Stereospecific Radical Polymerization of a Side-Chain Transformable Bulky Acrylamide Monomer and Subsequent Post-Polymerization Modification for Syntheses of Isotactic Polyacrylate and Polyacrylamide

We report syntheses of isotactic polyacrylate and polyacrylamide via a stereospecific radical polymerization of a pendant-transformable monomer, acrylamide carrying isopropyl-substituted ureidosulfonamide ( 1 ), followed by post-polymerization modification (PPM). The study in the alcoholysis and aminolysis reactions of the model compound ( 2 ) for evaluation of the transformation ability of the electron-withdrawing pendant group on the repeating unit 1 revealed the following points: the pendant of the polymer became more reactive than that of monomer; the pendant was active enough for aminolysis reaction affording the amide compound quantitatively without additive/catalyst; the addition of a lithium triflate [Li(OTf)] and triethylamine (Et₃N) was effective as for promotion of the alcoholysis reaction. Poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) was quantitatively obtained via the radical polymerization of 1 in the presence of Li(OTf) at 60 °C and the subsequent addition of methanol along with Et₃N. Thus-obtained PMA showed higher isotacticity [m=74 %] than that directly obtained via radical polymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) (m=51 %). The isotacticity was further increased as the temperature and monomer concentration were lower, and eventually m was increased up to 93 %. The aminolysis PPM after the iso-specific radical polymerization of 1 gave various isotactic polyacrylamides carrying different alkyl pendant groups, including poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM).     

A Radical Pathway and Stabilized Li Anode Enabled by Halide Quaternary Ammonium Electrolyte Additives for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Passivation of the sulfur cathode by insulating lithium sulfide restricts the reversibility and sulfur utilization of Li−S batteries. 3D nucleation of Li₂S enabled by radical conversion may significantly boost the redox kinetics. Electrolytes with high donor number (DN) solvents allow for tri-sulfur (S₃⋅⁻) radicals as intermediates, however, the catastrophic reactivity of such solvents with Li anodes pose a great challenge for their practical application. Here, we propose the use of quaternary ammonium salts as electrolyte additives, which can preserve the partial high-DN characteristics that trigger the S₃⋅⁻ radical pathway, and inhibit the growth of Li dendrites. Li−S batteries with tetrapropylammonium bromide (T3Br) electrolyte additive deliver the outstanding cycling stability (700 cycles at 1 C with a low-capacity decay rate of 0.049 % per cycle), and high capacity under a lean electrolyte of 5 μL_electrolyte mg_sulfur⁻¹. This work opens a new avenue for the development of electrolyte additives for Li−S batteries.     

Electrochemiluminescence Distance and Reactivity of Coreactants Determine the Sensitivity of Bead-Based Immunoassays

Herein we report the study of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) generation by tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium (Ru(bpy)₃²⁺) and five tertiary amine coreactants. The ECL distance and lifetime of coreactant radical cations were measured by ECL self-interference spectroscopy. And the reactivity of coreactants was quantitatively evaluated in terms of integrated ECL intensity. By statistical analysis of ECL images of single Ru(bpy)₃²⁺-labeled microbeads, we propose that ECL distance and reactivity of coreactant codetermine the emission intensity and thus the sensitivity of immunoassay. 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2′,2′′-nitrilotriethanol (BIS-TRIS) can well balance ECL distance-reactivity trade-off and enhance the sensitivity by 236 % compared with tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) in the bead-based immunoassay of carcinoembryonic antigen. The study brings an insightful understanding of ECL generation in bead-based immunoassay and a way of maximizing the analytical sensitivity from the aspect of coreactant.     

Regulating Degradation Pathways of Polymers by Radical-Triggered Luminescence

Understanding the radical behaviours during polymer degradation is beneficial to unveil and regulate the degradation pathways of polymers to achieve a sustainable polymer development. However, it is a long-standing challenge to study radical behaviours owing to the ultra-short lifetime of the transient radicals generated during the polymer degradation. In this contribution, we have proposed the radical-triggered luminescence to monitor the radical behaviours during polymer degradation without/with the addition of inorganic additives. It was disclosed that the pure polymers showed a single sigmoidal dynamic curve from peroxy radicals (ROO⋅) emissions, leading to the exponential proliferation for the degradation evolution. Alternatively, the degradation pathways with the addition of additives, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with positively charged Al centers, could be modulated into a double sigmoidal dynamics, involving the main product of alkoxy radicals (RO⋅) with the activation energy of 40.2 kJ/mol and a small amount of ROO⋅ with 76.3 kJ/mol, respectively. Accordingly, the polymers with the additive-regulated pathways could exhibit prominently anti-degradation behaviours. This work is beneficial for the deep understanding of the radical mechanisms during polymer degradation, and for the rational design of anti-degradation polymers.     

Development of Electrophilic Radical Perfluoroalkylation of Electron-Deficient Olefins

Fluorinated organic compounds have attracted significant attention over the past few decades owing to their unique properties and versatility. An established method for the synthesis of fluorinated organic compounds involves radical perfluoroalkylation reactions towards double bonds. In this radical pathway, electrophilic perfluoroalkyl radicals exhibit excellent reactivity towards electron-rich olefins. Therefore, several splendid perfluoroalkylation reactions of electron-rich olefins have been reported. However, there are only a few examples of reaction involving electron-deficient olefins because of their poor electronic compatibility with perfluoroalkyl radicals. This review focuses on the reports that challenge this long-standing issue. Radical perfluoroalkylation/bifunctionalization reactions of electron-deficient olefins are described according to the radical generation methods.     

