Mechanistic studies of nickel(II) alkyl agostic cations and alkyl ethylene complexes: investigations of chain propagation and isomerization in (alpha-diimine)Ni(II)-catalyzed ethylene polymerization

The synthesis of a series of (alpha-diimine)NiR(2) (R = Et, (n)Pr) complexes via Grignard alkylation of the corresponding (alpha-diimine)NiBr(2) precursors is presented. Protonation of these species by the oxonium acid [H(OEt(2))(2)](+)[BAr'(4)](-) at low temperatures yields cationic Ni(II) beta-agostic alkyl complexes which model relevant intermediates present in nickel-catalyzed olefin polymerization reactions. The highly dynamic nature of these agostic alkyl cations is quantitatively addressed using NMR line broadening techniques. Trapping of these complexes with ethylene provides cationic Ni alkyl ethylene species, which are used to determine rates of ethylene insertion into primary and secondary carbon centers. The Ni agostic alkyl cations are also trapped by CH(3)CN and Me(2)S to yield Ni(R)(L)(+) (L = CH(3)CN, Me(2)S) complexes, and the dynamic behavior of these species in the presence of varied [L] is discussed. The kinetic data obtained from these experiments are used to present an overall picture of the ethylene polymerization mechanism for (alpha-diimine)Ni catalysts, including effects of reaction temperature and ethylene pressure on catalyst activity, polyethylene branching, and polymer architecture. Detailed comparisons of these systems to the previously presented analogous palladium catalysts are made.     

Synthesis of Naturally Occurring Helminthic Phosphodiesters and Related Analogues

Abstract

Our preliminary findings in the use of 1,3,2-oxazaphospholidin-2-ones (III) as useful synthons in the synthesis of naturally occurring helminthic (worm) phosphodiesters [i.e. Opheline(II, R=Me) and serine ethanolamine phosphate (I, R=NH₂(CO₂H)CHCH₂,R′=H)] and of related compounds are reported. The 1,3,2-oxazaphospholidin-2-ones can be synthesised by routes A and B; once formed these can be ring-opened by acid treatment which causes exclusive N-P bond fission yielding the phosphodiesters (I). Guanidinated phosphodiesters (II) have been made by reacting the corresponding phosphodiesters (I,R′=H) with O-methylisourea.     

Polycaprolactone solution–based ink for designing microfluidic channels on paper via 3D printing platform for biosensing application

This work reports a novel fabrication technique for development of channels on paper‐based microfluidic devices using the syringe module of a 3D printing syringe–based system. In this study, printing using polycaprolactone (PCL)‐based ink (Mw 70 000‐90 000) was employed for the generation of functional hydrophobic barriers on Whatman qualitative filter paper grade 1 (approximate thickness of 180 μm and pore diameter of 11 μm), which would effectively channelize fluid flow to multiple assay zones dedicated for different analyte detection on a microfluidic paper‐based analytical device (μPAD). The standardization studies reveal that a functional hydrophilic channel for sample conduction fabricated using the reported technique can be as narrow as 460.7 ± 20 μm and a functional hydrophobic barrier can be of any width with a lower limit of about 982.2 ± 142.75 μm when a minimum number of two layers of the ink is extruded onto paper. A comparison with the hydrodynamic model established for writing with ink is used to explain the width of the line printed by this system. A fluid flow analysis through a single channel system was also carried out to establish its conformity with the Washburn model, which governs the fluid flow in two‐dimensional μPAD. The presented fabrication technique proves to be a robust strategy that effectively taps the advantages of this 3D printing technique in the production of μPADs with enhanced speed and reproducibility.     

Synthesis and evaluation of a new non-fluorescent quencher in fluorogenic oligonucleotide probes for real-time PCR

A non-fluorescent quencher, based on the diaminoanthraquinone Disperse Blue 3, has been incorporated into oligonucleotides at the 5'-end, the 3'-end and internally as a thymidine derivative. Fluorimetry and fluorogenic real-time PCR experiments demonstrate that the quencher is effective with a wide range of fluorescent dyes. The anthraquinone moiety increases the melting temperature of DNA duplexes, thus allowing shorter, more discriminatory probes to be used. The quencher has been used in Scorpion primers and TaqMan probes for human DNA sequence recognition and mutation detection.     

Synthesis of HyBeacons and dual-labelled probes containing 2'-fluorescent groups for use in genetic analysis

An FMOC-protected 2'-hydroxyethyl uridine phosphoramidite has been used to synthesise fluorescein-labelled HyBeacon probes and "FAM-ROX" dual-labelled fluorogenic oligonucleotides.     

Access to new 4-fluorocyclohexa-2,5-dienimines using hypervalent iodine and pyridinium polyhydrogen fluoride

Nucleophilic para-fluorination of substituted anilines to afford 4-fluorocyclohexadieneimine derivatives is achieved in the presence of hypervalent iodine and pyridinium polyhydrogen fluoride.     

