Combined effects of clay modifications and compatibilizers on the formation and physical properties of melt‐mixed polypropylene/clay nanocomposites

The melt mixing technique was used to prepare various polypropylene (PP)‐based (nano)composites. Two commercial organoclays (denoted 20A and 30B) served as the fillers for the PP matrix, and two different maleated (so‐called) compatibilizers (denoted PP‐MA and SMA) were employed as the third component. The results from X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) experiments revealed that 190 °C was an adequate temperature for preparing the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites were achieved only if specific pairs of organoclay and compatibilizer were simultaneously incorporated in the PP matrix. For example, PP/20A(5 wt %)/PP‐MA(10 wt %) and PP/30B(5 wt %)/SMA(5 wt %) composites exhibited nanoscaled dispersion of 20A or 30B in the PP matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the organoclays served as nucleation agents for the PP matrix. Generally, their nucleation effectiveness increased with the addition of compatibilizers. The thermal stability enhancement of PP after adding 20A was confirmed with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The enhancement became more evident as a suitable compatibilizer was further added. However, for the 30B‐included composites, thermal stability enhancement was not evident. The dynamic mechanical properties (i.e., storage modulus and loss modulus) of PP increased as the nanocomposites were formed; the properties increment corresponded to the organoclay dispersion status in the matrix. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4139–4150, 2004     

Limit distribution of the number of consecutive records

A succinct series expression is derived for describing the limit distribution of the number of times r consecutive elements are all records (in a sequence of independent and identically distributed random variables with a common continuous distribution) for all r ≥ 2. Previously, only the limit distributions for r = 1, 2, and 3 were known. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2005     

Formation, isolation and characterization of an AB-biaryl atropisomer of oritavancin

Oritavancin is a semi-synthetic glycopeptide antibiotic which is structurally related to vancomycin. When oritavancin bisphosphate is dried in vacuo with heat, a new compound forms. This new compound is stable only in the solid state and reverts to oritavancin in solution. Highly enriched samples of this compound were obtained by preparative HPLC and the structure of this compound was elucidated by using one and two-dimensional (¹H and ¹³C) NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with computer-assisted molecular modeling. It has been determined that oritavancin adopts a conformation similar to that of vancomycin in solution, while the new compound is the unnatural R-AB-biaryl atropisomer of oritavancin. This is the first observation and isolation of an AB-biaryl atropisomer in an intact member of the vancomycin family of glycopeptide antibiotics.     

Thiol–norbornene materials: Approaches to develop high Tg thiol–ene polymers

The ability to prepare high T_g low shrinkage thiol–ene materials is attractive for applications such as coatings and dental restoratives. However, thiol and nonacrylated vinyl materials typically consist of a flexible backbone, limiting the utility of these polymers. Hence, it is of importance to synthesize and investigate thiol and vinyl materials of varying backbone chemistry and stiffness. Here, we investigate the effect of backbone chemistry and functionality of norbornene resins on polymerization kinetics and glass transition temperature (T_g) for several thiol–norbornene materials. Results indicate that T_gs as high as 94 °C are achievable in thiol–norbornene resins of appropriately controlled chemistry. Furthermore, both the backbone chemistry and the norbornene moiety are important factors in the development of high T_g materials. In particular, as much as a 70 °C increase in T_g was observed in a norbornene–thiol specimen when compared with a sample prepared using allyl ether monomer of analogous backbone chemistry. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5686–5696, 2007     

Surface characterization and barrier properties of plasma‐modified polyethersulfone/layered silicate nanocomposites

This study describes the preparation of polyethersulfone (PES)/layered silicate nanocomposites (PLSNs) by mixing PES polymer chain into organically‐modified layered silicate in 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone (NMP) solution. Both X‐ray diffraction data and transmission electron microscopy images of PLSNs indicate that the silicate layers were almost exfoliated and randomly distributed into the PES matrix. The mechanical and barrier properties of PLSNs show remarkable enhancement in the storage modulus and water/oxygen permeability when compared with that of neat PES matrix. Surfaces modification of PES and PLSN films with various treated times, system pressures, and radio frequency (RF) powers were performed using a mixture of oxygen (O₂) and nitrogen (N₂) plasmas. The topographical and physical properties of plasma‐modified PES and PLSN surfaces were investigated using scanning probe microscopy (SPM), contact‐angle measurements, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These results indicate that the surface roughness of PLSNs with the same condition of plasma modification is lower than that of neat PES matrix and is probably due to the increase of stiffness with the presence of inorganic layered silicates in PES matrix. The surface properties of the PES and PLSNs are also changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. The XPS spectra suggest that the exposure of the PES and PLSNs to the plasmas led to the combination of etching reactions of polymer surface initiated by plasma and the following addition reactions of new oxygen‐ and nitrogen‐containing functional groups onto polymer surfaces to change their surface properties. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3185–3194, 2006     