高效多羟胺有机催化剂选择性催化分子氧氧化研究进展

基于氧气(空气)为氧源的选择性催化分子氧氧化技术在制备含氧精细化学品或食品添加剂与医药等的重要中间体方面一直受到科学界的广泛关注.由于碳氢化合物中碳氢键的反应惰性和分子氧的自旋禁阻作用,设计与开发高效催化剂或催化体系以实现碳氢化合物的选择性氧化是当前催化氧化领域的研究热点.在已发展的过渡金属盐、仿生催化剂、有机催化剂、酶、碳材料和卤化物等众多催化剂中,以N-羟基邻苯二甲酰亚胺(NHPI)为代表的羟胺有机催化剂由于在温和条件下的卓越催化性能而备受瞩目.尽管基于羟胺有机催化剂的催化体系具有良好的工业应用前景,但仍存在催化剂高温易分解、使用量较大和可回收性较差等缺点.近年来,许多实验与理论工作围绕改进这些缺点展开,设计了一系列羟胺有机催化剂及其协同催化体系,如在NHPI结构中修饰疏水链基团、吸电子基团、N-烷氧基团和离子液体,或固载金属-有机框架材料、无机物和聚合物,或组合光催化剂.尽管已有大量综述总结了相关研究进展,但尚未见到有关近年来发展的多羟胺有机催化剂及其高效催化氧化性能的综述报道.本文综述了近15年来多羟胺有机催化剂选择性催化分子氧氧化碳氢化合物的研究进展.首先,简要概述了N,N-二羟基邻苯二甲酰亚胺(NDHPI)和N,N',N"-三羟基异氰基尿酸(THICA)两种多羟胺有机催化剂的合成方法,系统介绍了它们在各类碳氢化合物氧化中的高效催化性能,并与普遍应用的NHPI的催化性能进行对比.由于NDHPI与THICA具有多羟胺的独特结构,它们只需要比NHPI更少的用量便可获得比NHPI更高的催化氧化效率,可以直接利用高压空气实现对碳氢化合物的选择性催化氧化,并且在较高温度下依然具有较好的催化效果.在此基础上,介绍了联系实验与理论之间的重要工作,总结了多羟胺有机催化剂的合理设计策略.理论计算研究揭示了NDHPI与THICA的催化性能优于NHPI的主要原因是具有类似于吸电子效应的多羟胺与多氮氧自由基结构能显著增强催化剂的夺氢活性.通过对NDHPI结构的进一步修饰和夺氢活性研究,提出了该类催化剂的合理设计策略:在芳环体系中增加共轭的羟胺基团数量,或在NDHPI苯环中掺杂N原子或引入离子对基团都能提高催化剂的夺氢活性;增大芳环共轭体系对催化剂的夺氢活性影响较小,但该活性仍高于NHPI.这也为基于碳材料的非均相共轭多羟胺有机催化剂的开发提供了理论依据.最后,结合羟胺有机催化剂的发展现状和上述设计策略,设计了基于金属卟啉/席夫碱等仿生催化剂、(含离子对结构)聚合物、非均相碳材料和多N-烷氧基团等几种具有潜在发展前景的模型多羟胺有机催化剂,分别讨论了这些催化剂的优点和局限性,并展望了多羟胺有机催化剂的可能应用及其在催化氧化过程中仍需系统研究的方向.     

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) promoted hydrodehalogenation of aryl halides

Transition-metal-free hydrodehalogenation of aryl halides (eg. bromides) can take place efficiently in the presence of green polyethylene glycol (PEG-800) and t-BuOK without adding any extra solvents and additives. A radical mechanism is proposed for this transition-metal-free dehalogenation of aryl halides and the role of polyethylene glycol is both reaction promotor and activated alkyl CH donor.     

Transition-metal-free regioselective thiocyanation of phenols,anilines and heterocycles

An expedient direct and regioselective thiocyanation of phenols, anilines and heterocycles is described. Transformation is realized via the direct CH functionalization under transition metal free conditions at ambient temperature in excellent yields. Method proved to be monoselective and variety of functional groups tolerated the reaction conditions. The practicality of the protocol is demonstrated in gram scale synthesis of a precursor of PPAR δ agonist in excellent yield.     

Novel copolymers of styrene. 8. Fluoro,methoxy, and methyl ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH?C(CN)CO₂C₃H₇ (where R is 2-fluoro-5-methoxy, 2-fluoro-6-methoxy, 3-fluoro-4-methoxy, 4-fluoro-3-methoxy, 5-fluoro-2-methoxy, 2-fluoro-6-methyl, 3-fluoro-2-methyl, 4-fluoro-2-methyl, 4-fluoro-3-methyl, 5-fluoro-2-methyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and propyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M₁) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200–500°C range with residue (1.4–3.0% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500–800°C range.     

Novel copolymers of styrene. 9. Chloro and fluoro ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH = C(CN)CO₂C₃H₇ (where R is 2,5-dichloro, 2,6-dichloro, 3,4-dichloro, 2,3-difluoro, 2,4-difluoro, 2,5-difluoro, 2,6-difluoro) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and propyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M₁) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200–500°C range with residue (1.2–3.1% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500–800°C range.