproline‐II conformation. Larger structural inhomogeneity is seen in both cases by MD simulations at elevated temperatures. Thus even a small side chain, such as the propargyl group can significantly alter the peptide backbone conformations. The results suggest that there is no overwhelming conformational propensity of the Pra residue in short peptides. IR spectra simulated in the amide‐I region using two different methods, reasonably reproduce the experimental IR spectra and their temperature dependence.     

Helical Folding of Conjugated Oligo(phenyleneethynylene): Chain‐Length Dependence,Solvent Effects,and Intermolecular Assembly

As a representative folding system that features a conjugated backbone, a series of monodispersed (o‐phenyleneethynylene)‐alt‐(p‐phenyleneethynylene) (PE) oligomers of varied chain length and different side chains were studied. Molecules with the same backbone but different side‐chain structures were shown to exhibit similar helical conformations in respectively suitable solvents. Specifically, oligomers with dodecyloxy side chains folded into the helical structure in apolar aliphatic solvents, whereas an analogous oligomer with tri(ethylene glycol) (Tg) side chains adopted the same conformation in polar solvents. The fact that the oligomers with the same backbone manifested a similar folded conformation independent of side chains and the nature of the solvent confirmed the concept that the driving force for folding was the intramolecular aromatic stacking and solvophobic interactions. Although all were capable of inducing folding, different solvents were shown to bestow slightly varied folding stability. The chain‐length dependence study revealed a nonlinear correlation between the folding stability with backbone chain length. A critical size of approximately 10 PE units was identified for the system, beyond which folding occurred. This observation corroborated the helical nature of the folded structure. Remarkably, based on the absorption and emission spectra, the effective conjugation length of the system extended more effectively under the folded state than under random conformations. Moreover, as evidenced by the optical spectra and dynamic light‐scattering studies, intermolecular association took place among the helical oligomers with Tg side chains in aqueous solution. The demonstrated ability of such a conjugated foldamer in self‐assembling into hierarchical supramolecular structures promises application potential for the system.     

pH-induced structural changes of surface immobilized poly(L-lysine) by two-dimensional (2D) infrared correlation study

This paper reports the pH-induced structural changes in the surface immobilized poly(L-lysine)(PLL)film.Two-dimensional(2D) correlation analysis was applied to the Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectra of the surface-immobilized PLL film to examine the spectral changes induced by the alternations of the protonation state of the amino group in the side chain.Significant spectral changes in the FTIR spectra of the PLL film were observed between pH 7 and 8.The decrease in the protonation state of the amino group in the side chain induced spectral changes in the amino group as well as conformational changes in the alky]group in the side chain.From pH 1-8,the spectral changes in the amino and alkyl groups in the side chain occurred before those of the amide group in the main chain of the surface immobilized PLL film.     

Photoinduced electron transfer and nonlinear absorption in poly(carbazole-alt-2,7-fluorene)s bearing perylene diimides as pendant acceptors

This paper reports the synthesis, photophysical behavior, and use in nanosecond optical-pulse suppression of a poly(2,7-carbazole-alt-2,7-fluorene) and a poly(3,6-carbazole-alt-2,7-fluorene) in which the carbazole N-positions are linked by an alkyl chain to one of the nitrogen atoms of a perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDI) acceptor. It was found that the PDI pendants on the polymer side chain aggregated even in dilute solution, which extended the onset of PDI absorption into the near-infrared (NIR). Transient-absorption spectra of these polymers provide evidence for efficient electron transfer following either donor or acceptor photoexcitation to form long-lived charge-separated species, which exhibit strong absorption in the NIR. The spectral overlap between the transient species and the long-wavelength absorption edge of the aggregated PDI leads to reverse saturable absorption at 680 nm that can be used for optical-pulse suppression. Additionally, at high input energies, two-photon absorption mechanisms may also contribute to the suppression. PDI-grafted polymers exhibit enhanced optical-pulse suppression compared with blends of model materials composed of unfunctionalized poly(carbazole-alt-2,7-fluorene)s and PDI small molecules.