Microphase separation of cationic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymers in water: Effect of the migration of charges

The structures of aqueous copolymer solutions have been examined through small angle neutron scattering. The copolymers contained mostly N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) monomers. Poly (NIPAM) solutions have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST), above which the macromolecules separate from water. A small fraction of ionizable N,N-[(dimethylamino) propyl] methacrylamide (MADAP) monomers was introduced into the macromolecules. This had dramatic consequences on the solution behavior at temperatures above the LCST of PNIPAM, where phase separation would have been expected for the homopolymer. When all MADAP monomers were ionized, it was found that the solutions resisted the phase separation. At short spatial scales, the chains were collapsed but at large scales they formed branched aggregates that did not separate out of water. When only half of the MADAP monomers are ionized, the electrical charges were able to redistribute themselves along the chains. In this case, the rise in temperature caused a microphase separation where the electrical charges were relocated on a fraction of the chains that remained in solution.The other chains (or section of chains) formed large nodules of a polymer rich phase.     

Extrathermodynamic study of surface diffusion in reversed-phase liquid chromatography with silica gels bonded with alkyl ligands of different chain lengths

Surface diffusion on adsorbents made of silica gels bonded to C1, C4, C8, and C18 alkyl ligands was studied in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) from the viewpoints of two extrathermodynamic relationships: enthalpy-entropy compensation (EEC) and linear free-energy relationship (LFER). First, the values of the surface diffusion coefficient (D(s)), normalized by the density of the alkyl ligands, were analyzed with the modified Arrhenius equation, following the four approaches proposed in earlier research. This showed that an actual EEC resulting from substantial physicochemical effects occurs for surface diffusion and suggested a mechanistic similarity of molecular migration by surface diffusion, irrespective of the alkyl chain length. Second, a new model based on EEC was derived to explain the LFER between the logarithms of D(s) measured under different RPLC conditions. This showed that the changes of free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of surface diffusion are linearly correlated with the carbon number in the alkyl ligands of the bonded phases and that the contribution of the C18 ligand to the changes of the thermodynamic parameters corresponds to that of the C10 ligand. The new LFER model correlates the slope and intercept of the LFER to the compensation temperatures derived from the EEC analyses and to several parameters characterizing the molecular contributions to the changes in enthalpy and entropy. Finally, the new model was used to estimate D(s) under various RPLC conditions. The values of D(s) that were estimated from only two original experimental D(s) data were in agreement with corresponding experimental D(s) values, with relative errors of approximately 20%, irrespective of some RPLC conditions.     

Highly stereoselective Friedel-Crafts type cyclization. Facile access to enantiopure 1,4-dihydro-4-phenyl isoquinolinones

The present report describes a stereoselective synthesis of 1,4-dihydro-4-phenyl isoquinolinones 5 based on a stereoselective Friedel-Crafts type cyclization. Cyclization precursors 1 were prepared in two steps, from the readily available (S)-mandelic acid, in 60-80% overall yield. The stereoselective electrophilic cyclization was accomplished in 20-86% yield and with 20-97% ee. In the course of this work, the presence of the amide carbonyl was found to be particularly important to guarantee a stereospecific process during the electrophilic aromatic substitution.     

INTERACTIONS AND PHOTOREACTIVITY OF 5-ALKOXYPSORALENS WITH THYMINE. A MODEL APPROACH

Abstract— In order to investigate the interactions and the photoreactions in solution between the thymine (thy) and the psoralen (Pso) rings, we have prepared model compounds Thy-(CH₂)_n-Pso in which two aromatic chromophores Thy and Pso are linked by flexible polymethylene chains of varying length (CH₂)_n. Two series of compounds were examined and compared as models for the two important drugs 5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen. Results concerning the 5-alkoxypsoralen series are reported here. In water, these model molecules exhibit intramolecular ring-ring stacking interactions as indicated by hypochromism in the UV and by shielding of the protons in ¹H NMR spectroscopy. These interactions disappear in organic solvents. The photochemical properties of the models were examined in relation with their ground state interaction properties. Irradiation at 365 nm carried out at the usual concentrations (10^-2-10^-3 M) leads exclusively to a stereoselective dimerization involving the psoralen moieties of the models at the 3,4 double bonds. However, when operating at exceedingly low concentrations (2 × 10^-5 M ), the psoralen photodimerization is avoided and a highly regio and stereo-selective psoralen thymine photoaddition is observed involving the 3,4 double bond of psoralen leading to the cis adduct. The same reaction occurs for all models under study being independent of the length of the (CH₂)_n polymethylene linking chain, n = 2 to 6, 12 and of the solvent used. This is unambiguous proof for the highest intrinsic photoreactivity of the 3,4 vs the 4',5' double bond in 5-alkoxy psoralen.     

