Direct observation of insertion events at rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(MeB(C6F5)3)-polymeryl intermediates: distinction between continuous and intermittent propagation modes

The propagating species for 1-hexene, propene, and ethene polymerization as catalyzed by [rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)Zr(CH3)][CH3B(C6F5)3] has been intercepted at T < -40 degrees C and characterized by NMR methods. Observation of the propagating species permits direct monitoring of initiation, propagation, and termination processes by NMR. Detailed examination of alkene incorporation into Zr-polymeryl species using 13C-labeled 1-alkenes supports a continuous insertion mechanism whereby the anion re-coordinates after each alkene insertion.     

DETECTION OF DNA-PSORALEN PHOTOADDUCTS in situ

Abstract— An immunological method, with the use of specific immune serum, has been developed for detection of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) photoadducts to DNA, formed in situ in cell nuclei, after combined treatment with 8MOP and UV-A irradiation (Zarçbska et al. , 1978). Lymphocytes fixed on slides or in suspension, and cryostat sections of different mammalian tissues, served as antigenic substrate, after treatment with 8-MOP and UV-A in vitro. Specific fluorescence in these substrates was detected in the nuclei after treatment with 30 ˜ 140 kJ/m² UV-A in the presence of 0.1-0.3 μg/cm² 8-MOP. PHA-stimulated-lymphocytes appeared to be the most sensitive substrate.
However, hairless mice treated with high doses of UV-A in vivo , 70 ˜ 360 kJ/m² did not reveal a specific fluorescence of epidermal nuclei, unless a high local concentration of 8-MOP was attained.
The apparent discrepancy in the level of photoadduct detection between the in vitro and in vivo treated specimens was explained by the low number of DNA-8-MOP-photoadducts formed in vivo under these experimental conditions. The relevance of these findings to the role of DNA-8-MOP-photoadducts formed during PUVA photochemotherapy is discussed.     

Heavy-atom kinetic isotope effects,cocatalysts, and the propagation transition state for polymerization of 1-hexene using the rac-(C(2)H(4)(1-indenyl)(2))ZrMe(2) catalyst precursor

Using 13C NMR techniques, the 12C/13C kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for the polymerization of 1-hexene catalyzed by rac-(C2H4(1-indenyl)2)ZrMe2 in the presence of four different cocatalysts (tris(pentfluorophenyl)borane, tris(pentafluorophenyl)alane, anilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, and methylalumoxane) have been determined. All cocatalysts yield similar KIEs within experimental uncertainty, with values of 1.009(1) and 1.017(2) at C1 and C2, respectively. Ab initio DFT computational modeling of the polymerization KIE indicates that alkene binding to the catalyst must be reversible, with the majority of the KIE developing in the subsequent migratory insertion reaction.     

ON QUOTIENTS OF BRAID GROUPS

ABSTRACT.

Let G be the group ?[t, t ^?1] x ?. By studying the action of the braid group B_n on the set Gⁿ , we obtain representations of B_n into a wreath product of the symmetric group and the general linear group over ?[t, t ^?1]. This in particular recovers the Burau representation of the braid group. Furthermore, some quotients of the braid group are obtained by using the representations found.     

Kinetics of initiation, propagation, and termination for the [rac-(C(2)H(4)(1-indenyl)(2))ZrMe][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)]-catalyzed polymerization of 1-hexene.

