Ionic conductivity probed in main chain liquid crystalline azobenzene polyesters

Three main chain thermotropic liquid crystalline (LC) azobenzene polymers were synthesized using the azobenzene twin molecule (P4P) having the structure Phenylazobenzene‐tetraethyleneglycol‐Phenylazobenzene as the AA monomer and diols like diethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol (TEG), and hexaethylene glycol as the BB comonomer. Terminal ? C(O)OMe units on P4P facilitated transesterification with diols to form polyesters. All polymers exhibited stable smectic mesophases. One of the polymers, Poly(P4PTEG) was chosen to prepare composite polymer electrolytes with LiCF₃SO₃ and ionic conductivity was measured by ac impedance spectroscopy. The polymer/0.3 Li salt complex exhibited a maximum ionic conductivity in the range of 10^?5 S cm^?1 at room temperature (25 °C), which increased to 10^?4 S cm^?1 above 65 °C. The temperature dependence of ionic conductivity was compared with the phase transitions occurring in the sample and it was observed that the glass transition had a higher influence on the ionic conductivity compared to the ordered LC phase. Reversible ionic conductivity switching was observed upon irradiation of the polymer/0.3 Li salt complex with alternate UV and visible irradiation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 629–641     

β-CD-catalyzed multicomponent domino reaction: synthesis,characterization, in silico molecular docking and biological evaluation of pyrano[2,3-d]-pyrimidinone derivatives

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Simple and green synthetic procedures constitute an important goal in organic synthesis. The combination of multicomponent reactions (MCRs) and unconventional...     

Characterization of iron hydroxide/oxide nanoparticles prepared in microemulsions stabilized with cationic/non-ionic surfactant mixtures

Iron oxide-hydroxide (α-Fe(2)O(3); Fe(OH)(3)) nanoparticles have been prepared by a microemulsion route using ammonia (NH(3)) solution or tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) as precipitants. The iron oxide-hydroxide nanoparticles obtained were characterized by TGA, N(2) sorptiometry, XRD, IR, SEM, HR-TEM, and DLS techniques. Properties such as specific surface area (S(BET)), pore sizes and shapes, average particle size and distribution, crystallite structure, and thermal stability were determined. The properties of nanoparticles prepared using NH(3) and TBAH were compared after drying at 100°C and after being calcined in the temperature range 250-1100°C. It was found that the suspensions prepared using TBAH suffered immediate separation while those prepared using NH(3) resulted in very stable suspensions. Also, it was found that TBAH did not offer any advantage over NH(3) either in terms of specific surface area or in particle size of the prepared nanoparticles. Hence, the later part of the study was concentrated on the NH(3)-precipitated nanoparticles with particular emphasis on finding the most favorable, W (water-to-surfactant ratio) and/or surfactant concentration, S, to obtain the best conditions in terms of higher surface areas and narrower particle size distribution. It was found that the prepared suspension consisted of monodisperse nanoparticles (standard deviations <10%) and after separation and drying, high surface area powders were obtained. The highest surface area (315 m(2) g(-1)) was obtained when the smallest W (=20) and highest S (=0.20 mol L(-1)) were employed.     

Tandem Michael addition of amines to maleic anhydride and 1,3-prototropic shift: experimental and theoretical results

Amines, namely diethylamine, diphenylamine, benzylamine, and pyrrolidine react with maleic anhydride to form Michael adducts. The Michael adducts formed with the first three amines undergo tandem 1,3-prototropic shift to give the final products. Computational calculations at the DFT (B3LYP/6-31+G*) level reveal that a reactant-complex formed between the initially formed Michael adduct and the respective amine plays a crucial role in the 1,3-prototropic shift. In the reaction of pyrrolidine with maleic anhydride, Michael addition is not followed by 1,3-prototropic shift. The theoretical studies of the latter reaction show that a reactant-complex is not formed in this case. Dimethyl maleate and dimethyl fumarate react with pyrrolidine to give the same Michael addition product.     

