Piperazine Functionalization of C70 for Incorporation into Supramolecular Assemblies

The photochemical reaction of piperazine with C₇₀ produces a mono‐adduct (N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀) in high yield (67 %) along with three bis‐adducts. These piperazine adducts can combine with various Lewis acids to form crystalline supramolecular aggregates suitable for X‐ray diffraction. The structure of the mono‐adduct was determined from examination of the adduct I₂N(CH₂CH₂)₂NI₂C₇₀ that was formed by reaction of N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀ with I₂. Crystals of polymeric {Rh₂(O₂CCF₃)₄N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀}_n?nC₆H₆ that formed from reaction of the mono‐adduct with Rh₂(O₂CCF₃)₄ contain a sinusoidal strand of alternating molecules of N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀ and Rh₂(O₂CCF₃)₄ connected through Rh?N bonds. Silver nitrate reacts with N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀ to form black crystals of {(Ag(NO₃))₄(N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀)₄}_n?7nCH₂Cl₂ that contain parallel, nearly linear chains of alternating (N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀ molecules and silver ions. Four of these {Ag(NO₃)N(CH₂CH₂)₂NC₇₀}_n chains adopt a structure that resembles a columnar micelle with the ionic silver nitrate portion in the center and the nearly non‐polar C₇₀ cages encircling that core. Of the three bis‐adducts, one was definitively identified through crystallization in the presence of I₂ as ¹²{N(CH₂CH₂)₂N}₂C₇₀ with addends on opposite poles of the C₇₀ cage and a structure with C_2v symmetry. In ¹²{I₂N(CH₂CH₂)₂N}₂C₇₀, individual ¹²{I₂N(CH₂CH₂)₂N}₂C₇₀ units are further connected by secondary I2???N2 interactions to form chains that occur in layers within the crystal. Halogen bond formation between a Lewis base such as a tertiary amine and I₂ is suggested as a method to produce ordered crystals with complex supramolecular structures from substances that are otherwise difficult to crystallize.     

Detrimental Ni(0) transfer in Kumada catalyst transfer polycondensation of benzo[2,1‐b:3,4‐b']dithiophene

This article deals with the Kumada Catalyst Transfer Polycondensation (KCTP) of 4,7‐dioctylbenzo[2,1‐b:3,4‐b']dithiophene ( BDP‐Oct ) using Ni(II) catalyst or In/cat combination. A combination of MALDI MS, GPC, and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy is used to reveal the failure of the KCTP of this particular monomer. Intermolecular transfer reactions to monomer appeared to prevent the formation of polymer. This result is remarkable, since isomeric benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b']dithiophene polymerizes in a controlled way. The presence of a “non‐aromatic double bond” in annulated monomers is discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1706–1712     

Path to achieving molecular dispersion in a dense reactive mixture

A uniform dispersion of reactants is necessary to achieve a complete reaction involving multicomponents. In this study, we have examined the role of plasticizer in the reaction of two seemingly unlikely reactants: a highly crystalline hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and a strongly hydrogen bonded phenol formaldehyde resin. By combining information from NMR, infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, we were able to determine the role of specific intermolecular interactions necessary for the plasticizer to dissolve the highly crystalline HMTA and to plasticize the phenol formaldehyde resin in this crosslinking reaction. The presence of the plasticizer increased the segmental mobility, disrupted the hydrogen bonded matrix, and freed the hydroxyl units, which further increased the solubility of the HMTA. Both the endothermic and exothermic transitions are accounted for in the calorimetric data obtained. For the first time, it is possible to obtain the effective molar ratio of each component needed to complete the crosslinking reaction efficiently. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1519–1526     

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles with aggregation induced emission characteristics for intracellular Fe3+ sensing

In this article, a novel zwitterionic conjugated polyelectrolyte containing tetraphenylethene unit was synthesized via Pd‐catalyzed Sonogashira reaction. The resulting polymer (P2), which exhibited typical aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) properties, was weakly fluorescent in dilute DMSO solution and showed bright fluorescence emissions when aggregated in DMSO/water mixtures or fabricated into conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs). The nanoparticles from P2 could be prepared by reprecipitation method with an average diameter around 23 nm. Notably, the cell‐staining efficiencies of lipid‐P2 nanoparticles could be enhanced with lipid encapsulation and these nanoparticles were endocytosed via caveolae‐mediated and clathrin‐mediated endocytosis pathways. Furthermore, the lipid‐P2 nanoparticles with low cytotoxicity, high photostability and efficient cell staining ability could be employed for in vitro detection of Fe³⁺ ions in A549 cells. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1686–1693     

High refractive index hyperbranched polyvinylsulfides for planar one‐dimensional all‐polymer photonic crystals

We report on the growth and characterization of one‐dimensional (1D) planar all‐polymer photonic crystals (PhC) with high dielectric contrast (Δn = 0.3) prepared by spin coating using hyperbranched polyvinylsulfide polymers (HB‐PVS) as high refractive index material and cellulose acetate as low refractive index material. Solution processable HB‐PVS show a near ultraviolet absorption inducing an increased refractive index in the visible‐near infrared (n = 1.68, λ = 1000 nm). HBPVS:Cellulose Acetate Distributed Bragg Reflectors show a very clear fingerprint of the photonic band gap possessing the expected polarized dispersion properties as a function of the incidence angle. Moreover, engineered microcavities tuned on the weak fluorescence spectrum of the HB‐PVS show directional fluorescence enhancement effects due to spectral redistribution of the emission oscillator strength. The combination of all these properties testifies the high optical quality of the obtained photonic structures thus indicating HB‐PVS as an interesting material for the preparation of such PhC. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 73–80     

