Excitation-energy migration in self-assembled cyclic zinc(II)-porphyrin arrays: a close mimicry of a natural light-harvesting system

The excitation-energy-hopping (EEH) times within two-dimensional cyclic zinc(II)-porphyrin arrays 5 and 6, which were prepared by intermolecular coordination and ring-closing metathesis reaction of olefins, were deduced by modeling the EEH process based on the anisotropy depolarization as well as the exciton-exciton annihilation dynamics. Assuming the number of energy-hopping sites N = 5 and 6, the two different experimental observables, that is, anisotropy depolarization and exciton-excition annihilation times, consistently give the EEH times of 8.0 +/- 0.5 and 5.3 +/- 0.6 ps through the 1,3-phenylene linkages of 5 and 6, respectively. Accordingly, the self-assembled cyclic porphyrin arrays have proven to be well-defined two-dimensional models for natural light-harvesting complexes.     

A new synthesis of 1,2,3,5‐tetrahydroimidazo[2,3‐b]‐[1,3]benzodiazocines

A new synthesis of 6‐carbomethoxy‐1,2,3,5‐tetrahydroirnidazo[2,3‐b][1,3]benzodiazocines 13 by the intramolecular cycloaddition reaction of methyl 2‐(1‐aziridinylmethyl)‐3‐(2‐ureidophenyl)propenoates 10 under Appel's dehydration conditions is described. The latter were readily obtained from 2‐nitrobenzalde‐hyde with methyl acrylate through the Baylis‐Hillman reaction.     

Preparation of water‐soluble,syndiotacticity‐rich,low molecular weight poly(vinyl alcohol) microfibrils in high yields with the low‐temperature polymerization of vinyl pivalate in tetrahydrofuran and saponification

To prepare water‐soluble, syndiotacticity‐rich poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microfibrils for various industrial applications, we synthesized syndiotacticity‐rich, low molecular weight PVA by the solution polymerization of vinyl pivalate (VPi) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at low temperatures with 2,2′‐azobis(2,4‐dimethylvaleronitrile) (ADMVN) as an initiator and successive saponification of poly(vinyl pivalate) (PVPi). Effects of the initiator and monomer concentrations and the polymerization temperature were investigated in terms of the polymerization behaviors and molecular structures of PVPi and the corresponding syndiotacticity‐rich PVA. The polymerization rate of VPi in THF was proportional to the 0.91 power of the ADMVN concentration, indicating the heterogeneous nature of THF polymerization. The low‐temperature solution polymerization of VPi in THF with ADMVN proved to be successful in obtaining water‐soluble PVA with a number‐average degree of polymerization (P_n) of 300–900, a syndiotactic dyad content of 60–63%, and an ultimate conversion of VPi into PVPi of over 75%. Despite the low molecular weight of PVA with P_n = 800, water‐soluble PVA microfibrillar fibers were prepared because of the high level of syndiotacticity. In contrast, for PVA with P_n = 330, shapeless and globular morphologies were observed, indicating that molecular weight has an important role in the in situ fibrillation of syndiotacticity‐rich PVA. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1103–1111, 2002     

Convenient Synthesis of Phenyl Pyridyl-Ethers Utilizing Fluoride Ion

Aryl pyridyl ethers were prepared from phenols and active halopyridines under essentially neutral condition via fluoride ion assisted reaction.     

Material profile influences in bulk‐heterojunctions

The morphology in mixed bulk‐heterojunction films are compared using three different quantitative measurement techniques. We compare the vertical composition changes using high‐angle annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron tomography and neutron and x‐ray reflectometry. The three measurement techniques yield qualitatively comparable vertical concentration measurements. The presence of a metal cathode during thermal annealing is observed to alter the fullerene concentration throughout the thickness of the film for all measurements. However, the absolute vertical concentration of fullerene is quantitatively different for the three measurements. The origin of the quantitative measurement differences is discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1291–1300     

Note on generalized Wiener integrals

We establish a change of path formula for generalized Wiener integrals and develop a rotation theorem for Wiener measure with respect to Gaussian paths.     

Investigation on the stress behavior of cellulose acetate and the development of highly moisture‐resistant optical films for display devices

An optical film with high optical anisotropy was prepared by the stretching of a cellulose acetate film and the consequential orienting of a retardation‐enhancing additive. The change in retardation in response to moisture absorption was explored and it was found that the degree of the retardation variation is strongly related to the stretching temperature. Stress generated by the stretching and its relaxation was systematically investigated to elucidate the effect of stretching temperature on the irreversible change in retardation upon moisture absorption. The results show that the magnitude of releasable stress plays an important role in controlling changes in optical properties. In addition, the difference in the deformation behavior between glassy and rubbery states should be taken into account in the development of a moisture‐resistant optical film. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 1470–1478     

Preparation of Water-Soluble Polymers via the Mannich Reaction

The Mannich reaction, defined as the condensation of ammonia or a primary or secondary amine with formaldehyde and a compound containing at least one hydrogen atom of pronounced activity, was first shown to yield polymers from suitably selected reactants as early as 1946 [l]. Surprisingly, very few further attempts to utilize this interesting reaction in polymer formation have been reported in the literature.