Molecular structure and properties of click hydrogels with controlled dangling end defect

In this study, controlled amount of dangling ends is introduced to the two series of poly(ethylene glycol)‐based hydrogel networks with three and four crosslinking functionality by using click chemistry. The structure of the gels with regulated defect percentage is confirmed by comparing the results of low‐field NMR characterization and Monte Carlo simulation. The mechanical properties of these gels were characterized by tensile stress–strain behaviors of the gels, and the results are analyzed by Gent model and Mooney–Rivlin model. The shear modulus of the swollen gels is found to be dependent on the functionality of the network, and decreases with the defect percentage. Furthermore, the value of shear modulus well obeys the Phantom model for all the gels with varied percentage of the defects. The maximum extension ratio, obtained from the fitting of Gent model, is also found to be dependent on the functionality of the network, and does not change with the defect percentage, except at very high defect percentage. The value of the maximum extension ratio is between that predicted from Phantom model and the Affine model. This indicates that at the large deformation, the fluctuation of the crosslinking points is suppressed for some extend but still exists. Polymer volume fractions at various defect percentages obtained from prediction of Flory–Rehner model are found to be in well agreement with the swelling experiment. All these results indicate that click chemistry is a powerful method to regulate the network structure and mechanical properties of the gels. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1227–1236     

Chiral Dinuclear EuIII,TbIII, and YIII Complexes Supported by P-Stereogenic Linear Tetraphosphine Tetraoxide

A P-stereogenic linear tetraphosphine tetraoxide, (R,R)- or (S,S)-dpmppm(=O)₄, was synthesized to prepare C₂ dinuclear M(hfa)₃ complexes (M=Eu, Tb, Y) as the first example of lanthanide(III) complexes with P-chiral multidentate phosphine oxides. The mononuclear M(hfa)₃ complexes (M=Eu, Y) with a P-chiral diphosphine dioxide, tpdpb(=O)₂, were also prepared, and comparison of their photophysical properties for the Eu^III complexes revealed that significant chiral induction from the P-chiral centers arises on the achiral M(hfa)₃ units through intramolecular π-π stacking constraint in the dinuclear system.     

A dipping method for radioactivity measurement in water using plastic scintillator

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - A new dipping method was studied for the measurement of radioactive solution using plastic scintillator sheets and pellets (PSs) and a liquid...     

Flexible and Epitaxial Metal Oxide Thin Film Growth by Photoreaction Processing for Electrical and Optical Applications

This review summarizes the use of photoreactions that replace conventional heating processes for growing oxide thin films from chemical solutions. In particular, this review outlines key variables in photoreactions that affect epitaxial and polycrystalline thin film growth, including precursor materials, laser wavelength, laser fluence, and carbon. In addition, the features of the photoreaction process that can be controlled at a low temperature by oxygen non-stoichiometry are examined. Likewise, functions that are neither achieved by developing a gradient structure nor controlled by a thermal equilibrium reaction are detailed. Two new concepts are presented, known as photoreaction of nanoparticles (PRNP) and photoreaction of a hybrid solutions (PRHS), in which crystal nuclei are pre-dispersed in a metal–organic compound film. This method has successfully produced flexible phosphor films used as resistor or thermistor electronic components. Finally, thin film growth using different light sources such as flash lamps and femtosecond lasers (fs) is explored.     

Heterodinuclear M1M2 Complexes (M1=Ni,Pd, Pt; M2=Rh,Ir) Supported by a Tetradentate Phosphine Ligand and Their Application for Hydrosilylation

