Manipulation of Structure on Silicon Surfaces via Chemical Adsorption

Via chemical adsorption, various films were assembled onto silicon surfaces. The structures and properties of the monolayer‐ or bilayer‐modified silicon surfaces, such as Si‐C₁₀H₂₀ CH₂OC(O)CF₃, Si‐C₁₀H₂₀CH₂OH, and Si‐C₁₀H₂₀‐CH₂‐NH‐C₁₈H₃₇, were investigated by various techniques. x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) gave clear proofs of the formation of octadecylamine layer and other kinds of layers on silicon surfaces. The contact angle measurements showed that the wettability of silicon surfaces was dominated by the terminal functional groups of the attached layers. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations showed that interesting patterns have formed on the monolayer‐ or bilayer‐modified silicon surfaces. Electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) measurements showed that the Si‐C₁₀H₂₀CH₂‐NH‐C₁₈H₃₇ has a better ability to prevent charge transfer as compared with that of Si‐C₁₀H₂₀CH₂OH, which may find applications in the area of surface passivations.     

Synthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles from Thermal Decomposition of a New Precursor

Nickel oxide nanoparticles (25 nm) have been synthesized via decomposition of a new precursor nickel octanoate Ni(octa)₂ in the presence of oleylamine (C₁₈H₃₇N) and triphenylphosphine (C₁₈H₁₅P), in mild conditions. To control the particle size and morphology, combination of C₁₈H₁₅P and C₁₈H₃₇N were applied as surfactants. In this process, oleylamine was used as both the medium and the stabilizing reagent. C₁₈H₃₇N and C₁₈H₁₅P play an important role in preventing aggregation of NiO nanoparticles. The products were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, FT–IR, and TGA.     

Pure cubic ZrO2 nanoparticles by thermolysis of a new precursor

Zirconia (ZrO₂) nanoparticles have been synthesized through the thermolysis of bis-aqua, tris-2-hydroxyacetophenato zirconium (IV) nitrate, [Zr(HAP)₃(H₂O)₂](NO₃), as a precursor in oleylamine (C₁₈H₃₇N) and triphenylphosphine (C₁₈H₁₅P). The combination of C₁₈H₃₇N and C₁₈H₁₅P was added to act as surfactants to control the particle size. C₁₈H₃₇N and C₁₈H₁₅P play an important role in preventing aggregation of ZrO₂ nanoparticles. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to depict the phase and morphology. The synthesized ZrO₂ nanoparticles have a cubic structure. The FT-IR spectrum showed the purity of obtained cubic phase ZrO₂ nanocrystals.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Single-Phase Cubic ZrO2 Spherical Nanocrystals by Decomposition Route

A simple thermal decomposition route has been developed to prepare single-phase cubic ZrO₂ nanospheres by [Zr(sal)₃(H₂O)₂](NO₃) as the new precursor. The ZrO₂ nanocrystals have been prepared by bis-aqua, tris-salicylaldehydato zirconium(IV) nitrate; [Zr(sal)₃(H₂O)₂](NO₃), as precursor in oleylamine (C₁₈H₃₇N) and triphenylphosphine (C₁₈H₁₅P). To control the particle size, combination of C₁₈H₃₇N and C₁₈H₁₅P were applied as surfactants. The C₁₈H₃₇N and C₁₈H₁₅P play an important role in preventing aggregation of ZrO₂ nanocrystals. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to depict the phase and morphology. The FT-IR spectrum showed the purity of obtained ZrO₂ nanocrystals with cubic phase.     

Assembly of a two‐dimensional layer structure with 1,4‐bis(1H‐benzimidazol‐1‐ylmethyl)benzene dihydrate via hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions

In the title compound, C₂₂H₁₈N₄·2H₂O, the organic fragment lies across a centre of inversion in the P2₁/n space group. The water molecules form C(2)‐type hydrogen‐bonded chains which are linked to the 1,4‐bis(1H‐benzimidazol‐1‐ylmethyl)benzene molecules through O—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming sheets reinforced by π–π stacking interactions between the aromatic rings within the layers.     

Two-Dimensional Sol-Gel Synthesis of Ultrathin Zirconia and Hetero-Layered Titania/Zirconia Films

Synthesis of ZrO₂ and hetero-layered TiO₂/ZrO₂ ultrathin films was investigated by two-dimensional sol-gel process assisted by n-octadecylacetoacetate (C₁₈AA). When a hexane solution of tetrabutoxyzirconium (TBZ) and C₁₈AA was spread on the water surface, Zr-based gel films stabilized with C₁₈AA were formed at the air/water interface. After deposition on substrates, the gel films were successfully transformed into ZrO₂ ultrathin films by heating at 773 K for 0.5 h, the thickness of which was controllable on the order of sub-nanometer level by the number of gel-layer deposition and the molar ratio of [TBZ]/[C₁₈AA]. Well-organized hetero-multilayers composed of ultrathin TiO₂ and ZrO₂ layers could be fabricated by the alternate deposition of C₁₈AA-stabilized Ti- and Zr-gel films.     

