System vanadium alkoxy compound-<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl hydroperoxide-oxidant of hydrocarbon C-H bonds

Vanadium alkoxy compounds [(t-BuO)₄V, (t-BuO)₃VO] react with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (C₆H₆, 20°C) to liberate oxygen, partly in the singlet form, and to form alkoxyl and peroxyl radicals via the intermediacy of vanadium peroxides and trioxide. These systems are capable of oxidizing hydrocarbon C-H bonds. The process is radical in nature and involves formation of carbon-centered radicals and their reaction with oxygen generated in the systems. Vanadium-containing peroxides, too, take part in the oxidation reaction.     

Recombination of 1,1-dimethylpropyl peroxy radicals in polar solvents

The kinetics of 1,1-dimethylpropyl peroxy radicals recombination in polar solvents—water, methanol, and their mixtures—was studied by EPR spectroscopy in combination with the stopped-flow method, and the rate constants of this reaction were determined. Peroxyl radicals were generated by mixing solutions of Ce⁴⁺ sulfate and 1,1-dimethylpropyl hydroperoxide. The observed EPR signal of the peroxyl radical is a singlet with a g-factor of 2.015 ± 0.001, and a line width of ΔH = (1.36 ± 0.02) × 10^?3 T for methanol and ΔH = (9.7 ± 0.2) × 10^?4 T for water. The measured rate constants of (CH₃)₂C(O₂^·)CH₂CH₃ radical recombination at 298 K are 2k_t = (3.9 ± 0.4) × 10⁴ L mol^?1 s^?1 for water and 2k_t = (5.2 ± 0.5) × 10³ L mol^?1 s^?1 for methanol. A linear relationship between ln(2k_t) and the Kirkwood function (ε?1)/(2ε + 1), where e is the dielectric constant of the medium, has been established, indicating an important role of nonspecific solvation in the recombination of tertiary peroxyl radicals.     

Thermal polymerization of styrene: New data on the conversion dependence of the initiation rate

With the aid of new acceptors of free radicals usable at high temperatures (T > 100°C), the rate of initiation w _i has been measured experimentally for the thermal polymerization of styrene at 122.5°C in a wide range of conversions C = 0–80%. It has been shown that the value of w _i tends to increase in the course of polymerization transformation in agreement with the w _i = f(C) relationship calculated from the kinetic data on the thermal polymerization of styrene in the absence of counters of free radicals. Hypothetical reasons for this non-trivial tendency have been formulated. The experimental dependence w _i = f(C) has been measured for the first time and has been invoked to refine currently available mathematical models for the thermal polymerization of styrene that assume that w _i remains invariable in the course of polymerization transformation.     

Interaction of 9-substituted anthracenes with oxidation systems <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butylhydroperoxide-metal <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butoxide

9-R-Anthracenes (R = Me, Ph) are effective acceptors of peroxyl and metalalkoxyl radicals in the systems tert-butylhydroperoxide-metal tert-butoxide (M = Al, V, Cr; C₆H₆, 20°C). Isolation of 9-R-9,10-dihydro-9,10-di-tert-butylperoxyanthracenes, 10-R-10-tert-butylperoxy-9-anthrones as major products reliably confirms the formation of tert-butylperoxy radicals and can be used for quantitative assessment of their content.     

Titanium tetra-<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butoxide-<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl hydroperoxide oxidizing system: Physicochemical and chemical aspects

The reaction of titanium tetra-tert-butoxide with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (1: 2) (C₆H₆, 20 C) involves the steps of formation of the titanium-containing peroxide (t-BuO)₃TiOOBu-t and peroxytrioxide (t-BuO)₃TiOOOBu-t. The latter decomposes with the release of oxygen, often in the singlet form, and also homolytically with cleavage of both peroxy bonds. The corresponding alkoxy and peroxy radicals were identified by ESR using spin traps. The title system oxidizes organic substrates under mild conditions. Depending on the substrate structure, the active oxidant species can be titanium-containing peroxide, peroxytrioxide, and oxygen generated by the system.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetra</Emphasis>-EDOT substituted 3D electrochromic polymers with lower band gaps

