Influence of the network chain orientation on the fracture toughness of a mesogenic epoxy resin modified with CTBN

A biphenol‐type epoxy resin, which had a mesogenic group in the backbone moiety, was modified with carboxy‐terminated butadiene acrylonitrile copolymer (CTBN) as a reactive elastomer, and its fracture toughness was measured. With the addition of CTBN, the fracture toughness of the biphenol‐type epoxy resin significantly increased and became significantly higher than that of a bisphenol A‐type epoxy resin modified with CTBN. The network chain orientation in the cured biphenol‐type epoxy resin system was clearly observed during the fracture process with polarized microscopy Fourier transform infrared measurements, although such a phenomenon was not observed in the bisphenol A‐type epoxy resin system. The high toughness of the cured biphenol‐type system was clearly due to the consumption of the mechanical energy by a large deformation of the matrix resin due to the orientation of the network chains during the fracture process. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1198–1209, 2003     

Heterotopic assemblage of two different disk-shaped ligands through trinuclear silver(I) complexation: ligand exchange-driven molecular motion

The sandwich-shaped heterotopic trinuclear Ag+ complex Ag(3)1.2 was exclusively formed from two different tris(thiazolyl) and hexa(thiazolyl) disk-shaped ligands, 1 and 2, with the aid of three Ag+ ions. The variable-temperature 1H NMR study on its complexation behavior revealed that metal-ligand exchanges between the two neighboring thiazolyl nitrogen donors of 2 take place at the three Ag+ centers in concert. DeltaH++ and DeltaS++ for the exchange process were calculated to be 50.5 kJ mol(-1) and -26.7 J mol(-1) K(-1), respectively, and its energy barrier at 298 K was estimated to be 58.5 kJ mol(-1). Each concerted metal-ligand exchange leads to an intramolecular 60 degrees-rotational motion ((P) <==>(M) conversion) between the two disk-shaped ligands.     

Fluorinated and Trifluoromethylated Corannulenes

The syntheses and properties of corannulenes carrying electron‐withdrawing groups (F, CF₃, C₆F₅) are reported. Direct fluorination of corannulene (C₂₀H₁₀) was carried out with xenon difluoride, and the crystal structure of the product was confirmed by the X‐ray analysis. Novel trifluoromethylated corannulenes, including the versatile 4,9‐dibromo‐1,2‐bis(trifluoromethyl)corannulene, were obtained by various established ring‐closing reactions. Besides the use of hexafluorobutyne for the construction of fluoranthenes by Diels–Alder reaction as precursor molecules to form 1,2‐disubstituted corannulenes, bis(pentafluorophenyl)acetylene was employed as dienophile. The molecular structure and crystal packing of a trifluoromethylated corannulene was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis and compared with those known brominated and trifluoromethylated corannulenes. The general electron‐acceptor properties of corannulenes bearing substituents introduced in particular positions by liquid‐phase synthesis are discussed together with published computational results.     

Pheromone synthesis: Part CVII? - synthesis of 2,6-dimethyloctyl formate, a potent mimic of the aggregation pheromone of the flour beetles

A mixture of the four stereoisomers of 2.6-dimethyloctyl formate was synthesized, and found to be a potent mimic of (4R,8R)-4,8-dimethyldecanal, the aggregation pheromone of the flour beetles,Tribolium castaneum andTribolium confusum. For Part CVI, see Mori K and Puapoomchareon P 1988Liebigs Ann. Chem. 175     

Trace inequalities involving Hermitian matrices

Some trace inequalities for Hermitian matrices and matrix products involving Hermitian matrices are presented.