Synthesis and characterization of NiO nanoclusters via thermal decomposition

Thermal decomposition process has been developed to synthesize nickel oxide (NiO) nanoclusters via the reaction between a new precursor, nickel oxalate [Ni(O₄C₂)(H₂O)₄] and oleylamine (C₁₈H₃₇N). The combination of triphenylphosphine (C₁₈H₁₅P) and C₁₈H₃₇N were added as surfactants to control the particle size. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The synthesized NiO nanoclusters have a cubic structure with average size 2–10 nm.     

Asymmetrically substituted ferrocene derivatives showing redox switching of optical properties

The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical behaviors of three ferrocene derivatives, (1) (C₁₈H₃₇)₂NC₆H₄CHCHFcCH₂OH, (2) (C₁₈H₃₇)₂NC₆H₄CHCHFcCHO, (3) (C₁₈H₃₇)₂NC₆H₄CHCHFcCHC(CN)₂, were studied and analyzed on basis of frontier orbital interactions. It was shown that all the three derivatives show two oxidation steps. The first oxidized states of 1 and 2 are stable and show strong LMCT (ligand-to-metal charge transfer) bands. This suggests that they may serve as redox switching of optical properties. In contrast, the first oxidized state of 3 becomes unstable due to strong electron-withdrawing effect of the acceptor substitute.     

Sol–gel niobia sorbent with a positively charged octadecyl ligand providing enhanced enrichment of nucleotides and organophosphorus pesticides in capillary microextraction for online HPLC analysis

A niobia‐based sol–gel organic–inorganic hybrid sorbent carrying a positively charged C₁₈ ligand (Nb₂O₅‐C₁₈(+ve)) was synthesized to achieve enhanced enrichment capability in capillary microextraction of organophosphorus compounds (which include organophosphorus pesticides and nucleotides) before their online analysis by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The sorbent was designed to simultaneously provide three different types of molecular level interactions: electrostatic, Lewis acid–base, and van der Waals interactions. To understand relative contributions of various molecular level analyte–sorbent interactions in the extraction process, two other sol–gel niobia sorbents were also created: (a) a purely inorganic sol–gel niobia sorbent (Nb₂O₅) and (b) an organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel niobia sorbent carrying an electrically neutral‐bonded octadecyl ligand (Nb₂O₅‐C₁₈). The extraction efficiency of the created sol–gel niobia sorbent (Nb₂O₅‐C₁₈ (+ve)) was compared with that of analogously designed and synthesized titania‐based sol–gel sorbent (TiO₂‐C₁₈ (+ve)), taking into consideration that titania‐based sorbents present state‐of‐the‐art extraction media for organophosphorus compounds. In capillary microextraction with high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis, Nb₂O₅‐C₁₈ (+ve) had shown 40–50% higher specific extraction values (a measure of extraction efficiency) over that of TiO₂‐C₁₈ (+ve). Compared to TiO₂‐C₁₈(+ve), Nb₂O₅‐C₁₈(+ve) also provided superior analyte desorption efficiency (96 vs. 90%) during the online release of the extracted organophosphorus pesticides from the sorbent coating in the capillary microextraction capillary to the chromatographic column using reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography mobile phase.     

Physicochemical properties of 1,1-dimethyl-1-alkylhydrazinium chlorides

With the aim of widening the applications of 1,1-dimethyl-1-alkylhydrazinium chlorides, the physicochemical properties (solubility, hygroscopicity, thermal and chemical stability, distribution between aqueous and organic phases) of their homologs with the alkyl radicals C₁₀H₂₁-C₁₈H₃₇ were studied.     

Chemically modified silicon dioxide surfaces. Wetting properties of compact n-alkyl-dimethylsiloxy layers,and their mixed surface crystals. The Question of Wetting of Molecularly Rough and of Swollen Surfaces

By means of contact angle measurements, it has been shown that compact alkyl-dimethyl-siloxy layers can be obtained on the surface of acid leached glass using the method previously developed for fume silica. Subsequently, a series of densest possible alkyl-dimethylsiloxy layers were prepared having non-branched alkyl substituents, C_zH_2z+1, (with z=1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 14, 18 and 22) and wetting angles were measured as a function of the temperature. On surfaces coated with longer alkyl substituents the formation of mixed crystals, consisting of the sparse chemically bonded alkyl layer and a n-alkane acting as a wetting agent, has been observed at low temperatures. At higher temperatures such surfaces appeared to be «molten», and at the same time swollen by the wetting agent. Equations have been derived to deduce the free surface energies and to account for the wetting properties of rough and swollen surfaces. Application of the results to the data presented in this paper revealed that glass surfaces covered with short alkyl chains (methyl, ethyl and propyl) are rough and those covered with long chains (tetradecyl, octadecyl and docosyl) are swollen. Surfaces formed by hexyl- and decyl-dimethylsiloxy substituents exhibit intermediate properties.     