Stable γ-distonic oxonium ions: R\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $\end{document}HCHR′ĊH2CHR″ and their characteristic reaction

The γ-distonic radical ions R$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $CHR′CH₂?HR″ and their molecular ion counterparts R$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^{{\rm + } \cdot } $CHR′CH₂CH₂R″ have been studied by isotopic labelling and collision-induced dissociation, applying a potential to the collision cell in order to separate activated from spontaneous decompositions. The stability of CH₃$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH(CH₃)CH₂?HCH₃, C₂H₅$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH(CH₃)CH₂?HCH₃, CH₃$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH(CH₃)CH₂?H₂, CH₃$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH₂CH₂?HCH₃ and C₂H₅$ \mathop {\rm O}\limits^ + $HCH₂CH₂?HCH₃, has been demonstrated and their characteristic decomposition, alcohol loss, identified. For all these γ-distonic ions, the 1,4-H abstraction leading to their molecular ion counterpart exhibits a primary isotope effect.     

High Temperature Behavior of a Gel-Derived SiOC Glass: Elasticity and Viscosity

The high temperature behavior of a sol-gel derived silicon oxycarbide glass containing 12 at.% carbon has been characterized by means of creep and in-situ ultrasonic echography measurements. Temperature induced changes include structural relaxation and densification from 1000 to 1200°C, and crystallization to form a fine and homogeneous -SiC/glass-matrix nanocomposite with 2.5 nm large crystals above 1200°C. Young's modulus measurements clearly reveal a consolidation of the material upon annealing below 1200°C. Crystallization is almost complete after few hours at 1300°C and results in a significant increase in Young's modulus. The viscosity of the oxycarbide glass is much higher than that of fused silica, with two orders of magnitude difference at 1200°C, and the glass transition temperature ranges from 1320 to 1370°C.     

Investigation of the diffusion coefficient of polymers and micelles in aqueous solutions using the Soret effect in cw-laser thermal lens spectrometry

The concentration gradient (Soret effect) induced in cw-laser thermal lens spectrometry subsequently to the formation of the thermal gradient (thermal lens effect) has been investigated in aqueous solutions of various macromolecular species including micelles, mixed micelles and polymers. It is shown that the build-up of the concentration gradient is much shorter than that in classical Soret experiments, reaching steady-state values in less than 1 min. The time evolution of the Soret signal has been used to derive mass-diffusion times from which mass-diffusion coefficients were calculated. Our data are in agreement with previous results obtained from quasi-elastic light scattering studies for the micellar solutions and calculated from a known molecular weight-dependent power law for polymer solutions.     

Band splitting in overloaded isocratic elution chromatography I. The experimental evidence

A series of samples of increasing volume (from 0.001 to 4.0 cm3), containing the same constant concentration (40 g/l) of two simple compounds, ethylbenzoate and 4-tert.-butylphenol were injected on a Kromasil-C18 column with methanol-water (62:38. v/v) as the mobile phase. Complex band profiles were observed when the volume of the sample became large enough and strong band interference took place. The analysis of the fractions collected during the elution of the mixed band demonstrates that, for samples larger than 2 cm3, the band of 4-tert.-butylphenol is split into two separate bands, one eluted before and the other eluted after the band of ethylbenzoate. Such a phenomenon has never been observed yet in RPLC, under isocratic elution conditions.     

ESR. Spectra and Structures of Radical Anions in the Dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctene Series

ESR. studies are reported for the radical anions of 5,6-didehydro- and 5,6,11,12-tetradehydro-dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctene (III and IV, resp.), in addition to that of dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctene (II) itself, the spectrum of which has been reexamined. Comparison of the proton and ¹³C coupling constants for II·?, III·? and IV·? indicates that the three radical anions do not differ greatly in their electronic and molecular structures. This statement implies that II·? should also be substantially planar, i.e., the tub-shaped eight-membered ring in II is expected to flatten on passing from the neutral molecule to its radical anion. Support for postulating such a change in geometry, analogous to that encountered with the parent cyclooctatetraene (I), is provided by INDO calculations.     

Preparative liquid chromatography

The status of the theory and the main methods of implementation of preparative liquid chromatography are reviewed. On the theory front, the focus has recently shifted. The theory of non-linear, non-ideal chromatography has given rise to numerous models whose advantages, disadvantages and ranges of application are now well understood. Interest now resides in investigating the equilibrium thermodynamics of complex new systems, in the study of the kinetics of mass transfers in conventional chromatographic systems, and in the application of the various models of chromatography to optimize the experimental conditions. Progress in computer technology allows the use of sophisticated models, provided their parameters can be measured. This allows the detailed investigation of separations for which the mass transfer kinetics is slow such as chiral separations, the purification of basic compounds, and the extraction of recombinant proteins. On the applied front, in addition to numerous incremental improvements in reliability and economic performance, a few essential new features should be noted, i.e. the availability of instruments for simulated moving bed separations at the scale needed for preparative chiral separations, the use of expanded beds for the extraction of recombinant proteins from fermentation broths, and the attention given to improvements in the performance of packed beds. A survey of the literature dealing with practical applications and recent meetings shows that preparative chromatography is becoming a well established separation and purification method in the pharmaceutical industry.