Bicyclobutanes and cyclobutenes: Unusual carbocyclic monomers

Bicyclobutanes and cyclobutenes substituted with electron‐attracting groups represent novel classes of reactive monomers. They readily undergo free‐radical and anionic polymerizations to give high polymers consisting of 1,3‐ and 1,2‐enchained cyclobutane rings, respectively. They also copolymerize readily with conventional vinyl monomers. These polymers display numerous attractive properties in comparison with their vinyl counterparts, including enhanced thermal stability, superior optical properties, and higher glass‐transition temperatures. The syntheses of these monomers are reviewed, and suggestions toward future larger scale production are made. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 625–635, 2003     

The evaluation of moments for polycyclic hydrocarbons

The evaluation of some moments of the energy in the Hückel theory of conjugated molecules is considered. It is shown that, for molecules consisting entirely of hexagons, the moments ₄ and ₆ can be expressed in terms of four graphical invariants. Partial results are given for other molecules. Since the total energy can be expressed as a series of moments the implications for the energy are discussed. In this discussion two other invariants play a major role. The conclusion is suggested that an analysis of moments in terms of graphical invariants should be of prime importance in understanding these molecules.     

Examination of bilayer lipid membranes for 'pin-hole' character

BLM prepared on electrode substrates by supporting or tethering were tested for 'pin-hole' character, comparing data from cyclic voltammetry (CV), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and rotating disc electrodes (RDE). 1-hexadecylamine tethered BLMs on SAM modified gold electrodes were compared with BLMs assembled on modified polyHEMA or sol-gel layers. BLM formation followed by SPR showed that the initial phase of the assembly was complete in 5-20 minutes and produced layers of thickness >5 nm, compared with the expected final BLM thickness of approximately 3 nm. The CVs of the K(3)[Fe(CN)(6)] couple were significantly suppressed irrespective of the method of BLM assembly, without major differences emerging for the different methods. However, data from the RDE distinguished the 'pin-hole' character of the different preparations. The data were consistent with incomplete initial (<1 h, SPR estimated BLM thickness >5 nm) vesicle fusion leaving 'pin-holes' of approximately 2 microm (HDA-11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) tethered BLM) to approximately 3 microm (tetraethylorthosilicate sol-gel supported BLM) followed by a slow maturation (>15 h; impedance spectroscopy estimated thickness approximately 3 nm) and lateral spreading and fusion, resulting in loss of 'pin-hole' character (<1 microm). The BLM could be used in conjunction with potentiometric measurement to observe the incorporation of nystatin into the BLM and the rate of incorporation adjusted according to original permeability of the BLM. The 'pin-hole-free' BLM construction with lowest permeability (TEOS supported, 4 x 10(-10) cm s(-1) compared with HDA-MUA, 3 x 10(-9) cm s(-1)) gave a potentiometric signal independent of bulk ion-concentration across 5 decades change in concentration. Formed on an ion-selective electrode, nystatin incorporation could be followed as a change in potential, over >2 h, whereas the TEOS supported BLM with permeability 1 x 10(-9) cm s(-1) shows nystatin incorporation within 1 h. In this instance, addition of ConA reduced the potential to the same value as prior to nystatin incorporation, consistent with nystatin channel closure.     

The determination of p-cresol in chloroform with an enzyme electrode used in the organic phase

An enzyme electrode that operates in chloroform is described. Polyphenol oxidase (tyrosinase; EC.1.14.18.1) is used to detect p-cresol via electrochemical reduction of the product, 4-methyl- 1,2-benzoquinone, at a graphite foil electode. The response is linear for p-cresol concentrations of 0–0.10 mM, with a limit of detection of 1 μM. After an initial rise from 1.9 μA to 4.0 μA in the first three assays, the response of the electrode to 0.10 mM p-cresol remained stable for twelve consecutive assays ($\text{x}$=4.6, SD=0.49). After intermittent usage for 204 days with appropriate storage, the enzyme electrode remained active. The electrode is sensitive to a broad range of phenols. The feasibility of detecting p-cresol contamination of water is demonstrated.     

5-甲基-[(2E,6E)-3,7,11-三甲基-9-氧代十二碳二烯]苯醌和氢醌的首次全合成

以2-甲基对苯二酚和香叶基溴为起始原料, 经过酚羟基保护, 溴代, Li₂CuCl₄催化的芳基溴与Grignard试剂的偶联以及Julia偶联等一系列反应, 完成了裸鳃亚动物的代谢产物, 5-甲基-[(2E,6E)-3,7,11-三甲基-9-氧代十二碳二烯]苯醌(1)和氢醌(2)的首次全合成, 将1用NaBH₄还原, 得到(±)-3, (±)-3也是此类天然产物之一.     

Small-angle x-ray scattering by crystalline polymer fibers 2. Investigation of the linear paracrystalline model using various materials

The linear position-sensitive detector is well-suited to measure quantitatively the distribution parallel to the fibre axis of the intensity of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) by polymer fibres, except that in the case of four-point patterns their width is greater than that of the detector window. A method is described which overcomes this problem, and which has high angular resolution. Using this method, the variation of scattered intensity with angles from 0.3° to 2.5° has been measured for fibres of poly(ethylene terephthalate), nylon, and low density poly(ethylene) (LDPE), and compared with that predicted by the linear paracrystalline model. In all cases except LDPE, when the distribution of phase lengths was given by the Reinhold function, there was no significant disagreement between the measured and predicted scattering except for a very small range of angles on the low angle side of the peak intensity. With LDPE small but significant discrepancies were found at other angles as well, and these were worse if the symmetrical Gaussian distribution function was used. The method enabled quantitative parameters describing the morphology to be obtained. It is concluded that the morphology of the linear paracrystalline stack is consistent with the SAXS intensity distribution, and that the Reinhold function is a reasonable approximation to the distribution of phase lengths. A small modification so that this decays more rapidly at long lengths might be necessary to explain the scattering for all materials over the entire angular range and other small changes might be needed with LDPE, although the asymmetrical nature of the distribution must be retained.On leave from Department of Physics, University of Technology Malaysia, 81300 Sekudai, Malaysia.     

Chain scission efficiency and reactive-ion etch resistance of alternating copolymers of styrene and olefins trisubstituted or tetrasubstituted with electron-withdrawing groups

Alternating copolymers of styrene (St) with electron-deficient olefins trisubstituted or tetrasubstituted with cyano and carboalkoxy groups have been subjected to ⁶⁰Co γ-radiolysis together with a series of copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and St. The chain scission susceptibility G_s—G_x determined by membrane osmometry drastically decreases as St is incorporated in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Whereas the alternating St-MMA copolymer is slightly crosslinked upon irradiation, an alternating copolymer of St with diethyl 2-cyano-1,1-ethylenedicarboxylate maintains a fairly high degradation sensitivity (G_s—G_x = 1.2). The reactive-ion etch rates were determined for the series of polymers in CF₄/O₂ (92/8). The etch resistance is significantly increased by introduction of St units in PMMA, and the highly substituted alternating copolymer etches as slowly as the MMA(50)—St(50) copolymers. Thus the alternating copolymer of NCCH=C(CO₂Et)₂ with St behaves like PMMA when exposed to high-energy radiation but is comparable to PSt in plasma environments.