Alkyl chain self ordering,induction and suppression of mesophase by Cu(II) containing [1,2,3]-triazole-based bidentate salicylaldimine ligands: synthesis,characterisation and X-ray diffraction studies

Some new Cu(II) complexes containing [1,2,3]-triazole-based bidentate salicylaldimine and its analogues with terminal substituent (F, Cl, Br and I) have been synthesieed. All the target complexes and their uncoordinated ligands were elucidated by elemental analysis and spectroscopic techniques (UV-visible, FT-IR, 1D, 2D ¹H and ¹³C-NMR). The polarising optical microscope and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) have disclosed all complexes and ligands are mesomorphic except the complex without any terminal substituent. The fluoro-substituted complexes with even parity C₁₄H₂₉ and C₁₆H₃₃ exhibit new enantiotropic nematic phase which was absent in their corresponding ligands, whereas the suppression of SmC phase occurred for all complexes with longer C₁₆H₃₃ and C₁₈H₃₇. X-ray diffraction confirmed the existence of SmA, SmC and N phases for complexes and ligands. The other notable feature is that the self-ordering of terminal alkyl chain occurred in SmA and SmC phases of complexes with even terminal alkyl chain ranging from C₁₄H₂₉ to C₁₈H₃₃. Their corresponding ligands exhibit intercalated structure of SmA and SmC phases. The thermal behaviour studies show that the fluoro-substituted triazole-based complexes possess lowest phase transition temperature and more stable as compared to other substituent which decomposed during the isotropisation.     

Electrochemical wettability control on conductive TiO2 nanotube surfaces modified with a ferrocene redox system

This work reports on an electrochemical system which allows the control of surface wettability properties by voltage induced changes in contact angle (Θ) of ΔΘ  50°. For this we used conductive TiO₂ nanotubular layers that were modified with ferrocene coupled to the TiO₂ surface via triethoxysilane. To enhance the hydrophobic character of the nanotubular TiO₂ surface, also mixed organic monolayers namely perfluorotriethoxysilane, were explored. Formation of the ferrocene and mixed organic monolayer was confirmed by X-ray-photoelectron-spectroscopy (XPS). Contact angle combined with electrochemical measurements show that ferrocene in these monolayers can successfully be switched from Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ and that this change in the redox state considerably alters the wetting properties. Using a conductive nanotube substrate allows us to amplify this change by a factor of more than 10, and thus this surface can be used to trigger significant wetting alterations.     

l-Seryl-l-leucine

The structure of l -seryl-l -leucine, C₉H₁₈N₂O₄, has been determined and analysed in relation to the geometries of its amino acid constituents. The most important feature is the different conformational behaviour of the side chains at the C^β atoms; a less pronounced discrepancy concerns the orientation of the C=O bond with respect to the C^α—N bond. The conformational preferences of these torsion angles are also established for related structures stored in the Cambridge Structural Database [Allen & Kennard (1993). Chem.Des.Autom. News, 8 , 1, 31–37]; the title structure compares well with these data. The mol­ecules are organized in double layers, with the hydro­philic faces linked by an extensive hydrogen-bonding network, as in l -leucine.     

[N,N‐Bis(2‐hydroxy­ethyl)­di­thio­car­bamato‐S]­bis­(tri­phenyl­phosphine‐P)­copper(I) tri­phenyl­phosphine solvate

In the title compound, [Cu(C₅H₁₀NO₂S₂)(C₁₈H₁₅P)₂]·C₁₈H₁₅P, the Cu atom is in a distorted tetrahedral coordination, with two tri­phenyl­phosphine P atoms and two S atoms from an N,N‐bis(2‐hydroxy­ethyl)­di­thio­carbamate ligand occupying the vertices. The crystal structure is characterized by alternate layers of complex and tri­phenyl­phosphine mol­ecules.     