A couple of novel electrochromic materials poly(2,3,4,5-tetrakis(2,3-hydrothieno[3,4-b]dixin-5-yl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrrole) (P(t-EDOT-mPy)) and poly(5,5′,5′′,5′′′-(thiophene-2,3,4,5-tetrayl)tetrakis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxine)) (P(t-EDOT-Th)) are electrodeposited via multi-position polymerization of their tetra-EDOT substituted monomers t-EDOT-mPy and t-EDOT-Th, respectively. Compared with the linear 2D structured poly(thiophene) (E _g=2.2 eV) and poly(2,5-bis(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)thiophene) (E _g=1.7 eV), P(t-EDOT-Th) (E _g=1.62 eV) has the lowest band gap. Hence, we speculate that the band gaps of the two polymers, having 3D structures, are decreased in contrast to non-substituted polymers or bi-EDOT substituted polymers, thiophene and 1-methyl-1H-pyrrole. The results indicated that P(t-EDOT-Th) thin films are more stable and show higher transmittance amid two polymers, which may find their utilization in organic optoelectronics.     

Stabilizing influence of perfluoro-tert-butanol on α-keto radicals — the derivatives of perfluorinated α-diketones: quantum-chemical calculations of the formed complexes

Density functional theory calculations show that the heightened stability of α-keto radicals, the derivatives of perfluorinated α-diketones of general formula CF₃C(O)C(O)R^F (R^F = i-C₃F₇; t-C₄F₉), in perfluoro-tert-butanol can be caused by the H-bond-imposed formation of cation radicals of vicinal dienols.     

Local orientational mobility in dendrimers. Theory and computer-aided simulation

The orientational mobility of segments in dendrimers are studied by the method of Brownian dynamics, and the results are analyzed in terms of an earlier proposed analytical theory. The orientational autocorrelation function for the cosine of an angle of segmental rotation in dendrimers of a given generation P ₁(t) is controlled by three relaxation processes with the corresponding relaxation times. Characteristic times and the contribution from the above processes to P ₁(t) are calculated. The first process refers to the local mobility of a selected segment; the second process, to the rotations of a dendrimer branch, which originates from the selected segment of a given generation; and the third process, to the rotation of a dendrimer macro-molecule as a whole. The proposed approach makes it possible to estimate the relaxation spectrum of a dendrimer by studying the orientational mobility of segments in different generations. The relaxation times can be used to describe various relaxation processes observed by different experimental methods, such as dielectric relaxation, NMR, dynamic birefringence, and polarized luminescence.     

Synthesis and photoresponsive study of azobenzene centered polyamidoamine dendrimers

A new series of novel polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers 4, 5 and 6 possessing azobenzene units specifically at the core were prepared and their reversible trans/cis photoisomerization properties were studied. PAMAM dendritic wedges as well as azo-based PAMAM dendrimers were fully characterized by means of FT-IR, NMR (¹H and ¹³C), mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS), thermogravimetric and elemental analysis.     

Rheological study on the cure kinetics of two-component addition cured silicone rubber

The cure kinetics for two-component silicone rubber formed by addition reaction was studied by the rheological method. The influence of reaction temperature (T) on the cure kinetics was explored in detail. It was observed that the data of gel time (t _gel, i.e. the time when the reaction reaches the gel point) or a specific reaction time (t _nc) (defined as the reaction time before which time the influence of confinement of network on the diffusion of reaction components can be neglected) versus T obey certain functional relationship, which was well explained by the cure kinetics model of thermoset network. The cure kinetics for the two-component silicone rubber can be well fitted by the Kamal-Sourour(autocatalyst) reaction model rather than Kissinger model. When the reaction time was before or equal to t _nc, the reaction order obtained by the Kamal-Sourour reaction model was 2, which was consistent with the reaction order inferred from the two components chemical reaction when the diffusion of reaction components was not influenced by the formed cross-linked polymer network. When the reaction time was larger than t _nc, such as to the end of reaction (t _e), the influence of confinement of network on the diffusion of reaction components cannot be neglected, and the reaction order obtained by the Kamal-Sourour reaction model was larger than 2. It was concluded that the confinement effect of network had a greater influence on the cure kinetics of the silicone rubber. The reaction rate constants (k _r) under different temperatures were also determined by Kamal-Sourour reaction model. The activation energy (E) for the two-component silicone rubber was also calculated from the results of lnt _gel, lnt _nc, and lnk _r versus 1/T, respectively. The three values of E were close, which indicated that above analyses were self-consistent.     

