Study of the polymer latex coalescence by dielectric measurements at microwave frequency—feasibility of the method

The measurement of the complex dielectric constant ( ^*=–j) in the dipolar absorption domain of the free water molecule (microwave region) permits us to follow quasi-specifically and precisely the water circulation during the coalescence process of a latex. Weight losses and dielectric constants variations have been simultaneously recorded upon latex drying, in a resonant cavity at 5 and 9 GHz and under controlled atmosphere and temperature. Two different latexes were studied (polybutylacrylate (PBuA) and polystyrene (PS)) from which the glass transition temperature effect was investigated. It is found that the harder the polymer particles, the more clearly evidenced the flocculation and packing points are. This method appears to be quite reliable for discriminating the various steps in the film formation process of latexes.     

Synthesis of polyrotaxanes based on α-cyclodextrin and poly(ethylene oxide)

Inclusion complexes of poly(ethylene oxide) with α-cyclodextrin are the key compounds in the synthesis of polyrotaxanes. These complexes prepared in aqueous solutions contain free cyclodextrin, which cocrystallizes with the major reaction product. These complexes dissociate upon dissolution in DMF and DMSO to form cyclodextrin and pseudopolyrotaxanes with a low cyclodextrin content. Polyrotaxane was synthesized with the use of poly(ethylene oxide)-α,ω-bis-amine as a linear component. The end-groups of the polymer in the inclusion complex were modified by the reaction with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. A procedure was developed for purification of a polyrotaxane with high cyclodextrin content. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1914–1918, August, 2005.     

Chemoselective and stereoselective synthesis of gem-difluoro-β-aminoesters or gem-difluoro-β-lactams from ethylbromodifluoroacetate and imines during Reformatsky reaction

The chemoselective and stereoselective synthesis of gem-difluoro-β-aminoesters or gem-difluoro-β-lactams was investigated from ethylbromodifluoroacetate and imines during Reformatsky reaction. Influence of various reaction parameters, such as nature of the amine part, nature of the chiral auxiliary, was evaluated. High levels of stereoselectivity (up to 98%) were obtained for gem-difluoro-β-aminoesters and gem-difluoro-β-lactams using either (R)-phenylglycinol or (R)-methoxyphenylglycinol.     

Exploring the self-assembly of dumbbell-shaped polyoxometalate hybrids,from molecular building units to nanostructured soft materials

The formation of hierarchical nanostructures using preformed dumbbell-like species made of covalent organic–inorganic polyoxometalate (POM)-based hybrids is herein described. In this system, the presence of charged subunits (POM, metal linkers, and counter ions) in the complex molecular architecture can drive their aggregation, which results from a competition between the solvation energy of the discrete species and intermolecular electrostatic interactions. We show that the nature of the POM and the charge of the metal linker are key parameters for the hierarchical nanoorganization. The experimental findings were corroborated with a computational investigation combining DFT and molecular dynamics simulation methods, which outlines the importance of solvation of the counter ion and POM/counter ion association in the aggregation process. The dumbbell-like species can also form gels, in the presence of a poorer solvent, displaying similar nanoorganization of the aggregates. We show that starting from the designed molecular building units whose internal charges can be controlled by redox trigger we can achieve their implementation into soft nanostructured materials through the control of their supramolecular organization.

The formation of hierarchical nanostructures using supramolecular dumbbell-like species made of organic–inorganic polyoxometalate-based hybrids is investigated by combination of SAXS and computational methods.     

A novel approach to study the inclusion mechanism of imidazole derivatives in micellar chromatography

A chromatographic approach was proposed to describe the existence of surfactant micelles in a surfactant/hydroorganic phosphate buffer mobile phase. Using this mixture as a mobile phase, a novel mathematical theory is presented to describe the inclusion mechanism of imidazole derivatives in surfactant micelles. Using this model, enthalpy, entropy and the Gibbs free energy were determined for two chromatographic chemical processes: (i) the transfer of the imidazole derivative from the mobile phase to the stationary phase; and (ii) the imidazole derivative inclusion in surfactant micelles. These thermodynamic data indicate that the main parameter determining chromatographic retention is distribution of the imidazole derivatives to micelles of surfactant while the interaction with the stationary phase play a minor role.     

Analyse destructive de traces de rubidium dans des echantillons mineralogiques par radioactivation au moyen de neutrons de 14 MeV

Increasing interest is devoted in geochemistry to the determination of minor elements in rocks and minerals with the best analytical precision. The use of different methods is quite useful to point out and overcome the systematic and specific interferences of the geological matrix. 14 MeV neutron activation analysis can be used for such a purpose as an additional check method. A successful attempt has been made in the determination of rubidium in different geochemical standards. A sensitivity of 100 ppm can be reached with a 5% precision without any interference problem.     

Analyse conformationnelle théorique

Résumé Une étude théorique ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO de la méthylène imine et de l'anion vinyle a été effectuée. Les barrières d'énergie calculées pour l'inversion de l'azote et pour la rotation autour de la liaison C=N sont respectivement de 26–28 kcal/mole et de 57 kcal/mole.La barrière d'inversion du carbanion calculée pour l'anion vinyle est de 39 kcal/mole et l'isomérisation des imines se fait donc par inversion de l'azote. Les anions vinyliques ont une configuration stable.L'origine physique de ces barrières d'inversion est étudiée et caractérisée par les variations des termes énergétiques, de la composition de l'OM du doublet libre et des populations électroniques.La comparaison des processus d'inversion du carbanion, de l'azote et de l'oxonium dans la série CH₂=CH, CH₂=NH et CH₂=OH a permis de mettre en évidence l'évolution des termes énergétiques, de la hauteur de la barrière et des transferts de population.

