Novel Copolymers of 4-Fluorostyrene. 9. Some Ring-Disubstituted 2-Phenyl-1,1-dicyanoethylenes

Novel copolymers of trisubstituted ethylene monomers, ring-disubstituted 2-phenyl-1,1-dicyanoethylenes, RC₆H₃CH=C(CN)₂ (where R = 3-Br-4-CH₃O, 5-Br-2-CH₃O, 2-F-5-CH₃, 2-F-6-CH₃, 3-F-2-CH₃, 3-F-4-CH₃, 4-F-2-CH₃, 4-F-3-CH₃) and 4-fluorostyrene were prepared at equimolar monomer feed composition by solution copolymerization in the presence of a radical initiator (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. The order of relative reactivity (1/r ₁) for the monomers is 3-F-4-CH₃(1.64) > 5-Br-2-CH₃O (1.62) > 3-Br-4-CH₃O (1.36) > 4-F-2-CH₃(1.3) > 4-F-3-CH₃(1.26) > 3-F-2-CH₃(1.11) > 2-F-5-CH₃ (0.98) > 2-F-6-CH₃ (0.97). High T_g of the copolymers, in comparison with that of poly(4-fluorostyrene) indicates a substantial decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer due to the high dipolar character of the trisubstituted ethylene monomer unit. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 290–400°C range with residue, which then decomposed in 400–800°C range.     

Structurally Modelling the 2-His-1-Carboxylate Facial Triad with a Bulky N,N,O Phenolate Ligand

We present the synthesis and coordination chemistry of a bulky, tripodal N,N,O ligand, Im^Ph2NNO ^{t Bu} ( L ), designed to model the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad (2H1C) by means of two imidazole groups and an anionic 2,4-di-tert-butyl-subtituted phenolate. Reacting K-L with MCl₂ (M = Fe, Zn) affords the isostructural, tetrahedral non-heme complexes [Fe(L)(Cl)] ( 1 ) and [Zn(L)(Cl)] ( 2 ) in high yield. The tridentate N,N,O ligand coordination observed in their X-ray crystal structures remains intact and well-defined in MeCN and CH₂Cl₂ solution. Reacting 2 with NaSPh affords a tetrahedral zinc thiolate complex, [Zn(L)(SPh)] ( 4 ), that is relevant to isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) biomimicry. Cyclic voltammetry studies demonstrate the ligand's redox non-innocence, where phenolate oxidation is the first electrochemical response observed in K-L , 2 and 4 . However, the first electrochemical oxidation in 1 is iron-centred, the assignment of which is supported by DFT calculations. Overall, Im^Ph2NNO ^{t Bu} provides access to well-defined mononuclear, monoligated, N,N,O-bound metal complexes, enabling more accurate structural modelling of the 2H1C to be achieved.     

Quantum Dot-Catalyzed Photoreductive Removal of Sulfonyl-Based Protecting Groups

This Communication describes the use of CuInS₂/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) as photocatalysts for the reductive deprotection of aryl sulfonyl-protected phenols. For a series of aryl sulfonates with electron-withdrawing substituents, the rate of deprotection for the corresponding phenyl aryl sulfonates increases with decreasing electrochemical potential for the two electron transfers within the catalytic cycle. The rate of deprotection for a substrate that contains a carboxylic acid, a known QD-binding group, is accelerated by more than a factor of ten from that expected from the electrochemical potential for the transformation, a result that suggests that formation of metastable electron donor–acceptor complexes provides a significant kinetic advantage. This deprotection method does not perturb the common NHBoc or toluenesulfonyl protecting groups and, as demonstrated with an estrone substrate, does not perturb proximate ketones, which are generally vulnerable to many chemical reduction methods used for this class of reactions.     

Reliable radical stabilization energies from diffusion Monte Carlo calculations

We assess the performance of variational (VMC) and diffusion (DMC) quantum Monte Carlo methods for calculating the radical stabilization energies of a set of 43 carbon-centered radical species. Even using simple single-determinant trial wavefunctions, both methods perform exceptionally well, with mean absolute deviations from reference values well under the chemical accuracy standard of 1 kcal/mol. In addition, the use of DMC results in a highly concentrated spread of errors, with all 43 results within chemical accuracy at the 95% confidence level. These results indicate that DMC is an extremely reliable method for calculating radical stabilization energies and could be used as a benchmark method for larger systems in future.     

Strong and Superhydrophobic Wood with Aligned Cellulose Nanofibers as a Waterproof Structural Material†

Lightweight structural materials are important for the energy efficiency of applications, particularly those in the building sector. Here, inspired by nature, we developed a strong, superhydrophobic, yet lightweight material by simple in situ growth of nano‐SiO₂ and subsequent densification of the wood substrate. In situ generation of SiO₂ nanoparticles both inside the wood channels and on the wood surfaces gives the material superhydrophobicity, with static and dynamic contact angles of 159.4^o and 3^o, respectively. Densification of the wood to remove most of the spaces among the lumen and cell walls results in a laminated, dense structure, with aligned cellulose nanofibers, which in turn contributes to a high mechanical strength up to 384.2 MPa (7‐times higher than natural wood). Such treatment enables the strong and superhydrophobic wood (SH‐Wood) to be stable and have excellent water, acid, and alkaline resistance. The high mechanical strength of SH‐Wood combined with its excellent structural stability in harsh environments, as well its low density, positions the strong and superhydrophobic wood as a promising candidate for strong, lightweight, and durable structural materials that could potentially replace steel.     

Semiconductor Quantum Dots as Components of Photoactive Supramolecular Architectures

Luminescent quantum dots (QDs) are colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals consisting of an inorganic core covered by a molecular layer of organic surfactants. Although QDs have been known for more than thirty years, they are still attracting the interest of researchers because of their unique size-tunable optical and electrical properties arising from quantum confinement. Moreover, the controlled decoration of the QD surface with suitable molecular species enables the rational design of inorganic-organic multicomponent architectures that can show a vast array of functionalities. This minireview highlights the recent progress in the use of surface-modified QDs – in particular, those based on cadmium chalcogenides – as supramolecular platforms for light-related applications such as optical sensing, triplet photosensitization, photocatalysis and phototherapy.     

Photon Equivalents as a Parameter for Scaling Photoredox Reactions in Flow: Translation of Photocatalytic C−N Cross‐Coupling from Lab Scale to Multikilogram Scale

With the development of new photocatalytic methods over recent decades, the translation of these chemical reactions to industrial‐production scales using continuous‐flow reactors has become a topic of increasing interest. In this context, we describe our studies toward elucidating an empirically derived parameter for scaling photocatalytic reactions in flow. By evaluating the performance of a photocatalytic C?N cross‐coupling reaction across multiple reactor sizes and geometries, it was demonstrated that expressing product yield as a function of the absorbed photon equivalents provides a predictive, empirical scaling parameter. Through the use of this scaling factor and characterization of the photonic flux within each reactor, the cross‐coupling was scaled successfully from the milligram scale in batch to a multi‐kilogram reaction in flow.