Facile Synthesis of the Pentasaccharide Repeating Unit of the Exopolysaccharide from Cryptococcus neoformans Serotype D

β‐D ‐GlcpA‐(1→2)‐[β‐D ‐Xylp‐(1→2)‐α‐D ‐Manp‐(1→3)]‐α‐D ‐Manp‐(1→3)‐α‐D ‐Manp, the repeating unit of the exopolysaccharide from Cryptococcus neoformans serotype D, was synthesized as its 4‐methoxyphenyl glycoside. The approach presented here also provides a route to the synthesis of more complex repeating units of glucuconoxylomannan (GXM) of C. neoformans serotypes A–C.     

Rhodium(I)‐Catalyzed Sequential C(sp)?C(sp3) and C(sp3)?C(sp3) Bond Formation through Migratory Carbene Insertion

A Rh^I‐catalyzed three‐component reaction of tert‐propargyl alcohol, diazoester, and alkyl halide has been developed. This reaction can be considered as a carbene‐involving sequential alkyl and alkynyl coupling, in which C(sp) C(sp³) and C(sp³) C(sp³) bonds are built successively on the carbenic carbon atom. The Rh^I‐carbene migratory insertion of an alkynyl moiety and subsequent alkylation are proposed to account for the two separate C C bond formations. This reaction provides an efficient and tunable method for the construction of all‐carbon quaternary center.     

Surface Modification of Polypropylene by Ethylene Plasma and Its Induced β-Form in Polypropylene

This study aims to investigate the chemical structure and morphology of plasmapolymers produced by deposition of ethylene on the surface of polypropylene. The deposition films(sediments) of ethylene plasma on the surface of polypropylene are nonuniform, and the characterization results indicate the existence of hydroxyl groups and aldehyde(or ketone) groups in the sediments. The sediment of ethylene plasma on the polypropylene surface could induce the growth of β-form crystals in the surface layer of polypropylene.     

The stereocomplex formation and phase separation of PLLA/PDLA blends with different optical purities and molecular weights

In this study, the poly(L-lactide)/poly(D-lactide)(PLLA/PDLA) blends with different optical purities of PLLA and various molecular weights of PDLA are prepared by solution mixing, and the stereocomplex formation and phase separation behaviors of these blends are investigated. Results reveal that optical purity and molecular weight do not vary the crystal structure of PLA stereocomplex(sc) and homochiral crystallites(hc). As the optical purity increasing in the blends, the melting temperature of sc(Tsc) and the content of sc(ΔHsc) increased, while the melting temperature of hc(Thm) hardly changes, although the content of hc(ΔHhm) decreased gradually. The Tsc and ΔHsc are also enhanced as the molecular weight of PDLA reduces, and the ΔHhm reduces rapidly even though the Thm does not vary apparently. With lower optical purities of PLLA and higher molecular weights of PDLA, three types of crystals form in the blends, i.e., PLA sc, PLLA hc and PDLA hc. As molecular weight decreases and optical purity enhances, the crystal phase decreases to two(sc and PDLA hc), and one(sc) finally. This investigation indicates that the phase separation behavior between PLLA and PDLA in the PLLA/PDLA blends not only depends on molecular weights, but also relies on the optical purities of polymers.     

Reversal Circularly Polarized Luminescence of AIE‐Active Chiral Binaphthyl Molecules from Solution to Aggregation

Four aggregation‐induced emission (AIE)‐active chiral binaphthyl‐based molecules, (R/S)‐ 1 and (R/S)‐ 2 , were designed and synthesized. Interestingly, all of them can exhibit reversal circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) signals from solution to aggregation, which could be attributed to the different dihedral angle of binaphthyl units from cis‐conformation in pure THF solution to trans‐conformation in THF/water mixtures.