The total synthesis of coleophomones B, C, and D

Members of the coleophomone family of natural products all possess several intriguing and challenging architectural features, as well as exhibit unusual biological activity. They, therefore, constitute attractive targets for synthesis. In this Article, we describe the total synthesis of coleophomones B (2), C (3), and D (4). The highly strained and congested 11-membered macrocycle of coleophomones B (2) and C (3) was constructed using an impressive olefin metathesis reaction. Furthermore, both of the requisite geometric isomers of the Delta(16,17) within the macrocycle could be accessed from a common precursor, facilitating a divergence that lent the coleophomone B (2)/C (3) synthesis an unusually high degree of efficiency. The synthesis of coleophomone D (4) confirmed that it exists as a dynamic mixture of isomeric forms with a different aromatic substitution pattern from the other family members.     

Use of deuterium–hydrogen exchange to characterize the fragmentation pathways of arteether and its metabolites in a thermospray mass spectrometer

Whereas the thermospray mass spectra of most compounds consist of only the pseudo-molecular ion with little fragmentation, the thermospray mass spectra of arteether (a cyclic endoperoxide) and its metabolites are relatively complex. Assignments of structures to individual fragments from normal spectra was particularly ambiguous because of uncertainties as to which fragments arose from ammonium ion or methanol adducts. In this study, these assignments could be resolved through the comparison of the regular spectrum with the deuterium-exchange spectrum (in an ND₄O₂CCH₃–CD₃OD–D₂O mobile phase) achieved using ‘sandwiched slug’ injection technique. The mass spectra of arteether and four of its metabolites all showed [M + ND₄]⁺ pseudo-molecular ions with greater than 91% H/D exchange, indicating a high efficiency with a minimal use of deuterated mobile phase. Most fragments showed H/D exchange rates in the 70–90% range and the isotope shift of individual spectral lines (ΔM) was found to be extremely useful in determining the structure of the fragment.     

Photodissociation dynamics of pyridine

Photodissociation of pyridine, 2,6-d2-pyridine, and d5-pyridine at 193 and 248 nm was investigated separately using multimass ion imaging techniques. Six dissociation channels were observed at 193 nm, including C5NH5 --> C5NH4 + H (10%) and five ring opening dissociation channels, C5NH5 --> C4H4 + HCN, C5NH5 --> C3H3 + C2NH2, C5NH5 --> C2H4 +C3NH, C5NH5 --> C4NH2 + CH3 (14%), and C5NH5 --> C2H2 + C3NH3. Extensive H and D atom exchanges of 2,6-d2-pyridine prior to dissociation were observed. Photofragment translational energy distributions and dissociation rates indicate that dissociation occurs in the ground electronic state after internal conversion. The dissociation rate of pyridine excited by 248-nm photons was too slow to be measured, and the upper limit of the dissociation rate was estimated to be 2x10(3) s(-1). Comparisons with potential energies obtained from ab initio calculations and dissociation rates obtained from the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory have been made.     

New benzo[b]furans as electroluminescent materials for emitting blue light

[structure: see text] New functionalized mono- and bis-benzo[b]furan derivatives were synthesized and developed as blue-light emitting materials. They possessed a CN, CHO, CH=CHPh, CH=CPh(2), or CH=CHCOOH group at the C4-position. Two benzo[b]furan nuclei in bis-benzo[b]furan derivatives were connected by a divinylbenzene bridge. With good volatility and thermal stability, bis-benzo[b]furan 7a was fabricated as a device. It emitted blue light with brightness 53430 cd/m(2) (at 15.5 V) and high maximum external quantum efficiency 3.75% (at 11 V).