---

Theoretical conformational analysisIV. An ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO study of methylenimine and of vinyl anion

An ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO study of methylenimine and vinyl anion has been performed. The calculated barriers to nitrogen inversion and to rotation about the C=N bond are equal to 26–28 kcal/mole and 57 kcal/mole respectively.The calculated barrier to carbanion inversion in the vinyl anion amounts to 39 kcal/mole. Thus isomerization of imines occurs by a nitrogen inversion process and vinyl anions are configurationally stable.The physical origin of these inversion barriers is studied and characterized by the changes in the energy terms, in lone pair MO composition, and in electron populations.Comparison of the carbanion, nitrogen and oxonium inversion processes in the isoelectronic series CH₂=CH, CH₂=NH and CH₂=OH permits to delineate general trends in the energy terms, barrier height and population transfers.

---

Zusammenfassung Für Methylenimin und das Vinylanion wird eine ab initio SCF-LCAO-MO-Studie durchgeführt. Die berechneten Barrieren für die Stíckstoffinversion und die Rotation um die C=N-Bindung betragen 26–28 kcal/Mol bzw. 57 kcal/Mol.Die berechnete Barriere für die Inversion des Carbanions im Vinylanion beträgt 39 kcal/Mol. Daher wird die Isomerisation von Iminen durch einen Stickstoffinversionsprozeß hervorgerufen, und die Konfigurationen von Vinyl-Anionen sind stabil.Der physikalische Ursprung dieser Inversionsbarrieren wird studiert und durch Änderungen in den Energietermen, in der Zusammensetzung von Ione pair-MO's und in den Besetzungszahlen der Elektronen charakterisiert.Ein Vergleich der Inversionsprozesse des Carbanions, des Stickstoffs und des Oxonium-Ions in der isoelektronischen Reihe CH₂=CH^–, CH₂=NH and CH₂=OH⁺ ermöglicht es, allgemeine Züge in den Energietermen, in den Höhen der Barrieren und den Besetzungsübergängen abzuleiten.

---

---

Précédent article de cette série: cf. Réf. [1].

---

Laboratoire associé au C.N.R.S.     

Molecular dynamics study of hydration in ethanol-water mixtures using a polarizable force field

The abnormal physicochemical characteristics of ethanol solvation in water are commonly attributed to the phenomenon of hydrophobic hydration. To investigate the structural organization of hydrophobic hydration in water-ethanol mixtures, we use molecular dynamics simulations based on detailed atomic models. Induced polarization is incorporated into the potential function on the basis of the classical Drude oscillator model. Water-ethanol mixtures are simulated at 11 ethanol molar fractions, from 0.05 to 0.9. Although the water and ethanol models are parametrized separately to reproduce the vaporization enthalpy, static dielectric constant, and self-diffusion constant of neat liquids at ambient conditions, they also reproduce the energetic and dynamical properties of the mixtures accurately. Furthermore, the calculated dielectric constant for the various water-alcohol mixtures is in excellent agreement with experimental data. The simulations provide a detailed structural characterization of the mixtures. A depletion of water-water hydrogen bonding in the first hydration shell of ethanol is compensated by an enhancement in the second hydration shell. The structuring effect from the second solvation shell gives rise to a net positive hydrogen-bonding excess for ethanol molar fractions up to approximately 0.5. For larger molar fractions, the second hydration shell is not sufficiently populated to overcome the net H-bond depletion from the first shell.     

Direct access to CF3-propargyl amines and conversion to difluoromethyl imines

Trifluoromethyl aldimines reacted with acetylides in toluene at −78 °C to provide propargyl amines in good yields. From a chiral trifluoromethyl aldimine, the propargyl amines were obtained with excellent diastereoselectivities (de >98%). Trifluoromethyl propargyl amines could be further converted into difluoromethyl imines under basic conditions.     

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry studies of noncovalent myosin VI complexes reveal a new specific calmodulin binding site

Among the myosin superfamily, myosin VI differs from all others by a reverse directionality and a particular motility. Little structural information is available for myosin VI. It is known that it binds one calmodulin (CaM) by means of a single "IQ motif" and that myosin VI contains a specific insert located at the junction between the motor domain (MD) and the lever arm, likely to play a critical role for the unusual motility previously observed. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS) was used to determine the CaM and Ca2+ stoichiometries in several myosin VI constructs. In particular, the experimental conditions required for the observation of multiprotein/Ca2+ noncovalent assemblies are detailed for two truncated MD constructs (less than 20 kDa) and for three full MD constructs (more than 90 KDa). The specificity of the detected stoichiometries is discussed for each construct and the resolving power of Time of Flight mass spectrometry is stressed, in particular for the detection of metal ions binding to high molecular weight complexes. MS reveals a new CaM binding site for myosin VI and highlights a different behavior for the five myosin VI constructs versus Ca2+ binding. In addition to these stoichiometry based experiments, gas-phase dissociation analyses on intact complexes are described. They reveal that Ca2+ transfer between protein partners occurs during the dissociation process for one construct with a full MD. Charge-transfer and dissociation behavior has allowed to draw structural assumptions for the interaction of the MD with the CaM N-terminal lobe.