Synthesis of poly(1-vinylimidazole)-block-poly(9-vinylcarbazole) copolymers via RAFT and their use in chemically responsive graphitic composites

This study reports the synthesis of novel poly(1-vinylimidazole)-b-poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVI-b-PVK) block copolymers with varying monomer ratios using reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and their incorporation in responsive composite materials. Specifically, non-covalent exfoliation of two different conductive fillers, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or reduced graphene oxide (rGO), was studied. The percolation threshold of the synthesized nanocomposites was dependent on the polymer used for dispersion, showing a better affinity of the fillers for block copolymers with higher relative carbazole content. Resistivity measurements showed selective variation in the resistance signal when the materials were exposed to various organic solvents and acids, providing a good basis for the design of sensing devices.     

Mean field modeling of isotropic random Cauchy elasticity versus microstretch elasticity

We show that the averaged response of random isotropic Cauchy elastic material can be described analytically. It leads to a higher gradient model with explicit expressions for the dependence on the second derivatives of the mean field. A subsequent penalty formulation coincides with a linear elastic micro-stretch model with specific choice of constitutive parameters, depending only on the average cut-off length (the internal characteristic length scale L_c > 0). Thus the microstretch displacement field can be interpreted as an approximated mean field response for these parameter ranges. The mean field free energy in this micro-stretch formulation is not uniformly pointwise positive, nevertheless, the model is well posed.      

Catalytic Cyclophanes. Part XI. A flavo-thiazolio-cyclophane as a biomimetic catalyst for the preparative-scale electro-oxidation of aromatic aldehydes to methyl esters

Flavo-thiazolio-cyclophane 6 was prepared on a gram scale by an 18-step synthesis (Schemes 3 and 4). This pathway involved the very efficient preparation of bromo-cyclophane 32 (37% yield over 13-steps), which can be readily modified to create various multiply functionalized receptors. This bromide 32 was subsequently converted into the corresponding boronic acid and connected to the 7-bromoflavin 10 (Scheme 2) via Suzuki coupling to give flavo-cyclophane 36 . The thiazolium unit was then introduced after quaternization of the tertiary amino groups of 36 . Flavo-thiazolio-cyclophane 6 , with both prosthetic groups attached in proximity to the well-defined cyclophane binding site, is a functional model for the enzyme pyruvate oxidase. In basic methanolic solution, 6 catalyzes the oxidation of aromatic aldehydes to their corresponding methyl esters. Cyclophane 6 shows saturation kinetics, and the turnover number calculated for the oxidation of naphthalene-2-carbaldehyde to methyl naphthalene-2-carboxylate (k_cat = 0.22 s⁻¹) is one of the highest reported for an artificial enzyme. Control experiments showed that the catalytic advantages of 6 result from the macrocyclic binding and reaction site as well as from the covalent attachment of both cofactors to this site. The catalytic cycle is completed by electrochemical re-oxidation of the reduced flavin moiety at a low working electrode potential (- 0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl), and up to ca. 100 catalytic cycles can be performed on a preparative scale, The intramolecular nature of the electron transfer from the active aldehyde intermediate to the flavin is particularly conducive to the oxidation of unreactive aldehydes.     

Fluoride-promoted rearrangement of organo silicon compounds: a new synthesis of 2-(arylmethyl)aldehydes from 1-alkynes

A new approach to 2-(arylmethyl)aldehydes 4 based upon a 1,2-anionotropic rearrangement of an aryl group is presented. The synthetic sequence begins with a silylformylation reaction of terminal acetylenes 5 with aryl and heteroaryl silanes 6, followed by treatment of the products (Z)-1 with TBAF. The optimization of the experimental conditions of the fluoride-promoted step is described, together with the synthetic potentialities of the process. A plausible mechanism of the rearrangement reaction is reported that suggests the addition of the fluoride ion to the arylsilicon moiety of beta-silylalkenals (Z)-1 and the consequent migration of the aryl group to the adjacent carbon atom. Both aryl and heteroaryl substituents can rearrange without any loss of configuration. Bromo-functionalized substrates undergo an intramolecular reaction that affords exclusively carbacyclobenzyl aldehydes, further enhancing the high synthetic value of this method.     

Size Functions and Morphological Transformations

In this paper changes of size functions under morphological transformations are studied. Some inequalities concerning size functions of a subset of the Euclidean plane, its dilation by an open disk and its skeleton are proved. Such inequalities prove the stability of size functions with respect to these morphological transformations and give a new approach for computation in Size Theory.     

First examples of gold nanoparticles catalyzed silane alcoholysis and silylative pinacol coupling of carbonyl compounds

In this Letter, we illustrate the first catalytic application of supported Au nanoparticles in silane alcoholysis. The reaction proceeds with low amount of catalysts, under solvent free conditions for liquid substrates, without additional ligands and in a very selective way for primary alcohols in the examined cases. Additionally, a gold catalyzed silylative pinacol coupling of carbonyl compound is observed for the first time and some hypotheses about the reaction mechanism are given.