Thermodynamic properties of first- and third-generation carbosilane dendrimers with terminal phenyldioxolane groups

The heat capacities of first- and third-generation carbosilane dendrimers with terminal phenyldioxolane groups are studied as a function of temperature via vacuum and differential scanning calorimetry in the range of 6 to 520 K. Physical transformations that occur in the above temperature range are detected and their standard thermodynamic characteristics are determined and analyzed. Standard thermodynamic functions C_p^ο(T), [H°(T) ? H°(0)], [S°(T) ? S°(0)], and [G°(T) ? H°(0)] in the temperature range of T → 0 to 520 K for different physical states and the standard entropies of formation of the studied dendrimers at T = 298.15 K are calculated, based on the obtained experimental data.     

Molecular mechanism of propane oxidative dehydrogenation on surface oxygen radical sites of VO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> catalysts

Minimum energy pathways of propane oxidative dehydrogenation to propene and propanol on supported vanadium oxide catalyst VO _x /TiO₂ were studied by periodic discrete Fourier transform (DFT) using a surface oxygen radical as the active site. The propene formation pathway was shown to consist of two consecutive hydrogen abstraction steps. The first step includes C_β–H bond activation of propane followed by the formation of a surface hydroxyl group V–O _t H and a propyl radical n-C₃H₇. This step with the activation energy E* = 0.56 eV (54.1 kJ/mol) appears to be rate-determining. The second step involves the reaction of the bridging O _b oxygen atom with the methylene C–H bond of propyl radical n-C₃H₇ followed by the formation of a hydroxylated surface site HO _t –V⁴⁺–O _b H and propene. The initial steps of the C–H bond activation during propane conversion to propanol and propene by ODH on V⁵⁺–(O _t O _b )^? active sites are identical. The obtained results demonstrate that participation of surface oxygen radicals as the active sites of propane ODH makes it possible to explain relatively low activation energies observed for this reaction on the most active catalysts. The presence of very active radical species in low concentration seems to be the key factor for obtaining high selectivity.     

Secondary self-assembly behaviors of PEO-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>-P<Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>BA-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>-PS triblock terpolymers in solution

A series of PEO₄₅-b-PtBA₅₃-b-PS _x (x = 42, 84, 165) triblock terpolymers were synthesized by the atom transfer radical polymerization and characterized by size exclusion chromatography and ¹H NMR. Their self-assemblies were conducted by a two-step hierarchical self-assembly method and a one-step dialysis method and the self-assembly behaviors were investigated. The morphologies, sizes, and size distributions of micelles produced by the self-assembly were determined by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The secondary self-assembled structure of PEO₄₅-b-PtBA₅₃-b-PS _x obtained by the two-step hierarchical self-assembly could be controlled by tuning the length of PS block, the core forming block. The micelles were uniform with diameters of 20–25 nm and their size distributions, except for that of PEO₄₅-b-PtBA₅₃-b-PS₁₆₅, were narrow with particle size distribution indexes ranging from 0.014 to 0.246. The one-step dialysis of the triblock terpolymers produced vesicular micelles with distinct vesicle walls that exhibited similar thicknesses. The vesicles did not show significant aggregation. The size distribution of PEO₄₅-b-PtBA₅₃-b-PS₄₂ vesicle was the narrowest with a particle size distribution index value of 0.135. The PEO₄₅-b-PtBA₅₃-b-PS₁₆₅ vesicles tended to overlap with each other.     