Synthesis of BaSO4 nanoparticles by precipitation method using sodium hexa metaphosphate as a stabilizer

We describe the synthesis and structure of Barium sulfate nanoparticles by precipitation method in the presence of water soluble inorganic stabilizing agent, sodium hexametaphosphate, (NaPO₃)₆. The structural parameters were refined by the Rietveld refinement method using powder X-ray diffraction data. Barium sulfate nanoparticles were crystallized in the orthorhombic structure with space group Pbnm (No. 62) having the lattice parameters a=7.215(1) (Å), b=8.949(1) (Å) and c=5.501(1) (Å) respectively. Transmission electron microscopy study reveals that the nanoparticles are size range, 30–50 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed distinct absorption due to the SO₄^2? moiety at 1115 and 1084 cm^?1 indicating formation of barium sulfate nanoparticles free from the phosphate group from the stabilizer used in the synthesis.     

A parametric study of negative feedback Nd:YAG laser

The output pulse parameters of a mode-locked Nd:YAG laser with a passive negative feedback element were studied experimentally. The pulse evolution within the train was experimentally recorded using a modified second harmonic generation autocorrelator. By comparing the laser operation with and without an acousto-optic modulator, we found that with the later there is a significant increase in the mode locking probability and the pulse acquires a temporally Gaussian symmetric pulse shape. Further with the active modulator there is a relaxation in alignment tolerances and increase in the range of permissible dye concentrations for stable mode locking. It was also observed that the pulse width of the negative feedback laser depends on the saturation intensity of the mode locking dye and reduces for a dye with higher saturation intensity. The pulse width was also found to reduce linearly as the initial transmission of the dye is reduced.     

Multiresidue analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables using solid-phase extraction and gas chromatographic methods

A new extraction and cleanup procedure with gas chromatography was developed for the sensitive determination of acephate, dimethoate, malathion, diazinon, quinalphos, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, alpha-endosulfan, beta-endosulfan, chlorothalonil and carbaryl using 1-chloro-4-fluorobenzene as an internal standard in fruits and vegetables. Several extracting and eluting solvents for solid-phase extraction were investigated. The overall extracting solvent with a mixture of acetone:ethyl acetate:hexane (10:80:10, v/v/v) and a eluting solvent of 5% acetone in hexane used with the RPC18 cartridge gave the best recovery for all of the investigated pesticides, and minimized the interference from co-extractants. Under the optimal extraction and clean-up conditions, recoveries of 85 - 99% with RSD < 5.0% (n = 3) for most of the pesticides at the 0.02 - 0.5 mg/kg level were obtained. The limit of detection was between 0.005 - 0.01 mg/kg and the limit of quantification was 0.01 mg/kg. This analytical procedure was characterized with high accuracy and acceptable sensitivity to meet requirements for monitoring pesticides in crops.     

Chalcogen Bond Mediated Enhancement of Cooperative Ion-Pair Recognition

A series of heteroditopic receptors containing halogen bond (XB) and unprecedented chalcogen bond (ChB) donors integrated into a 3,5-bis-triazole pyridine structure covalently linked to benzo-15-crown-5 ether motifs exhibit remarkable cooperative recognition of halide anions. Multi-nuclear ¹H, ¹³C, ¹²⁵Te and ¹⁹F NMR, ion pair binding investigations reveal sodium cation–benzo-crown ether binding dramatically enhances the recognition of bromide and iodide halide anions, with the chalcogen bonding heteroditopic receptor notably displaying the largest enhancement of halide binding strength of over two hundred-fold, in comparison to the halogen bonding and hydrogen bonding heteroditopic receptor analogues. DFT calculations suggest crown ether sodium cation complexation induces a polarisation of the sigma hole of ChB and XB heteroditopic receptor donors as a significant contribution to the origin of the unique cooperativity exhibited by these systems.     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of 2‐(Pyridine‐3‐yl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one Derivatives

An efficiently synthesis of chromones via cyclodehydration of corresponding 1‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐3‐(pyridine‐3‐yl)propane‐1,3‐dione is described under ultrasound irradiation. A series of novel 2‐(pyridine‐3‐yl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one derivatives was confirmed on the basis of ¹H‐NMR, mass, IR spectral data, and elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Most of the compounds were found to be comparable potent than the reference standard drugs. Utilization of ultrasound irradiation, simple reaction conditions, isolation, and purification makes this manipulation very interesting from an economic and environmental perspective.