Isobutene polymerization initiated by [CP*TiMe2]+ in the presence of a series of novel,weakly coordinating counteranions

The highly electrophilic borane B(C₆F₅)₃ reacts with n‐octadecanol (n‐C₁₈H₃₇OH) and n‐octadecanethiol (n‐C₁₈H₃₇SH) to form the 1:1 adducts (n‐C₁₈H₃₇EH)B(C₆F₅)₃ (E = O or S). The latter are acidic and react with Cp*TiMe₃ in methylene chloride and toluene to give methane and the complexes [Cp*TiMe₂][(n‐C₁₈H₃₇E)B(C₆F₅)₃], which are very good initiators for the carbocationic polymerization of isobutene (IB) from ?40 to ?20 °C. High conversions to high molecular weight polyisobutene (PIB) in methylene chloride and moderate conversions to high molecular weight PIB in toluene are observed and are consistent with the anions [(n‐C₁₈H₃₇E)B(C₆F₅)₃]^? being very weakly coordinating. Although polymerization in methylene chloride is too rapid for the temperature to be controlled, polymerization in toluene is slower, and the temperatures can be controlled so that Arrhenius‐type plots of the logarithm of the number‐average molecular weight versus T^?1 = 1/T may be obtained. Activation energies for the degree of polymerization in these polymerization reactions and similar polymerizations carried out with n‐C₁₈H₃₇EH:borane ratios of 1:2 and with the activators [Ph₃C][B(C₆F₅)₄] and Al(C₆F₅)₃ range from ?11 to ?27 kJ mol^?1, values comparable to those for most conventional IB polymerization initiators. However, the values of the weight‐average and number‐average molecular weights are unusually high for the temperatures used, and this is consistent with current theories of the role of weakly coordinating anions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3302–3311, 2002     

Structure of (C3H5NH3)2H2P2O7·H2O

The bis(cyclopropylammonium)dihydrogenodiphosphate monohydrate is a new diphosphate associated with the organic molecule C₃H₅NH₂. We report the chemical preparation and the crystal structure of this organic cation diphosphate. (C₃H₅NH₃)₂H₂P₂O₇.H₂O is orthorhombic (S.G. : P2₁2₁2₁), with Z = 4 and the following unit-cell parameters : a = 4.828(1) Å, b = 11.011(1) Å, c = 25.645(2) Å. The P₂O₇ groups and H₂O water molecules form a succession of bidimensional layers perpendicular to the c axis. The organic cations ensure the three-dimensional cohesion by NH-O hydrogen bonds.     

Poly­[[aqua­neodymium(III)]‐μ3‐decane‐1,10‐di­carboxyl­ato‐μ3‐9‐carboxy­nonane­carboxyl­ato]

The title compound, [Nd(C₁₀H₁₆O₄)(C₁₀H₁₇O₄)(H₂O)]_n, has a novel Nd–organic framework constructed from sebacic acid (C₁₀H₁₈O₄) linkers, the longest aliphatic ligand used to date in lanthanide metal–organic framework compounds. The structure contains edge‐shared chains of NdO₈(H₂O) tricapped trigonal prisms that propagate in the [100] direction, with Nd—O distances in the range 2.414 (4)–2.643 (4) Å.     

Synergism in cationic gemini – additive systems

A series of dicationic gemini surfactants with the general formula C₁₆H₃₃(CH₃)₂N⁺?(CH₂)_s?N⁺(CH₃)₂C₁₆H₃₃, 2Br^? (where s?=?4–6), designated as 16-s-16, were synthesised. Their interaction with organic additives: n-alcohols (C₃H₇OH, C₇H₁₅OH, C₈H₁₇OH) and the corresponding amines (C₃H₇NH₂, C₇H₁₅NH₂, C₈H₁₇NH₂) in the absence and presence of KNO₃ at 30°C was studied viscometrically to observe their effect on assembly formation and micellar transition. The simultaneous presence of KNO₃ and organics induced rich aggregates morphologies in the gemini micellar systems by giving high viscosity values. On comparing the behaviour of the gemini surfactant series for a given alkyl chain length of the organic additive, the spacer is found to markedly influence the behaviour; shorter the spacer, earlier the sphere-to-rod transition. In the case of the conventional surfactant, CTAB, the concentration of KNO₃ used with the geminis was insufficient to induce any transition.     

Turning Redundant Ligands into Treasure: A New Strategy for Constructing MIL‐53(Al)@Nanoscale TiO2 Layers

A strategy for in situ fabrication of nanoscale‐thin layers of anatase TiO₂ coated on the metal–organic framework (MOF) material, MIL‐53(Al), is developed. The preparation conditions for crystallized TiO₂ are normally incompatible with the thermal and chemical stability of MOFs. Based on our strategy, we found that the redundant organic ligands (1,4‐benzenedicarboxylic acid, H₂BDC) within the pores of the as‐synthesized MOF play a key function in the protection and support of the framework during hydrothermal loading of the TiO₂ precursor, as well as in preventing the infiltration of the precursor into the pores. After annealing, a nanoscale‐thin layer of highly crystalline anatase TiO₂, with a thickness of 6–10 nm, was successfully attached to the external surface of the MIL‐53(Al) crystals, while the porous framework remains intact. The core–shell structure of the MOF@TiO₂ nanocomposite endows the resulting materials with additional optical response and enhanced moisture and chemical stability.