Thermal stability of chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> derivatives containing hydrophilic groups

Trends in thermal stability of aromatic macroheterocycles based of pheophorbide a and chlorin e ₆ containing hydrophilic groups have been revealed by means of thermogravimetric analysis at 298–1223 K under inert atmosphere. Methylpheophorbide a and 13(1)-N-methylamide of chlorin e ₆ are the most stable, the decomposition onset temperature being t _o 351 and 333°С. Their functional substitution leads t _o the reduction in thermal stability. Depending on the macrocycle structure the decrease in t _o can reach 20–200°С.     

The inductive effect of a radical center and transferability of the properties of functional groups in <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkyl radicals

Electron density distribution in n-alkyl radicals (from ethyl to n-octyl) was studied by the B3LYP/6-311++G(3df,3pd) DFT method. The theory of atoms in molecules was used to show that the inductive effect of a free valence extends to two neighboring CH₂ groups. The electronegativities χ(C^?H₂) > χ(CH₃) > χ(CH₂) of groups and χ(C^?) > χ(H) > χ(C) atoms were qualitatively determined. The group method for calculating the enthalpies of formation of n-alkyl radicals Δ_f H°(n-C _n H_{2n+ 1}, n > 5) was substantiated.     

Dissociation energies of O–H bonds in alkylseleno- and alkyltelluro-substituted phenols

The O?H bond dissociation energy (D _O?H) has been determined for eight alkylseleno-substituted phenols, one alkyltelluro-substituted phenol, and one alkyltelluro-substituted pyridinol. D _O?H has been estimated by the intersecting-parabolas method from kinetic data using five reference compounds: α-tocopherol (D _O?H = 330.0 kJ/mol), 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol (D _O?H = 347.6 kJ/mol), 4-methylphenol (D _O?H = 361.6 kJ/mol), 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylthiophenol (D _O?H = 336.3 kJ/mol), and 2,6-di-ter-tbutyl-4-methylphenol (D _O?H = 338.0 kJ/mol). The following D _O?H values (kJ/mol) have been obtained: 335.9 for 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-phytyl-6-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzoselenopyran, 342.6 for 2-methyl-5-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrobenzoselenophene, 333.5 for 2,4,6,7-tetramethyl-5-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrobenzoselenophene, 339.4 for 2-tert-butyl-4-methoxy-6-octylselenophenol, 357.9 for dodecyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propyl selenide, 348.5 for dodecyl 3-(3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl selenide, 350.9 for dodecyl 3-(3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl selenide, 338.0 for dodecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propyl selenide, 343.0 for 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(tellurobutyl-4′-phenoxy)phenol, and 338.8 for 6-octyltelluro-3-pyridinol. The stabilization energies of phenoxyl radicals containing R substituents (X = O, S, Se, Te) have been compared.     

Drought Stress Effects on Growth,ROS Markers,Compatible Solutes,Phenolics, Flavonoids,and Antioxidant Activity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amaranthus tricolor</Emphasis>

Four selected Amaranthus tricolor cultivars were grown under four irrigation regimes (25, 50, 80, and 100% field capacity) to evaluate the mechanisms of growth and physiological and biochemical responses against drought stress in randomized complete block design with three replications. Drought stress led to decrease in total biomass, specific leaf area, relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll ab), and soluble protein and increase in MDA, H₂O₂, EL, proline, total carotenoid, ascorbic acid, polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. However, responses of these parameters were differential in respect to cultivars and the degree of drought stresses. No significant difference was observed in control and LDS for most of the traits. The cultivars VA14 and VA16 were identified as more tolerant to drought and could be used for further evaluations in future breeding programs and new cultivar release programs. Positively significant correlations among MDA, H₂O₂, compatible solutes, and non-enzymatic antioxidant (proline, TPC, TFC, and TAC) suggested that compatible solutes and non-enzymatic antioxidant played vital role in detoxifying of ROS in A. tricolor cultivar. The increased content of ascorbic acid indicated the crucial role of the ASC–GSH cycle for scavenging ROS in A. tricolor.     

