Sonochemical polymerization of diphenylmethane

Sonolysis of diphenylmethane (DPhM) has been studied under the effect of 20 kHz ultrasound (absorbed acoustic power 0.45 W/ml, surface area of sonotrode 1 cm(2), volume of sonicated solution 100 ml) under argon at 60 degrees C. The solid product of the sonolysis was characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, 13C MAS NMR, TGA/DSC, XRD and TEM techniques. It was found that the sonolysis of DPhM causes formation of the polymer with the composition similar to crosslinked polystyrene. Assumed mechanism of DPhM sonolysis consists of DPhM molecules dissociation inside the cavitating bubble. Secondary radical scavenging and radical recombination processes yields the sonopolymer in the liquid phase. The breakdown of the aromatic ring during DPhM sonolysis confirms that a very high temperature established in the cavitating bubble.     

KMgF3:Ni2+晶体的占位、局部结构、吸收光谱和顺磁g因子的统一解释

利用完全对角化方法和强场耦合方案,采用半自洽场(semi-SCF)自由Ni2+的d轨道模型和Ni2+-6X-(x=F,Cl,Br,I)络合物的μ-κ-α模型研究,建立了含有过渡族金属离子的晶体的局域结构与吸收光谱和顺磁g因子之间的定量关系,对KMgF3:Ni2+晶体的占位、局域结构、吸收光谱和顺磁g因子作出了统一解释,预测了KMgF3:Ni2+晶体的光谱精细结构.所得理论计算结果与实验值符合得很好.     

Electron transport in conjugated metallopolymers

Superexchange interactions between metal centers coordinated to various conjugated polymer backbones have been shown to enhance the rate of electron transport through the polymer. Results for Ru and Os bipyridine moieties complexed to polybenzimidzoles and poly(bithiophene-co-bithiazole)s are reviewed. The evidence for superexchange mediated electron transport, and the factors that influence the rate of electron hopping between metal centers, are discussed.     

Improved biocompatibility of protein encapsulation in sol–gel materials

By using the fluorescent dye 6-propionyl-2-(N,N-dimethylamino) naphthalene (PRODAN) to monitor methanol generated during tetramethyl orthosilicate polymerization we have optimised the encapsulation of protein in silica sol–gel monoliths with respect to completion of hydrolysis and distillation in order to remove methanol such that protein can be added without denaturation. A minimum of 24 h at +4 °C was found to be required before hydrolysis is complete and 3–5 min of vacuum distillation at 50 °C and 300 mbar needed to remove methanol before the gel is formed. The biocompatibility of a tetramethyl orthosilicate sol–gel monolith was demonstrated by preserving the trimer protein allophycocyanin (APC) in its native form for up to 500 h. This obviates the previously essential requirement of covalently binding the trimer together in order to prevent dissociation into monomers and has enabled observation of native APC trimer in a sol–gel pore for the first time down to the single molecule level using combined fluorescence spectroscopy and confocal microscopy. The higher stability afforded by the protocol we describe could impact on the application of sol–gel materials to single-molecule studies of wider bearing such as protein folding and aggregation.     

Novel electroactive surface functionality from the coupling of an aryl diamine to carbon black

The reaction of 1,2-diaminoanthraquinone with Vulcan XC72 carbon in 4 M HCl produces two distinct surface bound anthraquinone species, with formal potentials of ca. ?0.03 and ?0.19 V vs. SCE. The more positive couple is very stable to electrochemical cycling and has been assigned to the expected benzimidazole linkage. The other wave, which decays over hours of cycling is thought to be due to an amine linkage. This type of linkage also appears to be formed spontaneously when 1,2-diaminoanthraquinone is adsorbed onto Vulcan XC72 from methanol.     

Gas-phase study of new organozinc reagents by IRMPD-spectroscopy, computational modelling and tandem-MS

An extensive set of organozinc iodides, useful for Negishi-type cross-coupling reactions, are investigated as respective cations after formal loss of iodide in the gas phase. Firstly, two new alkylzinc compounds derived from Tyrosine (Tyr) and Tryptophan (Trp) are closely examined. Secondly, the influence of specific protecting groups on the subtle balance between intra- and intermolecular coordination of zinc in these reagents is probed through trifluoroacetyl (TFA)-derivatized alkylzinc compounds. Finally, the influence of the strongly coordinating bidentate ligand N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) on the structure of alkylzinc cations is further explored in order to better understand the stability of the respective complexes towards water. A combination of electrospray (ESI)-MS/MS, accurate ion mass measurements, infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and computational modelling allowed the full characterisation of all dimethylformamide (DMF)-solvated and TMEDA-coordinated alkylzinc cations in the gas phase. The calculations indicate that the zinc cation in gas-phase alkylzinc-DMF or TMEDA-complex ions preferentially adopts a tetrahedral coordination sphere with four ligands. Additionally, conformers with only three binding partners bound to zinc but with effectively combined hydrogen-bond interactions are also found. Collision induced dissociation (CID) patterns demonstrate that the zinc-DMF interaction in tetrahedral four-coordinate mono-DMF-zinc complex ions as well as the interaction between TMEDA and zinc in the corresponding complex ions is even stronger than typical covalent bonds. In most cases, all major features of the IRMPD spectra are consistent with only a single major isomer, allowing secured identification and assignment.     

Evidence for the role of tetramethylethylenediamine in aqueous Negishi cross-coupling: synthesis of nonproteinogenic phenylalanine derivatives on water

The structure of the alkylzinc-tetramethylethyl-enediamine (TMEDA) cluster cation 3 has been determined in the gas phase by a combination of tandem mass spectrometry, infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. Both sets of experimental results establish the existence of a strongly stabilizing interaction of TMEDA with the zinc cation. High-level DFT calculations on the alkylzinc-TMEDA cluster cation 3 allowed the identification of two low energy conformers, each featuring a four-coordinate zinc atom with a bidentate TMEDA ligand, and internal coordination from the carbonyl group of the Boc group to zinc. The experimental IRMPD spectrum is reproduced with an appropriately weighted combination of the IR spectra of the two conformers identified by theory. DFT calculations on the structure of the alkylzinc halide 2 with coordinated TMEDA using the PCM model of water solvent suggest that TMEDA can promote ionization of the zinc-iodine bond in organozinc iodides under aqueous conditions, providing a credible explanation for the role of TMEDA in stabilizing the carbon-zinc bond. Reaction of the serine-derived iodide 1 with aryl iodides "on water", promoted by nano zinc in the presence of PdCl(2)(Amphos)(2) (5 mol %) and TMEDA, leads to the formation of protected phenylalanine derivatives 4 in reasonable yields. In the case of ortho-substituted aryl iodides and aryl iodides that are solids at room temperature, conducting the reaction at 65 °C gives improved results. In all cases, the product 5 of reductive dimerization of the iodide 1 is also isolated.