Water-swellable polyelectrolyte microgels polymerized in an inverse microemulsion using a nonionic surfactant

A series of poly(dimethylacrylamide-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) microgels slightly crosslinked by methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) were polymerized in a novel inverse microemulsion polymerization (IMEP) system. To determine a suitable composition of the IMEP system, the phase diagram of a pseudoternary system was made. The pseudoternary polymerization system consisted of n-hexane, a nonionic surfactant (polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, C18En), and an aqueous monomer solution. Polymerization was performed in a single-phase reversed micelle solution. The reversed micelles were about 50 nm in diameter, as determined by FF-TEM. The viscometric characteristics of the polymers extracted from the IMEP system were studied in 3 mM sodium chloride aqueous solution. The intrinsic viscosity values for the noncrosslinked and crosslinked (0.1 mol% MBA was incorporated) samples were 25 and 7.4 dl/g, respectively. The overlap concentration (c*) of crosslinked polymer microgel occurred at c[eta] = 1 in the solvent. When the volume fraction (phi) of the microgel was 0.7, the value of the apparent yield stress of the microgel solution was observed. These results show that the microgel has a significant thickening effect above c* due to friction between the microgel particles. It is assumed that the microgels polymerized in a confined space retain the shape or size of the nanosized reactor with a diameter on the order of 50 nm.     

Design of a new molecule that exhibits observable CD spectra under σ-σ* excitation: 2,6-Disilyl-2,6-disilaspiro[3.3]heptanes

Abstract

We previously designed and prepared the first molecules to exhibit observable CD spectra by n-σ* excitation, 2,6-dithiaspiro[3.3]heptane 2,6-dioxide. Spiro[3.3]heptane frameworks possess axial asymmetry due to puckering of 2 four-membered rings; the ring bonds are rich in p-character due to acute bond angles, which lowers the σ* energy levels. In contrast, the lone pairs are rich in s-character, which results in a good donor with conformational fixation. We expected that, instead of lone pairs as donating orbitals, the use of σ-electron-donating Si-Si bonds should result in UV absorption in the observable range (>180?nm), so that the Cotton effect could appear, at least partially, in that range. We designed 2,6-disilyl-2,6-disilaspiro[3.3]heptanes as models, and performed theoretical calculations to confirm our idea.     

Synthesis and Odor Evaluation of Stereoisomers of Imine Derivatives in Roasted Spotted Shrimp

All possible stereoisomers of imine derivatives 1 – 4 , which have the characteristic roast odor of seafood, were synthesized. As a result of odor evaluation of all isomers, we found that each isomer has a different and characteristic odor of roasted seafood.     

Substituent effects on the tautomer ratios between the hydrazone imine and diazenyl enamine forms in side-chained quinoxalines

The 3-(arylhydrazono)methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoxalines 9–11 were synthesized by the reaction of the quinoxalines 6–8 with various p-substituted benzenediazonium salts. Compounds 9–11 showed the tautomeric equilibria between the hydrazone imine A and diazenyl enamine B forms in dimethyl sulfoxide media. The substituent effect on the tautomer ratios of A to B was studied by the nmr spectroscopy to clarify that the presence of the ester group R² on the hydrazone carbon and electron-donating p-substituent R¹ on the side chain benzene ring exhibited a tendency to increase the ratios of the tautomer A .     

CHOICE OF COATINGS FOR THE OPTICAL ELEMENTS IN THE IRRADIATION SYSTEM OF VACUUM-ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ABOVE 50 nm

The spectral throughput of a vacuum-ultraviolet irradiation system at the SOR-RING facility was examined with various combinations of aluminum-and gold-coated optical elements in a 2.2-m modified Wadsworth monochromator. We found that the optimum was a combination of an aluminum-coated collimating mirror, concave grating, and plane deflecting mirror, and a combination of a gold-coated collimating mirror, concave grating and an aluminum-coated plane deflecting mirror in the wavelength regions 190-110 nm and 110-50 nm, respectively.     

Synthesis,structure, and dynamic behavior of cyclopentadienyl-lithium, -sodium,and -potassium annelated with bicyclo[2.2.2]octene units: a systematic study on site exchange of alkali metals on a cyclopentadienyl ring in tetrahydrofuran

Novel cyclopentadienyl (Cp)-alkali metal complexes 1-M and 2-M (M = Li, Na, K), in which the Cp ring is annelated with two bicyclo[2.2.2]octene units and substituted with a phenyl group for 1 and a tert-butyl group for 2, were synthesized, and their structures and dynamic behaviors were investigated by means of X-ray crystallography, dynamic (13)C NMR, and DFT calculations. The X-ray crystallography results indicated that 1-Li, 1-Na, and 2-Na form monomeric contact ion pairs (CIP) with three THF molecules coordinated to the metal atom. Also, in THF-d(8), all of the 1-M and 2-M form monomeric CIP in the ground state. However, variable-temperature (13)C NMR measurements of 1-M and 2-M in THF-d(8) demonstrated dynamic behavior in which the metal ion exchanges positions between the upper and lower faces of the Cp ring. From a study of the concentration dependence of the dynamic behavior, the exchange was found to proceed principally as an intramolecular process at concentration ranges lower than 0.2 M. The experimentally observed deltaG values for the intramolecular exchange process for all the 1-M and 2-M (except for 2-Li, whose intramolecular process was too slow to observe) were found to be quite similar in THF-d(8) solution and to fall within the range of 12-14 kcal mol(-)(1). Within this range, a tendency was observed for the deltaG values to increase as the size of the metal decreased. Theoretical calculations (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) afforded considerably large values as the gas-phase dissociation energy for 1-M (162.7 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = Li; 131.6 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = Na; 110.9 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = K) and for 2-M (170.0 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = Li; 137.5 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = Na; 115.4 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = K). These values should be compensated for by a decrease in the solvation energies for the metal ions with increasing size, as exemplified by the calculated solvation energy for M(+)(Me(2)O)(4), which serves as a model for metal ions solvated with four molecules of THF (-122.9 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = Li; -94.7 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = Na; -67.7 kcal mol(-)(1) for M = K). This compensation results in a small difference in the overall energy for dissociation of 1-M or 2-M in ethereal solutions, thus supporting the similar deltaG values observed for the intramolecular metal exchange.     

Phase Separation in Sol-Gel System Containing Mixture of 3- and 4-Functional Alkoxysilanes

The phase separation behavior of gelling systems containing the mixture of 3-functional and 4-functional alkoxysilanes has been investigated. The relation between the starting composition and resultant macroporous morphology was examined using tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) as starting alkoxysilanes, formamide (FA) as an additive, under an acidic condition. Up to TMOS:VTMS molar ratio of 0.5:0.5, the phase relation remained almost unchanged from that of pure TMOS system which exhibits morphology with well-defined co-continuous macropores in a very limited concentration region. On the VTMS-rich side typically TMOS:VTMS = 0.2:0.8, however, the co-continuous macroporous morphology was obtained in a broader composition range than those of either pure TMOS or VTMS system. A dome-like pseudo binary region was obtained with the two-phase region extending toward FA-rich direction. The domain size and pore volume of the gels with macroporous morphology could be controlled by alkoxide:water ratio and total solvent fraction, respectively.     

A regio- and stereoselective alpha-methylation of gamma,delta-epoxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters with a Me2Zn-CuCN reagent

A highly regio- and stereoselective alpha-methylation reaction of gamma,delta-epoxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters was achieved by using a Me2Zn-CuCN reagent.