Topological Phase Transition of Non-Hermitian Crosslinked Chain

The contents of topological classification of matter are enriched by non-Hermiticity, such as exceptional points, bulk-edge correspondence, and skin effects. Physically, gain and loss can be introduced by imaginary on-site potentials of lattice Hamiltonians, and the topological phase transition for a cross-linked chain in the presence of such non-Hermiticity is investigated. The topological phase diagram in terms of a winding number is obtained analytically with phase boundaries coinciding with the surfaces of exceptional points. The topologically original edge states with distribution mainly at the joints between domains of different phases are protected even for long chains. The non-Hermitian topological feature can also be reflected by vortex structures in the vector fields of complex eigenenergies, expected values of Pauli matrices, and trajectories of these quantities. This model may be implemented in coupled photonic crystals, fermions trapped in optical lattice, or non-Hermitian electrical-circuit lattices, and the edge states are immune to various kinds of disorders until topological phase transition occurs. This work gives insight into the influence of non-Hermiticity on topological phase of matter.     

Lipase‐Supported Metal–Organic Framework Bioreactor Catalyzes Warfarin Synthesis

A green and sustainable strategy synthesizes clinical medicine warfarin anticoagulant by using lipase‐supported metal–organic framework (MOF) bioreactors (see scheme). These findings may be beneficial for future studies in the industrial production of chemical, pharmaceutical, and agrochemical precursors.     

Extraordinary transport behavior of gases in isothermally annealed poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) membranes

Poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) (PMP) membranes were modified through isothermal annealing to investigate the change of their crystalline structure and rigid and mobile amorphous fractions (RAF and MAF), assuming a three‐phase model, affected the gas transport behavior. The crystalline structure was characterized by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) techniques, and the free volume properties were analyzed by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. Compared with the pristine membrane, the annealed membranes show higher crystallinity; the crystals undergo partial structural change from form III to form I. The lamellar crystal thickness, rigid amorphous fraction thickness, and long period in the lamellar stacks increase with crystallinity. The annealed PMP membranes exhibit higher permeability due to the increase in larger size free volumes in MAF and higher selectivity due to the increase in smaller size free volumes in RAF, respectively. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 2368–2376     

Synthesis of poly(isopropenylphenoxy propylene carbonate) and its facile side‐chain functionalization into hydroxy‐polyurethanes

4‐Isopropenyl phenol ( 4‐IPP ) is a versatile dual functional intermediate that can be prepared readily from bisphenol‐A ( BPA ). Through etherification with epichlorohydrin to the phenolic group of 4‐IPP , it can be converted into 4‐isopropenyl phenyl glycidyl ether ( IPGE ). On further reaction with carbon dioxide in the presence of tetra‐n‐butyl ammonium bromide ( TBAB ) as the catalyst, IPGE was transformed into 4‐isopropenylphenoxy propylene carbonate ( IPPC ) in 90% yield. Cationic polymerization of IPPC with strong acid such as trifluoromethanesulfonic acid or boron trifluoride diethyl etherate as the catalyst at ?40 °C gave a linear poly(isopropenylphenoxy propylene carbonate), poly( IPPC ), with multicyclic carbonate groups substituted uniformly at the side‐chains of the polymer. The cyclic carbonate groups of poly( IPPC ) were further reacted with different aliphatic amines and diamines resulting in formation of polymers with hydroxy‐polyurethane on side‐chains. Syntheses, characterizations of poly( IPPC ) and its conversion into hydroxy‐polyurethane crosslinked polymers were presented. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 802–808     

Kinetic Resolution of Racemic Allylic Alcohols by Catalytic Asymmetric Substitution of the OH Group with Monosubstituted Hydrazines

A new strategy has been established for the kinetic resolution of racemic allylic alcohols through a palladium/sulfonyl‐hydrazide‐catalyzed asymmetric OH‐substitution under mild conditions. In the presence of 1 mol % [Pd(allyl)Cl]₂, 4 mol % (S)‐SegPhos, and 10 mol % 2,5‐dichlorobenzenesulfonyl hydrazide, a range of racemic allylic alcohols were smoothly resolved with selectivity factors of more than 400 through an asymmetric allylic alkylation of monosubstituted hydrazines under air at room temperature. Importantly, this kinetic resolution process provided various allylic alcohols and allylic hydrazine derivatives with high enantiopurity.     

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of liquid–vapor system by incorporating a surface tension term

In this study,we investigate the pseudopotential multiphase model of lattice Boltzmann method(LBM)and incorporate a surface tension term to implement the particle interaction force.By using the Carnahan–Starling(CS)equation of state(EOS)with a proper critical pressure–density ratio,a density ratio over 160000 is obtained with satisfactory numerical stability.The added surface tension term offers a flexible choice to adjust the surface tension strength.Numerical tests of the Laplace rule are conducted,proving that smaller spurious velocity and better numerical stability can be acquired as the surface tension becomes stronger.Moreover,by wall adhesion and heterogeneous cavitation tests,the surface tension term shows its practical application in dealing with problems in which the surface tension plays an important role.     

In situ fabrication of paclitaxel‐loaded core‐crosslinked micelles via thiol‐ene “click” chemistry for reduction‐responsive drug release

In this study, a facile method to fabricate reduction‐responsive core‐crosslinked micelles via in situ thiol‐ene “click” reaction was reported. A series of biodegradable poly(ether‐ester)s with multiple pendent mercapto groups were first synthesized by melt polycondensation of diol poly(ethylene glycol), 1,4‐butanediol, and mercaptosuccinic acid using scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Sc(OTf)₃] as the catalyst. Then paclitaxel (PTX)‐loaded core‐crosslinked (CCL) micelles were successfully prepared by in situ crosslinking hydrophobic polyester blocks in aqueous media via thiol‐ene “click” chemistry using 2,2′‐dithiodiethanol diacrylate as the crosslinker. These PTX‐loaded CCL micelles with disulfide bonds exhibited reduction‐responsive behaviors in the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT). The drug release profile of the PTX‐loaded CCL micelles revealed that only a small amount of loaded PTX was released slowly in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) without DTT, while quick release was observed in the presence of 10.0 mM DTT. Cell count kit (CCK‐8) assays revealed that the reduction‐sensitive PTX‐loaded CCL micelles showed high antitumor activity toward HeLa cells, which was significantly higher than that of reduction‐insensitive counterparts and free PTX. This kind of biodegradable and biocompatible CCL micelles could serve as a bioreducible nanocarrier for the controlled antitumor drug release. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 99–107