A new series of cationic heterodinuclear complexes, [M¹M²Cl₂(meso-dpmppp)(RNC)₂]PF₆ (M¹=Ni, M²=Rh, R=^tBu ( 1 a ); M¹=Pd, M²=Rh, R=^tBu ( 2 a ), Xyl ( 2 b ); M¹=Pt, M²=Rh, R=^tBu ( 3 a ), Xyl ( 3 b ); M¹=Pd, M²=Ir, R=^tBu ( 4 a )), supported by a tetradentate phosphine ligand, meso-Ph₂PCH₂P(Ph)(CH₂)₃P(Ph)CH₂PPh₂ (meso-dpmppp), were synthesized by stepwise reactions of meso-dpmppp with NiCl₂ ⋅ 6H₂O or MCl₂(cod) (M=Pd, Pt), forming mononuclear metalloligands of [M¹Cl₂(meso-dpmppp)], and with [M²Cl(cod)]₂ (M²=Rh, Ir) and RNC (R=^tBu, Xyl) in the presence of [NH₄][PF₆]. The related neutral PdRh complex, [PdRhCl₃(meso-dpmppp)(XylNC)] ( 5 ), was also prepared. The structures of 1 – 5 were determined by X-ray analyses to contain two square planar d⁸ metal centers with face-to-face arrangement, where meso-dpmppp supports M¹ and M² metal ions in cis/trans-P,P coordination mode, combining cis-{M¹P₂Cl₂} and trans-{M²P₂(CNR)₂} units. Complexes 1 – 4 showed an intence characteristic absorption around 422–464 nm derived from Rh^I→RNC MLCT transition (HOMO→LUMO+1), which are influenced by changing M¹ (Ni^II, Pd^II, Pt^II) metal ions since HOMO composed of dσ* orbitals appreciably destabilized by changing M¹ from Ni to Pd, and Pt. The electronic structures of 1 a – 4 a were investigated on the basis of DFT calculations and NBO analyses to show weak but noticeable d⁸–d⁸ metallophilic interaction as empirical dispersion energy of 0.9–1.5 kcal/mol without M¹–M² covalent bonding interaction. In addition, 1 – 5 were utilized as catalysts for hydrosilylation of styrene, and the NiRh complex 1 a was found to show higher activity and chemo- and regioselectivity compared with 2 – 5 .     

Ruthenium‐Immobilized Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica: Synthesis,Characterization, and Catalytic Application for Selective Oxidation of Alkanes

Periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) is a unique material that has a crystal‐like wall structure with coordination sites for metal complexes. A Ru complex, [RuCl₂(CO)₃]₂, is successfully immobilized onto 2,2’‐bipyridine (BPy) units of PMO to form a single‐site catalyst, which has been confirmed by various physicochemical analyses. Using NaClO as an oxidant, the Ru‐immobilized PMO oxidizes the tertiary C?H bonds of adamantane to the corresponding alcohols at 57 times faster than the secondary C?H bonds, thereby exhibiting remarkably high regioselectivity. Moreover, the catalyst converts cis‐decalin to cis‐9‐decalol in a 63 % yield with complete retention of the substrate stereochemistry. The Ru catalyst can be separated by simple filtration and reused without loss of the original activity and selectivity for the oxidation reactions.     

Striking Differences in Properties of Geometric Isomers of [Ir(tpy)(ppy)H]+: Experimental and Computational Studies of their Hydricities,Interaction with CO2, and Photochemistry

We prepared two geometric isomers of [Ir(tpy)(ppy)H]⁺, previously proposed as a key intermediate in the photochemical reduction of CO₂ to CO, and characterized their notably different ground‐ and excited‐state interactions with CO₂ and their hydricities using experimental and computational methods. Only one isomer, C‐trans‐[Ir(tpy)(ppy)H]⁺, reacts with CO₂ to generate the formato complex in the ground state, consistent with its calculated hydricity. Under photocatalytic conditions in CH₃CN/TEOA, a common reactive C‐trans‐[Ir(tpy)(ppy)]⁰ species, irrespective of the starting isomer or monodentate ligand (such as hydride or Cl), reacts with CO₂ and produces CO with the same catalytic efficiency.     

One‐Step Borylation of 1,3‐Diaryloxybenzenes Towards Efficient Materials for Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

The development of a one‐step borylation of 1,3‐diaryloxybenzenes, yielding novel boron‐containing polycyclic aromatic compounds, is reported. The resulting boron‐containing compounds possess high singlet‐triplet excitation energies as a result of localized frontier molecular orbitals induced by boron and oxygen. Using these compounds as a host material, we successfully prepared phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes exhibiting high efficiency and adequate lifetimes. Moreover, using the present one‐step borylation, we succeeded in the synthesis of an efficient, thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter and boron‐fused benzo[6]helicene.     

Morphological change of crystalline polymer films by annealing: substrate‐ and heating/cooling‐rate‐dependent surface roughness

We study the morphological change of crystalline polymer films by annealing using atomic force microscope, X‐ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. As typical samples, we employ high‐density and low‐density polyethylene films prepared by the cast method. After annealing at 135 °C for 4 h, the surface roughness of polyethylene films by the atomic force microscope significantly increases, and the crystallite size by the X‐ray diffraction also shows some increase, while the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum hardly exhibits any change. This can be well explained as a result of the growth of crystal structure by recrystallization during annealing. More interestingly, we find that the choice of the substrate and also the heating/cooling rates for annealing significantly influences the surface roughness of the films. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.