Stress memory polymers

Like shape memory polymers, a novel phenomenon of stress memory was shown in which the stress of a material can respond to an external stimulus. This concept was further enlightened by a switch‐spring‐frame model that would eliminate the limitation of existing models which overlooked the stimulus responsive nature of such polymers. The discovery being reported in this article was stemmed from a real case study into shape memory polymer fibers in compression stocking for varicose veins. The breakthrough of stress memory enabled researchers to develop applications needing stimuli‐responsive forces, which can broaden the horizon of such smart polymers in emerging smart products in many multidisciplinary fields such as sensors, stress garments, and massage devices, electronic skins, and artificial muscles. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 893–898     

Synthesis of polymer with defined fluorescent end groups via reversible addition fragmentation transfer polymerization for characterizing the conformations of polymer chains in solutions

A new type of chain transfer agent used in reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization named 9‐anthracenylmethyl (4‐cyano‐4‐(N‐carbazylcarbodithioate) pentanoate) (ACCP) was synthesized with a total yield over 75% by the incorporation of both fluorescent donor and acceptor chromophores. Polymerization of heterotelechelic α,ω end‐labeled dye‐functionalized polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and poly(n‐butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) with adjustable molecular weights and narrow polydispersity could be conducted by a one‐pot procedure through RAFT polymerization with this bischromophore chain transfer agent. The polymerizations demonstrated “living” controlled characteristics. By taking advantage of the characteristic fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) response between the polymer chain terminals, the variation of chain dimensions in solution from the dilute region to the semidilute region can be monitored by changes in the ratio of the fluorescence intensities of the carbazolyl group to the anthryl group, which lends itself to potential applications in characterizing chain dimensions in solutions for thermodynamic or dynamic studies. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2413–2420     

Attapulgite grafted with polystyrene via a simultaneous reverse and normal initiation atom transfer radical polymerization

The surface grafting of attapulgite (ATP) with polystyrene (PS) was established via a simultaneous reverse and normal initiation atom transfer radical polymerization (SR&NIATRP). 4‐(chloromethyl)phenyltrimethoxysilane (CMPTMS) chemical bounded on the surface of ATP (ATP‐Cl, Cl‐I) was prepared via one‐step self‐assembly. SR&NI ATRP of styrene was conducted using CuCl₂ complex tris(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl)amine (Me₆‐TREN) as the catalytic system, initiated by 2,2‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) and ATP‐Cl. FT‐IR, XRD, XPS, TGA and TEM data were consistent with the grafting of benzyl chloride groups and PS chains on ATP surface. The controllability of polymerization was investigated by the kinetics behavior under different molar ratio of AIBN and CuCl₂. The obtained polymer possessed a uniform distribution of molecular weights with a lower polydispersity index of 1.2～1.4. The relationship between polymerization on the surface of ATP and in solution was discussed in detail based on TGA data of hybrid particles and GPC trace of free polymer in solution. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1508–1516     

Generic applications of 13C‐detected NMR diffusion to formulated systems with suppression of thermal convection induced by proton decoupling

Fast and effective structural/compositional analysis on formulated systems represents one of the major challenges encountered in analytical science. ¹³C‐detected diffusion represents a promising tool to tackle the aforementioned challenges, particularly in industry. Toward exploring the generic applications of ¹³C‐detected diffusion, thermal convection induced by ¹H decoupling has been identified as a key factor that resulted in significantly reduced resolution in the diffusion dimension. Optimization of experimental parameters and utilization of double‐stimulated echo‐based pulse sequence both can effectively suppress the thermal convection caused by the ¹H decoupling, the success of which allows robust and generic applications of ¹³C‐detected diffusion to systems from mixtures of small molecules, polymer blends, and copolymers to actual complex formulated systems. The method is particularly powerful in differentiating small molecules from polymers, polymer blends from copolymers, and end‐group analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Highly active polymeric organocatalyst: Chiral ionic polymers prepared from 10,11‐didehydrogenated cinchonidinium salt

Since few examples of 10,11‐didehydrogenated (3‐ethynyl) cinchona alkaloids have been utilized as organocatalysts in asymmetric reaction, we synthesized 10,11‐didehydrogenated cinchonidine. The 3‐vinyl group of cinchonidine was transformed into a 3‐ethynyl functionality. Based on the resulting 10,11‐didehydrogenated cinchonidine, the corresponding quaternary ammonium salt and its dimers were prepared. The ion‐exchange reaction between the quaternary ammonium salt and sodium sulfonate produced the quaternary ammonium sulfonate as a stable ionic compound. Chiral ionic polymers were then synthesized by the ion‐exchange polymerization of the 10,11‐didehydrogenated cinchonidinium salt dimer and a disulfonate. The chiral ionic polymers were found to be capable of efficiently catalyzing the asymmetric alkylation of N‐(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert‐butyl ester. The enantioselectivities obtained with the polymeric catalysts were higher than those obtained with the corresponding monomeric catalyst. Dimers of 10,11‐didehydrogenated cinchonidinium salts were prepared. Treatment of the dimer with disodium disulfonate gave the chiral ionic polymers, which showed high catalytic activity in asymmetric benzylation of N‐(diphenylmethylen)glycine tert‐butyl ester. The polymeric catalysts were reused several times without the loss of catalytic activity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 621–627