Mathematics Anxiety and Preservice Elementary Teachers' Confidence to Teach Mathematics and Science

Sixty‐five preservice elementary teachers' math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach elementary mathematics and science were measured. The confidence scores of subjects in different math anxiety groups were compared and the relationships between their math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach mathematics and science were investigated. The results suggest that low math anxious preservice teachers are more confident to teach elementary mathematics and science than are their peers having higher levels of math anxiety. Negative correlations were found between preservice teachers' math anxiety and their confidence scores to teach elementary mathematics (r = ?.638) and between preservice teachers' math anxiety and their confidence scores to teach elementary science (r = ‐.417). Also, personal math and science teaching self‐efficacy scores of participants were found to be correlated at .01 level (r =.549).     

New Heptafluorozirconates and ‐hafnates AIBIIZr(Hf)F7 (AI = Rb,Tl; BII = Ca,Cd) – Synthesis,Structures, and Structural Relationships

Four new ABZrF₇ heptafluorozirconates (A = Rb, Tl; B = Ca, Cd) and their homologous heptafluorohafnates, all colorless, orthorhombic Cmcm (n^o63), Z = 4, have been synthesized by heating stoichiometric mixtures of RbF or TlF, CaF₂ or CdF₂ and ZrF₄ (HfF₄) in sealed platinum tubes at temperature ranging from 550 °C (Tl) to 600 °C (Rb). The crystal structures of both RbCdZrF₇ and TlCdZrF₇ have been solved from single‐crystal X‐rays diffraction data. Rietveld refinements were performed from X‐rays powder patterns for RbCaZrF₇ and TlCaZrF₇. In this series of heptafluorides, both B²⁺ and Zr⁴⁺ cations exhibit a pentagonal bipyramidal 7‐coordination. Their structural relationships with other heptafluorozirconates A^IB^IIZrF₇ as well as β‐KYb₂F₇ are discussed. RbCaZrF₇: a = 6.863(1) Å, b = 11.130(1) Å, c = 8.485(1) Å; TlCaZrF₇: a = 6.868(1) Å, b = 11.165(1) Å, c = 8.486(1) Å; RbCdZrF₇: a = 6.780(1) Å, b = 11.054(4) Å, c = 8.420(4) Å; TlCdZrF₇: a = 6.784(3) Å, b = 11.099(2) Å, c = 8.424(9) Å.     

Supramolecuar motifs in s-block metal-bound sulfonated monoazo dyes: The case of Orange G

Solid-state structures of Mg, Sr, Ba, Na2, Na0.8K1.2, NaRb, and Na1.5Cs0.5 complexes of the disulfonated dye 7-hydroxy-8-(phenylazo)-1,3-naphthalenedisulfonic acid, Orange G, are presented. It is shown that the s-block metal salts of the Orange G dianion (Og) can be categorized into three structural classes related to those previously proposed for simple monosulfonated azo dyes. All of the structures feature alternate organic/inorganic layering, but whereas the Mg, Ca, and Li complexes are solvent-separated ion-pair species, the Sr and Ba complexes form simple discrete molecules based on metal-sulfonate bonding, and the heavy alkali metal complexes utilize a variety of M-O interactions to form 2- and 3-dimensional coordination networks. These structural differences are rationalized in terms of simple properties of the metals (charge, size, and electronegativity) and the steric demands of the arylsulfonate groups. The Ag2 complex of Orange G is also structurally characterized, and in contrast to the s-block salts, it is found to exhibit strong Ag pi bonds. In confirmation of the above, the crystal structures of [Mg(H2O)6][Og] . 3.33H2O, [Sr(Og)(H2O)7].H2O, [Ba(Og)(H2O)7]2 . 2H2O, [Na2(Og)(H2O)6.67], [Na2(Og)(H2O)2(HOEt)], [Na0.8K1.2(Og)(H2O)6] . 1.75H2O, [NaRb(Og)(H2O)6.5] . 2.375H2O, [Na1.5Cs0.5(Og)(H2O)6] . 0.5H2O, and [Ag2(Og)(H2O)4].H2O are presented.     

Fast pyrolysis of coals under N2 and CO2 atmospheres

Oxyfuel combustion represents one way for cleaner energy production using coal as combustible. The comparison between the oxycombustion and the conventional air combustion process starts with the investigation of the pyrolysis step. The aim of this contribution is to evaluate the impact of N₂ (for conventional air combustion) and CO₂ (for oxy-fuel combustion) atmospheres during pyrolysis of three different coals. The experiments are conducted in a drop tube furnace over a wide temperature range 800–1400 °C and for residence time ranging between 0.2 and 1.2 s. Coal devolatilized in N₂ and CO₂ atmospheres at low temperatures (?1200 °C) and longer residence times (>?0.5 s), the char-CO₂ reaction is clearly observed, whose intensity depends on the nature of the coal. Furthermore, the volatile yields are simulated using Kobayashi’s scheme and kinetic parameters are predicted for each coal. The char gasification under CO₂ is also accounted for by the model.