Metallocene-catalyzed polymerization of 1-alkenes offers fine control of critical polymer attributes such as molecular weight, polydispersity, tacticity, and comonomer incorporation. Enormous effort has been expended on the synthesis and discovery of new catalysts and activators, but elementary aspects of the catalytic processes remain unclear. For example, it is unclear how the catalyst is distributed among active and dormant sites and how this distribution influences the order in monomer for the propagation rates, for which widely varying values are reported. Similarly, although empirical relationships between average molecular weights and monomer have been established for many systems, the underlying mechanisms of chain termination are unclear. Another area of intense interest concerns the role of ion-pairing in controlling the activity and termination mechanisms of metallocene-catalyzed polymerizations. Herein we report the application of quenched-flow kinetics, active site counting, polymer microstructure analysis, and molecular weight distribution analysis to the determination of fundamental rate laws for initiation, propagation, and termination for the polymerization of 1-hexene in toluene solution as catalyzed by the contact ion-pair, [rac-(C(2)H(4)(1-indenyl)(2))ZrMe][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)] (1) over the temperature range of -10 to 50 degrees C. Highly isotactic (>99% mmmm) poly-1-hexene is produced with no apparent enchained regioerrors. Initiation and propagation processes are first order in the concentrations of 1-hexene and 1 but independent of excess borane or the addition of the contact ion-pair [PhNMe(3)][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)]. Active site counting and the reaction kinetics provide no evidence of catalyst accumulation in dormant or inactive sites. Initiation is slower than propagation by a factor of 70. The principal termination process is the formation of unsaturates of two types: vinylidene end groups that arise from termination after a 1,2 insertion and vinylene end groups that follow 2,1 insertions. The rate law for the former termination process is independent of the 1-hexene concentration, whereas the latter is first order. Analysis of (13)C-labeled polymer provides support for a mechanism of vinylene end group formation that is not chain transfer to monomer. Deterministic modeling of the molecular weight distributions using the fundamental rate laws and kinetic constants demonstrates the robustness of the kinetic analysis. Comparisons of insertion frequencies with estimated limits on the rates of ion-pair symmetrization obtained by NMR suggest that ion-pair separation prior to insertion is not required, but the analysis requires assumptions that cannot be validated.     

More efficient Brownian dynamics algorithms

We examine the relative efficiencies of three- algorithms for performing Brownian Dynamics simulations without many-body hydrodynamics. We compare the conventional Brownian Dynamics algorithm of Ermak (CBD), Smart Monte Carlo (SMC) which incorporates Boltzmann sampling into essentially a CBD procedure, and the Stochastic Runge Kutta (SRK) method. We show, using the repulsive potential φ(r) = ε(σ/r) ⁿ , where n = 36 and 72, that the SRK algorithm gives the most accurate short-time dynamics for the mean-square displacements. The SRK algorithm static and dynamical properties converge better with a reducing time step to the exact values, than those generated by the CBD algorithm; giving efficiency gains typically of a factor of 3–4. Both CBD and SMC have the incorrect sign for the first correction term to the mean square displacement in a time step, whereas the SRK algorithm gives essentially the exact solution to order Δt ², where Δt is the simulation time step. In fact, these correction terms are almost equal and opposite in sign. Expressions for these terms were derived in terms of the average interaction energy per particle. The force, shear and bulk stress autocorrelation functions were calculated. The average energy per particle and time correlation functions at short time have values in excess of the exact values, while the corresponding quantities for SRK are below this. This difference in behaviour can be traced back to the extent of compliance of the particle trajectories with the exact expansion of the Smoluchowski equation. The accuracy, at a given value of the time step, of the stochastic algorithms can significantly depend on the form of the interaction potential between particles. It is also demonstrated that the long time limits of various correlation functions are fairly insensitive to a particular scheme (SRK or CBD) used in the simulations. All the correlation functions have a stretched exponential region at intermediate to long times, and the values of the exponents on density and force law steepness have been determined.     

Characterization of partially transesterified poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoate)s using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was used for the characterization of a partially transesterified poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoate), PHA, polymer produced by the bacterial strain Alcaligenes eutrophus using saponified vegetable oils as the sole carbon sources. The transesterification was carried out separately under acidic and basic conditions to obtain PHA oligomers weighing less than 10 kDa. The intact oligomers were detected in their cationized [M + Na](+) and [M + K](+) forms by MALDI-TOFMS. A composition analysis, using the MALDI-TOF spectra, indicate that the oligomers obtained via acid catalysis were terminated with a methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate end group, and those obtained by base catalysis had a methyl crotonate (olefinic) termination. In addition to HB (hydroxy butyrate), the oligomers were found to contain a small percentage of HV (hydroxy valerate). This was independently confirmed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In comparison, the analysis of a commercial PHA polymer, transesterified under identical conditions, only showed the presence of HB, i.e. a pure PHB homopolymer. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

漫谈有效数字和计算器

介绍了有效数字的概念及其计算规则,介绍了计算器的一般特性及使用技巧,并给出计算实例.