Polarization of the contact between fluorine-conducting solid electrolyte and metal alloys

The kinetics of low-sized phase formation on polarization of the interface between LaF₃:Eu²⁺ and Pb–Sn, Sn–Bi, and Sb–Bi alloys is studied by the potentiostatic and linear voltammetry methods. The analysis of anodic transients shows that the new phase formation involving fluoride ions from the solid electrolyte proceeds by the mechanism of instantaneous two-dimensional or three-dimensional nucleation. Comparison of calculated and experimental transients describing the instantaneous nucleation with either two-dimensional growth on the I/I _m vs. t/t _m coordinates or three-dimensional growth on the I ²/I _m ² vs. t/t _m coordinates shows adequate agreement between the model and the initial regions of experimental curves. The properties of phases formed depend on the alloy composition and the polarization conditions as well as on the energy of interaction between components in the alloy and in the new phase.     

Peroxy radicals as motional probes at the end of isolated polystyrene chains and on the cellulose surfaces in vacuum

The isolated polystyrene chains spin-labeled with peroxide radical at the free end (IPSOO) in which the chain roots were covalently bonded to the surface of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powder were produced by mechanochemical polymerization of styrene initiated by MCC mechanoradicals. The IPSOO was used as motional probes at the ends of isolated polystyrene chains tethered on the surface of MCC powder. Two modes for the molecular motion of IPSOO were observed. One was a tumbling motion of IPSOO on the MCC surface, defined as a train state, and another was a free rotational motion of IPSOO protruding out from the MCC surface, defined as a tail state. The temperature of tumbling motion (T _tum ) of IPSOO at the train state was at 90 K with anisotropic correlation times. T _tum (90 K) is extremely low compared to the glass transition temperature (T _g ^b ; 373 K) of polystyrene in the bulk. At temperatures above 219 K, the IPSOO was protruded out from the MCC surface, and freely rotated at the tail state. The train–tail transition temperature (T _train–tail ) was estimated to be 222 K. T _tum (90 K) and T _train–tail (222 K) are due to the extremely low chain segmental density of IPSOO on the MCC surface under vacuum. The interaction between IPSOO and the MCC surface is a minor contributing factor in the mobility of IPSOO on the surface under vacuum. It was found that peroxy radicals are useful probes to characterize the chain mobility reflecting their environmental conditions.     

Synthesis of Block Copolymers of Styrene with <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis>-Lactide by the Sequential Controlled Cationic Polymerization and Ring-Opening Anionic Polymerization

The cationic polymerization of styrene initiated by the system 2-chloro-2-phenylpropane–TiCl₄–pyridine is studied in a mixture CH₂Cl₂–n-hexane at a temperature of –80°С. It is shown that under these conditions polymerization occurs via the living mechanism at [monomer]: [initiator] ≤ 100. The method of preparing polystyrenes with terminal primary hydroxyl groups (M_n = 4000–10000 g/mol) by the sequential controlled cationic polymerization of styrene and the in situ alkylation of 4-phenoxy-1-butanol by polystyrene macrocations is proposed. The resulting functionalized polystyrenes are used as macroinitiators of anionic-coordination ring-opening polymerization of D,L-lactide in the presence of tin bis(2-ethyl hexanoate) [Sn(Oct)₂] in toluene at 80°С. Copolymers polystyrene-block-poly(D,L-lactide) with the controlled length of the poly(D,L-lactide) block (M_n = 10000–17000 g/mol) and a relatively low molecular-weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.6–1.8) are synthesized. Formation of the block copolymers is confirmed by ¹Н NMR spectroscopy, gel-permeation chromatography, and atomic force microscopy.